(Untitled)

[nestingdevil]

Who: The Troublesome Four; Inspector Javert | chose_death, Gabriel | trickster_mk2, Naomi Hunter | scientize, and Greed | nestingdevil
What: The gathering of four very different individuals on a dinner "date." It's to discuss business and deal deeds, really.
Where: Starting Point ➥ Devil's Nest
When: Monday Evening.
Rating: Considering the very nature of these people, pushing R.

Comments

[scientize]

[The Next Day; Private Voice to Gabriel]

[It is just after noon the following day when the angel shall get a little call from his favorite lady.]

Gabriel, are you free?

[trickster_mk2]

[Gabriel answers soon enough, a little groggy and it's evident that he's still in bed, curled in blankets and very much enjoying some time off. Not hung-over, of course, Angels don't get hung-over.]

Hmm? Naomi? What did I break last night?

[scientize]

[God, you sleep forever. Don't you have a job?

Oh, I didn't mean to wake you. [Even in a groggy, half-asleep state like that, it should be rather obvious to the angel that his friend sounds nothing like the cheerful woman he has become so fond of. Naomi's tone is all neutral and detached.]

I just wanted to see you today, but you can give me a call later in the afternoon. I'll be free.

[trickster_mk2]

[Not like most people, no. Arch-angel, remember? Doesn't have to be anywhere until the evening. He loves the 'Nest.

Even in his current state, he's a little concerned. What the hell happened in the last few hours?]

What's wrong? Naomi? I'll be right over, if you need me. Five minutes, okay?

[He's already 'snapping' himself up, dressed, trying not to sound panicked.]

[scientize]

[She purposely doesn't answer his question. That can't possibly be a good sign.]

Take your time. I'll put on some coffee. [...] With a few cups of sugar.

[trickster_mk2]

[Uh huh...]

Well, I'll be over soon-ish, then?

[And then he hangs up, spending several seconds looking at the phone in confusion, not exactly sure what to make of that at all, before tucking it back into a pocket and clicking himself in the general direction of Naomi and Javert's love-nest, taking the stairs. Yeah. Something's not right and he's certain he's not going to enjoy this, whatever it is.

He knocks when he gets there, trying to seem casual]

So... if I didn't break anything...?

[scientize]

[Expecting the man, Naomi waves Gabriel inside of her tiny apartment and shuts the front door behind her before turning a cool stare in his direction.]

Go ahead and sit. [The kitchen table has been cleared and scrubbed since the previous evening's affar, only two mugs of steaming coffee sitting atop it. And a canister of sugar. Obviously just for Gabe. Even in her strange mood, the woman is a strangely considerate hostess.] I'll just be one second.

[Stepping beside Gabe, the distant woman moves down the hallway quickly, out of his sight for only the briefest of moments. There's only the soft click of a door opening and shutting. Judging from just how small her temporary home is, it shouldn't be too difficult to guess that it was the lone bedroom she was stealing a quick peek into before any important topics were brought up with the angel.

But now why was thatSatisfied with the sight, Naomi returns to the front room and slips into the same empty chair that she claimed as hers last night. Her hands move to wrap around her hot mug,

[trickster_mk2]

[Oddly meek, and quiet for him, Gabriel slipped into the tiny little apartment and into a chair, the same he'd had last night. He frowned as she disappeared, glancing at the coffee. But he wasn't thirsty, he had no need of it. He felt suddenly like he was being interrogated, even if there was no proof of that. He couldn't help it though.

He leant back, trying to relax and when she returned, he tried to offer her a grin.] Baby still asleep? I didn't know Javert was that keen on wine.

[Naomi didn't look amused though, so Gabriel dropped it, watching her. Ah. Okay. That question. Clearly not what he was expecting, and for a moment his expression is completely unguarded, moving from surprised to horrified to sort of.... pleased with himself.

He folds an arm over the back of the chair, grinning]

We're not having an affair, if that's what you're asking. I like my men less.... Inspector-y.

If you really must know. I forgave him. He was wound up tighter than a spring.

[scientize]

[Naomi's indifferent expression doesn't change in the slightest at the mention of Javert sleeping so deeply in the next room over. Her dark eyes just flick over to the nearest clock before returning to Gabe.] He'll be out for at least another two and a half hours. He indulged a little more than he usually does last night.

[Hm, that's an oddly specific amount of time, Naomi. How strange.]

Forgave him? [And there is the first real flash of emotion to smooth over her face, a lovely dose of absolute confusion. Naomi does not like the sound of this so far.] What do you mean you forgave him? What could he possibly need to be forgiven for?

[trickster_mk2]

[It is a strangely specific amount of time, isn't it? Gabriel raises an eyebrow, looking Naomi over with the barest hint of a truly wicked smile. Not the sort of fun-loving smile he normally wears, but something... darker.] You made sure that he got his beauty sleep, huh?

[He wouldn't put anything past Naomi.

He sighs again, leaning towards her, his hands folding together, resting on the table.]

Angel? Our dear inspector... come on, he's carrying around a lot of baggage. Thinks he's going to rot next to Judas for the rest of eternity. Don't ask me why. So I told him he wasn't all that bad, and he was forgiven.

