cape_kore | 010 | Private Audio to assorted residents

[Things suddenly got complicated. Crowley is a manageable annoyance, as far as Balthazar is concerned. He's been here before. Michael, though...

Honestly, he'd rather have Lucifer back, and he feels just a bit guilty for it.

The net result is that he's on edge and worrying what this means for certain friends and acquaintances around town.]

Private to Donna

I'd like to visit as soon as possible, if I may. Some of the new arrivals are...look, let me come and set up some warding for you, please, love?

to Ellen

Do you know how to angel-proof? Might want to consider it. We've got a volatile situation.

to Raphael

Have you met the boy with Dean's face? Alec. How close to Dean's genetic makeup is he, do you suppose, and what, if anything, ought we to do about cutting off potential trouble there before it starts? [Because he can't see Alec being anything but obnoxious toward Michael, and probably rather incautious, as well.]

to Castiel

[A brief, simple audio:] Cassi? Do me a favor and don't do anything foolish.

to Mina and Fortescue

Hello! I've been distracted by our new arrivals. If you're not worried, you should be. But I've promised to introduce you to one another. Would you be available to meet at the library after dusk? I can explain more then.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's right, yes. The written form has different grammatical rules from the spoken form. Stricter, since what's written normally stays. One has to be careful with the nuances of a spell.

I've never seen a book written in it, to be honest. Perhaps I'll translate one of Chuck's some time.

You angels don't half make it difficult on yourselves. Angels and Time Lords should go head to head for the award of most difficult language in the history of forever or sommat.

Not sure who would win. Both seem pretty complicated.

I haven't asked the Doctor about his language yet. Perhaps we ought to compare notes. [He gives her a brief, impish grin, then goes back to painting. His writing is fast and fluid, but it's possible he's known among angels to have messy cursive.]

Perhaps it's something to do with age. Things get more complex as they get older? Except I find humans quite complicated, as well.

Pft. Humans aren't nearly as complex as flippin' Angels and Time Lords.

[ But humans are rather complex creatures. ]

So, what do the doodles actually do? How do they keep killer angels out?

Individually? No, you're probably right. As a whole, though, they're rather bewildering. All that free will. [He pauses to give her a gentle smile.]

I suppose you could think of it like lines of code in a computer program. There are Words that hold the world together. If you know them, in the right sequence, you can make changes here and there. Mind you, Enochian as a language is a mere descendant of the original Word, but it still has power. So do human languages, for that matter, for those that know how to use it.

We've not made a very good job of putting that free will to much use though, have we? I mean we've made a right mess of the world so far, haven't we?

[ She continues to watch him work. It's beautiful. He's beautiful. ]

So, it's like a Firewall keeping viruses out?

Perhaps, but you do question yourselves. Whether you're doing the right thing, whether things can be better, for one person or many people. What the world around you means. Whether there's a world beyond what you can see and feel.

Doubt is exhausting to an angel. We're not built to question, I don't think. Sometimes it seems like it's most of what humans do. I find that fascinating.

[His brush strokes slow for a moment, then go back to the rapid sweeping patterns. At this rate, he'll be done in another minute or two.]

Yes, that's a suitable analogy. A firewall.

I guess all species have their flaws and their strengths...

Apart from wasps. Seriously, all I can see are negatives there. What positives is there to a wasp's existence?

[ And just like that Donna veers off topic. ]

[He could probably come up with an answer for that, but instead he blinks at her from inside the cupboard, then laughs warmly and backs out, placing the brush in her hand.]

You know, I rather like it when you veer off on a tangent. I've done all I can here. I need you to paint a straight vertical line through the circle in the back left corner.

You must be the only one. Most people get sick of me waffling on.

[ She takes hold of the paintbrush and steps into the cupboard to paint the line. ]

So, does this mean no cheeky make-out sessions in the closet now?

I don't know, it's rather charming, I think. You don't mind me laughing? It's meant with affection, I promise.

[Gabriel does similar conversational acrobatics, actually, only in his case it seems far more deliberate and designed to confuse. Donna just seems to have a limited filter between brain and mouth, but so far he finds it cute rather than annoying.]

And no, no making out in that closet. If you've got another one, I'm game.

You're not the first guy to laugh at me - one of the cutest though.

[ Limited filter? That's pretty generous. Sometimes it's as though there is no filter at all. It leads to all kinds of inane ramblings and plenty of instances of foot-in-mouth-itis.

Stepping back out of the closet, she bops the paintbrush against his nose. ]

Who says we need a closet?

[He rubs the bridge of his nose with a snort of mock-indignance.] Well, don't paint me!

[He glances at the cupboard one last time, nods, and caps the paint, taking the brush away before she can do any damage with it.] It'll do. On to more pleasant topics, then?

[Expression softening a little, he reaches over to run fingers through her hair.] No closet, then. What's your choice of venue?

[ It's Donna's turn to laugh now. Though she soon bites her lip to get herself to stop.

She looks up at him as he toys with her hair. ]

There's a perfectly good bed right here...

So there is. [He leans in and brushes his lips softly against her forehead.]

And I'm sorry to say, if you prefer a bed, it'll have to be yours. I keep giving my sleeping quarters away.

You're welcome to come by my bed any time you like. Can't have an angel with no place to lay his halo, can we?

[ And if cuddling, kissing and more happen to take place in said bed, well... that's just a bonus. ]

It's not really my halo you're interested in, though. [Smiling, he rises and takes her hands, pulling her up and backing her lazily toward her bed.]

Are you sure you want this, now?

[ Her cheeks burn in a bright blush and she opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Congratulations, Balthazar. You've left her speechless. ]

... Do you?

Yes. [He looks slightly sheepish for a moment. Truly, he's not hard to get into bed at the best of times. But this isn't the best of times, and between that and his genuine fondness for Donna, this feels like more than a casual roll in the sack.]

I...may not be at quite my best. But you're lovely.

We could wait until you're at your best if you prefer... I don't mind...

I'd like to impress you. [That, and he can't stop worrying about how Michael might react if he found him in flagrante delicto with a human woman. That's how Nephilim were made, after all.

He pulls Donna into a warm hug.]

I'll come back for the rain check as soon as I can.

I'm going to hold you to that, Angel boy.

[ She leans into the hug for a moment later before pulling away enough to steal a soft kiss. ]

010 | Private Audio to assorted residents | Day 117

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