CLOSED ♔ don't know what the country's coming to

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ on an evening in roma - dean martin

WHO || Rafael, Des, Buffy, their best pal in the world
WHAT || An unexpected incident
WHERE || Rome
WHEN || June 7th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread.

Who knows how long unconsciousness has them all swallowed in its grip. But when it finally allows them to resurface, they'd notice the smooth motion of a car indicating they're... still riding in a vehicle. A wis check of 14+ might recognize it's a different limo, however, and it doesn't take a wisdom check to recognize that they are all crammed together on the same side of the seat now. With... hands cuffed to the seat between their legs.

Across from them, a large figure sits grinning manically... wearing a familiar gray cassock. Oh hi. :)

A single glance out the window at the bustling city outside is enough to recognize that is sure as shit ain't London. And Anderson will be quick to clear that up for y'all, waving one hand at the view.

"Well, now. I hope you all enjoyed your rest. Let me be the first t'bid ye welcome... to Rome."

Comments

[slay]

[ yeah, buffy is too fucking drugged out for this shit. she doesn’t even know it’s not the same limo, she’s just rolling around in discomfort and headache and she tries to raise her hands to her head as she comes to but tugs on—

handcuffs. she groans and drops her hands, opening her eyes with sudden, unhappy alertness to spot a face she wishes she didn’t recognize. is now a good time to scream? she wants to be the kind of girly girl who would scream. too bad she has too much pride for that. instead, she shoves her shoulder against rafael to try and wake him up while she takes note that des, on her other side, is already awake. she turns to look at him, successfully diverting her attention from anderson which … helps her blood pressure a little. ]

Des. Des, look at me. [ she stomps her foot on his to get his attention, teeth gritted. GET IT TOGETHER, MAN. ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael groans at buffy's jab and shakes his head as he slowly raises it, blinking back the ... druggy haze. slowly. ] Buffy...? [ his voice is weak, but he finally seems to settle his gaze on anderson and then he just... blinks more, shaking his head harder as if this is a terrible vision that will be gone if he does that hard enough. ]

... It cannot... be.

[nothingsodivine]

[nope. nope. des is going to his cave. he's going to find his spirit animal. he ducks his head and mutters something incomprehensible that ends with a surly:] Goddammit.

[judaspriest]

[ tsk tsk tsk rude ] Shouldn't come as a surprise, t'hear the likes o' you take the Lord Our Father's name in vain. Although it wouldn't surprise me any should the words burn and choke in yer throat, either.

[slay]

[ buffy tries to wrestle free from her cuffs by ... a massive show of strength that isn't that massive. it's not very effective. (str 19). ]

Actually gonna pass on the sermon for this week, but thank you.

[ she’s trying really hard to keep it together. really hard. but here’s the thing: no one has leveled her so entirely like anderson did. it doesn’t matter how long it’s been, she’s still shaken (will 15). but she’s holding it together because des can’t and someone has to. ]

What do you want?!

[judaspriest]

Th' same thing we've always wanted. T'bring heathens and enemies o' the Church to the judgment they deserve.

[he affixes her with a sneer] You dinna think you could run forever, did ye?

[nothingsodivine]

[Des balls his hands so tightly into fists that his knuckles turn white and then...

he... crit fails a will save.

He tries to pitch himself forward with all the fury of a wild animal, but the chains impede him from making any forward motion.]

I will rip you apart, you fucking piece of shit. If you even- [he cuts himself off, but all that fear has given way to anger and he's left panting and glowering, the effects of the drugs still lingering and making his words thick and heavy.] I'll kill you.

1/2

[romanticidal]

Des... [ it's said low, under his breath, but it's not really very comforting, because he also sounds angry as fuck. he turns narrowed eyes onto anderson again and demands: ] We had a deal. What happened to the Vatican honoring its agreements?

[judaspriest]

That was before we learned who we were dealing with. [ he leans forward a bit, obviously unperturbed by des' snarling, grinning in his face ] The Vatican doesn't honor agreements with servants o' Satan.

[slay]

[ buffy’s desperation to get out involves looking anderson over, because something here feels off. very off. like … okay, like drugs. it’s probably the drugs. she catches sight of the syringe in anderson’s lap and, well, that would explain that. she’s not quite sure how the vatican managed to dose them, but she’s quite sure it’s not a good time.

des’ outburst jerks her out of her scrutiny and she jumps a little bit, straightening out. she’s never seen him this terrified before. not even scared, not really. but he’s genuinely losing it, and if buffy’s own fear weren’t bad enough to begin with given her encounter with anderson, that sells it.

they are fucked. ]

Servants of—? Excuse me? [ she whips her head over to look at anderson. it hurts. or, rather, her brain takes a minute to catch up and she feels nauseous for a minute. right. drugs. process. settle down, buffy. ] I’ve never met the guy. Don’t really want to, generally actually murder his spawn. Look, if we could just—Have a nice, calm discussion about all of this, I’m sure we could clear it right up. [ diplomacy 24. yes she is trying to have a civil discussion with alexander anderson rn. HER OPTIONS ARE PRETTY LIMITED OK FUCK YOU. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[And then Des does something really unexpected.

