Edge of Thorns 2 - Pt 12

Part 12
I'm pretty sure telling the truth (when he can do that already) is only going to piss Gabriel off more. So, how the hell am I going to explain his inexplicable knowledge of the model's death...?

"He's psychic," Nathan told Marq, hoping his smile looked genuine and not desperate. The photographer's horrified expression shifted, becoming confused, so he continued. "You know, psychic? He sees dead people...?"

"Oh." Clearly, Marq wasn't buying it, but he still turned to Gabriel for confirmation. The angel was rubbing his temples, but he nodded.

"Your reaction is precisely why I don't usually bring it up," he said, giving him a half shrug. "Nathan knows, which is why I wanted to talk to him before I took over for Fabrizio in the shoot. Needless to say, that's why I'm uncomfortable with it."

Nathan raised an eyebrow, his jaw dropping. Did Gabriel just...? But his thoughts were interrupted as Marq shook his head and waved his hands, an oddly relieved chuckle escaping him. "Okay, okay. I get it. You mean metaphoric death, right? Fabrizio's been slacking on his appointments, so you've been slowly working your way in, essentially killing his career. I see where you're going with this. Funny. Very funny." He laughed uneasily again, stepping back through the door.

Gabriel sighed and rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Sure, we'll call it that." As soon as the photographer was gone again, he turned his attentions to the clothes he was supposed to be changing into, inspecting them curiously, as if that awkward confrontation hadn't occurred. "That could have been worse..."

"You lied." Nathan stared at him, waiting for him to look up again. "You told me that you couldn't lie, but what you just told him, that was..."

"A loophole," Gabriel explained calmly with a thin smile. "Since you've forced me to interact more directly with other humans, I need to pretend to be one. It is the one exception to the rule that prevents me from lying, since (unlike you, Nathan) most humans aren't willing to accept an angel walking among them. Unfortunately," he giggled, "Being unable to lie otherwise makes coming up with my own identity somewhat difficult. As I'm sure you noticed on Halloween, I lack creativity."

"Right. Huh. That makes sense." And it did. Nathan remembered his reaction to learning that Alton was Lucifer: he didn't believe him, didn't want to believe him. It was much easier to accept that he was an eccentric bookseller. He gave Gabriel a grin, remembering his costume. "Yeah, Death dressing as Death seems to be cheating a bit."

The angel giggled again, folding the clothes over a chair. "So, you've made me a psychic," he repeated before pulling his sweater up and over his head. "Can you give me more details? What does being a psychic entail?"

"Well, I just figured that, since you know when people have died, you could just work with that," Nathan said, folding his arms. "If it even comes up again. Then, you technically wouldn't have to lie about it."

"That sounds simple enough. I suppose I'll need to find my own apartment."

"I'd offer to share mine, but it's bad enough that Scott thinks... Jesus Christ!" Nathan hadn't been paying much attention when he was considering any details he'd need to add to the story he'd made up about Gabriel being psychic, and because of that he hadn't been prepared to look up and see the angel standing there completely naked. He was more startled than anything else and immediately closed his eyes, trying to forget what he'd seen. He heard Gabriel growl (probably because of his swearing) and then sigh.

"Would you relax, Nathan? It isn't like I have anything you haven't seen."

"Doesn't matter," the writer said quickly, a bit agitated. "I did not need to see that! It's bad enough my coworker already thinks I'm gay because of you; you're not improving matters."

Gabriel laughed and he heard him move. Nathan didn't dare open his eyes, hoping he was putting at least a pair of pants on. He shivered when he felt a cold hand brush his cheek instead. "Why, do I make you uncomfortable, Nathan?"

"Truthfully? Yes! And now you're starting to piss me off!"

Nathan could practically hear the smirk spreading across Gabriel's face.

"You know," the angel continued, "technically speaking, I'm neither male nor female, yet also both. All angels are..."

"Yeah, Alton explained the hermaphroditic thing a while ago," Nathan cut him off. "Really, I don't care. You look mostly male, you have a dick, and I don't want to see it." He thought for a moment. "Don't make me start using the Lord's name in vain to get you to back off!"

"Relax! I'm dressed now."

The writer wondered if this was something he could lie about now and slowly opened one eye... then the other when he saw he was telling the truth. Gabriel had just finished pulling on the dress shirt meant for Fabrizio, giving Nathan a brief glimpse of something on his back. He decided not to comment, just glad that he was clothed. When the angel turned to face him again, he certainly looked the part of a model. "So, to hair and make-up with you?" Nathan asked.

But Gabriel frowned. "I'd rather avoid it. Go meet up with the others and tell them I prefer to do this on my own. The identity you gave me may enable me to lie about my reasons, but it's going to take me a while to get used to it. Would you mind?"

"No, not in the least!" Nathan couldn't get out of there any faster. He met up with Marq and Gloria again, explaining to them that Gabriel was paranoid about people messing with his hair and putting make-up on his face, and that he preferred to do it himself. The photographer almost objected, but stopped short when Gabriel entered the studio. Any and everyone who'd been talking was silenced immediately by his presence, even Wren (who'd been begging one of the stylists for a cigarette). Nathan realized that he'd dropped some of his more human appearance to get around hair and make-up. Gloria was the first to make a sound: she whistled.

"God damn!" she said as activity picked up again, oblivious to the angel's wince. The model grabbed Nathan's arm. "Tell me he's available!"

"Aren't you seeing someone?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her, to which she scoffed, let go, and sauntered over to meet the replacement Fabrizio. Nathan just shook his head while the shoot finally began, walking to stand off to the side with Wren.

The teen seemed confused as he turned to look up at him, his successfully procured cigarette tucked behind his ear. "Who's that? He looks kinda familiar..."

Nathan couldn't help himself and smirked. "Remember right before we went to save Avery?"

"Yeah?"

"The hot chick."

Wren's eyes got as wide as a Chinese's eyes could and he pulled the cigarette out. "I definitely need this now..."

Nathan tried not to laugh. "Gabriel seems to have that effect on people."

"I bet." The teen rolled the cigarette between his fingers. "Hey, mind joining me outside while I smoke this? I'm kinda bored..."

He's not the only one. This whole thing is pretty dull, and since Gloria already provided me with a full interview, it's not like I have to be here. But then Gabriel isn't really keen on the position I put him in, and he may not like it if I leave, even if it's just to step outside and keep Wren company. I hate cigarette smoke, but anything would be vastly more interesting than this...

Should I stay or go?