Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Fiore thought that it was some sort of punishment. He didn’t have any idea what he’d done wrong to deserve it, though. He always tried to be so good, to follow the rules to the letter and do his best when the rules didn’t cover a situation, but obviously he’d done something at some point that he needed to be disciplined for. He was going to be living with a demon of all things, taking care of a traitor’s spawn. It baffled him, but he accepted his fate.

DeBlanc, on the other hand, couldn’t accept fast enough when offered the position. Sure, having to share space with an angel didn’t sound like paradise, and neither did permanently babysitting another demon’s little mistake, but he’d be out of Hell. No more echos of the damned or cold darkness or pain. That was worth it and more, really.

The first meeting was… tense… to say the least. They’d both been briefed on their task and left in the plain but comfortable housing that was now theirs to share. Their charge was called Genesis, and it took comfort in residing in a coffee can of all things, communicating in squeals and coos and laughs like an infant. It was a bit endearing, and both angel and demon wouldn’t have minded the situation if not for their respective counterpart standing opposite of them. They glared at each other across the room for a moment in silence.

DeBlanc was the one who broke it. “DeBlanc. Demon,” he introduced himself, a low growling tone to his voice as his eyes narrowed on the angel across from him.

“Fiore. Angel,” Fiore echoed, his voice practically a hiss, eyeing the demon with just as much distaste.

No more words were exchanged for some time, just some posturing and intimidating stances, each hesitant to let the other get too close to Genesis. At least, until the entity fussed, wailing in obvious need of some comfort.

Eyes flicked between Genesis and each other for a moment, until Fiore spoke. “My superiors trust me to care for it.”

“So do mine,” DeBlanc replied simply.

There was another moment of silence - save for Genesis’s wailing. “All I have been told tells me I will regret trusting a demon....”

“And I don’t exactly have any reason to trust an angel either, but we’re not going to be able to take care of it if we don’t trust one another to get near it.”

“You’re right,” Fiore nodded, looking like it pained him to say it.

DeBlanc smirked just a bit at the words.

Each took slow careful steps towards Genesis then, mirroring the other’s movements until they were close enough to reach out and touch the coffee can it resided in gently.

“Hush,” Fiore said softly, “You’re not alone.”

“Far from it, little one,” DeBlanc assured in turn.

Genesis’s wails quieted.

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Things went more smoothly after that. Neither the angel nor the demon cared to really speak to the other, but they each got along with Genesis. The entity would exit its domicile to explore its surroundings, spend time with its caretakers as they went about avoiding each other, and occasionally get into some mischief. DeBlanc never minded the latter, leaving Fiore to be the stern one if things got out of hand. Not that Fiore particularly minded that. He didn’t expect the demon to be a disciplinarian, and someone had to fill the role.

Genesis did prove to be difficult to soothe at times, however. Usually one or the other could get it to calm, but occasionally they had to work together, assuring the entity that it was cared for and safe and never alone.

It was one of those fussy days, DeBlanc assumed, when he heard Genesis’s wails for longer than was usual if it was going to calm down without him. There was also another noise coming from the room that the demon couldn’t quite place. He grabbed a stick - technically neither him nor Fiore were to have weapons on their person, though there were some in the dwelling in case of a need to protect Genesis, but the entity did have playthings and while each begrudgingly trusted the other to not harm Genesis, they did not yet trust the other to not hurt them - and made his way out to the main room to find Fiore hunched over a box of some sort. “What are you doing?”

“I thought it might like some music,” Fiore answered simply, frowning at the box as he pressed on a metallic part with some force, then smiling when the cylinder in the center clicked into place finally.

DeBlanc raised a slightly skeptical brow. “Music?”

“Music,” Fiore nodded, attaching a crank to the box with more ease than he’d gotten the cylinder in and beginning to turn it, causing a metallic plinking sound to emanate from the mechanics. It almost sounded like a song.

Genesis wailed even more intensely.

Fiore stopped turning the crank with a defeated huff, when DeBlanc stepped closer. “No, no don’t give up just yet. I think you’re playing it at the wrong tempo is all. Try again, but a bit slower.”

“Slower…” Fiore murmured, frowning at the very thought of taking direction from a demon, but willing to try for Genesis’s sake. He began turning the crank again, at a slower pace this time, watching as DeBlanc listened carefully to it and a smile spread across the demon’s face.

He didn’t know where he knew the tune from, but DeBlanc knew it somehow, and he was right about the tempo, it sounding much more pleasant at proper speed.

