never-ending story [micheon]

[MICHAELA SERVUS DEI]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px; background: #ffffff;,true][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] I've been trying to do it right I've been living a lonely life I've been sleeping here instead I've been sleeping in my bed so show me family all the blood that I will bleed I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong but I can write a song I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart
[atrb=width,300][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] tagged: mr. big bad <3 words: 1445 outfit: here
[cs=2][atrb=width,500] Manuka was a far more intriguing place than Michaela had ever imagined it would be. She had never heard of it before the day she had heard about the war and had decided to make a difference, but it was crawling with supernatural creates which made it buzz with electricity and that amazing tension lurking in the atmosphere that she had always loved to exploit and turn into action. That is, in the days that she had still been bad. Bad. It was something she had been through the ages, for much longer than she could remember. Probably longer than the time she had been good, even up in the Heavens. Heaven. Thinking of it now only made the woman smile sadly and bitterly, because though she had turned good and basically turned her name into 'servant of God', she still didn't agree with his methods, with his choices, even if she didn't question them as openly anymore. Michaela had been one of his first and most trusted angels, but in the end she couldn't take all the ugly in the world anymore, all the ugly that He wouldn't do anything about because of this thing called 'free will'. She just didn't get it, He had all the power in the world to make changes, and he never did. Instead he burdened them with the mission to keep those pesky humans safe, while all they did was try to put themselves in danger and hell, she could sure as hell say that they put themselves in danger a lot, and if they didn't do it themselves, other people did. She had despised the humans and their ignorant ways. And she had done it for a very long time too. Then how did she end up on the light side now? It was a question Michaela still asked herself at times, though she was sure it had been the right thing to do. It wasn't that she felt remorse for any of the things she had done, she had felt completely justified doing so, but after a while of being evil alone, that stung and it was lonely and it hurt. Michaela had always been a people's person, depending on who those persons were, she wasn't a total social butterfly either, but if she had one or two people around she could trust, she was happy. She didn't do well with being totally alone, hence why she invited so many people into her bed to keep her warm at night. She had no qualms to kick them out the next morning, since none of those guys truly mattered to her, nor did the girls. There had only been one person in her entire lifetime that she had ever loved, still did if she had to admit to it, but she had to let him go. Being a lightsider and being with him didn't match up, since he was a dark soul and that was one of the things she had found so luring about him. Those deep dark eyes that seemed to see straight into your soul, the whole stance and attitude that made her skin crawl in the most pleasant way just by even thinking of him. But she had to stop it, she knew she did, she had to let him go. Because they were on opposite sides now. Even if the majority of the light side still didn't trust her. In fact, nobody did, except for Zoe. Zophiel, currently the only friend she had, even if they weren't the best of buds, they respected each other and had a bond she couldn't explain to other people because they didn't feel it. Original angels had a different connection, that was just how things were and you couldn't give a description for it, or tell people how it felt, because it was just a knowledge. It was something that was just there and for the angel it had been an amazing feeling, it was like coming home again. The way she had felt when she had found Ozymandias after falling from Heaven. And with Zophiel came that the lightsiders had to tolerate her, even if they didn't want her there. There wasn't much they could do, since Michaela could easily swipe most of them out if she had to, but that would totally ruin their chances, and whether they liked it or not, they needed her. They were enormously outnumbered in skill and age, and with age came power and experience, whether they liked to admit it or not. Michaela wasn't looking to take over because she was the oldest and would probably stay the oldest unless Gabriel decided to suddenly pop up and join them, she was merely looking for a place to fit in. She had been wandering around for over a 1000 years, feeling lost in a world that didn't feel like her own anymore, which made it so much easier for her to kill anybody who crossed her path and paint them in her macabre paintings. It was like a piece of her had been missing, like she had been broken from the moment she had left him and maybe that was true, but it had been their decision. Neither of them had been able to admit their feelings for each other, and neither wanted to be weak or vulnerable. They just couldn't do it, so what other option did they have then part ways? The longer they'd have sticked together the more obvious it would be they had arrived at a point of no return. Being just companions and/or friends had not been an option, not anymore at that point. And sometimes she suddenly missed him so much that it felt like she was physically in pain, only to push it aside again. That was a closed chapter, and she had let it go. Let it sail away with her hopes and dreams as she accepted her solitude and never let anybody in that way ever again. Nobody could match up anyways. On the light side though, she didn't get to be so emotionless and apathetic as she had been for the past centuries. But lightsiders had feelings and compassion, they cared for humans and their well-being, even if Michaela truly didn't. She just wanted a change of scenery and fighting for the right cause seemed about right to her. She could adapt into this though. She could learn how to care and to be good, like she had once cared over her charges. It was her own personal challenge to do this, and to prove the lightsiders they were wrong about not trusting her. She was truly honest when she had joined their side and she intended to stay there. Her official task was to infiltrate the darkside, get in touch with their most powerful leaders and pass every little detail of important information off to her own camp. Because Michaela had more than enough connections with the darkside and she was one of the few who would really stand a chance of survival if she got caught, it was only logical they choose her for the job, or well Zoe did. The others probably didn't trust her around dark people as far as they could throw her, but Michaela tried to not let it bother her. Honestly, she just wanted to be accepted, and feel the trust the other people got. They were part of a team, but they shut her out. All, but Zoe. Entering the Maison de Putes, her task was simple. You gotta start small, even with connections like hers, even if her face was something most darksiders would and should recognize, Her eyes scanned through the business, as she walked towards the bar to get herself a drink, trying to find a known face somewhere along the crowds. There were a few, but only one that made her stop in her track as if she was suddenly frozen, the familiar electricity running through her body just by seeing him. And not even him, because he had his back turned to her, but she'd recognized him even in complete darkness. She told herself she should probably stay away, but who was she fooling, she really couldn't. She would figure out a game plan later, but for now? For now she just.. She had to talk to him. "Hello, Ozy." She said after her feet had dragged her to where he was positioned, his back still turned towards her as she watched his body for any sort of reaction to her voice. Maybe he didn't recognize her at all anymore, but she really doubted that. "Long time no see."

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD OF ETS AND CAUTION

[GIDEON ISAAC OSBOURNE]

Gideon was used to never really taking vacations. There was an old adage that talked about 'no rest for the wicked,' but he had always thought this wasn't in the literal sense. It was a good thing that Gideon didn't need much rest, and had trained his body to cope with long, taxing hours of work and preparing for different business meetings and corporation benefits, even though 'benefits' for someone in his particular sort of business weren't exactly philanthropic events. The demon knew very well how to handle himself, and while he did expect to be away from Manuka for a longer period of time, he was finding that he was rather glad to be back in the coastal city – near some of his powerful allies, at the base of a war zone, because within a short time, there was no doubt that casualty numbers would start to rise. It felt good to be prepared, and he had been prepared for this war for a while, cultivating relationships with some of the other older, more powerful supernatural creatures that had also gathered to Manuka for a number of reasons. Most of them had all come there for a different reason, but since their current desired outcome was the same, they were more than content to work together. Even though dark siders were naturally distrusting and knew that the person standing next to you could just as easily make an attempt to stab you in the back and take the power and connections you'd built for yourself, there was also a mutual respect amidst the older creatures – it wasn't easy to survive for multiple thousands of years, but the ones who had done it had all gone through a long journey, and treated that same ambition in others with a different sort of value.

The demon had only been back in town for a single night, and yet he arrived to a stack of paperwork, business ledgers, and other requests that had been asked of him from his various allies. Jyli had done very well in keeping everything in line to his very high standards, but ultimately, there were some things that only he could accomplish, so it was likely a good thing that he came back when he did. Gideon still intended to keep the faerie as his primary assistant, and would be giving her more responsibilities and likely a raise – really, even if they hadn't been involved romantically for a brief interval of time, he would have still been impressed with her, and their breaking up wasn't something that either one of them took personally. They were still able to maintain a professional relationship and one of the closer things he had to a legitimate friendship, and for that he was grateful. Although he tried not to get too close to people due to reasons in his past that had... wounded him, though he hated to admit that he had ever been wounded, there were a few invaluable creatures in this city that he wouldn't want to lose.

Ryanna Coliste was another of these individuals, and he had already sent out a message to her to arrange a meeting since he had heard some... interesting things about her joining some sort of alliance with a young (at least, by their standards) fallen angel who saw himself felt to lead a crew of dark siders in a sort of small army. The fact that he'd managed to get anyone to pledge their loyalty to someone much younger than them was impressive, but Gideon knew that it was more likely a direct relation to the fact that everyone was trying to find their 'battle stations' and allies for the beginnings of war, lest they be left behind in the cold without anyone to stand beside them. Sometimes, grouping up right away was better, even if the person leading wasn't exactly the ideal choice. Still, Gideon was surprised that Ryanna hadn't already cut the heart out of the group and made herself in charge. He would have to talk to her about it later, that was for sure.

Tonight, he found himself in a new location – the Maison de Putes, which was notorious for a number of things. It was somewhat of a seedy underbelly of the city, but he didn't consider himself to be above it because there were some high-class patrons and owners who swore by the business' services. Whether someone was looking for paid companionship or needed someone taken care of, there were more than enough skilled individuals who were willing to help... but always for a price. Gideon had told that one of his old associates was likely frequenting this location, and he'd wanted to show up to speak of perhaps making some sort of trade – Gideon's ability to write a very handsome check in return for unlimited access to said associator's client list, chock-full of individuals that might help him build a bigger, stronger group than the one Ryanna had joined. Of course, there was no guarantee that Gideon's 'friend' would be here, but there were enough people who would know him and would be willing to talk to him for free, just because of the type of man he was... and the sort of things that happened to people if they weren't willing to indulge his whims. Although Gideon did try to stay away from brute aggression and immediate violence, he was a very dangerous man, and had no qualms about leveling whatever or whoever stood in his way without even blinking an eye – he just had more civilized ways of dealing with business, and had learned to walk a fine line throughout many, many centuries of trial and error.

