and after the party it's the AFTER PARTY

[likemypicture]

[Tradition is Tradition.

Anne figures it's best to keep everyone busy in the aftermath of the trial, so she wrangles together a team of Mephisto, Santana, and Stephen to help her set up. Mephisto writes the notes and slides them under the door for Nana, Steven, and Christine, letting them know there's food and people in the dining room. The handwriting's not too great. Christine's note contains a 'P.S. If you don't feel up to it, I'll bring some food by later.' from Anne and a little doodle of Tad Cooper.


Thankfully, Anne has help setting up, so the weirdest of her food experiments don't make their way out of the kitchen. However, her platter of sandwiches does contain some interesting surprises--- you may find cheese and jelly, or peanut butter and chicken. There are normal things there too, though! And Biscuits, courtesy of Mephisto.

Their resident therapy dragon is on duty, too. Anne's made him a tiny crown for the event, and a regal little cape. He sits on a pillow in the middle of the dining room table, reigning proudly. ]

Comments

Stephen's room

[heathencall]

[It's late enough that Mephisto doesn't even know that Stephen will still be awake when he approaches. Still, he knocks, ear pressed to the door as he waits.

He hasn't been avoiding Stephen, not really. He just needed time to clear his head. But now the thoughts in his mind have grown louder, and he can't quite stomach it any longer.]

[37773972]

[It takes a moment to hear anything, but after a bit, there's muffled shuffling. When the door opens, Stephen's already dressed down for the night, and when he sees who it is? He doesn't hesitate to step aside to allow Mephisto to enter.]

[heathencall]

[He gets far enough in to allow for Stephen to close the door behind him, and waits just long enough for him to do so before he's tugging the other man closer. He's wordless in his movements, but a little desperate.]

You're still here.

[37773972]

[And there's no hesitation there, either. Arms wrap around Mephisto to hold him, Stephen pulling him close]

I'm still here. With you.

[heathencall]

[There's so many things he could say, so many things he could ask. How long could they truly say that to one another? Every week was another death. Their numbers were dwindling. Morale crumbling.

But there's no compulsion to tell the truth. He can swallow it down.]

Are you okay?

[Stephen had been closer to Jeremy than he had.]

[37773972]

[Stephen's...quiet for a minute, just holding Mephisto. Thinking. After a moment...he shakes his head, closing his eyes.]

Jeremy- [His throat's closing up. He swallows, trying to force it clear] -he was afraid. This place just made it worse.

[heathencall]

This place picks at our fears, our insecurities, and it uses them. It always has, and it will continue until --

[It's Mephisto's turn to swallow.]

A bloody kiss
And the vision of a dream
For the last of our days in the sun

[37773972]

[And doesn't he remember this song. As it was weeks ago, an answer bubbles up in his throat;]

In the white light I am-

[But he cuts it off, fingers clenching in to Mephisto's skin. As best they can, anyway. What pain they draw from his injuries grounds him, and he draws a shuddering breath, shaking his head.]

I hate this place. I hate him for using us. I hate- and I hate- and I hate-

[His jaw snaps shut as he once again refuses to give in. He won't. He won't.]

[heathencall]

We're falling right into their trap. This is exactly what they want.

[Try as he might to fight it, he feels like he can't. Despair is closing in, and Mephisto feels so small. So human.]

I feel weak.

[37773972]

[Mephisto is...

Afraid?

Stephen's known that he's been afraid for the others, but this- this seems somehow even more intimate than anything they've done so far. Mephisto admitting it, in so many words, and admitting his weakness.

Stephen isn't sure what to do. Again, something starts in his throat, and again, he swallows it down. Instead he - gently - leads Mephisto over to sit on the bed, and moves to sit next to him, and touch his cheek]

Talk to me.

[It's a plea, not an order- but if there was ever a time, now is it.]

[heathencall]

[In truth, he's exhausted. Certainly enough so to allow himself to be led. He sits down, close enough that he can rest his head against Stephen's shoulder. This in itself feels like an act of defeat, a moment of announcing his shortcomings. Whatever great and horrifying thing he'd been back home, he's become a shadow of himself here.]

I have not known love. Not ever. [Certainly not from his Father, and never toward his siblings, human or angel. That was not the way of it.]

Until here. It is... a powerful thing, a sneaky and wretched thing. I am entangled in it, suffocating and -- [He draws in a breath. His chest aches. His head spins.]

It is painful. I learned that much last week, watching Riley. Hearing Christine. And I have found that I would give a great deal to prevent anything from happening to those I care for. Myself, even.