Genesis approved as well, not calming entirely as both angel and demon would have hoped, but quieting down none the less.

A smile soon spread across Fiore’s face, realizing that this was actually working, at least somewhat, relief flooding him as he kept a steady pace on the crank, allowing the song to continue and loop continuing on.

DeBlanc walked over to Genesis’s domicile, sitting next to it and humming a bit, not loudly enough for anyone to hear, until the song looped back to the beginning. Then, he started to sing.

♪ ♫ Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe
Sailed on a river of crystal light
Into a sea of dew...♪ ♫

Fiore was confused, but he had the presence of mind to not stop the music, keeping the correct tempo as DeBlanc sang. He hadn’t known that demons could sing.

After a few verses, Genesis’s wailing quieted and ceased, and when DeBlanc stopped singing, Fiore stopped the music. The angel and demon waited a tense moment, afraid it would start up again, but it appeared that Genesis had settled down for the night.

“Wynken, Blyken and Nod,” DeBlanc said, picking up on Fiore’s still slightly confused look, “Children’s song.” He paused, thinking for a moment, before adding, “I could teach you the words, if you’d like to sing to it yourself.”

“No,” Fiore replied, perhaps too quickly, thinking for a second before tacking on, “but thank you. It seems to like your voice...”

There was a tense moment, both DeBlanc and Fiore obviously curious about the other, but neither truly wanting to continue the conversation, before they left, each returning to their personal quarters and leaving Genesis to rest.

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“You’re very… caring towards it,” Fiore said one evening, his tone more than a little begrudging as he watched DeBlanc idly rub around the lid of Genesis’s domicile, the metallic humming sound the action produced within the can soothing the entity inside as it rested.

“So?” DeBlanc shrugged, turning to look at the angel without stopping the motion of his hand.

“I didn’t expect as much from a demon,” Fiore admitted softly.

“You’re a bit… cold towards it,” DeBlanc replied, “I expected better from an angel.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the angel snapped defensively.

DeBlanc put his hands up in mocking surrender then. “I’m just saying, I thought you lot were supposed to be into that kindness and mercy thing.”

“Its parents were traitors,” Fiore said simply.

“And so it must be held accountable for their sins? Of course. That is how it works up here and all, isn’t it?” DeBlanc huffed.

Fiore tilted his head in confusion, frowning just a bit. He’d only ever been in Heaven, only ever been taught Heaven’s way, the only way as far as he was concerned. “How does it work down there?”

DeBlanc thought for a moment, wondering if he should really be speaking of Hell with an angel. He decided there was no harm in it; it wasn’t like he was going to reveal any of Hell’s secrets, and he’d certainly never met an angel cunning enough to try and glean anything from casually started conversation. Angels were a bit more straight forward, not like demons. Briefly, the thought of getting some of Heaven’s secrets from Fiore crossed DeBlanc’s mind, but there was little he could do with them. He wasn’t going to risk his position, betraying Heaven’s trust to report home. “We’re all responsible for our own sins down there. We’ve each got enough of them, no need to pile on from generations past.”

“Hmm…” Fiore hummed, thinking over the idea and finding it… less distasteful than he thought he should have. “So, to you, Genesis is innocent?”

“Yeah. It’s a mistake, shouldn’t be and all. I mean, an angel and a demon? I know they say rules are meant to be broken, but even in Hell we have some fucking limits-”

“Don’t use language like that around it,” Fiore interjected, frowning deeply.

DeBlanc frowned in turn before scoffing, though it was mostly performative, having somehow felt a twinge of actual shame at the admonishment. “Sorry. Goddamned limits,” he corrected with more slightly less performative snark, noting Fiore’s continued frown, “but that isn’t its fault, now is it? It didn’t ask to be born, and I can’t see holding its parents’ failures against it.”

Fiore nodded, considering DeBlanc’s logic, though his thoughts were interrupted by the demon continuing to speak.

“Up here the actions of one can damn you all, or so you’re taught. Which ain’t a bad way to keep everyone in line, really. The way Heaven fights, it’s like you’re all one. It’s bull-” he caught himself, glancing toward the coffee can and then back to Fiore, “-crap, really. Honestly, I think you lot would be doing a lot better in the fight if you dropped the formality and just got your hands dirty. But you certainly seem to think it’s working for you.”

There was a long silence then, DeBlanc going back to rubbing his thumb across the lid of the coffee can, before Fiore took a few steps closer and spoke again. “Why does a demon like you know so much of Heaven?”

