&& angel of generosity

The demon took gradual steps, vigilant of heavy footfalls alerting more sets of footsteps and hitched breaths, all faint in the narrow space. Still, the figure remained pressed to the wall as far as she could tell, unable to become an active body scrambling for an exit. Leery, she gives one last exhale before extending her right arm until she touched smooth, supple flesh. An arm. And that was all she needed to bring her closer, bodies inches apart for her eyes to adjust to the light and spot pale gold. Not the pale gold kings die for, but the auric vision of familiarity.

“ Susanna. ” She says no more, at least for the moment, as she focuses on not thinking, on not remembering. The fingers on the angels sleeve trail. Lightly, oh so lightly, like lilies upon the water. You should not be out in harms way, she thinks. They were words that dared not cross larcenous lips, Salome will not steal a moment to offer the kindness occasionally gifted. “ You should not be out of your cage. Wing-clipped birds make for easy prey. ”  

One held breath, two and then the shadows were reaching for her. Admittedly she flinched, unable to tell who it was. That was immediately replaced by a soft gasp at such a gentle touch, then fire that spread from her arm to her cheeks as she was brought closer - much closer to who she now recognized as Salome. 

Salome. Lovely, beautiful Salome who had held the angel’s curiosity from the very beginning. She hid behind lavish words, but she had humanity deep inside her. Beyond that, she was.. different, unique in an extraordinary way. She’d never harmed her, in fact she had always answered her many questions ( questions an angel probably shouldn’t ask but she couldn’t help to be curious ) as best she could. Her voice poured over her like the sweetest honey, her touch amplified now that she could put a face to the form causing Susanna’s cheeks to brighten significantly. Well. Salome was a seductress, after all, and her closeness had the angel absolutely flustered. “I-I’m sorry, everyone ran for it and I just..” Didn’t think. 

She swallowed thickly, taking a deep, shaken breath. “You’re not hurt, are you? I haven’t seen you since..” Flashes of a diner party, a lavish feast to match gorgeous dresses, of endless, dark hallways. “What are they doing to you? To.. us?”

Without thought to where her feet were carrying her, with only the goal of finding Stella in mind, she realized her body was automatically carrying her down the only hallways that were familiar. The ones that would lead her back to her old cell. It seemed everyone had tried to get away from this area, leaving more room in the abandoned hallways, though the sounds of running feet and outraged cries could not be left behind. 

Her eyes flitted, almost frantically, down the row of cells that haunted her dreams and starred in her nightmares. It seemed strange to be back in this familiar hallway, among cell doors and brick walls that she had spent so many week staring at. She was running so fast that she nearly missed the figure standing against the wall, only noticing out of the corner of her eye at the last minute, which caused her to fling herself against the opposite wall, nearly tripping over her own feet, with a gasp.

Her suspicions were confirmed as Junia’s fair skin, her lovely rosey cheeks finally formed out of the darkness. Susanna did feel a sob in her throat, a soft whimper leaving her as she rushed to her best friend and brought her close just as Junia wrapped her arms around her tightly. “Shhh, it’s alright - it’s alright. I’m here and oh I’m so glad you’re safe.” The angels stood there a moment, Susanna shushing her and holding her for as long as possible because she’d missed her so much, had feared for her life and now she was here and she was okay. 

        ( And honestly she had needed a hug for a long time - she’d needed her ray of sunlight )

Slowly she let go of her, taking her hand instead and holding it tightly between hers. “What happened to you? I’ve been so worried and- wait, if you’re here.. what’s going on?” 

Wesley Hudson, though he couldn’t find it in himself to believe in angels or in God Himself, was conversing with one.

Her presence should’ve swept away any doubts he’d ever harbored like dust on the breeze, but looking at the woman beside him, robbed of her wings and clearly shaken, the doctor retained much of the same skepticism he’d carried around since he was a child. Where was her God now, that He would let one of his own be tied to a whipping post and lashed before the others? Where was her God now, that He would let the world crumble under the weight of GREED, the beating of wings a soundtrack to the end of life as they knew it?

Where had He been when he’d had to watch his classmate and friend bury her mother?

