Angel!Russia x Ghost!Reader - Faith (2/2)

Bright light. Voice calling you in the darkness that came after. Pair of violet eyes looking at you. Single, white feather.
You opened your eyes. Before them there was a lazy sun coming down towards the horizon. The sky was deep orange and you couldn’t trace a single cloud on it. What have you noticed was the fact, that you were alone. Boys haven’t appeared again, not since the incident that is. How many days have passed? No more than a week you thought. They would be afraid for a couple of days and then they’ll come back, you hoped. It was hard to admit, but without their loud music and voices you felt lonely and your surrounding felt almost too quiet.
He also hasn’t appeared. The tall man that brought you to your demise. Who was he, you wondered. A demon? Something else? Three years after your death you stopped believing in thing like hell or heaven and now… You didn’t know what to think.
Maybe the best option was to stop thinking. After all you ordered him to disappear and so he did.
You closed your eyes again. Wind was getting stronger – you could hear it from the noises trees made. But there was something else. Something felt wrong, so wrong but you couldn’t say what it is. You looked around, but there was nothing. Just you, the bridge and the sunset.
“Have you come back? I told you, I don’t want to see you again!” You yelled. Even though you felt otherwise. You didn’t want to be alone.
The was no answer. You shifted uncomfortably.
“Now you’re not going to answer me, are you?”
Nothing.
“I-Ivan?”
Silence.
And then there was something that broke it. But it wasn’t Ivan.
It was your scream.

“ ___________ !”

It was hard to admit for Ivan but that day ten years ago something didn’t go too well on his mission. Usually he called it nuisances, but usually they didn’t cause so much trouble. His job was easy and rewarding enough. While he could observe people – funny, little creatures that fought among each other to gain what they dream of – he was also responsible for one soul. In other words – he was a guarding angel.
For someone who know Ivan well enough that could sound wrong. He wasn’t the perfect choice, nor had he the right mentality for this job. Angels whispered behind his back, that he was more of a demon that an angel. Or if he is, indeed, an angel, he’s merciless. Ready to squish beneath his boot any bug that would try to disturb his work. Not that he didn’t enjoy a little chaos. It was much more funnier than just sitting in one place, waiting for something to happen.
That’s why he used to close his eyes and pretend not seeing demons squirming around him. Usually he waited long enough for a demon to entertain him and then squish him in the right moment. That day he waited too long. Or maybe underestimated that demon. It wasn’t important anymore. He killed him anyway. What was important – he made a mistake.
And before he knew what has he done, a girl that he was responsible for died.
And for once the angels hadn’t whispered. No. They said out loud that there is no place for him in heaven. At least not until he’ll be able to make up for his mistake.

Shadows were all around you. At first you spotted them on the ground. They were shaped like humans and they were crawling towards you. Some of them climbed on the barrier, some pulled their dark hands towards your feet. They were coming closer and closer. You have screamed but there was no one around to hear you. You were trapped. You tried the same trick you did few days ago. Clenching your fists, closing your eyes. The wind indeed get stronger but it was of no use. They weren’t people, just shadows so you had no idea how to harm them. You could only try to escape and so you did. You started to run, after breaking free from their grasps. But it didn’t take long. Once you reached the bridge end, you hit the invisible barrier. You were a ghost after all, bound to this one specific place. You started to thump the non-existing wall with your fists but to no avail and the shadows were right behind you.
Why? Why is this happening?, you asked yourself. There was no answer to your question. Only silence you hated so much.
And then suddenly a beam of light. Bright, warm light that for a moment hided everything in itself. You had no idea how could you say it was warm. You didn’t felt a thing as a spirit yet you know this one for sure. You heard hissing coming from the shadows as they slowly backed off.
“My, my this look troublesome.” You heard a familiar voice.
Ivan was right behind you with wide, dangerous smile on his lips. He was pale as always and his violet eyes were cold, devoted of any emotions. Yet this coldhearted stare wasn’t meant for you. It was for the shadows. You looked at him bewildered, not sure if you should be glad or angry.
“Are they bothering you? They shouldn’t do that, da? It’s not very nice of them.” He spoke calmly.
There was a golden aura around him and he was beaming with this strange light that scared the shadows. And there was something more… Pair of wide, white wings, sprouted from his back. For a moment there you were staring at him with awe.
“I will take care of them now, they just thought you’re like them, but they were mistaken.”
“L-like them?” You finally were able to say something and take your eyes off him. “What do you mean?”
“A vengeful spirit. A ghost that wanted to stay on Earth forever. Your not like them, they’re… Filthy.” He continued, the tone of his voice more suiting for the conversations about the weather.
“Oh and I’m not filthy?” You asked with a little disbelief. It was still hard to understand everything that just had happened.
“No, not really, ___________ . You’re here because of mistake.”
You squinted your eyes.
“Your mistake?”
There was a short pause and then Ivan sighed. He flicked his fingers and there was light again. When it disappeared – the shadows where no more.
“I really don’t want to talk in their presence, they’re annoying. And… Well, yes. A little miscalculations. Annoying miscalculation on my side.”
There was something about word “annoying” that made you shiver. It was hard to believe he’s an angel. He didn’t act like one.
Maybe it was also a trap?
“Miscalculation?” You repeated, your voice shaking a little.
He put it so mildly and for you past ten years was so horrible. You clenched your fist again as he just reminded you why have you told him to go away in the first place.

