OTA

[whispersoflove]

Coby wasn't home, and hadn't left a note for him, so Anael was walking through the streets of London to get to Alcuin's home, enjoying the chill in the air, the way his breath fogged on the way out, the ebb and flow of love in the hearts around him. Hands in his jacket pockets, he paid no mind to the odd looks he occasionally received for wearing nothing but a denim jacket over a t-shirt in this weather.

It began as an itch in his back, a barely there scratch where his wings would be. He did not think much of it, only shifting his shoulders the way he normally did when the urge to let them out came over him. But then the itch burrowed deeper, and increasingly hotter, until it was more of a burn than anything else, and his lungs were alive with it.

He'd hurried into a side street with little foot traffic and leaned against a wall there, his breathing short and heavy. He tried to cloak himself, but he couldn't keep a hold on the miracle through the pain he was so unused to, and he collapsed to his knees as he heard words in a rough language that scraped against every fiber of his being, a language of Hell. His wings wouldn't come out and he folded to his side on the wet ground, seeing shadows on the other side of the street. They were all saying the words, out loud and right into his mind, and one of them came forward, a pair of boots stopping right in front of him. They pulled his t-shirt collar down and drew a symbol between his collarbones, their fingers red with - blood? The symbol felt like it was searing into his flesh. Anael cried out, physically as much as spiritually, praying out to God with all of his being.

The words ceased suddenly, pain abating slightly, and the dark figures dispersed as someone ran over to him.

Comments

[akatawitch]

"I'm not sure, really," she said. "I don't know what it is I'm up against. But I suppose... what I'm really trying to do is find out. Make me stop if it hurts."

Sunny reached out a finger and traced a symbol of her own on top of the one on his collarbone, a Nsibidi word. Like all Nsibidi, it could be read in a few ways. The most common ones were 'unity' and more importantly 'love.'

She began chanting softly in Igbo, in effect trying to scrub out this mark with her own. But to her magical senses, it was like trying to move a brick wall. This was a magnitude of power that would take preparation and work.

And help.

[whispersoflove]

It did not hurt, on the contrary. While it did nothing to the glyph itself, it spread a warmth through Anael that was enough like his Grace that it helped, a lot. There was strength in her magic, and it invigorated him - until the discreet cough of the priest nearby, watching them with a slight frown, had him lean away from Sunny and rearrange his t-shirt as he got to his feet. "Sorry," he told the priest in a whisper, and held his hand out to Sunny so they would leave the church together.

[akatawitch]

Sunny refused to blush at realizing they'd been caught out, but at least her knife hadn't been out, but refusing only got her so far and her cheeks went pink as she got to her feet and took Anael's hand.

[whispersoflove]

"May God be with you," Anael told the priest with a kind smile, then turned to go with Sunny. "I'm sorry, I should've paid more attention," he apologised once they were outside, and out of earshot. "Your magic surprised me."

[akatawitch]

"Is that bad?" Sunny asked almost shyly. She honestly wasn't sure what that meant.

[whispersoflove]

"Not at all," Anael assured her, looking entirely better - by comparison - than he had just a short while ago. "No, it was... lovely. Warm and bright, like something loved and cherished."

[akatawitch]

Sunny's cheeks flushed bright pink. "Um. I'm glad I could help. If not exactly in the way I intended."

[whispersoflove]

"And I'm thankful," Anael replied with a warm smile. "Do you think there might be something to be done on your end?"

[akatawitch]

"I'm all right," she assured him almost reflexively. "But I don't know how to fix this."

[whispersoflove]

"Thank you, for trying," he told her, and squeezed her hand. "And for interrupting them."

[akatawitch]

Sunny ducked her head, lowering her eyes shyly. "You've been very good to me when I've needed you," she said. "I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't done anything."

[whispersoflove]

"I shudder to think what kind of fate you have saved me from," Anael stated honestly. If he did not already love her quite so much, he might have told her that he owed her. But as it was, he would already have done anything in his power to help her, even before this.

More urgently, he shuddered to think of the situation he found himself in. So the best was, for now, not to think about it. Not until he was somewhere safe.

"I'll go to Coby's," he told her.

[akatawitch]

Sunny nodded. "I'll try reaching out to the wizards I know. I don't think anybody will know anything--" Felix was as good as an atheist and Faizel barely knew anything about faiths on this side. Her lips quirked in a faint self-deprecating smile, "--but enthusiastic nerds with a puzzle can get a lot done."

[whispersoflove]

"Thank you," Anael told her again. He was not getting tired of it, not when she deserved every one of his thanks. "Can you reach Coby?"

[akatawitch]

Rather than say 'you're welcome,' Sunny kissed his cheek. "I think I've got his number in my phone," she said as she pulled that out.

[whispersoflove]

"If he's got yours - may I ring you? Tomorrow, most likely," Anael allowed. He would need at least one night to process. If not more.

[akatawitch]

"Absolutely." Sunny did mean it that she wanted to be there for him. She hated that the opportunity had arisen, but all the same, what kind of terrible friend would she be if she abandoned him now?

[whispersoflove]

"Thank you," he said again, and smiled at her. "I'll be in touch, then." He felt reluctant to let go of her hand, and would only do so at the last second.

[akatawitch]

Sunny too hesitated, but for a different reason. And then she decided the hell with it and threw her arms around him to hug him tight.

She didn't say it would be okay, she had no idea. But... damned if she wasn't going to try.

[whispersoflove]

Anael felt unduly surprised by the hug, and it dislodged his anxiety from the secluded place where he had pushed it away. He wrapped his arms around Sunny, turning his face into her neck, and took a moment to get a hold of himself. Not yet. He wouldn't let himself feel it just yet. If he could just hold out until he reached Coby's...

He pressed a soft, thankful kiss to Sunny's cheek, his arms still around her.

[akatawitch]

When he hid against her neck like that, Sunny's hand reflexively started rubbing up and down his back. Anael had always been someone she went to when she needed comfort and strength and right now--well, God it really was like realizing your parents were just people.

She couldn't tell him everything would be okay, but there was something true she could tell him. "I'm with you. You won't be alone."

[whispersoflove]

Anael shut his eyes tight as her words rocked through him and the back of his eyes itched the beginning of tears. No. Not yet. He held on to her a little more tightly for a few seconds, then leaned back, his hands on her shoulders. "Your friendship is such a precious gift, Sunny," he told her quietly, a hand moving to cup her cheek.

[akatawitch]

Sunny blushed deeply and looked down at her feet. "I try."

[whispersoflove]

Anael leaned back in to press a kiss to her other cheek, taking this last moment of physical comfort and then shoving away everything he would not let himself feel for now. "I will call," he told her after taking a step back, his hands falling reluctantly away from her.

Then he turned, cloaking himself from human eyes and letting his wings out all at once. He did not know whether her magic would allow her to see, but whether he had disappeared to her eyes or she could now see him soar up into the air with powerful flaps of his wings, he had to go before he could no longer hold his emotions at bay. They were battering at his meager defenses; he was not used to not letting himself feel. The sooner he reached Coby's, the better.

[akatawitch]

Sunny did not watch. The shadow of an old memory made it too painful to try. But when he had gone, she immediately texted both Felix and Faizel.

When you have time, need to talk about bindings, angels, and demons.