A Deadly Affliction

magic bloomed like vines in his chest, gnarled and curling outwards until he felt his whole body vibrate with it. power, held insane his blood, he felt it course through her, through him, their touch electric. even the air seemed to suspend, stretched then between them like the universe was shrinking.

the fireworks that lit his mind with vibrancy were enough to overpower the crackle of tension in the air, snapping through her magic like a tethered whip, hissing around them. the grimoire had it's grasp on him, firmly, the pull towards it, and her, stronger than any willpower he held.

freedom. she said the word like it existed. maybe it did. right now, maybe she told him the truth. it felt like a pocket of the world had been scooped away from the mass, the two of them alone in this dimension of shimmering divinity. " free will. " he echoed, and closed his eyes. angel felt it consume him like a wildfire, breathing sparks through his chest until his heart pounded so hard, angel lost his breath.

for a moment, every truth angel had come to learn fractured, and her words became biblical. she had handed him the ultimate gift, a moment of true existence. something a ghost like him never dreamed of receiving. he would have fallen to his knees in worship of her, kissing her feet and praising her soul, but a darker urge emerged burning bright.

what did he want to do? angel's hands came up around her face, arms weaving under hers to pull her in and close the distance. it was a kiss of bruising power, of molten need that flowed rivulets of sparks at the touch of their lips. he couldn't feel sold ground anymore, and he didn't care. there was only her, and the feeling of them thudding into a nearby wall as he kissed her with desperate, aching passion. fingers twisted in the roots of her hair at the nape of her neck, gasping air between the hungry collision of his kiss, dizzy and grateful for the steadying oaken paneling.

She could watch it all day- the way it affected him. She never got close enough to witness it like this. Most of the group's members kept a respectful distance from her. They saw her as a divine thing to be left untouched. Her father was their deity, but she was the one enacting his will on earth and leading them to their paradise. Their reverence was to be expected. She never tried to bridge the gap either. She'd never wanted to until Angel had found them and been given to her, until she finally had someone to share it all with. Though she didn't think her mother had meant sharing this much with him, letting him touch her power so intimately. But she couldn't help it. The more he accepted, the more she wanted to give him.

And when he pulled her in, Eden only gave more. He kissed her like he'd die if he wouldn't, and it felt like light surging through her. She let herself fall into the feeling. Clinging to him as they stumbled back into the nearest wall, the light shone beneath her skin as she poured it into him, too. Their order was born of the infernal, but she was golden and wanted him to be golden with her. He deserved it. He needed to receive as much as she needed to give. She just hadn't realized how desperate that need had become until he'd been there.

"That's a good use of free will." She sighed against his lips before putting a hand on his chest to stop him only for a moment. Only long enough to look at him and see her power surging into him and lighting him up. She thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, more beautiful even than the future she was leading them to. It was her turn to gaze in wonder now. Eyes wide, she smiled in near disbelief as he shone with her magic like he was meant to the same way she was, like he'd always been meant to not just see her light but bear it himself. Was this what the rest of them felt when they beheld her?

ghosts weren't supposed to mess with the hands of fate, but angel had, and he knew there could be consequences. either from her, or her father, he wasn't sure which one scared him worse. he was a watchful eye, an observer, and he knew his true assignment. it wasn't often that angel failed anything, but this objective, he had. jaw working, he stayed quiet for a long time, staring at her. his face blank, void of emotion, he slowly nodded. he'd imagined for that split second the gun going off, the bullet exploding, the moment it made impact into her skull. the vision had sank his stomach, churning and reeling, and he was either going to throw up or step in.

he'd chosen the latter, and now he wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. being honest with her about her fathers true wishes could mean a world of trouble for him, but lying to her face could be just as bad. impossible. you save a woman's life, and you're still in the fucking doghouse? " you- you're insufferable! " he yelled, finally snapping, that coolly curated calm fracturing in a heartbeat. " i'm around, you're mad. i'm not around, you're mad! you expect me to jump in, risk my life every time you go and do something fuckin' stupid? " his pacing paused, a hand running through his hair. " i did save your life, by the way. " it felt like that was being largely forgotten. as quick as angel's flame ignited, it sputtered, leaving him staring at her once again. this time, his eyes were all storm clouds. " i could've been shot just as fast as you. do you even think about that, when you fuck around? about me, even for a second? " there was no more fight in his voice, it descended down from it's peak, and ended in a dejected mood. " want me to save your ass, and you don't even give two fucks 'bout mine. bullshit. you're not dead, are you? "

As unheard of as it was for him to snap, it was just as unheard of for her to shut down. Her father had done everything he could to keep her powerless. Anger was the only thing that made her feel like she had any, like she wasn't just some meek little thing better left in the shadows. Anita snapped and bared her teeth at anyone she could to remind them that she wasn't...and to stop herself from breaking. If she was angry, she couldn't pity herself. She couldn't be sad. She could ignore that terrible ache around the gaping hole in the center of her existence. Her guard just happened to be the closest to her at all times. He got the brunt of her anger.

it was all he'd wanted- that driving factor that brought him to his knees again and again. to belong, to be consumed, to have a divine place. something solid, real, unquestionable. there were few things in life he'd experienced that were as real as eden's conviction. it brightened her features, caused her to glow from within. her smile radient, but soft and understanding, yet holding unbelievable power.

eden was favored by god. by her father, by everyone. and well deserving, too. angel's heart skipped a beat at her touch, wetting his lower lip as his thoughts turned static upon gazing down at the alter. he didn't grow up in church, but there was a sensation that reverberated though his body as they approached. a ripple of unseen magic, he could swear there was a presence with them somewhere.

" yes. " he nodded, unsure if what he felt was fear from how unnerved he suddenly felt, the flickering flames and their wicks that crackled and sizzled under the heat held a smokey smell, the myrrh ripe and potent in his nostrils. it's spooky. the thought made angel shiver, moving instictively closer to her with a shuffle forward.

her hands held in his, small and pale between his calloused long fingers, were the only anchor still moored in reality. " we don't feel alone in here anymore. " he closed his eyes, genuinely wanting to please her, wanting so badly to see her approval shine in those dark eyes. every little feeling was scrutinzed, and angel turned the teachings he'd received over in his mind. he tried to find the magic, to seize it, to listen and feel...

but mocha hues opened, and angel held his breath watching her. he'd believe anything, if eden told him to. " it's energy in the air. i do feel it. show me-" angel's voice faltered, and he stepped in again, dragging his fingers across the grimoire and then slowly up her bare arms with a butterfly graze of the backs of his digits. " show me what to do with it. "

She couldn't help but chuckle softly at his reaction. He seemed so taken aback when the power hit him. That surprise was a wonder to her. The path had been open to her all her life. Her link to Hell existed not through a grimoire or prayer. It was part of her. For a moment, she was almost jealous that Angel got to experience it for the first time. Then that moment passed, and she was simply glad that he felt it, that he felt anything. That meant that he was open to it. So many had their minds and hearts firmly closed and would never get to feel what they did. Eden didn't think they would survive in the new world, but that was their own fault.

As she watched Angel though, watched the way his eyes closed and he stood there searching for something he was clearly so desperate to find, she knew that her faith in him hadn't been misplaced. Her smile warmed. It widened when he looked at her again. He was perfect. Standing there with the candlelight flaring in his eyes and his voice barely there while he asked her to show him more and touched her gently, his willingness was so beautiful that her heart nearly ached over it. "What do you want to do with it?" She asked softly.