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Angel knows two answers. One burns, and one flies free.
“Quit public safety and run far, far away.”
He’s being unrealistic, and he knows it. Aki only spares him a glance, as if checking to see if he really believes the words coming out of his mouth. The crying of seagulls gets louder as their footsteps switch from sidewalk to boardwalk and Angel chews at his lip. “If Chainsaw comes after you, all you need to do is run to the opposite side of the world.”
He looks up at the birds, and ruffles his own wings without really thinking about it. “If you still have both legs you can still get away, can’t you?”
He doesn’t tell Aki he’d come along. He doesn’t tell Aki he feels useless. He’s not supposed to care, he’s spent so long not caring and avoiding work and obligations and yet the look in Aki’s eyes since the hospital has a hold on him. A strong one, tethered like a leash. He’s surprised by how much he doesn’t mind the pull.
“Yeah, totally.” The sound of Aki’s voice brings him back to the moment, and Angel can’t get a read on his tone. He picks up his step a little to walk ahead of Aki, briefly catching his eye.
“I’m not joking, you know. I’m serious about this.” He sighs and looks ahead, knowing his partner’s expression won’t tell him much. He feels like he should take a moment for Aki to respond, but they’ve gotten to know each other enough now that he knows when to fill the silence or leave it be.
“You aren’t like me.” You’re fragile. “You could go anywhere.” You should go already. “Could be nice to have a normal job, I think. Just live like a human being…” For what little time you have left.
He hears his partner start to speak, then stop. When Aki manages to get a word out it’s “no” and Angel closes his eyes for the next step. Maybe he’s curious, just a little, if Aki would catch him if he falls.
“I’ll pass, sorry. Denji and Power are here… leaving them alone would feel wrong.” Aki sounds so tender Angel can’t find it in him to be upset. Then almost as an afterthought Aki adds: “And Makima, too.”
Angel keeps his face straight despite the flinch down at the corner of his mouth. “Right. Makima. You said you like her, right?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Aki answers flatly. Angel trips on a loose board. He catches himself before Aki can reach out, and blows a piece of hair out of his eyes. Then, because Angel can’t stop himself, he asks: “Why’d you fall for her?”
“Why..?” Aki’s voice comes out lightly as he seems to realize something himself, and Angel isn’t sure if he wants to know. Just a devil’s luck that they reach the end of the boardwalk at the same time, and they can spot Makima standing near the water. She waves up at them, and Angel doesn’t mind that he can’t wave back.
Aki’s hand lightly presses against the small of his back, reminding him to keep moving, and Angel falls into step a little closer. The stairs down to the beach are a bit awkward without being able to hold the railings, and Angel can’t decide if Aki watching out the corner of his eye makes him feel safe or pathetic. Oh well.
Once they reach Makima he starts to zone out a little; the sand beneath his shoes is weirdly nostalgic and he doesn’t especially want to hear Aki talking about his impending death again. The sound of the waves lapping lightly at the shore makes him want to lay down and nap in the warm sand. It would be so nice to just… not be working. To not be here, having this conversation. Then he hears a weird sound that he hasn’t heard from Aki before and turns back to him.
Ah, fuck. Aki’s crying. Aki’s making a super ugly face and tears are running down his cheeks and Angel has honestly never wanted to hold him as badly as he does right now.
“Whatever happens, I want Denji and Power to survive… and be happy…” Aki’s barely getting the words out through his choked up throat. “My brother’s death was my fault. I… I want the strength to change things, this time at the very least…”
Angel moves a little closer, hoping even just his warmth can bring Aki the slightest of comfort. Aki’s eyes drift to the sand, then glance over at Angel, then he takes a deep breath as though steeling himself. “Miss Makima… I’ll make any contract. With any devil. No matter what it costs. Please…” Aki’s voice cracks and Angel’s chest feels tight. “Please help me.”
In that moment Angel feels his world drop into milliseconds. It’s as though every person on Earth just suddenly held their breath, and the air is so heavy with the weight of it he might drop to his knees at any moment.
“Hayakawa.”
Makima’s voice rings in his head like a bell.
“Will you make a contract with me? If you’ll give me all of you… I’ll give you the strength you seek.”
All Angel can hear is the rushing of his blood in his ears. Despite the sun beating down on them he feels cold, and with barely a glance he knows Aki is shivering. He doesn’t seem to realize it.
Sweat beads on Aki’s forehead. “Wh- What? What are you talking about…?”
And then it clicks.
“This is an order.”
Angel remembers. Aki realizes.
Angel suddenly feels Aki grip his arm, frighteningly rough. Their eyes meet and Angel almost wishes he was blind. Aki looks terrified.
“Kill me.” Aki’s voice sounds so small as he begs, trying to get the words out before Makima says anything more, before he loses himself.
Angel doesn’t have a second to hesitate. He doesn’t have the time to consider how much Aki loves his new family and has to leave them behind. He doesn’t have time to think about a future where they could have figured something else out. He doesn’t have a chance to think about tomorrow.
He rams his body as hard as possible into Aki, knocking them both to the sand. Angel can’t touch him, can’t hold him, can’t offer any kind of gentle solace he would wish for his partner as the life will seep out of him and into Angel’s skin.
So he kisses him. It’s stupid and irrational and self indulgent and Angel tells himself it’s the kindest thing he could do. He tries not to think about how it’s his last chance to do so, but the thought bubbles up anyways. Aki’s single hand cradles his face, seeking more contact between them to speed up the process. It’s unnecessary, considering how little time Aki had left, but the warmth is enough to make the tears in Angel’s eyes spill over. This is their first, and their last.
Neither of them get a final word in before Makima kicks Angel aside, his head knocking back against the sand without his arms to brace the fall. He coughs and rolls to his side, trying to stand.
“Don’t tell me you chose now, of all times, to remember.” Makima smiles down at him, the low sun behind her head casting a hellish halo, as if mocking Angel’s own. He steels himself against the rising bile in his throat, and calls out for a weapon. The most he can do is try to attack with the sword between his teeth, and he runs at her with no real plan. Only loss and agony and sheer anger pushes him to aim for her neck. He wants to see her head roll. He wants this all to end.
“Down, boy.”
Gravity yanks him down. He can’t stop himself.
“What...are you?” Angel asks, not really expecting an answer. Makima kneels down next to him, tucking her skirt under her knees as she reaches out to pluck a feather from his wings. Angel feels sweat drip down his forehead. He’s almost glad that she’s blocking him from seeing Aki’s body. He doesn’t need to be reminded that he doesn’t need to keep fighting anymore.
“My plans will have to change,” Makima says, and the look in her eyes makes Angel feel sick. “Why couldn’t you have stayed obedient?”
He has nothing to say to her.
She won’t let him, anyways.