blind faith

The dragon's chest was lifting and falling with heavy, unnerved breaths, watching the celestial like he was trying to figure him out. He wanted his telepathy, he desperately wanted it because the uncertainty of why he had done that was plaguing him. Yet, he looked apologetic, like it was a genuine mistake. How could he have known? No one did, not specifically, only Danny had that knowledge. He took in a deep breath, shaking his head as he closed his eyes and lifted his hand to rub at his head again like he was suffering a migraine. He was back to just calm now, an empty void besides the claws of heat sitting inside of him. That's what he was used to. It was all he knew.

The way Rune rubbed at his temple nearly had Adrasia reaching for his healing magic instead, but he kept himself withdrawn, nervous now to try anything new. He straightened when the dragon spoke again, hoping for any kind of clarity in his words, though it didn't come until that dark gaze met the celestial's own and he felt... something. It was like locking eyes with a doll. Adrasia's eyes narrowed slightly, his frown a reflex at the choice of words. "Victim?" He repeated, "Have I... hurt you?" He could not imagine the mechanics of such a thing, but the situation was rapidly sliding into strangeness beyond what the angel had previously encountered.

They didn't talk, they were pretty much past words now, or so Noah figured. All he wanted to do was ride the tide of pleasure. Adrasia filled him so well and he shivered and clung to the angel as he rocked against him, steadily fucking himself on his cock. It felt so damn good but he was in the state where pretty much everything would. Adrasia seemed to be enjoying it too given the sounds he made and the way he dragged his nails down his back. Noah welcomed it, arched into it, would've happily taken more and rougher if he'd wanted to give it but apparently Adrasia wasn't into that. Oh well, this was still good.

Noah looked beautiful with his head back like that, the movements of his body fluid and hypnotizing to the angel's eyes regardless of everything flowing through the other's system. Adrasia felt unmoored by comparison but he had enough sense left in him to still work his hand, to drift between fumbling presses of his lips against Noah's bared neck, head lolling back easily every time the cambion claimed his mouth for another messy kiss. There was nothing intentional in the desperate sounds that escaped from the angel with each roll of Noah's hips, Adrasia nearly overwhelmed by the feeling of Noah squeezing around him as the younger slave trembled against him on the cusp of his peak.

“Oh, what joy, what bliss. How very fortunate for me that Roland doesn’t give a damn if his slaves sneak off for quickies in the bathrooms,” he said dryly, rolling his eyes. He knew he was acting like a child, but that was just who he was. When someone got too close to him—in a way that went beyond the physical or the sexual—Gabriel couldn’t help but sever that budding connection with the blade of his cynical sarcasm. It was strange, considering he prided himself on being the only one in his family who understood that feelings weren’t just weaknesses to be buried. Sometimes, he knew he had too many of them: hatred, desire, fear, melancholy, anger, hope. But he didn’t care. To him, emotions were like lifeblood, fueling him and keeping him going just as much as the sexual energy he fed on. And yet, between recognizing his emotions and sharing them honestly with others stretched an immense and shadowy ocean—one the warlock didn’t dare even approach. He had tried, once. The universe’s answer had been clear: a hellbound creature like him was meant to walk alone. Always and forever.

With the anger so clearly defensive, Adrasia didn't feel even a flicker of an urge to rise to it and return Gabriel's vitriol, waiting patiently as the bitter words flowed past the other's lips. When the younger finally turned, he was simply waiting with that outstretched cup, quiet but poised for anything that might come next. He wasn't afraid of Gabe's assessing eyes, no matter how dark and familiar they were in the context of another man's face. Trust, he mentioned, and the angel could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for that. Likely that the younger man was not so interested in considering that both of them would need to do a substantial amount of trusting if this encounter was to be fruitful rather than destructive.

The bite wasn't entirely expected as Adrasia wasn't usually prone to such things and Roland gasped at the unexpectedness of it and how much it turned him on. "Oh. There we are. Feel free to do that again as much as you like. Have I never shared how much I like it?" It seemed inevitable that he should like attention to his neck as a vampire and there was no danger of Adrasia trying to drink from him since he wasn't a vampire. He could practically feel the mark healing away as Adrasia watched and Roland couldn't help but smirk at the look on his face. "If only it didn't heal so quickly and you could truly leave your mark. Is that what you were thinking? I was." There was a strange muffled or almost nasal quality to his voice that seemed to distract from the teasing words. "If only this damnable cold didn't make me sound like I have cotton in my nose I'd be able to say things like that and have them actually be sexy instead of...not." He couldn't stop complaining since at least half of his thoughts were focused on the misery of the sickness and he had to vocalize all of his thoughts.