He laughs. He hangs his head and his rage and fear and pain dissolves into a soulcrushing sort of psychotic laughter.

Yep. He's cracked. That's a problem.]

[judaspriest]

I couldn't agree more. [ wow, that's unnerving ] Perhaps your friend there might have something to add t'the conversation.

After all. He's th' one sporting the mark o' the Devil.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des's laughter peters out and he looks up to shoot Anderson a devious smirk. Somewhere he broke and came out the other side.] That what they call it when you put a tongue down another guy's throat, Scotty? 'Cause I got marks from last night that you can't even see.

[slay]

[ buffy looks over at des and while she is ... PRETTY SUSPICIOUS of what the hell anderson is talking about and wants answers, she also ... doesn't fucking like alexander anderson ??? for some reason ??? get your quality rp right here. so for the moment, she'll play along. ]

Ohhhhh. [ she looks over at anderson. ] Is that only okay in a confessional when you're under 12? My bad. Well, lesson learned. No more of that ... bad, bad, awful sodomy. I'm sure you've scared him straight. [ she nods, decisive. ] Can we go now?

1/2

[romanticidal]

[ RAFAEL REALLY DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN THIS CAR RN

ANDERSON REASONS ASIDE ]

[judaspriest]

Your disgusting sinful habits aside, ye can't hide your true nature from th' eyes of God.

[ ♬ beat the devil's tattoo - black rebel motorcycle club

he starts chanting some kind of mantra in what is latin for those who paid attention in class. i'm not going to go figure out what he says. fuck you. LATIN LATIN LATIN. the cross on one glove gleams golden suddenly... and then abruptly a searing pain courses through des' palm, and a sigil rises there all in red welts, stinging like a bitch.

anderson looks smug as fuck. ] Or from His true servants.

[nothingsodivine]

[FUCK. FUCK. Des grits his teeth and jerks upwards, wrist twisting painfully in the handcuffs.]

You said, the Devil. [He pants, shoulders slumping in defeat.] Don't get me wrong, Andy. He's a sweetheart and I like him much better than you, but you're a little off.

[slay]

[ buffy, meanwhile, has a creeping look of horror dawning in her expression.

don’t take it the wrong way. she’s always known des is down and dirty with some ugly forces. linda isn’t exactly a spring day. but she recognizes the burning sigil on his hand, and her gaze steadily shifts up towards his expression in a way that says how long have you been hiding this? ]

I’ve seen that before. I’ve seen that, that’s—[ she hastens her speech, then stops abruptly to identify it solemnly. ] The Angel of Death. [ OFFENDED!! ] Azrael.

1/2

[romanticidal]

The Angel of Death? [ raf turns to stare at des but his... slow drugged brain does not even put together des' UNFORTUNATE RELATIONSHIP WITH DEATH and... that. sob his wisdom checks. to anderson: ] You said a devil, not an angel. [ although rafael sounds like he thinks both those things are crazy talk /elven pantheon 4 lyf ]

[judaspriest]

"An' another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, an' he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in th' presence of the holy angels and in the presence of th' Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers o' the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Amen. [ oh hey that's

the vatican outside ]

[nothingsodivine]

Don't say her name. [Des shoots Buffy a panicked look underneath Anderson's chanting, but that's all he can muster.] Please.

[He glances up at the building looming outside and all that fear comes slamming back into him.]

[slay]

[ goddamn. she bites down, teeth grinding, and —

well they sure are out of fucking time. buffy spots the enormous white building rolling up outside (and takes note of the fact that it’s now evening, putting them several hours out from the airport). they’ll talk about this later. right now, they’ve gotta go.

buffy gives her binds another yank.

str check … 3. ]

[romanticidal]

Why are you so afraid of her? [ DES ISN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING. except... anderson. and azrael. i guess. he finally looks over and notices buffy struggle bussin' ] Carina... are you--

[nothingsodivine]

You should all be afraid of her. [He buries his face in his shackled hands, apparently oblivious to Buffy's struggle. He has his own struggle. He looks up to meet Anderson's face again.] And when I choke the fucking life out of that smug-ass bitch face of yours, you better realize it won't be God I'll be sending you to.

[slay]

[ she jerks again on the chains, useless, panic rising in her throat as she realizes what’s not going to change no matter how hard she pulls. her hands open in her lap, eyes wide, staring at the manacles. the syringe. oh god. oh god, no. ]

… I … Rafael, I can’t—[ she chokes out the words, pulling again. ] Guys, we have to go. [ they have to get out of here. she has to get them out of here, but she can’t. she doesn’t have the strength. she should be able to rip these handcuffs clear out of the floor but she can’t, and not only is trying bruising her wrists, but it’s kind of bruising her ego too.

she’s powerless. (wis 21) the female pronoun, meanwhile, clues her in that azrael and linda are one in the same, which ONLY MAKES THINGS TEN TIMES WORSE RIGHT NOW (wis 23). she doesn’t start crying. she fights that fear and hopelessness and defeat back and she swallows it, but the distress is plain in her face (will 18). ]