flameandpassion | 85 [Video]

85 [Video]

[Rei is in a hall of the Temple of Heaven, which is, miraculously, still fairly intact. Why, you ask? Because a few of the citizens of Adstringendum helped keep the entirely wooden building together -- and Rei, who is wiping a bloody blade clean on her sleeve, focuses on the PCD to address exactly that.

She looks terrible. Exhausted -- because she has not slept in days. Pale -- because she hasn't slept in days and she's been redo-ing the warding in the Temple to allow for most everyone to gain access. And she, to the very well-trained eye, is shaking. Being dismembered doesn't exactly grant well to your nerves, once the adrenaline wears off. But Rei is nothing but stubborn and though her voice is quiet and she sounds almost ill, she still manages to be heard.]

The Temple of Heaven is open to anyone who lost their homes during the attack. The warding will now allow almost everyone within the walls, save for a select few who won't make matters any better. You know who you are. I'm not going to bother naming names. And --

[She pauses before raising her eyes to focus more fully on the camera.]

I wanted to thank anyone and everyone who helped keep this building standing. It wasn't done for me -- but I want to thank you, anyway. This place is my home and the home of a lot of other people who have come through this city and to lose everything -- thank you. And -- like I said, anyone who needs a place to stay, or a shower, or food -- please come here.

For those who don't want to leave their homes -- I control fire. I understand if you don't want my assistance or don't want to ask for it, but please, if there's anything I can do to help control what fires still remain in the city, I want to help. So -- for those who don't know me, my name is Hino Rei, and my feed is always open if you need any help.

[And she presses a button on her PCD to send the coordinates to her location.]

[x,y]

[That takes care of the public matters. Now, for the personal ones.]

[Filtered to Members of the Police Force + Alphonse + Nathaniel // Private // Unhackable]

I'm sure most of you expect a resignation out of me, too, but I can't.

[Her jaw is slightly tight and she's noticeably nervous, from what she's about to say, but she keeps going anyway.]

The Archangel Raphael is dead, but not gone from the city yet. When she returns, she is sill a member of the police force. As it stands, I'm the only person in this city who can and will put her in her place if she decides to do anything psychotic. And seeing as I'm the only person in her unit, we're a little out of luck.

Seeing as we're down our original founder and we need to regroup anyway in order to start rebuilding this city -- I'd like to call for a meeting. I want all of you to decide what to do with me. If you want me out of the force, then fine -- vote me out and I'll down. Until then, I am still one of two people on the power containment unit, and I can't step down until a suitable replacement is found.

I'd also suggest kicking Raphael out while you still have the chance, since Jean-Louis Duroc was an idiot to let her in on the first place.

Please let me know when the meeting is and what you need me to do until then. Thank you.

[And the feed is cut.]

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No, Rei.

[He isn't putting up with her stubbornness, and reaches for her shoulder again, forcing his grace forward without hesitation... To have to pull it back immediately as there's the beginning of what is almost a tearing sensation. It's a herald that he's done too much and used more energy than he can afford to, and if he exerts himself farther he'll do serious damage and be right back to useless.

So instead, he sits down next to her, leaning his head back against the wall and pressing a hand to his chest.]

We all do. It doesn't have to begin this moment. You can rest now, and then be actually able to assist, just as I should.

[It's an unspoken offer of a deal; he'll rest if she will.]

[She doesn't pull away from him when he tries to heal her again, but she frowns when he sits next to her, eyes flickering to the hand on his chest. She's quiet before sighing to herself at his deal.]

It should begin at this moment.

[But it's murmured as she lets her eyes close, to allow herself the tiniest moment of rest and relaxation.]

[He watches her close her eyes a moment, breathing out slowly himself. He can't sleep now, which he's glad for, but he does need rest and he'll need it soon. But not immediately.]

It will be of no benefit to anyone if you become too unwell to assist.

[Guilting about usefulness always works on him, so he'll try that.]

I woke up too unwell to assist.