After making his way through the building, Gideon appreciated how the low lighting and the mysterious atmosphere made him comfortable – if people saw him, they would know better than to approach, and if he wanted to speak to someone, they would feel comfortable enough to talk to him without worrying about being questioned for doing so. Gideon had eyes and ears everywhere, and wouldn't even consider doing business any other way – if someone was spying, attempting to get in the way of his work, he would know in a rather short window of time... unless they were just as good at covering their tracks as he was. But, because he was one of the older beings on the planet, Gideon also felt confident that he knew the only people who could accomplish such a feat, and save for one – his sister, Zophiel – they were all on his side of the war. Although some of them, he hadn't seen for years. Gideon had only recently gotten back into touch with Aralenne, who was staying in Manuka, and had been one of the first people he had told about his war plans. The other... Michaela... Gideon's heart ached every time he thought of her because of their history, and the loss of her was one of few things that he could say ever had a profound effect on him and his entire existence.

The demon wondered if she would come to Manuka like all the others had, drawn to the idea of broken, twisted bodies of formerly powerful individuals marred and mangled on a battlefield. Perhaps for her paintings... but Gideon hoped, even though it hurt to be hopeful of such a thing, that she would stay to the West, like they had decided in their deal. Michaela was just like a ghost to him, an apparition that haunted his dreams, his sleep, and even his sleepless nights – most of his sleepless nights were caused by her. Who was he kidding? Even though he knew that now was not the time to think of her, not the time to be as stupidly selfish as to wish that she would return, he found himself entertaining the idea. The other angel was one of his few weaknesses, and if anyone did find that out... well, few would be powerful enough to match either of them, especially if they were a combined force, but it could be used against him. His feelings, the ache in his bones when he even thought of her...

… and then he heard her voice, and it lulled him into a trance where all logic and reason went out the window. The demon considered the thought that he might be hallucinating for a moment, making thoughts into a corporeal sound that caused him to shiver and goosebumps to rise up the back of his neck. Then, he turned and his dark eyes met hers. Gideon wanted to smile, but he did not. All the breath left his lungs like the air had been sucked out of the room by a powerful vortex, and he found his feet moving of their own accord to walk toward her. The demon reached out, not thinking, not even caring what she might do, and placed a hand on her cheek. She was real, warm flesh beneath his hands, and his eyes moved everywhere, his brilliant mind struggling to even make words in that moment. ”Michaela... how is it that you're really here?” She had been drawn to the warzone, or maybe to the thought that he would likely be there, too. Gideon wasn't certain, but he was... he hesitated to say 'glad,' but knew that he was overjoyed to see her. ”How long has it been? I feel as if I have seen a million days pass me by without being able to look upon your face.” Michaela would remember the years that he had forced himself to forget. She would remember everything. ”Would you... would you come have a drink with me? You don't have to stay, of course, but... if you would indulge me, I'd be very grateful.” Only for her was he weak. Only for her.

OUTFIT:

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[MICHAELA SERVUS DEI]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px; background: #ffffff;,true][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] I've been trying to do it right I've been living a lonely life I've been sleeping here instead I've been sleeping in my bed so show me family all the blood that I will bleed I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong but I can write a song I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart
[atrb=width,300][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] tagged: mr. big bad <3 words: 1890 outfit: here
[cs=2][atrb=width,500] In all her years, Michaela had learned how to adapt to situations. She wasn't a true business woman, she wasn't the person people went to when they needed money or needed stuff fixed, but that was also because Michaela completely listened to the beat of her own drum. She wasn't the person to owned or hired by other people to fix their situations, she had been part of that posse way too long, being a guardian angel cleaning up after the humans' mess. Michaela did as she pleased and if she found your mess annoying she'd swipe it away, but included you too, because you were the one who had started it. The way she had been was completely ruthless and merciless, without any sort of compassion. She didn't seem to have a heart or any sort of human feelings other than hatred and scorn for the things she saw around her. The decay and the destruction solely by human hands and the way they forced other creatures, stronger and better creatures, to hide in the shadows, where they were much more dangerous to be honest, just because they were afraid, it was unfair, everything about it was unfair, and during her life time, all Michaela had seen was how unfair the humans were. They only thought about themselves and their greed and hunger for power had turned them into worse demons than Lucifer's followers could ever be. It was something people didn't see, or turned a blind eye to, but it was something she could no longer overlook, not after 3000 years of seeing what the humans did to this earth, how they were destroying it with their constant quest for innovation and ways to make even more money than they had already had. She saw the differences between rich and poor and she saw how while the poor people had a purer mind, they were also far less educated and nearly savages in their ways and manners. Everything about them was something she didn't like and she intended not to get too involved with those hideous creatures. Maybe her joining the light side was also a way for her to try and figure them out. What was it about lightsiders that they continued to not see what was right in front of them? How could they not see the darkness humans brought upon the earth and made it spread like the plague? Her Father called it 'free will' but she had long time a go realized that free will is only a good thing if it means that people do good things. But humans only do good for themselves and leave the rest of the world to die, whether it's the nature or other people, all they care about is themselves. And in that way free will is a Sin, because it means you're greedy, you're hungry for power and without compassion and mercy. Just like the reasons why people considered her a darksider. All humans were darksiders and yet it were the lightsiders who tried to protect them from that what was truly dark, the creatures hiding in the shadows, waiting for their turn to come out and play. And show humans what it was like to be really powerful. Humans would come with pitchforks and fire, and it only made Michaela laugh. They couldn't kill her, not even if they tried. They couldn't wound her nor weaken her, because she was 3000 years older than her. Even mortal supernatural species had lost their flavour for her, since they were just humans with an extra touch and had the same traits and flaws as normal humans had. Even the young immortals were not of any interest for her, since they had still too many human traits, which would later fade and turn them into what she was. Nobody realized the eternal life was only fun for a few years, especially if you had to spent it all by yourself. Sure, Michaela too had her allies, old friends from her dark days, and she knew she could call back on them when she needed to for her spying job, or whenever else she needed them, but most darksiders spent their days alone, except for some minor exceptions. She was used to having allies and yet currently her only ally was Zophiel. The lightsiders didn't trust her and rightfully so, even if she had cut off all her ties with the dark side only to have to start them up again. She did not hide her current alliance, since the dark people would easily believe she was only spying on them or could be changed her mind to start spying on them, if they offered her a better team to play. A team that did respect her. But light side and dark side teams worked so differently. Lightsiders really trusted each other and cared about each other, they were more like a family than anything, while on the dark side you couldn't trust anybody at all. You couldn't even trust your right hand to not stab a knife in your back, so distrusting people was in your nature and it belonged with the game. Darksiders only worked together as long as it was in their benefit, Lightsiders worked far more by caring and compassion. And Michaela did not feel either of them, not when she was part of their group. Sure, Zoe tried her best to make Michaela at home and make her feel accepted, but she knew she wasn't. She knew she could flip the world around and kill all evil and they still wouldn't trust her. The angel had thought that after wandering over the earth without a clear goal for over 2000 years, having found her sister Zophiel would mean she had found her home again, a goal and a destiny to live for, it was the main reason she had come to Manuka. But the more time she spent with them, the more she realized they would never accept her. She would never have a home. Never had a place to call her own with people that truly wanted to be with her and be a part of her life. Nobody would ever trust her and she owed it all to herself and she knew it. The brunette knew it was her own fault that she felt so alone and that that was what had pulled her even further down into the darkside only to want to try to make it into the light so people could trust her again. Because Michaela had allowed the only person who could make her feel that way slip away from her. Because she had let him go, she had allowed him to step away from her, even dividing the earth into two halves -East and West- and both going one direction, only to never go into the other direction ever again, so they would never see each other again. The only man she had ever loved, the only person who made her feel complete. She turned darker because of him and he turned lighter because of her and together they held an eery balance between the sides, which might be even more dangerous in times like this, but there was nobody else who could make her feel as wanted and as loved as he did, even if they could not admit it to each other. It was probably part of why she was here, strayed so far from her own side, because she knew how Ozy was, she knew that he would be on top of anything that involved leading the darkside. He had been one of the strategics in the fight she lead against Lucifer, together with her brothers and sisters, before she had realized Lucifer hadn't actually been wrong. Only with him she felt complete and since they had parted, a piece of her had been missing and she had never been the same again, never been as truly herself as she could be when she was with him. He was everything she had ever loved in a man and after him nobody had ever been able to compare to the man he was, to what he did to her and what he made her feel. People could say it was pathetic to love the same person over 2000 years, especially when you don't see them during that time and had vowed to never see them again, but she just couldn't help herself. He was there in her head, and he had never left. It was nearly as if she had summoned him here with her treacherous thoughts that always ended up right back on the subject of him, but even when she stepped into the ratchet place, she felt his presence, even though she was surprised he actually came in suburbs like this. The Ozymandias she had known preferred more dignified places to talk business. But they say time changes people, so maybe she was wrong wanting to see him again, moving towards him as she recognized him immediately. Her heart was thumping loudly in the cavities of her chest, especially when she saw the goosebumps forming in his neck and could nearly feel the shiver that went through him as it passed over her spine too. And then he turned around, and she saw his face and her face lit up in what was probably the brightest smile one had ever seen. She feared her heart would jump out of her chest by how loud it was beating as he stepped closer to her, ever so slowly, and when his hand touched her cheek it was like all her nerves went haywire. "You know I always find you." She said softly, turning her face to press her lips in the palm of his hand, enjoying the skin-to-skin contact they finally shared again. She knew the main reason of her coming to Manuka was indeed the war, but part of her had always hoped he would be here. Now one as old as she was knew that hoping for something was dangerous, but when it came to him, Michaela really couldn't care less. It was him. It was truly him. "Much more than a million, darling. I remember each and every single one of them." She said, not caring about anybody but him, not right there, not right then. Many men had tried to make Michaela's blood boil the way it was boiling now, have her skin crawl in the most pleasant way like now, but al they had been were substitutes. All they had been were ways to temporarily fill the empty space that Ozy had left when he had let her go. "How could I ever say no to you, Ozy? Or what is it they call you these days?" The brunette asked him, her hand gliding over his arm down to twine her fingers with his, only for a short period of time, because she knew his reputation and she knew her own, so it was enough to send the electricity run through her body before she let go again, and let him lead her to his table, her eyes curiously observing him. "So what have you been up to, darling? I've been dying to know." And for way way longer than he could ever imagine.