For Ivan it was strange. Or maybe “new” was the better word. He never truly understood other angels or people in general. He had his priorities, his outlook on life but as he noticed not once during his career as a God’s messenger – everyone else had different things on their minds than him.
And it was happening again. He was able to find the damned soul he lost ten years ago but instead of being happy, ___________ was angry at him. So all right, maybe she was right. He made a mistake, but then he saved her life and that changed nothing. She still hated him. Not that he wasn’t used to being hated. It was only that this time it felt really wrong.
He really didn’t understand all this fuss. Normally he would say it’s “annoying”. But with ___________ it was different. For someone reason he was more lost than annoyed and since she was the first person in a long time not to step back after seeing his eyes – he was more interested in her than he normally was with human beings.

“Do you really don’t understand what’s wrong with you?” You asked with a trembling voice.
Ivan shook his head, which only made you more furious. You forgot to say simple thank you and all the feelings you had inside since your last meeting returned. If he was an angel you weren’t sure if you want to know his heaven.
“No, not really. Shall I apologize?”
“You better just shut up.” You snorted not really polite.
But how could you be polite? He was treating your death like some sort of nuisance that destroyed his weekend plans!
To your surprise he really felt silence. You looked at him a bit uncertain of what you should have done next. Part of you wanted to tell him to go away, the other one didn’t want to be alone again. You were in a situation in which every decision wasn’t a good one. You shifted a little bit uncomfortable with all that just happened.
“Listen… I didn’t want to be impolite. It’s just… I’m really not happy with my death, you know? And the way you’re treating it… Ugh… Just…” You paused.
“I guess I wouldn’t be happy.”
You blinked.
“What?”
“I can only imagine that in your situation I could be somewhat unhappy.”
Unhappy. Was that really all he could come up with?
“It’s far worse than that.” You tried to explain to him slowly. “It’s not just unhappy it’s…”
“I’m sorry then.” Ivan interrupted you.
You looked at him searching for a trace of mocking grim on his face but there was nothing like that there.
“Really?”
“I think so. I don’t really know how do you feel.”
“You don’t? But it’s obvious! I mean… Even angels should have feel something!”
“I guess they do. I never really understand them either.”
Well that was a surprise. You didn’t expect that kind of answer from him. But on the other hand… What exactly did you expect?
“B-but… How? I mean… Just how is this even possible? This kind of stuff is obvious for everyone! I really didn’t know…” You weren’t sure what to say but it seemed that Ivan knew.
“It’s obvious for you, right?”
“Well yes.” You nodded, not seeing the point in asking such a question.
Ivan grasped your wrist with a wide smile on his face.
”Then you can teach me!” He said merrily as you tried to understand the situation you were in.
He took you by surprise but for some reason you didn’t protest nor have you tried to break off from his grasp. You probably should felt scared but instead you were just looking at this smile of his.
“Teach you…? Teach you what?”
“Everything. Why are you angry will be a good start, da?”
“I’m not sure if I…”
You noticed a pair of violet eyes looking straight at you but for the first time there were no sign of coldness in them. Actually… He seemed genuinely happy.
And that was what made your heart racing a little bit faster.
You didn’t want to be alone anymore.
“I guess I can try.” You said finally, even though your mind was screaming something entirely different.
You should have hated him. He was the one who brought you to your demise. But on the other hand… He was also the one who saved you. For some reason you couldn’t stay angry at him any longer. He was like a big child that didn’t understand basic things and he was asking you to teach him.
You couldn’t say no to this violet eyes.
You couldn’t say no to Ivan.
“Spasiba.” He responded.
For some reason you knew it meant “thank you”.

Ivan knew he should have ended this differently. He found the soul and now if he had just send it back to heaven, everything would be all right again. He would be able to go back to his duties.
But the duties were really boring and he had time. A lot of time actually.
And he always enjoyed a little chaos in his life.
He didn’t know why but he was sure that the chaos ___________ will bring to it will be much better than any other he had during his entire existence.
Funny, he thought. I think people are calling this “faith”.
And he had a lot of this “faith” in  ___________ .