Work Text:
Meet me in the Afterglow
Five lifetimes where you and Aki Hayakawa almost kissed and one where you did.
"before all this and everything else,
before the apocalypse,
I do so sincerely wish,
though my words may not fit,
to rest my head in your hair
and kiss your lips."
— Kiss, Indran Amirthanayagam
— Some lunatic. (1997)
No one in their right mind would pursue Devil Hunting as a serious career. Those entering the Public Safety Organization as Devil Hunters were either forced into it by their circumstances, seeking the thrill of the chase or just straight up mental— Just like you, some lunatic with a death wish you might just get sooner or later.
When Captain Kishibe told you he received direct orders from Miss Makima for your transfer to the reinforced Tokyo Special Division 4, the ordeal set your heart racing. When death first came for your family in the form of an attack by the Gun Devil, you soon expected to follow them out of sheer delusion and desperation.
The whole locking yourself in a spare coffin thing didn't work since you were eventually pried out of it by the Devil Hunters. People who encountered devil attacks and lived to see the day were a special kind, and some of them were disillusioned enough by the loss in their lives that they decided to heed the call of madness, heroic sentiment blocking any hope of common sense prevailing.
Public Safety preyed on that madness. You let them.
Here we are, another step closer.
"Gh! Watch it, Otome-san!"
Unfortunately, every step towards death had been thwarted by your senior colleague, Hayakawa Aki. Every mission you declared would be your last always concluded with you being saved by the man.
"Hayakawa-senpai! Y-Yoummfff—"
This one was no different.
Separated from the rest of the squad with no means to protect yourselves other than watching each other's backs, you figured now would have been the most perfect time to die. The devil you formed a contract with would revel in your death and perhaps make its home in your body, too. Then you'd be just like Power. Or Denji. Or just dead like you intended.
But how could you? Aki's hand was over your mouth and his figure was pressed against your own as you attempted to conceal your presence from a devil of still-unknown abilities.
Was it just you or the corridor you both slipped into was getting narrower and narrower? The taller man now had his knee between your legs, bracing himself on the wall that was seemingly collapsing in on you both. Your faces were only seconds apart from colliding.
Aki released his grip from your mouth, his palms moist with bits of your dribble.
"S-Senpai, this is obviously the work of a devil," you started. Space Devil, you thought to yourself. "Unlike you, I have no means to protect myself. I'm only going to drag you down. You should just leave me… I'll—"
A sharp tsk left Aki's lips. He now held you by the chin, blue eyes unclouded as he reasoned out with you. Surely he would have noticed by now that you were looking for a place to die, that you were looking to die, and you wanted every mission you undertook with him to be your last, but how could he bring himself to just leave you behind?
Not after having shared after-mission meals with you. Not after having spent afternoons basking in the sun and cigarette smoke and silly little hopes that both of you will live to see the end of the year and celebrate a new one. This here was a man who had lost nearly everything he held dear in his life. He wasn't losing anyone again, not if he can do anything about it.
He spoke the words as though breathing life back into your lungs with how close you now stood. "No, you damn lunatic. What makes you think I'm leaving without you?"
— Unbecoming of a Lord (Mayfair, London, 1813)
When your "papá" Kishibe told you he would let you off the hook for good if you were to attend even one ball for this season, you considered yourself sold to the idea of freedom. Evening balls and promenades weren't really your thing, but as a daughter of the esteemed Captain Kishibe, you were expected to leave your mark on high society and maybe earn a suitor or two.
You expected your "little sister" Power to enjoy such occasions, and even "younger brother" Denji, who despised dressing up because everything itched, still adhered to Kishibe's rule of presenting oneself to the high society at least once in their life. Tonight would be the first and last time you do so. If you had to put on your dress and stand in the corner all night for only the gods know how long, you didn't mind at all— so long as you never had to attend a single ball afterwards.
So the invitation to dance surely caught you off-guard, but maybe you should have expected it since you were one daughter of a Captain who also happened to be a popular relationship broker.
"May I have this dance?" Asked the taller man, his long dark hair neatly kept in a blue silk ribbon. As you searched for your father from across the room, you caught him nodding back at you, voicing his quiet approval as he took a sip of this evening's wine in his hand. The customary curtsy was granted to the man as you gave him your hand, which he brought to his lips reverently.
You were certain the whole ton had their eyes on you as you took the centre of the ballroom with one of your father's favoured subordinates, the young Lord Aki Hayakawa. He was a cool and aloof man, yet cutthroat in missions, as your "papá" mentioned before, but the pressures of high society had yet to leave traces on his finely chiselled face.
