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He's still breathing.
His torso is broken apart, guts dangling like rope on the ceiling, more blood on the floor than in him at this point.
But, because devils are cruel, he's still breathing.
He's not crying, because the gun fiend has no eyes. But Angel knows. He doesn't know why, why he's being cursed with this omniscience now, but he knows.
He's alone in the snow, now.
"Denji, stop… This isn't fun anymore…"
Aki isn't crying, but Denji is.
And, because Devils are cruel, Aki knows it.
"I'm sorry, Denji…"
Denji's whisper is the loudest sound Angel has ever heard. "Turn back… Please, turn back…"
He's kneeling close to him, the chainsaws on his arms and head spilling more blood into the scene, but still his tears are the most gruesome of all. Angel feels sick.
"Denji." Makima says, a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Aki's not coming back."
"No… He says he's sorry… He's coming back, I know it!"
"He's as good as dead." Makima says, curt. "The gun devil only kept enough of his brain to control him. As soon as it's gone, Aki will die."
Angel can vaguely hear Power throwing up.
"You have to do it." Makima insists, eyes blazing.
Angel wishes he could say something, but it's like he's frozen in place. He remembers, now. Remembers what Makima made him do. Remembers who she is. What her powers are.
Angel sent Aki straight to her.
He remembers, and he knows. What she did, what she's trying to do.
He finally remembers, and it's useless.
Angel is useless.
He watched the battle from the sidelines, frozen in place by the sight of… Aki. Like this. While Denji, his own brother, had to fight him, screaming and crying and being torn apart by the power of the gun devil.
Alone.
"Do it, Denji," Makima keeps insisting, and Angel is frozen in place. "You have to do it," her voice is as sweet as her eyes are cold, and Angel is frozen in place.
Denji turns away from Aki just enough to see her, grabs her leg with shaky hands, and the disgust in her eyes is unmistakable. "Please, Miss Makima… Please, I can't…"
"He's suffering right now, Denji," she replies, taking his hands off her and letting them fall limp at his sides.
"It's true." Angel finds himself saying, without the thought ever crossing his mind.
Denji grabs Aki's shirt, a little more frantic now. "Aki! Quick! You have to turn back now!" He shakes him, "Aki! Come on! Do it now!"
It's usually easy to forget how young Denji is, but not in that moment. Even the rev of his chainsaws, the most terrifying sound in Hell, sounds like no more than the whimper of a kid lost in the market.
He's far too young for this.
But Angel is ancient.
And far too familiar with this sin. He's a devil, after all.
He takes a step towards him.
"Stop," Makima says.
He stops.
Then he looks at Aki. Still there. Alone in the snow.
"Denji…? Power…?"
It's no more than a whisper, but Angel can hear it.
He takes another step.
"Stop." Makima says again.
Angel doesn't stop.
He keeps his eyes set on… Aki, resolve he hasn't felt since the aftermath of the massacre settling in him.
Angel doesn't need any power to know.
Aki wants to die.
He needs to let Aki die.
And because he's finally lucky, he'll follow soon, too. All he has to do is hide the letter Aki made. Then, he'll be able to let go of his sin as well.
His only regret is that he isn't human, so he can't join Aki in the snow.
He keeps walking, Makima's increasingly angry protests no more than a breeze in his ears, and he kneels beside Aki, the only person who's cared about him since he lost his family.
His breathing is labored, and Angel knows it's mere seconds he's about to steal from him. The resulting weapon will be so weak no one will ever want to use it.
Perfect.
He rests his forehead against Aki's. It's warm and damp, and he has the urge to wrap his arms around him and allow himself to enjoy touching him for the first and only time in his life.
Of course, he can't do that, because he has no arms anymore.
Still, he closes his eyes and lets Aki wash over him. Cigarettes and blood and anger, so much anger, and then love. So much love that Angel's eyes fill with tears and he finds himself holding back a sob, overwhelmed by its strength and comfort. He couldn't move if he tried. Can't back away from this love, can't stop himself from wanting it, needing it. God, it's all he's ever wanted, to be overcome with love like this.
And then comes the guilt, strong and intense enough to bring anyone to their knees. But Angel is already on his knees and he has enough of his own to greet Aki's like an old friend. He swallows up as much of it as he can, carries it all so Aki can be set free of it.
Once the guilt is gone, so is Aki.
His last breath is a sigh, peaceful and thankful, and Angel lets himself feel relieved, too.
Humans ought to suffer as they die, he had said.
But Aki's suffered enough, and Angel's thankful he can bring him peace.