Raw [Nilla]

[LUCIFER]

What ya gunna do, when the whiskey ain’t working no more

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She may have moved to scare him, but she did startle him. He jerked a little in surprise; it was a small motion as he was still quite groggy. He had never been a morning person, and he was certainly not one after the large amounts of alcohol he had consumed last night. He swallowed and finished the rest of the bottle of water in a few gulps. He set the empty bottle of water down on the table lightly before looking over to her. He rubbed one eye with the palm of his hand as he peered at the blonde woman.

How did she move so silently? Was she a ninja? He frowned slightly and moved his hand from his eye to cover his mouth as he let out a yawn. He shifted and moved so he could work on sitting up. He moved slowly as he felt as if cinderblocks had been tied to his limbs. He swallowed and shut his eyes tightly as he noticed something very important. He sat up and drew all the blankets over his lap, trying to be as discrete as possible without her noticing his situation.
“I’m all right, thank you,” he said, his voice gruff like gravel early in the morning.

He thought if he talked maybe she would pay attention to his words and not look at him. He wanted to be invisible right now, considering…He kept the various layers of blankets over his lap as he pressed his feet onto the floor. Nick took a moment to rub his face and try and get used to the light that was drifting in from outside. What time was it? How long had he slept? Had she been up long?

“If you would be so kind…could you get me a glass of water?” he asked, feeling guilty all over again.
He swallowed again rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned forward, trying to get his bearings together. That job was going to take him a few moments, so he might as well get started on it now. He was also thinking about how he was going to apologize to her, again. He stared at the table for a little bit once he opened his eyes again. He looked up and turned his head to Zerachiel.
“How long have you been awake?” he asked, concern in his voice.

When life don’t feel like before….What ya gunna do?

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[ZERACHIEL]

I am not sure,” Zerachiel responded sincerely, taking a cautionary step backward as he recoiled slightly upon her entrance, attempting to maintain an appropriate distance between them. “I observed the sun rise. I wish you had seen the first light; daybreak is truly a magnificent sight to behold.” Since her duration on earth, she had witnessed numerous dawns, and each and every one differed from the last, possessing a unique beauty she admired. Continuing to analyze Nick’s bodily movements and tone of voice, she memorized his actions for future reference, hoping to further comprehend man and their method of communication. She had developed a simple understanding of primitive emotions such as happiness, sorrow, and anger, though a few still managed to escape her intellectual capacity; slowly, but surely she was learning from her experiences.

The angel listened intently to the man, acknowledging his request. “Of course; I am merely glad I can be of assistance,” she replied, grateful he appeared to have pardoned her behavior from the previous night; Zerachiel did not want to fail him, one of her Father’s wondrous creations. “I will return.” She recalled where the kitchen was located in the household, entering the adjoining room. Her eyes wandered over the various items occupying the area as she instinctively approached the cabinets. On rare occasion did she gain entry into a typical human domicile, though she knew where the cutlery was normally placed subsequent to use. Their lifestyle puzzled her from time to time, but she was not entirely oblivious to such standard practices. Extracting a glass from the cupboard, she obliging adhered to Nick’s demand, filling its contents with water; she wondered why he had not asked for food also, certainly, he required breakfast—correct?

Once again, she crossed the threshold into the living room, offering Nick the cup. “I would have brought victuals; however, I do not know what particular food you are fond of. You may inform me and I will do so.” She was famished herself, though Zerachiel refused to take advantage of his hospitality, even though he had permitted her to take from his food store; she would obtain food elsewhere. Folding her arms across her chest, she suppressed a shiver, noting the fine material of the clothes she had slept in. It was always coldest during the early hours of the morning, she enjoyed taking note of the differences in temperature and even weather throughout the day—it was fascinating. Gently rubbing her arms to warm them, she looked down at him, “Are you positive you are all right? Were you able to acquire an adequate amount of sleep?”

[LUCIFER]

You wreck me baby. Yeah – You break me in two.

