Untitled

as comforting as the other was, the angel could not bring himself to meet his eye however. trouble nested upon his brow, wondering why he'd even come here in the first place. what gave him the right? "i suppose i didn't realise the suffering of the entire world would have been so big." and he has but these two hands and a dishevelled pair of wings.

𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐔𝐌, 𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃. fingers curled in a gentle squeeze that spoke their understanding. ' great suffering to match great joy. ' there was a modicum of truth to the words, but they weren't his by design. GOD'S WORDS when last they had spoken - once of the many in those early days, when retribution was swift and frequent ... and he a treasured general.

' i've grown numb to it, i'm afraid. perhaps ... in the end, perhaps, i began to enjoy it - SUFFERING for its sake alone. ' he and war were more alike than they had once realized, precious companion that she was. hand slipped from the angel's shoulder as they stepped past, bound for the kitchen of their penthouse suite. ' tea? ' casual, as if little more than the weather had been discussed. a beat of silence as he set up the kettle. ' it's why i had to retire, i suppose. never take your work home, emmanuel. '

look at you, you're gorgeous.

i think you've done an excellent job.

it's the universe, not some fancy wallpaper.

i'd hate to see you getting into any trouble.

i'm very good at forgiveness.

i brought your mail.

don't give them bread, you idiot. ducks shouldn't eat bread.

do you ever just think what's the point?

what's the point of it all?

was it always this easy?

anything going on i should know about?

got anything for me?

frozen peas. that's what you feed ducks. frozen peas. they love them, and it's good for them, too.

you remembered.

holy shit.

hey, you.

what am i doing here?

what are you doing here?

it would be great to know where here is, and also who you are, and also who i am.

can i come in?

just get in!

that's not something you see every day.

it's called hot chocolate. you drink it.

so, you don't know who you are?

i'm me. i just don't know who me is.

you don't recognize me?

you know what it's like when you don't know anything at all, and yet you're totally certain that everything would be better if you were just near one particular person?

i have no idea what that feels like.

what makes you say that?

whoa, this is... this is amazing.

i just know that it's incredibly awful.

most things are fine in the end.

that's so sad.

sarcasm. we'll work on it next time.

you're funny. i love you.

i find it kind of hard to forget things.

what's the problem?

i feel like your exactly and my exactly are different exactlys.

what i need is for him to be nowhere near me.

i would love you to help me.

i'm asking you to help me to take care of him.

you're on your own with this one.

just breathe.

i can't do this. i'm just so angry.

you misunderstand me.

want some wine?

i don't drink.

well, i need a drink.

i have enough judgement in my life already.

must be nice, to have someone at home who cares where you are.

i was sort of hoping that we'd have a chance to talk.

don't even think about it.

you want a big, "i think i said the wrong thing," sort of apology, or can we take that as said?

i'd like the apology, actually.

you were right.

i want a proper apology.

you need to stay here.

you're safe here.

i am not your friend.

you should know why you're about to die.

god has abandoned you.

we're not killing anyone.

you startled me.

you're in trouble.

are you making fun of me?

mind if i come in?

so you do understand i'm threatening you?

oh. you're crying.

i'm pretty sure i'm in love.

she hates me.

it's not your job to sort out my doomed love life.

i saw it in a richard curtis film.

what do you know about what i want?

i know you.

you can stop grinning.

you haven't annoyed me yet.

might as well get comfortable.

are you trying to tempt me?

so whose side are you on?

why didn't you just say so?

you know, you really used to be awful.

how do you feel about sudden rain?

we're not friends. we barely know each other.

do you need a lift somewhere?

i'll be very, very careful.

i'm ready to go.

nothing has to change.

that sounds lonely.

i'm perfectly happy.

i don't believe my relationship is any concern of yours.

get out. now.

but it's pretty.

i don't care. just be quiet.

this... this is all my fault.

it's fine. people die.

you'll kill yourself.

i'm here. i'm here.

that was very kind of you.

mostly i just use it for twitter. and grindr.

you're upset and you're acting like it's my fault.

i don't know why you're angry with me.

i'm not angry with you. it's not about you.

i suppose i owe you an apology.

i'm not that kind of person.

i'm not your type.

you have no idea.

that could've gone better.

you have no idea the trouble you're causing me.

he hates you.

that was very kind of you.

shut up.

things could be worse, and they will be.

having a rough one?

i could always put in a word for you.

you'd do that for me?

that was a very nice thing you did for me.

forget it, will you?

we should not be here.

what's the matter with you?

i'll be honest, that wasn't unpleasant.

you read too many books.

did you miss me?

are you actually going through with this?

there will be sandwiches.

there is literally nothing that would get me there tonight.

you leave me with no alternative.

i'm not prepared to talk about it.

we are in hell.

you will regret it forever.

why the change of heart?

you've been together long?

you got a husband? or a boyfriend?

other people's love lives always seem so much more straightforward than our own.

what? what is it?

do you want a glass?

you're being silly.

have you thought of just talking to him?

let there be light.

i hope i'm not causing too much trouble.

i really am sorry. is there anything i can do?

jump out that window.

it hurts to remember.

what else do you remember?

do you want a hot chocolate?

