Ariel Cantrell

❝ I don’t got time for holy rollers though they may w a s h my feet and I WON’T be their soldier. ❞

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kiraarosales:

EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A LAWYER who had been better at being argumentative and intellectual than casual as a young girl, she’d become a better version of herself after xavier and after having her son. she always enjoyed talking to people and meeting new faces but now it was a lot easier. friendly, random conversation was now something that came more naturally to her. she was enjoying herself.

❛ that’s a good idea, ❜ kira said with a smile. ❛ it’s a bit chilly lately, isn’t it ? oh ! ❜ the mother was surprised to remember she hadn’t properly introduced herself. ❛ im kira by the way ! how rude of me. ❜ she chuckled. ❛ and this is my son, tristan. ❜ her free hand was offered for a shake.

Socializing was one of Ariel’s favorite past times. They were an extrovert, through and through, and found nothing in awkward in starting up a conversation with a random stranger. They enjoyed people -- whether supernatural or human -- and disliked conflict. It’s why they made for such a bad angel. That, and the utter disregard for moral absolutes.

“It is April in Oregon,” they responded with a small chuckle. “It’s wet for eight months of the year. At least the snow doesn’t get too bad.” Beaming, they took her hand; “not rude at all. I’m Ariel -- it’s been nice to meet you and Tristan.” He gave a small wave at the little boy.

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elenaridley:

She nodded, and flipped through the pages until settling on the main dishes. She had been pretty sure of what she’d wanted before she saw it, but the description underneath ‘baked mac ‘n’ cheese’ made her mouth water. Extra white cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and crispy baked bread crumbs. 

      “The only thing I’d suggest you stay away from is the fish and chips. Well, the fish —the fries are great. Definitely can’t go wrong with chili, though. As long as you don’t mind… the aftermath.”

“The fish and chips?” they asked with a furrowed brow. Was that just general advice or was there some horror story to be shared there? The fish wasn’t actually mermaid, was it? Though curiosity had sparked in Ariel, they didn’t press -- leaving it open to whether Elena wanted to answer.

“Considering I live alone, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem,” they said with a shrug. Though it might have sounded sad, Ariel didn’t mind in the slightest, not one when they looked at it just one more avenue of freedom. “What are you going to have?”

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freyawhitmore:

PEOPLE RANDOMLY COMING UP TO HER was not new to freya. in public, she was a habit of trying to look as happy and approachable as she could. it always worked in her favor. it helped that she always enjoyed parties and clubs. so she was laughing with the bartender before he left to serve more drinks and turned in time to see someone come to her. they probably hadn’t seen her face immediately until she did. and she didn’t notice exactly who it was until lights illuminated their face.

the charismatic expression melted off her face. the blonde looked down at their hand before taking it with a humorless smile. she had many regrets in life which came with being so old. one of them was failing completely at something she thought would be easy. ariel hadn’t been an angel she could turn. she shook it slowly but firmly. ❛ well, well, well. if it isn’t my favorite little cherub. ❜ 

They didn’t recognize her from a distance -- the lights were too dim and it had been too long -- but when they got a good look of her face, they recognized her instantly. Freya. It had been 1943 and they’d still been living in London. The war had still been raging. The Blitz was over but they could still hear the warning sirens ringing in their ears. It would be what eventually led them to America. But none of that had been relevant to their interactions with the woman before them. 

The change in her expression didn’t surprise them per se but Ariel didn’t return it. They didn’t mind seeing Freya; she’d been witty and fun, even if there’d always been an unsaid motivation to their continued acquaintance. “And my favorite devil,” they replied, still grinning. “Are cherubs even a thing? You’d think I know but I’ve done my best to know as little about angels as possible.”

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phoebemurray:

Phoebe wasn’t usually one to go out, but the loud music and alcoholic beverages made for a good distraction from a stressful day. Phoebe leaned against the wall, one of her legs hiked up, minding her own business as much as a mind reader could. She sipped her drink and gazed across the room. Phoebe saw a man walking in her direction, but assumed he was just going to walk right past her, so she looked away. Though when she heard his greeting, she looked up abruptly, noticing that the man was standing right next to her with his arm stretched out. 