Aki has yet to speak a single word to you after asking for your hand to dance. His hand was warm even over the silk of your gloves, further proof that he was a living, breathing being and not some phantom that people made him out to be. The sound of the piano filled your ears as you were tenderly swept alongside his pace, your fingers gently clutching the shoulder of his cobalt blue coat.
"Diamond," he finally spoke, his voice deep and intimate. You could almost hear a laugh, too. "That is what they call the loveliest girl here, right?"
You paced yourself, counting in your head and mirroring his footwork so as to not miss a beat.
"I'm afraid to disappoint you, my lord, but I'm no diamond. I'm merely a girl," you gently shook your head. "The Queen must have named her diamond already."
It was Lady Makima, surely.
"Y…" You murmured, lips quivering as he drew you closer to his person. The way his breath ghosted over your lips was maddening. "You do know the way you hold me is unbecoming of a lord…"
The tender sound of the music filled your ears along with the rush of blood as you felt the pads of his warm fingers rest on your bare shoulder blade.
"My apologies if I offended your sensibilities. I am simply so enamoured by you now that I've met you," he chuckled. "Captain Kishibe said you despised these balls even though this is your first one."
"He… Papá is right about that," you fumbled for words even further. "Everything is just so… exhausting, to say the least."
"I can do you a favour if you would like. A way for you to no longer have to attend these gatherings," he replied, a glint of mischief playing in his piercing blue eyes that you suddenly couldn't look away from. "Receive me as a suitor."
What?
"S-Surely, you jest!" You unexpectedly laughed at his remark before eventually pursing your lips in embarrassment. "My apologies, my lord, I… I suppose you can visit me at our home. Papá and I would be happy to receive you."
"You would be doing me a tremendous favour as well, my lady," he said, a wave of relief washing over his face. "I, too, no longer wish to attend any of these… social gatherings in the near future."
"My apologies. I would just… like to know why someone with a face like yours no longer wishes to take part in any more of the Queen's balls."
"What is it about my face that you find so intriguing?"
"Because you are absolutely attractive," you replied.
"As are you," he said right back at you. "Now, unless you accept the assistance of a fellow homebody, I'm positively certain more dances will be asked of you once I let you go."
He was right about that, for not only women waiting for their turn with him, but men were gathering around you, too, just waiting for the opportunity to swipe you from the handsome young soldier's arms.
"I am glad to be of help then, my fellow homebody," you started, another small laugh cracked through your smile. "I am looking forward to making your acquaintance."
— You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To (New York, 1955)
In the war of the five families, little songbirds like you should have been happy in their gilded cages. This was a men's game, after all, and if someone like Sonny Corleone perished at the hands of his enemies, what more pretty women like you? Only collateral damage.
The eldest son of Don Vito was known for his impulsiveness, and he was surely warned that his hot-bloodedness would be the death of him one day. With the kingpin shot off the board, the tides of war shifted, and even the bedridden Corleone patriarch rose from his rest to call for an end to the ceaseless fighting disturbing the already fragile peace sustained only by a fraying thread in the underground.
With the death of Don Vito and the accession of his youngest son as the new Don of the Corleone Family, the tides of the underground have shifted once more, and you were determined to survive with all the fight you had in you.
Old man Tessio made sure you and the girls were all fed and educated in the ways of how his club was run, but they disappeared into Barzini hands one by one until only a handful of you were left. The Two Toms has been your home all your life, but now that it was unsafe, you had to find a way to get to the Corleone home base with this vital piece of information that unknowingly fell into your hands.
The Corleones were quiet men, but they took care of their assets.
When the opportunity to leave with a client presented itself, you acted as though it was just another evening out with a rich daddy who wanted some company. It didn't take long for the night stroll to go awry after the gentleman you left with was knocked unconscious as soon as you stepped outside the social club.
It wasn't a killing blow, but the faint scent of clean metal rose to your nose and it set the warning signals in your head alight. It was the stench of blood, something you were entirely familiar with given the connections looped around your pretty pinky finger.
You were quick enough to evade the pair of men in similar black coats, slinking into a dim alley before pulling in the first person to meet your gaze— a fine specimen with piercing blue eyes and dark hair that fell to his shoulders. It was another one of them suits, but now wasn't the time to be picky. He'll do.
