Chapter Text
“But they made SUCH a cute couple! I can’t stand the thought of him having to spend the rest of his life without his beloved…”
Mahiru’s voice cut sharply through the chatter of the cafe. After a long day of work, Mikoto always appreciated a place to wind down, work on some sketches, and chat with a few friends. And luckily, Mahiru always had a new, juicy story to tell after each shift.
Mikoto put down his drink.
“But… they never even met, right?” he asked, trying to remember exactly which of Mahiru’s favorite mortal couples she was talking about today.
“Hehe~” Mahiru giggled, “I set them up online. It’s such a wonderful tool, now nothing can get in the way of true love! Not even geography!”
“It sure is something…”
“Even if they never met in-person before her death, I’m sure there will be a hole in his heart forever…” she sadly poked at her food.
Mikoto glanced down to his wings. Strangely enough, before meeting John, he could certainly say he felt similar. But things had changed drastically now. They’d been secretly meeting up at the lake almost every day since that fateful first encounter, parting ways once the sun fully set over heaven. Even if it was wrong, Mikoto started feeling like his aimless days had an aim if there was… something like that to look forward to.
“I know the feeling…” he sighed as he switched to a red pen to color in his work.
“Are you.. designing something? Mikoto-kun, you’re such a work-a-holic!”
“Sloth is an overlooked sin, Mappi~.” he replied with a practiced smile.
“But it’s the end of the day! You- wait.” Mahiru’s face suddenly turned from a pout to one of shock. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s sloth, lust, wrath-”
“Nono, before that!” She practically jumped up from the table. “You said that you know… the feeling of a broken heart?”
Mikoto gulped. Now he had done it. He had brought up a potential love life around Mahiru Shiina, and he was never gonna hear the end of it.
“Mikoto-kun…” Mahiru took one of his gloved hands, “When I first met you, I thought you were a shallow person who might cheat on his lover… But now that I truly know your heart, I can’t stand the thought of someone breaking it! Who? Who would do such a thing?”
“O-oh…” his eyes darted around for an excuse- and found one walking straight up to their table. “Hey, Haru-kun!”
Haruka stopped for a moment, seeming surprised that Mikoto had noticed him first. He cleared his throat and sheepishly took a seat in-between the older angels.
“G-good afternoon, Mikoto-kun… And Mahiru-san.”
“Haruka, darling!” Mahiru seemed to totally switch gears again. “Long time no see! How was your training?”
The blue-haired boy smiled. “It’s… It’s going better. Shidou-san is… very patient with me. M-more than the other instructors…”
“Don’t let them give you a hard time, ok Haru-kun?” Mikoto patted him on the shoulder assuringly. “As long as you always do your very best.”
“R-right… And I do, but…” Haruka nodded understandingly. He started anxiously playing with the half-done buttons on his blazer.
“What’s wrong, Haruka?” Mahiru asked. “You look so nervous!”
“A-ah! I…” He stammered, “I had a question. That maybe… you two could, um, answer? For me. I’m sorry…”
“Go right ahead.” Mikoto nodded.
“I- well, my question was… um…” Haruka continued fidgeting, moving onto his gloves. “How do you… figure out… what you wanna do? I-in like.. a job?”
The two angels patiently watched, as it seemed like he had more to say. Haruka cleared his throat.
“You both are… just so good at what you do.” Haruka finished, “I worry I’ll never, um… f-find that. I don’t want to be a burden…”
“Haru-kun, no matter what you decide, you’re not a burden.” Mikoto assured him.
“Yes!” Mahiru nodded quickly, “Haruka, the key is just… finding something you love!”
“Y-you mean someone?”
“No, this time, I mean something!~” Mahiru corrected him, “Something that brings you joy and fills your heart with that wonderful feeling when a hard day’s work is done! Why, they even say you never work a day in your life if you love what you do. Isn’t that beautiful?”
“I-I see…” Haruka looked back up at her. “I think I get it… So… if I like what I do… I’ll b-be good at it?”
“Well, it’s about passion.” Mikoto interjected. “If you have passion for something, you’ll want to do your best no matter what.”
He held up his sketchbook to Haruka, letting him flip through the pages.
“For me, that’s design.” Mikoto spoke as Haruka was marvelled by the messy, yet intricate pencil work on each page, whether it be an angelic insignia or straightforward banner for an event coming soon. “Giving people here and on Earth beautiful things to look at, working with clients, being efficient… all of that makes me feel proud, and pushes me to get better and better.”
“W-wow…”
“And my work as a mortal matchmaker is never done!” Mahiru beamed as she pulled out at least 3 parchment scrolls from her purse.
Even with just one unfurled, it took up the entire table, and still managed to continue spreading off the edge, onto the ground, and nearly out the door. Mikoto’s eyes bulged as he noticed Mahiru had even used both sides of the sheet.
“I keep track of every human that catches my eye, their wishes, their histories, and of course- their types! Then, I match them up in a huuuge spreadsheet I keep at my office!”
“T-that’s…!” Haruka stammered.
“It reminds me…” Mahiru snapped her fingers, and the scroll was instantly tucked right back into place. “Mikoto-kun, you never answered my question. Who broke your heart?!”