in  the  middle  of  the  room  stands  a  woman. rather,  most  that  looked  assume  that. she  makes  humans  stop  and  stare, a vague sense of attraction and unease simultaneously left in her wake. dark red hair, full hips, pearly white teeth almost too sharp. curiosity  and  intrigue,  yes. lust,  of  course. but  it's  the  way  her  eyes  flash  when  something  devastating  happens,  when  a  rescue  mission  becomes  a  desperate  attempt  to  count  numbers  of  dead  instead,  that  makes  them  stop. they  never  know  why  they're  so  uncomfortable  when  they  stare  too  long,  but  it  never  ceases  to  make  her  giddy. long  curls  pass  down  her  back,  hardly  touched  even  as  the  blasts  continue  around  them. a  stain  of  red  blood  on  an  otherwise  perfectly  fine  shirt  and  a  streak  of  dirt  on  porcelain  skin. still,  they  giggle,  childlike  for  a  moment,  watching  the  (  no  longer !  )  allies  turn  on  one  another. it  happened  so  quickly  !  a  nearby  presence  makes  them  turn  fast,  carmine  red  lips  smiling  even  wider, ❛  you  made  time  for  little  ole'  me  ?  or  is  this  a  coincidence  of  apocalyptic  proportions  ?    ❜  a  comment  is  on  the  tip  of  her  tongue,  a  joke  about  death  checking  in if two of them were together  (  as  if  the lord  truly  needed  to  ),  but  as  quick  as  its  there,  it's  gone. better  not  to  bring  up  long  since  buried  business. 

 both  hands  seek  theirs  out  almost  immediately,  a  hardy  squeeze  before  she  lets  go,  studying  the  way  one  of  her  dearest ( and only )  friends  moved  around  the  disaster  currently  happening  before  them,  avoiding  the  beautiful  shrapnel  effortlessly. ❛  have  you  lost  your  manners  in  retirement  or  are  you  going  to  make  me  a  drink  ?  ❜   they  counter,  finally  stepping  towards  the  bar,  the  heel  of  her  boot  crunching  against  glass  (  or  bone  ?  ). war  hops  up  on  the  counter  easily,  using  the  bar  stool  as  a  foot  rest. not  one  to  turn  her  back  from  the  beauty  in  life,  she  turns  her  head  to  watch  the  humans  scatter  around. the  terror  on  their  features  as  they  realize  they  will  not  survive  the  hours  to  come  has  her  in  a  particularly  joyous  mood.

' 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑. ' a smile upon his lips, rare in its sincerity, yet for her there was nothing but. ' i've been in the area a few days. ' in truth, the wanton destruction was a bit removed from their taste compassion had long since numbed, but ugh ! the mess about them. he'd always been a tidy sort, far too prim and proper for their particular line of work. and still ... the messes left in his own wake were nothing short of GROTESQUE. even just, a man rushed the bar and grasped at pestilence, unknowing, in desperation. bloodied fingers curled about pristine cream fabrics, stained and crinkled now beneath the force of that grip. ' sir ! please, they say you are a doctor ! my friend - '

lips pursed, dark gaze narrowed. ' not anymore. ' a low drone as they pried away the offending hand ... THAT WAS WHERE THE ROT BEGAN. flesh blackened and bubbling as it tore a steady path through the poor man's veins and left little but sinew behind. ' ugh ; retirement means little to some. ' spoken over the shrieking agony that collapsed in a heap before them.

"IT’S  ALL  I’VE  EVER  WANTED,  I  AM  TIRED  OF  THIS  DUTY,  𝖆𝖒𝖇𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖊."  it's  the  first  time  they've  used  that  name,  it  comes  out  in  that  deep  gravelly  voice  𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍  has  always  had.  she  tilts  her  head  into  his  hand,  turns  to  press  the  kiss  of  𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍  into  their  palm.  "I’LL  RUN."

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐙𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃 is all it takes to banish the doubt from their bones. worry and uncertainty alike dissolve beneath the simple touch. ' who would allow it? my darling ! who could stop it? ' their tone brims with reverence that cannot, would not, be contained. the name upon her lips, the kiss to his palm they embolden him. ' my only remaining duty lies with you. I FORSAKE THE REST. ' god's divine hand of judgement, the very purpose for their creation ; it pales in comparison to the swell of their heart, the ache that settles between his ribs.

hands cradle her face ... gentle to handle their most precious treasure. ' for you, i would bring HEAVEN to its knees. ' mouth came crashing upon hers like waves on a craggy shore, wanton for the chaos a force of nature. lips part, breathing her in, desperate to linger in this moment in case it was torn from them in an instant.

𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐊, and his hand that had evoked the cross tucked neatly into a stark white pocket. ' i've no interest in killing you, crowley. ' if only because to do so would invoke the presence of an ... an old friend. that was a confrontation best saved for another day ( or never, not 'til the end of all things ). ' my death is irrelevant, for there's but one who can bring it to bear. ' no holy water nor hellfire could bring about a horseman's end. a pointed beat of silence. ' you and your angel could stand to be more careful, if you're not yet keen to meet MY DEAREST FRIEND. '

 ❛  i  brought  you  this. ❜  the  cup  is  all  but  thrust  into  @plaguebind  hand,  face  a  blank  mask. ❛  i  hope  you  like  lemon. ❜  that  would  sound  more  legitimate  from  practically  anyone  else. ❛  we  need  to  speak. ❜

𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒, 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐂, 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏 to a bustling crowd of museum goers. something about them seems out of place - transcendent. perhaps that's why no passers by had bothered them. back straight, hands clasped behind, dark gaze TRANSFIXED upon the display before him : thousands of glittering coleoptera mounted and labelled neatly, like surveying his soldiers' heads on pikes. lips pursed at the first sound of approach.

' i prefer jasmine. ' hand clasps about the cup nonetheless, and it's brought to their lips. ' i certainly hope this isn't heaven's peace offering. surely they can do better. ' his voice is a low drone that resonates, rattling about in the skull like a hive. a couple who strayed too close in the hallway winced and cradled their temples. ' they're wise to have sent you, AZRAEL. another may have gotten on my last nerve. '