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((TELL ME MORE! TEEELL ME MOOOORE. >: D ))

Talen shook his head when Abel apologized, but only looked on as Mei went about comforting him herself. He grinned and rubbed at the back of his head, then squinted and reddened.

"... what?" He asked in an exhalation of air, but Mei was already off without any hesitation. He watched after her and then with Abel trailed after her.

Once at their destination Talen wandered out into the yellow green scenery with his arms spread wide, palms down to brush the tops of the tall grass much like Mei. He couldn't seem to help himself. He grinned taking leaping steps. In a moment he was leaping into the air, grass skimming the bottoms of his sandals and the next he vanished in a swish and a whisper of blades of grass rubbing against each other.

((LOL. Where'd... he go...? He's like seven, I swear.))

Saul looked away briefly after Lilith looked away. "I don't know anything." He admitted and he seemed maybe embarrassed. "And you can't possibly make this any scarier for me... I mean." He did his brief sideways smile. "The idea of your brother should already have given me a good enough idea to leave, right?" And yet he still held her hand, either unaware of how cold it was, or uncaring.

"What if you ask me something... then you can tell me something...? I can't make you talk about this... but I'd like to know."

((LALALALA. MAYBE SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN THERE SOOOOON.. hmmm... *plots*))

((MY TURN.))

Talen laughed from somewhere beneath the line of tall grass. "That would be an awesome skill... Talen... master of mystery. Invisible in very tall grass!" He exclaimed. "I... I don't even know where I am..." There was a rustling through the grass and the top of his head and just the top of his eyes peered at the pair. His eyes smiled. "Oh. Right here." And he fell back again and onto his back.

He listened to the two converse and laughed at Mei's remarks and then stared thoughtfully at passing clouds at her instruction of how to take flight. He felt himself sigh and watch the wind stir the grass above him. Only when Abel was just about to take flight did he stand up, hands on his hips, grinning an encouraging and excited smile.

"You can do it, Abel!" He called across to him, hands cupped around his mouth and he added a great jubilant whoop.

((WILL HE MAKE IT?! WIIIILL HEEE... I need to be going to bed. hahahah. you keep me up alll niiight looongggg.))

Saul gave her his fleeting smiling at her maybe joke, though he seemed to read it as much. He rubbed at the hair in his face and gave a sighing form of a laugh, an exhalation of air that shuddered slightly.

"Remember that next time I want to ask you something, huh?" And then he waited as she was silent and then listened in his thoughtful way, eyes distant but ears rapt. He didn't seem surprised by her question, but there was still a way he suddenly stood that made him look ashamed.

"It's..." He started and then thinned out his mouth. "I guess from the outside... it's... no, even I know, have always known, how stupid it was." He frowned, and seemed to watch the skyline. A slowly awkward smile tilted his mouth. "I guess some people just get to a point in their lives when you got nothing left. Uh..." He seemed uncomfortable. "I... I guess I thought I was one of those people, and Cain he... he gave me something. Nothing good, but it was something."

"I've always been afraid of Cain, but I got to a point where nothing he could have done could have hurt me. I had nothing. What did it matter? I think he knew that, and that's why he came to me... and that's why I ever said yes. Talen too, but..." He twitched his eyes at the scenery uncomfortably, but seemed only to just able to meet Lilith's eyes.

"It's not really like that anymore, I guess." He walked quietly for a moment before asking his own question: "Why are you and Cain here?"

((DUN. DUN... I need to sleep XD))

((JUST WARNING YOU NOW. My posting will probably be on and off again... I have two finals this week and a photo project due... so yeah... I'm going to be busy. NOT TO MENTION I HAAAVE WOOORK.

Good grief. Summer vacation hurry up and get here D:< ))

Talen stared up at Abel with a slight grin, most of it was shocked off his face by the sheer standing moment of Abel caught in the air, wings out stretched. He stood back, hands on his hips. He had seen Abel only once before in the air, and at that point, he hadn't been really flying, but falling.

It didn't take long for Abel to revisit this same action. Talen ran and stumbled forward, maybe thinking he could catch him and once Abel landed hard on his back end Talen realized just how stupid it was he was running around with his arms out. He laughed and crouched down beside him as Mei comforted him.

"You did good." He put in. "Better than I can do." He grinned and then looked up at Mei, instantly red in the face at her remark. He gave an awkward laugh but was obviously flattered. He cleared his throat. "Yeah."

At the mention of angel's having a gift Talen perked up. "But what about what you did to Cain...? When you got all..." He waved his hands vaguely. "Blue and glowy."