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He ran his fingers through his hair, that was still slightly damp from his shower last night. Nick let out a slow breath and went back to rubbing his weary eyes. Nick shifted his weight on the couch and made sure to layer the blankets over his lap. He was thoroughly embarrassed at this point. Even though he knew it was normal for him and every other man in the world…he was still embarrassed.

He turned his head to look at her as she spoke. She had been up for a while, making him swallow some more guilt into his system. He had seen several sunrises. He was more of a sunset type, but he nodded in agreement of what she said about sunrises. He frowned a little at her sentence. Had she been some sort of servant or maid in a past life? Or was she just being polite again? He pondered as he analized her speech patterns. She talked funny.

Well maybe it wasn’t so much funny, as it was extremely formal. He looked at the blankets in his lap and muttered something to himself. The words were not well formed in his tired state, also, he was talking to his lap…scolding it even, so he didn’t really want to be heard. Nick’s head lifted after a few brief words as he stared out one of the windows for a minute whilst Zerachiel came back.

Vict…Vict-a-what? He gazed up at her, very confused for a moment before she finished her sentence. Oh. She was talking about food. Okay. His vocabulary was not as, elaborate, as hers. He was going to have to catch up with that. Well, she must be well read then.
“Thank you, but no…I’m not quite hungry yet. Maybe after this hangover is gone I can think about food,” he said as he shielded his eyes from the light that was drifting into his house.

He took the drink from her and started to chug it down. He was very careful not to spill the precious contents within the glass. His poor liver…His poor, poor, liver was really mad at him right now, along with the rest of his system. After finishing most of the water he set it down on the table and took a few moments to scoot down the side of the couch. Nick plucked the pillows and put them beside his makeshift bed. How many blankets were on his lap? Three? Well, she looked cold, and the rest would do their job just fine. He plucked one off of his lap and offered it to her.
“Here, you look cold, and I have plenty,” he said.

Nick slowly stood up so he could use the bathroom. As he stood he pretended to fold the blankets over his lap area. He quickly turned away. He didn’t like shouting over his shoulder but this would have to do for now.
“I’ll be back, sit down, warm up. What do you want for breakfast?” he asked as he wandered away from the living room very carefully.

But you move me honey, yes you do

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[ZERACHIEL]

Zerachiel took a hold of the offered blanket, draping it about her shoulders. “Thank you,” she responded gratefully, settling onto the couch as he exited the living room. “I do not wish to take advantage of your hospitality, Nick. I will acquire food for myself later on. Your wellbeing is my only concern.” While she patiently waited for him to return, the angel remained seated, gazing out the window. Basking in the golden rays of sunlight streaming through the glass, she watched the birds as they soared through the cloudless blue sky, and the squirrels that scaled the few trees that flourished on this particular street, their vibrant green leaves swaying lazily in rhythm with the gentle spring breeze. The current weather varied drastically from the tumultuous conditions of the previous night, the storm giving way to a pleasant morning on earth; hopefully, the day would end as lovely as it had began.

Neatly folding the blanket, she placed it on the back of the sofa. Rising, she extended her wings, a contented sigh escaping her lips as she did; what would become of her wings when she finally crossed that threshold from immortality into mortality? Forcing the thought far from her mind, Zerachiel walked out of the living room, deciding to change out of her nightclothes while Nick was away. Entering the bedroom, she quickly undressed, slipping on the outfit she had worn the night before. Blood had stained the front of her blouse and her jeans from where she had wiped her hands clean, however, she no longer felt the pain that she had experienced upon impact. Only a barely discernible bruise had formed where he had struck her, and her lip had healed a great deal during the night; although, she could still taste the brackish flavor of her own blood as she ran her tongue along the broken skin. The angel was thankful that she was able to heal a lot faster than humans for the time being; it was a blessing.