You sighed and looked up at the tall stranger you dragged along with you, your cheeks heating up at the sight of his broad chest from his open cloak.
Now's not the time to get cold feet, you told yourself.
"Care to help a stranger?" You smiled at the dark-eyed man, who could only quirk an eyebrow at your inquiry. He found you reaching for his hands, gently placing one on your waist and another on your hot cheek.
"Wh-What are you—" His words were cut off when you raised a soft hand to his face and closed the distance between the two of you, pulling him down by his collar to a kiss.
…Except it wasn't a kiss, but more of a cry for assistance. You stood there cheek to cheek and found this man's warmth a surprisingly pleasant feeling. You felt this strong stranger lightly grip your waist and cheek as you collided, as if reciprocating your sudden display of bold affection. Neither of you was bothered when you heard the footsteps behind you, but it felt like your heart was about to climb out of your throat and make its own escape. "Hey, you!—"
The exclamation didn't even distract the pair. You coiled your arms around the handsome stranger's neck with a sultry little flourish, your scarlet fingernails gently digging into this man's coat. The softest of moans left your lips in another bid to throw off the men on your trail.
The soldato behind them was quick to turn his heel. "Nothin' to see here! Just some…"
As the gruff voices and the footsteps receded, you heard nothing else but the sound of your own pulse, the blood rushing in your ears as you evaded what was possibly an attempt on your life.
"I'm so sorry," you murmured, breath warm against the stranger's chest. He took a step back and allowed you your space, fishing out his favourite pack of cigars from his coat pocket.
"'S'all right, sweet thing. Must have been in a real pinch if you were willing to drag a bystander in your business," he stated, exhaling a cloud of thick white smoke. "Old man Pete said songbirds like you would sing to save herself, but it turns out you can be a hawk if you want."
Pete? "D-Do you know Signore Clemenza? I…"
"The name's Aki. I'm one of Clemenza's men," he offered his hand to you. "And don't worry. He already knows. Just needed another songbird as proof."
You took his hand and used it to anchor your shaking legs. He squeezed you strong enough for you to snap out of your fight-or-flight trance.
"Relax, pretty bird. You're safe," said Aki as he pulled you close to his person. It was only then you saw the little twinkle of sapphires on his ears. The sapphires that were his eyes. "We'll take care of you."
— Katabasis (Greek Mythos)
Pomegranates were the only fruit that was hardy enough to survive in the Underworld.
There was a certain beauty to the crimson fruit that reminded you of home, and all of the lush produce grown in the mortal realm— the verdant trees, overgrown leaves a thick canopy overhead, fragrant blossoms of every colour, and the sweetness of every other fruit that have touched your lips.
It's sweet, you thought to yourself as you pocketed something into your rose-coloured robes, concealing it from the prying eyes of the shades in the house.
The House of Hades, cradled deep within Tartarus, was not as cold as the hymns and stories said it would be. Olympus was plenty warm, made even more so with your mother's unrelenting and watchful gaze on you. You were both goddesses revered for bringing forth the mortal realm's abundant harvests, and the gods be damned if you chose a path different from hers.
For all of its cosiness and colour, Olympus was chaotic, and you didn't mind being spared from its chaos— and your mother's overbearing nature— by accepting an illicit deal with Hera herself. She sympathised with you, after all, and if the Fates wove anything different for her, she would have chosen the more quiet life.
Little did you know that the deal involved being the Queen of the Underworld.
And for all his supposed strictness and severity, the raven-haired and blue-eyed Hades was a good ruler— even more a good husband— and he was exceptionally kind to you. He remained aloof as he was when you first met in Olympus many moons ago, but you were certain he was only giving you all the space you needed to grow into your role as the queen of this realm.
He often bickered with Thanatos, who reaped souls with chainsaws and a surprising lack of empathy. The death god's penchant for following the trail of war troubled Hades, but the harbinger was only doing his job.
Hecate wasn't easy to deal with, either, as she would rather dwell in her blood magick and witchcraft than assist in managing the Underworld and all of its shades and denizens. Hades likened them to his many pet canines, not counting Cerberus.
But they adored you, their queen. Thanatos was amiable as Hecate was genial, and they orbited you as celestial bodies would surround a planet, always in a constant state of wondrous awe every time you called forth a plant to spring to life in the Underworld, only for it to wither after a few moments.
Upon your arrival in the Underworld, Hades gifted you the garden within the palace walls. He was rather embarrassed by its barrenness, but plants from the mortal realm hardly grew there, except for the pomegranate tree that had yet to bear fruit.
