"T-Talk? I don't even know you..."

I murmur the last part, annoyed more than intimidated at this point. Her eyes narrow gently, creasing the skin around her forehead in quiet contemplation.

"Emma..."

She repeats her name, I bite back a sigh, taking note of the British accent soaking her words.

"No, I got that... I mean-"

I hesitate, silently despising the way she stared at me, like it's my own fault for not understanding.

"What are you?"

She gives a slight nod, lips pressing into a tight line as if this information is somehow too much to ask. A minute passes, then another, and she still doesn't speak.

"Another demon?"

I bite back a sigh letting the words come out an unintentionally harsh snap, though she hardly seems affected by the brash tone. Simply giving a slight shake of her head.

"Quite the opposite..."

I feel my eyes narrow, a silent "what" hovering over my tongue, yet not spoken. She waits another minute, expecting the information to settle without a struggle. Finally she sighs, hand moving up to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Are you always this stupid? Or is today a special occasion?"

I frown at the childish reply, but bite back a snarky response. Giving a seconds time for me to reply she sighs once more, dropping hand to her side with clear annoyance.

"I am an ethereal being... What you may call an angel..."

I hardly hear the entirety of her sentence, clinging to that single word with a dumbfounded look.

Angel... they exist?

She gives me a few minutes of silence, a few minutes to look her over in a new light. She's an angel? I expected more in all honesty.

"Well,"

She finally speaks again realizing I wasn't about to.

"Now that that's out of the way let's say we-"

"You exist?"

I blurt out the words before I can even think to restrain myself. Her eyes narrow at the interruption but she nods, respectful despite my lack of such a thing.

"You thought there was only hell? You thought everything was that dark pit of despair?"

I give sheepish nod at this. In all honesty after everything, I never considered there to be anything better. Then again, maybe I just didn't want to think about any of it. She sighs, tucking a black strand behind her ear instead of berating me like I could tell she wanted to do.

"Well aren't you morbid..."

She mutters the words more to herself than me, I purposefully ignore them.

"But I thought angels were-"

"Let me guess, you thought we were these beautiful creatures, fluffy wings, halos, harps here to bring peace to you sniveling beings?"

I stifle my offense, and give another slight nod. Maybe not the whole fluffy wings bullshit, but I certainly expected more than a female who stood at least a full head shorter than me, one who would speak with such human-like rudeness.

"I know I'm not much to look at in this form... but it's the easiest way to talk to humans, to take on a harmless figure that they can process..."

I hate the way she talks about us humans, like we're so much below a holy being like herself. I feel annoyance begin to overpower any previous wonder. She must take notice of this as she cuts off the small rant, half-complaining about looking in such a way, while offering such information.

"Regardless... If you're done asking questions, I believe there's a bigger matter to discuss..."

I push away any remaining interest, or irritation for that matter, and haphazardly gesture to the small space around us.

"Right... Maybe not in the bathroom...?"

I mutter the words, feeling strangely claustrophobic at the realization of the little room. Her eyes dart around uninterestedly but she nods. Turning on her heel the click of the lock is almost relaxing, none more than when she turns and walks out.

I take a second to breathe before following her, down the hall and into the small space which consisted of the living room, and kitchen separated only by a small counter littered with a few kitchen utensils on its surface.

She turns again on her heel, not bothering to sit down, even when I do, giving into the exhaustion of my leg muscles. She seems almost thankful that I do, straightening her shoulders to successfully tower over me. I simply shrug it off, letting a small smile tug at the corner of my lips. For an angel she certainly behaved like a child, it's almost humorous.

"So what's this bigger matter? Why is it now that you decide to pop in?"

I almost wince myself at how harshly those words come out. I don't necessarily feel angry, but the words say otherwise, offering a glimpse into my deeper thoughts. Through all the chaos, all the time I spent wrestling with a demon in my head, heaven, or whatever the hell they call it, didn't once step in.

"It's Antisepticeye."

She speaks the name with such distaste, I almost feel the need to match her scowl. I feel a small shiver run up my spine at the word itself.

"A-Anti? He's alive?"

She seems almost stunned at my response and the strange concern my voice contained under each word. Her eyes narrow, I feel my head lower sheepishly. It's not that I've worried for the demon, well, okay maybe I have on a few occasions. I'm more shocked he's still alive. I never expected him to survive long with his plan to take over hell and everything...

Then it hits me...

There's no way... He didn't...

"What about him...?"

The question leaves me quietly, I almost don't want an answer. She either doesn't notice the new hesitance, or simply doesn't care offering a blunt answer anyhow.

"He's gone haywire... He's threatening everything in hell and on earth with his newfound power..."

I feel my throat dry, and offer a gentle nod as a response. I take a minute before forcing the next question out of my scratchy throat.