“Uh, hi,” She said, awkwardly, reaching up to shake his hand. “It’s going…It’s going. Sorry, do I know you?”

There was some part of Ariel that just failed to feel awkward, no matter the situation. Well, they did if confronted with other angels but they were usually good at avoiding those situations. The amount of angels in West Hollow was a seeming fluke, completely unexpected when they’d moved down here and something they were having to adjust to. Approaching a stranger though? Not a concern for them in the slightest.

They pursed their lips at her admission; “that’s a shame but, ah, no,” they said with a shake of their head and hand. “I’m just overly friendly,” they continued with a small chuckle as they let their hand drop to their side. “But I’m Ariel.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

Ariel’s eyes scanned the room, the loud music thudding in their ears and drowning out the idle chatter of most of the other club patrons. They could feel eyes on their back, the gaze of the friends they’d gone out with. A night out on the town was one of their favorite things to do. It wasn’t the drinking or the dancing they’d made it so fun to them but the socialization. Ariel was an extrovert through and through, something they’d been bragging about to their friends after one of them had mentioned how hard it was approaching strangers. 

Really, they’d set themselves up for it. What was it? The dare. Pick any one person in the crowd and talk to them for ten minutes. Ariel had to get their name and they couldn’t walk away in that time period. If they could get that person’s phone number or convince them to join their group for the evening, Ariel’s wouldn’t have to pay for their drinks. If they weren’t a complete stranger, then the second part of the dare wasn’t optional. If they failed, they had to pay for drinks. It wasn’t like the angel was going to say no, not least for the sake of their wallet.

Gaze settling on someone, Ariel approached with a bright smile, sidling up next to them. “Hi!” they called over the noise of the music, holding out their hand to the person. “How’s your night going?”

[arielcantrell-blog]

elenaridley:

Perhaps it was the familiar atmosphere of Talbot’s, but Elena found herself letting go of whatever reservations she had about them when they entered the diner. She nodded in gratitude as she stepped inside and made her way to a booth by the window. 

      “Elena —pleasure to meet you, Ariel.” 

She smiled and, though she knew the menu back to front, opened one up to scan over the appetizers. 

      “So what kind of greasy goodness are you thinking of ordering?”

Nodding, Ariel took a seat across from Elena. Though they didn’t expect much in the way of surprises, Ariel had only been to Talbot’s a couple times with friends. They weren’t fully familiar with the menu and weren’t the type to fall back on old familiars. 

They hummed at her question, flipping a page in the menu before glancing up at her. “I was thinking the chili, perhaps,” they answered with a small shrug. “Though I doubt I could go wrong with any of it. What about you?”

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kiraarosales:

FAIRIES ENJOYED A GOOD VENTURE THROUGH NATURE. it was in their blood. kira loved taking time ( when she could ) to fly around a forest and clear her head. hiking was also wonderful once her wings got tired. she could definitely agree they lived in a fantastic place for such things.

❛ it sure is ! ❜ she agreed enthusiastically. ❛ the trails here in town are magical, really. i’m happy to meet another nature walker. ooh ! Crater Lake National Park… absolutely beautiful. and not too far. have you ever been ? ❜

Ah, someone else who appreciated nature -- though, as they could sense she was a fairy, that was probably unsurprising. But stereotyping had never been to Ariel’s taste; it seemed hypocritical considering they were far from the typical angel.

“That they are,” they replied with a nod. “I was living in Portland before moving down here; the trails there were good given that it was a city but you usually had to drive a bit up the gorge to find something truly magical. Not as much a problem here.” Blond curls bounced as they shook their head; “not yet; I’ve been meaning to go but was holding off for better weather.”

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axgustvs:

Augustus snorted, took two seconds to himself to marvel at the fact that this angel had managed to amuse him enough to cause such a reaction, then shrugged. “Are you sure you want to offer that? What if your advice sucks, or hurtles me into an even worse mood? Considering I’m the one paying you?”

