Lost Along the way

There is not a day that goes by that I can remember when I was an innocent.
As far back as I can remember I’ve been a sinner, a devil, a little demon that parades around doing Lucifer’s work and spreading her words of evil and deception.
I was a favorite, according to Gabby. A favorite to Lucifer, but Gabby did tend to over exaggerate…a lot.
Gabby was a demon too. His level was fifteen below mine, and my level was as high as anyone could get without overthrowing Lucifer.
Gabby was much more into gossip and what everyone else was doing rather than concentrating on gaining levels.
See, Gabby and I had entered the Academy together, competing for a spot at the top, but somewhere along the way, he lost all interest.
I don’t know why he lost interest-nor do I care. It’s just that he was my friend, and I didn’t want to loose sight of him.
We’d known each other since we were little, ever since I can remember.
We barely even talked anymore because I was busy with work, and he was busy running his mouth.
“Hey, Ichigo!” someone yelled.
I turned to see Gabby; his short blond hair spiked and standing on end, his cool black eyes sparkling in the light. His pale skin was almost transparent, and he looked almost sick in contrast with his black coat. Under his coat he wore a grey t-shirt and black jeans that clung to his legs tightly. His red sneakers stuck out like a sore thumb, being the only color on him.
“Gabriel?” my voice feigned surprise.
He held a small stack of five or six books in his hands, and he set them down on the table I was sitting at.
“Ichigo!” he said again. “It’s been so long!”
“Don’t call me that, Gabby!” I snapped.
I despised being called Ichigo, and he hated being called Gabby.
He scowled.
I scowled back.
“Fine then!” he pouted. “So…how’s it been, Aria?”
“Busy,” I said trying not to seem too obvious with my disgust for him at the moment.
“Jesus! Give me a break, Aria! Everyone calls you that!” he defended. “It’s not our fault you have that strawberry-red hair.”
“Not mine either.” I kept reading, or trying to read, from the pages of the book I was supposed to read: They Thrive in the Moonlight.
“Don’t be a sour puss!” his brow furrowed. “You used to be so much fun.”
“I’m sorry, I grew up.” I turned the page of the book.
Maybe he would get the idea…
He sighed, and I looked up.
“How’s Lucifer?” he asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Don’t think I won’t hurt you just because you’re my friend,” I glared at him.
“It was an innocent question. I swear!” he said, pulling out the chair across from me and sitting down.
“She’s fine. Lucifer is fine,” I said, closing the book and getting up.
“Aww. Come on, Aria. Don’t be like that,” Gabriel whined. “I’ll be good, I promise.”
I glanced at him and then got up from my chair. “If you want you can come along.”
He got up so fast his chair tipped over, and a loud thud sounded through the quiet library.
“Sorry,” Gabriel said and picked up the chair to put it back the right way.
“Come on, Gabriel,” I huffed, but on the inside I was smiling.
I really couldn’t help but be mean to him. He had abandoned me…He had left me alone while he was out gossiping about no one knows what. You’d think he was a teen human girl the way he ran his mouth.
He picked up the books up off the table and followed me out the door.
“What’s Lucifer got you doin’ now?” he asked.
“There are problems with the wolves up on Earth,” I said pointing up. “She wants me to find out what’s going on.”
“Sending a wolf to deal with wolves?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow. “Lucifer has to know that won’t end well.”
“She does,” I said. “That’s why I’m going. She knows that I can handle things.”
“Don’t make it to bloody up top then.” He laughed softly.
“If I can, I want to resolve it without blood,” I said, which was true. I hate killing my own kind.
“But that’s not how it will end.”
I sat down on a bench that was white, giving in to all my weaknesses at once.
“I figure as much,” I sighed.
“Hey...” Gabriel started then stopped.
I looked up at him. My head cocked to the side with sincere curiosity about what he was saying.
“Would you…” he stopped again. “Do you…”
“Spit it out!!” I said now slightly agitated by his presence.
“You hungry?” his voice cracked, and I had to look away from his face to keep from laughing.
“Are you asking me on a date, Gabriel?” I asked, grinning like a fool.
“NO-yes-I don’t know!” he couldn’t make up his mind.
The display was cute, and yet it endeared him to me.
“Gabriel,” I said his name so he would look at me. His eyes held confusion and his cheeks were pink. “Thank you, but I can’t-not that I want to,” I said.
“Come on, Aria!” he said. “Don’t be like that!”
“I belong to Lucifer and Lucifer alone,” I said standing up. “You know that.”
“Alright, forget I said it,” he sighed and held his arms out to stop me from going anywhere.
