Raz sighed softly "you need to bring him back!" He curled his wings around him as if that could offer any protection from the things that resided in Hell. "You know Anaele didn't deserve to die. You know he was robbed of his life!" He sobbex quietly "we all know how you feel about fairness, Luc." He whispered "bring him back!" He begged, looking at he gates, daring a few inches closer
Lucifer appeared with a puff of smoke and a grin on his face. "Oh, yes. I'm all about fairness, little angel. And I do so love to make deals. Now. You want Anaele back, is that right?" He snapped his fingers and a shimmering form appeared, of a blond boy with spiky hair and electric blue eyes. "Well, here he is. I will give him back to your world, in exchange for you! How fair is that? One of my best offers, I would say."
Simon sat bolt upright, realizing exactly where Razielle had gone. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." He scrambled off the couch, shoving on his shoes, grabbing his keys and running down the stairs. He looked like a madman, he was sure, but he went through the ritual to get to Hell, and tumbled into the sand. Standing up, he took three deep breaths to avoid vomiting, and shook out his clothes. From where he was standing, he could see Razielle and Anaele. He stopped walking toward them, shocked. He didn't expect this. This was unfair. How was he supposed to choose between Razielle and Anaele? After a moment, he had made his choice. He stepped between Lucifer and Razielle and said in a low voice, "If you lay even a finger on him, I'll take your heart out with a spoon."
Lucifer laughed. "Oh, dear, dear me. Razielle, it seems your boyfriend here has some objections!" To Simon, he said, "How do you think Anaele here feels? To see you pick some nobody over your best friend?"
Simon tightened his jaw and said, "I've made my choice." His hands began turning black, showing his anger.
Razielle gazed up at at Lucifer, then at the form beside him. Anaele. He recognized the angel, having seen him a handfull of times in heaven. Those blue eyes always so sharp and calculating. He whispered an ‘I’m Sorry.’ To the angel for all the time lost and for bringing him to Hell now. But he needed go do this if things were ever going to right. He slowly stood on shaking legs and returned his gaze to Lucifer. “On two conditions. One, that anaele goes back fully himself. No alterations to his personality or demonic bullshit you want to try. And two, if i remain here, i keep my dutied as an angel. Just as Copernicus does.” He said, shifging so that he was on his knees. “If those two conditions are met and upheld, then i acc-“
Raz flicked his gaze up to Simon in surprise. "Simon?" He stood on wobbly legs and made his way between the two, ignoring Lucifer. "Simon no, it's okay. This isn't a choice you need to make." He argued, hoping that Simon was still drunk enough to agree. "You and Anaele need to go back and tell everyone what happened. I'll stay down here." He reasoned, watching as Simon's arm slowly turned black. "Don't, you'll only make Lucifer mad. We don't need that right now. I'm okay with staying here."
Anaele frowned at Razielle and shook his head slightly, trying to tell Razielle that Simon was not going to change his mind.
Simon didn't look at Razielle, keeping his gaze on Lucifer. "You aren't going to stay here," he said angrily. "I'll drag you back to Heaven myself, if that's what I have to do." He reached through the gate and dispelled the projection of Anaele by swiping his hand through it. "You and I both know that Lucifer is going to find a loophole in your two requests, and it isn't going to turn out very well for anybody. This is a stupid idea. Annie is gone, and he's not going to come back the same way that he was, regardless of if Lucifer goes through with this agreement."
Raz looked over at Anaele, brows turning up in confusion. He turned back to Simon, about to argue that it wasn't his choice but then he was over at the gate and waving away Anaele's form. He watched as the form dissapeared, bowing his head in regret and hurt. "You think I do that know that?! You think I don't know it's stupid and impulsive?!" Of course Raz knew Lucifer wasn't to be trusted, knew that loopholes was the demon's middle name, knew that no matter how much he hoped, Anaele wouldn't be able to.come back. "If you can't bring Anaele back, then can you promise something for the future?" He asked, voice cracking with emotions
"I don't- " He stopped. He was going to say, 'I don't make promises,' but instead he said, "What do you want?" Promises were flimsy words, but he was going to hear the angel out, at the very least.
Raz stood and watched Lucifer for a moment "when Zophiel gets down here, make sure he geets exactly what he deserves. Surly torturing a so-called-angel is payment enough for you." Raz said, trying his best to stay upright.
"Oh! Is that all? I can assure you, my dear, that will happen, exactly as you wish." Lucifer grinned, showing off pointed teeth. "Now, off with you lot," he said, and waved his hand. The two of them disappeared from Hell and reappeared in Simon's apartment. Immediately, Simon shoved Razielle away from him, hard.
"What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten us both killed, you dipshit!" He sat on the couch, running a hand through his hair. "I'm going to claw my eyes out."
“I wasn't planning on getting anyone killed Simon, much less you! What were you doing there anyways?!” He shouted back, tears now streaming dosn his cheeks as he caught himself on kitchen island countertops. “We had a chance simon! We could have gotten Anaele back! Isnt't hat what you wanted?" He asked waving his hands around in desperation. "I was willing to pay the price. For another angel worthy of being in heaven of course I was willing!"