[She's still for a moment or two, taking comfort in the calm, before she rests her head on his shoulder, opening her eyes to stare at the opposite wall, which is free of blood and chalk.]

The only rest I had was dragging Toushirou to a safehouse.

True.

[He lets her do so; thankfully that shoulder of his coat is relatively unmarked by blood and ash, at least in comparison to much of the rest of him.]

If you are attempting to convince me of why you should not rest, you are doing a poor job.

You'll argue with anything I say, so there's no point in lying about how tired I am.

[She feels like her limbs are made out of lead, anyway. But she's quietly as she carefully raises a hand to pull at his coat sleeve, to get a better look at it, before she sighs.]

You need to change.

I can sense it, regardless.

[Though he doesn't have to in order to tell, now that he knows her so much better. When she tugs on his coat sleeve, he glances down at it, feeling some strange level of amusement at the situation.]

I should be able to repair it in an instant. I would normally be capable of it.

[But he doesn't have the strength right now. Though that reminds him...]

Once I recover I should be able to assist in building repair as well.

Rest, for now.

[She has absolutely no intention of letting him get up and leave so long as she's stuck sitting on the floor. Which may be for a couple of hours. She's kind of exhausted.]

You'll hurt yourself permanently if you try to do too much too quickly.

You know that resting no longer involves sleep, for me.

[He gives her a look.]

If you attempt to return to work rather than resting as well, I will know.

[She's still for a moment or two before she slowly links an arm through one of his, holding it close to her, before she adds a stubborn:]

So will I.

[You're not just going to fly away on her and start rebuilding the Taj Mahal without her, jerkface.]

I don't intend to leave.

[He's truly and honestly exhausted after three days of fighting, dying several times, regaining his grace, and having to kill one of his friends. For once, he's entirely willing to actually rest like he's supposed to.

But first, he needs to be certain Rei does, and he carefully pulls his arm from hers and gets to his feet before extending his hand toward her.]

The floor is not a good place to sleep.

[She stares a him, a bit stubbornly, before she sighs and extends a hand, for him to pull her up. She can't get up by herself.]

The floor isn't the worst place in the world to be unconscious.

You didn't allow me to remain on the floor.

[No matter how desperately he'd wanted to stay there when he's collapsed once they'd reached the Temple; she had made him get up again and go to a bed, which had been for the best. He pulls her upright, easily, even more so than before with the return of his angelic strength.]

[She sways slightly, when he pulls her up, dizzy, but keeps her hold on his hand, tossing him a flat look.]

That's different.

[Because it's not her. 8|]

It is not different at all.

[He gives her one right back, before beginning to attempt leading her toward her room, providing support as necessary.]

[She lets herself get tugged toward her room without much resistance. Mainly because she can't offer much assistance. She's so tired.]

Did you seriously tell John that I couldn't see him?

[She doesn't know why that popped into her head.]

[He gives her a genuinely perplexed look at that for a moment before he figures out what she's talking about.]

No. I asked him where he was, because he said that he was fighting and I was concerned you would join him.

... oh.

[Blink.]

I totally didn't go or anything.

Of course not.

[And they're to Rei's room; Castiel indicates toward the bed, then sits down on the floor next to it.]

[She opens her mouth to argue but realizes that it's a futile effort and sighs, sinking down to sit on her bed before she decides to burrow appropriately into her blankets. She lets her eyes wander around her room for a moment or two -- a year and a half preserved thanks to the people of the city -- before she closes her eyes.

It only lasts a couple of minutes before she continues, muffled:]

Cas?

[He's perfectly comfortable as he is, sitting half curled against the wall and half against the bed, but he glances up when Rei says his name.]

What?

You're getting blood on my comforter.

[She gently tugs it upward.]

[It's so ridiculous the corner of his mouth twitches slightly upward.]

My apologies.

You should be. Insensitive jerk.

[She's quiet for a second or two before settling back into her pillows.]

Thanks for not hating me.

Of course.

[It's said easily even if his voice is quiet.]

Rest.

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