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]

Okay, that’s—[ girl you need to put that shit on ice. buffy moves to actually physically put an arm between them, resting her hand on des’ shoulder and trying to nudge him back because she’s … not actually stupid enough to manhandle the angel of death. surprise. ] Let’s just get some room for Jesus in there, and we can have a nice, civil conversation about what the hell just happened. [ interloping here has forced her to put pressure on her bad leg, so she grimaces and that hold on des’ shoulder becomes … a way to keep herself up. ] And possibly find a cleric and a phone.

[accusatory]

[ gurrrrl watch it. azrael affixes her with an icy stare before folding her arms. ] I didn't come by to stop in for tea. [ she glances at the door to st. cuthbert's ] Your cleric - and your phone - are inside.

You wanted answers. Now you have them. [ oh also. back to buffy with a very... not human gaze. ] Including who I am. [ whatchoo gonna do about it. ]

[nothingsodivine]

Go easy on her, Azrael. [There's a beat of pause between the two syllables, as Des composes himself and mutters sarcastically, like fuck if he can tell the angel of death what to do. if he could, she would not be his stalker.

he turns to buffy.]

I didn't wanna say anything in front of the jerk in the hood, 'cause this is the kind of thing that gets me in trouble with organized religion. Iscariot did their homework after I made that deal with Anderson and they jumped through hoops to draw some idiotic conclusions.

All that matters is I escaped thanks to her and- [he takes a moment to try to claw drying excrement from his hair] - a busted sewer line.

[slay]

[ buffy turns to look at azrael when her existence is actually acknowledged. the sharp look is returned and buffy just tilts her head to make it clear she’s heard, because the only thing she would say is that it puts them one step closer to stopping her, knowing what they’re up against, and now’s not really the time.

for tonight, at least, they’re on the same side. she makes a face at des, lifting her hands off of him and backing off a little. yeah, let’s put some distance in there ‘cause you smell, homie. #roomforjesus ]

I wouldn’t go so far as ‘thanks.’ [ let’s not go around thanking satan ok. ] You’re still in trouble. The metaphorical couch has a depression in the shape of you, and it’s just waiting to be slept on. [ yeah. you’re still a big liar-face. but she also forgives you. this would be where a heartwarming hug goes if … he weren’t covered in shit. literally. ] I’ll feel better when we’re all safely off Vatican turf. [ a beat. italy’s kind of rafael’s territory—he probably has something in mind, but with that said, she turns to look back at the limo for where he’s … at. shouldn’t he be inserting himself in this. ]

[accusatory]

[ RAF WENT INSIDE. I SPECIFICALLY SAID THIS.

so she sees... that he's not there. and azrael smirks emptily, as if she knows exactly what buffy is and isn't saying here. ]

Just don't say I never did anything for you. [ she throws one last look at des, her eyes flashing with a strange bright light... and then she's gone. with what sounds suspiciously like a rustle of invisible wings. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[There's an uncomfortable silence that descends in the wake of her leaving and after a moment or two of that passes, Des glowers at the space where she was.]

Either I'm going crazy or I'm almost starting to get used to her. [He points accusingly at the empty space and then throws his hands up.] Goddammit, I need a drink. And a shower. And that couch with an actual depression in the shape of me, so I can sleep this day off.

[slay]

We shouldn’t stay here tonight.

[ it's not remotely safe to slow down so close to the vatican ok. she just … decides rafael must have gone inside without her paying attention, rather than panicking about him being gone. with azrael gone, buffy moves to start … limping towards the door. the adrenaline is all but dried up now, and the pain is kicking in with a vengeance. ]

Just … [ she winces ] Long enough to get a breather and get out the heads-up. [ she claps des on the shoulder as she passes him towards the entrance. ] Come on. Burt’s gonna be beyond pissed, it’ll be fun.

[nothingsodivine]

[he follows her inside.] I don't have any sweet talk left in me. You want him to back down off a tirade? Call Myri.

[he cannot physically diplomacy anyone. do you know charm means nothing to angry catholics who think you're scum and want to brainwash you? DO YOU BUFFY? oh right because you tried that.

He takes a moment before entering, lingering in the door, and when he speaks again, his voice is quieter.]

I really thought that was it back there. That haggis-breathed sonuvabitch was talking about them working me over, and I've never been more scared in my life. I think about dying all the time. But never like that. Bet even I can't come back from that one.

[slay]

Des. [ she stops with him just inside the church, turning to face him and shaking her head. ] I would never let that happen. Never. [ she doesn't touch him because he is ... a walking sewer rn, but she does fix him with a soft but intent look. ] We would find a way to bring you back.

[nothingsodivine]

Anderson's practically a god-fearing machine. [He leans on the doorframe.] If you can't reason with that fucker, how're you gonna reason with someone as stubborn and merciless as me when I've got all new wiring.

[He rubs the heel of his palm in his forehead.] We're gonna be hunted from here to eternity. You know that, right? The three of us. Rafael killed one right in the middle of their home. The Angel of Death came to my rescue. And you... God, Buffy, they wouldn't even have thought about you if you weren't close to me and Fluffy.

[slay]

But I am close to you, and I’m not sorry for that. Des, if something happened to either of you, I—[ her answer comes quickly, decisive. a beat. something more vulnerable flickers in her gaze, and she softens. ] You really think my strength means anything next to the two of you?

[ if she didn’t love them, heart and soul, maybe this would hurt less than it does. ]

Let them hunt. We’ll be here. [ she didn’t really need the reminder about rafael blowing heinkel’s brains out tho, btw. thanks. she glances at the interior of the church. ] From now on, we don’t drop our guard. [ she might not be able to convince des tonight that they would find a way to deprogram him—because it’s different, because he’s not anderson—but she can offer him some certainty in that. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des ducks his head and manages a smile. He can't help it. Her unending optimism when they could have all died, if not for a a mysterious stranger and one persistent not-actually-a-goddess, is hard to brush off.]

And check the references of every limo driver. [He can't offer a whole lot right now, but he'll try anyway. He's deeply shaken- faced with a complete loss of not only his freedom, but his identity, has left him a wreck and it's bone-deep, even if the surface only hints at it.]

All right. [he backs off the door frame.] Let's go see who our new friends are.