Virus saw the warehouse and moved to it. He saw the old black dried goo handprint from last time. He stood there and just furrow his brows. The two followed, watching as he stopped to stare at the handprint from before. After a minute Wagner broke the silence.

“Virus?” He asked, reaching to set a hand on his shoulder.

Virus stared still at the warehouse “we wish to go for a walk alone” he told them.

“Do… you want us to stay here? Should I let them in how you got in before?” Wagner asked. Gears looked at Virus worriedly, he didn’t like the sound of that but he didn’t protest. Just looking at him instead.

Virus nods “yes its the only entrance into the place. Make yourselves at home.” He told them and then turns to walk off.

Wagner nodded, looking to Gears. “Let’s get inside. We’re too visible out here.”

Gears watched Virus walk off for a long minute before nodding to Wagner, moving to follow him into the entrance Wagner led him into. Mariel was…still out. Mostly. He groaned softly, the blue eyes fluttering up to stare at the ceiling. He didn’t appear to be in pain, but he also appeared to be utterly out of it as he tried to figure out what ceiling he was looking at. Gears looked over the angel as his eyes fluttered open. He wasn’t screaming and writhing in agony so he considered that a good sign. Wagner came over to take a look as well.

“How is he? Coming around?” Wagner asked.

“He seems to be out of pain, think we either got far enough away or smiley turned it off…” Gears nodded.

Hearing the voices he kind of blinked…and then jolted up into a sitting position. He looked at the two creatures there fairly wild-eyed and then scrambled backwards with the ring in the end of his hair in hand. “Right. Right. Okay,” he said. He didn’t sound anything like he had back in the labs; in fact he sounded like a normal (but slightly spooked) angel faced with two very non-angelic beings. “You can stay away or I can remove your faces.”

Wagner held up his hands, he was in shit shape to fight even if he still could manage it.

“We won’t do anything to you. We didn’t want to abandon you back there.” Gears said, still kneeling on floor as he looked at Mariel. “You helped us knock that demon out.”

Mariel looked around again, for the first time seeming to realize that this wasn’t the laboratory. “I….” There was a long pause, and he relaxed just slightly. “Your voice. You’re the one that was in my head,” he said slowly, and then looked to Wagner. He stared at him for a long time as though trying to remember something, and then quickly turned away with his hand over his mouth as though to keep from throwing up everything he had in his entire existence. Yyyyeah, he remembered Wagner for sure.

Gears nodded at his words, “Yes, that was me speaking to you.” He watched him look to Wagner as the doctor stared back at the angel curiously, arching a brow as he turned away with his hand over his mouth.

“Are you unwell?” Gears asked.

Once he was sure he could speak without gagging, Mariel nodded and brought his wings in to a tight tuck at his sides. “I…” He could barely bring himself to look at Wagner without shuddering. “Th-That wasn’t….exactly….You do realize that under any circumstance I wouldn’t soil myself by touching you, much less any of the…things…other…I may have said or done.” Smoooooth. Very smooth.

“Of course.” Wagner nodded, “It was an unusual circumstance.” That was the understatement of the year after getting pepper spray bukkake’d, but he figured better not to make a big deal of it.

“We won’t touch you if you don’t want us to.” Gears added helpfully.

Mariel nodded, seemingly convinced by those words, and after taking a deep breath he summoned his armor to him once more. Glorious~ Radiant~ Well, except for all those black and blue streaks that he ignored as best he could. “We. I…should..” There was a long pause as he seemed to listening to something …or for something. His shoulders sagged slightly. “I don’t have anywhere to go. I still can’t hear the Voice up here. Why are you two so…nice? I thought that you’d leave me or turn against me as soon as it was convenient. Do you still need something from me?”

The pair watched Mariel thoughtfully, Gears looking impressed as he summoned the armor to him. Gears wondered what the angel seemed to be listening for. Wagner could guess what he listened for, and why there was no answer.

“Not really. Just didn’t want to abandon you after you went out of your way to help us.” Gears shrugged.

“And we all know how unpleasant it is to be that demon’s toy…” Wagner said softly, looking anywhere else.

“If you have nowhere to go you could stay with us.” Gears suggested.

He continued to listen to no avail, letting the bladed ring slip over his wrist as he reached up to rub at his temples. “That’s…..kind of you,” he admitted, and it did -sound- like an admission, as though it were difficult for him to say that. “I probably would have been better down there. At least I’d have been a distraction, and…I had a Voice down there, even if it wasn’t the right one. I don’t know what to do, I-I’m used to always having orders.” Gears’ offer of hospitality was enough to make his breath catch and he gave a small nod, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his arm. “I-If I could for a bit, I would be grateful.” For all his holy badassery, he just looked like a lost puppy right about now.

Gears listened as he spoke, he could understand the need for a voice, a connection. He’d felt it when Virus had briefly cut them off.

“Maybe if you wanted you could be part of the hive. It is nice. We are not alone anymore.” Gears said. It might not be the voice Mariel wanted, but it was the closest thing he could offer.

Wagner nodded at his words, it was going to be an adjustment just living without scheduling and testing and routines.

“Of course. You are welcome with us.” Gears nodded empathetically.

Was there ever anything benevolent that came with being part of something called a ‘hive’? For a brief moment Mariel looked panicked, but he eventually forced himself to smile. C’mon, they’re being nice and they have a reason to be nice. Stop being so panicky about everything. “I…m-maybe. Maybe? I just, I think I want to rest now. And you look like you need it too,” he said to Wagner. “I….regret I can’t offer you healing aid. I fear it would only make things much worse.”

Gears could see the panicky look, looking at the angel empathetically.

“You can think about it. We won’t force you if you don’t want it, just know you are welcome with us.” Gears said.

“You’re not wrong. I’m exhausted.” Wagner nodded, smiling appreciatively at the angel’s words, “I appreciate the sentiment all the same.”

“If you feed on me it should speed your regeneration.” Gears looked to Wagner, “And then I should rest as well.” He was exhausted too, and they’d need to sleep for their serpentine acquaintance to locate where they’d moved to.

Mariel backed up slowly until he was up against a wall, and then he slid down to sit, pulling his arms and his wings around himself like a tiny barrier against the world. Everything was strange and frightening now, and there was a nagging need to return to a home that he couldn’t, or a prison that he didn’t belong in but craved. The dark wings curled in around him, obscuring all but the top of his head as he drew his knees to his chest.

Gears watched Mariel, giving him a nod of understanding as he backed up to one of the walls, getting to his feet and moving to Wagner.

“Here, feed from me.” Gears said as be wrapped his arms around Wagner’s waist. Wagner gladly accepted, bringing his mouth to Gears neck and sinking his fangs in.

Wagner drank his fill before leaning up to kiss Gears. “Thank you, I feel better already. I slept more recently. You get your rest.”

“Alright, then you rest when I wake.” Gears nodded.