And after many moons of waiting, it fell, ripe and right into your hands.
Hades was simply pleased seeing you walking around the estate. He derived no pleasure from possibly scaring you with his presence, but when he saw you pick the fruit open, he knew his intervention was needed.
"Oh!" Came your startled expression as the taller figure seized your hand. "I-Is something the matter, my lord husband?"
His blue eyes scanned your face for a sign, any sign or hint of regret following your consumption of the sweet and tart seeds. "You ate it."
"I did," you replied with a nod. He released you from his tender grip, his large hand moving to gently cup your cheek. Your lips were still moist and balmy with traces of the fruit. Hades pressed himself to exercise control.
"Beautiful goddess, you do know this will tie you to me eternally," he said with the utmost tenderness, his words not at all coming out as easily as he thought. "Did… Did anyone make you—"
You knew that much, of course, as even Hera warned you of eternal captivity should you consume anything from the Underworld.
Aloof as he was, his eyes remained as kind as they were when you first met, his obvious adoration of you not at all lifting or changing even as you descended from the mortal realm to make this place your home. And why wouldn't you make this place your home? Why wouldn't you want to tie yourself to this place, to him, who respected you and your space even though you want him to just crash into you?
"What? Surely you jest," you smiled at him as you contentedly sank into his touch, opening your palm to offer him more of the already sticky pomegranate seeds. "I ate the fruit myself."
— Meet Me (1997)
Surviving the mass attack led by Santa Claus was the last straw for Kobeni.
In the aftermath of the onslaught, only a handful of the reinforced Special Division 4 remained alive, and with Kobeni's resignation came the final number of five: Aki, Denji, Power, Angel, and you. Captain Kishibe didn't count. You've seen the man fight and the slaughter didn't even faze him one bit. Only the gods know how long that man has lived. And he'll probably outlive us all, too.
When the captain presented you with the opportunity to leave the public sector and go private, you were on the fence, which was surprising since you joined the sector to follow your family in death.
"You… aren't looking to die like you were before, the first time we met. I can only assume you found something worth living for," he told you. "Aki and the others are on a break as well. Why not pay them a visit while you're thinking about things?"
And so you did. Despite missing an arm, Aki still managed to keep their place immaculately tidy. You could only assume that Denji and Power pitched in every now and then given their caretaker's circumstances.
"Oh, Aki-san!" You exclaimed as the door to the apartment unit opened. Your superior in his habitat had always been a sight to behold for you. You bought snacks and cans of random chilled drinks as a courtesy. "I just met with Captain Kishibe and Kobeni-chan earlier. Ah, but where are Denji-kun and Power-chan?"
"I asked them to buy us some ingredients for dinner as a breather of sorts," Aki stated as he led you to their shared living room. You trailed his steps and made yourself comfortable as you laid out the various knickknacks you brought with you. "How is Kobeni doing?"
"She's doing well, actually," you managed a smile. "She's been persuading me to resign from devil hunting, too, always saying she'll help me find a regular job if I'm in dire need of it."
You opened a can of black coffee for Aki. "Denji-kun and Power-chan like cola, don't they? I can put this in your fridge in the meantime."
"Thanks."
"Ooh," your eyes lit up as you opened the fridge. The young man couldn't help but chuckle in his seat. "Aki-san, are you perhaps about to make tonkatsu?"
"Yeah. You should stay for dinner while you're here," he replied as you sat down next to him once more. "I can't promise you a peaceful meal, though."
"If we're talking about vegetables, know that I'm happy to take them off their plates," you grinned at him. The way he smiled back at you filled your chest with the warmth you could only hope he felt as well. "Aki-san, I don't… think about dying as much anymore. I suppose I have you to thank for that."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"You…" you stammered before gathering your bearings and eventually facing him head-on. "Aki-san, I think you—"
"No," he cut you off, slowly shaking his head, the tension between you all the more palpable now that he's rested his forehead on your shoulder. With his hair undone, he smelt even more of cigarettes and strong black coffee, more redolent and intoxicating than the finest cup of espresso you could afford. "There's no leaving this profession for me. Not now."
Who am I kidding? You thought to yourself. Himeno-senpai couldn't… Whatever made me think that I could?
He raised his remaining hand to touch your face, his palm warm against your cheek. Or was it you who was warm? When he leaned down to wipe away the tear in the corner of your eye, it was only then you noticed that you were crying all along.
