Edge of Thorns 4 - Pt 30

Part 30
A sad, simple question with a not-so-simple answer...

He stared at his outstretched hand. Would he trust him: it sounded more like a plea than the simple question he claimed it was. The angel wasn't really asking him if he would trust him; it felt to Nathan as though he was begging him to.

The writer drew a sharp breath and ran his fingers anxiously through his hair. He knew what he wanted to say, how he wanted to answer, but a small part of him was nagging at him to reconsider. There was something wrong, there just had to be. It couldn't be so simple... but then he realized he didn't really have any reason not to trust him. Raphael had taunted Alton, but the only harm he'd done to Nathan was when he didn't know who he was and thought he was getting between him and Gabriel. He hadn't bothered him since that incident, hadn't made any attack or threat towards him. Even while rescuing Avery: the angel had only been doing his job... although he had been antagonistic. That thought alone nearly made Nathan change his mind, until he thought about it again.

He realized that maybe his antagonism had been deliberate, because his delaying is what ultimately allowed them to save Avery's life.

Nathan shook his head, rubbed his eyes and sighed. He was over-thinking this. Pushing the rest of his reservations aside, he took Raphael's hand. "Okay," he agreed, determination in his voice. "Yes, I will trust you. As long as you don't give me good reason not to."

The angel's smile strengthened, not even the slightest hint of deviousness in his smirk. "Thank you, Karol. That is what I hoped you would say."

His fingers tingled, like pins and needles, the cold starting to get to them before Raphael released his hand and hopped down from the shed, standing in front of him. Another gust blew across the garden, making Nathan shiver and wrap his arms around himself, much to the scarcely clothed angel's amusement. The writer wrinkled his nose at him. "Not to rush you, but could you tell me how to help Alton now, so I can go back inside? Unlike you, the cold bothers me..."

"Scio, scio. I know. I will be as concise as I can." Raphael hummed. "I hope you know the obvious option could work, but would be difficult to execute: proper punishment for the Sin."

Nathan cringed. "I didn't expect that cutting off one of his limbs would be easy, let alone an option."

"Ah, so you are familiar with the punishment for Wrath. I was not sure."

"I'm very well-versed in seven deadly sins mythos, yeah."

"Do you know the virtues then?"

The writer hesitated, staring at him with his brow raised in confusion. Raphael ruffled his wings and took his silence for ignorance, and so continued.

"As there are seven deadly sins," he explained, "there are also seven contrary virtues. They are meant to counter and counteract the sins, but -- due to the effort required to practice each of them -- they are not nearly as influential as their opposing vices. That is why the Sins have manifestations -- the sisters -- and the virtues do not."

"Okay, I'm following you so far." Nathan wasn't sure if he wanted him to figure some of this out himself or just listen, but he was already taking this new information and working on it like a puzzle. "Seven sins, seven virtues... wait." His eyes narrowed as the wheels in his mind began turning. "Is there a way to use a virtue to exorcise a sin?"

Raphael smiled brightly and nodded, for a moment reminding him of Gabriel with his enthusiasm. "Yes." The smile quickly faded. "But I must warn you, it is only slightly less difficult than enacting a given sin's punishment."

"How so?"

"You must take control of the virtue and maintain it in the presence of the sin: easier said than done."

Nathan stared at him again, this time shaking his head. "You lost me."

"Listen to me, Karol." Raphael huffed with frustration. "Humans are imperfect beings. Angels are not perfect either. Though we may be closer to it, we are far from without flaws. To remain unflinchingly virtuous in the face of vice is no simple task." He closed his eyes, hands balling into fists. He seemed pained while he spoke. "Wrath's contrary virtue is patience. To exorcise Lumiel of Ira's influence, you will need to provoke a confrontation, then remain entirely calm while he lashes out and tries to invoke anger in you. If you can hold out long enough -- how long, I cannot say -- then Lumiel should be able to free himself from Ira's possession." He opened his eyes, looking almost exhausted. "Do you understand now?"

He did, and like the angel had warned him, he didn't really like this option. "You're saying I need to keep my temper in front of someone who's an expert at manipulating emotions," he said dryly. "I'm not sure if that isn't harder than trying to cut off a limb..."

"Those are the only viable options I can offer. If there are others, they are secrets that I am not privy to."

"Hmmm..."

Nathan paced along the path, stopping in front of a snowbank. He wondered... He turned back towards Raphael. "Does this work on humans hosting a Sin too?"

The angel nodded. "Though no less difficult to attempt, I am sure. Why?"

The writer stared out over the edge of the roof. "I'm just... trying to think of what I'll do when I find the other Sins and their hosts, what I can do besides torture them to free them."

The crunch of footsteps in the snow followed his remark as Raphael moved beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "There is a third option, but it is not practical, and the others would be extremely upset with me if I were to suggest it."

"An option's an option," Nathan reminded him, turning to him with renewed interest. "What else can I do?"

It was hard to say whether his expression was a smile or a frown, but the angel shook his head. "I should not tell you. It may be the only option that guarantees success, but..." He shook his head again. "The cost is too great."

"Tell me," Nathan insisted, growing agitated with his evasiveness. "No games, Raphael. I said I would trust you."

This time, the angel definitely frowned. He looked out across the roof, then stepped up onto the edge, brushing away some of the snow with his foot to make a clear space beside him. He extended his hand to Nathan again, locking those piercing green eyes with his once more. "Are you certain you want to know?"

I feel I can trust him, but I don't like the seriousness of his tone. I feel sick. I feel like he's holding back the best thing I can do, but at the same time it seems like it really may be the worst. Should I take his hand again? Do I want to know?