“What?” I asked, staring at his outstretched arms.
“It’s been so long, Aria. Can’t we hang out a little longer?” his eyes were the portal to his soul, and his soul was hurting. He looked so sad.
I sighed. “Gabriel, I’m busy now.”
“I know,” He sighed, putting down his arms.
“Maybe some other time, okay?” I said, trying to trip on the wires of his heart. “How about I find you when I get back?”
“That would be great!” he grinned.
“I thought you’d like that idea,” I said, smiling at his eagerness.
*On Earth*
It was cold.
Freezing actually, and I thought I would die because of it.
Many people were on the street today so I had to wear a hat and a long jacket to hide my wolf-like ears and tail. Humans never did understand that not all demons were bad. But then again, I would be out of a job if it weren’t for creeps like that.
Out of a job because my job was to come to Earth to straighten things out. A lot of times, though, it ended in bloodshed or sometimes even death.
I hurried along the pavement. Cars honked and smoked making me gag at the putrid stench.
One of the things I hated about going to Earth was the smell. Lots of yucky smells, smells like car exhaust, and humans didn’t smell too great either…at least not to me. They had fake smells. Nobody had the smell they were supposed to have, and that really didn’t help at all because my nose helps me work.
With demons it’s different. Some smell like the grave…others smell like the creature that runs in their blood. I’ve been told I smell good by several different types of demons. All different types. I didn’t understand why though because I had wolf blood in me, and wolves are hard to get along with, especially to other wolves.
Pulling the collar of my jacket to cover my nose and mouth, I walked on; dutifully putting up with humans bumping into me. I kept walking though, even when they turned to yell at me for bumping them. Truly, it was them bumping me. I had been there first.
I walked into the park and sighed as the human stench only lingered slightly. I breathed in deeply letting the foreign and familiar scents wash over me, and I singled out two that didn’t belong…that should not have been there.
One seemed to be from a scent I knew so long ago. It scared me that I knew that smell, one scent that I hadn’t scented in so many years, that I thought I never would again.
And then I knew…I knew that Lucifer had put me up to this because I knew who was behind all of this.
I started growling.
When I get home, I am going to murder Lucifer in cold blood! I growled some more wishing there was something I could attack.
“Been a long time, hasn’t it, Aria?” a voice whispered in my ear that was hidden by the ski cap.
I hissed and spun away from him, “Aiden?”
He looked down at me. His blood-red eyes still sparkled the same as they did then. His black hair still reminded me of a panther’s luscious fur. He was wearing his signature black leather jacket, which was his trademark, and a blue shirt. He wore blue jeans that had holes ripped in them. Aiden had most likely done that on purpose.
He smiled when he noticed I was staring.
“You wipe that smirk off of your face!” I bared my fangs. “I’m here to stop you from disobeying Lucifer!”
“I figured Lucifer would send you.” He laughed as if he remembered something funny. “After all you are her favorite.”
“Bull!” I yelled. “She just knows I’m the only one who takes my job seriously.”
In a flash he was next to me, his face inches from mine. He held a strand of my hair in his hand.
“Aria, the gods have been so gentle with you.” He brought the piece of hair to his lips and kissed it…so tenderly, the way he used to…
And then my world went black.
*Back in hell*
Gabriel walked into the throne room. The black and red drapes covered the room in glory and a red carpet led up the walk and began crawling up stairs to rest under the throne.
Lucifer walked from behind the throne. Her long hair clung to her body the lower it got; her black eyes were huge but reflected none of the light that was shining in the room. Her long, slender legs were covered by black hooker boots up to her calf and a skirt that stopped mid-thigh. The skirt was a plaid pattern that was red and black with pink lace that fringed the bottom. Her shirt was a simple purple tank top with spaghetti straps.
Gabriel mentally drooled. He wouldn’t actually drool due to the fact that Lucifer would laugh in his face.
“You wanted to see me, Sir?” Gabriel asked Lucifer, unsure as to why he was being called by the dark lord.
“Yes,” Lucifer answered simply, plucking at the pink lace of her skirt.
After a few seconds of silence Gabriel grew uncomfortable and began shifting his feet.
“Would you like to sit?” she asked running her fingers through her hair languidly.
“No thank you.” Gabriel bit his lip. Why am I here? he thought still so nervous.
“Ah, right,” she said laughing softly. “As you know, Aria has been sent to Earth on a mission, correct?”
Gabriel nodded.
“Good,” Lucifer smiled again. “I need you to go and help her.”
“B-but-” Gabriel started but stopped talking when she held up her clawed hand.
