Heart Of Stone

Chapter One

LUTE'S POV
"Attention all exorcists! You are released for the day!" I call out to all my exorcists after several hours of vigorous training. As they depart from the training area I walk to a bench and sit down to catch my breath, that's when I saw her standing not far from me. She was watching me, I could sense it without having to glance in her direction. "Greetings Emily." I said this without looking at her, I couldn't trust myself to do so. "Hi Lute!" I felt my heart flutter annoyingly at the chipperness that is always present in her voice.
"How are you doing?" She asks. She walks over to the bench and sits down beside me. I finally look up into her eyes.
"I'm doing just fine Seraphim. How about yourself? How have you been?"
"I've been great! Just doing the usual, showing people around Heaven, welcoming souls, you know?"
I nod with a soft smile but quickly put up my guard again. I can't risk her learning how i feel about her. Well, what I think I feel about her? For Heaven's sake, Adam was just killed a few months ago. We were never truly together, however, he was one of the few who actually cared about me. The only one who truly knew me... Plus, the Seraphim in question is a female. A female and another female can't be more than friends in Heaven. There's no way what I feel is true. My judgement must be clouded or something...
"Lute? Earth to Lute?" Shit, she had been trying to talk to me. I got my barrings and looked back into her face.
"My apologies Emily, I... have to go." I stand quickly and walk off as memories of Adam flood my mind.

EMILY'S POV
I watch as the leader of the exorcist army walks quickly away from me. I keep watching her until I can no longer see her. It was strange, she left almost without reason. It's unlike Lute not to give an explanation for such a brisk departure. I shake my head and stand up, trying to gather my thoughts.
Things in Heaven have been quite different since Adam was killed during the last extermination. Especially my relationship with Sera. I didn't realize how much she was truly hiding from me. I can't help but wonder... how much more could she be keeping from my knowledge? Am I really this naive? I know she had her reasonings, but it still hurts knowing someone I love so much was lying to me for so long. I'm starting to think Princess Morningstar was right. Yeah, there may not be proof that redemption is possible just yet... but equally, there is no proof that it isn't possible either. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, knowing I shouldn't be thinking such things.
My mind wanders back to Lute. She is one of the strongest people I know, but I think Adam's death has affected her more than she will admit. She seems so lost without him. No one else seems to notice this though. Can't they see it's just a mask? She's moving forward every day doing the same things as if she's on auto pilot. She rarely shows emotions, even less than she used to, and when she does, it's usually to snap and yell at one of her exterminators. I just wish I could help her...
My train of thought comes to an abrupt halt when I bump into someone. I stumble back completely caught off guard. "Oh crap, I'm so sorry!" I look up to find Sera looking down at me.
"Emily. Are you alright?" She looks at me, it feels so... normal.
"Yes Sera, I'm alright. I'm sorry I was just-"
"Lost in thought?" She chuckles softly, "I know you Em, it's alright."
I relax knowing I'm not in any trouble. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes there is actually. Saint Peter has just informed me that we have some new arrivals in Heaven, and he needs you to show them around and help them get settled. Are you up for it?"
"Yes Ma'am, it would be no problem!" I smile feeling like my normal self at the thought of doing what I love.
"Thank you, Emily." Sera kisses me on the forehead before walking off in the other direction. I smile and head to the gates to do my job. For now, I'm putting thoughts of Sera and Lute out of my mind, I can figure it all out later.
*A/N* Hi! This is my first fic! These chapters will get longer I promise! I have a basic plot in my head for this, but if anyone has any suggestions on topics I should touch on, leave them in the comments! Thank you for reading!!