Suspicious - Chapter 14 [GabrielxReader]

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Chapter:    14 - "Feathered"

Pairing:    Gabriel/Reader

Summary:     Something about your new college's janitor just seems suspicious.

Warning Level:    ●○○○○ Low / Fluff

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There you were, kneeling on the cold bark mulch behind a thickset, white rhododendron. It was impossible to see the whole walkway from your hideout, but you could hear as Gabriel stepped onto the pavement. That was the moment, when the unknown voices stopped. You crawled a little closer to the bush, trying to peek through it. What you were able to see, wasn't exactly the group of kids you had expected. You counted four girls around your age, all dressed in black or very dark shades of blue and gray. The picture reminded you of the 'goth kids' Tina had spoken of. That however, wasn't the weirdest part of the scene. The girls seemed to be following this man, standing a step ahead of them now. It looked like some kind of celebrity chased by a few groupies. The guy was very tall, slim and had dark hair. He wore a simple black suit like some sort of business man, one hand in his pocket. A creepy grin formed on his face, when his way was blocked by Gabriel, who stood about ten meters away from the group. The stranger took a deep breath through his nose, as if he was trying to catch a scent.

»Hmmmh... one from the penthouse. Interesting.« The man said in a dark voice.

One of the black ladies, lifted a brow, pointing at Gabriel, who still wore his work-clothes.

»... isn't that... our janitor...?«

He took a sniff as well, obviously imitating the guy in the suit.

»... hmmmh... a sulfur-fart. Disgusting.«

What the hell were they talking about...? Wait, sulfur...?

The man just chuckled to himself.

»I don't know, which one you are, but I suggest, you get your feathered ass out of the way.«

»Oh, you don't want to know, which one I am, stinker.«

Something silvery appeared in Gabriel's hand, and the other guy's expression changed.

»I suggest... you go back, where you came from.«

»I'm afraid I can't do that. Deal is deal.«

The janitor frowned a little, at that answer.

»Aren't those a little too young to sell their souls?«

»... do I look like I care?« The tall man laughed.

The four girls stood in a bunch, holding onto each other, while watching the scene. Gabriel was about to walk towards him, when the other man lifted his hand.

»I'd love to keep chatting with you, but... I've got bigger fish to fry.«

And with a snap, he just disappeared.

The girls looked around in surprise, but then decided to run away together.

You waited until you couldn't hear them anymore, before you finally stood up, brushing off your pants. Gabriel mumbled something to himself in an annoyed tone, when you got out of the rhododendron. You weren't sure what to say or do, though you had more questions than ever. You just stood there, looking at him while he put the silver thing, that looked like a huge dagger now, into his inside pocket. Then his eyes turned to you, and stayed there for a few seconds.

»... see why I didn't want you to be out alone tonight...?« He waved his hand in the direction the girls had run off.

You barely looked in his face. It was hard to do, somehow.

»And you ran away from me. Heh... « He chuckled, but it had a disappointed undertone.

»... so... you're... protecting me...?« You hardly dared to ask that, because it sounded so wrong.

»It's what I do, all the time.«

What?

You just gave him a questioning face.

»Guess I shouldn't, huh? After all you tried to impale me.«

»T-that wasn't my idea! Dan wanted to find you!«

»Dan, huh?«

»Yes!«

»Dan... and you.«

»Hey! I tried to hold him back!«

»...«

You gasped, defending yourself. This was ridiculous. But it wasn't even what was on your mind now. And you couldn't keep it to yourself.

»What was that...?« You pointed into the darkness.

Gabriel looked into the park.

»What do you think...?«

It seemed as if he already knew what you were guessing.

»Is... is he... a... demon?«

The man in the blue clothes looked back to you, meaningfully. So it was true. After all the crazy stuff that had happened to you by now, the thought of a demon still frightened you.

»And... those girls... they... «

»Summoned him.«

You swallowed.

»Why would someone summon a demon...?«

»As it seems... they made a deal. One of them sold her soul. Maybe all of them.«

»They sold... their soul...?!«

You couldn't believe someone would actually do that.

»You would be surprised how many people do that.« Gabriel shrugged.

Your imagination began to run wild. The most precious thing to sell is your soul, right? What would a demon do for four souls? What could those girls want so badly?

The questions kept you thinking all the way, until ten minutes later, you were back in the city. Gabriel had escorted you home to make sure you wouldn't make any more circuits, as he said. Finally there, he waited until you would close the door behind you. But your hand just wouldn't move the key to even open it. There was one thing that bothered you. More that the goth girls or even that demon. You turned around to look into those eyes. Those damn eyes. The ones that had stunned you, the first time you saw them. You still didn't know who they belonged to.

»What are you?«

»...«

»Which one are you?«

He stared down at you for a moment, without any expression. But then he smiled a little, almost sheepishly.

»Honey, I told you my name.«

»Yeah, but-«

»That's who I am.«

He spread his arms, slowly walking backwards. You looked at the ground in your confusion, just for a second. But when you lifted your head again, he was gone.

»G-Gabriel...?«

There you stood, alone again.

»... Gabriel...«

And you finally turned your key.

»Gabriel.«

It was almost two in the morning and you were wide awake, staring at the tablet you had borrowed from Debra earlier. Your eyes kept on wandering from one picture to another, that appeared on the screen. You scanned every single result you got from searching for this name. This just couldn't be true. All those pictures of old paintings, showing curly-haired young men, or even women, in robes and... with wings. That was so not your janitor. Though you had to to admit, some of them even reminded you of him somehow. But that was just your brain, playing tricks on you now. ...right? As if he, of all people you knew, could be... well... an angel. Your concept of an angel looked a little different, and it definitely didn't involve scaring and killing people. Also, him being this Gabriel would make him an archangel. You couldn't help but imagining the janitor appearing in front Mary, chewing on a Snickers. Well there were no Snickers back then. Maybe... a... date? They were sweet. God, those thoughts were so stupid and impossible. He was nothing like an angel! Where was his halo? His wings? Thinking of that, you remembered the demon guy, calling his ass 'feathered'. You frowned. That didn't prove anything. … did it? Your head started to hurt and you decided to turn off the tablet. You put it away and just stared at the ceiling. What to do now? You so wanted to call Dan and ask him about it. He would know how to make sure. But that wouldn't hold him back from trying to kill Gabriel again. If not with a stake, then with whatever worked. And he still seemed to be sore about that, though it looked like he didn't really want to murder you. That was good news at least. Well, there was a demon out here somewhere, that made Gabriel look like a minor problem. Anyway, you needed a plan. A good plan. Tomorrow you would go and... do something. Yeah... something... helpful. Something... anything... whatever... that means.