it's a very, very, merry, merry christmas

[showchoirstar]

Characters: THE ENTIRE CITY.
When: December 24th, Christmas Eve.
Where: The theatre!
Rating: PG-13. Please no smut or anything else in this log. Take it elsewhere, you crazies.
Summary: Rachel has organized a nondenominational gift giving season party to celebrate ALL THE THINGS. Come on in! Exchange gifts! Drink! Be merry! Enjoy the music! Rachel

Comments

NONDENOMINATIONAL GIFT GIVING TREE.

[showchoirstar]

There's also a Christmas tree, but it's a bit oddly decorated -- seeing as the ornaments are donated, found from around the city, or having nothing to do with Christmas whatsoever.

Have a gift? Want to give it? Come on down!

There might also be some party favors tucked into the branches.

[fabraylous]

[ quinn can be found hovering around said tree, making sure all the ornaments are arranged in a way that doesn't make her want to strip the tree and put them all back on again, occasionally moving one ornament to the other side of the tree and trying to spread out the branches. some of the ornaments are a bit out there for christmas, but in a place like this? it fits, and it'll do. ]

[flash_kitty]

[ She may have been a little over dressed but it suited for the weather, keeping her warm. But even with all the material on, her steps were quiet as she walked into the theater, and stood behind the blond.

She watched as Quinn fussed over the tree and decorations for a second before stepping forward, procuring a handful on small, delicately folded paper cranes from within her sleeve. ]

Here, I brought these for the tree as well. I hope no one minds.

[expunger]

[Raphael winds up in this area almost as soon as she gets to the party, pushing away from Gabriel (who flew her in) and slowly dragging a chair to a quiet-ish spot away from the action. An actual chair that she basically collapses into, as if the short journey to that spot of floor is the most exhausting thing she's ever done. It definitely feels like it.

How does she look? Take "hit by a train," multiply by "you should have seen the other guy," and raise to the power of "meth is a hell of a drug." Which is why she's in shadows right now where low light can disguise it, basically just listening to the Glee kids sing and staring at the tree contemplatively.

She also might be side-eying the tree a little, like it's wronged her in some way. Or maybe her face just goes like that. It's hard to tell.]

[wingsandwill]

[Hey there, Raphael. Have your least favorite brother, who's approached mostly out of curiosity. He knows it can't be long now, after all.]

You appear offended by the tree.

[Yes, he's capable of telling such things now. He's getting much better at the whole reading people thing.]

[expunger]

[It can't be long, and won't be long- anyone with any extra senses at all can tell that it's a complete fucking miracle she's even still alive, let alone capable of standing upright for more than four consecutive seconds. She gives him a tired look, folding her limbs closer to herself to keep them from shaking so visibly.]

I despise the pagan traditions.

[wingsandwill]

[He glances at the tree, then back at Raphael; he would make no comment on her condition. He's not about to bring it up, and his care for it comes and goes intermittently.]

Few holiday traditions of any religion are particularly appealing.

[Humans blow things out of proportion, holidays especially.]

[expunger]

[She purses her lips and makes no argument; it's as good as gushing agreement, from her.]

This one is especially bastardized and disproportionately clinged to as a standard for a cheapened day that has long ceased to be holy.

[The little speech seems to take a bit out of her; she runs an unsteady hand through her hair and glances at him again. This week, this knowledge of death- what she fears from it and, more importantly, what she hopes for - waking up with healed Grace and freedom from the Fire - has stirred strange thoughts in her.]

[wingsandwill]

[Castiel leans back against the wall, far more at ease than he usually is around her, as he's relatively certain she's not a particular danger to him at the moment unless he does something stupid. He misses her glance as he considers the tree once more before looking back.]

I informed some of them of such, yet they seemed not to care.

[expunger]

Of course they didn't. They never do.

[A long, long look at him before she abruptly asks something that surprises her.]

Could you feel what he was doing to it?

[Somehow it actually seems to matter.]

[wingsandwill]

[He's able to mostly ignore her studying him--angels staring is nothing new and at the moment Raphael doesn't seem so much like the terrifying archangel--until she asks the question. He looks over from where he'd been watching others mingle at the party, staring at her a few moments in return.

He doesn't know if he wants to tell her. It's admitting yet another weakness, another vulnerability, of which he has so many at the moment. But at the same time, what does it matter? His once destructive and all-important pride has tempered, now flaring only in specific circumstances.]

Yes.

[It's a simple admission, with no detail, and he doesn't intend to provide any. But he's admitted as much to Lucifer, and he has no real reason to withhold it from Raphael.]

[expunger]

[There's no trace of judgment in her, no superiority or gloating. Her eyes narrow not in mockery but in thought as something churns over and over in her mind. She still remembers switching bodies with him.]

This experience has been illuminating, Castiel.

[She uncurls, touching her feet to the floor and pushing herself up off the chair slowly, using the chair to hold her weight and gripping it tight whenever a movement goes wrong and sends light-bright pain knifing through her. Once on her feet she looks to him inscrutably, leaning on the chair to disguise how unsteady she is.]

Come with me.

[wingsandwill]

[His head tilts slightly to the side at that first comment, giving no response himself as he is expecting her to continue. But then she starts getting up, and he just watches, offering no assistance both because he simply wouldn't and because he knows she wouldn't want it regardless.

But her order is a surprise, and he narrows his eyes just slightly, uncertain; she still doesn't seem a threat, but that's like assuming a sick tiger isn't dangerous. Still, he has never gotten anywhere by being timid, and eventually he nods once in agreement and waits for her to lead the way.]

[expunger]

[Unusually, it takes her a second to start leading. She has to steel herself for a moment before pushing off the chair and supporting her own weight. Even then it's difficult, but she manages to lead him out of there almost steadily out of pure hard-headed force of will.

She does, however, almost slip on the snow in her high heels. Which has never happened before in her life. Damn everything.

Just... more walking now. All she has is her goal in mind. She just has to make it there.]

[wingsandwill]

[He drifts silently after her when she begins to lead, glancing around as they walked, trying to figure out where and how far they were going. It's a lost cause, of course, but he attempted anyway.

He doesn't bother to ask, or even speak, padding quietly after her in the snow, coat pulled around himself against the cold.]

[expunger]

[The going is slow. She's trying hard to keep moving, putting one foot in front of the other through the stabs of pain, the draining weakness and heaviness in her limbs and something deep inside calling at her to just give up, to just stop and lie down and cease.

It shows. Every step is labored, trudging, she's breathing as hard as a sickly human and with every panted exhale white light glows faintly from her mouth.

She doesn't speak. She can't while she's moving.

After almost twenty minutes of walking through the city, Raphael stumbles in mid-step and falls. She doesn't trip, doesn't slip on anything or get knocked down. Her legs simply give out, collapsing in a heap with a grunt, on her elbows and knees in the dirt. After several increasingly pathetic attempts to get up the angel realizes that she simply lacks the strength.

What follows next are the six most painful words ever uttered by an angel of the Lord.]

I need you to help me.