“What’s that saying? ‘Know thy enemy’?” DeBlanc shrugged, “Don’t you know anything of Hell?”

“No,” Fiore said simply, glancing to Genesis’s domicile before turning and leaving the room.

Chapter Text

Genesis had given the pair a rough night, but they were hopeful it had finally quieted and would stay that way for some time. They laid on the floor, the entity in its domicile between them, tired from singing and cranking the music box and generally soothing Genesis.

“What’s Hell like?” Fiore asked, breaking the silence softly.

DeBlanc pondered for a long moment before answering, “You don’t want to know.”

“I do,” the angel insisted, voice still soft for Genesis’s sake.

“Trust me,” the demon assured, glancing over at the angel, “you don’t.”

If he didn’t know better, and maybe he didn’t, DeBlanc would’ve sworn that Fiore smiled then. “I’m not one to trust demons…”

DeBlanc couldn’t help but laugh at that, just a light chuckle briefly before losing his mirth as he relented to question. “Discordant,” he said after some thought. “Loud. Dark. Cold.”

“Cold?” Fiore asked skeptically.

“Cold,” DeBlanc repeated solemnly. “It isn’t a pleasant place, not even for demons. When they offered me the opportunity to come up here I couldn’t say yes fast enough.”

The angel nodded, quiet himself for a moment before speaking. “I accepted this position on the assumption it was a punishment,” he said, still looking at DeBlanc.

It was DeBlanc’s turn to look skeptical. “A punishment?”

“Yes,” Fiore said, “I don’t know for what. But living with a demon and an abomination doesn’t sound like a reward to me.”

“I guess it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?” DeBlanc shrugged, watching Fiore get thoughtful for a moment. “How is this punishment fairing so far?” he asked idly.

“It is… less distasteful than I had initially imagined,” the angel admitted, looking away from the demon as he spoke.

“I’ve come to tolerate your company, too,” DeBlanc teased, laughing as Fiore looked confused and shocked and offended all at once, sputtering for words. “You meant Genesis, I know. The little thing is pretty endearing, considering its origins.”

Fiore’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly a few times before he figured out how to respond. “It needs care, and I was tasked to provide it, as I’ve cared for others of the Host before. It makes sense that I’ve developed a certain fondness...”

“You lot are big on love, too, right? All full up of it for God and all,” the demon commented, though not entirely unkindly.

There was silence for another moment before Fiore broke it once again. “Do demons love?”

DeBlanc looked from Fiore to Genesis and back. “At least one of us did.”

Fiore frowned, turning on his side to look at DeBlanc properly, like he was invested in the answer. “But what about the rest of you?”

This time, the silence stretched out for so long Fiore thought that the demon wasn’t going to speak again, but DeBlanc did. “Yeah. Don’t think we’d be able to hate if we couldn’t love. Don’t think things would be so… cold if we couldn’t feel warmth.”

Genesis started wailing again before Fiore could think of a response, which he was frankly grateful for.

Both reached for the coffee can to soothe the entity inside it, and their hands met atop the metal lid. They pulled away instantly at the touch of the other, as though they’d both been burned, but neither said a word about it to the other. Instead they repositioned their hands to avoid accidental contact again and started in on another round of trying to calm their charge.

Chapter Text

After that night, things were… neither more nor less tense, just different, really, between the angel and demon. There was something there, something unspoken that neither wanted to bring up, but Fiore had stopped looking at DeBlanc like an enemy, and DeBlanc had let down the guard that one puts up when someone looks at you that way.

Genesis seemed to pick up on the change. It fussed less now, although when it did, it was far more likely to require the presence of both Fiore and DeBlanc before it would settle down again. They tolerated the time spent together well, even if they carefully avoided conversation that wasn’t pertaining to Genesis for as long as they could.

Another night had been spent soothing the entity, leaving the pair tired and the strange tension filling the air along with the treasured silence. It was then that Fiore took the opportunity to speak.

“Did you know your side’s traitor?” he asked DeBlanc, his words curious and almost eager, even if his voice was tight.

DeBlanc looked over at Fiore, a bit confused and frowning slightly at the question. “No. Did you know yours?”

“We’re all one up here. Supposed to be, at least,” the angel replied.

The demon looked even more puzzled at the answer, but nodded. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Fiore was quiet for a long moment before continuing in a whisper. “It could’ve been any one of us. Our traitor… there wasn’t anything different about them. Nothing wrong with them. They just… fell in love with a demon. Just like that. Like it was something we were meant to do.”