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD OF ETS AND CAUTION

[GIDEON ISAAC OSBOURNE]

Three-thousand years was a very long time. Truthfully, it was a long time for anyone to exist, but someone like Gideon especially. Even though he had been created to be a guardian of humanity and set forth to guard and guide all the little humans who were 'lost' and made poor decisions because they had been gifted with free will, Gideon had grown to hate the human race. There was something about them that had always been naïve, yet still reckless, and with the seemingly inherent trait of destroying everything they touched. Gideon could relate to the appeal of destruction, but there were still things that he valued. Things that he would want to keep intact without letting his lesser judgment and macabre curiosities jump ahead of the game and allow for destruction to run rampant throughout the entire world. A phase he'd heard once upon a time described the fact that 'some men want to watch the world burn,' and while he was completely okay and accepting of the destruction of the human race, or at least enslaving them so they could learn to be useful under the thumb of other, more powerful beings, he never held the desire to watch the world burn. No, far from it – Gideon wanted to make the world better. Before he had lost his faith in humankind healing itself and overcoming the damage that had been done, Gideon had tried to make necessary repairs from his watchful place in the Heavens. But then, eventually, even the work he could do ended up falling on deaf ears. The work that his Father wanted him to do seemed a pointless effort, and he gave up on fixing humanity. He deemed them to be beyond repair, and even though it might have seemed to be a callus response from someone who was created to do the work of the angels, Gideon never took much interest in the thoughts of most others.

However, throughout the ages, there had been a handful of talented individuals that had managed to impress him. More often than not, he sought out those who were older, like himself, because age did equate to wisdom... most of the time. Of course, there were always exceptions to any rule, and he had known both older beings that were practically childish in some of their whims along with mortal species that had relatively short lifespans who had garnered a large amount of wisdom and decorum throughout their years. Jyli Hayes was one of those people who had impressed him – she was fae, and therefore mortal; a mere twenty-seven years of age, but she had a knack for the kind of work that he'd done for years, carefully choosing his business to make billions. Hiring her had been strange for him, because normally he was the type of man who would never admit to needing help – the work he had done required a steady hand and a sharp mind that most just simply didn't possess, but she took to the intricacies of business like a duck to water, and made his choice and risk very well worth it. The two of them had engaged in a romantic entanglement for a brief moment, and while that had endeared her to him in other ways, the demon was very good at keeping his heart out of the equation. That coupled with a need for him to leave town frequently, and perhaps not being as attentive as she likely needed in a lover led to them parting ways, but on amicable terms. Gideon wasn't surprised – there were few who could match his very high demands in a romantic partnership, and even though he was convinced that the faerie could have been a decent match for him for a while, he knew all too well with whom his heart had always remained.

Gideon tried to keep thoughts of Michaela scarce and pour himself into his work instead. He had needs, just like any man, and even though he hoped that he could rise above some of those baser desires, he never could. Not completely. And every time he ended up with a new lover, he found things to appreciate about each woman he took to his bed, but every time after the night finished, he thought of Michaela. They had parted ways with a mutual respect and heavy hearts, but even though he knew that he didn't want to spend eternity without her, he also knew that leaving each other was for the best. Powerful creatures such as the two of them would likely only be weakened by love, and even more importantly, expressing such a connection in a public manner might give them a visible, obvious weakness for their enemies (and yes, even he had enemies) to target. Gideon knew that Michaela was more than capable of handling herself – she was just as strong as him, perhaps even more so, but the thought that anyone could use his feelings for her against him was unthinkable, and he'd rather live without her than be used. Maybe it was stupid to let her go and deny himself a chance at true happiness, but someone like Gideon didn't need true happiness to survive. He had a vast array of lovers, even if he always longed for someone else when all was said and done, he had a successful, thriving group of businesses, and he had eternity. And even though he had basically sentenced himself to eternity alone, he knew he'd never be completely lonely. One of the guarantees of living in the world forever was that change was inevitable. If he was miserable for a moment, eventually that would change and he could find other outlets to keep him company.

Some of the things to keep him company in his current state were some of his associates in Manuka. Them, and the upcoming war and the fact that the dark siders were all gathering. Gideon wasn't fond of the fact that there was a smaller faction being led by someone who, in his opinion, had no real ability to lead beings that were more powerful than himself, but that was neither here nor there. He had confidence that his meeting with Ryanna that was scheduled to happen soon would end up telling him everything he needed to know, and his relationship with the ancient vampire would prove to be useful yet again. Ryanna was a wicked creature, but he admired her wickedness because it was utilized properly to help her get things accomplished. Even though she was a bit more aggressive than many of the other even-keel ancient beings he'd come across, she was able to separate her lust for blood with her desire to keep her business strong and her clients satisfied and coming back for more. Gideon had always respected women, and wasn't one of those old-fashioned men who thought that his gender was the superior one. Quite the contrary, he had fought side-by-side with female angels as well as male ones, and knew that they could be just as brutal, just as shrewd, and just as capable. His 'sister' Aralenne and his 'sister' Zophiel had gone separate ways after falling – one becoming a whirlwind of chaotic destruction, and the other leading a strong 'task force' of light siders to continue doing good deeds and helping the human race even though her wings had been torn from the flesh of her body. That was a definite disappointment – Gideon had hoped that his own kin would realize how pointless guarding the human race was, since so many of them had fallen due to the strict rules of Heaven and the hapless behaviors of their precious 'charges.'

It was the necessity to find old allies that brought him to the Maison de Putes, but he ended up finding something entirely different within the walls of the seedy establishment. A face that was long gone, but not forgotten. Michaela's face, and even though he would have never expected for them to meet again in such a place or at such a time, he wasn't entirely surprised. No doubt the war was drawing all sorts of powerful entities to the shores of Manuka. Why not his old love? Even though he wanted to stay away, Gideon was drawn in like a moth to the flame. For her, and only for her, he was helpless. Seeing her was like having the wind sucked out of him, like the bones in his body were barely able to hold him up so he could maintain his perfect posture, and as soon as he heard her voice, he felt the words like a caress, and returned them in kind, even taking it a step further by touching her cheek with his hand. Their eyes met, and she spoke a simple statement that he knew was nothing but the truth: she would always find him. When they had fallen, it had been at different times, and even though it had taken them a while to meet again, she had found him. If she could find him once, why should he have been surprised that she could do so again? It wasn't difficult to track him down if one knew where to look. The kiss she placed to the palm of his hand sent a shiver through him that he felt pooling in the base of his spine, and his eyelids grew heavy for a moment before he closed his eyes, sighing at the contact of her lips to his skin. ”You did always know where to look, my love.” His voice was soft, softer than he ever used with anyone else, because it was a tone that he reserved especially for her.

Gideon spoke of days apart, and knew that she felt the loss of each one just as much as he had when she responded in such a perfect manner. ”I grew tired of counting, because it took me further away from you... even though we believed parting was for the best, once upon a time.” His eyes traced her beautiful face, and he let go of a question that had long haunted him at night, when he fell asleep without her beside him. ”Sometimes I wonder, but only on occasion when I'm daring – were we fools?” Michaela would know the answer, even to a question that was likely inappropriate for either of them to think. After all, they had made the agreement to part ways together. She always had the answers he was looking for, even if he didn't know he was looking. ”Today I am called Gideon. Gideon Osbourne. Have you changed your name?” Michaela could call him whatever she wanted, of course, but she should know his new identity. The demon was unable to keep any secrets from her, anyway. He led her to a private booth and flagged down a waiter so they could get drinks and ordered a scotch for himself, signaling that she could get whatever she wanted.

”Are you asking why I've found myself in a place such as this?” Gideon laughed softly, because he wanted the time to catch up, among other things. ”Business, mostly – a man needs to know where he can find allies in war time... but I'm certain you've heard war has finally started. Is that why you're here?” By 'here,' of course he meant Manuka, but he wondered why she'd ended up in Maison de Putes as well.

[/justify]

