Raph the Fallen Healer

"How would I fight?" Gabriel asked, eyes downcast. "What chance in Hell do I have of even lasting ten minutes? You’ve won already, this is just icing on the cake."

"We have won, certainly... but... what happens now? Energy is now a limited source... demonic actions are not balanced out anymore... everything is chaos and violence and insanity... except here, of course, but well..." - he tilted his head.

"What can I do with the situation like this, then?" Gabriel asked, looking at him with an incredulous look. "This is Hell. I’m not even a prisoner here. What can I decide to do with my existence, save for try to keep it?”

"It's for you to decide, Gabriel... you can decide what you want to do. If you want to gain a position, if you want to fight, if you want things to change.. if you want to play along with me... or oppose me... cooperate... or just sit there and let things happen to you... it's all up to you" - he tilted his head to look at her.

Oh, there were some people, but most were inside.

He sighed: "That's not exactly what I meant, but... alright... alright..." - he scratched the back of his head and made a heel face turn back to his palace.

"…I see…" That certainly explained why there didn’t seem to be anyone around, despite the attractiveness of the storefronts and the scent of delicious food in the air. Rather made the street look eerie…

Oh, there were some people, but most were inside.

The normalness of the streetside view worked rather against it. Gabriel eyed the storefronts with a mixture of apprehension and fear, hovering about two metres from Raphael. She still didn’t trust him any further than she could throw him, but sticking close to him was probably a good idea, all things considered.

She smiled, again, he did that a lot, lately: "This, my dear, is the hell of Envy. And what you currently see is what the souls down here envy the most: normalcy. Their old life. An ordered, clean, perfect little place full of pleasantries. Really, for us... it's exactly that... a street of restaurants and gift-shops. To be used at our leisure" - he smelled the air. Mmh... it did carry a delicious aroma.

"I don’t need to be chained for them to know what’s up, you know…" Gabriel muttered. Alright, so either play along, presumably be forced into something sexual with Theliel again, or suggest something else…

He chuckled: "You know... spreading a healthy wing full of demonic energy might just confuse some of the people around here"

Sometimes, he loved his new occupation.

"Oh, you have the choice between coming with me and seeing the premises, which might be interesting for any flight-plans you have, or so you simply know how your surroundings look, to going back to your lodgings, which or course includes being in closer contact with Theliel, making sure she is in good hands, but I assure you she is perfectly fine, if not a little tired... or you make another suggestion. These are your choices. Take them or leave them..." - he chuckled. So rebellious...

He grinned: “Yes”

Narrowing her eyes, Gabriel decided that this was a discussion for another day. He obviously had no moral qualms about it, did not intend to listen, and was, right now, perfectly capable of overpowering her with no more than a gentle push after her illness.

Sometimes, he loved his new occupation.

"Aw… aren’t we thankful today” - he pressed another kiss on top of her head.

"…you…" Hadn’t they ever heard of a washing machine? Or doing their laundry by hand?!

He grinned: "Yes"

"Aw... aren't we thankful today" - he pressed another kiss on top of her head.

"Mmmmmh... if you are okay with miracles..." - he got up and placed a towel around his own self as well, walking towards Gabriel, stopping in front of her... and making a weird dressing-motion around her, which ended with her being... wrapped.

When she got a hold of herself, Gabriel emerged from the water, grabbing a washcloth and cleaning herself off before getting out of the water. Towelling down and wrapping it around her, Gabriel stepped back to where she’d left her clothes, stopping in confusion and then mortification.

"They needed to be washed, a you can imagine... even if burning might be a better option..." - he raised a brow at her. And definitely wanted to pull her into the pool with him again. Sans towel.

Prying the tail off of her as well, Gabriel got up, stepping out of the pool. Making her way over to one of the lowest ones, Gabriel tested its temperature with a toe before slipping in, the cold water lapping eagerly at her feet.

He wanted to follow and keep her.

True, Raphael’s energy no longer seemed to hurt her, at least for the moment. But that didn’t mean it had been a good idea. She should remember he didn’t seem to have any qualms about ignoring her bodily autonomy when it suited him.

The first instinct was to grab and hold her close, which was quite clearly shown when his arms twitched closer around her. But... he did let go. Almost all parts of him did. The slim tail decided to stay wrapped around her leg.

His name made him grin. It was delightful to hear, truly. And so much spurring him on. Goosebumps raised despite the hot water around them when the former Raphael came with her, back scratches open and enveloped in an Archangel, kissing their neck and making sure the scratches she had gotten from the wall behind her would not be a bother, would heal. And would not harm her, despite healing.

Slowly coming down from her high, Gabriel pet along Raphael’s back to ground herself, her breath slowly evening out. Reality came knocking at the same time, causing her to shut her eyes and lean into his shoulder.

Dragging her nails down Raphael’s back, leaving raised lines behind, Gabriel scrambled to pull him closer somehow, arching into his movements, muttering breathless encouragements against his lips.

His name made him grin. It was delightful to hear, truly. And so much spurring him on. Goosebumps raised despite the hot water around them when the former Raphael came with her, back scratches open and enveloped in an archangel, kissing their neck and making sure the scratches she had gotten from the wall behind her would not be a bother, would heal. And would not harm her, despite healing.

Giving him a needy whimper for his efforts, Gabriel bit down on Raphael’s shoulder to stifle her sounds a bit. He certainly still felt the same physically, and God almighty, had she missed him these past years. She didn’t even care that this was really not that comfortable, she pulled him closer as well, enjoying the feeling of his body against hers.

"With pleasure!" - he growled in her ear, more than pleased that she remembered his earlobe. And shuddered.