“I know you two are very close and love each other very much, but there are some things she has kept to herself.
Gabriel cocked his head to the side.
“Did she ever tell you about Aiden?” Lucifer then got up and started walking around her throne; she stopped and pulled out a huge box.
Gabriel frowned; his red lips were again being worried by his teeth.
“Well, Aria and Aiden were lovers in the past, but he is the one behind the happenings on Earth.” Lucifer began digging in the box. “She needs someone she can trust now.”
Gabriel bit his lip yet again and tasted blood. He licked over the wound repeatedly until the blood flow stopped.
Lucifer hopped down the stairs reminding him of a small child. She held her hand out and in it was a white handkerchief. “For your lip,” she stated simply.
Gabriel took the piece of cloth gratefully. "Thank you."
She held up her other hand to him. "This is also for you." She grabbed his hand and set the thing against his palm. "Give it to Aria when you see her."
Lucifer had pulled her hand back, and Gabriel gaped at the item he now held.
"I can't take this," Gabriel said.
"You can, and you will," she stated firmly, retreating back to her throne. "Oh. When you give it to her...don't tell her I gave it to you," She laughed childishly.
"Now that that's taken care of," Lucifer smiled cheerily, "I want you to leave right away."
Some lord of the underworld. Gabriel laughed to himself, looking up at her.
She winked. "And don't you forget it."
At Gabriel's dumbfounded look, Lucifer burst into hysterics.
*Later*
Gabriel studied the thing Lucifer had given him.
It was glass rose as far as he could tell, but that didn't make any sense.
Like giving her this is gonna make her fall madly in love with me. Gabriel scoffed at his own ridiculous thoughts.
See, every since he had known Aria, he had loved her. Loved her like a lover, but she never seemed to feel the same, so he never said anything. Why would he when he could have screwed everything up? So he left everything as is, her killing every creature that pissed her off, and him pining after a love that he would never have.
*Back to Earth*
I woke suddenly, jolting up in the bed I was laying in with a pain searing in my head, like I had a hangover.
Someone laughed.
I looked up to see Aiden staring at me.
I growled.
"Oh stop that ruckus," he said, waving his hand in a nonchalant way. "If I was going to hurt you, I would have already."
"I don't care!" I yelled pulling off the blanket he had placed on me. "I'm supposed to be your enemy."
"Gods, you’re beautiful," Aiden said, coming towards me again.
"Oh no, you don't!" I growled. "You had your chance, you little scum. And you ran away with your tail between your legs!!"
He scoffed. "Aria, I had to leave," he sounded hurt. "There were things...I just couldn't drag you into it."
I was being lulled by the soothing tone of his voice. My heart still remembered all the time we spent together in the past. I started to relax against the cushions on the couch he had laid me on.
"What kind of things?" I asked, holding out my arms so he would come and cuddle with me.
He sat next to me and pulled me closer to him. My body was half way on the cushions and half on his chest. I layed my head against his shoulder, making my red hair and his black hair mingle.
"Things with my family. You remember how bad they were?" he asked rubbing his fingers back and forth on my hip.
"Yeah." I nodded. “So what?"
"Well my brother had gotten into trouble again. He was conspiring with the wolves here to try and defy God and Lucifer. I had to help and stop him, and by that time he had already lost all hope." He went quiet.
I looked up at him. "I'm sorry," I whispered curling my legs underneath me and sliding closer to him. I leaned forward to kiss his lips gently, but before our skin met, there was something I had to know.
“Why’d you bring me here?” I breathed the question.
“I missed how things were,” he said pulling a strand of hair from in front of my face and placing it to the side in front of my ear.
“But it can never be like that again,” I said. “We can never be together again.”
He looked as if I had just stabbed him in the back.
“You broke my heart then and I had to collect the pieces. You can’t just expect me to sit there and wag my tail when you open the door. I can’t be your puppy. I’m not a pet.”
Someone began knocking on the door.
"Damn it!" he cursed and pushed me away from him. "I have to get that."
He rose, and I followed him.
Aiden opened the door and the hinges squeaked in protest. "Can I help you?"
"Uhm...I was hoping you could," I heard a familiar voice say. "See, my friend came here to visit, and I'm not exactly sure which place she's at."
I pushed passed Aiden's arms and nearly jumped at the person standing on the stoop of the door.
"GABBY!" I screamed, hugging him tightly.
"What the hell?" Aiden's voice was full of confusion.
I managed to peel myself off of Gabriel and turn to Aiden's angry face.