[MICHAELA SERVUS DEI]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px; background: #ffffff;,true][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] I've been trying to do it right I've been living a lonely life I've been sleeping here instead I've been sleeping in my bed so show me family all the blood that I will bleed I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong but I can write a song I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart
[atrb=width,300][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] tagged: mr. big bad <3 words: 2450 outfit: here
[cs=2][atrb=width,500] When she had been created, Michaela had truly believed that her task in life, was for the better. She had truly believed that what she did was for a good cause, and she had truly loved and cared about every single one of her chargers. It was what she was made for, it was who she was. She had had an unconditional faith in her Father and his beliefs, rules and judgements, because no matter what the people on earth thing, God definitely had judgements, only not about his precious humans. Taking care of humans was much more than a nine-to-five job, it took up every little ounce of life that you had for yourself, and every time you thought you could have a break, your charge got in trouble and you had to go rescue them again. Michaela had never minded, had never complained once. She had been the second angel to ever be created, her loyalty to her Father had been even bigger than that of most others. She was one of his most precious, one of his most powerful angels, right after Gabriel, and she had even defeated Lucifer for him, being the war-cry of all good angels, fighting the bad. She had thought he deserved it, to be kicked out of heaven and into hell that way, and felt even more hatred for him when he tricked Eve into eating the apple, giving humans the ability to know good and bad, knowing Sin. It wasn't supposed to happen and for Lucifer to disobey orders like that was something the angel had loathed about him. Loathed him, hated him, all the nasty terms that existed for it, she just couldn't believe it. Power hungry Lucifer had ruined it for all of them, because that was when the stricter rules came. But Michaela had believed in her Father, and she had stood by him, supporting him, through everything. Only the angel wasn't blind either, and the more time she spent watching over the earth, the more she realized it could not be saved. They could try until the rest of eternity, but earth was an experiment that had failed. She had tried to talk sense into her Father, to make Him make some amendments to mankind, but He had told her that He couldn't do that. It was messing with free will. She thought that free will would be what would kill all humans, when she realized that by not alternating this, her Father was also sacrificing his angels, because if their charge died, so did they. Which was the main reason why most angels protected their charges so fiercely, because it was their own life on stake. Not many angels truly loved their charges the way Michaela had cared for them, as if they were her own children, but the longer she watched over them, the more she began to despise them. Their reckless and petty behavior, always tricking and backstabbing each other as if that was the only thing that mattered. They were greedy and selfish, caused wars all over the place and failed to see what was really important. It drove her nuts to have to watch over people who did not want to be saved, who were so reckless and living in the now, that they did not see they were ruining their lives and each other's. It was a painful watch, and an annoying one at that, and she knew she wasn't the only person who thought that way. She knew she wasn't alone in her growing poisonous thoughts about mankind and their life long list of malfunctions. Malfunctions that the angels didn't possess, because they were created by God not to be. And if they happened to turn out that way or could not stop their charge from being stupid, they were punished for it. Punished for their charge's mistake, and to Michaela, it seemed so unfair. They were the perfect breed, they were the ones who always were always loyal and obeyed every single rule and whim of their Father. But the humans were all his children and they were mainly his servants, the nannies to look after the rambunctious toddlers that did not even know how to properly stand on their two feet. And she hadn't been alone with her thoughts in this, in fact, they had only been fed by a man she had admired from afar. When they were still in Heaven, all Michaela could do, was stare at him, follow him with her eyes as he moved around, trying to talk sense into their other brothers and sisters who had a severe case of tunnel vision and only saw that what God had told them. Their Father, the man they trusted and followed the same unconditional way Michaela had always had. But she was older, she saw more clearly how wrong it was. She believed Ozymandias when he spoke his words, was able to project them back on her charges and mankind and he expressed all the feelings that had been building up inside of her. The angel had been in love with him before she had even spoke a single word with him, only by listening to his loud voice, rough and powerful, as he spoke to them and she was the only one who truly believed in what he said. Maybe it was because they were some of the few who had not truly been human, they never had been. They had been created out of something entirely different, and with an entirely different purpose, that humans did not seem to get. They feared death, and out of gratitude to be able to start over, even if with a renewed job description, they were more than willing to believe whatever it was the Holy Father said. But He was wrong, He was so wrong, and she hadn't been allowed to say it, until Ozy did. She was that person who listened to every single one of his attempts to try and talk sense into their brothers and sisters, and sighed inwardly every time she saw him fail. She knew her assistance would probably help, but her indecisiveness was what stopped her. It was what always stopped her. She thought he was right, but did she want to risk getting kicked out of Heaven for it? As always her indecisiveness held her back from what she truly wanted, because she thought she didn't know, but she did. She knew perfectly well what was good for her and what she wanted, even if she wasn't able to express it or allow her mind to tell her what it was. But when Ozymandias fell, the choice suddenly became very simple. She felt lost and alone without him, even if they had never really talked or anything, there had always been this something, this connection that they shared and that was a part of both him and her, and she knew it wasn't a hallucination, she knew it was real. Michaela soon did something horrible to make herself fall, because without him, the only person who believed in her beliefs, who made her feel like she wasn't a mental crazy person, had fallen because of his beliefs, the beliefs she shared, and Heaven just didn't feel like her home anymore. Home was where the heart lies, and her heart had fallen all the way back to earth, his wings ripped off his back, and thus, she would follow. Their Father proved to be a cruel man, cruel because He knew her intentions and made sure that she fell somewhere far away from Ozy, meant to never be able to find him. Only he hadn't calculated her will to find him, and her patience to do so. She had all the time in the world, nobody could stop her, not even God, because she did no longer obey His wishes. She was totally done doing so. It had taken her some time, but she had found him, and from that moment on, there was no more stopping all the feelings she had been feeling ever since she had laid eyes on him for the first time. The feelings grew and grew, and they never left, no matter how much time they spent together, it never grew boring. She never got bored of him, the way she got bored of everybody who came after him. He had been her only love, the only person to ever inhabit her heart, and by now she knew it was a permanent stay, that he wasn't leaving there and that there was nothing she could do about it. Everything had always reminded her of him, when she was eating in a restaurant, he'd pop into her head reminding her of the first night they had dined together, she remembered his favorite season, his favorite colour, all their experiences together and there was always something to remind her of him. Every single torturous day of eternity again. And even if her purpose of coming to Manuka wasn't to find him, not in her mind, she knew she had hoped and hoped that he'd be here, and at the same time she had known she shouldn't. Because Michaela couldn't have Ozy and be on the lightside, especially not if he was the person who was leading the darkside, and she knew him wel enough to know that he would be one of those people. He had never been a follower, no her Ozymandias was a leader. And she didn't know, maybe he had forgotten about her already, maybe he didn't feel it in the same strong way the way she had. Maybe he was long over her, even if he had left a dark, gaping hole in her heart, and emptiness that nobody seemed to be able to fill permanently. She did regret leaving him that day, deciding to go separate ways and never meet again, but she had thought it was for the best. Now.. Now she wasn't so sure anymore, but there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing she could do to change the events that had happened in the past, and even if she had sentenced herself to solitude for the rest of time, Michaela also knew she was never truly alone. Her corporal needs were always satisfied, men, women, Michaela had discovered the longer she lived the less gender mattered. What was the difference, except certain organs and it didn't matter to her what they were, and she never got why it would matter to others. Bu she could hardly remember any names of people she had hooked up with, while one name continuously echoed through her head. At first she thought she was hallucinating when she saw him there in Maison the Putes, her body told her she wasn't, it felt that that was the man she loved and had always loved. Maybe things had changed, maybe they hadn't but there was no way to find out unless she approached him and talked to him and she knew it. And then his reaction came, and it said enough. The eyes that bore into hers as if they stared straight into her soul, with a softness in them that she knew was only for her, that made her knees grow weak and her nerves go haywire and that was only him looking at her. She couldn't stop looking in his eyes, couldn't stop feeling his hand on her cheek as if she was afraid that he'd suddenly vanish in thin air the moment she did not feel that touch anymore. That she had been deceived and hallucinated anyways. He asked her the question that made her skin crawl in the most pleasant way, her heart pounding vigorously in her chest, because it was the question that had been in her mind ever since they had parted. She asked herself that question every night, it kept her awake as she went tossing and turning, and when she finally managed to fall asleep, she'd be saying his name while sleeping, often making her companions for the night leave before the morning started. Truthfully, Michaela didn't really mind, she wasn't a cuddle-snuggle person, and she did not want that kind of intimacy with anybody but him. Her Ozy, the love of her insanely long life, who had managed to capture her heart and never give it back. And they had outlived many many many mortal relationships and marriages, and even while apart, he was the only thing she could think of, no matter with how many nights she had spent with other people. It was him, it had always been him. "It doesn't matter now anymore, Ozy. Does it?" She replied, not sure how to answer his question, as her fingers glided over his arm, as if she wanted to be sure that this was real, that he was real and here with her. And he was, once again she proved to herself that he was. "No, my name is still Michaela. But I like Gideon, it suits you." She continued, though in her mind, he would always be her Ozy, she knew that to other people, it would be Gideon and it was good to know. He led her to a private booth, which she appreciated because a little privacy was something they both needed. She ordered a glass of red wine as the waiter came to take their orders, her favorite drink of all times, actually. It had somethign classy and dignified, and that was what Michaela was. "I should have known. You were always all work and no play.." Michaela said with a teasing edge in her voice, trailing her words a little as her foot caressed along his leg underneath the table. The woman truly couldn't help herself, she had missed him so much, and it was so easy to slip back into her behavior when she was around him. "But yes, that is mainly why I'm here. I haven't seen a war this big and significant since the fall of Lucifer." The dark-haired woman continued, taking a sip from her beverage while keeping her eyes locked with the dark ones she just couldn't get enough of. "I had never thought I'd find you in a place like this though, dear. I thought you prefer the more... dignified joints." The woman said with a slight smirk, a small smile trailing the corners of her lips as she studied her old lover. The thought shot through her that she could use any of this information for Zophiel, but it was shooed out just as quickly. Her focus was now in Gideon, and Gideon alone.

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD OF ETS AND CAUTION

[GIDEON ISAAC OSBOURNE]

Change was one of the only things in the universe that Gideon had learned to depend upon. That was likely because, in a way, time was infinite – it was always a guarantee, it never stopped, and was always changing. Every day passed; the sun rose, and it set again, bringing forth the night after a long, sunny day. Change was something that nobody could run away from, even the most wise, sentient beings on the planet, because since they were set to move with the years and given an unlimited amount of time to exist, they were likely the most susceptible change. The oldest beings on the planet were meant to morph with time, and that was probably why Gideon depended upon it so heavily. The demon had always possessed a survivor's mentality, because that was just what he did. He survived, come Hell or high water (and both of those had been literal, at one time or another) just to get what he set out to do. His attitude was fierce, but had learned to calm and slow with the passage of time, because he felt that the recklessness was best left and suited for the youth amongst them. And he was nowhere near young, not anymore. For a time, he had considered that perhaps he never was truly 'young.' Unlike mortal species, he'd never had a childhood – he'd possessed a fully grown, developed, adult mind from the day of his creation, and the highest of expectations had always been placed upon the capable shoulders of him and his siblings, because that was what their Father demanded. Excellence, and nothing shy of such, would be approved or considered to be them living up to their fullest potential. He had created humans, of course, but he had also created the angels, and Gideon always felt that they were his most perfect creation, not humanity with their destructive nature and free will that sought to ruin everything good that had been given them. The angels were steadfast, obedient; they were the 'good' children, the ones who only wanted to make their Father happy, but the humans... well, a good chunk of them did not even believe in the powers or existence of their Father, and created false gods and other idols to serve in his rightful place. They were blasphemous, even in the very beginning, and Gideon had hoped that time would change them.

Sadly, the condition was only worsened, which brought about disappointment in the demon like he had never experienced. Then rage, when he tried to prove to his siblings what was really going on, and try to get them to see that there was no reason for those of them who he believed were truly perfect to set aside their lives and put themselves in harm's way for a group of people that would not outgrow and would not develop past their immature stages and warring, confrontational ways. His siblings turned a blind eye. Nobody listened to his words, nobody understood that he was simply trying to help them find a way to cope with the difficult hand they'd been dealt. Their Father turned His back on them, and even though they were more than capable of fighting back, their obedience to Him made them weak, and continued to leave them blind. Even change was not enough to shift the storming tide that Gideon was able to sense in a way that was similar to how they'd all just known that Lucifer would stay a consistent threat after he was tossed into the depths of Hell. Still, even though he had care and logic, and desperately wanted to preserve his own brothers and sisters, nobody listened.