“Thank you. Susanna is a beautiful name, as well.” Offering her a smile intended to be reassuring, Wesley nodded his understanding at her words, also reluctant to call anything related to this spectacle an honor or a pleasure. When asked if he was from the other side of the fence, he was tempted to tell her that he wasn’t, that he much preferred to trace his roots all the way back to where he’d grown up and not to Paradise, but the doctor knew dwelling on the past wouldn’t do anyone any good. “I am. I take it you’re not?”

                       Thirty-six.

How man lashes had they said he was supposed to take? Forty? Almost done, then. Almost done and then she could go to him and help him and-

Except, she couldn’t. After this they’d all be escorted back to their cells, and surely Raphael was better qualified than her anyway. Then another thought struck and her face fell, her stomach churning unpleasantly as she remembered this was to happen every day for as long as Junia was in Paradise. He couldn’t.. dear God, he wouldn’t have a back soon. What means would they descend to then? Yes angels could heal faster than humans and no they didn’t die easy, but their hearts, their spirits were as fragile and breakable as any human’s. This would kill him even if his body didn’t perish, and they were all forced to watch.

                                                             Don’t focus on that. Keep talking, don’t listen. 

“Yes- I mean, no I’m not from Paradise. I’m.. here. This place is the only home I have.” She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t handle this - it was tearing her already broken heart to shreds. Her best friend was surely safe in Paradise and she didn’t want her back here, but she didn’t want Stella or Abel hurt anymore either. Not like there was anything she could do about it and suddenly she was finding it very difficult to breathe.

Amber eyes flashed back to the doctor, breaths leaving her in fragments. “I-I’m sorry, I’m not myself. Abel is a friend of mine and-” Another crack and she squeaked, shutting her eyes tight before opening them again. “This is difficult. Please.. tell me something about yourself.”

Chaos and rebellion and Daniel was gathering angels. He was incapacitating angels. It was no wonder Lucifer called for him and Asmodeus. Apparently, not even Lilith’s arrival had helped. Disappointing. And now the humans were overrunning the prison, all in search of the single human captive. Daniel could not believe. He stood aside from the crush, watching. There was no point in dashing about madly. No, he would wait and find a target and –

Asmodeus had clearly beat him to that, to finding a target. And it was bringing him into the path of a certain blonde angel. With a growl caught in his throat, Daniel stalked toward his former wife. She was utterly oblivious to the terror coming her way. Typical. In one swift move, he shackled her wrist and yanked her into a side hall. There was a shallow recess just inside and he shoved her there. Pressing himself in front of her to keep her from view, Daniel was all but a breath from her. His chest grazed hers with every inhale.

“Stay quiet,” he told her through gritted teeth. His eyes focused on the crown of her bright head before he looked away, checked his periphery for Asmodeus’s passing. “And don’t move.”

Still, it left an aching in her already sore heart and perhaps that’s why she hadn’t noticed Asmodeus barreling in her direction. She was lost again, couldn’t see a thing ( honestly would more windows be a travesty in this place? ), and suddenly she was yanked in the opposite direction by a particularly callused hand her heart knew before her mind did. She would have screamed, probably, if she’d had time to register what was happening but all that escaped her was a small squeak that was quickly covered up by a body pressed against hers.

                       Daniel’s body.

It took four shallow, anxious breaths before Susanna’s mind caught up with that fact, with what he was doing. Her first instinct was to push him away, to fight him off as the adrenaline raged through her veins ( his past words ringing in her mind from their previous encounter probably didn’t help either ) but his whispers halted her. He was.. trying to protect her? 

Then she heard it. Someone was approaching - approaching fast. She didn’t know who or what it was, but it didn’t matter. Daniel was here, and he was protecting her - saving her from an unknown fate just as he had before. Just as he always had. It was confusing and maddening but she didn’t question it, didn’t want to question it because she was selfishly loving it. How could she not when he was here and so close to her?

He was close to her. Without bars between them, without time and space between them. Her heart was beating so wildly against her chest he could surely feel it, just as she could feel every breath of his against her ear, every movement of his chest pressing against her and she wanted nothing more, nothing than to hold him close to her and not let go for a very, very long time. But his warning echoed in her ears, so she stood frozen, meeting his eyes and simply nodding once. For him, she’d do anything. That had never changed.