Haven't I fallen far enough?

“What makes you think I’m upset with you?” maybe he should be, and if he was he clearly had enough reasons to be far more upset than he was right now. He just knew that there was no point in being upset yet, her time would come, and when it did then he would be upset.

“Yes, I know you are sorry, you said it over and over, but that is just half of it, isn’t it?“ Just because one is sorry does not mean they want forgiveness, and so far she hadn’t asked for it. So as far he was concern, she was just telling him what she was feeling, that really didn’t translate to what she wanted “All I’m hearing are excuses Anael.“ He extended the bottle topping her glass once again. “You can do better than that?“

“Yes It was… He was worried about you.“ And while Samael had been worried as well, he believed she was capable of fending for herself “And since you didn’t want my help…“ or trusted him enough to think that he would help “I figured he might get some sense into your head.“.

          Anna fights the urge to send her eyes rolling into the back of her head upon pure instinct, and somehow she manages. “You have been upset with me since the moment you saw me behind bars.” And that was the truth. She hadn’t listened to him - or even Brandon for that matter. And now, again - she was paying consequences for choices she couldn’t help but make. Her caring nature was the very thing that got her in trouble. 

          She allows him to top off her glass before she takes another drink. She wants the warmth and security the wine would provide her. “You know I would have never harmed you intentionally.” Even if he had tried to stop her that night - it was part of why she had run away so quickly. “What do you want from me, Samael? What do you want me to say? Or do? I’m not….Parts of me are gone and I can’t bring them back to you. And im fucking sorry.” She hates this, so she takes another heavy gulp, her words more sincere and honest than before as her voice cracks with emotion she has been suppressing.  She sighs in frustration, leaning back in her chair. “Why are we up here,” she asks, trying to suddenly change the subject.

          Sitting back in her cot, she glances across the cell at her newest roommate. A halfling - nephilim, rare as they may be, most of him is very human. “You can have the rest of my meal, if you like - you look like you need it. You’re tiny.” There is a bit of tease to her tone, but she comes off as friendly nonetheless.~ @oncealcstsoul​

“You think I didn’t already know this? I...care for you too, Samael - obviously.”

“No, you’re not, and the others out there aren’t too.” Brandon was annoyed that Anael won’t see sens. She was too caught up with finding whoever this was, and whoever it was, they were obviously someone important to Anael. Brandon hadn’t deduced yet whether she wanted to find this person to keep her safe or kill her though. Brandon frowned in her direction and quickly replied, “What you want is me inside you, but we’ll get to that.” Usually, that would be followed by a playful smirk but it was absent on the angel’s lips. He said it nonchalantly and with authority, as if to tell the other angel that this wasn’t a suggestion. He knew that was what she wanted.

So she wants to kill them. Figures. Brandon walked towards her. “The brands may be on the fritz but you’ll die the minute you step out of Thorn Haven.” His tone changed. He was trying his best to reason with her and hoping she would see sense. “The best I can do is help you stay safe. You go after this woman and her sisters and that’s a surefire way of dying.” Brandon reached for her hand. “Think about it: you either go after her and die or you live to see another day and make sure you do it right.”

.

          Anna’s hands flex into tight fists - he wants punched in that chiseled face of his, and she is almost too happy to oblige. But now is not the time to fight with him of all people. Especially over that particular topic. “Well - I’m not ready to leave town just yet, so today is not my day to die.” She’s been around a very long time, has the confidence of an angel. Why did he have to worry about her? Care even? Enough that she's stuck in this damn building with him.

          He grabs her tightly closed hand and she looks up into concerned blue hues. She hates that look - more than the smirk that he usually sports. Fighting him tires her and her hand unclinches under Brandon’s touch after a moment's hesitation. “...Fine.” He makes good points - but she knows right now is the only chance she will get for a long time. “But they will fix these brands and I will once again be useless.” As she speaks, her eyes waver to the side, a quiet submission, her body visibly releasing some of its tension now that shes given in.

Samael pushed the glass closer to her. For how long they knew each other it was almost surprising they had never drank together before. Well, maybe not that surprising, duty had always been the priority with them, and it wasn’t like they walk around together after his fall. With no ceremonies he drank from his own glass. It was a nice enough wine. 

In silence, he eyed her, wondering where the angel he once knew was. For all intents and purpose she looked the same, but there was a part of her that was dimmed, gone. And while he still saw parts of what had made her special, there was this other side he thought lost forever. Maybe he wouldn’t like this Anael, same he liked the old one. But in a sense of honor and respect to what she once was, he would give her the benefit of a doubt. 

“So…“ he finally broke his silence “lets hear it.“

         Anna eyes the offered glass, knowing it may just do her well to drink from it - calm nerves that are seemingly always on high alert in this place. It would be a form of disrespect to not drink with him. And with that thought, she takes the glass and brings it to her lips for a sip that warms her throat. They needed to talk and Anna - she was probably going to need much more wine. 

          “What do you want or need me to say?” She questions after the moment of silence that lingers between them. “I’m bad at talking and I have a feeling anything I say will only make you further upset with me.” He doesn’t like her - she can see it in his eyes, but she doesn’t feel like the same angel he remembered, either. “But either way, you already know I’m sorry I stabbed you - it was during a moment of high tension.” Her words said one thing, but she knew he’d deliberately walked into her blade. 

