Son of Hades (Redo)

Castiel's Little Green Monster

Song:
     The Mighty Fall ~ Fall Out Boy

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     Harley left with a few pairs of trousers after eating. Leaving the two of us alone.

     "Are you still - " I gesture to his shirt. Trying to ask the silent question. Are you still wearing the wire? There were still questions I wanted to ask him. They threaten to tumble from my lips, one after another. I reach out and touch him when he closes his eyes, feeling the harsh plastic cut into my fingers. Like an electrical zap keeping me away from him.

     He flinches. "Does that answer your question?" His eyes water. "It's not my favorite part of this job. And this job does has it's benefits."

     "Like?"

     "Like keeping me out of Tartarus." He grit through his teeth. His looks away. "I told you I wasn't comfortable speaking of this."

     "Does it ever come off?"

     Tonight, he mouthed the word. "No." He turns to go. "You should begin to get ready for the bash tonight. I have a feeling Castiel is going to cause a scene this evening. We've got to pay close attention to him. I'll be waiting right outside."

     In the dressing room, I admire myself in the mirror with the dress on. It glitters and sparkles wherever the light bounces. I've reapplied the makeup to where my eyes looking dashing; bringing out the flecks of gray in green... The heels hurt my feet, but that's nothing new. 

     When Xavier comes back, I'm surprised to see that he's not wearing his uniform. Instead, a short-sleeve gray t-shirt and dark pants with black boots that look like ones Harley mention wearing. Combat boots. His hair is a little messed up. He looks more relaxed. Much more relaxed. He shuts the door, brings my hand to his chest to show that the wire he'd been wearing is no longer there. "You look beautiful," He says quietly. 

     "You look dashing."

     "Dashing?" Xavier starts to laugh.

      "Word of the day," I hold my hand out, almost stumbling outside the closet door. The heels are too tall, and I'll probably end up ditching them later. But for now, I had to look presentable. When Xavier takes my hand, his cheeks get a little red. His warmth touches my skin, and I want to curl up in it. Make this party a thing of the past. As much as I don't want to be beside Castiel tonight, I know that I will be looking for Xavier in the crowd -- if he's already not by my side.

     With his hand in mine, he walks with me across the room and then back again, and I don't want to let him go. The mischief has returned to his eyes, and his eyes are on me. I can tell that he wants to say something, but he's very hesitant to do so. Still, Xavier is safe. Instead of breaking the perfect silence, I imagine the sleek muscles that must be underneath his shirt. From years of hard work -- "What are you thinking about?" He asks suddenly. 

          Your abs. But the thought of saying it aloud made me want to giggle like a school-girl. "The bash... " I murmur. "Something bad is going to happen, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

     "Bad things happen to good people. Especially down here. Where finding a good soul uncorrupted by Hades is rare."

      "You're a good soul." I almost whisper it. But he heard it.

      Xavier laughs. "Good to see that you have a sense of humor, Miss Caverly." Leather bracelets cover the markings on his wrist. We've stopped walking, and he sits me down on the bed. I lean back into it, anxiously waiting. An eight letter tattoo is etched into his skin. A part of him that hasn't been exposed, yet. "Persephone told you all that I was a bad person who did very bad things." I touch his wrist, running my fingers over the sparkling red tattoo. It's practically glowing like mine had done earlier, on that balcony . . . "I was branded with the mark of Tartarus. When I got here, and Hades offered me a choice. I could work for him in the Palace... He would allow me to remain here five hundred more years, or I could accept my fate and get shoved personally into darkness by Hades himself. Some say the fall to Tartarus is so long, you'll fall for weeks." I felt him shiver. I listened intently. He leaned down, and the tattoo burned brighter. "I am an awful person, Ariel. If you were smart, you'd listen to your future mother-in-law and stay away from me. Far away."