He liked it? A simple confession, but it was scrambling Adrasia's thoughts somewhat. The angel had assumed any vampire would resent the gesture, or at the very least find it silly and impotent, or an irritating attempt to upset the dynamic of power at play. It was apparently not so with Roland and he had no idea what to do with that information beyond giving into the urge to do it again -- which was off the table. Wasn't it? For a moment, Adrasia was dumbfounded, barely registering Roland's stream of complaints as he tried to grapple with the notion of marking him and the strange heat the notion sent through him. When the bubble of words steered back into something more safe, he could finally muster more defensive words, fruitless as they'd likely be. "I do not hold vendettas," Adrasia insisted, gritting his teeth, "I take no pleasure in doling out punishment, councilman, no matter what you think of me."

Briar's brows rose and a wide smile quickly broke out across his face. Love was simply magical, and in Briar's eyes it was the most powerful magic there was. He always loved to hear about it, whether it be his own or someone else's, platonic or romantic. It was important to love and be loved, he always hoped everyone got a chance to experience both. "Isn't it nice, though? To miss them?" He asked, softly and full of genuineness, "To love is to have lost, and that feeling is just proof that it existed, even if you lost it." He sighed, a little content sound as he set down his half-eaten half of the grilled cheese. "That's probably not helpful at all, sorry," He laughed at himself, shaking his head.

The swell of happiness that came from the younger man was enough to perk Adrasia up slightly just by feeling it, empathy feeling rather more literal at times like this. If it was a discussion that brought Briar comfort, well... perhaps it was worth it. "No, you don't need to apologize," He was quick to reassure him, giving the Seelie a small smile, "Your intentions are pure. And I appreciate them." Did he consider it a beautiful thing to feel what he did? The celestial struggled to say. So often, missing them only felt like a reason to wallow in the choices he'd made and wonder what would have happened differently had Adrasia never let himself be so easily tempted. "I do not know if I am strong enough to be grateful for the feeling," He admitted, "But while I was fortunate enough to be in their lives, I felt... blessed. Yes."

Finn turned his head to smile back at Adrasia as he joined him by the sink, plucking the plate from his friend's hands and rinsing it off. He then slipped it into the dishwasher and grabbed a couple of Tupperware containers from a cabinet. "I'd be delighted to give you a ride back up so long as you don't judge my ride," he said. Gareth changed more than just his hair and wardrobe and house to something pink. "We should get goin' now though before it gets too late." He didn't know about Adrasia but Finn had a curfew with the stupid aswang who owned him. He sure as hell didn't want his friend here if Gareth showed up at that time.

Roland had clearly startled the angel who seemed...subdued, somehow. As caught up with his own feelings as he was, the vampire couldn't help noticing that, at least at the moment. His pain driven anger overrode any concern for the time being, however, waiting for an answer to the question he'd asked, the apology not doing much to soothe him. He scoffed at the comment. "That's no excuse." It was, in actual fact. Adrasia couldn't possibly know the song would bother him or why but Roland wasn't feeling generous. It still felt like the lyrics were stabbing him even if they'd been cut off. The words and the melancholy tune echoed in his heart and threatened to make everything worse.

Adrasia only gave the vampire a quiet look as Roland snapped out that response, eyes wide and soft. He was concerned, impractically, but how could he not be with Roland's misery bearing down on the slave so heavily now that he'd come close? The anger was certainly present, hot and flashing at the forefront, but it was a thin disguise for everything lurking beneath it. He did not take it personally, carefully sliding the vinyl back into its sleeve before he shifted in his seat on the plush carpet to look at Roland more intentionally. He had a response brewing, something to explain the fact that while he did not need the councilman's attention, he had grown used to him in the time they'd lived together, so naturally he would notice his absence. But Roland turned suddenly and in a moment the anger was smothered beneath such an acute pain that Adrasia's lips parted around a quick breath, his brows drawing sharply together as he stared at the back of Roland's blond head.

Bastion had had his fortune told once upon a time but he didn't truly believe in that kind of stuff. Adrasia could look at his palm all he liked and glean whatever information he could but Bastion didn't think it would be worthwhile.

Adrasia mouth pressed into a hard line at that, forehead creasing, a rather stern expression considering the angel was actually trying not to laugh. "The councilman is very opinionated, yes," He managed. So that was what the two of them were up to when they weren't otherwise... engaged. Adrasia still couldn't properly envision what an argument between the two very different men would look like. Bastion would have to be accommodating enough to let Roland win, or at least believe he had.