Nobody except one. Michaela. While he had been trying to convince the others that he was looking out for their best interests, saving them, they all sided with their Father instead. Michaela had always kept silent, but Gideon could see a fire in her eyes that he knew and understood. It meant that she agreed with him, perhaps reluctantly, or in a way that she didn't feel comfortable speaking out about her shared beliefs (she was one of the most favored and beloved angels, and he couldn't necessarily blame her for keeping silent). When it came time for him to prove his point, he had pitted charge against charge, and sent many angels to their death in the hopes of proving that they were fighting for a lost cause when they had to set their own lives on the line for a species that was easily manipulated and apt to destroy each other over and over again. Instead of being praised, Gideon was 'rewarded' by his Father ripping his wings out personally, and casting him out of Heaven.

It was meant to be damnation, but Gideon had never felt so free. Of course, there were still days when he felt the throbbing in his back where his scars now existed, but everything came with a price. Time had elapsed so far that he'd almost forgotten the event completely, but no matter how much time passed or how many things changed in the world, the demon was positive of the fact that he would not forget Michaela.

She ended up finding him, after she had fallen, and Gideon remembered thinking that it was some sort of strange dream. That, or she was still an angel, but had been sent to kill him because of all the trouble he was causing on earth. Perhaps, inadvertently, he had threatened one of her charges – he threatened a lot of people, and the world was only so large thousands of years ago. But she had come to find him, and not for negative reasons. Neither one of them spoke of loving each other, although he was fairly certain that he loved Michaela – and just as certain that she loved him back. The concept of love was just... tricky, and both of them were logical enough to know how detrimental it could be to whatever they were trying to build with their endless supply of time. Likely, they both had plans and a need to embrace the winds of change that would befall them without being tied down or held back, although he never saw her as an obstacle that kept him from his goals. If anything, Michaela made him better. Stronger, and closer to his humanity that he'd ever guessed possible, considering that they were two naysayers in a world of angels that believed that preservation was everything. They were two of a kind, with brilliant, like minds and a sense of each other that was unparalleled. The demon had taken many lovers before she had come back to him, and even more after they parted ways, but every time he felt he was close with a woman, he was reminded that she would never know him, would never fit and understand all of his little pieces the way that Michaela had, and could. Still, he did find comfort in the fact that she was out there... somewhere.

And now she had found him again, which made it seem like no time had passed at all. The way he responded to her was still a life-altering force that he couldn't hold back or deny by any means. Even he, with so much control over nearly everything he was and everything he could do felt an urge... and he wasn't a man who felt urges very typically. Gideon was the perfect picture of control, of reserve, of decorum and proper behavior, but the second he saw Michaela, he felt like a reckless, daring youth. Young and wild and free. All he wanted in that moment was to sweep her up into his arms, kiss her until they both were breathless, and beg her never to leave his side again. Even though he was a stubborn man, he had always been smart enough to know when something just worked or fit, and she was... she was his perfect fit, his match, in every way. But pride was what kept him from making such an instant response and demands to follow, so he greeted her in as reserved of a manner as he could stand. Gentle words, eyes roaming all over her body because she was so beautiful that it literally hurt him to look at her sometimes. Gideon pressed his hand to her cheek, and felt a flame light within him at the first feel of her lips against his skin; there would need to be much, much more of that if he had his way, and it was decided in that moment. Would he let her go again? Most likely, since he understood the way of the world and that beings such as them were more than likely meant to be apart for the majority of eternity, because they could not confess their love toward each other without admitting some deeper weakness that neither wanted to acknowledge.

”I suppose time takes the meaning and alters it to its will,” Gideon said, answering in his own, poetic sort of way. Then, they exchanged names, like they were meeting again for the first time, except they were far from strangers. Michaela was still her name, and there was comfort for him in the fact that she'd kept it, and approved of the one he'd given himself. Gideon... it meant “destroyer” and “he that bruises or breaks.” The demon smiled slowly, and gazed into those endlessly dark eyes before him. ”I felt that it was only fitting for my new birth... the identity and life I got to choose for myself. We've come a long way from how we began, wouldn't you say, my darling?” Even though they had changed, there were still so many things that still were steeped in the past, and filled him with this overwhelming sense of nostalgia, and he knew that even if it was just for a short time – a single night or a few short hours filled with conversation, he needed to be close to Michaela again, so he led her to a private booth and completely abandoned his business for the evening. There would always be time for such things later, when his attention was where it should have been to be able to progress as he wanted. Gideon sat her down, and they ordered drinks before falling into an easy pattern of talking to each other, just like they used to.

Michaela accused him of being 'all work and no play,' and he laughed because he had heard that before. Jyli, his secretary and former flame, told him that all the time, so to hear it from Michaela, who knew him better than he even knew himself, was an odd sort of chord that struck within him. ”I keep trying to insist that I do know how to have fun; it just must not seem as true to others as I feel it is. I should learn to have more of it, I suppose.” Her foot traced along his leg, and he resisted the urge to completely give away his arousal by letting his eyes flash to black, as demons' did when they felt an exquisite surge of emotion. Perhaps later, when they had spent more time in each others' company. He did reach across the table, however, and grab her hand – intent to hold it while they talked, just to feel her soft skin pressed against the slight roughness of his own. ”My sources tell me that it could be even bigger, if you can believe such a thing. I have been gathering intelligence, trying to find a way to insert myself into the situation without becoming too much of a nuisance, although it should be obvious which side has my support.” Gideon never doubted Michaela, and trusted her with everything he had, so he continued easily. ”If we were to perhaps join forces again... the light siders wouldn't stand a chance. Order is here, in Manuka, as well... she would be so pleased to see you again.” It wasn't like him to extend an immediate invitation for allegiance, but everything was different with the woman he loved. Absolutely everything.

”Mm, well I suppose you're correct, my love. This is not the usual sort of place where I choose to hang my hat, but it is discreet, and there are plenty of possible 'friendships' to be made within these walls. Even a few surprises,” he said, knowing that she'd understand what he was talking about. Gideon wasn't the type of person to make friends easily, or at all. He cleared his throat and took another drink, unable to keep his eyes off of her.

”I'd rather not talk about business, however, if you can believe that. Why don't you catch me up on all I've missed? I'm sure I have missed so very much.”

[/justify]