“Aha, you’ve got it all wrong, Mappi!” Mikoto laughed it off, “I-I used to feel like that. Like I had lost something I held dear. I wouldn’t call it a breakup, but…”
Well, maybe it was a break-up. But only in a very, very literal sense.
“It wasn’t like that. Recently, I…” he tried not to betray too much longing in his smile, “I think it’s back.”
“Ah~! How magical!” Mahiru squealed, “Then the better question is… who’s the lucky someone who cured your heart, Mikoto?”
Mikoto blinked. How could he even begin to explain what happened with John, or within himself, to Mahiru? Especially since he was technically… absolutely forbidden from speaking with one of Hell’s denizens. Just because being with John made him happy didn’t mean he didn’t feel some shame from it, the imaginary eyes of a heavenly society watching, looking down, scorning him.
“I-it’s not anyone.. Just, um… metaphorically, y’know? Since we’re speaking in metaphors…” He let out a scoff, waving his hand.
“Hmm…” Mahiru did that pout again, like she always did when she was deep in thought, but quickly perked up.
“I see! Well, that’s still nice to hear, Mikoto-kun. That old job must’ve done a number on you, huh?” She nodded.
Mikoto hid his sigh of relief behind a cough. “Y-yeah.”
“O-old… job?” Haruka nervously asked.
“Oh, before he transferred here, Mikoto-kun was working for one of those no-good, awful, no-nonsense types!” Mahiru explained, “Poor thing came here with his feathers falling out!”
Mikoto gulped. He didn’t remember much of that… And now he knew why.
“I mean, he acted like a totally different person!” Mahiru exclaimed… as Mikoto’s halo shivered subtly (well… he hoped it was subtly). “But don’t worry. Some TLC… and weekends off… and he’s all better!”
“O-oh no… I-I’m sorry, Mikoto-kun.” Haruka bowed his head. “I hope I don’t get a boss like that one day…”
“You won’t.” Mikoto reassured.
“I-is that why your wings are like that?”
Mikoto stared in horror. “Ah.”
“G-guh! Your face!” Haruka immediately got down on his hands and knees. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Mikoto-kun!”
Stammering a little, Mikoto snapped out of his shock and picked Haruka off the ground.
“I-it’s fine, Haru-kun! Just caught me a bit off-guard, that’s all…”
Haruka nodded.
“I understand, they’re… different… and have caught some angel’s ire.” Mikoto leaned forward a bit, letting his wings unfurl freely, “But.. I don’t really feel scared about it anymore. It’s something I can.. learn to work with, y’know? And Shidou-san said there’s nothing wrong health-wise, so!”
“If… if Shidou-san said that… it must be true.” said Haruka.
“I think they’re lovely, Mikoto-kun!” Mahiru smiled, “Soon, it’ll be all the rage to dip-dye your wings, just like you did with your hair.”
“You think so?”
“Maybe~! I could see girls doing it seasonally with pink, or periwinkle, or yellow… Do you think the yellow would look nice on mine?” Mahiru adjusted one of the chrysanthemums on her wings. “Although… the black gives you a bit of a ‘mysterious bad boy’ edge… That’s not the Mikoto-kun I know!”
“‘Mysterious bad boy’? Me??”
Both Haruka and Mahiru giggled to themselves.
---
“You really came.”
“Do you say that everytime..?” Mikoto landed softly onto the sand next to John. Sunset had come once again, and the two of them continued their meetings.
Mikoto had found himself anxiously wanting to know more about John after their first one. But things quickly changed once he got to know him, and started noticing more... particular traits. Strangely enough, he felt like John was the type of person he always wanted to be. John was strong, he was contemplative, and he was funny. Mikoto could never imagine someone like him being pushed around by friends, family, or a wicked boss.
Plus… he felt like John was the only person he could be himself around. It felt nice, not having to mask or water down any of his feelings, because John would recognize it immediately, and get him to say what he truly felt. John understood everything Mikoto said, sometimes before he even said it. And John didn’t try to change or ‘correct’ Mikoto’s words and behavior. He just accepted him for who he was. It was something so foreign to Mikoto.
“Work was good today? No trouble?”
“Yes, very productive!” Mikoto smiled. “A-and relaxed, too, of course. Don’t worry, no one was pushing me too hard.”
John nodded. “Can I.. see your sketchbook again?”
“I didn’t add too much. Just some ideas for next week.” he handed over the white notebook to John, who immediately flipped to the back, filled with what he hadn’t already poured over religiously in prior evenings.
“These are good.” he spoke bluntly, “‘Could see them on a shirt or something.”
“A shirt?” Mikoto took back the book and put it off to the side. “I mean, maybe, but… these are mostly for heavenly announcements.”
“They’re too good to be used once and thrown away.” John huffed. “‘Specially when you spend so long on each.”
Mikoto paused at that.
“Yeah… I guess you’re right.” he admitted. Dang, why did John need to know him inside and out like that..?
Suddenly, John turned his head straight to him.
“Do people still say weird stuff?”
“About what?” Mikoto tilted his head
“Your wings.”
