Talia knew that she had made a lot of mistakes in the past but she really was trying to do better with her life. There were times when she had felt like she wasn’t worthy of being the host for an angel but the more she had started to get to know Asariel the more she had started to realise that the two of them were actually alike in some respects. They had both made bad choices in the past but they were trying to do the right thing now and in the end they’d reached an understanding that worked for both of them. Raven was someone that they never seemed to see eye to eye about, Asariel didn’t understand why Talia felt so drawn to the demon and if she was honest Talia didn’t understand it either but the truth was that she just couldn’t help it. Even before they were taken by the Dread Doctors she had felt a connection there between the two of them and that had only intensified after everything that they had gone through. Talia knew that just the word demon should have had her running a mile but she couldn’t shake the fact that Raven had been there for her so many times when she was younger and she had saved her life on more than a few of those occasions. If Raven was really as awful as Asariel had made demons out to be then Talia knew that she wouldn’t have done that and it was that knowledge that had made her give Raven a chance in the first place.
“You’ve saved me a few times, it’s about time I return the favour,” Talia said, a smile touching her lips as she nudged Raven’s arm with her own.
“She’ll take all the points she can get right now I think,” she laughed, certain that Asariel would have rolled her eyes at that if she’d been in control.
It never mattered what the angel said about Raven, Talia always ignored her and chose to stick around anyway. She knew all too well what it was like to be the one who was always left behind because the truth was that it had been that way ever since her parents had died when she was young. Ever since then she had been trying to find her place in the world and there was a part of her that felt like she’d finally done just that now that she had Raven in her life. She couldn’t explain it but it felt right to be around her for some reason and Talia knew that she wasn’t going to take that for granted in case Raven decided to take off and leave her behind again.
“You’ve never been a danger to me, you’ve only ever helped me,” Talia countered. She didn’t know why Raven had gone out of her way to do that when it literally went against her very nature to do that but Raven had been looking out for her ever since the day her parents died and Talia knew that she was never going to forget that.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re starting to feel what things?” she asked even as her heart fluttered in her chest. Talia didn’t know why Raven had such an effect on her but it was becoming much more difficult to ignore as they spent more time together.
As Raven spoke again and said that what had happened hadn’t bothered her for a long time, Talia studied her carefully for a moment.
“Are you sure about that?” she asked gently. That might have been the case in the past but Raven had her emotions back to an extent now so Talia wouldn’t be surprised if that had changed. As Raven agreed that the name suited her, Talia felt a smile touch her lips.
“Do you think you might use it again one day?” she asked, unable to deny that she was curious. She really did like the name but she wasn’t sure if Raven would ever want to embrace that connection to her past again. As Raven said that taking a life was still a big no-no, Talia nodded.
“I don’t think that will ever change but sometimes it’s self defence,” she said gently.
Raven’s next words were enough to catch Talia off guard and Talia studied her carefully for a moment.
“I could say the same about you, it drives Asariel crazy,” she admitted. The angel wanted her to get as far away from Raven as possible but Talia was stubborn and she knew that she was never going to do that. All Talia could do was listen as Raven started talking again. She knew that Raven was doing, she was trying to push her away but Talia was determined to stand her ground for as long as she could.
“I know about your past and it should scare me off but it doesn’t. I’ve seen a different side of you and I know there’s good in you even if you don’t want to admit it,” she said gently. With every passing moment Asariel’s voice was getting even louder in her head telling her to get out now while it was too late but Talia ignored it, needing to see where this was going to go. As Raven said that she wanted her and wanted to be with her, Talia’s heart skipped a beat but at the same time it was a scary thought. She’d been in relationships in the past and they hadn’t worked out well at all but in the past all of her partners had been men. This was completely new to her and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it all or what it would mean.
Just the word
love was enough to send her head into a spin even though Raven had said she wasn’t sure if that was what it was and Asariel really wasn’t helping matters at all. Talia’s head was pounding with all of the thoughts that were running through it and she opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find any words at all.
“I’m glad you were honest with me but this is a lot, I need some time to think,” she said at last, needing a moment to quieten the voices so she could think straight. Turning away from Raven, Talia started walking away from her and as she did Asariel’s voice was getting louder with each passing moment telling her that she couldn’t have feelings for Raven and that she needed to get as far away from her as possible.
“This isn’t about you, get out of my head and let me think!” she yelled, not realising that she had actually said the words out loud, more than loud enough for Raven to hear considering she was closest to her, until a few people who were further away turned to look in her direction only to see that she wasn’t talking to anyone that they could see. In that moment Talia was sure they thought she was crazy but for once Asariel backed off and it gave Talia a moment to think about what Raven had just said.
“What the hell am I doing?” she breathed, taking a deep breath before turning back to look at Raven. She knew deep down how she felt about Raven and she had done for a long time so there was no way she could walk away now. Without even thinking about it she made her way back to the demon and let her hands rest against the sides of Raven’s face before capturing her lips in a kiss she had wanted for as long as she could remember.
“I’ve already picked the right partner. It’s you,” she said gently as she pulled back a little.
RAVEN