four.
Finding Berith was hardly ever difficult. The man could show up at the worst times in any place, but Uriel knew the one place the demon would without a doubt be was at his office.
Having given Alexander the excuse to slip inside just for a minimum of ten minutes to find someone, he strode briskly into the building in uniform, and informed the secretary that he didn't have the time to schedule an appointment. Five minutes, that was all he needed.
Without needing to be escorted, the archangel yanked the door open and miraculously didn't slam it closed behind him.
The demon was sitting at his desk when the archangel burst in, looking up from his work. He was sure that emotions were running high right now considering recent events but he smirked as he leaned back in his desk chair.
"Dear friend, to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the fact that the angel was in uniform.
The uniform couldn't be helped, but it did help stress the fact that Uriel was here as not only Uriel the angel, but Carmine Marino. This was both business and personal, but the latter took precedence.
Berith was so close. Close enough to slap cuffs onto. He took a deep breath, ignoring the thought as he stepped toward the desk. "I never was and never will be your friend," he pointed out the obvious, circling toward the other man's side of that desk.
"So why bother at all with fake pleasantries?"
"I am sure you would agree that we can at least be civil to each other," Berith remarked with a chuckle, despite his uneasiness. He did not like being out of control of the situation and his pride still was a bit sore after being tied up.
"Well, then, how about we bother with the reason you have decided to burst into my office uninvited then?"
Uriel was undeterred by the implication of that last part, and so he carried on with that reason, heart hammering hard in his chest, first planting one hand on the edge of the desk, and the other on the closest arm of Berith's chair. He wanted to be close for this.
"Do you truly expect me to be civil after what you've done?" His voice was low. Controlled. "Do you have some sort of idea that you'll come out of this without due punishment for your actions?"
The demon met the angel's eyes evenly, a slight up turn at the edge of his lips. "And how will you punish me, Uriel? You know things are not the same here," he said in a low tone, as if he was amused by the idea but he knew very well that this was a very delicate situation for him.
"No, this is revenge, isn't it?" he said thoughtfully. "Now, I know you would never admit that but that's what this is. One of yours was hurt, now you're here to exact a divine punishment'."
Light blues shimmered with a frostiness befit for winter. "I'm not here to exact anything of the sort. I'm not even here to touch you. What I'm here for is to tell you that everything you do has a consequence, whether good or bad," the archangel explained, his fingers tightening around the arm.
"God will do as He will, and I'll carry out His punishment for you if He requires me to."
But by God, it was difficult not to reach out and cuff Berith right there. The illogical part of Uriel assured him that the demon was to blame, that he was right in front of him begging to be thrown into jail even without the proof. The proof was in the man's words, but words were just that. The man wouldn't last one night in a cell.
And the idea of not being able to give Gabriel the justice he rightly deserved pulled at his heart.
"How considerate of you then, I'm sure I'll think long and hard on that," his tone was just barely mocking but he was sure that Uriel knew that Berith didn't take the warning seriously in the slightest.
"God hasn't commanded you, has He?" Berith's smirk grew. "In fact, I think our Father has been silent on everything, hasn't He?" he asked. "And here you are, without even the proof to touch me and that frustrates you so, that much I can see very clearly."
Naturally, he'd hit the nail right on the head. The frustration clawing at Uriel's gut couldn't be denied, or even hidden very well as it so happened, but nothing in his face changed. He had to believe God would command him sometime. Had to, because there was no other option.
And once again there was a chance he wouldn't be able to serve justice for someone he adored with all of his being. Lucia had never found her peace. Would Gabriel not find his, knowing the ones who hurt him couldn't be punished by them alone? Uriel couldn't allow that, though it was his challenge to overcome. He'd help as best be could no matter what.
"You'll get your due punishment, Berith. I assure you." There was no other way.
Berith dared to reach his hand up and pat Uriel's cheek as if the angel was no more than a mere child. "God won't command you, and you know that as well as I do. You and Michael are on your own, unless of course you plan to ambush me in a dark alley some night," he said with a smirk.
"Now run along, I would wait for my punishment but I have work to attend to."
Nothing was left to say to that. How could Uriel give an empty threat? God had been quiet, certainly, but that didn't mean He wasn't there. Yet why had they received no orders?
He released his hold on the chair, turning on his heel as if to leave, until a thought occurred to him. "One last thing, if you wouldn't mind indulging me."
"Ask, though I make no promises even for you, dear friend," Berith said as he picked up his pen, glancing up at the angel.
Not a word was spared as Uriel faced the other man once more, his arm moving before he had the chance to stop it: he cracked a backhand across Berith's left cheek, the force of it echoing against the office walls. His first sign of limited self-restraint. He was only human.
So very, very human.
The archangel wasted not another minute in that place, pivoting on his foot and moving past the desk with a stinging hand. This time upon leaving, the door shuddered in its frame with a resounding slam.