Chapter Text
“Ghh…”
The air was hot and choking, roaring flames drowning out the silence.
“Hah…”He gasped, trying to inhale any sort of clean air. But it was no use. He kept breathing in smoke.
“This… wasn’t… the plan…”
His mere resort to the bombs was out of vain and anger. Yet, he didn’t expect it to be this bad. It was only two each under the table’s he had reserved. So how did it end up so awfully?
I planted zero downstairs, and none anywhere else! I’m not that heartless to hurt innocent people!
The screams and wails of small kids still lingered in his ears. It reminded him of his painful childhood in the orphanage he grew up in. Those horrifying memories resurfacing.
Everything hurts… so badly. Somewhere on his body, a large piece of debris hit him when the explosion happened. Now it was bleeding out with no sign of stopping. He had minor burns, but the sweat dripping down his body made them sting like hell. He’d just check them later.
But this… all of this… This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, at all.
“This… was all… for nothing!” He screamed out suddenly. The short couple was still standing there, recovering from the sudden blast. That stupid demon and her partner were still alive! They weren’t dead. At least, she isn’t, Tabi thought.
“Gh! You naive, insolent, stupid, BRAT! She’s already manipulated you into thinking she cares about you, when in due time, you’ll find out that she doesn’t in the slightest… Do yourself a favour and get out of here before you end up like me! A ruined and cursed ‘man’!”
Ah… My throat… It hurts so badly. He stared at them fiercely, but neither of them seemed willing to give each other up. It… reminded him of someone.
Doesn’t matter. I’m just losing it… Unless it… No! He felt tears form in his eyes, but wiped them away quickly, keeping his composure. He kept his fierce glare on them, when his ex managed to finally speak up.
“I- Tabi, you have to listen. This is all just a misunderstanding- A miscommunication- I wasn’t-”
The ex-musician scoffed. “Really? A misunderstanding? Really? Oh sure, like that’s totally gonna make me feel better!” He said in a sweet, mocking voice. “I’m pretty sure I understand what your intentions were, you cunt. To use me. You rose me to the top of the industry via your big name, then took away everything I had. My entire life was gone in one night. And to make yourself look worse, you made up a huge scandal to ruin me even more!”
“I-” She went silent once more, unable to say a word.
“See? It’s true. You can’t even defend yourself! Funny how these things work, huh?” He grimaced, fighting through the surging pain in his body.
Well, he thought, smiling to himself, I won’t be like this for long. I’ll stay here and burn, so nobody has to see me like this. I’ll be dead and out of my misery. Nowhere to go either, so, I guess we’re all dying.
He took another choked breath in, ready to start yelling at them again despite the condition of his voice, when he heard a large crash by a side of the restaurant.
What was that? He looked over to where the sound was made, squinting to see whatever it was.
…No.
His jaw dropped, pupils contracted.
“Ah–” His voice cracked, tears forming once more.
And in the softest voice, he called out, “...A-Agoti?”
“I-Is… that you?”
Jesus. Finally got in… Ugh, this place is filled with smoke. He waved it away with his tail, being very careful as to not tread in the fire. If any part of my body touches it, I’m going to go up in flames and looking for Tabs here will be a waste of time… Cus’ I’ll be dead.
He kept walking through, spotting three people standing right in the middle of the crumbling building. As he came closer, Tabi stood there in shock, just staring at his friend.
…Ags… Ags… It’s… actually you… After all this time… Something in his heart was changing. But, he couldn’t describe what that feeling was. The Digidevil finally stopped in front of the situation, confused at what he was looking at.
…Isn’t that the couple I met in the void? Agoti realised. Then who is this…? The other man standing across from him looked weary and ruined. His body was invisible, and his head was that of a goat skull. Something felt so awfully familiar about him. His tall, slightly built figure, to his style of clothing. He just couldn’t exactly place his finger on who…
“...Ags?”
“Ah-” His eyes went wide. Wider than the sun. That recognisable, soft and beautiful Russian accent. The special nickname that was given to him by his best friend, who he lost over a year ago now. He knew exactly who that was. Why had it not been more obvious?
It was Tabi.
“Tabs?” He noticed that the couple had made their escape while they were distracted, but it didn’t really matter to him. His best friend, who he assumed was gone, was standing right in front of him, which, to him, was the most important thing in the world.
Ags… The ex-composer just kept repeating his name over and over again in his head, unable to believe that it was actually him. Aggy… Thousands of emotions overwhelmed him at once, unable to comprehend it all.
What happened to him? But before he could even ask, Tabi suddenly ran at him, hugging him tightly, sobbing his eyes out.
“Agoti! I- It’s you! I-” he took a sharp breath in, doing his best to compose his breathing. “I missed you so much!” his cries were so painful, like he’d been holding them in forever.
“I…” Tears welled up in his eyes, as he returned the hug, then completely broke down, falling down onto the ruined floor with him. Both of them were just sobbing, unable to say anything. They had missed each other so dearly that it hurt.
“Tabi- I- I missed you so much- I never stopped looking for you once I was free-” he said, choking out from his sobs. “I’ll never ever leave you alone again, Tab-Tabs. That’s- That’s a promise. I swear.”
“Aggy…” he mumbled quietly.
“I’m here, Tabs… Shhh…” He gently lifted him up out of his chest, wiping his tears gently as he rested his forehead against the ex-composers. “Shhhh… I’m here now…”He took a shuddered breath in, trying to calm down. Tabi glanced down at the ground, then back up at his friend.
“You… haven’t asked why I’m like this…” he said, a hint of anxiety in his voice.
“Well, that wasn’t really my priority when I first saw you,” he said, stroking his cheek.