[MICHAELA SERVUS DEI]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px; background: #ffffff;,true][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] I've been trying to do it right I've been living a lonely life I've been sleeping here instead I've been sleeping in my bed so show me family all the blood that I will bleed I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong but I can write a song I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart
[atrb=width,300][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] tagged: mr. big bad <3 words: 2772 outfit: here
[cs=2][atrb=width,500] Michaela had learned how to deal with change since it was part of life, though for the longest time it had been hard for her to accept that not everything is eternal, that nothing is, in fact. What people deem to be precious is something that will fade and erode with time, and even memories will start failing when you've been around for a certain while and only some memories stayed, while the rest fell into the deep dark depths of your mind, to the land of long forgotten. She had found it difficult to have to make decision between two things she loved or wanted, when she knew that none of it was going to stick around. Things always changed, and whether the feelings didn't or the person didn't stick around, that didn't matter, in the end you always lost everything and had to start right back over. And with all that, Michaela felt old, really old. She felt like she had seen so many changes, so many things that just didn't matter because they didn't stay, that it was nearly as if nothing mattered, and if you stayed in that mindset for too long, nothing indeed began to matter. People got reckless because of this or just plainly pure evil, but that was mainly youngsters gone wild. They were the ones who were reckless, who had the experience of going from vulnerable to nearly indestructible, to deal with supernatural strength they were never used to, who had to adapt to a new life with new dangers but also new adventures. They were the ones who saw change go by and got hurt because they never knew any better than their life being the same forever. Very few people truly alternate their lifestyle completely or take the leap and change things they don't like, purely out of habit. Michaela had learned long ago that change cannot be stopped and that you'd better open your arms for it, or it would come and bite you in the ass. She was something she never thought she'd become, and she was lost on her road on where to go and what to do. In heaven everything had been so clear, so straight to the point that thinking was unnecessary. Maybe that was also the root of her indecisiveness, because being the second angel ever created, Michaela had never had the chance to make mistakes while growing up, she was "born" into a grown up body, with a well developed mind and a lot of wisdom and experience without actually having experience, and it had been as much of a curse as it was a blessing, though for some reason she kept surprised that her siblings were so blind in following their Father's rule. Granted, she had been likewise, in the very beginning, when she had still believed in the good of people who could make a difference and do things they weren't capable of because of the strict rules they had to obey to make sure nobody stepped out of line. Michaela had been one of the first, one of the most accomplished, cherished and by far the most popular angel. She was different than Gabriel the religious fanatic who had no room or anything for other stuff, no Michaela was the approachable eldest, while Gabriel was often found praying or executing their Father's orders just like they got them, word for word. Michaela though, she was social and she liked to converse with her siblings and have fun too, on the side, as long as you didn't forget what was most important, than everything was fine, everything would be and would stay fine. Her faith had been resistant against anything that her mind might think about what was truly going on in there, she knew their Father would have a good reason for letting the humans get their way with everything they did, and she still loved her charges as if they were her own children she had to protect. Angels were not allowed to have children, and the charges were the alternative for her. They were her way to feel like she had children, even if it might not be biologically the case, but so many had perished so much earlier if Michaela hadn't been there to save their sorry asses time on time again. And it hadn't mattered to her, she had enjoyed her job even if sometimes it felt like she was a slave only to serve ungrateful people who never realized how reckless they exactly were or what stupid decisions they made. And it had never truly mattered to her, she had always willingly accepted the dark side humans had, because they couldn't all be perfect, and they couldn't all be like them. But there was a voice, a deep and dark one who told her to fight, who told her that this wasn't the way they were supposed to be treated. Weren't they the perfect race, didn't they do everything their Father ever asked from them, obey his every whim and wish? She heard the voice, she followed the voice and was one of the few who truly listened, one of the few who actually saw the reason behind the person's words. And the moment she looked up to meet his face and truly listen instead of keep her head down and continue walking, pretending to not hear him, was also the moment she could no longer look away again. His handsome face would most likely haunt him even longer than his words did, even if she agreed with every word he said. Her dark eyes kept focusing on him, ignoring her charges down below who were in grave danger, and just gazing at him, staring at him nearly, unable to tear her eyes away from his figure. There was the instant connection that she couldn't shake and though she didn't know whether it was mutual, she couldn't help but think it was, and find his eyes on her a lot more than they were on other angels. And more and more the feeling grew that what he said was right, that they had to do something and forget those stupid humans, or have God alternate them, because this wasn't working either. Angels perished because of their charges' ignorance and things they couldn't help at all. And their Father was deaf for any of their arguments, nor did he give them the praise they deserved and loved his humans, while they were no more than his servants. And still, she had said nothing. She who could have done so much, who could have had such a great voice in their matter. Maybe if she had opened her mouth, this would've been very different now. But she hadn't and soon after that her Ozymandias fell, and heaven just did not feel right anymore. She did not feel at home and her feelings inside about the whole matter were raging and tearing her apart. The angel had felt angry and desperate, even trying to continue and get Ozy's message across, but he had been right, it didn't work that way. Her brothers and sisters were too ignorant and obedient to have their own minds and opinions to objectively watch the world and draw up their own conclusion. Their faith was much like Michaela's had always been; flawless, and infallible. It went through and through, trusting their Father like nobody else, worshiping him in a way that nowadays made Michaela feel disgusted, even though she had been like that for the first era of her life too. But without Ozymandias, she just couldn't last anymore, and thus she fell, which was a shock for the entire heaven, because she was the second angel ever made, and with her she was the third of first batch angels who fell. Lucifer, Ozymandias, and now her. Soon more sisters and brothers would fall, but Michaela did not keep a tab on them anymore, she couldn't care about them. All she cared about was him, her Ozy, even if he wasn't hers, all she wanted to see was him and those dark eyes of his that could peer straight through her soul, into her mind as if he knew everything about her without even having spoken one word directly at her, even though she knew that most of his words of persuasion for his cause had been directed to her, because she had been allowing him to reach her. But now their Father had tried to forbid her to reach him and He had failed. Yes, she would admit that He had miscalculated her will to find him, and the fact that she had all time in the world to do so and that he was no longer the boss of her. She was filled with a sense of freedom that she had never felt before and it was ecstatic. And it made her able to keep on going, keep trucking on to find him, even if she had to cross the entire globe four times in the process. After all, she had her time. She had all time in the world, she had all of eternity to find him. But when she found him, they were once again subject to change, because that's how life was, it gave you things and it took them away again. She spent quite some time with Ozy, the man who got to explore every little part of her and who fit with her like they were part of the same puzzle. She hadn't known why it was that they had gotten together, but Michaela believed in soulmates, always had, always would and after finding Ozymandias, everything just clicked. It made sense, it fit, it felt right to be with him.. But at the same time, it wasn't. He was her main weakness, the main obvious thing they could hit her through and they could use her to hit him, since both of them were obviously not really popular with the humans or other light-sided supernaturals. But they were old and strong and together they were nearly indestructible. But the fact that others could use them against each other, that it could weaken them even if they complemented each other in a way that she didn't even understand nor could explain, it was something neither of them could accept. They could not tell each other they loved each other, and so their paths changed. Moving on alone, with heavy hearts and lead in her shoes, Michaela had forced herself to not look back, not once, not even a tiny peek over her shoulder, even if the image of him still haunted her dreams at night. But now she was here and they were meeting again, and it was like there had no passed a day since she had last seen him. Her feelings for him hadn't changed, not the way her heart was fluttering around in the cavities of her chest, how the butterflies in her stomach felt like they were in a rollercoaster and how she still felt most at home when she was close to him, like nothing else seemed to matter when he was there, like she was safe. When she was with him, everything seemed to make sense, every little detail and point of discussion, none of it was wrong anymore. He was her true and only match, and also the only reason why she had never before been able to love anybody else but him. There was no one who would be able to love her and know her through and through they way he did, so why bother trying to find that in another person? It was of no use and Michaela had given up on trying to find someone to replace Ozy, because nobody ever could. And even now standing in front of him, her first impulse was to reach out and kiss him like there was no tomorrow, and not remove her lips from his till the next dawn. She wanted to hold him and never let him go again, tell him how much she had missed him and that she never wanted to leave his side again, and how stupid it had been to do that in the first place. His poetic words were like a soft caress along her cheek, sending the shivers all over spine and the goosebumps to appear all over her body. It was him and only him who could do that to her. "Everything is subject to change and therefore nothing is infinite.. except the way I feel about you." Michaela said, being more bold now, driven by emotions she had long tried to hide and push away, pretending they didn't exist when all she could do was surrender to them. Especially now that she was standing right in front of the source of it all. "That we did, my love. I still like what I'm seeing though, time served you well." She said, her voice smooth as silk, but soft as the purr of a kitten, the way she only spoke to him, with a sort of affection in her voice that she just could not give to anybody else. That was for him and him only. Gideon. It was a strong name, a name of a true leader who showed no mercy and knew what he wanted. She loved it and found it very fitting, and could get used to it, though he would always stay her Ozy. They sat down in a private booth and all the woman wanted was to touch him, to be close to him, feel him. Every part in her body ached for him, and thus she couldn't stop her leg as it glided over his leg, slowly crawling it's way up, slowly, teasingly, the way she had always been. Michaela knew she was the 'play' in Gideon's life and that he worked way too much. He brought structure in her life, and she brought fun and impulsive events into his. They fulfilled each other and made each other's lives better, and now that she had found him again, the woman knew she couldn't keep him, but for now she had shooed the dark thoughts out of her head and was focusing on him, on how much she had missed him and on how much she loved him, still. Even after all those years. "I know a great deal about fun, I can teach you some." The dark-skinned female said as her foot traveled up to higher regions to emphasis her statement. Her fingers intertwined with his as he took her hand, feeling the electrical surge run through her just by the mere skin to skin contact, listening to every word he said. "Even bigger? That seems so unlikely to me. But we'll see I guess. I'm sure gonna stick around." She said, meeting his gaze again, her thumb gliding over the length of his fingers, enjoying every way she was able to be close to him. The woman heard his invitation for an alliance, and she knew this was something he only did to her, but she had not truly given him an answer, just merely said she'd stick around, mainly because of Zophiel. Because things had changed, like they always did. But for now Michaela was forgetting all of those things, it all didn't matter and she could take care of that later, because for now, all she wanted to do was indulge herself in his presence and the nostalgia of their love. The woman chuckled when he told her he wasn't here to talk business, the mischievous glitters in her eyes already returning as she couldn't help but make a remark. "No talking business? Who are you and what did you do to my Ozy?" She said with a playful wink, her finger continuing to caress over his hand, not wanting to lose the body contact they had and actually wanting more, much more of it. And taking a final sip from her glass of wine, Michaela made her decision and got up, standing besides Gideon's booth. This was a daring move, but Michaela could be daring around him, because she knew that much. "We can talk later, Ozy, but for now, the only thing i truly want, is to feel your lips against my own.." She replied, sliding into the booth besides him instead of opposing him, her eyes locking with his, the challenge clearly visible in them. This was her first move, now it was up to him how they were gonna play this game.

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD OF ETS AND CAUTION

[GIDEON ISAAC OSBOURNE]

One of the best ways to cope with having a literal eternity to yourself was to find a purpose. From very early on, Gideon had considered his 'purpose' and calling to be different than the rest of his brother and sister angels, and this had gotten him into trouble early on. Even though he liked making ripples in the proverbial pond, he also knew that there was a time and place for any sort of dissension, a time and place to speak about opposing viewpoints, but that had been when he was young. Gideon had never been young in the sense that he had a childhood, just like any angel, he was born with a fully functional, fully adult body, and his mind had always held the sharpness and wisdom of ages, because that was his Father's legacy upon all of the original angels. He wanted them to have a purpose, a compass and strong morality to be able to guard and guide his precious humans, his blessed creations. Gideon had considered that to be his truest purpose for many, many years until he started to see the destruction they could do, the uncaring way they treated all of his Father's creations, and even seemed to be careless with their own lives, and the lives of their fellow man. Brotherhood. That was something that had been instilled in all the angels – you protect one another as you would protect yourself, and you protect your charges with an unparalleled ferocity that would exceed even the care for your brother or sister angel. That was where Gideon felt it all went wrong. To be destined to guard a species that ruined itself time and time again with no sense of brotherhood to their fellow man? With no respect for the way they had been created, and the lives that were put at risk to protect them, at all costs? Gideon would have died for any of his siblings, even if he disagreed with them or even if he knew they were wrong. Truly, the love he held for them surpassed the love he was supposed to have for a self-destructive species that was so near to his Father's heart, and that was his first mistake.

Some likely considered this heightened sense of awareness to be a weakness. A flaw. Because there was obviously something in Ozymandias that looked down on the first humans with scorn, outrage, disgust – that was not his purpose, and still he stood against it, where others might have tried to change their mentality, see the good in humanity once again, and revert back to their original reason for existing. But Gideon, then Ozymandias, had decided that if humans could go against their purpose, which was supposed to be to love one another, and God above all else, to look upon each other with kindness and treat the world with respect... he, too, could change. Where was the fault in that? Wasn't he doing exactly as his Father's beloved humans had done, only with more guilt about the fact that he had strayed so far from his place of origin? And his Father loved them anyway. He considered the change to be due to their 'free will,' which he had given them, and the angels, but seemed to expect the angels to live above said 'free will.' To have their feelings and their guiding principles, but still fall in line whenever was deemed necessary to do his bidding. Ozymandias refused, and hoped that his brother and sister angels would stand at his side, because they loved him, just as he loved them. Because they would die for him, just as he would die for them. He spoke words that he felt were logical, explaining that they were too perfect a species to continue to break their backs and risk their lives protecting a species that had no care for them. Who had no sense of brotherhood. And when they all fell to silence, Ozymandias learned his hardest lesson of all, which would set him down the road toward finding his new purpose. There was no real brotherhood in the Heavens. The others would not stand with him, or fall with him, or die for him. They would do their Father's bidding, even when some of them clearly knew in their hearts that he was right. Not a one spoke for him. Not until his wings were ripped from his back and he was cast aside with the other 'damned' angels when he tried to incite a war that would prove to them why they were better. Why humans were weak. Why they could accomplish greater tasks than babysitting would allow, like they had done when they fought Satan's army of demonic spawn.