He smirked, took another drag of his cigarette. He didn’t say much to anyone in the office— never had, but especially not these days— and Ariel was nothing more than a familiar face. They seemed easygoing enough, though. Maybe Augustus had found an employee to go from his You’re Just Here list to the I Actually Might Like You list (current occupied by: none). “Well, I guess if it’s off the clock, I won’t hold it against you.”

“I suppose that’s a possibility I’m willing to risk then,” they replied. Augustus had a reputation around the office for being hard to get along with but Ariel didn’t think they’d get fired for just offering some advice. If they were wrong, they were wrong -- and they supposed it would be a lesson well learned in who not to work for.

A small grin -- one they did their best to keep from looking victorious -- spread curled at the corner’s of their lips. “Does that mean I shouldn’t offer you advice if I’m on the clock in the future?” they asked teasingly. “And don’t worry; since I’m off the clock, you won’t find your problems repackaged and printed for all to see.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

pestilentially:

He turned his attention to the approaching stranger, taking in the sight of their warm smile and their cheerful tone. “Yes, and everything the light touches,” Mikolaj said, looking at his painting again. “Eventually,” he added, trees, grass and a sole figure left bared, still sketched, while he focused on painting the sky. “This should take a few days.” The sunset didn’t take long enough for him to get it all done at once. 

The vampire shifted his attention back to the stranger. There was something almost familiar about them. “What about you? Do you paint?”

Ariel nodded; “will that require a few more trips to the park?” the angel asked curiously. “Because I believe I read that there are supposed to be thunderstorms tomorrow.” They’d been around painters and artists before, having enjoyed much of English high society during the late 18th and 19th centuries, and knew that each had their own methods -- some to an exhausting degree.

“Ah, no,” they replied, shaking their head. “I’ve been friends with painters in the past but I didn’t have the discipline for it.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

pestilentially:

Mikolaj went to the park an hour before sunset to paint. Most people prepared to leave while he set up his easel and started working. Joggers, people walking their dogs, a few couples. At least there weren’t children around to scream or knock into his easel. The sunset cast a beautiful glow on the town and Mikolaj turned off his brain while he painted, letting his eyes and hand do their work. It wasn’t supposed to be a masterpiece, but his mind worked best when the world stood still and everything else disappeared. 

Anne Marie ghosted his thoughts, and so did Aleksandr. Dead fledglings. A town crawling with monsters. What to start with? He resurfaced from the depths of his mind when something broke his concentration.

The weather in West Hollow had been surprisingly nice as of late. Not surprising, Ariel supposed, but different than Portland had been when they were living there last year. Considering the three-hundred or so miles between the two places, they supposed it wasn’t out of the question. Whatever the case, they were just happy for the chance to go outside and enjoy the the outdoors. Flowers were in bloom, leaves were returning to trees, and, in that current moment, the sky was streaked with oranges and pink -- like something out of a painting. 

It seemed they weren’t the only one to have noticed that. They spotted the easel and the person behind, deciding after a moment to approach with a warm and inviting smile. “Beautiful evening, isn’t it?” they asked. “Are you painting the sky?”

[arielcantrell-blog]

kiraarosales:

SHE WONDERED ABOUT SPORTS BEFORE. tristan was an energetic boy but he hadn’t showed an interest in any sport unless swimming counted. but she liked the idea very much. even if it was a joke as well.

