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Had Nasrin ever acted so familiar with him? Gabe frowned slightly as he continued to look towards her, his eyes on her full lips as she continued to speak. She seemed almost unsure of herself, which was not usual either. For that reason, he allowed the demon to take his hand, letting it extend with a minimal amount of tension. Gabe saw the sharp tip of her nail only a moment before it dug into the sensitive flesh of his palm. Immediately dark, sanguineous fluid gathered along the line and he wondered how this – or anything – was supposed to help his powers develop. But instead of being able to focus on that, Gabe instead saw the flick of Nasrin’s tongue. Goosebumps prickled on his arm; he hissed as her nail dug into his skin once more. 

[b][color=6b95c4]”Fucking warn me next time,”[/color][/b] he groaned, though half-heartedly. Nasrin wasn’t listening anyway, and his words fell on deaf ears. Soon, he was no longer focused on the sharp pain in his hand but rather the supernatural ring that hovered above his palm. It didn’t hurt, per se, but it was an odd sensation Gabe was certainly unfamiliar with. Whatever had happened, it felt like a rush of power; his heart seemed to beat more strongly, his thoughts more clear, his vision sharper. The flame burned without casting heat and Gabe looked towards Nasrin with a wide smile.

In that moment, he had been happier than he could remember. Whether it was the small amount of pain afforded to him or the power imbued, Gabe finally felt [i]good[/i]. Gone was the worry about what Maggie was doing or what she thought, what would happen if his powers didn’t surface, what Abbadon or Azrael were doing… The breath seemed to be sucked out of his chest as the flame disappeared without warning. His expression faded and he pulled his hand away, rubbing it gently as he settled against his chair. [b][color=6b95c4]”What exactly constitutes ‘horrendous’?”[/color][/b] he asked, meeting Nasrin’s eyes. 

How could this [i]possibly[/i] be any worse than what he was experiencing now? He had nearly no one and hardly anything to his name. Without any prospects or advancements in his powers, it hardly mattered that he was alive. Of course that wasn’t to say that he wanted to [i]die[/i], simply that he had no real worth or purpose at the moment. Entitlement could only go so far. With Nasrin back, it would be possible to begin training again. If that meant his life would get marginally worse for a short amount of time, he could manage. [b][color=6b95c4]”I can manage, I just have to know what to expect. What’s expected out of me. I’ll work for it; you know I will.”[/color][/b] 

His voice was sincere and slightly vulnerable; he realized his tone too late, and Gabe’s expression softened. Maggie always told him that it was okay to show some emotion and that no one cared how stoic he was… he disagreed. Perhaps he could afford to lash out at someone if he could back it up with power. As it stood, he couldn’t. [b][color=6b95c4]”I [i]do[/i] trust you, Nasrin, more than many others here.”[/color][/b] But she wasn’t doing this for him, and Gabe understood that; the demons never did anything unless they benefited and he couldn’t blame them. But he was doing this for himself, and it would be enough, even if it was difficult to handle for the next few weeks.[/indent]
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Maggie could have laughed. Humble she was not, but disgusted she certainly was. To even think about being her brother’s whore made her nearly physically ill, or even a whore to anyone at all. Prostituting oneself out was a means of survival, but what life could you live if your body was not your own? She rid herself of the thought while she looked back up at the man. His face was… pretty, and there was something inherently different in his countenance than many of the other men that she met in the city. To be fair, they were [i]all[/i] beautiful, miserable creatures that she came into contact with. 

Latin. Her top lip curled as if he had cursed her directly. Of course he wasn’t [i]human[/i], but something in her had hoped? Had hoped that, maybe, there was a resistance brewing somewhere to overthrow the demon horde, that enough people had survived underground to align themselves with one common goal. She no longer felt poorly about turning and leaving, but the man had reached about again.

Warmth, bright and consuming, enveloped her fingers and began spreading up her arm. Maggie’s eyes widened slightly, looking down with shock and awe. What was he that had triggered such a reaction? It didn’t make her feel any more connected to him as he continued to look upon her almost expectantly. [b][color=97bfc2]”What the hell was that?”[/color][/b] she asked, her voice breathy from surprise. Before she could see what was behind her, the man had slipped a hard coin into her palm and muttered more Latin underneath his breath. What demon?

Maggie sighed as he moved and, for someone so tall, he managed to blend into the surroundings easily. [i]Azariah[/i]. It almost sounded… angelic. Her dark brows drew as she turned, pocketing the silver into her coat before finding Adriel’s dark gaze. [b][color=647A51]”Who was that?”[/color][/b] he asked as he approached.

And, for some reason, Maggie lied. [b][color=97bfc2]”A human. I came to give out food to the slums, but I couldn’t do it. We need it more than they do, right?”[/color][/b]

Adriel’s eyes softened and fingers reached out to push stray hair from the woman’s face. [b][color=647A51]”Not like any human I've ever seen. He told you not to come out alone.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=97bfc2]”[i]He[/i] can suck my dick. I don’t need him watching out for me, and I definitely don’t need to stalking me. I was fine.”[/color][/b] Maggie watched as her harsh words hit Adriel but he said nothing, standing there nearly motionlessly. 

[b][color=647A51]”Of course,”[/color][/b] he said without conviction. Maggie had likely hurt his feelings, but she would not apologize for offending him. She’d been fine with Azariah, although she supposed that it wouldn’t be the case for any other strange man she bumped into.

[b][color=97bfc2]”Go back,”[/color][/b] Maggie said, scooping some of the bread from underneath her jacket and giving it to Adriel. [b][color=97bfc2]”Take this back to the kitchen. I have some errands to run, given that it’s almost our birthday, and then I’ll be back. I swear.”[/color][/b] With that, Adriel gave her a suspicious look but sad nothing else, doing as he was bid. She wasn’t the king of Aeternum, but she liked to think that she was considerably more well-liked than Gabriel. With that came the ability to ask people favors and increased the likelihood of them acting them out.

When she could no longer see the high-born demon, Maggie reached in her pocket and ran her fingers over the coin. The warmth that surfaced from it was somehow reassuring and she knew that she would at least have to return to Azariah to find out why he was here. Perhaps it would even help Gabe if she could gather some information. With that, she followed the coin’s guidance towards a denser, darker, and dirtier part of the city.[/indent]