DeBlanc picked up a hint of fear in Fiore’s tone. The words rolled around his head as he tried to figure out how to respond. “You’re afraid it could happen again?”

It wasn’t in the nature of angels to lie, so as much as Fiore would have liked to firmly deny the possibility, to push away any thoughts to the contrary, he couldn’t. All he could do was nod.

“You’re afraid it’s going to happen again,” DeBlanc whispered, seeing the way Fiore’s eyes went a bit wider as he thought.

“It’s traitorous. Disgusting,” he spat quickly.

“None of those words are ‘No,’ angel,” the demon said slowly, his own eyes going wide with realization.

Fiore as silent for what felt like a very long time. “I’m afraid it already has…”

DeBlanc swallowed hard. “Oh.”

“But we can’t,” the angel insisted.

“No, no, of course not,” the demon agreed.

“And you wouldn’t want to, anyway,” Fiore muttered, trying to brush off the conversation and get it over with.

“Right,” the demon lied easily, at least until he saw the suddenly heartbroken look on Fiore’s face and felt a pain in his chest as he realized his words put it there, “Well… I mean… you already said we can’t.”

“We can’t,” Fiore reiterated, although weakly. “But if we could…?”

DeBlanc considered the question for a moment. “There’s not so many differences as I would have thought between us. You’re far more… sufferable… than I expected you to be. We’ve had to spend a lot of time together with Genesis. It’s possible that... I’ve grown fond of you.”

Fiore nodded. “I feel the same way.”

“Do you think this is how it started between its parents?” DeBlanc asked thoughtfully, “With just sitting down and talking to one another?”

“Maybe.” The angel shrugged.

DeBlanc continued, “Maybe that’s Genesis is so important and such a secret. Wouldn’t be a war if we all went ahead and fell in love with one another.”

“No, there wouldn’t, would there?”

“Angels and demons together. And we thought it was impossible,” the demon nearly laughed.

The angel echoed his laugh, softly and with a bit of sadness. “Too bad we can’t do anything about it.”

“Well, we could.” DeBlanc suggested.

“We can’t.”

“No one is supposed to know about Genesis,” the demon pointed out, “No one would need to know about us...”

Fiore paused then, thinking it over. “I don’t know if I want to risk it.”

“We could flip a coin?”

The angel’s face twisted slightly in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“When you have a decision to make and don’t know what to do, you flip a coin. Assign one choice to one side and the other to the opposite and whichever side ends up upright is what you go with. It makes the decision for you.”

“I’ve never not known what to do before…” Fiore admitted.

“Then what better time to test it out?” the demon said simply, “Heads, we… follow in the footsteps of Genesis’s parents. Tails, we forget this conversation and go on pretending to hate each other like we’re supposed to.”

“Alright,”  Fiore said a small smile crossing his features. “A coin toss.”

“Do you have a coin?”

Fiore dug in his pockets, pulling out an ancient coin and handing it to the demon.

DeBlanc looked it over, testing its weight and determining the sides. Then, he flipped the coin high into the air, catching it and slamming it down onto the back of the opposite hand.

Chapter Text

“Heads.” DeBlanc didn’t even realize he had announced it as he looked down at the profile of a false god starring back up at him.

“Heads?” Fiore repeated, swallowing hard. “You’re sure?”

“I could flip it again?” the demon offered, picking the coin up as he glanced to Fiore and saw the fear in the angel’s eyes. “Double or nothing?”

“I don’t know what that means, but yes, flip it again, please.”

DeBlanc nodded, flipping the coin once more, just as before, catching it and slamming it onto the flat of the back of his opposite hand, hoping there would be an eagle looking back at him this time, for Fiore’s sake.

No such luck.

“Heads again?” Fiore asked tentatively, seeing the look on DeBlanc’s face.

He could only nod as he took his hand away from the coin and let Fiore look for himself.

Foire studied the coin thoughtfully, taking in the face minted onto it and the way the silver metal of it contrasted against DeBlanc’s skin. “So that settles it then?”

“Generally, yes. I don’t see the sense in bothering with the whole thing if you’re just going to disregard the outcome,” DeBlanc said firmly but not unkindly, although he thought for a brief moment and spoke again before Fiore could. “Though I have heard others say… it isn’t the decision of the coin that matters as much what side you were hoping for it to land on while it was in the air...”

The angel swallowed hard, looking at the coin and then to DeBlanc’s face. “I was hoping for ‘heads.’ Were you?”

