Accordant

Chapter Three

After Gabriel slept for a full day, never moving from his curled-up position on the red sofa for conversation or even food, Jael's patience snapped.

She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her in distress, however. She had learned better than that. He had fooled her once. It would not happen again.

"Get up," she barked, kicking the sofa. Gabriel did not stir. She kicked again. "Hey, asshole! I know you hear me."

Turning his head, Gabriel peered at her through the space between the crook of his elbow and his hair. He only looked. He said nothing.

"Come on," Jael said. "The day's starting. Get a move on."

Gabriel lowered his head into his arm again.

"Gabriel!" Another kick. "Get up and do something. You can't just wallow in this self-pity or whatever it is. Get your ass off of the sofa, or the world will move on without you."

"Let it," Gabriel mumbled.

"No," Jael said. "I won't let you stifle yourself like this. You wouldn't let me."

"This is different."

"How? Explain it to me." Jael folded her arms. "What happened to you in the Hellhole? What makes you want to kill yourself?"

"Proctiel," Gabriel said.

Jael blinked. "Who?"

"A Dominion."

"Oh." She pursed her lips. "They don't usually leave Heaven."

"No."

"Then what did he do to you?"

Gabriel's gaze darkened. "Serves in my place."

"Uhh," Jael said. "Gabriel? Are you saying this Proctiel has taken your place as an archangel?"

"Yes."

"Gabriel, I've never even heard of this dude. Michael said you're still an archangel, and you clearly still have all of your attributes. You are still the guy, even if it does suck that you are."

Gabriel made himself smaller.

"Oh. You think your brothers like him more than you." Jael exhaled heavily. "Your brothers adore you. Even I could see that. So don't worry about that for a second."

Gabriel snorted quietly.

"You'll see," Jael said. "Once your head unclouds and you get back to yourself again."

"Please stop," Gabriel said.

Jael pursed her lips. "Stop what?"

"It hurts."

Her first instinct was to scowl. It hurt? Did he think he was the only one? Was he so ignorant of the pain he had caused her? She was fully within her rights to walk away, or even to throw him out of a window, and the temptation to do either was strong.

But she reconsidered. Although she had been forced to endure her own suffering alone, the same did not have to be true for Gabriel. It was a terrible fate, to wonder and wish and question only within her mind, and Gabriel deserved better than that. Everyone did.

"Let's go for a walk," Jael said.

Gabriel shook his head. "I'd rather not."

"Do it anyway." Jael got to her feet and offered Gabriel her hand. Gabriel's frown deepened, but he took her hand and drew himself up.

"Put on a hoodie or something," Jael said. She pulled a jacket on over her shirt and jeans. Gabriel made even less effort: His tousled dress shirt and slacks shifted into a hoodie and jeans.