The Fine Line of Heaven and Hell

A/N: You know, when I first started this story, I thought “I’m not going to post a bunch of Author’s Notes that irritate people when all they want to do is read a story.” Somehow, I completely ignored that and wound up posting not one, but TWO Author’s Notes every chapter. Way to go. Anyway, I finally picked out the next story I want to post here. I’m even going to post up the first chapter soon. I don’t want it to interfere with this one, so I’ll only post every now and then. That makes me feel bad, but I’m thinking it’s for the best, right? *laughs* It’s called Mundane, and I’m really interested in writing it. I have the basic idea of a semi-plot, but other than that, I have no clue what’s going to happen in it, either. I’m a spaz author. Go me.

Krash: I didn’t know my Author’s Notes were amusing, but thanks. When I read on AFF, I usually just skip over the Notes unless they catch my attention. Mostly because they’re usually just the Author talking to their own characters and stuff. Sometimes that just creeps me out a little, but maybe that’s just me. Then again, I don’t think I’ve ever liked a character enough to have conversations with it. O.o Is that a new form of schizophrenia? Who knows the answers to questions like these, anyway? I mean, no offense to anyone who can do that, but wow, it’s pretty weird. I don’t think I could seriously type “Hey Shuey” and not laugh at myself. Isn’t it the same as having a conversation with yourself? I don’t know.

Snidne: *laughing* I was actually somewhat worried about the way that chapter played out, but I still like it. I guess that’s what brainless typing can get you. None of us want you to break your computer (since that would make me suffer, too). I think maybe they were both pretty WTF? So we’ll pretend they’re even, eh? ^.^

So anyway, on to Chapter 17... Really? That much already. (I say this too much.)

Chapter 17-Jealousy
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“You did what?” Leon was astounded; he’d never imagined Jerrick would be that forward. He’d always seduced and courted in a more subtle way. “You practically took advantage of her naivety, you moron. You know she’s going to think that you’re trying to kiss her every time you get anywhere within a five foot radius now, right? You fall for the most untrusting woman on the damn planet, and then you steal a kiss like she’s going to understand it. Do you really think she knows what Love is, Jerrick? I was amazed to know she had friends. Seriously, I had no idea she could make them, stabbing people like she does.”

Jerrick sat in his most comfortable chair, another one of those concoctions the angel and the Halfling made so well… Maybe it was that angelic lineage. Yeah, angels were adept at mixing alcoholic drinks now. Could that type of thing even be hereditary? Why was he even thinking about that when he had that problem on his hands? He’d known this was coming before he’d even crawled up the stairs to his small apartment in the inn. So here he sat, listening to Leon yell and rant at him, all the while doing the same thing inside his mind, excepting a few random thoughts.

His finger made a little circle around the edge of his glass. He felt like being a petulant child and throwing a tantrum, all the while screaming that it just wasn’t fair. It was a stupid notion, but that was the way it was. Finally realizing there was silence, his grey eyes found their way back to Leon. “….Huh?” The man laughed, rolling his eyes and leaning against the nearby wall.

“I think she’s rubbing off on you,” chided lightly, crossing his muscled arms across his chest and staring at his friend in evaluation. Something was off about the usually calm man. He was more….real, maybe, but that little smirk Jerrick always held was gone. It mostly earned him an encounter with that knife, anyway. Some of the haze disappeared from those grey eyes at the statement, “Welcome back, Kitten. Did you enjoy your time away?” He scowled at the angel darkly, only making the redhead laugh harder at the likeness he saw there.

“Maybe you should just try being persistent with her. You think that might work?” Jerrick’s face held the distinct impression that Leon just might be an idiot. He’d been expecting that much, though. “I’m not saying you should be as forwards as that, but you know… Make sure she knows you weren’t lying.”

The demon supposed that somehow, it did make sense. Shuey was a very, very dense and naïve person by nature, so she might assume he’d meant it as something other than what it was. Hell, she probably didn’t know what ‘it’ was in the first place. The poor girl almost certainly went into mental overload trying to figure out why he’d kissed her at all. Somehow, he figured the thought of her frying her brain in the process of comprehending something shouldn’t make him smile like that.

