(Hazbin Hotel) Book 2: The Radio Family, Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 321: "~Just Breatheee~"

Just Breathe: by Rival and Cadmium (feat: Jon Becker)
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Within the orb of darkness Michael is panting heavily as he struggled to breathe.

The darkness was restricting all outside sounds from entering but he doubted he'd be able to hear anything anyways. Not with the echoing voice of his older brother singing a song that he's only ever heard whenever Lucifer or Gabriel snuck out in the middle of the night too sleep with Azrael in a cuddle pile. Those two were always sneaking out of the Ivory Palace—acting as though Michael couldn't possibly be awake at 12:00pm—or that he'd follow after them like the concerned older brother that he is...

They both never suspected a thing, always to overwhelmed by bad memories to notice they were being followed. However, it's now been made apparent to Michael that Azrael knew that he was listening to the song.

How could he not stay and listen? It was Hakim's song.

Listening to Azrael sing that song now though, was more attuned to a haunting jest at Michael's emotions than it was a means of providing comfort.

All Michael felt was a bone chilling grief as he saw the death of Hakim—through eyes that weren't his own.

One second he's staring at Lucifer pinned to a wall in copious amounts of hardened tree sap, the next he's doubling over and clutching the fabric of his shirt overtop of his heart as though he's having a heart attack! As his vision blurred from the stabbing pain of Hakim's death Michael was then plagued by a sudden numbing sensation over the acceptance Hakim's soul had over his own demise...and he felt it.

Michael was hyperventilating, because how?—How could he possibly be feeling this pain as if it were his own?—As if he's in Azrael's own body?!

He tried to breathe but ended up chocking.

His eyes widened—he—He Couldn't Breathe!

He was chocking on air as Micah's voice was echoing within his head showing him how to breathe...but Michael couldn't get a grip on his breathing as he inhaled a strangled breath and coughed violently.

He was overwhelmed by darkness that seeped into his mouth and nose until he closed his eyes only to be assaulted by the body of Hakim cradled in his arms—No Azrael's arms—when had Azrael held up Hakim's corpse? Was he imagining things? No no...this happened Hakim was given the right of passing whispered onto his soul by Azrael himself before father finally held him and set his soul to rest amongst the stars.

Azrael was alone surrounded by darkness swirling in the shapes of their siblings and father...Michael vaguely see's the silhouette of himself vomiting and grimaced. He focused his attention on Azrael who kissed Hakim's forehead and whispered his words of passing onto Hakim's soul only to gasp in horror as Hakim's eyes opened and stared up at Azrael like mirrors as Azrael's own voice echoes back at him.

"You could've saved him."

Azrael's face shifted into many different emotions before settling on angered grief as he screamed himself hoarse.

Michael opened his eyes and screamed as he was in Azrael's room and scrambled out of bed, walking on legs that weren't his own and stared into a mirror. He saw Azrael staring back at him with a gaunt almost skeletal appearance before Azrael slowly closed his eyes which Michael involuntarily mirrored...

Michael fought to breathe as Micah was adamantly instructing him to take a breath, but when the images changed to purgatory...it all changed.

He had the air ripped out of his lungs from the stark reminder of his own failures...