"This is my bestest friend in all of the layers of heaven and hell, Gabriel," I said motioning to Gabriel. "Gabriel, this little nobody here is Aiden. We go way back."
Gabriel smiled weakly at Aiden and looked down at me like he had something to tell me.
Aiden was glaring daggers at Gabriel. He looked so mad.
"Aria, isn't he the one who...?" Gabriel let the sentence die before the whole thing left his lips.
"Yes, he is," I answered his question even though he didn't finish it.
"Then why...?" he shook his head. "Never mind that. This is for you."
He dug into the pocket of his jacket and pulled something out. He placed it in my hands, and as soon as I felt the cold glass against the palm of my hand, I knew what it was.
My soul…he’d gotten my soul. I had given it to Lucifer way back when I’d joined the league. The thing I’d given Lucifer as a pledge of sorts, so she knew I was serious about my work.
How in all that is great did he get this! I wondered still staring at the glistening element.
Tears started to flow to my eyes; my emotions were so out of whack!
"Where did you get this?" I asked, looking up at him through my tears.
"Uhm...I'm not supposed to tell you that," he looked guilty.
I wiped at the tears and sniffled uncontrollably. I hugged him, firmly placing the glass rose against my heart.
"So this is a good reaction?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me in return.
I could only nod, I was so choked up.
"I'm glad then." I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Aria?" Aiden broke into our little reverie.
I pulled slowly from Gabriel's arms. "What?" I asked.
He just gave me a look. A look that told me I was stupid.
I growled. "That's right!" I said remembering what I was doing here. "You’re the bad guy. Not me. Not Gabriel."
He laughed. "And who makes you believe that?" he snapped. "Is it because of Lucifer or this fruit cake here?"
I lashed out clawing and reaching for his flesh. "NO!! I know this because you are a foul creature, and you smell of the fiery bowels of the dragons you were born in!"
"Is that all?" he smirked dodging my claws effortlessly.
"Aria, relax," I heard Gabriel say from behind me.
"I can't!" I said harshly through gritted teeth.
"You can," he stated and hugged me from behind.
Suddenly my heart felt as if it were about to burst.
"Do it for me," he gently pressed his lips to my cheek, and at that exact moment I knew; I knew then that he and I were meant to be together.
*Once again in Hell-where Aria calls home*
"I'm glad you made it - not that I didn't think you weren't going to," Lucifer smirked at me.
"How could we not?" I asked, my grip on Gabriel's hand tightening.
She smiled sweetly and stood up, her black velvet skirt falling to pool at her feet, which were covered in a pair of green moccasins. The slit up the side revealed the pale skin of her thigh, and she liked people to look. Her shirt was plain red, made from Egyptian cotton. The sleeves were puffy and fell past her finger tips. The necklace she wore was made from obsidian and shined like her eyes should have but didn't. Her hair was pleated down the back of her head and tied at the end with a purple bow made of unicorn hairs that had been twined together.
"As my thanks to you," she started walking down the stairs elegantly, "I would like to give you time off. Time off so you can do whatever it is you'd like to do." She smirked.
She hopped the last step and giggled.
"Remind me why I work for a crazy like you again," I said laughing at her antics.
"Cuz you love pain," she laughed taking my hand in hers. "Besides who else would want a killer like you?"
"I would," Gabriel said taking my hand from Lucifer possessively.
"Aside from you." She laughed. "Anyways, I'd like to say thank you once again. The world is safe once again because of you and your love for a people who know nothing of your existence."
I smiled. "What's a girl to do?''
Lucifer and Gabriel both laughed.
"So I think now would be the time for you two to leave," Lucifer said still smiling.
"Yeah," I said, but heard someone else say the same words as me.
I looked up to Gabriel, who was also smiling.
"I'll see you guys when I see you then," Lucifer laughed hysterically again.
"I guess so," I smiled. "Thank you, Lucifer."
She nodded and walked back up to her throne, sitting and looking bored.
*Later...much*
I sat silently in the grass. Gabriel sat next to me.
We were watching the fake-out sunset that hell could only imitate.
"Beautiful," Gabriel whispered in awe.
"It really is. I mean even though it's only a cheap imitation," I stated, looking as the pinks and reds splattered the sky.
"I meant you, but okay." He smiled taking my hand and brushing my knuckles against his lips.
"Thank you," I said feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Aria, I love you," he said, his fingers grabbing my chin and turning my face towards him.
"I love you, too." I looked at him in the eyes.
He smiled at me. "Will you be mine? Forever and ever."
"Always." I smiled and leaned foreword and pressed my lips to his softly.
"I like the sound of that," he grinned.

*Never End*