[He swallows, struggles to breathe.]

It's the very thing I condemned you humans for. Fragility. Weakness in the heart and mind. And yet for all my judgement, here I am. Condemned myself.

[A laugh, bitter and angry.]

Even now, I talk myself in circles without getting to the point.

[37773972]

[Stephen lets him rest like that, arms still wrapped around the angel. Holding him, allowing him to talk, to breathe, to think- and to try and put voice to, well. Everything.

Not for the first time, he wonders about the differences between them. But this time...Mephisto is so foreign to the concept of love, no wonder it hurts. It still hurts Stephen, who knows it well. And while none of this is news, considering what he's seen with his own eyes, heard with his own ears...

It's still, no doubt, something. For Mephisto to talk about. No wonder he's talking in circles.]

I've got time. [Read; You can keep talking.]

[heathencall]

What more is there to say?

[He's exhausted. He has been since Sigyn's death, since she sent him hurtling toward the concept of "redemption." Since he'd first stomached the idea of caring about any of them.]

This place finds weakness to prey on. To twist until one breaks. How long until it finds my weakness and turns it against me.

How long until I am forced to turn against you?

[37773972]

[At that question...at that raw exhaustion...this time, Stephen doesn't resist it. He can't. Words aren't coming, and instead, it's a feeling- a raw feeling in his own core.]

Even if the sky does fall
Even if they take it all
There's no pain that I won't go through
Even if I have to die for you

[Perhaps, once, Mephisto wanted this in another way; to use him. But now? Stephen offers it freely.]

[heathencall]

[Mephisto's fingers tighten against Stephen's shoulders. It's enough to be painful, even if he doesn't realize it. Something awful rips through him. Something painful, worse than the chemicals and glass that had maimed him. Close, perhaps equal (though not the same as) to what he felt as Riley fell.]

No. Without you -- [His throat tightens. He could stop here. He could take a step back from this one weakness.]

One day the earth will open wide
And I'll follow you inside
Cause the only hell I know is without you

[He breathes -- ragged, dangerously close to trembling.]

The people here. They are the only ties I have to whatever fragile humanity I have found. I would rather die than know what it feels like to lose it.

[37773972]

Then don't.

[He brushes the backs of his fingers against Mephisto's cheek. For a moment, he thinks about bringing up how he's still ready to die, but- no. That's the opposite of helpful right now. Instead, he studies Mephisto's face, his own heart twisting within him as he understands just what Mephisto- just what he means to the other.

...he can't die. It would- it would break him. Stephen's heart nearly breaks at the thought, and his voice trembles just a bit as he sings again-]

And if the sun grows cold for you along the way
And if the stars don't line to light the way
And when you fall away and crash back down below
I'll search the skies for you and I'll follow
I'll be in your afterglow
And I'll bring you home

[And he leans forwards, eyes flickering up towards Mephisto's own- but he doesn't quite press their lips together - just their foreheads]

If anyone could lead us out of here- you could, Mephisto. And- if the Phantom meant what he said about bringing one person back, then he could bring everyone back. We just need to find a reason for him to do it. Something to trump whatever that Wizard's promised him.

[heathencall]

Not alone.

[He closes his eyes, lets himself enjoy this warmth. It's different with every soul he's come to care for, come to love. With Stephen, there's the faintest glimmer of hope there. If he can just keep hold of it for a few moments longer -- ]

We have been trying to go it alone, or just as adults, all this time. No more. I... do not want to put the weight of the world on children's shoulders, but we need their help. We need Nana's strength and Christine's spontaneity just as much as we need Steven's optimism and Santana's cynicism.

[He swallows and leans back, but only far enough to stare Stephen down.]

For all my loathing of the fragile bonds between humanity, it is your greatest strength. Our greatest strength. And there are more bonds between us than there are between the Phantom and this Wizard. We just have to... exploit that.

[37773972]

[He's quiet at that. He doesn't want to put weight on the kids, that much is clear, but...Mephisto has a point. Nana is strong. Christine, Steven, Santana...

Eyes drop down, and then, after what seems like an eternity, come back up.]

I wish there was another way.

[heathencall]

As do I. But we've tried everything else, haven't we?

[His sigh is heavy. Weary.]

We'll figure it out.

[37773972]

...we will. For them.

[For themselves, too. And now he leans in, hesitantly.]

[heathencall]

[There's no hesitation now. He leans forward, kiss careful and tender, if a little clumsy. He's still not quite familiar with all of this gentleness and sentiment.]