Sooraya and Angel: What!?!

[x-dust.livejournal.com]

Sooraya and Angel have fun time out, but then Angel drops some news on Sooraya.

"Hmmm..." Angel pursed her lips as she peaked over the top of her menu, grinning at Sooraya across the table. "What do you think the waiter would say if I just ordered everything?"

"I'd say he would look terrified. That is a long menu." Sooraya looked over the menu. "But if you want some of everything, they have a special spread for two that has a lot of the dishes."

"Oooh!" Angel looked happily over the menu again, seeing what Sooraya was pointing out. "Yum! That'd be one hell of a tip though, huh, if I did order everything. Can you imagine?" She was giggling at the thought. It didn't take much to amuse her.

"Yeah, but it's a pity if half the food is left." Sooraya shot back, giggling as well. "I am sure that they have some great deserts as well. You can use those to fill some holes."

"I'm sorry, when have I ever left food on the plate?" Angel looked insulted. "But oh, hey, look, dessert! I didn't even think of that!" The waiter came over then to see if they were ready, and they placed their orders.

"You don't usually. But there is always the first time." Sooraya sipped her water. "So, when do you think Yvette and Fred will go on their second date? And should we scare him before or after?"

"After," Angel decided with a nod. "Guys are always on their best behavior on the first date, it's the second one you have to watch out for, that'll make it or break it. If he's good on the second date, we kindly tell him if he ever hurts her we'll kill him. If he hurts her, we kill him."

"The forests should have some spot to hide the body." Sooraya agreed cheerfully, her eyes twinkling. "He won't know what hit him." Not Fred hurting Yvette was very likely or that them being able to hurt Fred was about equally likely.

"Or the lake. He'd sink like a rock." Angel was grinning now. She knew too that they wouldn't stand a chance against Fred, but they had a moral obligation as Yvette's friends to threaten his life.

"If we really need to act, I am sure we will be able to get some help." Sooraya grinned back, but suddenly she frowned a little and leaned closer to Angel. "But I think we should stop talking about killing, because the couple behind you is giving us the evil eye."

Angel looked over her shoulder at the couple who was indeed staring at her as if she had...well, as if she had killed someone. "Oh hi there! My name's Angel. If you're going to call the cops could you wait until after I've eaten? I hear the food in prison is kind of awful." The couple hurriedly returned to their meals.

"Angel!" Sooraya scolded her, though her voice shook with suppressed laughter. "You're not supposed to that." Finally the giggles broke out and she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laughter while the waiter brought the food. "You're just evil."

"No waaaaaay." Angel giggled, enjoying herself far too much. "I'm perfectly innocent, it's even in my name."

"Have I ever told you about the Dutch student I met in Attilan. She told me once that the Dutch word for angel could easily be adjusted with a B in front of it. The word became.... bengel... I think. It meant something like scoundrel or rascal. Too bad we don't have something similar in English"

"Shame," Angel agreed with a giggle. "If you put b in front of Angel it becomes Bangel. I don't think that's a word."

"Oh, that looks great!" Sooraya eyed the dished the waiter brought. "So, any interesting news on your side?"

"Om nom nom," Angel agreed as she took a large bite, chewing thoughtfully. "News, um...well, the kids managed to get through their volunteer thing without getting kidnapped - oh!" She snapped her fingers suddenly, lightly kicking Sooraya under the table. "<i>You</i> have been holding out on me, how come you didn't mention Angelo and Jean-Phillipe are a thing? When did that even start?"

Sooraya was about to swallow her bite when it went down the wrong pipe. She started coughing frantically, one hand at her troath. With the other she reached for her glass of water, taking a frantic sip.

"Oops!" Angel jumped up, running around the table and hitting Sooraya's back a couple of times. "Are you okay?" She caught the couple from before staring at them again. "Wow, you see someone choking and all you do is stare? Remind me never to get stuck with you in an emergency." She returned her attention to Sooraya, ensuring her friend was breathing again before sitting down once more. "All right?"

She coughed a few more times and took another sip of water. "What? You said what?"

Angel blinked. Oops. "Um...I think Angelo and Jean-Phillipe are dating. They were definitely cozy when we were chaperoning the volunteer thing with the kids. And I saw them kiss. I don't think they thought anyone was looking, though."

"They were kissing?" Sooraya stuttered, her mind flashing back to the conversation she had with Angelo a little while. No wonder she could not think of any girl he could be dating. He was dating... a man!?!?!?!

"Ah..." Apparently Sooraya didn't know. Well then. This was...probably not good. "Yes?"

"You're sure they were really kissing?" Sooraya just repeated again, still trying to wrap her mind around that fact.

"Definitely." Angel's voice was quieter now. She could tell Sooraya wasn't handling this well.

Sooraya's eyes flashed to the couple sitting nearby, still staring and lowered her voice: "But... but... that is... that is just... wrong!"

Angel's expression crinkled in confusion, and after a quick glare at the staring couple she leaned in so she was closer to Sooraya. "What do you mean?"

"It's not right for two men or two women to have relationship like that!" Sooraya hissed back. Was this why Angelo had been so evasive during their conversation? Wanting to hide it from her?

A sad frown pulled at Angel's lips. "Why not? They care about each other, don't they? That's what's important."

"Maybe..." Sooraya lowered her eyes and stared at her hands. "But it's forbidden, Angel."

"Why? Because religion says so?" Oh she was <i>so</i> going to have to apologize to Angelo for this. Repeatedly. "You know the Catholic Church says married couples aren't allowed to divorce, but if my parents listened to that they'd still be together and probably miserable. Religion doesn't have <i>all</i> the answers. Sometimes you have to deviate a little."

"I know, Angel. And I have done so. But this..." Sooraya shook her head. "Not when the message is so clear. I think even your bible forbids it."

"Yeah, it does." Angel shrugged. "I know what the Bible says, but I also know what I saw when Angelo and Jean-Phillipe were together. They were happy."

"Maybe..." Sooraya raised her gaze from her hands. "Why did he hide it from me? I am his little sister..." She muttered softly. "Even if..."

Angel reached across the table, resting her hand over one of Sooraya's. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like they're telling many people. I'm sure he had a good reason. Maybe he..."

"Maybe he was trying to protect you." The girls turned to look at the male half of the nosy couple. "Big brothers do that, you know. He knew you would be upset, and he didn't want to do that to you."

Angel blinked at the man, then looked back at Sooraya, trying very hard to hide a smile. "Maybe that."

She could see where they were coming from, but... "He still should have told me." She said softly, the hurt clearly coming through.

"Big brothers don't always make the smartest choices when it comes to protecting their sisters. They just do what they think is right."

Angel stared at the man for a moment, tilting her head. "I'm going to buy you guys dessert," she decided with a nod before looking back at Sooraya. "You know Angelo would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. He probably just didn't want to put you in a bad position."

"They might have the best intentions, but they don't always work out..." Sooraya stated, lowering her gaze once more to her hands, lost in the turmoil of her thoughts once more.

"Brothers aren't generally good at predicting consequences." It was the woman's turn to speak up. "They're misguided idiots, but they mean well."

"That," Angel said, jerking her head at the woman. "I know you're hurt, but give Angelo a chance to explain himself, yeah? You know he loves you, and you love him. He's just...well, he's a guy. Not his fault."

"I will. I promise." She would give him the chance to explain. She didn't know what came after that.

"Hey." Angel stood up again, walking around the table and wrapping her arms around Sooraya, pulling her into a hug. "It's gonna be okay."

Sooraya hugged back. "Thanks Angel." She'd have to talk to Angelo... and soon.