Owen Changes His Mind

10. To Change A Jaguar's Spots 3/3

While Owen had been writing, Guts came again to deliver food. Several days passed before Owen saw another living being again. He'd taken to explaining himself to the wine bottle, who he'd named Buddy. Buddy would sit on the table and Owen would explain his writing to the bottle, or ask the bottle whether anyone would visit him again, or explain why he needed out. He never felt convincing enough. "They're not going to believe me," he explained to Buddy. "They think I'm the liar, so-"

"Excuse me Owen," Ayngel interrupted.

Owen turned, covering his surprise. "Oh, Ayngel," Owen tossed his bangs but they dropped right back into his eyes. He brushed them away again. "What can I do for you?"

Ayngel shifted from foot to foot before stepping forward. "I don't think you're a liar," she said, one hand on her hip. Ayngel cleared her throat before continuing. "You've always been a good leader to the clearing and I wanna get you out."

Owen's jaw went slack. "You- you do? How? Why?"

Ayngel sighed, stepping closer and putting one hand on the bars. "Owen, you're a good leader. You can keep everyone safe," Ayngel explained.

Owen scoffed, reaching out to pick Buddy up. "Keep everyone safe? Are you serious? I'm here for a reason, Ayngel," he gestured with his friend. Owen turned to keep himself slightly between Ayngel and Buddy without noticing.

"What reason?" Ayngel pushed. "Why are you here when everyone else is out there? Surely you don't deserve to be here more than anyone else," she frowned.

Owen frowned in response. "Actually, yeah I do. I'm-" he couldn't explain it to her. He couldn't explain that he thought demons deserved, or didn't deserve, to die. He couldn't tell her that demons had destroyed his life, and so he'd decided to destroy them. Owen grimaced, sucking in a breath through his teeth. "Haven't you heard, Ayngel?" He looked up at her through his hair.

Ayngel's knuckles on the bars went white. "No I haven't. Surely you don't deserve to be here more than Apo." Owen froze. He prayed Ayngel didn't notice. "They're back in the clearing. I couldn't kill them but that doesn't mean they deserve to come back either." Ayngel was shaking her head, gesturing to the corner.

Owen caught the moment she looked back at him and refused to meet her gaze. Ayngel tried to kill Apo? But she hadn't succeeded, obviously. Owen's mind raced. "I can't believe you. You tried to kill Apo? You?"

Ayngel let go of the bars to gesture with both hands. "Yes. But I couldn't do it." Her gaze shifted to a faraway time, probably reliving it. What had she done? And how?

Owen was speaking before he realized. "Yeah, they're a-" A what? A real pest? Impossible to kill? Owen tried again. "They-" Don't deserve to die? Saved Owen's life when they didn't have to? Owen couldn't bring himself to admit weakness to the person who told him to keep his emotions inside. "uh. Neither could I." Owen struggled to focus on Ayngel and finish his sentence. He finally settled for staring at the jar on the floor, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Ayngel tilted her head. "...Owen?"

Owen's face flinched. He could keep his body steady, but expressions were more difficult. "Ayngel, I don't really want to talk about it with you," Owen drawled, turning his face away from her and pretending to inspect Buddy, his wine bottle. She wanted to kill Apo.

"Owen," Ayngel half laughed, her voice tight with anxiety. "You're smart. Don't you have some kind of plan, or analysis?"

Owen absolutely did not glance toward his book, tucked away inside the backpack laying behind him on the floor. Instead, he kept his eyes on Buddy. "Nice try. I won't fall for it, Ayngel." She thought demons deserved to die. Red had really been looking in the wrong place. Owen stood and went to the very back of his cell, stepping over the backpack on his way. Owen sat on the chair and set Buddy on the table, reflexively wrapping a protective hand around it. "If you're expecting me to rant and rave and agree with you Ayngel, I won't."

Owen watched Ayngel rock back and blink twice. She was surprised. Then he watched her eyes narrow. "Why not?" she demanded.

Finally, a question Owen could answer. He smiled. "This is a test," laughed Owen, "you're testing me. Well I won't do it." Owen leaned back in his chair like it was a throne, resting Buddy on one knee like a scepter.

Ayngel frowned at the change in demeanor. "What is it you think you're agreeing with, Owen? I'm starting to get annoyed." Owen saw Ayngel shift her weight. Her face was rigid, but she was uncertain.

Owen slowly got to his feet, glaring at Ayngel. He leaned forward. "What do you want from me!? Do you want me to tell you demons are evil and bad? All of them?" Owen turned to pace the length of his cell in front of Ayngel, eyes always turned towards her. "Aren't you friends with Krow? Do you know what Krow's done?" Owen resisted the urge to touch his healing face or the ear that still didn't hear right. "But that doesn't matter, what have you done Ayngel? You're a celestial. Could you honestly tell me you've never done something you regret?" Owen stopped pacing, all traces of happiness or understanding fleeing from his expression. "Or do you seriously consider yourself so far above us that you'd never stoop to our level, and you want me to do your dirty work?"

Ayngel took a step back.

"You want me to kill your demons Ayngel!?" Owen continued, squaring his shoulders to her. His voice rose in volume as she continued to step back. "You'll have to find some other poor sod. I'm retired!"

Ayngel turned her body sideways, almost flinching away from him. "Owen?" she asked in a small, childlike voice. Funny, but Owen wasn't in a laughing mood.

Owen advanced on the bars, and on Ayngel. "Get. Out," he roared.

Ayngel turned and ran.