A new book had found its way into her bedroom. She hadn’t noticed it until she’d went for her keys before going to work this time. Leon had said she didn’t need to train today because he had business with Jerrick, which sounded suspicious to her, but why would she care? So that left Shuey here, staring at this new book that was thicker than most of the others she’d seen. The mist of power around her neck wavered a bit, seeming to move towards the thing if only briefly. At first, she’d been worried about the self-aware fog that was growing around her, but shortly she realized that it only emphasized her ‘angel’ image.

Most of the customers that hadn’t seen her eyes assumed she was just another exiled angel like the redhead that she worked alongside with so often. Some even believed they were siblings, though she was sure the smarter ones knew better. She glanced at the title, frowning slightly when she read it. Angel Mists. Even now, she had to wonder. The mist had come so suddenly, and too early for her powers to emerge, right?

Had Jerrick given her this one as well? Being a demon, it couldn’t have been easy to acquire a book solely focused on uncommon angelic abilities. Did that mean Leon was the one who’d gotten it? Leon was outcast from the angels, though, so they wouldn’t let him get one either, right? It wasn’t impossible that Clara may have obtained the hardback. Leaving it lay in light of work, she wrapped thin fingers around her keys and headed out the door. She had a short shift tonight, so she’d definitely have more time to read the tome later after work.

The bar was fairly quiet that night; no Deamon or demon meetings. She still didn’t know what those meetings involved. There had been no sign of Brethmel since ‘the incident,’ either. It was almost as if the world she lived in had gone back to retaining some sense of normality…. Except for last night, of course. She’d been tactfully ignoring what happened; trying to figure it all out would give her a migraine, she was sure.

He had touched her without permission, so she was angry, but the feeling was faded in a way. Why hadn’t she just stabbed him? It would’ve hurt more. Sighing softly, she pulled out her handy dish towel, drying off some clean mugs to at least look like she was busy. Business was pretty slow, which was rare for her. Even now, her lips remembered the way his pressed against them, but it only served to irritate her further. Why would she feel this way when it was so agitating? How did she ‘feel’ anyway? What was this feeling? Glaring at nothing in particular, she decided to halt her train of thought immediately. It wasn’t doing her any good.

A woman, fair height, lightly tanned skin, daring neon green eyes, thin, bony grey wings, and flowing blonde hair, was sitting at the bar. She’d started coming in more often after…well Shuey wasn’t really sure when she’d started coming in more often, but now she was a regular. Most of the time, she ordered a dainty drink, or something incredibly fruity, but today instead of a Marilyn Monroe, she had a Jet Fuel, which had orange juice and pineapple juice, but wasn’t as fruity as her usual drinks. In fact, it was quiet a bit stronger than her normal choices.

Shuey was pretty sure she was at the end of her second glass, too. Most heavier drinkers didn’t really go past three or four of those. It was rather amusing, but it really was any of her business, so the Halfling didn’t comment. Her face looked soured and she kept glaring at her. “A relationship between an angel and a demon isn’t allowed,” she said out of nowhere, only making the stoic woman glance over briefly before continuing her work. “Did you hear me?”

Dual eyes skimmed her face briefly before shrugging. “I don’t see how that concerns me,” she returned blandly, watching warily as the demon’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Her fingers raked the counter, nails making a small screeching noise against the marbled surface. Had she done something without realizing it?

“Jerrick Cordon is upper-class, and you aren’t even within a demon’s ranks. You are the lowest of low; an angel.” Shuey set the glass in hand down softly, her eyes raking the girl’s face. She thought she had some sort of relationship with Jerrick? Or was she trying to insinuate something else?

“I’m not an angel,” she said dully, not really seeing the connection still. This woman was insulting her for no reason, making assumptions like a child. Her wiry fingers gripped the glass in a death squeeze. Her long hair fell from her shoulders as she leaned over glaringly, a leer planted on her face. For a moment, Shuey thought her hair might spill over into her drink, which she noted was empty, anyway. “Another drink?” Neon eyes widened momentarily, but the blonde nodded anyway.

“Then what are you, girl with angel eyes? You even have the angel mist, and you still claim you aren’t one? That’s absurd. Does Jerrick believe that rubbish?” This woman really had no rights to talk to her that way, and it was beginning to get on her nerves. Her knife glimmered in its sheath, as if begging her to let out someone’s blood. Was it normal to think her dagger was calling for blood?