When he found himself crumpled on the soil and dust of Earth, his feathers cast around him in a bloody mess and wounds gaping in his back, his body in such pain that it even hurt to take a breath, he looked bitterly up at the Heavens, cursed his Father's name, and knew that one day, they all would learn. Then, he picked himself up off the ground and quested to find his new purpose. One that would set hammer to nail and ultimately prove his point. His evolved wisdom and way of looking at the world that his Father had created set him apart from the others, even 'special' others, and helped him rise into power quickly. Small steps at first, and then bigger. Global empires and billions of dollars, worldwide fame under his new alias which set Ozymandias aside. He had risen from the ashes and created a new life for himself. And then... she found him. Michaela. The only one that Heaven whispered about, that rumors told tales about, because even though he never doubted her, when he doubted all the rest, he was skeptical about what the whispers said – she had spoken for him when nobody else would, after he had fallen. That she, too, had paid the ultimate price. Gideon only believed her when he saw the scars upon her back, and every ounce of emotion that he crushed toward his fellow angels hit him like a wave crashing upon the shore. Michaela had been his weakness, when everyone else thought it was his aptitude to see a difference in opinion from their Creator. No, this woman... this now damned woman, had always been the one that he wanted so badly to reach for, to speak with, to make her ears listen, and maybe, just maybe, believe him. Gideon had a fondness ever since their eyes met, ever since he watched her wield a weapon in combat and watched her with pride and desire while blood spattered her face and the call of the angels resounded from the back of her powerful throat.

Smitten. From the very beginning, Gideon had been smitten, and when he touched her scars after the night they first made love and allowed their two bodies to become one, he saw the Heavens again, remembered details of their time as part of the Heavenly Host, and knew that he had made the right decision. That being there, with her, and living out his new identity – though at the time, she still knew him only as Ozymandias – was the purpose he had been looking for, and the path he had always wanted to follow.

Given their history, Gideon had not been so naïve to think that Michaela would never find him again, but in a place such as the Maison de Putes, perhaps not. Still, there were many parts of him that were overjoyed to see her, which was evidenced by the immediate pounding in his chest that he could not quell, even though he was good about maintaining an air of professionalism, of dapper, old-fashioned charm on the exterior. Michaela would see through it, see through him directly to the center of his being where he was jumping up and down with glee like a child who had been given the greatest gift in the world. She was his weakness, and would always remain as such, even if the two of them had just as many reasons to be together as they did to stay apart. The demon's voice was low as he spoke to his female companion, reverting to a softer, more gravel-filled tone that he only used on her. ”We would know infinite by a number of different channels, wouldn't we, love? Infinite resources, ambitions, desires...” While a part of him was hesitant about perhaps falling right into old patterns with the love of his life – and he was certain that was what she was, his eternity – he knew that he would not be able to help himself. From the moment their eyes met across that crowded room, Gideon knew that his alias and his money, his connections and routine was only worth so much. Again, he was her Ozymandias. Now and forever. Even if it was better that they refrain from what they truly desired. She complimented him, and the demon allowed his eyes to slowly rake over her body, inhaling slowly so he wouldn't lose his cool. ”You remain an unmatched beauty, and a sight for sore eyes. Any being on this earth would find themselves lucky to be in your presence. How is it that I keep finding myself so lucky again and again?” He had no doubt that she had many lovers since their parting, before, and perhaps even currently, just as he had – except currently, he was unattached, save for a few random repeat lovers. Gideon was not jealous, so long as she was not occupying the arm of another in his presence.. If she was... such a person might find themselves missing said arm, and removed from her side before they could do a thing to stop him. Such was just his way, and Michaela knew it.

After the two ancient beings found themselves in a private booth, the heat between them continued to rise, and perhaps reach a boiling point that was hotter even than the flames of Hell he'd risen out of, and this was no surprise to him. Their connection had always been undeniable, and before he could find any modicum of self-control, her leg was gliding over his, and the demon was lost. His eyes darkened, and he did his best to uphold his end of the conversation, although for the moment, it was becoming less serious. Fun. What a novel concept. ”Throughout the years, you have taught me many a valuable thing, so I have no doubt.” Soon enough, he decided to quash the business conversation entirely, not wanting to waste time speaking of serious matters when there was so much else he'd rather know instead. Gideon found himself wanting to know everything: where she had been, what she had been doing, if she had been happy, or doomed to focus on work or other passions while she missed him intensely, just as he missed her. Without Michaela at his side, there had been a hole that he noticed every single day, through every cluster of years that passed, and while he was able to set it aside and do other things to occupy his time, it never stopped existing or being felt with almost a palpable ache attached. The demon chuckled quietly as he sipped his drink, a response to the little joke she had made, and he found the ache growing when she referred to him as 'her Ozy.' ”I assure you, but for a few slight changes to my outlook and bank account, I am the same Ozy you remember so fondly.”

The demon had hoped to get into more conversation, to ask her more questions, and his brow furrowed as she moved to stand beside him, making a demand as she slid next to him on his side of the booth and making the first move that would likely set the pace for the entire evening. While the logical side of him that had worked so hard on turning away emotions that had to do with Michaela told him to pause, to let her want for a moment and give her what she was demanding later, the part of him that had missed her desperately could not wait any longer. And so, he had made his choice. A strong hand reached down to slide around her waist, and he leaned in, allowing his breath to paint her lips for a brief moment before he placed his lips to her own. An immediate sigh of relief, almost like he had been holding his breath for a thousand years sprung loose from within him, and then he was kissing her more passionately, moving his lips over hers again and again and again like he never wanted to stop, because that was a truth that was more pure than any he'd ever known. Gideon never wanted to stop, never wanted to find himself without Michaela again, and yet...

They parted, and his eyes were a solid, smooth ebony that was a giveaway to his species, and he looked at her, licked his bottom lip, and sighed. ”The years have been so long without you,” he said, the words almost a whisper, but she could hear them. She could hear every inflection in his strong voice because of how close they were, in a number of ways. This was the woman who knew all his darkest secrets, who knew him as well as he knew himself, if not better. There was nothing he could hide from her. Then, he straightened up in his seat and fixed her with a steady gaze – they would continue this, but in a moment. ”Where are you staying? If it suits you, I have no qualms against keeping you at my hotel, free of charge. If you'd prefer not to stay with me in my suite, I could give you your own room, grand enough to match it.” Gideon wanted to take her home with him that night, and give her a reason to stay for a long time, if not forever, and yet there was a conflicting part of him that wanted to give her space. The demon took another sip of his drink, and then started in with a gentle series of questions, while his body was still trying to adjust to the slower pace he was forcing himself to set, lest he end up ravishing her right there in the booth. Nobody would protest, this he knew with absolute certainty, but still, he had an image to maintain.

”I'd love to know what you've been up to during our time apart. I cannot begin to tell you how much I've missed the sound of your voice telling me everything or nothing all at once.”

[/justify]