“Hmm… Yeah, but I really do think the tone’s shifted now that I show a bit more confidence. Just today, Mappi said it makes me look like…” Mikoto paused to snicker a little, “A ‘mysterious bad boy’.”
“Isn’t it bad? For an angel to be like that?” John’s tone seemed genuinely touched with worry for Mikoto’s safety. “I mean… in hell, no one really gives enough of a shit about anyone else to care about stuff like that. But it could be dangerous for you.”
“Well, ah- I don’t know. As long as you’re not doing anything really bad…” Mikoto shrugged. “I wonder... For you, would other people see it as… you look intimidating on the outside, but on the inside, you’re a big softie?”
John chuckled. “I’m definitely not a softie…”
“Uh- but you are to me.” Mikoto hummed with a teasing tone.
“...Well. That’s 'cause it’s you.” John leaned in closer to Mikoto, whose flushed face began to match his counterpart’s.
He had never been so close to another angel before… And he was sure he could say the same for John. They both stared into each other’s eyes as something grew in their chests.
“Is… Is this ok?” John whispered in a raspy tone that sent shivers up Mikoto’s spine.
“Yeah…”
Mikoto’s heart pounded. He wondered if this was the ardour that Mahiru gave out to mortals like candy. He had to question her intentions for a moment- this was way too much to be feeling all at once.
“Can I… do something?” Mikoto asked. John’s eyes widened. “I just… need to see.”
He slowly nodded, and hesitantly, their lips met.
It took a moment before they both began to push deeper, tilting their heads and letting it all come naturally. There was supposed to be no room for worry here. John took hold of Mikoto’s tie to ground himself, while Mikoto wrapped his arms around the fallen angel’s back.
When they pulled away, neither of them moved a muscle or said a word. Until John broke the silence.
“..Again?”
Mikoto let out a breathy ‘yeah’ before closing his eyes and letting John kiss him again. This time was more passionate, as evident by labored breath and their grips growing tight. Mikoto parted his lips to gasp, and John carefully ran his tongue along his bottom lip, before slowly slipping it into his mouth. He half-expected Mikoto to recoil in disgust, but instead, he gave in immediately and let John’s tongue meet his. He could feel himself melting bit by bit.
The two separated again, a thin line of saliva connecting their mouths as they panted and tried to process what had just happened.
Suddenly, Mikoto was pushed down onto the sand. He looked up at John, face red, wings splayed, and chest heaving… He was gorgeous, John thought, perfect, even. His tail swished eagerly just thinking about all the things he could do to his angel.
But still, he hesitated just enough to realize what would happen if he really did.
“I… I need to go.”
“What..?” Mikoto panted.
John suddenly sat up, uncharacteristically anxious.
“We- we can’t do this.” He looked away and dug his fingers in the sand. “I’m not gonna be the reason you get kicked out of heaven, after I did so much to protect you from that...”
“John…”
He unfurled his wings, and Mikoto’s eyes widened.
“Wait!” He grabbed at his shoulder. “You’ll be back tomorrow, right?”
“Mikoto… I-” John turned his head slowly, but then… something moved in the corner of his eye.
Looking straight past Mikoto as if he wasn’t there, his face morphed from sadness and resignation, to shock, to something more furious. Mikoto noticed, and took a slow step back when he heard a low growl coming from John's throat.
“Joh-?”
But before he could even get a word out, John beat his wings down hard against the earth, and threw himself into the serene birch forest beside them. In just half a second, he was gone.
“JOHN!” Mikoto ran after him, jumping over the bushes for momentum and flying as fast as he could towards.. the scream.
In all the panicked dodging and rolling around obstacles, Mikoto found himself stumbling over a bush and right onto John’s back. He grabbed a tight hold of his wings.
“What’s the matter with you!?” he exclaimed, tugging at John’s clothes to make him get off whatever he had pinned to the ground like a cat with a mouse.
“Let go!” John growled.
“No! You can’t just-”
Mikoto’s eyes widened as he got a glimpse of blue hair from over John’s wings.
“...Haruka?”
Finally managing to wrestle John off of the poor boy, Mikoto tumbled over as Haruka shot up off the ground and hid on a branch. He seemed to be in the middle of some sort of panic attack.
“I-I-I’m sorry please PLEASE don’t hurt me don’t kill me please please-” The young angel shook ferociously and hid his face behind his arms. Mikoto shuffled up to him cautiously.
“Haru-kun, what…” Mikoto found himself stammering too, “What are you doing here?”
“A-after you left… M-M-Mahiru-san… said… t-to follow you… to find y-y-your ‘secret love’..” Haruka sobbed out. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to spy! O-or to watch you-”
Mikoto’s face turned a deep red. He had no idea Haruka was there this whole time.
“Mikoto.” John stepped up behind them, “I’ll be damned if this brat snitches and gets you sent to hell. Let me-.”
“I-I-I’m not snitching!!!” Haruka practically screamed, “I won’t- I won’t tell anyone n-n-not even Mahiru-san!”
“Pipe down-”
"Shh!"
Mikoto took a deep breath in, trying to steady himself.
“Ok… both of you, just... just settle down." he sighed. "We’ll-we’ll figure this out.”