DeBlanc just nodded, not even enough for it to be noticed, taking the coin from the back of his hand and studying it, flipping it over in his fingers a few times before handing it back to Fiore, head up.  “Yeah, I was.”

Fiore took the coin back, looking at it again reverently before taking DeBlanc’s hand and putting the coin on his palm, closing the demon’s fingers around it, then closing his own hands around DeBlanc’s even as they both felt as though their flesh were burning. “Keep it.”

The demon didn’t have a single thought of pulling his hand away, no matter what his instincts should have been telling him, allowing Fiore to hold his hand without protest. “Thank you,” he said simply, trying to think of something he could give the other in return and drawing a blank for a long moment. Then, DeBlanc raised his free hand tentatively and reached out, cupping Fiore’s face and leaning in.

DeBlanc’s hand against his face felt like fire, and as he breathed in slowly, Fiore found himself as confused by not smelling any actual burning as he was by the intent of the action and the way DeBlanc was leaning in. He looked at the demon in confusion but leaned into the touch regardless. He deserved to to burn for this, that was certain, but it was also certain that he’d allow himself to burn to ash if only DeBlanc would keep touching him.

After several heartbeats, Fiore had still not closed the gap between them as DeBlanc had expected, and soon he had the terrifying thought that Fiore had a change of heart and didn’t want to kiss him. The way the angel leaned into his touch told him otherwise, though, and another brief moment of studying his face, particularly Fiore’s innocent, wide eyes, made him realize that Fiore genuinely didn’t know what DeBlanc was expecting him to do. He chuckled then, just softly, and closed the rest of the distance himself, pressing his lips gently against Fiore’s.

A kiss. DeBlanc was kissing him, Fiore realized after the initial shock of sudden proximity and pressure and heat had worn off and DeBlanc’s lips were still against his. He, of course, knew what kissing was, he just hadn’t expected it, not in this context and certainly not from a demon. He returned the gentle pressure with his own lips and felt the demon relax, some tension in DeBlanc’s shoulders easing although his lips stayed just as insistent as they were to start.

DeBlanc felt like he was soaring once Fiore kissed him back. He could tell that the angel was unsure of what to do exactly, Fiore’s hands still around the one of DeBlanc’s that was holding the coin, and the kiss not deepening nor breaking, but there was no genuine hesitation, just inexperience. There would be plenty of time for that to be remedied.

When the kiss did finally break - a result of DeBlanc wanting to check Fiore’s reaction before pushing any further, otherwise the kiss may well have gone on forever - both were smiling at the other. Behind them, quietly, Genesis happily cooed.

Chapter Text

Genesis’s noise startled the both angel and demon out of their lovestruck moment, their attentions turning immediately toward their charge.

DeBlanc walked over to the coffee can and placed his hand on it, ready to soothe the fussy entity, but he found it thrumming with happiness beneath his touch. “I think the little one approves,” he chuckled as Fiore joined him, their hands touching atop the domicile’s lid and staying in contact this time.

“Do you think we remind it of its parents?” Fiore asked thoughtfully.

“Perhaps we do,” DeBlanc shrugged before returning his attention fully to Genesis for a moment. “Easy,” he cooed sweetly to it, “I’m very fond of you, as is Fiore, but it is time for us all to rest.”

A whine emanated from the domicile, but the entity settled down.

Fiore looked almost sad as he glanced from Genesis then toward the room he had claimed as his own. “Right,” he agreed a bit stiffly, even for him, “time to rest.”

DeBlanc laughed softly, taking Fiore’s hand in his own before the angel could turn back towards his room, tugging him along as he made his way to his own quarters.

The angel was a bit confused, but followed. He’d never been in DeBlanc’s room. He wasn’t sure he’d even been on the far side of the room where Genesis generally stayed, but even if he’d had a mind to protest, there wasn’t time for it as he was lead swiftly towards it.

The room wasn’t much different than Fiore’s, really. There were a few more of Genesis’s playthings strewn around it, which made sense; DeBlanc was the better of the two at actually playing with the entity. The bed was in a different position, too, centered in the room, beneath a window rather than in the corner against the walls, but otherwise it was functionally identical.

“You don’t have to join me for the whole night or anything,” DeBlanc assured, letting go of Fiore’s hand in favor of taking a seat on the bed, “but I thought we would both enjoy spending some more time together this evening. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course I don’t mind,” the angel said quickly, before taking a moment to think and glance around the room before going a bit sheepish, “I’d quite like to spend the night with you, actually. Perhaps we could… sleep together?”