[Then he stops, frowns, and re-plays the conversation he had with the man over in his head again] And I told him he had to learn to forgive himself. No biggie.

[scientize]

[Her thin shoulders shrug at his initial comment, giving little away, even if Gabriel already has it all figured out. What can she say? Naomi couldn't possibly allow her obviously disturbed husband to wake up with the sun like he always did on the one day when he really needed time in bed to fully recover from both the wine and the angel's less than kind head games.] I do what I have to do to take care of him.

[Which is precisely what she is doing now with this conversation.]

I don't understand. [Which is a startlingly blunt statement to come from Naomi, a woman who thrives on understanding.] Why would this have even come up in the first place, Gabe? [At least the use of his nickname seemed to mean she wasn't being completely unreasonable with the man. She just genuinely wants to know what her friend is thinking and why her husband has been reacting so violently at the mere mention of his name.]

You say you know about his 'baggage', do you? [Gabriel does claim to be an angel, after all, perhaps he has a greatest insight into others

[trickster_mk2]

[There’s no reply he needs to make to that. Naomi and Javert are an odd couple, and frankly he doesn’t know how they do it, but this isn’t the first time he’s seen evidence that she cares for the man she married, even if it’s a slightly strange version of care. Then again, Gabriel has seen, any done, much worse in the past.

He sighs though, as she continues prodding. Seriously?] Why did it come up? He wanted proof I am what I say I am. And he was freaking the fuck out, thought I was going to run him through with a sword of Justice. Showed a little bit of mercy, Naomi.

[He gets up from the table then, pacing around and he has half a mind to go look in on Javert himself, poke him maybe. But he ends up by a small window, looking out at the city, and it proves a poor distraction. Naomi has completely the wrong end of the stick.]You don’t understand. I’m not here to make humans feel better about the things they’ve done. If your husband’s mental state is that delicate, that’s not my problem. I told him to get over himself. He’s not a

[scientize]

[1/2]

[So, there it is.

Naomi, silently watching Gabriel move from the table to the small window of her apartment that looks down upon nothing more than a back alley dumpster, remains still and quiet, her posture abnormally rigid and her face suddenly a few shades closer to white. Despite her silence, the shock and dawning horror evident on her expression probably speak much greater volumes for the angel than anything the woman could possibly sputter out at this time.

She's just too taken back. It was all too goddamn ridiculous.

Sitting stiffly in her chair, Naomi allows her hands to fall into her lap, tiny fists clenching under the table. As his words tumble around in that brilliant brain of hers, the woman's surprise at the turn of this conversation is slowly beginning to lessen, leaving her with only a burning cold anger instead. And unlike Gabriel's, hers does have a single focus.

The angel had so foolishly told her husband to just get over it?! Told Javert, a man who had taken his own life twice now, to put his 'sins'

[scientize]

[2/2]

[The silence that descended between them lasted at least a full minute and a half before Naomi finally found her voice again, pure venom rising up in her tone as she glares across the table at the angel, not moving a single inch from her seat through his entire tirade.]

Mercy?! You think you were showing him mercy by indulging him in that completely preposterous display!? By playing the part of the 'angel of judgement' and bestowing your divine forgiveness on a man who doesn't even believe in pardoning. [When angered, Naomi has a rather terrible habit of lashing out and insulting the one she's so set on being upset with. It's something Javert has had to deal with it many times in the past and something that Gabriel will have to get used to if they are to remain friends after this.]

And a sinner? [The woman actually laughs at that, though it is very far away from the attractive, bright laughter he is used to hearing from his dear friend.]He's the only good man I've ever known. And considering the difference in time between us

[trickster_mk2]

[Gabriel sits, and he watches, one of those expressive eyebrows raised as her face twists. Gabriel doesn’t need to see her hands under the table, he doesn’t need a Naomi Hunter Manual to see there was a lot of bile rising under that very pretty surface. And it was going to explode in his direction. But bile and spite he could live with. And frankly? If he didn’t like Naomi, he’d already be laughing at her.

He lets her spit it out, all those words, her judgement on an angel. It really was funny. Here she was, an insignificant human, albeit a sharp and attractive one, telling an angel, a freaking Arch-Angel, how to do what he’d been made for. When she had no idea of what, if any purpose in life she was to serve.]

Naomi , you’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake. I was made not to give a fuck about what you believe. [It’s said brightly, and now the angel reaches for that coffee. Got to cover the slight shake in his hand. Not fear, not anger, but the Grace welling up inside him, charging and drawing in on itself.]And in all honesty

[scientize]

[It was all Naomi needed to hear.

Though there is the slightest of unpleasant twitches on her face at Gabriel's angelic theatrics, the woman's grimly serious expression doesn't fade under his burning gaze. She sits silently, dark eyes focused intently on the angel all through what he has to say.

And that was that.

With everything out in the open between them, Naomi's face turns away from his, her gaze focused elsewhere, as if the mere sight of Gabe disgusts her.]

Get out. [Her tone is firm and resolute. This conversation and friendship are over.] Never come near us again.