❛ that’s a good point, ❜ the mother said. she chuckled. ❛ maybe he’ll show an interest in something other than swimming one day. do you play anything ? ❜

“He’s young -- still quite a bit of time to develop hobbies.” It was hard to relate in those regards due to their own brief and burdened childhood but, if they knew anything, age brought with it curiosity (not all of which was good). Shifting their weight, Ariel nodded their head. “I don’t play but I hike regularly. Oregon is great for that.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

exeltiers:

Pascal’s breathing hitched and he sucked in air through his teeth as the door creaked open just the slightest. At first, he wasn’t sure that the other would help him, but Pace figured it would be worth a shot — if not, he’d just simply take care of it himself. He could see Ariel’s expression in the open space of the door and shot them an exasperated grimace at the angel’s words. “Well, coming here was not exactly my first choice either,” Pace commented before entering into Ariel’s homestead. He looked around until he spotted the nearby dining room and sat down at the table before pulling off his own shirt and exposing the hole that the bullet had found it’s place buried needlessly into Pascal’s left shoulder. “I’ll take what I can get, at this point,” He sighed, surprised how well the both of them were taking this situation. “I just need the bullet out. I don’t care if you’re knowledge is limited,” Pace explained. “You do that for me and I’ll owe you. Some might even say that I’d owe you with my life, but let’s not get too dramatic, okay?” He winced and closed his eyes for a moment before snapping them open and looking at Ariel once again. “…What do you say?”

Shutting the door with a soft click behind the fairy, Ariel turned to watch as the other man moved around the apartment, eventually finding his way to the dining room. They raised an eyebrow as the shirt that was flung door and the bullet hole in his shoulder. The blood didn’t churn their stomach but it didn’t make them comfortable either. Gore was just another reason why they’d never wanted to be the soldier their parents wanted. “Just a fair warning,” they said with a shrug. “I think I’ve got some tweezers in the bathroom.” The retrieved the pair after rifling around in a bathroom drawer, returning to the dining room. “Well, I don’t particularly collect favors but I won’t turn one down.” Kneeling at Pascal’s side, they eyed the wound with a tight-lipped grimace. “How would you like to do this?”

[arielcantrell-blog]

elenaridley:

Nor did she mind, really, but she enjoyed poking fun. Unlike some she had met, she could take it just as well as she could dish it out. 

She laughed at the suggestion that it wouldn’t kill her, knowing full well that it couldn’t —and likely, that they knew that, too. She raised a brow at them when they asked her to join, and eventually, shrugged. 

      “I can’t say no to that. You’re paying though, right?” 

Yet again, sshe teased, and hoped that she made it clear that she wasn’t serious.

“Here I thought you still had some left over from earlier?” they shot back, lighthearted and jovial, understanding she was joking though they probably wouldn’t mind if asked to pick up the check at the end. It wasn’t that they could spare a couple bucks, after all. One of the benefits of living as long as they had -- which wasn’t even that long in comparison to some -- was that saving was all too easy.

Heading towards Talbot’s, Ariel grabbed the handle and held it open to her. “After you-- You know, I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Ariel.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

kiraarosales:

KIRA SMILED IN EMBARRASSMENT. but she took the coin back with a still grateful look. she didn’t know who this stranger was but there was something feminine about him she could not put her fairy finger on. perhaps she’d be better off not assuming gender in this case.

❛ thank you so much, ❜ she said. as she continued to smile, the mother sighed. ❛ my son can be a bit of a trouble maker. are you sure you’re not hurt ? ❜ tristan was in her arms staring up at the person. to his mother’s surprise, he started to smile at them.

“It’s no problem,” they said, shaking their head, “and I really am perfectly fine.” Perhaps one of the only good things about being an angel was the lack of things that could hurt them. Returning the smile of the toddler, his brown eyes flicked up the woman. “He’s got a good throw. Maybe you should consider enrolling him in sports when he’s older.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

ohmygadhavi:

It was taking Karan a considerable amount of time to wrap his head around the concept of an angel who couldn’t bring themselves to care about their mission – or, rather, the mission of most angels. Though Karan could definitely see why they enjoyed living among the humans, he was having a hard time understanding why he’d be content to do so for all eternity. 

Then again, maybe Karan was biased. His personal past and complicated family drama was why he was so passionate about eradicating demonic forces from earth. But if his parents had remained together and his half-brother had never been born, then would he be just as devoted to his angelic cause? Would he be so vehemently against any and all things demonic?