((YEAH. WHAT ABOUT THAT ABEL? HUUUH? WHAT ABOUT THAT... OKAAAY.))

"It's definitely not like that anymore." He said seriously, even if she had been joking about it. He gave her hand a squeeze. "I've got something now."

And then he waited for her answer and once it was given he watched her face carefully. "But what were you running away from?" He asked quietly.

((LALALA. okay... short... but... yeah XD))

((OMG. I'M GOING TO POST. I HAVE ONE THING LEFT FOR SKOOLIO. A final crit! THEN I'M DONE.

Hahah, and oh yeah... Monday next week I'm leaving for Turkey for a month :X... I dunno if I mentioned that to you. BUT I'M BRINGING MY COMPUTER. So... YEAH! WOOO!))

Talen frowned a little at the way Abel responded to his remark about what had happened not too long ago. He opened his mouth to maybe something more about it, but for once shut his tactless mouth and stood back, arms over his chest. He grinned slightly at Mei's teasings.

"I don't think he needs any help with the ladies." He put in. "Just about over half the female population at my school is in love with him. Who will be left for me, Mei, if he takes his shirt off? WHO I ASK YOU?" And he laughed.

He caught her eye when she glanced at him. He shook his head a little and gave a subtle shrug of his shoulders. "Later." Is what he mouthed.

Talen then patted his friend encouragingly, but gently on his back. "I wanna see you up there again." He laughed. "It's really... I don't know. It makes me feel good to watch. Like... light." He shook his head a little and urged him forward, falling back to stand beside Mei. He pumped his fists in the air. "Let's some action! A BARREL ROLL."

((hahah, he can talk about it with Mei D:<<< MAYBE SHE WILL KNOW SOMETHING.

Action tiiimeee for Saul and Lilith. OH GOD.))

At Lilith's answer he wasn't sure how to react, or how to interpret it. He stared steadily ahead, and then to his hand still clasping her own limp hand in his. He didn't know exactly what answer he had expected, but even if it had been the one she had uttered, it still felt unreal. He had only ever understood his own mortal life, and any life beyond that... he wasn't sure at all.

However, he was sure, more than anything, that he knew exactly what she meant in a figurative sense. Hadn't he been living his own life the same way? There had been nights when he found himself knocking at Talen's back door, begging for a place to stay. In times so bad he found himself on his friend's couch for a week, slipping quietly in and out of existence and wondering just what it was he was meant to be doing in this time of his life.

He still wasn't entirely too sure, but felt firmer and altogether alive with Litlih's hand in his own. Tugging her hand to his face he kissed her fingers without a word, eyes shut gently.

When they finally came to a stop Saul looked around and took in his surroundings. They were in a mostly empty place, a deserted lot with piles of shattered glass and tufts of strangles grass. One could hear the ocean distantly and smell it in everything.

He grinned slowly and nodded, but when he opened his mouth to speak it was not his voice that came first. A wall of heat singed from behind them, blistering Saul's back and blackening his blonde hair.

"What's this?" Cane's voiced growled. A wave of heat blurred his form. "You getting nice and cosy with my sister there, Saul?" He seemed to be grinning, but his teeth were clenched hatefully, his face contorted with rage. "Didn't you learn after the FIRST TIME I TORE YOU A PART?" He shouted suddenly, and quite quickly Saul was dangling from the end of his fist, flames licking at his forearm and scorching the blonde's pale face.

Saul remained perfectly expressionless, hands limp at his sides. "I guess not." He said in a raspy voice. He winced a little as his cheeks burned. "You always said I was stupid, didn't you?" He was surprised by his own bravery, and by the fact he was not at all afraid by Cane's rage.

Cane might have laughed then, a sort of quivering twitch at the corners of his mouth. "I came back to forgive you, Lil... but I don't know now. What are you DOING with this...?!" And he shook Saul violently and then held him still. "I DON'T WANT YOU MESSING WITH MY SISTER!"

Saul moved his hands to grasp at Cane's hand, ignoring how it scorched his fingers. "You knew how I felt about her." He replied feebly. "It was one of the reasons I joined up with you. You knew."

Cane flared in a burst of flame. "But I never thought she would TAKE YOU! You CAN'T BE WITH HER! Why, Lilith?!" He wanted to know, eyes hard and demanding. "I want to know before I kill him."

((hahaha, he's so upset.))

