Let’s see what the fuzz. I blame @h3mmy and @koalou for this.

#AngelsBeforeMan

Book 1 is #AngelsBeforeMan

It covers the story of the Fall of Lucifer. It's technically not canon, but it's treated by many as if it is. Funnily enough there's a quote in book 3 that's relevant to discussing the common experience with many religious folks.

> had always found their faith more in whims and what their own parents had taught them, rather than anything in the scripture itself.

Anyway, it's a good read. Starts from when Lucifer is created. How he develops, observing the ambient culture. I definitely know some folks that can relate to certain vibes.

> He climbed back to the second floor, then went to his room and flopped over the bed. For a moment, he stared at the ceiling as he had done before, then rolled over so that he could snuggle into the obscene amount of things there. Rubbing his face against a plush pillow, tugging quilts and blankets over himself, he thought of everything.

God even tells him how he "planted a garden" inside Lucifer. It's both beautiful and very much ominous.

Then the little quirks start appearing like the emphasis on staying clean, what it means to be civilized, how one needs to have a dedicated purpose, etc.

> “There is nothing more important than remaining clean. An angel that becomes impure becomes unworthy to live in paradise.”

Luci is quickly a favorite. Everyone loves him. Angels are genderless, but He/Him are the only pronouns that exist for now. Angel of Beauty, Angel of Worship. This angel is terribly self-conscious and full of guilt and shame over attributes beyond his control, like being so distracting to everyone.

> Sometimes Lucifer wished being the angel of beauty wasn’t so distracting for everyone.

Another popular angel is Michael, ArchAngel of Strength, Chief Prince. Two wildly popular and attractive angels getting caught up in each other's gravity fields. Almost as if they were made for each other.

> Briefly , the younger angel remembered a moment on Earth: them arguing playfully, Michael grabbing him, hoisting him over one shoulder, and Lucifer kicking helplessly, screaming in embarrassment. The prince had brought him back to the grotto, settled Lucifer over the blanket, and chuckled that the angel of worship weighed nothing to him. Lucifer — laying there with all the fever of meekness, feeling like he’d just been kidnapped, feeling like he was about to be devoured, feeling happy, despite it all.

Yes, it's so very gay. Even through I was already familiar with how this story will end, I still let it make my queer little heart happy.

There's an interlude after which things start getting... wilder, we'll say.

The interlude has so much creative imagery. It's a dream. I want to highlight a couple of pieces

> Whispering — “I daydream of you, of loving you.”
> “How do you love me?”
> “Like this.” Yearning mouth — it’d press soft to the smooth of his tunic. “Like a flower, like a symphony, trapped in my throat, like you’re an eternity, and I need you in my veins.”

This dream ends with both angels running away as God approaches

> Gathering their clothes, taking each other’s hands, and laughing, they’d run away from Him, as fast they could. So that He doesn’t see, doesn’t notice. Two angels creating love, creating.

This is important because it symbolizes exactly how their dynamic is at this time.

I'm skipping most of the other themes and just about all of part 2 of this book. At least for this post. Would need several more content warnings that makes it more suitable for a different one.

Anyway, by the end of book 1, Michael is ripping off Lucifers wings like it's Luci's heart ripping away from his own. And he casts him down out of Eden towards Earth.

Book 2 is #AngelsAndMan

Lucifer is much less the innocent angel from Book 1 and is calling himself Satan. Discussing the full arc across the books is basically an essay I do not have the time to write. The books are right there y'all, and I'm not even close to being as good of a writer.

There's a snippet in the interlude of Book 2, that so very closely echoes Book 1. Complete with all the flowery imagery, but also

> I love you, he was saying, no one will ever hurt me like you have.

and then very shortly after...

> In a shaking desperation, he swore to the dazed, unfinished angel: “I dreamed of you, of loving you.”
> “How did you love me?”
> “Not like this.”

To quote @xYourEmoGFx this was "Devastingly beautiful"

Like the dream in the interlude of Book 1, it ends with God approaching. This time, only Luci runs, with Michael encouraging him, telling him to run for safety but staying put himself.

I won't go into details beyond that, but I will say that Michael is a simp. Like, wow. The evolution of Moocifer (Michael+Lucifer) through the books really steals the show imo. The drama and angst is popcorn worthy, and if it's the chapter I just read in book 3, you can probably use my skin to pop the popcorn, because it got pretty toasty.

Happy reading! The books also get pretty dark in places, so definitely consult some content warnings beforehand.