DeBlanc was fully aware that Fiore had no idea the connotation of what he’d said, the angel having needed guidance with the act of kissing just moments earlier, but the demon still just barely stifled a snort at the idea and took great pleasure in the confused look Fiore gave him in return. He shook his head a little, allowing Fiore to remain confused about what was so amusing for the time being, and gave him a genuine smile. “I think we could do that,” he assured, patting the spot next to him on the bed, gesturing for the angel to join him.

Fiore did so quickly, almost tripping over one of Genesis’s toys in his eagerness to be near DeBlanc again. The demon did snort outright at that, but Fiore didn’t mind bringing amusement to him, even if he didn’t always understand how he did so. Once he’d sat, he glanced around again, excited but a bit too nervous to initiate more kissing or touching himself. He couldn’t help but note  the empty space all around the bed and commented, “I didn’t expect you to sleep in such an exposed position.”

Having been halfway to kissing Fiore again, DeBlanc was just a bit annoyed by the commenting. He had ideas of much better uses for Fiore’s lips, but he listened to the angel’s words regardless, quirking a brow. “I’m not exactly expecting to be attacked here,” he huffed lightly, “But even if it is a bit exposed, it has the advantage of letting me see the whole room without cornering myself.”

Fiore thought for a moment before seeming to come to a realization. “Demons sleep on their backs?”

“Of course we do,” DeBlanc replied, “Much harder to be stabbed unawares when the parts you can’t watch are to the ground.” He paused then before asking, “How do angels sleep?”

“On our sides,” the angel replied, his expression going just a bit sad, “back to back with another.”

DeBlanc went a bit quiet then, nodding. It made sense. Angels were not rugged individualists, and their sleeping arrangements would reflect their collective unity as much as anything else they did, he supposed. It did make him wonder, however. “And how do you sleep now?”

“With difficulty,” Fiore chuckled, but with limited humor, “And my back to a wall. I feel too exposed otherwise.”

It had never occurred to DeBlanc that Fiore might be lonely, separated from the rest of Heaven as they were. Demons had connections to one another, certainly. Loose hierarchies, alliances forged and broken regularly. There had no troubles banding together for attacks or finding all too fleeting moments of pleasure with each other in Hell. But it was nothing like harmony found between angels in Heaven. The thought of the angel suffering isolation for all the time they’d been with their charge and expecting to continue doing so for eons made him ache. No wonder Fiore had thought the position was a punishment. DeBlanc swallowed, thinking over his words before replying. “I may not be an angel, but, if you’d like, you could sleep with your back to mine. I don’t think either of us has good cause to believe that the other would cause us harm, not anymore.”

Fiore took little time to think about the offer. He had already been trusting the demon, was already breaking the rules with DeBlanc. There was nothing to lose. “Yes!” he replied with an embarrassing amount of enthusiasm before schooling his expression and tone of voice to something more befitting of an angel, “I’d like that. Thank you.”

DeBlanc laughed at Fiore’s enthusiasm, but the sound was quickly stifled, the angel having gathered the courage to initiate the contact, seeing as they would be sleeping next to each other, which he considered more a intimate act, and the demon had no objections to the development. The kissing continued until DeBlanc doubted his ability to continue with just the simple, chaste contact that Fiore was enjoying. As much as he wanted and intended to do more in the future, and as much as he was loathe to extol virtues, there was something to be said for patience. “I think we should get some rest, my dear,” he murmured breathlessly as he pulled back.

The endearment, however casually and almost carelessly uttered by DeBlanc, was not lost on Fiore and his already cheery disposition brightened further as he nodded in reply. “Of course. It’s getting late,” he agreed, pressing his lips against DeBlanc’s once more before shifting his position to lay on DeBlanc’s mattress and pull the blanket covering it up over him.

The positioning was new and odd to DeBlanc, but he mirrored it nonetheless, pressing his back against Fiore’s as he turned out the light and covered himself with his share of the blanket. There were a few moments of movement and adjusting for comfort, but Fiore fell into a sound sleep more quickly than he had since he’d arrived to take care of Genesis. A smile spread across DeBlanc’s face as he felt Fiore’s breathing slow and even out, indicative of rest, and, with his weak point exposed to possibly the only creature he would trust to protect it, it did not take long for him to fall asleep either.

Chapter Text

“They’re going to find out about us one day,” Fiore murmured late one evening as he and DeBlanc laid back to back in bed, his voice barely above a whisper and tone so fearful that the demon couldn’t help but be pulled from his dozing, near-sleep state to comfort him, no matter how many times Fiore had expressed the sentiment recently, since they began to have more regard for each other than how they were “supposed” to act.