“Mm… Y’know, it might not even be me-”
“Shh…” he cut him off, placing one finger over mouth. “I knew it was you almost instantly. From your build to your voice, and how you know my special nickname that only you can use.”
“...Really?”
“Of course, Tabs. You probably wouldn’t have needed to say anything, and I would’ve figured it out,” he replied with a warm smile.
This feeling that Tabi felt in his heart… it felt… wonderful. There was this happiness in it that he had been missing for such a long time - ever since the night they got kidnapped. He smiled back at him, so utterly grateful to see his friend again. He hugged him tightly once more, however…
Boom!
The two young men jumped in fright at the sudden loud sound, standing up quickly.
“This place is gonna come down on our heads if we don’t get out of here now,” Tabi said, panicked.
“Right,” he paused, then continued, “We’ll go out the way I made getting in here.”
Hopefully it hasn’t been blocked off, Agoti thought worriedly. He shook it off, then grabbed Tabi’s hand, looking at him with something in his eyes that said, ‘I’ll protect you.’
‘Even if it kills me.’
The two men ran as fast as they could before the whole restaurant collapsed on their heads. The ex-composer did his best to keep up, despite the wounds. The Digidevil noticed him staggering behind and taking sharp, painful breaths through his teeth, so he slowed down a bit, not stressing him. Tabi didn’t say anything, but looked at him with a ‘Thank you’ in his eyes.
The two soon reached the area where the original hole Agoti had made, however, they encountered an unforeseen problem.
“It got blocked off,” Tabi said, his eyes contracted in fear. I guess that’s what the loud crash was about.
“Shit…” The ground slowly started to tremble under them; the building was finally about to give way and fall apart. The ex-musician grabbed the Digidevil’s arm, afraid. There was too much rubble blocking their only way out; they’d be dead before getting all of it out of the way.
“What… what do we do, Ags?”
He went silent, closing his eyes, clearly in thought. A look of annoyance crossed his face, then he opened his eyes again, sighing.
“As much as I don’t want to… I’ll have to…” he focused for a second, as Tabi began, “Do what…” he stopped, staring at what Agoti was doing. Large red, flame looking wings had emerged from his back, and his fists were also now red and flame like.
“Uhh…” The ex-musician hesitated.
“No time now, I’ll tell you all about it later. Short version is these are the star powers Sol gave me as a kid.” And to Tabi’s surprise, he began punching away the rubble and debris with immense strength, remaking their escape again.
Jesus… When did he get so strong? …He could punch me with those fists and I wouldn’t mind it- I MEAN- his face went bright red at that thought, waving it away as best as he could. But when he looked back, all the debris was gone, and Agoti was staring at him with a toothy grin.
He scoffed lightly, then said, “You impressed, huh?” He winked and stuck his tongue out at him.
Tabi went even more red, and before he could recover, Agoti picked him up in his arms. The ex-musician didn’t say a word, but held onto him tightly as they left the side of the building into the alleyway. The Digidevil had gently flapped them down towards the ground with his wings, then put Tabi down.
“If you ever need free flight services, just call me,” he said with pride. His appearance was back to normal now.
“Gh… You idiot…” He groaned. Their tender moment was cut short, as the ex-composer let out a grimace of pain, swearing under his breath.
“Agh- Fuck…”
“Oh- Yeah! I was so caught up with seeing you that- You probably have a bunch of wounds… Look at your horn, too,” he said, pointing at the snapped bone.
“It snapped?” Tabi felt at his left horn, and sure enough, part of it was gone.
“Oh. Didn’t notice.”
Agoti raised an eyebrow. “How did you not notice? Would you not’ve felt the pain, or something?”
“Oh. Ohhhh,” Tabi said, realising. “Yeah, the skull-” he began, as he started to walk out of the alley, with Agoti right beside him so he could listen.
“So, with the goat skull, it’s not actually my skull now, cus’ that’d be…” he shrugged. “It’s basically like a mask or cosmetic; my actual human skull is fine.”
“Mhm,” the Digidevil replied, stroking his friend's cheek gently.
“Ah- Mmm…” He groaned, embarrassed at the gesture. “...Anyway, if anything gets snapped off, I’m not gonna experience any pain. And I think if you took an x-ray, it’d probably just show the goat skull over my actual skull.”
“I see…” The two of them went silent as they slowly walked out of the alleyway. As they gently walked along the sidewalk, Tabi looked back at the burning building. He stopped.
…What’s wrong with me? Agoti almost got himself killed looking for me. Coming into a burning building is the last thing his family would want. Nobody’s gonna like me anymore for this, as well… He looked over at the ground, guilty with himself. Agoti noticed his quietness, and asked, “You ok, Tabi? You seem like something's on your mind.”
He looked back at the Digidevil, and just shook his head. “No… I’m alright…” He looked around the almost empty parking lot, then tilted his head in confusion. “How’d you get here, by the way? Did you just happen to be around or-”
“Kinda? I was in the city staying at a hotel with Aldryx - you remember my brother right?”
“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I?” He replied, as they started walking again.
“Nevermind…” he muttered. “Anyway. I just took the bus here. …I actually went to your apartment first, thinking you’d be there, but…” He glanced back at the building briefly, grimacing.
“Yeah. Sorry about all of that. I…” he hesitated, but Agoti quickly held his hand, smiling at him.
“Why don’t we talk when we get home?”
“...How, exactly?” Tabi asked, skeptical.
“It isn’t that late. We can take the bus. I’m sure there’s one that’ll take us to my street,” he replied, confident in himself.
“Mhm. If you say so,” he said dismissively, but smiled gently, even if nobody could tell he really was, ever again.