Here I've written bullshit from that angel Simon idea I had.
The monster one.
Please mind everything I wrote this on my phone instead of sleeping. It's all fucky.
"Why is it so warm?" Grace says with a hand on the tank.
The angel swims around it on the other side.
" Human blood doesn't come out cold you know."
"That's for fresh blood." To which Stratt only raises her brows at him.
The creat- angel is very frightening to look at honestly. Grace sleeps on a mattress right next to the tank on the floor. It watches him sleep.
Which having an angel watch over you while you sleep might sound nice...it isn't. Why was he so scary looking?
He looked human shaped, and yes it was a he. While he swam a lot in the massive tank of blood he didn't actually look aquatic. Why did he swim in the blood?
He'd asked Stratt who Shrugged. Ava however said it was because the beast liked the warmth. Simple as that. And it was understandable in a way. Humans gravitate toward the warmth of other humans, and the blood was human. Grace couldn't imagine anyone had been willing to get close enough to hug the thing recently.
The thought made him sad.
"Remember the blood came from those he butchered." A man named Carl said.
"He's not a monster!" Grace defended, and Carl gave him a look.
"You believe that?"
Did he?
Looking at him it was kind of hard to.
As it was, the creature- Angel , swam around a lot as if it were pacing. Grace had only been trapped here for such a short time and he was already feeling the same way. Sometimes he was perfectly still in the blood, just watching, listening.
Could he understand?
"Hey, Simon?" Grace decided to try after waking up in the night.
The Angel, Simon, reacted instantly to his name. Those strange pale eyes focusing on the man.
"I don't think I ever told you my name. Uh. If you weren't the one asking for me that is. It's Grace. Well, Grace is my last name but uh yeah." Simon continued to stare.
"Sorry to bother you. I'm just gonna go back to sleep now ok?"
Grace ended up talking to Simon a lot.
"You're a very good listener." He told him. At least it looked like he was listening. Every time he talked to him Simon would go deathly still and just stare.
A crew had come in one day with a large pump and bag upon bags, and Simon for once swam away from the glass to hide in the thick liquid.
"What's going on?" Grace stepped up to them.
"It's donation day." Ava said happily, it was a rare tone on her.
"The blood as it turns out is nice and fresh and perfectly suited for all blood types. We empty his tank when it gets too full."
"That's a little morbid don't you think?"
"Sure. But we've tested it. It's clean good blood. Why not use it to help?"
"Even with him swimming around in there all day?"
"Like I said, it's clean."
Grace watched a good chunk of the blood get bagged. There was so much of it and the tank had hardly lost anything. It really put into perspective just how much there was.
"A lot of people are going to benefit from this." She tapped the tank before gathering it all up and leaving.
"You don't pee in it do you?" He asked over his shoulder to where he knew Simon had returned.
Again he only stared and Grace couldn't help but laugh a little.
It was difficult to tell for sure but it did seem like he enjoyed being called by his name, enjoyed being talked to. Maybe Grace was finally getting used to him, but he stopped being so afraid when he looked at him.
Grace had taken to reading out loud. Stories, papers, funny posts online. He'd watch movies, listen to music, draw a picture and tape it to the tank. Simon seemed to love all of it. And by loved he really meant go still and stare.
Whenever Grace would get to walk around he noticed Simon following him along the tank until he couldn't anymore.
"He seems to like you." Stratt said by the coffee maker one morning.
"What makes you say that?"
"He usually hides in the blood."
Grace woke one morning to find something different about Simon.
"Oh! Your arm grew back!" Grace smiled and held up both hands in a little wave.
He placed them both on the glass and Simon did the same, a very small expression on his usually expressionless face. He looked pensive (?). It looked so human.
"Get him ready!" Stratt's voice yelled out and Simon swam away.
Men in hazmat suits stood over the tank and opened a small hatch before holding what looked like a leaf over the hole.
Simon surfaced, climbing out slowly and reaching for the leaf. They let him have it and Grace watched as he cradled it in his hands. He looked at it like it was precious. There was so much emotion, so much life in his eyes as he let the men chain him up.
"Is all of that really necessary? The shackles?"
"Completely."
Simon hunched over and shivered violently as he stepped onto the same floor Grace stood on.
It was strange not having that barrier anymore.
The chain was place in his hand.
"woah hey, I don't want this!"
"You're his handler." Grace really didn't like this at all.
"can he at least have something to keep warm?"
"Do you want to give him your jacket?" She said it like it wasn't something he would do.
Well.
He looked ridiculous wearing it and it was surely ruined by all the blood.
I guess it's just that color now.
Everyone had looked at him like he was crazy.
They travel in very serious looking military vehicles to a dock. Where they got on a small boat to a very big boat, where they were headed. . . Somewhere else. Stratt wouldn't tell him.
Then She tells Grace to give the order and he refuses.
She sighs before speaking into her phone.
Then suddenly Simon screams. He falls and clutches at his arm.
"Wait, what are you doing!?"