“Well, that’s…interesting,” he finally spoke, careful to hide any judgement from his tone. “Try not to take this the wrong way, but…you still identify as an angel, don’t you? You don’t plan on sprouting horns and starting a satanic cult, right?”

Ariel chuckled at the question. It was a question and sentiment they’d heard before -- from their parents, from other angels, and even occasionally from other supernaturals. The latter usually asked with curiosity like the angel before him but it had been laced with acid and hatred before. It was reasonable, they thought, even if it was a question they were tired of hearing. Ariel realized that the path they’d chosen was the one less tread and, therefore, would rationally lead to questions and concerns -- it would until more angels started playing hooky.

“Not at all,” they said with a shake of their head. “Despite what my parents would suggest, my morals are neutral. All I want is freedom to do as I please in my life. I don’t want to fight I war I neither believe in nor asked for and I don’t want subject myself to the whims are force beyond me. I have no interest in malice but I have no interest in helping either.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

axgustvs:

Augustus couldn’t believe, of anyone in this wretched town, that he’d run into one of his employees. He immediately composed himself into some semblance of professionalism, turning to face Ariel. He still looked about two seconds from releasing a string of expletives, but his eyes lost the murderous gleam. So, not far off from his regular expression at the office. “Apologies for the language, Ariel,” he said briskly.

He sighed at the grin, feeling a little relieved. It seemed as though they weren’t going to make a huge issue out of this. Still, he might as well put some effort into salvaging this interaction, leaving on a slightly better note. “This is actually my third cigarette today,” he replied, pointedly taking another drag. “Because I’ve had both a long night and a terrible morning. Aren’t I lucky?” Maybe this would read like humor. “And you? I hope you’ve had a better start to the day.”

“Apology accepted, though not needed,” they replied -- they were easy-going like that. Some might use a different term, like ‘conflict avoidant,’ but Ariel tended to avoid those people. Expletives or irritation were things they easily ignored if their conversational partner let them. They listened as Augustus answered, snorting at the wry response. 

“Enviably.” Shoving their hands in their pockets, the angel nodded. “Much better, it seems. I overslept but I don’t consider that a negative.” Tilting their head to the side, Ariel looked the other over, wondering whether asking what was wrong would get them rebuked. Augustus’ temper was not unknown around the office -- just the other day, it had been mentioned to him by Karan. “Don’t take this as prying, but feel free to come to me for advice if you need some -- it’s what I’m paid for, after all.”

[arielcantrell-blog]

ohmygadhavi:

Seven hundred years on earth and another thirteen hundred keeping tabs from the heavens had given Karan a chance to experience all sorts of cultures, civilizations, and societies. Empires came and went, monarchies gave way to democratic republics – supernaturals had a hand in all of it, but never seemed to organize like they did in West Hollow. If only the angels stationed there could do the same, but it seemed their opinions and beliefs differed far more than anticipated. It was a shame, really; they looked so unorganized compared to the demons.

“You don’t care about the demon threat?” He inquired, not quite believing his ears. Though he was more unorthodox than the average angel, Karan assumed he was as unconventional as they got. It never occurred to him that an angel might not even want to fight the good fight. “I mean, that’s our reason for being in this town, isn’t it? To protect humanity?”

“I don’t care about any of it,” they said with a shrug. Confusion was at least better than hostility, though they’d had past experiences where one bled into the other. “The war, the hierarchy, the fight, the dogma -- it doesn’t mean anything to me.” Ariel wasn’t sure they had a good reason why, or one at all. If pressed, they’d usually start going on about free-will and unreasonable expectations. There was some truth to that but it didn’t feel like it summed up the visceral gut reaction they had at the thought of being a solider, being part of a war. 

They brought their lukewarm to tea to their lips, sipping it as the other angel questioned them. “That might be your reason but it’s not mine,” they stated, letting it sit on the table with a sharp thud. “I’m here because I got tired of Portland and found a job at the Times -- it’s coincidence, really. I applied to jobs in Spokane, Twin Falls, Missoula, and Fairbanks. If I’d gotten quicker or better offers in any of those places, I would’ve moved there.”