Chapter Text
Coffee with Vincent was full of new experiences for the angel. For starters, he had never actually eaten anything before. He was shocked to find that he could taste things in this vessel at all. Omega gagged when the warm liquid entered his mouth, much to his company’s amusement.
“You don’t like it?” Vincent teased. Omega paused and took another sip, much more prepared now. He was very aware of the green eyes that watched and captured every subtle expression.
“...I was just surprised,” Omega said finally.
“You don’t have to like it,” Vincent laughed, but Omega quickly shook his head and continued drinking. Vincent smiled and prattled on and on about the subtle flavors in their drinks– he had, of course, insisted that Meg tried his favorite– but in the end it just tasted bitter to the angel. But there was something nice about something so bitter.
“Meg,” Vincent said once they had both finished their drinks. “You don’t like talking about yourself, do you?” Omega blinked back at Vincent.
“I just don’t think there’s much to say,” Omega said. Vincent tsked and shook his head.
“I don’t believe that,” Vincent leaned back with a wave of his hand. “You’re much more than a pretty face and a good listener.” Omega was silent as he considered what he could possibly say. He held the empty mug in his hands, and looked into it as if it might give him some kind of inspiration.
“I like learning about people,” Omega said, still not looking up. “I like seeing how everyone lives their lives, and what I can do to help them.”
“Ah,” Vincent sighed. “So I suppose I’m not the first person who’s talked your ear off like this?” Omega looked back at Vincent; there was a tinge of disappointment in his human’s eyes.
“No. No one has ever talked to me like this.”
Vincent hummed. “That explains why you let me talk so much!” he laughed. “Most people would be bored to death by now.”
“I can’t imagine being bored of you,” Omega encouraged; he wasn’t exaggerating either. Of course, all humans are fascinating, but this one had certainly drawn him in. He had so much potential, and a passion for creation. Truly, if anyone was blessed with talent, it would be the man who sat across the table from Omega. He had a dazzling personality, almost as radiant as the place Omega had always called home. If Vincent was guilty of any sin it could have been pride, but it was well justified pride— so what could he possibly be doing wrong?
Why did so many of his lives have to end in failure?
“Meg,” Vincent said, rousing Omega from his thoughts. Omega came back to focus; Vincent had propped his chin on his hand. He was smiling at Omega when he whispered, “You’ve been staring for a while. Something on your mind?”
This man really had a way of brushing away the words from Omega’s lips.
“You fascinate me,” was all Omega could say.
“I could say the same,” Vincent responded, his smile never wavering.
He could have never known just how deep Omega’s fascination for him would go.
By the time the sun was setting, Vincent had insisted on Omega coming back to his apartment. Omega saw no reason to deny the request.
“It’s not much, I know,” Vincent said as he held the door open for Omega.
“It’s not bad,” Omega reassured. “Really.” They both shed their coats and slipped off their shoes. Vincent guided Omega to the living room.
“Do you like wine?” Vincent asked; he had already started walking out towards his kitchen before Omega could respond.
“I don’t drink.”
“More for me then!” Vincent called back from his kitchen in a sing-song voice. Omega frowned slightly; he would try to stop him from drinking too much when Vincent got back.
In the meantime, Omega looked around the room. It was a little dingy. The room itself was small with a single window completely covered by dark curtains. The lights in the room were dim– surely not on purpose, Omega thought– and as far as furniture went there really wasn’t much to comment on. Besides a sofa, there was a table covered in newspapers and all sorts of clutter, and a bookshelf practically overflowing with books and a few small knick-knacks. There were a few piles of other things around the room that must have not fit anywhere else, like a camera and boxes full of who-knows-what.
Still, the place had some charm to it, even amidst all the clutter. It was organized in its own way, and the walls were decorated with various pieces of art, strings with newspaper and magazine clippings attached, and pictures that Omega knew that Vincent had taken himself. Omega walked over to inspect all of them closer. The newspaper clippings were all film critiques, and so were many of the magazine clippings, though those also included pictures as well. Go figure.
Omega was more interested in the photography. There wasn’t much of it, what made up most of it was pictures of the city. The photo that stood out the most was the single picture of a woman. She had a beautiful smile.
Omega turned to look behind him when he heard Vincent walk back in. He had a wine glass in one hand and the bottle in the other. It was already missing quite a bit.
“I see you’ve found where all my good looks come from,” Vincent said as he sat the bottle on the least cluttered space on the table.
“She is very pretty,” Omega agreed. Vincent stepped up close to Omega. “The resemblance is very strong.” Their arms brushed up against each other. Vincent hummed and took a sip of wine. His breath already smelled of alcohol.
“I’m glad you think so. I’d hate to look like my father,” Vincent grumbled. His nose scrunched up just at the thought and he turned to head to the sofa. “But let’s not talk about that washed-up deadbeat. Sit with me.” Omega lingered for just a moment, taking one last look at all the photos before taking a seat with Vincent.
As Omega sunk back into the sofa, Vincent let out an overdramatic groan and slumped against Omega’s shoulder.
