The talk of the dealer and the priest
The air in the cathedral was thick with the scent of old parchment and unwashed guilt. Theodore leaned against a marble pillar, his tailored dark blue suit a sharp, elegant wound against the dusty sanctity of the hall. He flicked a speck of lint off his sleeve, his movements fluid and predatory.
"You smell of cowardice today, Gabriel," Theodore said, his voice a smooth, dark velvet. "It’s even stronger than the incense."
Gabriel kept his head bowed, his hands trembling slightly as he straightened the altar cloth. "I am but a humble follower, Theodore. It is not my place to judge the scent of a man's soul."
"A humble follower?" Theodore chuckled, a dry, melodic sound that lacked any warmth. He stepped forward, the heels of his polished boots echoing like heartbeats. "You’re the leader of this little flock, yet you watch them bleed in the streets and call it 'divine will.' Tell me, does Jesus appreciate you using him as a shield for your spineleessness?"
Gabriel flinched, his knuckles turning white against the gold of the crucifix. "To intervene is to claim a moral authority I do not possess. If I condemn the oppressor, am I not myself an oppressor of his free will? I remain neutral to remain pure."
Theodore was suddenly in his space, cold fingers tilting Gabriel’s chin up. Theodore’s eyes, swirling with the faint, unnatural shadows of the magic that had pulled him back from the grave, locked onto Gabriel’s.
"You don't stay neutral to be pure, priest. You do it because you’re terrified of being the one they cast out next," Theodore hissed, his cocky smirk replaced by a ruthless edge. "I was cast out by my own blood because I wasn't 'human' enough. I’ve seen the cult you foster. You aren't serving God; you’re serving your own safety."
"You are a dealer of shadows," Gabriel whispered, his voice cracking. "You tempt people with their darkest desires and make them vanish when they fail. How can you speak to me of morality?"
"Because I am honest about my darkness," Theodore leaned in, his breath cold against Gabriel’s ear. "I give people exactly what they want, for a price. You? You give them nothing—not even hope—and you charge them their lives for the privilege. At least when I destroy someone, I have the decency to look them in the eye."
Theodore pulled back, his elegant mask sliding back into place. He adjusted his tie, looking bored once more. "Keep hiding behind your hymns, Gabriel. But remember: the middle of the road is the best place to get run over."
Gabriel belong to @riverreids