Stepping into the adjacent corridor, she approached the bathroom, wondering if Nick was all right; it seemed as if he had been in there awhile or longer than most people she had observed. Zerachiel wanted to respect his privacy, though concern enveloped her. Hesitantly, she knocked on the door. “Are you feeling okay?” she inquired, hoping she had not overstepped that unseen boundary into his personal space yet again. He had not been well the day before; perhaps he was still in poor health. She could attempt to heal his body of illness, although transporting them both to his house from the bar had severely drained her. Recalling what had transpired yesterday, she remembered the sadness and anger emanating from him—it hurt Zerachiel to watch one of her Father’s creations suffer. If only she were powerful enough to revive his wife and child, then Nick would be happy again.

She wanted to see him smile.

[LUCIFER]

Feed the cut

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He took a few moments to fix his issues and take care of his needs in the bathroom for a moment. He craned his head back as he tried to listen to her speak while he was still in the bathroom. Swallowing he looked at his face in the mirror. Who was this haggard man that looked back at him? Nick took a few moments to wash his hands and clean his face. He already had a shower last night, but he wanted another one. That could wait until alter.

He heard her voice and the knock and he about jumped a bit off the tile floor. He reached out and grabbed the counter to stable his body. She was certainly a silent walker. Nick swallowed and quickly looked himself over, fiddling with the edges of his shirt a bit as he drew in a calming breath.
“I am fine Zerachiel…Really. Just…hung over a bit,” he said, his voice still gruff from the yelling he had done last night.

He coughed a few times and opened the door. He gave the best reassuring smile that he cold. Nick gently maneuvered himself around her, trying to give her some space. He felt bad about what had happened yesterday. Actually, he felt terrible. He wanted to hit himself for what he had done to her. He should have never lost his temper. Guilt continued to gnaw and bite at his insides as he walked down the hall, to the kitchen

He looked around and quickly tried to put away the non perishable items that he had bought the night before. He didn’t really have too many groceries. After all, he could buy whatever he wanted at the time…sense he only had one mouth to feed. He looked around and pulled a few pans out of the cabinets as he tried to figure out what to make for breakfast. Weather she wanted his hospitality or not, he was giving it. The guilt wouldn’t let him do otherwise, or was that his conscious?
“What would you like for breakfast?” he repeated, even though he was certain it was closer to lunch time now.

And get in line

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[ZERACHIEL]

Nick had mentioned being hung-over twice so far, though she did not quite understand what it meant exactly. Obviously, he was not entirely well, although he was fairing a lot better than the previous night, and she prayed he would recover. Following him, Zerachiel wished she could simply heal Nick to save him the trouble, though she knew that was not possible at present. Idly standing by while he was in such a state made her feel terrible, considering she was an angel of healing. Being what she was, she should be capable of nursing him back to health. She was not accustomed to feeling useless and never had difficulty adhering to her Father’s commands, but at the moment she was struggling as she tried to adept to life here on earth. Nick had allowed her to lodge at his house and now he wanted to treat her breakfast, which added to her already guilty conscience. Yesterday she had only managed to anger him and she was afraid of making the same mistake all over again. She kept her distance, contemplating what she would say and do before acting on her thoughts. Zerachiel was here to assist, not to cause more problems, and she had been doing the opposite of what she had intended; she vowed to lend Nick a hand today and not be a hindrance to the man. Though she did not understand why he had welcomed her into his home in the first place; perhaps she had done something right. She desperately wanted to believe that was the case.

"I hope you do not mind me asking, however I do not know the precise meaning of the word hangover. Could you enlighten me?" she inquired, genuinely curious. Zerachiel had heard it brought up in various conversations a couple times during the course of her travels, yet had never bothered to lookup the definition. "Is it an illness of some sort?" If it was a sickness, she hoped it was not serious; she did not want to see Nick—or anybody else for that matter—under par, it saddened her. "Will you really be all right? The hangover will go away?" She looked up at him, concern present within her green gaze—what if it was a life-threatening disease? The notion upset her further. As they entered the kitchen, she glanced about the room, and watched him pack away the groceries. She had seen them when she had obtained him a glass of water and wished she had sorted them herself since he was unwell; he needed a helping hand. However, she had definitely not been the least bit helpful thus far, nevertheless she was still making an effort—that counted for something, correct? Her work had primarily taken place in Heaven, so she was not used to interacting with humans or their customs aside from what she had been told; not many people had faith in the Lord these days. No one believed her when she informed them that she was an angel and it pained her; she would never lie—not to anyone. With a bit of luck, she would be able to gain their trust at some point, but in the meantime, she would focus on doing what her Father had instructed all of them to do when humanity was created. It was her duty and without that, she had nothing—was nothing. Carrying out God’s wishes and her brethren’s demands had been all she had ever known. Making her own decisions and thinking for herself proved to be rather complicated.

