#absentchuck

"You would know, wouldn't you?" a voice asks, and Gabriel turns. Chemosh stands, flanked by Marzanna and Osebo. Gabriel's a little surprised Osebo's there, considering Anansi's death likely meant a lot more security for the Tiger. Marzanna doesn't surprise him, though; she'd been bitter and cold for years, and now that Czernobog's gone she's alone in representing the darkness of winter for her pantheon.

"Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't," Gabriel responds, his voice calm despite the natural instinct to find a better standpoint to speak from. He doesn't know how many are in the group that he can't see. "But that's not why you're following me, and it's not why I'm talking to you right now, is it?"

Oseba raises an eyebrow. "You talk more than Spider," he comments, his voice deep and dangerous-sounding, like a growl. Gabriel laughs.

"And I say more, too," he adds. "You want to teach angels a lesson, I'm guessing? Probably the Winchesters, too."

Marzanna makes an angry little sound, and Gabriel knows very well that it's him she wants dead. 

"Can't have 'em," he tells them flatly. "And you can't kill me without starting a pagan war. I'm still worshiped, doncha know."

"What do you propose, then?" Chemosh asks, moving slowly to circle Gabriel. Gabriel has to fight to stay still as Chemosh walks behind him.

"You get me. No killing, you leave everyone else, and if I get out, you let it be," he suggests with a little shrug. "Those are my conditions. Other than that...I'd be yours to do with as you please."

He knows it's not the ideal situation, and he knows that his Father most likely didn't mean for him to 'get through' the potential war, but he'd rather have one loss -- and really, he's not even dying, it's hardly a loss at all if he gets out -- than risk losing family.

He waits, watching Chemosh make a full circle, then raises an eyebrow. 

"'Course, Kali and Apollo want me dead--" but Marzanna laughs, the sound chilling and grating.

"You think we work with the Greek?" she asks mockingly. "Who took prayers for himself only and left us none? No."

Gabriel shrugs again. 

"Then it's me or a war nobody's gonna win," he informs his once-allies. They glance at each other, looking dubious. 

"Speak to Kali," Chemosh says finally. "But I would certainly look forward to making you wish you'd allowed us to kill you."

It feels like going against everything he knows, to steel himself and try to repent, and that frightens him, because it's only his own pride getting in the way, and he'd been under the impression that he wasn't so prideful that he couldn't apologize.

He supposes apologizing to a Being that may or may not forgive him for his less-than-worshipful words is a little different than apologizing to another angel, or a human, or a fellow pagan god.

Gabriel wants to know what true freedom feels like, some days, but most of the time he just doesn't want to be a disappointment.