Chapter Text
“Any questions?”
Angel shook his head softly as he looked into the daycare, watching as the small children ran around, screaming at the tops of their lungs for no reason other than to make their tiny presences known.
“No,” He began, “I think I’ll be alright.”
Himeno, his new coworker, nodded enthusiastically as she smiled, gesturing towards the children as she opened her mouth once more. “Okay, come to me if you need help. You’ll be helping with dismissal today.”
She seemed polite. If not a bit blunt. Angel wasn’t one to judge; everyone had been telling him he was just as direct, but he was probably less crude. Himeno had already tried to offer him a peck to the cheek if he handled the snacks, even while their boss stood mere inches away from them. Ms. Makima seemed to be alright with it, though. As long as the kids didn’t pick up on it and copy them, then they’d really be done for.
The bell tolled as the hour reached four pm, signalled by distinct rings of the large bell atop the church closest to them. Angel covered his ears while his wings curled in on himself as the bell rang, clearly startled by the loud noise whilst Himeno placed her hands around her mouth to call out to the children. Angel watched as they whined about their playtime being cut short, some continuing to play regardless of Himeno’s instructions.
“Angel,” She said with a sigh, “Could you help them put away the toys? They’ll listen if you offer them a sticker.”
Himeno retrieved a sticker pack from her black apron as she placed it in Angel’s hand. The stickers were all of cats doing various things: playing with yarn, eating fish, sleeping, just about everything that a child would accept as a bribe for putting away their toys. Simple enough. Angel felt hands on his back as Himeno pushed him towards the two children on the rug, seemingly arguing about something.
Angel slowed his pace as he crouched down beside the two children, grabbing their attention before he spoke, “Hey, your parent is going to be here soon, so let's get cleaned up-”
“No! He has to clean up! I put it away last time.” The little girl spoke, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she huffed. Angel had been cut off by a five-year-old, and he stayed crouched awkwardly as she argued with her supposed brother.
“Did not!” Argued back the little boy.
“Did too!”
Angel sighed as he picked up the block sitting forgotten between them, holding it up as the two children stared at him in horror for destroying their base while his other hand reached into his apron pocket.”Let’s get this cleaned up, okay?” He’d brought out his trump card, the sticker pack. The two children looked between the sticker pack and each other, eventually nodding as they went to pick up their blocks and return them to the toy bin. As promised, they received first pick of the sticker they wanted, gently placed on the backs of their hand as they hurried towards their cubbies.
Soon after, the soft padding of small footsteps rapidly approaching him caused him to glance behind him before he spotted the small girl, who spoke with some level of bossiness that all children seemed to have. “Mr. Angel, help me!”
The little girl halted in her steps with her backpack in one hand and her jacket in the other, looking back at her brother as Himeno helped him zip up his red jacket. She pushed the items into Angel’s hands as she held her arms out in a T, waiting for him to put the jacket on her.
Angel hesitated before nodding as he gently tugged the jacket around her body, making sure she held her long sleeves so they didn’t bunch up inside her coat. He made sure to tuck her hair back as he zipped it up, returning his hand to the small backpack as he helped the girl put it on her back. The door chimes filled the empty silence of the daycare as the last parent arrived, seemingly coming to pick up both the little girl and boy.
“Power, Denji, let’s get going.” Said the man. He was tall, black hair tied in a high ponytail while bangs covered his face. Strikingly blue eyes, too. Not like you saw that every day. He wore a long black coat that wrapped around his lean body as he glanced towards the little girl, noticing Angel helping the little girl to put her backpack on.
“Aki!” Himeno exclaimed, walking over to him as she slapped him on the back, “Last one again, as always.”
“Traffic.” The man, so-called Aki, replied. He looked towards Angel as he began once more. “And who might you be? I don’t believe we’ve met before.”
Himeno grinned as she gestured for Angel to come closer, proudly introducing him like he was a lost animal. “This is our most recent hire, Angel! He just started today.”
Angel nodded as he looked towards the taller man, hearing as Power and Denji began to argue once more, even while sitting on the shoe bench as they fixed their velcros with loud rips of the material as they separated. ‘Something about their shoe colours,’ Angel thought. He looked cautiously at the hand being extended towards him, making eye contact with Aki for the first time that night. “I’m Aki. Power and Denji’s father.”
He stared at the hand before he took it in his own, softly shaking it as he realized the difference in hand size between his own small hand and Aki’s larger hand, along with the other man’s firm grip, callouses pressing against his palm as he held it in his own. “Nice to meet you, Aki.”
Himeno looked between the two as she watched their awkward handshake continue for longer than it needed to, sighing as she gestured towards the children who’d started to tire themselves out from fighting.
“Alright, you’d better get these two home. They get real cranky when they’re tired.” She said with a chuckle.
Aki’s grip released on Angel’s hand as he offered him a smile before walking over to his children, taking their hands in his as he walked them back to his car parked just outside of the daycare.
As the car drove off, Angel found himself staring out of the clear doors to the daycare. Himeno seemed to notice, too. She grinned as her voice perked up, placing her hands behind her head as she began to walk off.
“Looks like someone has a crush…”
Angel’s cheeks flushed a light pink that he hoped the other couldn’t see out of her one good eye, murmuring loud enough for Himeno to hear as she moved away. “I don't… He’s their parent, I’d like to make sure they leave safely.”
“Uh huh. That’s what all of them say.”
He couldn’t argue with that. The man seemed gentle, and he was quite attractive, even by Angel’s standards. Angel sighed softly as he curled his wing around himself, trailing behind Himeno as she returned to the daycare's main room.
Maybe he’d enjoy working here, after all.