If there was one thing about Bastion, it was that he was incredibly guileless. He lived his truths and wasn't in the business of trying to do much else than have fun and play music, both in excess. As far as embodying his sin went, he did amazingly. When it came to actually being a demon, he was sub-pair at best. Hellhounds were supposed to be ferocious beasts and Bastion had the capacity for it, but he was far more interested in things that pleased him than reigning terror or aligning himself with more powerful demons like his father had always wanted him to.

Adrasia remained largely silent during Roland's impassioned rant against Raphael but that was hardly surprising. Perhaps he was surprised at the vehemence with which Roland spoke out against his fellow councilman but it was no real secret that the two disliked each other and this only made it worse, at least on Roland's end. He meant what he said, even if the angel didn't believe him, and he would just have to prove it with his actions and continued protection. There would most certainly be hell to pay if Raphael laid a hand on Adrasia now that he was Roland's claim and Roland wouldn't hesitate to take him to the council over it if it happened. Hopefully, De Luca would just keep his greedy little claws to himself and they could avoid the whole thing. Roland nodded when Adrasia finally spoke. "I think so. You're forbidden from interacting with him anyway so you don't really have a choice." He smiled a little, knowing now more than ever that the celestial would see that as a gift or perhaps just a relief. The gratitude tugged his smile a little wider. "You're quite welcome."

A gift, indeed. Adrasia would certainly make no protest against being banned from interacting with the ghoul, especially with his exposed wings reminding him all the more vividly of he and Raphael's last encounter. It was a testament to Roland's patience that the celestial wasn't more stiff under his touch with such memories lingering in his mind. He took a careful, intentional breath as the vampire asked his questions, trying to center himself now that the initial shock the touch was fading. "We do this... usually only for the practice of preening," he murmured, eyes slowly falling half-shut as Roland continued, "To help in shedding the old feathers, for comfort's sake." Sure enough, even without the councilman knowing the proper movements, a few gauzy feathers had already drifted to the floor at their feet, loose and eager to fall from weeks of suppression after being forced to suddenly regrow. Adrasia felt a strange pang of protectiveness over them, scattered around the carpet like bronze-tipped leaves. Roland's witch would've known the arcane uses for such things. He prayed the vampire himself would either not know or not care.

Briar gave the celestial a saddened, downturned smile. "I suppose you're right," He said softly, nodding. He set the grilled cheese back down on the plate, brushing crumbs off his fingers as well so there wasn't a mess on the island counter. "What about you, do you have someone special? Or.. had?" He questioned, wishing to change the subject now because he felt the longer he thought about Inez, the more he'd just ruin the time spent with his new friend.

Lost in his melancholy for the young man, the last thing Adrasia had expected was for the question to be turned on himself. He gazed at Briar in wide-eyed surprise for a moment. "Yes," He answered softly, gaze dropping, but somehow the angel found himself smiling, wistful. "Had, yes. For a brief time." It was painful to acknowledge to himself that he could describe not one, now, but two matters of the heart in such terms. But Taliesin had left under far better circumstances. Somewhere in the world, the boy survived. Free. "A day does not go by where they are not in my thoughts."

Finn just smiled and nodded, not having the heart to express the many doubts that lingered in his mind on that. They had more pressing and immediate matters to worry about, like Gareth potentially harassing Adrasia while his friend occupied his body. He wasn't as worried about Roland given what the celestial said of him being more... respectful than Bradbury.

Adrasia took instruction well, going where he was guided and doing what Noah had asked him to do. The cambion was already drunk but the heat between them was going to his head in a similar way, swirling with the alcohol to put him in a haze of pleasure and need, a need he very much hoped the angel was going to help him fill. Maybe he wouldn't as he seemed to stall when Noah made his suggestion but Noah looked at him with eyes glazed with pleasure and drink, hoping he'd listen. It would be good for both of them, he knew it would, and Adrasia so clearly needed it too that Noah couldn't understand why he'd possibly deny them both.

It happened so quickly, Adrasia wasn't sure he could've stopped him if he tried. One moment Noah's hands had left him and the next Adrasia was gasping, burying his face in the curve of the other's shoulder while his fingers dug into the cambion's back as that sudden heat sank down around him. After only the muted sensations of their bodies pressed against one another through the folds of his robes, the pleasure was shocking and vivid. He had barely caught his breath by the time he'd lifted his chin enough to be kissed again, dizzied both by that and by the fluid rocking of Noah's hips, matching the younger slave's sounds with his own nearly pained groan pressed to Noah's lips.