“I doubt it. They haven’t sent anyone to check up on us so far,” DeBlanc soothed, rolling over to wrap an arm around Fiore, “It’s just us and Genesis out here. They’ve likely all but forgotten us.”

“They wouldn’t have forgotten about Genesis,” Fiore said firmly, even as he eased back against his demon, “What if they come to check on it and find us like this?”

“And what if they come in the middle of the day while Genesis is curled up in your lap and I’m putting on a finger puppet show?” DeBlanc sighed, though with a touch of fondness he couldn’t help but hold for his angel, “You’re worrying about things that may never be and you have no control over in the first place. Never imagined angels to be such worriers. What’s that phrase humans use? ‘It’s all in God’s hands’ or something like that?”

“There’s no God here, DeBlanc,” Fiore whispered, “That’s why I worry.”

DeBlanc held back from sighing again, but just barely, knowing Fiore was truly distraught by that idea. “There’s no God in Hell, either,” he said, expecting it to be comforting. It wasn’t.

“What good happens in Hell?” the angel asked, his voice still quiet.

The demon shrugged and replied simply, “I came from there, for one.”

Fiore huffed in an incredulous tone, and it was obvious that he was trying to keep from snapping, not quite managing it as he spoke.“One good thing in all of Hell. And you expect more good to happen here?”

DeBlanc pulled away a little then, but only enough to let Fiore roll flat so they could look at each other properly. “It already has, so, yes,” he said simply and firmly, and, as to leave no room for argument, he leaned in and kissed Fiore before the angel could respond.

They’d kissed a lot lately, since that first tentative kiss. Experimental kisses, for Fiore to figure out just exactly how it all worked, how to angle his head and how much pressure to use when their lips were pressed together, even if he still mostly just echoed DeBlanc’s movements. Chaste kisses shared while tending to Genesis. Loving, slightly deeper kisses before they settled down at for the night. Fiore recognized this as a “it’s time to be quiet now” kiss that DeBlanc was fond of doling out when Fiore had been talking too much or about a topic the demon wasn’t fond of. But it was a kiss none the less and Fiore returned it, enjoying the sensation of being so close to DeBlanc.

When the kiss broke, DeBlanc gave Fiore another more chaste one before pulling back. “Have faith, my dear,” he said, smirking just a bit as the words came out, always amused at the irony of being a demon and saying such things, “I’m not so naive as think nothing could ever threaten us. But nothing has happened so far and I see nothing looming over the horizon ready to strike, either. The way we lay together in bed at night shows that we’re willing to protect each other, that we trust each other to let no harm come to one another. So even if something were to happen, we’ll fight it. That’s all there is to it, isn’t there?”

Fiore was quiet for a long moment, trying to think of some logical counter to DeBlanc’s words but found none. He made a quiet, flustered noise before deciding to take another page from DeBlanc’s book and kiss him in favor of talking.

DeBlanc couldn’t help but laugh into the kiss at the angel initiating it to shut himself up rather than DeBlanc doing so, but he counted the response as a win for himself, and  he was never one to deny a kiss, anyway, regardless of intention. “Thought so,” he murmured, “Now rest. Sleep well, my dear.”

Fiore nodded, pulling back from the kiss and allowing himself and DeBlanc to return to their usual sleeping position, echoing, “Sleep well,” before shutting his eyes for the night.

Chapter Text

DeBlanc had always found questioning the established order of things well above his pay grade. If he were pressed, however, he wouldn’t be able to say he was shocked by many of the possibilities that Genesis and its origins presented to threaten the usual assumptions: that carnal acts may not be so vicious, or angels may not be so virtuous as either side previously claimed, for example.

After spending an amount of time with Fiore, however, he began to wonder if the entity’s conception was just a one off fluke and the order of things really did hold true. The angel’s willingness to begin a relationship with a demon was outside of the norm, but beyond that, Fiore remained undebauched. Even his kisses, while enthusiastic, were chaste and innocent unless lead otherwise, pure expressions of love and affection rather than for pleasure, and he certainly didn’t seem to have the same urges DeBlanc felt for further intimacy.

The demon had tried to be -for lack of a better term- “good” and let Fiore take the lead. Finally, he realized that Fiore was going to lead things absolutely nowhere on his own and it was up to him to guide things toward filling his desire for something more.

