When Angels Fall [GXG]

Chapter 22

They've been sitting out on the lounge in silence for the last half hour, and it's absolutely killing Sofiel.

It had only occurred to her, fifteen minutes into picking up her book again and scouring past the few pages of where she'd left off. That after completing her curative duties, Leah is now past being a house medic to Sofiel and is now, officially what the mortals would deem — a house guest.

And Sofiel has been floundering over herself since.

Especially now that she has started to acquaint herself with the social customs of the mortals through the various mediums. It's only right if she puts them to practice. Problem being that she doesn't actually know how.

She doesn't know for sure if she should put the kettle on or layout (Abigail's) cookies from the kitchen for Leah. If tea and snacks are still part of the proper etiquette when showing hospitality to a house guest in this time and age.

As for entertainment, she's pretty sure that Abigail doesn't have a pianoforte or a harp stowed somewhere in her small apartment. So, should she be putting the TV on then?

But Leah seems happy enough to be typing away on the laptop she's fished out from her satchel bag, undisturbed as it is.

Perhaps, a conversation? Yes. Sofiel can most certainly do conversations. She might not be particularly apt with the art of small talk. Considering Abigail is very much the only mortal she has ever spoken to since her fall to the mortal realm. But just like Leah, she's trying too.

Squaring her shoulders, Sofiel marks off the page in her book and sets it down with a steadying breath.

"How're things back at the Order?"

Leah sighs, shoulders sagging. Her fingers tapping across her keyboard only pause long enough for her to flash a very brief — very cursory — glance in Sofiel's general direction. And for the first time, Sofiel notices the weariness lining the bags under the medic's eyes.

"Well, with the brand-new information that there might potentially be another descending angel somewhere. It's pretty much chaos back at HQ."

Sofiel frowns, lips pursed tight in thought. This is completely opposite to the impression she's gotten from Abigail when she first broke the news to her the other day. After getting over her initial shock, she had waved Sofiel off with a shrug and a lopsided, albeit tired smile. She even went on to assure her that all would be fine, and that the Order will handle it the way it normally does.

No biggie, Sofiel believes were the words she had used that night.

But turns out, it is a... 'biggie' — if that's how the mortals use it — after all.

"Noah has been beside himself trying to come up with emergency and back up plans if it all goes downhill. You've met him by now, I'm sure. You know. Tall, dark, and handsome? Abigail's cousin."

"Yes," Sofiel says, stiltedly. "We've met."

She has encountered the aforementioned mortal a total of two times now. The first time. Well, she was near comatose and had only the vaguest impression of him — apart from being the mortal who had straight up put her through one of the worst imaginable pain ever.

Their second meeting, thankfully, had gone a little better.

The day after Sofiel finally came to, he had dropped by briefly to check in on her. For the most part of their limited interaction, he was cordial and polite.

But he distinctly lacked the warmth that Abigail so clearly had.

Despite his sparkling blue eyes and sheepish smiles, he had a certain reticence to him. A certain cold, detached professionalism. And whenever he had spoken directly to Sofiel, it felt more like business.