“This week has been exhausting, you know?” Vincent complained. Omega simply nodded with his hands folded neatly in his lap; he had already seen all of the things the human had had to go through. “But this is nice,” Vincent added. “You’re nice.” Omega looked down at Vincent, the man was gazing back at Omega. His eyes were half-lidded and he had a lazy smile.
“Thank you.”
Vincent’s smile widened, and he quickly finished off his glass of wine. When he started to sit up, Omega stopped him with a firm hand on the human’s chest. Omega took the glass from him and set it on the table.
“Such a gentleman ,” Vincent giggled. Omega settled back against the cushions of the sofa, and Vincent pulled himself closer. Once again, Omega wasn’t sure what to say. So he just sat there, and let Vincent lean against him for a while. It was peaceful like this.
“Meg,” Vincent mumbled; his face had gradually squished more and more into the angel’s shoulder. “Do you like men?”
“I— what?” Omega stuttered. Vincent just laughed and pulled himself up to be eye level with Omega.
“Don’t worry,” Vincent murmured, “I won’t tell anyone.” Omega could only stare back, slack jawed.
Their faces seemed so much closer now.
The smell of wine was the only thing that filled the space between them. Without any warning Vincent all but fell against him, their lips crashing together in a messy kiss.
And Omega, without even thinking, kissed him back.
The angel had enough restraint to refuse entry to Vincent’s probing tongue. However, despite the horrible feeling of something deeply wrong crawling down his back, he didn’t push the man away. Not at first. But the aching in his body was too much to bear, and soon he pulled back, and gently pushed Vincent away when he chased after Omega. Still, the human kept a tight grip on Omega’s arms. Vincent pouted, and the ache in Omega’s chest felt worse.
“Was that nice?” Vincent asked. Worry crept around the edges of his voice. His eyes desperately flicked across Omega’s face, hoping for any kind of sign for how he felt. Omega nodded– he wasn’t sure how he really felt, but he needed Vincent to be ok. He had to be ok. Vincent sighed, and his whole body relaxed against Omega.
“I…I think I have to go,” Omega mumbled. Vincent’s body stiffened and his fingers dug harder into the sleeves of Omega’ shirt. Vincent opened his mouth to respond, but Omega cut him off. “I’ll be back. Tomorrow morning. I promise.”
Before anything else could be said, Omega ran away.
He searched non-stop through the paths of Vincent’s life. Omega messed up.
The ministry was inevitable now.
It took everything he had to not let rage and sorrow overcome him. He ruined the best thing he’d ever had. Even if he could be forgiven for all the things he had done, there was no way he could save Vincent now. Omega couldn’t be there for him the way he needed, and once his ward found himself within the Satanic Ministry, it was over.
Omega would never see him again.
Not like this. Not from Heaven.
Omega didn’t have much time to think. He needed to make a choice. Now.
He would never fail as an angel again.
Omega went back down to Earth, one last time. He went straight to Vincent’s door, wasting no time waiting for him outside. He knocked on the door and waited, his hand fidgeting with the object in his pocket.
He felt awful. He felt even worse when the door opened.
There was Vincent, the man he was supposed to protect. Dark circles were forming under his glaring eyes, but his glare couldn’t hide the look of desperation deep in them.
“I’m sorry,” Omega sighed. “Can I come in? Please?” Vincent said nothing as he moved to let Omega past him and into his home. An awkward silence hung between them. Vincent refused to look away from Omega. His arms hugged tightly around himself. He still wore the same clothes as yesterday.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to come back,” Omega said. He was met with more silence. “Not now, at least.” Vincent swallowed hard and bit his lip, trying desperately to hold everything back.
“ Why?”
Omega sighed. He reached out with a gentle hand and tried to take Vincent’s hand in his own. Vincent swatted Omega’s hand away; his glare harsher with tears welling in his eyes.
“Why?!” Vincent repeated himself. Omega realized now, why it was dangerous for an angel to spend so much time on Earth. The Earth is a thief, and she never wants to let go. The look in his ward’s eyes said it all.
Omega slipped his other hand out of his pocket, and held out the only thing he had to give into Vincent’s hand.
A crystal star, with seven points.
“I’m sorry.” Omega knew there wasn’t much else that could be said.
Vincent’s face softened as he relented and took the star from Omega. The human carefully turned it over in his hands, only looking up when Omega leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead and whispered.
“I’ll find you again. I promise.”
As soon as the door shut behind him, Omega was ripped back to the heavens. The light was truly blinding. It burned so much. Omega had been forced to his knees before his superior.
There is a different feeling piercing his chest now, cold as ice and spreading quickly throughout his body.
Judgment.
It weighed heavy on his body. For once he felt truly weak.
A terrifying pain cracked through his halo, turning it into splintered horns. His feathers blackened and shriveled, falling from his body with tiny pin pricks of pain all over. There were no words. Just the deafening drone. The painful rumbling of shame and judgment.
His face split open to form a mouth, the wings on his back tore away.
For the first time in his life, Omega screamed, and the light faded away