She was the one wiggling that thing around, she was the one that should be careful. “I said…” he bit right back, she had barely stopped her full sentence, and he was already taking over her “ we will talk about this… later” the last word almost a growl. It wasn’t like they had time to go over the stupid wound on his shoulder. Her request to look at his wound got her the same answer she had received the first time she offered to heal him, none. Instead, he just looked at her in the same warning way, the silence of a predator ready to attack at the slight movement.   

The idea of her escaping had never crossed his mind, she was smart after all, no matter what, he still knew that about her. And like she said, if she wanted a way out, she would be out by now. But Samael also knew she was the type to risk her own like to help others. She had done it for him once upon a time. And even with a knife in hand she was still the healer that found him in his lowest. No, she wouldn’t run away, it wasn’t her.

“Who is she?“ it wasn’t like she would be doing this for a man. 

          They would talk later, of fucking course they would. Something told her it would be less about talking and more about him getting even in his own way. Challenge accepted. She may have not taken Samael up on offers in the past but she had grown to realize everything he had ever tried to teach her was true. His anger toward her was justified. Now however, she hated herself enough for the both of them. Let him attack her if he so chooses - she wouldn’t fight back. 

          “Obviously your glares don’t shake me and will never stop me from asking.” They may run into one another five years from now, a hundred, this wouldn’t change. “Blame god for making us such stubborn creatures.” 

          Anna takes a step back then, further into the darkness of the surprisingly quiet alleyway. “She is a witch and her name is Sophie. Her sister is the very reason I’ve been enslaved. Yes, I trusted a magic wielding human. Feel free to continue looking at me with such disdain.” It hurts even if she is too proud to admit it. 

“Not when you’re going to go up against a horde,” Brandon retorted. “For fuck’s sake, did you even listen to what you just said a moment ago? You can’t even use your powers properly.” He let out an annoyed huff before raising an eyebrow. “Sure, because that’s what you want: me inside your head.”

Brandon couldn’t help but chuckle at her “insult”. “Are you really that desperate to prove you’re not fallen that you want to not just demean me for getting married but you’re also going to go out there and basically commit suicide?” He walked towards her so that he stood merely inches away. Looking down at her, he said “Your threats don’t work on me, Anael. Try them with someone else.” There was a pause before the Brit sighed. “Do you have an idea where this Sophie is?” He went back to peering out the window. “It’s a bad idea to go back to L’Enfer but if that’s where she is, I think the magic restricting teleportation is down. We can get in there and probably sneak around.” He looked back at Anael. “But for her sake, I hope she got out.”

          There is reasoning in Brandons words, she knows her chances of finding the one she is looking for may as well be slim to none. “You’re acting like I’m nothing more than a human.” She could handle her own, even against a hoard of inexperienced slaves. In that regard, Anna held no fear. “Are you forgetting what I am because I wear a brand?” She doesn’t have the time to argue with him - and she shouldn’t need to justify her actions to him either. At one time he may have held an influence over her, one he got off on reminding her of. “What do I want then?” Her body is steel that stands its ground. 

          “Are you saying you care about what happens to me?” Her voice is like ice, another challenge. She can’t help herself around him. This - brute gets under her skin and stays there until she has to claw him out. Hes mere inches away from her now but he doesn’t tower over her or intimidate her in the slightest. He steps away and her eyes stay upon his back.  “I know where her home is. It is where I was going when you got in my way.”

          “She - her sisters, they are mistresses here. One of them betrayed me - it’s why I’m here. They are the whole fucking reason I ended up here…” She wants to wrap her hands around Sage’s neck and squeeze till she pops. And then, maybe - she would feel better. “Bar- Brandon,” that is his name now she has to get used to it. “I need to find her and leave this place. You could leave too - we could all leave while this place burns.”

“Woah! I’m not trying to start anything,” Nico said, holding up his hands and tipping his head to the side. He’d never had to be agressive with his powers, so all this chaos wasn’t exactly his cup of tea.  “I’m just out stretching my legs till someone puts a cap on all this and chucks us back into the cells.”

Brandon gave the angel an incredulous look. “Right, and you think you can stay out here in that state?” His tone was almost stern and he was about to give her an earful when he heard footsteps behind them. Immediately, he took her hand, and with a crack teleported them into the second floor of a house nearby. Brandon walked to the windows, gazing out as he tried to see what was happening outside.

“Who is this someone?” Brandon asked as he turned to face her once more. “I know you’re capable of fending for yourself but I also know you’re smart enough to realize that you won’t survive another second out there. They will rip you apart the second they have the fucking chance.” 

          “Even a weak Angel can be a dangerous one.” That wasn’t a lie either. She could take care of herself, with or without her abilities. Hell - she had been doing it for years, over seven hundred to be exact. Ever prideful, help wasn’t something she tended to ask for - especially not from him. Footsteps sounded and she whirled around, arm raised and throwing the knife. It hit her desired target when suddenly the lurch of teleportation churns her stomach and they were somewhere else.

          She moves toward the window to peer out, dark green eyes scanning the street. Momentarily she ignores his question, focused upon the chaos below them. Anna shakes her head, growing more irritable by the second. She needs to get out of here. “If you can read my mind as well as you think you can - then you would know who and why.” It’s not a challenge - he just liked getting into things that were none of his business. “Her name is Sophie - and if our abilities aren’t working, her magic isn’t working either.” There is deep rooted concern in her voice, but she tried to keep those emotions at bay.