101. Differing Perspectives
Isaac shifted in his seat for what felt like the hundredth time. Ever since he’d stepped onto the subway train, his eyes hadn’t left the angel currently on the other side of the car. Casimir had so far spent the entire ride pacing around and peering out the windows at the dark walls of the tunnel outside. His massive wings made the space feel distinctly cramped, and more than once Isaac had to move to avoid being hit by one of the feathers when the angel passed too close by.
Isaac’s grip on the plastic seats tightened. When Casimir had gotten onto the train after him, he’d immediately been suspicious, but the angel had waved the concern away dismissively.
“Eh, I know you don’t trust me enough to fly anymore. Might as well see what this train thing’s all about.”
Isaac had pointed out that Casimir could easily fly ahead while Isaac took the subway, but the man hadn’t even bothered to answer him before shoving his way through the door.
For the most part, the angel had seemed thoroughly unimpressed so far. A good chunk of his time pacing was also spent sighing dramatically and flapping his wings irritably whenever the subway failed to meet whatever standards he’d had. Casimir seemed a little more enthused whenever the train lurched and jolted over a bump, but those moments were rare and short lasting.
The angel’s blatant boredom did little to settle Isaac’s nerves, however. If anything, his unease only grew with each new sigh and shifting of wings. Finally, unable to stand the silence for any longer, Isaac finally decided to speak.
“Too boring for you?” The words came out more sarcastic than he’d originally planned. Anger and wariness were a constant shifting mix of emotions that Isaac had to remind himself to keep control of, lest they tilt too far in one direction. The part of him that wanted to yell and curse at the angel was hampered by the part that watched his move with every step, who still felt a lingering chill from the earlier conversation. One of his hands moved to rub his shoulder; the muscles were as tense as he’d been expecting.
Casimir spun around and plopped down on one of the seats. His wings easily took up the entire row, their bright white color practically glowing in the dim lighting.
“It’s so slow,” he complained. There was a clang as one of his wings hit one of the poles. He sighed. “Dunno how you all live like this. I’d probably die of boredom or something.”
So the adrenaline seeking, at least, wasn’t a lie, Isaac thought. He blinked, realizing he must have accidentally spoken out loud when Casimir proceeded to raise an eyebrow across from him.
“What, did you think my whole personality was fake?” The man snorted, casually leaning further back against the seats. “Nah, I do like thrills and stuff. Really makes you feel alive.”
“Can you blame me?” Isaac retorted. The anger flared up again, weighing a little heavier on the balance. The longer he spent around the man, the less certain he was of how much he really knew about him. In the past, Casimir had always felt like one of the Underside residents he had the most grasp on. His basic personality, tendencies, and even likes and dislikes had been quick and easy to understand. It was almost comforting, in a way, to be able to know what to expect, especially back when everything about the Underside was foreign and mysterious. Now, it felt like he was grasping for even the most basic of footholds.
Casimir was quiet for a few moments, and Isaac was distinctly aware of the other’s sharp gaze studying him. He steeled himself, refusing to flinch or back down. Finally, the angel leaned forward, voice casual.
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“You know, I really didn’t mean to piss you off. You’re fun to talk to. I am trying to help right now.”
Isaac stared at him.
“It’s a little hard to forget someone purposely letting someone fall and almost die,” he ground out. Casimir raised an eyebrow.
“Ohhh, is that what you’re so mad about?” He shrugged. “Look, I’m not gonna deny it, but no one else was jumping up to save the tiny demon either.”
“Olzu,” Isaac corrected automatically. “And other people weren’t as high level as you.”
“Eh, fair enough.” Casimir hummed in thought. “So let me get this straight, in your mind, I’m some villainous asshole because I was, like, mean to Olzu or something.” He kept speaking before Isaac could interrupt him. “But you know, Olzu didn’t like me either, pretty sure he hated me, actually,” he added with a chuckle. “What, did he get a free pass for being low level?”
The subway train jolted as it crossed a particularly bumpy section. Isaac grit his teeth.
“That’s a shitty comparison and you know it.” Isaac was quickly regretting referencing the demon at all. Every time Olzu’s name left Casimir’s mouth, the anger only bubbled. He shoved one of his hands into his pocket and grabbed the tablet, allowing the device’s cool chill to ground him.
Casimir shrugged. “I’m just saying. For all you know, maybe Olzu’s the one who did something first and I’m just reacting to it. Demons aren’t saints, you know. Heck, just look at those murders or whatever. That shit’s a normal day for them. You could probably point at any rando in the Inferno and they’ll have either done something or wanted to do something like that.” He raised an eyebrow. “Honestly you could extend that to, like, the whole Underside if you really wanted. Maybe except Paradise, just ‘cause the other angels don’t like to get their hands dirty. Wouldn’t want to sully the realm, after all,” he added with a laugh.
Isaac narrowed his eyes, but he was unable to separate out any specific emotions in the angel. Casimir’s expression and body language remained almost uncannily consistent and casual.
No, now that he thought about it, nearly everything about the angel felt a little off. Maybe he was being influenced by his admittedly negative opinion of the man, but all of his motions, his words, even the most minute of gestures felt wrong in a way that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Isaac’s grip on the tablet tightened. The train lurched, a familiar screeching sound ringing around the car as it finally came to a halt in the red line station.
Casimir hopped to his feet and strode casually through the doors, maneuvering his wings through the small space with a surprising dexterity not at all in line with how often he’d bumped into or nearly bumped into things while in the train car.
Isaac watched the angel exit, and for a brief second he contemplated staying on the train and circling back later by himself. He closed his eyes and reminded himself that if Casimir really was able to convince Lucius to talk to him, then it would speed up the investigation considerably. He couldn’t afford to lose the few leads he had.
And so, with reluctance, Isaac stood and exited as well. From the grin Casimir gave him, he suspected the angel knew exactly what he’d been thinking. He returned the look with a scowl.
“Sooo, Lucius’s still in the throne room, right?”
Isaac nodded slowly. His eyes drifted towards the ground as they made their way through the station and to the realm proper. Being in the Inferno brought back a certain sense of melancholy. He wondered if he’d see Sharil, or if she too had gone somewhere else to grieve.
“He’s been mourning since the murders,” Isaac confirmed, voice quiet, as the two strode up the stairs and finally stepped into the Inferno. A familiar wave of heat greeted them.
Casimir’s sudden, piercing laughter made Isaac jump. The angel’s voice echoed across the cavern, sounding many times louder and sharper, and his whole body shook with amusement. He snickered.
“Is that what you think’s going on?” Casimir flapped his wings, sending out a blast of wind as he shot into the air. His feathers reflected the glowing light of the Inferno, taking on nearly red shadows. The angel grinned down at Isaac. “This’ll be more fun than I thought.”