When the girl received nothing but another Jet Fuel, she glowered at Shuey all the more for it. She was quiet, which was all the Halfling wanted from her, so she wasn’t about to answer as long as she was willing to silently wait. “Fraud.” Indeed. In a way, she supposed this strange woman was right; she was a fake. She waltzed around like an angel, even though she was truly a Halfling. It was safer for her to be an angel than a hybrid, anyway, right? After all, she’d seen the murderous intent in her guardian’s eyes, and a similar look in some of the regular patrons who frequented the bar. If they hated angels so much, they would kill her for sure.

“It’s none of your business,” she said at length. The woman stood, knocking her fresh drink over in the process and earning a scowl for it. Honestly, she’d just mixed that damn thing. Even though she began another because it was her job, it still pissed her off.

“Don’t play with his feelings like that! He treats you like you’re so damn special and you pretend like he doesn’t matter?! How dare you insult him that way!” Who was she talking about? Oh, right…Jerrick; as if she didn’t have enough problems with the man already. A frail hand gripped the front of her jacket, Shuey’s hand automatically drawing her weapon and pressing it against the woman’s throat.

“Don’t touch me,” she said icily, all hint of emotion fleeing from her voice in her automatic reaction. Why hadn’t this reaction been mechanical when it was Jerrick instead of this girl? Did she care about him in some manner, or did she instinctively freeze because he was her employer? She’d never hesitated to stab him before, had she? Green eyes became impossibly wide as a feral snarl erupted from her throat.

“Shuey, put it down,” her hand immediately lowered upon hearing Leon’s voice. Leon was here, meaning she could leave as she pleased. “Isabel, please leave. Mr. Cordon has cameras placed throughout the inn, so he saw the whole thing from his office. I have been directed to escort you from the premises.” As if snapping from a trance, her neon green eyes blinked before watering an alarming degree. “I’ll be right back, Shuey.”

Rina peered around the corner, smiling nauseatingly at her before coming around the bar as well. “Leon said he wanted to talk to you, so I’ll be taking over until he comes back.” Shuey inwardly blanched, but nodded just the same; it meant her shift was over, so she didn’t care as much.

She waited outside the bar doorway, watching cautiously as the redhead came around the side of the reception desk and smiled at her. He waved a hand at her, moving to the second floor, one floor below her own apartment. Apparently, Leon’s room was also in the inn, in the middle of the second floor on the right-hand side. He opened the door for her, pausing to let her inside before trailing in himself. When she crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one side in impatience, he smirked at her. “I want to clear things up, okay?” Huh?

“About what?” she asked after a few moments of considering his words carefully. Had they had an argument without her own involvement? Was that even possible? Blue eyes rolled, a chuckle even following the movement. What was he laughing at?

A strong hand ruffled her hair amicably, making her scowl darkly at him. “I want to show you something,” he muttered, gripping the back of her head and quickly pecking her on the lips, leaving her baffled when he immediately stepped away after the contact. Her first urge was to stab him, but after a moment, she realized the dagger had already moved into the angel’s arm. She really hadn’t noticed her own movements there. He laughed outright at the confused look on her face, that blue eye staring at the knife in his skin as if it had jumped into it of its own accord. “That’s really rude, you know. And here I was just trying to explain something to you.”

The woman standing before him glared dangerously at him, crossing her arms again in an irritated manner this time. “Was it the same?” he asked shortly, making one of those thin brows shoot up questioningly. “As when Jerrick did it. It was different, right?” Of course it was different; they were two different people. “You don’t get it, do you?” What was there to get? These two both kiss her for no logical reason whatsoever and expect her to understand it? She’d known she was with idiots, but she hadn’t thought they were this stupid.

The redhead sighed heavily, leaning against his closed door and staring at the confused youth. She really was dense, wasn’t she? “It felt different to you, not just because we’re different people, but because we have different relationships. We’re friends, so its weird, right?” Friends? They were friends, then? They weren’t friends like she and Clara and Deamon were friends.

“What kind of friends?” she asked curiously, honestly wanting to know how many kinds of friends there were. What kind of friends were her and Leon? Leon and Jerrick? Jerrick and herself? What kind of friends kissed one another that way? Was it safe? She wasn’t sure. Her head was beginning to ache from trying to understand it, really. And she’d thought she had this whole friend thing understood well enough to say she was well-acquainted with the idea.