(( hahaha, IT'S BEST IN SPIRIT.... REALLY. You'll get to go out of the country ooone daaaaay. OOOOONE DAAAAY MY PRINCE WILL- I'm done.))

Talen chuckled. "No barrels to roll... hilarious." He grinned and then looked back to Mei. His smile slowly fell away to reflect her own expression.

"Is there..." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Something wrong with him?" Talen wanted to know, positive he wasn't using the right words. "When he... back there... with Cain. I think he lost himself... I didn't know what..." He licked his lips and looked away. "I dunno how to really put it, but something happened. I... I'm worried about him too." He laughed uncomfortably, maybe to shake loose the feeling that had gripped him so suddenly.

"He's like my brother, you know? I wanted to beat the s**t out of Cain... but I can't... and I don't know how to deal with it... but I want to help him SO badly, Mei. And I know I can't." He looked at her and grinned a sad smile, eyebrows drawn together. "I don't even... I can at least tell you what happened definitely wasn't normal. He touched Cain and it burned him. I mean, the guy is made of like LIVING FIRE, and Abel burned HIM." He ran his hands through his hair, grinning his still uncomfortable smile. "What's that mean?"

((Hopefully that's enough to work with!))

There was something in his sister's coolness that always made Cain's rage seem so foolish. His tempered flared briefly in frustration at her cool manner, her lack of reaction to his rage, but as always he seemed to cool off. His flame settled and created a dark smoke that made Saul cough a little.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE ASKING FOR MY FORGIVENESS!" He tried to say over her. "I'm your BROTHER! I've done nothing but take care of you... and you're here.. with..." He trailed off, teeth clenched. He snarled and glared at Saul as if it was all his fault, and he was certain in the very depths of his fiery heart it was all Saul's fault.

"You LET HIM? Let him WHAT?" He demanded, and flames flared from his fist again. Saul shut his eyes and just breathed knowing anything he said could only have made matters worse and the fact he trusted Lilith to do what was right. He must have... made you." Cain said in a child's voice.

At her response he seemed very put out. He watched her avidly, as if he might turn out a lie by searching her expressionless face. Finding nothing he roved his angry eyes back onto Saul, his gaunt face red from the heat and his eyes still shut. "You..." He started, that same fire building around him, but like an exhalation of breath it vanished as soon as Lilith touched his arm.

Cain lowered Saul so his feet were once again flat on the ground, but he did not release him. He shut his eyes tightly and clenched his free hand into a tight, white knuckled fist. "You can't DO this, Lilith. It isn't RIGHT." He said. "What are you trying to PROVE? Are you... you're going against your own NATURE." He seemed frustrated.

Saul opened his eyes and for some reason felt deeply sorry for Cain. "Cain." He said in his quiet voice.

"DON'T." He shouted and turned to his sister. "Just what are you trying to prove! You can't DO THIS. They'll find you. How long do you expect this to LAST! I HATE HIM." He shouted at Saul. "I hate you."

((hahahahahah, He's like. seven. Shhhh, Cain. shhhhh. *burps him* I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS A NAP.

I've never had a character like that before. SO IT'S KINDA AMAZING FUN.))

((I'm going to trrrry and post to this. I'M RUSTY D: ))

Talen had been shifting uncomfortably, his gaze averted and his hand slowly rubbing the back of his neck. He looked oddly ashamed, or embarrassed. It wasn't often he spoke to anyone in this way. He wasn't the kind of guy to lay out his feelings and make himself look vulnerable. Even with his sister he was always trying to be strong for her, even when he knew his sister knew he wasn't always.

However one single sentence brought his face up, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"If anyone can help Abel, I would say it's you."

When she had finished compltely he wiped at his mouth, eyebrows furrowed. "Wow." He said. "That was probably the corniest thing I've ever heard." He laughed and before she could maybe respond negatively put a hand on her shoulder. "But I really needed that." He said almost under his breath.

Squeezing her shoulder once, maybe for him, maybe for her. He might have wanted to ask her further about the other angel she had been speaking about, but turned to greet Abel instead. Maybe another time.

"Alright! How was it this time, my man? Rough landing?" He squinted up at the sky, wondering what that might have felt like briefly and then grinned back at his friend.

((ALRIGHT. YOU CAN DO IT, ALEX. YOU IS ON A ROLL.

Hahaha, I'm cheering myself on. I'm so cool.))

Saul stood very still as Cain's fist still gripped him tightly by his shirt front. He raised his hands gently, hovering them just so close to the hand the held him fast. Cain was uncoiling, his whole body becoming slacker.