"Again." She orders.
And the arm falls off and turns into a gross blob of rotting flesh, before sizzling away.
"Give him the order." She tries again.
"NO!"
"Again."
They're chopping at the tree.
"Stop! Stop hurting him!"
"Give the order. "
"Fine! Please just don't hurt him anymore!" Grace cries.
Simon screams until all that's left of him are sobs. Very human sobs.
"Well, Doctor Grace, we're waiting. "
Grace sniffs, he whispers the order so quietly, Simon hears it anyway.
It was extreme. Chopped more than they'd ever tried before, but Stratt was sure both him and the tree would recover. By the end of it he was missing his arm again, some fingers, a foot, a large chunk out of his side and large deep gashes on his legs and back. It hurt him sure but he was still capable of completing the mission. This monstrous thing.
Stratt has Grace watch Simon kill and it's terrifying. Something out of a nightmare. Theres no blood. Grace has a feeling the tank is gonna be fuller than when they left it.
Grace feels like throwing up. He gave the order. They made him a ... He murdered all of these people.
"The butcher did."
"No he didn't. Sure technically he did, but I made him do it."
"And I made you, and my higher ups made me. Who does the blood really fall on?" She countered
"Him apparently. How is that fair?"
"It's not."
Back on the ship Grace sits near where Simon is chained up. Back in his bloody cardigan Grace watched as Simon looked down at the leaf in his hands. He must have put it in one of the pockets.
"Is that from the tree?" He asked, voice gravely.
Simon's head snaps up like he forgot Grace was there.
"Your tree?" Grace points.
There's so much... sadness? In his pale eyes.
"I'm sorry by the way, about, all of this." Grace gestures a hand around vaguely.
Simon stares.
"I'm going to try and get some sleep. Good night, Simon." Grace lays down and turns his back.
The Angel watches him sleep.
As the boat moved on, something strange was happening to Simon. Small at first but definitely noticeable. Like he was drawn to something Grace couldn't see.
"I may have gone a little overboard. I'm taking him to his tree. "
"Is that your way of apologizing?" Grace said lowly.
"Yes."
The tree is in a cold place. Covered in snow and ice.
The tree is white and gives off a soft glow. A soft bed of moss grows around it.
There's an opening in the bark just big enough for Simon to squeeze into and lay down.
"He's sleeping. I didn't know he could sleep."
"It used to be procedure to bring him here to rest. When they found out it wasn't technically needed they stopped."
"How long has it been?"
"Well before I was born." She says.
Grace watched him sleep this time.
He's been in the tree for days now. Considering how long he's spent out of it, it only seems right. At least that's what Grace tells himself.
He continues to talk to him. About anything about nothing.
He might sound a little crazy but he actually misses him a bit.
When Simon finally wakes of course Grace had fallen asleep.
"You stay the fuck away from him!" A low voice bit out quietly.
"Language." Grace mutters turning to either sleep more or wake up.
"Doctor Grace, wouldn't you rather sleep in an actual bed?"
"No, I have to watch §|"'•^. What if he wakes up?" Looks like he's waking up.
There's a very pleasant hum from the low voice.
"You heard him."
Grace heard the owner of the other voice walk away before Grace finally gets up and opens his eyes.
There's a very horribly injured naked man sitting next to him. The man gives a small but warm smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle and Grace just stares.
I know those eyes.
They're brown now but . . .
"Simon?"
"Hello Grace."
"You look, different. Good! Just uh... New haircut?" And Simon laughs, actually laughs.
Is this what he was meant to look like?! Did, did they turn him into that monster?
"I can't believe they let it get so bad this time." Simon says mostly to himself as he looks down at his one hand.
"I guess they got tired of all my yelling."
"Are you telling me you didn't HAVE to look like that!?"
"Yes. I'm sorry you had to see me that way. I wasn't myself." Simon held a hand up to his head.
"But I could hear you, Grace."
"All of it?"
"I don't pee in the blood."
"Wha-" Oh!
It's a smile at first, then a giggle grows from his chest, "You really wanted me to know that huh?" And he laughs harder.
Stratt, Ava, Carl, everyone was shocked to see Simon that way. It seemed even Stratt didn't know how bad it really was.
This time when Grace asked for clothes for Simon they gave it to him. Now that Simon looked human it felt wrong not to. It was wrong before but.
Grace then went to take his dirty jacket back, "Hey, it's ok. I'm just going to wash it, you'll get it back." Well, Simon's jacket now.
As Simon stepped into his clothes Grace couldn't help his curiosity at how his wounds healed. With them covered up he couldn't observe the process anymore.
"Are you really an angel?" Shoot! He hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Simon froze but this time kept his gaze away from Grace.
"Yes." He tried to make it come out like a statement but Grace heard the question regardless.
"An angel that kills?"
"Many angels kill." He sounded defensive.
"Like you do?" And Grace had not asked from a place of judgment.
"No." Simon frowned.
"There's nothing to forgive." He spoke again a short time later.