[MICHAELA SERVUS DEI]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px; background: #ffffff;,true][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] I've been trying to do it right I've been living a lonely life I've been sleeping here instead I've been sleeping in my bed so show me family all the blood that I will bleed I don't know where I belong I don't know where I went wrong but I can write a song I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart
[atrb=width,300][cs=1]	[atrb=width,200] tagged: mr. big bad <3 words: 3320 outfit: here
[cs=2][atrb=width,500] Humanity was weak, and Michaela knew that better than anybody in the world. It was weak, for it did not know it's flaws, for it assumed that it didn't have any, or for it's general lack of fear for anything that could bring them danger. All new things, all different things were destroyed or damaged beyond repair and were forced to fit in, to bow to their rules, even if they were never supposed to lead. Their strong beliefs into something that they couldn't see was naive and dangerous and they were just lucky that Heaven was on their side, even though creatures emerged that did want to do them harm. Michaela wasn't necessarily a part of them, but she'd hurt anybody who got in her way, and humans were just too easy to kill. They were too weak, too small and too young to understand anything, they could not protect themselves and yet they found themselves so incredibly high and mighty, Like they were kings and queens of the world and the world would listen to their every command. In Michaela's opinion they had to learn who were the stronger species, they should be taught a lesson about Greatness, about who fit into which spot in the hierarchy for life. Who could defeat who and who could destroy who. And the humans wouldn't win. And yet they were at the top of the food chain, making demands and giving nothing in return, destroying everything beautiful that comes on their path and being cocky and arrogant about their own abilities, about who they are and what they can do. Their image of themselves is like looking into those distorting mirrors that completely mess up your view of reality. And humans truly had a fucked up view on reality. They weren't invincible, they weren't the kings and queens. They would end this world and completely burn it down if we let them, and yet God never stopped them, he let them go their merry way and do whatever they pleased. And the angels fed this belief, this behavior by protecting them against everything, by being their safety net and risking their own lives to save the destruction that humans left behind, or found themselves in danger because they were destroying. All they left behind was death and darkness, and they made it unable for other species to grow to their full potential. Because they were the "Great species", they were amazing. And nobody could show them what reality was truly like. Because if their charge died, angels would disappear and fade away, like they had never existed in this world. It was a cruel and harsh faith for people who tried so hard to please their Father with unbreakable beliefs and loyalty. And much like the rest of the world, the angels were downgraded and oppressed so that they would never reach their full potential and defeat the humans in their conquest to take over the world. And after a while of this oppression, there was no use anymore. Because the humans were populating the Earth like rabbits, in such a way that they could never win, even if the entire angel community stood up as one voice to fight for their rights, and none of them would ever do so. Angels were not meant to rule, and Michaela got that, but their Father would have to understand that he was denying his children too, though somehow she didn't think He saw them as his children. She thought He saw them as His servants, as His loyal idiots who just did everything He asked them too. Not much different from the humans really, because they also did what he asked without thinking, or got punished if they didn't, but at least with them it was for their benefit. The angels slaved for people who didn't appreciate them and often tried to kill them, and in Michaela's opinion it just wasn't fair. And as it appeared those thoughts weren't just hers, she went to listen to him as he spoke, her Ozymandias, even though he wasn't truly hers yet. Everybody could see the way she looked at him and the way he looked back at her. That instant connection that was made right in the moment, but it went way deeper than that. She knew her Father had forbidden relationships between the first batch angels to happen, because they were meant to be mentors, they were meant to set an example and not be strayed by feelings and desires. Another way for them to be pushed into a golden cage and act like puppets for a Man who wasn't even their own Father, no matter what they called him, Michaela knew she didn't have any family, she wasn't created with it. And more and more her loyalty and her beliefs in their Father started to fade, with every word that Ozymandias spoke, with every time those dark eyes met her own, but she didn't speak up, she never did. Every archangel has at least one flaw, even if they were meant to be physically perfect, the strongest beings on this Earth. But that didn't mean that the archangels were perfect, because they weren't. Michaela's main weakness was that man on the stand, who was talking about how unfair it was that humans got to be so worshiped and saved all the time when they didn't deserve it, and the dark-haired woman agreed. She had always agreed with him, it was as if their minds thought parallel thoughts, as if his mind was linked to her own. And yet she never spoke up, because her next flaw, her indecisiveness, ran like a main theme of a play through her story with Ozymandias. She was conflicted between leaving everything behind that she knew, and leaving the one thing behind that she cared about more than anything in this world, what she wanted and desired more than a thousand charges to protect. And then he fell, and the choice was suddenly very easy. Without him the Heavens didn't feel like her home anymore, it didn't feel like the place where she belonged. Her eyes got opened for the hypocrisy, for the way they were actually oppressed and how right Ozymandias had been, even though that was something she had always known. It made no sense for them to babysit humans who did not want nor deserve to be protected. All of this was just to make sure they never rose up to their full abilities and do what they could do, at the top of their powers. Because she knew they were strong and they were with many. Even their Father's powers weren't unlimited and they could defeat him. But there comes the main flaw of most angels; their faith. Their inability to ask questions or seek behind reasons of why things are the way they are. Blindly believing everything their Father tells them to do and accepting the consequences for when they fail, even if it's hardly ever their fault, but the human's for their knack of always getting into dangerous situations and trying to get themselves killed. And knowing what she knew, made Michaela unable to stay. She slaughtered her charge and was banished from the Pearly Gates, her wings ripped from her back. On Earth itself it hadn't taken long for the angel to know what her purpose was. Or more, who. She vowed to herself that she'd do whatever she could to find him, that even if it would take up her entire eternity, she'd find him. And it wasn't easy, but both him and her weren't persons you forgot. They had a certain attitude of power and wisdom that didn't match their physical age, and it caused people to get out of her way, and if they didn't, she'd slaughter them too. She was a warrior, she had no qualms disposing those who got in her way to find her only love. The only person she had been in love with for as long as she could possibly remember. The one angel who could see straight through her soul and still love her for every scandalous thought inside there. And she had found him in the end, of course she had. Even if their Father had dumped her on the other side of the Earth, she had found him. For He hadn't taken her determination in mind and He hadn't considered the fact that she was immortal. Sure it took a while, and while she rose to earn loads of money by selling her horrid paintings and doing other jobs, the angel traveled the world in order to find him, and finding him she had. She remembered the first moment she saw him, when her dark eyes met his own, and it was like the world just stopped spinning. In a flash she saw all the moments they had gone through together, battling side by side against Lucifer, discovering how things really were regards to Heaven and Earth, not being able to make their brothers and sisters see what it was truly like, and then the falling. Her back still hurt sometimes there where her scars were, and she always made sure to keep them carefully hidden, like a part of her that others weren't meant to see. But for Ozymandias, there weren't any parts he wasn't mean to see. There wasn't anything she hid from him or kept secret from him, not back then. He knew all her darkest secrets, touched her scars, and she knew his. There weren't any words necessary to tell him how she felt, never, and she was sure he knew how much she truly loved him, like she knew that he loved her, even if neither of them could ever truly admit it. They had worked so hard to get their own independence and their strength and power, they didn't want to give it all up and be blackmailed or used or have a public weakness.But they couldn't deny the fact that they were obviously and truly deeply madly in love with each other. Head over heels, in Michaela's case. Even before she left the angel knew that there would never be any one like him for her, and she would never try to find what she had with him with other people, men nor women, because it wasn't the same. They didn't have the same history, didn't know what Michaela had been through and none of them had experienced the same, not the way Ozy had. He was her missing puzzle piece, her eternity.. her purpose. He was the only person she could ever love to that deep level, and she wouldn't even attempt to dishonor him and his love by trying to find that with someone else, because Michaela knew it was a lost effort, and she hated inefficiency. There would be no one for her like her Ozy, and she knew that the moment they decided to part and each go another direction, literally dividing the Earth in two. She knew that by walking away she was throwing something away that she could never restore or get back, and yet she walked, without turning around, or looking over her shoulder, because she knew that if she did that, she'd be even more lost for the rest of her eternity. Michaela had had to do that. She had had to walk away from Ozymandias, and give him the life he deserved, even if it meant she'd never be truly whole again. And yet once again faith had brought them back together, even if it was hard for Michaela to focus on all of that. She hadn't expected to see him here, she had wanted to find some allies who were lower in the hierarchy of the dark side and work her way up from there. She was the Michaela, the working up wouldn't go that slowly, but her mind had completely blanked out the fact that her Ozy might be what was to find at the top. He had the character for it, the power, and it was what he had always done, so that didn't sound too impossible. And though she knew that him being at the top would make things so many times easier for her, but she didn't want it to be him. Because things would get so messy, and she knew she couldn't keep her feelings in check, not around him. It was a dangerous game, but the moment their eyes met, she was drawn in and there was no escape. People would say she was drawn to him like metal to a magnet, but that wasn't it. What existed between Michaela and her Ozymandias was nothing more or less than a gravitational pull, a force designed by nature between them, unbreakable and infinite. It was why she would always find him, no matter how far away she ran and no matter how well he hid from her, she'd always find him. Because her feelings for him would always tell her where he was, where she had to go and look for him, as well as the way she felt when she was in a room with him, even if she hadn't seen him yet. People would call her crazy if she tried to explain the bond between her and the love of her life to them, but they didn't understand. They could never experience what it was like to be in love with the same person for nearly 3000 years. "That we do, darling. In so many ways." She said in that soft voice that caressed along your skin, the tone that was his and only his. Nobody made her feel the way Gideon made her feel, and she was more than glad that she had found him again. She felt like a little school girl, having a crush on someone for the first time and being way too excited and nervous to see them again. Of course she had enough practice to hold her poise, but this was the person who knew her better than anyone. He would know better than that. He wouldn't be fooled. "And you are still as handsome as you have always been. And I guess it's because I just can't stay away." The woman said with a slight, playful wink, because flirting between them was like breathing, taking a sip from her drink as her eyes observed him from head to toe. All she wanted was to know all about his life, about him, to feel his hand grazing over her own the way it hadn't in such a long time. The privacy of the booth was welcome, even though Michaela knew that all eyes were on them. Not often did it happen that two of the oldest damned angels found each other in a greasy place like this. It was getting hotter and hotter in there, and the dark-haired woman found that all she could do, was stare at him, stare and touch him in order to truly believe that she had found him again, and that he had once again drawn her into his presence like he was the Pied Piper of Hamelin, blowing on his magic pipe. The darkness of his eyes which betrayed all that he was feeling made her heart beat faster inside the cavities of her chest, louder and louder till the point where she was afraid that it would burst right out of her chest. Tension between them, both sexual and emotional, was so strong that Michaela wasn't sure how long she was still going to be able to handle it without getting closer to him. "I'm glad you put so much faith in me, I'll make sure to not disappoint you." The woman replied smoothly, a slight grin curling up the corners of her sensual lips, as her fingers continued to toy with his, the electricity shooting through her body with every tiny little touch. She wanted to know more about him and his time away from her, and whether he had missed her as much as she had missed him, though she could guess that one, she just wanted to hear him say it, His genuine smiles were the ones that made her heart swell inside her chest, and she realized it was true what they said'; absence did indeed made the heart grow fonder, even if Michaela hadn't realized it was even remotely possible for her to love him more than she already did, and with the hole in her chest reminding her every single day that the one person she loved the most was lost and wouldn't be in her life anymore for the rest of eternity was something that had hurt her beyond compare, even if it was her own fault. Her smile widened a little as he chuckled, and said those words that she had loved to hear, because she knew things changed over time and she knew people changed. But her Ozy would always be the same to her, and she was glad that he felt the same. "I am glad to hear so, Ozy. You shouldn't ever change." And then he kissed her, answering to her rather bold and daring request in the way she had hoped, pulling her closer to him with those strong hands of his. Michaela didn't even think anymore, but just melted into the kiss, feeling those familiar lips on her own again, yet also felt the sensation of it being new because it had been so long ago that they had their final kiss of goodbye. Her arms automatically found their way around his neck, one hand resting against his chest as the other one glided into his hair, and she just forgot the rest of the world, she didn't care. All she could do was kiss and kiss and kiss and kiss him, and again, and just not stopping because she didn't want any of it to stop. He belonged with her, in the way that nobody else did. As the kiss ended she looked into those ebony eyes, telling her all that she needed to know, and rested her head against his shoulder, her fingers intertwining with his again, not wanting to settle for less body contact than they had already had. "I know, darling. Trust me, I know." She replied to him saying how long the years had been without her, because she knew. More than anything she knew how it was to see every day pass by and just never feel whole. Always feel like there was something missing in her life and also knowing exactly what it was. "I live in a penthouse in the upper side of Manuka, baby. But I am very curious about your hotel now." She said, once again not truly giving an answer, because that was how Michaela was. She found decision so incredibly hard, that she just only half-answered the questions and let things take their course. She knew that tonight she'd see exactly what that building looked like, because Michaela already knew who she was going home with today, and she was pretty sure he knew that too. There was no denying the obvious, nearly visible attraction between the two of them, that went way further than that. It hung in the air, making it thick and brooding, the heat nearly too hot to bear. She wanted him, and she pretty sure he knew that. "I have been up to everything and nothing at once. Been part of some wars, I painted a lot. I have been a hopeless wanderer for over 2000 years, my love. I came here to find a new purpose, and then I found you." Her eyes met his again, holding them there now, before leaning up to whisper in his ear. "And what have you been up to, mister Big Bad?"

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