The angel frowned slightly, nearly turning down his offer once more, however she supposed it would be impolite of her to reject her host. Mulling over what he had said, Zerachiel attempted to recall what humans usually ate for breakfast. She did not eat often, but when she did, it was from fast-food chains or convenience stores; the cheapest items that she could find with the little money she had that she acquired from the jobs she was able to get a hold of. Work on this planet differed a lot from her responsibilities in Heaven and hotel rooms and houses were expensive; she had taken to sleeping outside, she liked giving her money to others—the ones who really needed it—anyway. On TV, she saw people having cereal, oatmeal, and eggs with bacon. She had never sampled them herself, so she did not know how they would taste or how they were made. Remembering what each food item had looked like in the various pictures she had seen, she chose the most appealing of the three. "Do you have eggs?" She would have prepared them herself, but she did not specialize in the preparation of food. Hopefully, Nick liked eggs; it appeared as if a lot of people did—if she was not mistaken that is. Zerachiel did not know a lot about food to begin with, considering angels did not require sustenance to survive. It just proved how far she had fallen, which disconcerted her. Soon she would be mortal. What would she do then?

[LUCIFER]

To live and burn

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He turned his head to look at her. Reaching up he ran his fingers through his jumbled locks and down the side of his face. The stubble scraped against his hand as he realized he needed to shave. He could do that later though. Shifting he moved to the sink and washed his hands. Drying them off with a towel he looked back at her, still surprised. Maybe she had been raised in a very conservative house. Who had not heard of hangovers? This bothered him on some strange level because it only fed the voice in the mind that; she might honestly be telling the truth about being an angel. Nick’s Faith was broken, but it would forever linger in his heart. He let out a breath and pulled a large pan from a cabinet.

“It’s a condition that happens to people after they have quite a bit to drink. I think, on a scientific level, it’s because I’m dehydrated. Something about alcohol makes your body flush out water and..yeah, ” he said after a moment.

He wasn’t a hundred percent sure if that was true or not. It was something he had heard over the years and he had taken it to truth. He shook his head as he moved to the refrigerator and opened it. Peering inside he blinked against the light and pulled a carton of eggs out. He shut the door lightly with his elbow as he kept an eye on Zerachiel, wanting to make eye contact when they talked; a simple sign of respect.
“I’ll be fine,” he said, one side of his mouth slowly crooking into a smile in her direction, “It just takes some time. At the worst, maybe a day to recuperate, but some food and water will do me good.”

He lifted the carton of eggs a bit higher for her to see. Nodding he turned back and settled the stryofoam upon the counter. Opening it with a few flicks of his fingers he paused and muttered at the stove. The lighting mechanism on his gas burners was fickle. He huffed and messed with the dial that rested there. It took him about four tries but eventually the blue flames shot up and into view. He smiled as he shifted his bare feet upon the cold tile. The cold didn’t bother him right now. It felt good. He was still quite warm from the booze and having been laden with so many blankets from before.

He took a step away from the stove lightly. Reaching out without looking he plucked a few eggs from the carton and peered at her. He cracked one open by tapping on the edge of the pan and plucking a small glass cup. Pouring the contents of the two eggs into the glass he moved and snagged a fork and scrambled the yolks and whites together.
“Of course,” he said with a warm smile, “How do you like your eggs, Chiel?” he asked as he continued to scramble the contents within the glass.

Is tug of war

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