Saul was familiar with this posture, because he had done it so many times before himself. Cain was deeply sad.

"Love." He spat, his words like a hiss, a fire that didn't have the energy to burn anymore. He seemed more wounded than he should have been at her final words. "But I'm your BROTHER. This is just... he's just some human."

"You're right." Saul said suddenly, surprisingly clear. "I don't understand why she wants to be with me either." He laughed, and very lightly placed his hands over Cain's. "But I..."

"Don't." He said.

"I love her." He finished.

Cain jerked away from him, throwing his hands away from himself. "Shut up."

Saul stumbled back and took a deep breath. "I do." His smile shivered.

"Fine." Cain finally said to his sister. "If this is what you want. I've NEVER been able to change you. I only wanted to keep you safe! You can keep this life. I won't be a part of it." And with that he turned and walked away. "You may think you can be something you're not, but when they come you'll see how fast you'll remember!"

((BUM BUM BUM. Sounds ominous. Hahaha, Cain, why can't we all just be friends? Why do you have to be a jealous, stubborn baby?! GEESH. You're like seven, I SWEAR.))

((Hahaha, I missed this D: ))

Talen laughed a little at his landing, but in a good natured way. He folded his arms across his chest in attempts to stifle it and rubbed at his face. "Oh man... perfect. A plus plus, check plus plus." He laughed again and added: "Gold star."

He grinned easily at his response. "Things that scare you are sometimes good, huh? Kinda like... roller coasters... I dunno, flying would probably be a bit scarier. Not that I could really tell you from personal experience." He gripped one of Abel's wings and gave it a gentle tug. "Feather butt."

Talen got a sly look at Abel's next question. He waggled his eyebrows behind Mei's back when Abel looked to him for a better answer. He turned his back and did a fabulous impression of making out with a stranger that oddly had the same arms as him. However, he stopped in the middle of this to look on with the rest of his friends at Abel's remark.

"What does..." He started, trailing off and then squinted. "Hey. It's Gabe." Talen didn't seem to feel the same negative pressure that Mei was dealing with. "a** hole is probably here to hit on my sister." He said under his breath, but the way he insulted him sounded like a grudging respect.

Raising his arms, because he was sure neither person around him would, he waved the angel down. "MISS ME?" He called.

((theeere!))

Saul would admit he was quite relieved when Cain left. There was still a place in him that only felt sorry for Lilith's brother, but it was a very small place that didn't cause him much discomfort when he saw the back of him. He grinned at Lilith, looking somehow breathless and pale. He looked like he might have just gone for a long run.

"You're always saving my a**, aren't you?" He laughed a little, a breathy noise. Slowly he sank into a sit and rubbed at the places where he had been burned. "Think he'll be back?" Saul turned to look after him for a bit and then shook his head. "Don't care."

He raised his face to look at her, his smile twitching as though it might vanish in any moment. "Hey. You know. You don't have to... say you love me. Alright? It's enough." He waved his hands. "This is enough."

He sat for a moment more, seeming to bring himself together. "We should find everyone else..." He said off handedly.

((hahaha, i dunno why he felt like he had to say that. I think it might have been because she winced. OH SAUL. YOU'RE SO ADORABLE... and a push over. I should have named hi Matt. Like... people walk all over him. LOLOLOL. I'm hilarious. KAY. DONE.))

((AW YEAH. YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T GOING TO! BUT I'M TRYING TO DO ONE EVERY DAY. FO' REALZ.))

Talen couldn't have been as sensitive to Gabriel's mood as the others around him, but seeing him made him drop his arms, as well as his smile. He stood back, frowning. The more Gabriel spoke, the less he liked what was going on.

He moved forward to grip his friend by his shoulder, maybe for comfort but his expression was confused. "Hans?" He said looking around for someone to explain the meaning of this name to him. "What's happened? Drop this bullshit horror act and spit it out." He probably didn't mean that as harsh as he said it, in fact, his voice was more fearful than anything.

((hahahaha, Talen is so out of the loop.))

Saul gave a flicker of a smile at her nod. He rubbed at his neck briefly seemingly lost in how own thoughts, but then looked up at her again. "I'm sure you'll know the way." He frowned, looking around as he took her hand and was pulled to his feet. "Or maybe..." And then he laughed. "Yeah. Maybe something to eat."

And with that, Saul did his best to lead the way home.

((TRA LALALALAAL. LA. LALAALA. YAAAAAAY. Saul is crispy :9 Maybe Lilith should just eat him.))