“We’re good friends, don’t you think? But I don’t want to kiss you.” In fact, it had been rather freaky kissing such a stoic girl. Almost like kissing a doll or something. It made him shiver frighteningly just thinking about him becoming romantic with this girl. No, she was way too much like his brother before he died. And to top it off, she was like Brethmel, too, so it’d be like kissing a mixture of his brother, the General, and a doll. Gross.

“Then why did you?” she asked carefully, now completely puzzled by everything Leon was saying. First he kissed her, then he said they were friends, then he said he didn’t want to kiss her, her knife was still jutting out from his arm as if it didn’t matter…. Had she stabbed him so much that it didn’t have an effect any longer, or had he just been polite to her all those times in the past? It was slightly disturbing.

“Damn it, I’m trying to prove a point! When Jerrick kissed you, you were shocked, right?” A slow nod and he decided to continue. “He really cares about you, more than friends, okay?” More than friends? What was more than friends; she wasn’t sure. She’d never had any kind of relationship, so how should she know what the hell he was talking about.

“I don’t understand,” she said softly, somewhat embarrassed at her own lack of intelligence in the matter. Blue eyes softened and he even let off a soft sigh. Her eyes glanced up at his face, taking in the small hint of amusement and what she was beginning to understand as affection.

“Then why don’t you give him the chance to show you? That means you gotta let him touch you sometimes, because when it’s more than friend, it makes that person special. He gets special treatment, you know?” No, she didn’t know; that’s why they were having this conversation. What kind of idiot was she getting this advice from? “You want to know how normal people feel, right?” Of course she did, otherwise, she would have just secluded herself again somewhere else. That’s why she was here. “Normal people have lovers, too. People they hug and kiss and touch and fuck. Just give it time, let him in, and you can feel that, too.”

She really didn’t feel like being touched, though. She’d never been touched before, after all. She wasn’t something to be touched; she wasn’t even something allowed to walk around in truth. She shouldn’t be alive, but she continued to try. A frown splayed her face, her crossed arms squeezing her sides in thought. Being touched took a lot of trust; did she trust Jerrick so much? She supposed she did, but that was only because she had no reason not to. After all, he’d taken her in, gave her a job, and even trained her with the man before her to make sure she could defend herself.

“Just one try; for Jerrick. The man’s going to go bat shit if he doesn’t get some kind of response from you other than punches or a knife,” Leon said quietly, pulling the blade from his arm and handing it back. “In the end, it’s really up to you, and if you hate it that much, you can always end it. That’s the nice thing about relationships like that.” Was he waiting for her to respond to it now? She had to think about it, she really had to think about it.

Just as she was about to replay, the redhead rose a hand. “Don’t tell me, just wait and think about it. Besides, Jerrick is the one that wants you, not me.” He laughed at the confused look. “Just think about it this way: who do you trust the most? Who better to let touch you than someone you trust? You don’t have to be his lover right away or anything. He just wants you to care about him, even if it is half as much as he cares about you, though he’ll want that later, I’m sure. His patience isn’t eternal, but you know that.”

To him, the conversation needed nothing else, and it was an awkward conversation that he didn’t like having in the first place. So he moved away from the door, turning the knob and looking over his shoulder. “I have to get to work,” he muttered, leaving behind one very confounded demonic angel staring after him.

What the hell was she supposed to do?


A/N: Poor Jerrick. *laughs* His friend finds him so pathetic he decided to help him out. It’s a little quick, but I don’t think that’s such a bad thing; it leaves room for me to work, after all. My brother got himself a new girlfriend recently. She’s decent looking and all that, but when he introduced me she really got on my nerves. I fully understand that knife-driving feeling you get when you hate people and they annoy you. She squealed at me, seriously. She touched my hair, said I had gorgeous eyes and in general, irritated me to an unending degree. Boy, my brother sure knows how to pick them.

So he got this annoying new girlfriend and I saw her while I was at work one day. She was with this guy and when she saw me, she hid behind him like I couldn’t see her. I thought about telling my brother about this, but then I decided to let him figure it out on his own. If she was actually cheating on him, he’s an idiot for picking her. She seemed like the type to sleep with anyone, anyway. She’d probably hit on me, too if I weren’t her boyfriend’s sibling. *mutters* How trashy.

So anyway, that was chapter seventeen; I hope you enjoyed it as well.