There was a good amount of blood everywhere. Crowley had his arms down to his sides, his eyes narrowed like daggers. Dead demons by the dozen laid lifeless on the painted hardwood floor. Stained in the demon's blood. He was angry, pissed off. Taking it out on the demons that defied him. It felt good.
"Seems like you've been getting a little rusty eh Crow?" A voice questioned behind him. He knew that voice. That annoying voice. Ugh. Why was she of all people back?
Crowley had known of her existence ever since he died and became a demon. Like a little voice in the back of his head. He got used to it after a decade or so. But sometimes her words would get to him a little. She wasn't like the average angel. Since she was an echo of what he 'could've been'. She was about Crowley's age. Old.
"You, again...?" Crowley huffed through his nose, coming out as a growl. Crowley looks back in annoyance, clearly not wanting to engage with her. She makes a sudden smile, then drops it back to her casual nonchalant facial expression.
"Yep. Miss me?"
"A part of me wants to say yes, but then again I never liked you." A smirk crosses Crowley's face and he looks down on the women, his face condescending.
She scoffs lightly, and gives Crowley a sarcastic look, crossing her arms.
"It's nice to see you too, Crow." She answered, looking at the blood splatters around the dark room.
"I suppose you want to know why I'm covered in blood, don't you...Echo?" He admitted to the women, breaking the constant eye contact.
Echo chuckled lightly again, and looked Crowley up and down with a small smirk forming on her face.
"It's a Monday. That in itself explains."
"You've got a point there." He chuckled at the joke, pulling out a handkerchief wiping away the red stains on his long pronged blade.
"Although I do have to say, I've never been very fond of your sarcasm." He cocked his head in Echo's direction, his eyes glaring at her down. Watching. Planning.
"You know me too well."
She paused.
"You know why I've shown up? After about…..I dunno…—a hundred years now? It's been pretty long huh?"
"I do, yes..." He answered in a deadpan tone. He gave Echo a slight half-smile before sighing. "Oh, what is it this time? Here to make me question my ways again? Or just here to annoy me?" He raises an eyebrow at her.
"Not exactly," she paused and started to circle around Crowley, with her hands behind her back. "Sometimes I think you just need to vent."
"Killing is my way to vent Echo. Not talking about damn feelings!"
"Why?" She questioned blandly.
"Why? Why?! Because I fucking like it! It's enjoyable! Something this damn planet delivers with!" His face started to turn red, as he continued to yell. She was always a pusher when it came to his nerves.
"Why?" She pushed again.
"Fucking hell—just get to the damn point Echo!" Crowley blurted out, venom spewing with each word. He obviously didn't like it when she slowly played her words.
"Alright alright," she put her hand out in a calming gesture and continued. "What I'm trying to say is…—you had a change in heart, Crowley." Her tone went from serious to reassuring and solemn in the matter of seconds, knowing well of the situation.
"I had a change of heart? Me? Of all people?" He looked towards the women, raising a single eyebrow. Clearly this has caught his attention. He was in the midst of disbelief and confusion. "Now I know you're here to annoy me. There's no way in hell I've had a 'change in heart'."
"You sure?" She questioned, crossing her arms.
Her small question got to Crowley like a bus. They seemed to go right through him, since Echo was his Echo, she had this sort of connection with him, and vice versa. She gave a small smile, she could sense it. Hell, Echo could see it in his very soul. It was about the size of a pinhead. His soul was covered in darkness, except a small dot that didn't burn black.
"What in t-" The words die in his mouth as the realization hits him. "...You're actually serious, aren't you?"
"Why would I?" She deadpanned.
She paused and smirked a little lighter now. She could see everything in his mind and soul. His bond with the Winchesters, Castiel, and Rowena. They all stood out like a sore thumb in her eyes.
"You didn't answer my question," Echo said lightly, but not pressuring. She knew it, and could feel the denial bubbling in Crowley.
"Damn it Echo." He sighed deeply, rubbing his hand over the bridge of his nose. "Why are you really here? And no slow playing. That shit drives me up a wall, you know that."
"To push you in the right direction."
As Crowley looked back up to her direction to confront her, she poofed away in a thick puff of gray smoke before he could get any words out.
The prideful smirk fades from Crowley's face when she poofs away. Almost instantaneously.
"Damn it..."
He sighs once more. He still couldn't trust her. But, a sudden feeling of hope comes to him. Crowley only remembered that feeling of when he was new to being a demon, where he was finding which side he should really be on. Doubting the last drops of emotion he had before his soul burned off like embers. It's almost nostalgic to see Echo having an effect on him again.
Crowley started pacing around his throne. He wasn't sure if he could trust her, but he wanted to take this chance. He wanted to be on the Right side. After a few moments of pacing, Crowley stops dead in his tracks. He doesn't know what it is. Something feels different.
Something...feels right.
A warm feeling comes over him, the first time he's felt something like this before, washing over him like a clear stream. He could feel again. A smile. A genuine smile shakily peered through his lips. His eyelids relaxed, and took a heavy breath in.
Crowley slowly sat down on his throne and closes his eyes, embracing his new feelings.
"I feel...better..."