"Huh?"
"You told me that you're sorry. Don't be. I chose this. It's bigger than me."
"That doesn't make it right, Simon."
"What would you have me do?" Simon asks, finally turning his eyes to look at Grace.
"I- I don't...know." Grace held his arms up but stopped the motion half way through.
Simon very pointedly focused on that.
"Do you want to hug me?"
"I do but. I did, but I didn't, because you, because I was afraid of you. Now that you're"normal" now I feel comfortable?! Now they give you clothes?! Now they look away at what they did to you!?"
"You're only human, Grace. Even though you were frightened you were still kind to me. Even after you saw what I did you're still here, wanting to hug me." Simon smiled gently and Grace could really see how this man was an angel.
"I still feel so ashamed-" Grace choked on the rest of what he wanted to say.
"I won't make- umph!"
"The hug is for you not me!" Grace cried into Simon's chest and he rubbed at Grace's back to sooth.
"How about this, it's for both of us. I didn't want you to touch me looking like that either." I don't deserve it.
ok I know everyone’s considered Ryland grace wearing an “I put the ace in space” t shirt but. have we considered the infinitely funnier option of putting this shirt on eva stratt
Simon getting a little jealous because the COI and Eden have sent a few scientists to study and learn from Grace and one of the scientists keeps flirting with Grace. (They’re not together yet but they’re so close to confessing.)
Meanwhile, Grace is jealous because a different scientist has been flirting with Simon (not that Simon has noticed as he’s too busy pouting in the corner) and they’ve been chatting about their childhoods and other stuff. Grace tries to not be jealous as it’s nice that Simon has someone to talk to who’s been somewhat through the things he’s been through.
Cut to once the scientists go home for the day:
“So, you seemed to be getting close with Dr Francis.” Grace softly says as he’s cleaning the equipment. Simon is watching him whilst fiddling with his knife.
“Yeah I guess. They know what it’s like to grow up on the Eden side.” He mumbles. “Although, Dr Davis seemed to be…..flirting with you.”
“Oh? I didn’t notice….” Grace is telling the truth. He just thought Dr Davis was being friendly.
Simon thinks he’s lying. “Oh really? You didn’t notice him telling you how strong you are for a scientist? Or how smart you are? He asked you to go on a stroll! In Eden, that is basically asking you to go on a date!”
“He said he wanted to discuss some more research! I didn’t-“ Grace defends. He feels so embarrassed but then he asks himself. Why doesn’t bother Simon so much if he does accept Dr Davis invite? He turns to see that Simon looks angry.
“I didn’t accept his invite for a stroll.” Grace tells him softly, as if trying not to make a feral animal pounce.
“You- you didn’t?” Simon grumbles.
“No. I said I was busy.” Grace replies and he sees Simon relax at that.
“Why?” Simon asks him. “You know I make you get some sleep so you lied to him…..why?”
Grace shrugs. “Maybe I wanted to spend more time with you instead…..” he goes back to cleaning up the equipment and he feels his cheeks heat up. Why did he say that?? Where the fudge did he get the confidence to say that?!
He can feel Simon staring at his back as he cleans.
“You….you want to spend more time with me?” Simon asks in a tone that reminds Grace of one of his students.
“I mean, yeah. I like you Simon.” Grace turns his head to look at him softly. “I enjoy your company.”
“I….I like you too.” Simon replies softly. “I enjoy your company too. It feels nice…..I like it….. if I could stay here I would.”
Grace wants to push it and ask him why doesn’t he stay but they’ve argued about this a few times. Simon wants to leave but he can’t risk it. They both know how powerful Eden and the COI are. Heck, Grace knows first hand what they’re like. They’ve been trying to get him on either of their sides but Grace really enjoys being on neutral ground. It means he can help more people that way.
“I better get going….” Simon stands up and stretches and Grace turns to look at him.
“Be safe, ok?”
“I will.” Simon nods. They just stand there for a moment just staring at each other. Grace really wants to reach out and hug him but he doesn’t know how Simon would react to that.
“Get some sleep, Dr Grace.” Simon pats his shoulder as he moves to leave and Grace can’t help but lean into his touch a bit. God he’s so touched starved.
Grace nods and rubs his eyes. “I will. I just need to finish cleaning up or it will keep me up all night.” He chuckles softly.
“Maybe I can help you? Then you’ll get to sleep quicker.” Simon offers.
“No that’s ok. I don’t want you staying later than you want to-“
“I want to so let me.” Simon tells him defiantly. “Tell me what needs cleaning.”
“Ok.” Grace smiles softly as they get to work cleaning everything, their shoulders brushing every now and again.
being a teenager is basically just half a decade of "ugh I hate myself I hate my life I hate my parents nothing is fair everyone is mean the world is cruel I'm tired of it!! but idk i guess every teenager has this phase and I'll probably grow out of it and understand when I'm older" and getting older and realizing you should have been even angrier and more violent. And then people forget this as soon as they have kids
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