"Does that mean he won...?"

Her eyes narrow at my question, so I elaborate.

"Did he kill the council...?"

One again she seems surprised, I guess not many humans got such information about hell... It's safe to say it was a complex situation between Anti and I...

"...Yes-"

She hesitates with the answer, obviously having thought she'd need to explain everything. I can't tell if she's thankful or not.

"-Without the council it's chaos down there... He's taking advantage of that."

"The son of a bitch did it..."

I don't notice I'd said the words aloud until she gives me another look of disbelief.

"Why do you speak so fondly of him? Did he not make you suffer for more than a few years?"

I lower my head, peeking out from between puffs of brown hair, which had grown rather long at this point.

"He did... And none of you helped..."

She sighs, pocketing her earlier question of my fondness.

"So is that what this is about? Look I know you're angry, but there's nothing we could do, even if we wanted to, it's not our job..."

I feel my chest pang with a note of rage, I have my previous demon to thank for such a short temper...

"Not your job? Aren't you supposed to protect human-kind? Isn't that what angels were made to do?"

Her eyes narrow in quiet realization.

"So that is what this is about..."

She murmurs to herself, letting another small sigh escape past her lips.

"Look Sean... Things are much more complicated than you think..."

"Sounds like a load of shit. Sounds like you angels sit back letting those things torture human-beings, and do nothing about it, y-"

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

The words leave her a snarl, and for the first time since meeting her I can see that inner-strength I'd expect from a holy being. From the way her voice lowers to almost a threat, and her eyes dance with a glinting hazel, I feel myself quiet.

"We have our jobs... and they have theirs. Typically they choose humans based on bloodline, they take about half of the population, the other half, we take care of... The system is meant to keep peace among the two lands. We don't interfere with their work, and in return they leave us and those promised alone."

"And let me guess..."

She shoots me a warning glare but lets me continue.

"Anti's screwing it all up?"

She gives a small nod, visibly biting her tongue, most likely biting back another sarcastic, anger-ridden reply.

"Why should I help? As far as I've been able to tell, Anti's been through a lot, and if anyone deserves to seek revenge it's him... They've done so much to him, and he's finally making it right..."

I almost don't recognize my voice. I'm defending the demon? I'm acting as if this is all justified... Isn't it? They could have killed him so long ago, and yet they kept him, planning to use him for what? A weapon? They broke him down, it's a miracle he has this much fight left in him... What I've seen, I don't think anyone could handle such a thing, and he's said himself I haven't seen the half of it...

"So what if he destroys hell, I don't even care if he comes after you next... This isn't my problem anymore..."

She opens her mouth to speak, a new fury finding her ever-glinting eyes, but I cut her off, standing from my place on the sofa to tower over her again.

"I'm done, I got out... I'm trying to get over all of this shit, I'm trying to live a normal life, and you're trying to pull me back in! So forget it!"

I finish with a huff, only now noticing the fury that comes in soft speckles of green within her eyes.

"Listen here, you sniveling, selfish, pathetic piece of shit..."

I feel my anger wear down at her words, despite her small stature a new-found intimidation runs through me.

"You think you're the only human to get hurt? You think Antisepticeye is the only demon to deal with torture, or that he's the only one who wants revenge on hell itself?"

My shoulders lower until I'm slouching, and once again considering plopping back onto the cushions below me.

"Nobody likes hell, it's hell! But he-"

She cuts herself off, taking a deep breath. I relax slightly taking notice of her unclenching muscles.

"Look, he's different... What he's done... It should be impossible, but he's powerful, and we don't know why, or what he is..."

Her voice is quiet again, a low yet not unpleasant noise that clearly displays her vexation. I take a second, not noticing the way my teeth chew at my lip until I taste a small speckle of coppery liquid catch on my tongue.

"And why do you need my help...?"

I let the words leave softly, hardly a mumble yet not quite a whisper. Her eyes soften, speckles of green dancing with a new kind of sympathy.

"He was with you for longer than any of his other vessels... He opened up to you more than almost anyone..."

That almost is what catches my attention, clearly she's speaking of Dark... Though even he seemed to have no idea exactly what Anti is, no one does, maybe not even Anti himself. If he had known, there was never any indication of such a thing. He's powerful, I don't need to fully understand heaven or hell to understand that, he's fighting those who hurt him... Is that really so wrong?

I don't notice I'd tuned out until a harsh snap of words drags me back to reality.

"So, are you in?"

I hesitate, taking a second to look around, from the small crappy television set, to the filthy kitchen, and the hall leading to the rest of the small apartment. This is my life, it's not perfect, but I have him. What more do I need...

I look back to the smaller female, watching the annoyance perk up once more in her eyes. That annoyance turns to full blown rage as I utter a single word.

"No."