Simon stared in disbelief at Razielle. “Do you really think I’d trade you for someone who’s already gone? I’ve just gotten over losing him and you offer to bring him back. . . do you know how much that would wreck me, Razielle? I don’t. . . he isn’t going to come back, and I just need to accept that, and I finally did, and then you pull this shit on me.”
"wreck you? How would having Anaele back wreck you?" Raz took in a shuddering breath and shook his head "why does itatter now? Like you showed, Luc can't bring Anaele back." He slumped to the floor. "What's done is done, it's not like we got anything from it. Other than a guarentee to Zophiel's suffering."
"How hard do you think it would be for me to accept that Anaele is gone and then have you bring him back? That's so drastically changing my life that of course it would wreck me! I can't believe you." Simon got up and went to his room, shutting the door and laying down on his bed. He sat up, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his head on his knees.
Razielle watched in disbelief as Simon stormed off, both confused and angry at the same time. He had half the thought to go back to hell and demand Anaele back again but gods above Raz was tired. He eventually pulled himself onto he couch and curled up in the corner to try and get some sleep. He gently patted Spook's head and took a deep breath, missing the cinnamon scent from the night before. "He should be here." Raz whispered
Spooks meowed and nudged Razielle's, then went to stand at Simon's door, looking at Razielle expectantly. She meowed again, tipping her head.
Inside the room, Simon had been pacing around for the last few minutes, then opened the door and sat down on the floor. "Raz. I need you to watch me. And make sure I don't do anything stupid. Okay." He rocked back and forth, curling in on himself.
Raz sat up as Spooks bounded off towards Simon's room. He shook his head slightly at the feline and closed his eyes, resting his head back against the couch. "You sure I'm the one qualified to to do that?" Raz asked, opening his eyes and looking at Simon. He took a deep breath and slid to the floor, sitting beside him but not close enough to touch. He wanted to ask so many years questions but hesitated. Simon was drunk, half the answers would most likely be influenced by that. "You're not going to do anything stupid Simon." He reassured, resting his head on his knees.
(this is cute :3)
"I might," he said, looking at Razielle, his eyes wide and dark. "I could. I just need to you watch me, okay?" Simon scowled. "Look at me. I already did three stupid things today." He leaned away from Razielle, afraid to touch him.
(right lmao)
Raz sighed softly and shrugged "I'm no better, and I'm sober." He joked, petting Spooks as she came over. "It wasn't about Anaele, was it? Back in heaven after we visited the memorial. Gabriel wasn't around when I came back. Did something happen when I wasn't looking? If you're worried I'll tell him or something, don't be. He's a good angel at heart but has a superiority complex. You're not entirely wrong about and Urielle."
"No. Um. Gabriel said some. . . shitty things. And it made me angry. So I had to leave. So I didn't hurt you more." He ruffled his hair, looking at the ground. "I just. . . I was being irrational."
"more?" Raz whispered softly, trying to catch Simon's eyes. "I don't think it was irrational. Somone said something you didn't like dnd you reacted with anger. That's normal Simon." He reasoned. "Besides, Gabriel can be…something otherworldly sometimes."
"I know that. . . but he said some things that were true. And maybe he said it to make me angry. But I still. . . I feel so stupid." He didn't look at Razielle, because he didn't want to see sympathy in the angel's eyes.
"what did he say?" Raz questioned, giving up on trying to look at Simon and instead cuddling with Spooks. "So you were angry because he was right?" He mused softly, nodding slightly. "Maybe he's jelous." He laughed softly "probably after this whole thing, Urielle can't be happy with him."
"He said that I was hurting you. And that I should leave you alone. So I did. And then you got into all sorts of trouble and I couldn't let you just die." He tightened his hands into fists.
Raz' brows turned up in confusion. "Hurting me? Simon you aren't hurting me. Well, maybe when we first met, yes. But not now." He scooted a bit closer but still didn't touch the other. "I wasn't going to die. I wanted to make that deal. Its not I'd be actually dead. Just gone for a while." He explained with a shrug. "It would have been worth it if Anaele came back."
"No, it wouldn't. Do you honestly think I'd be happy knowing that you traded yourself for Annie?" SImon pressed his hands against the floor in an attempt to get rid of the tension building in his body. The alcohol's effect was already fading, and he could feel the itch returning to his skin.
Raz shrugged "you'd get over it soon." He muttered, occasionally peeking at Simon. "you know drinking isn't any better than drug abuse right?" He said, brows creased in worry. "Might feel fine now but eventually you'll need more to keep that feeling of calm." He explained
"I'm not stupid, Razielle," Simon said angrily. "I don't know why you feel the need to tell me that." He glanced at Razielle, his wings puffing up.
"so you claim. Yet I see you doing exactly the opposite. Raz retorted, glaring at Simon's fluffed wings. He shrugged and went back up on the couch. "Get some sleep Simon. You'll feel better in the morning."
"I feel perfectly fine," he lied. "I don't need you to parent me. I can take care of myself." He shifted backward, away from Razielle. "I've already slept today."