#RafaelNicolas #AngelsTrilogy #Bookstodon #KatReads

Just a quote from #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

> ‘I wish I could get even closer to you — I wish we could sink into each other and become one.’ Lucifer clutched Michael’s clothing. ‘What is inside of you, archangel? Did Father plant flowers within this body too? I want to peel you open and suck the nectar from them.’

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From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

> “I feel drunk,” <redacted> murmured against him, then shuddered. “Your mouth— When you were created, your lips must have been laced with liquor.”

Now I'm not an expert or anything, but if someone said that to me, I might begin to suspect they're flirting with me...   

#MusingsOfAKat
#KatReads
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From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

Single quotes are thoughts
Double quotes are speech
Determination of identity for the parties involved here is left as an exercise for the reader

> “Haven’t you imagined it? I know you have. Me beneath you, crying out your name.” ‘Pleading for you to be gentler but not meaning it.’ “In front of everyone, right? So they all know who I belong to.” ‘My hands clawing at your back, pulling at your wings, legs raw and sore.’ “You, violating this body,” ‘eviscerate me,’ “and even He would be jealous of the way I’d sing for you.”

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Another quote from book 1 #AngelsBeforeMan to see if it piques interest. I've left out any surrounding context. I'll only tell you that single-quotes are thoughts and double quotes are speech.

> “Let me.” ‘Pray to this body, mold you into holy communion, cry your name like psalm.’ “Let me worship you.”

Oh, and probably that you can check the hashtags for more select quotes that I'll likely keep posting, and adding CWs as needed.

#AngelsTrilogy #RafaelNicolas #Bookstodon #BookQuotes #KatReads

From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

> ‘Here, you’re like the pistil of a flower.’ Fingers searching, exploring — ‘petals, here.’ And their bodies coming, sliding, together. ‘Running your touch up my sides, threading your soul to mine.’ Limbs entangling and, then, songs of laughter again. Embracing, bringing their mouths to lock. ‘Complete, He said, but I don’t want to be complete; I’d rather be split and become full with you.’ He’d part his legs. ‘Split me, here.’
> ‘I want to be soil. I want to be wet earth, begging to be sowed.’ Curls of hair, soft against his pulsing throat. ‘Make me mountainous, beneath your grip.’

I really like that there is genital ambiguity embedded in the prose. The focus on everything else makes it so much nicer in my opinion. I'm a bit biased though.

Side note: The pronouns are all He/Him in this book because She/Her hasn't even been invented yet, and won't be until Book 2.

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From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

I feel that I may not have been posting steamy enough quotes to get y'all's attention. This book has plenty of steamy scenes.

> ‘Yes. Hold me, squeeze me there, nuzzle me open.’ <redacted> opened his mouth, feeling as if wine poured out from between his lips, and released a sweet, languid sound.

Later in the same chapter

> ‘Devour me like a pomegranate and stain your tongue.’

I think I have a sticker with that one on it somewhere.

#Bookstodon #BookQuotes #AngelsTrilogy

From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

From Chapter 16.

Also quick note. Dialogue happens with double quotes, and thoughts happen in single quotes to distinguish the two.

> As he walked back to the Father, He said, “There is nothing more important than remaining clean. An angel that becomes impure becomes unworthy to live in paradise.”
> Lucifer stood by His side, unsure, not understanding. “Impure? What does it mean to be impure?” In his head, he cried, ‘Have I become impure? Have I become ruined?’
> “To not know impurity is to be pure,” the Lord replied simply. “Do not tremble, Lucifer. You have nothing to fear.”

As many of you might guess, this is very much echoing purity culture. The definition of what it even means to be impure is obfuscated. Which means it can simply be used to label anyone impure on a whim.

A little farther in the same chapter

> “You have my mercy.” But the Father didn’t tell him to stand. “And you have my love, Lucifer.”
> It took everything Lucifer had not to burst into tears of affection, even if his knees pressed onto prickling rocks. He thought, ‘It is good to bleed, right?’
> “All that I say comes from a place of love.” ‘Is love meant to pierce?’

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From #AngelsBeforeMan by #RafaelNicolas

> A star, somewhere, swelled before it burst into a massive storm of radiance. Watching it spin, Lucifer could only manage to ask, “Are you pleased with me, Father?” The Lord was silent still. “Please. All I wish is to be what you intended me to be.” But Lucifer couldn’t stomach the silence; his breathing picked up, pain swelling within him like that distant sun. He whispered, “Am I good enough?” He couldn’t fight the whites of his eyes flooding red as droplets began to trickle down onto his cheeks. “Do you love me?”

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