"Otome," he stated, voice low and gentle, soft and pleading. No. Any more would hurt. Any more would— "Outlive me and live the most beautiful life you can."
"I can do that now with whatever remaining time you have left, Aki-san," you spoke in tears, trying to hold back your sobs. You cried into the crook of his neck. "Let me take care of you!"
"Just knowing you want to keep on living makes me incredibly happy, Otome," Aki stated with a smile you couldn't see. He tried to soothe your sadness by running his hand over your head. Warm. "Stay for dinner, all right? Come as often as you can. Denji and Power will appreciate having you around, too. I'll bring you something when I get back from Hokkaido, so cheer up."
You nodded, or at least attempted to, as he gave you gentle pats on your back. Even though he was an image of coolness and calmness, Aki held so much warmth in his heart that it overflowed, saving you from the path of destruction you set on.
"Aki-san," you murmured against his broad shoulder. Aki-san, I wish I could have saved you, too. "I'd love some miso soup, too."
You felt his laugh reverberate in his chest. Warm, as though the overflow was trying to make itself known. "I'll prepare some later."
Aki never returned after he last met up with Makima. In the end, it was Denji who handed over the souvenir from Hokkaido that he brought home for you— a pair of carved wooden bears eating corn and salmon, living their most beautiful lives yet.
— +1, In The Afterglow (To the world where you are, 2023)
Only a small crack of sunlight managed to break through your curtains. The glass sliding door was slightly left open, allowing a gentle morning breeze to slip into your bedroom.
A groan escaped your lips as you reached for the other side of your bed and found it cold and empty. Why, oh, why did Aki have to be such a morning person?
It couldn't be helped. Even when you were younger, the Hayakawa family next door were known in the area as early risers. When you first moved into the neighbourhood when you were nine, the Hayakawas were the first ones to bring your family a housewarming gift.
But you liked Aki even more than the present his parents brought. That blue-eyed boy with the most precious smile. You liked him the moment you laid eyes on him.
And you still like him as much 20 years later. Middle school, high school, university and work never changed how you felt for Hayakawa Aki. Your mutual friends marvelled at your long-standing relationship, some of them joking that the young man was only tolerating you.
—"Ne, Aki-kun! Otome-chan must be a menace when it's just the two of you, huh? Don't you ever think of meeting other people?"—
And Taiyo nearly lost it when you almost broke up with his big brother, too.
—"Don't listen to onii-chan, Otome-nee! He's being an idiot right now!"—
But Aki liked you just as much as you did for as long as you did, too. And the jokes are on the people who tried to make your relationship a laughing matter.
—"Are you kidding? She may be a menace, but she's my menace. There's no way I'm letting her go."—
And Taiyo still stood as his big brother's best man on your wedding day even though he thought you two would break up a day before.
—"I've always been some kind of an idiot when it comes to you, Otome. Don't give me that look and come here. Yes, that's right. You're my idiot, too."—
— 🌟 —
"Akiii!" You whined into your pillow. "Why can't you just sleep in with me, even just a little?"
"Because my pretty wife said she liked having breakfast as soon as she wakes up," the brunette cut through your open internal monologue as he made his way back into your shared bedroom. "Good morning."
You raised your arms to a long stretch, hands reaching for your husband as he sat on the edge of your bed.
"Good morning, sunshine of my life," you beamed at him. The moment you coiled your arms around his neck and drew him close, he moved like clockwork, leaning down to press his lips on yours.
Warm, like always. He tasted of ash and his favourite black coffee. "Aki…"
You could tell he was holding back from the way his fists slightly shook on his lap. "All right, that's—"
"Nooo! Don't go yet," you sadly whimpered as he broke away from your hold. Your puppy eyes still worked wonders on him even after all these years. "I just feel like kissing you today. There's a part of me saying I've missed out on doing that a lot."
"What are you saying, you odd bird?" He chuckled, placing a large hand on your head. You gently curled his dark hair around your fingers, the silkiness of his mane refusing to follow your hold.
"What time will Denji and the others be arriving today?"
"Later in the afternoon."
"Then I have all morning to kiss you!"
"You have all the time in the world to kiss me," Aki stated with the same small smile you first fell in love with, a smile you felt like you've always been in love with, with lips you always felt like kissing, as though lifetimes have been stolen from you both. He leaned down to kiss you once more, softly, slowly, tenderly, kindly, taking all the time he wanted. "All the time in the world."
End.