It was in the middle of the night, and Fiore had just finished settling Genesis down again, the entity having trouble sleeping through the night as always. DeBlanc had offered to get up after they were both woken by wailing, but Fiore insisted that it was his turn, leaving the demon to wait for his return, sprawled across the bed.

When the angel returned, he stood for a moment, looking down at DeBlanc, who was still awake and looking back up at him with a smile. “There’s no room for me on the bed with you lying like that,” he eventually, awkwardly.

The demon laughed at that. “Just join me.”

“Join you?” Fiore echoed just a touch incredulously.

“Yes. Join me. You can lay down on top of me, I don’t mind.” DeBlanc assured.

“On top of you?” Another echo.

DeBlanc held back a sigh. “Are you going to repeat everything I say, dear? Or are you going to join me?”

Fiore stood for a moment as though he was honestly considering his options before settling down, half on top of DeBlanc. He only startled a little when DeBlanc went to kiss him.

“Do you not want to?” DeBlanc asked, pausing immediately and finding Fiore’s hand, squeezing it gently as a reassurance. The whole process was calculated as to not force anything, only gently lead, and if Fiore wasn’t in the mood, he would just wait until another time arose.

“No, no,” the angel murmured, his confusion still apparent, “this is just… different.”

“It’s the same thing we do standing up, just… horizontal,” the demon assured with a smile that was much more gentle than the smirk that kept trying to pull at the corners of his lips.

“Horizontal…” Fiore said thoughtfully, thinking entirely too much about his actions. He didn’t think for too long, however, or at least not long enough for DeBlanc to respond before their lips met again.

The kisses were chaste as always to begin with, though DeBlanc had figured out how to goad them into something deeper. He forced himself to hold off on that, though, wanting to give one last try to see if Fiore would take the lead of his own accord if nudged in the appropriate direction. He tangled their legs together carefully, positioning himself just so, letting his thigh take up the space between Fiore’s. He gave just a little hint of friction, then a little more. When the kisses remained chaste, he took as much of a breath as he could manage with his angel kissing him. One more go. He pulled back for just a moment, looking up at Fiore and murmuring, “Kiss me like you mean it.”

The words did not have their intended effect. Fiore stopped completely, looking confused and almost hurt in a way that made DeBlanc’s heart shatter to pieces. “Like I mean it? Mean what?”

“No, no that… wasn’t what I meant to say,” the demon said quickly, scrambling for words to soothe his angel.

“Then what did you mean?,” Fiore asked, frowning and looking down, away from DeBlanc, “Did I do something wrong?”

DeBlanc was usually well collected and took things in stride, but when it came to Fiore, he was, as ever, at a loss for how to school his emotions. “No, no, everything is fine,” he attempted to assure, still trying to think of how to explain the situation to Fiore and the uncertainty coming through in his voice although he didn’t mean for it to.

“You’re unhappy,” the angel said with a defeated huff, confused as ever and trying but failing to hide his sadness and disappointment in himself as he sat up and looked away from DeBlanc.

The demon reached out to take Fiore’s hand, trying to move so Fiore would be forced to look at him. “That’s not it.”

Fiore pulled his hand away, and as if on cue, in the other room Genesis began to wail.

Chapter Text

Fiore excused himself to tend to the entity, despite DeBlanc’s protests of it being his turn, and only returned when Genesis wouldn’t settle, it actually crying even more intensely as the night continued and DeBlanc failed to come join them in the other room. Morning light was nearly breaking as Fiore reentered the bedroom, coffee can cradled in his arms and wincing at the sounds emanating from it. “Please… He’s inconsolable.”

DeBlanc had mostly tried to tune out the sounds of Genesis being upset, not wanting to make things worse with Fiore by crowding him when he obviously wanted space nor let Genesis feel the tension between them after the misunderstanding. Clearly, that didn’t seem to have mattered, and he felt worse for having left it to cry and Fiore to attend to it alone for so long. The hints of red rimming the angel’s eyes didn’t help matters either, though DeBlanc didn’t know if the tears Fiore had shed were caused by him or just frustration at Genesis. Neither option was a positive. Regardless, he sat up when they entered the room and patted at the empty space next to him on bed. “Come here. It’s going to be alright now,” he said, speaking to both in each relevant context.

Fiore joined DeBlanc on the bed, though somewhat hesitantly, Genesis’s cries not abating one bit and the angel leaving an amount of space between himself and the demon on the bed, still cradling the coffee can.

“Come closer, please, dear,” DeBlance sighed, keeping his voice even though it wanted to break and waiting with hope that Fiore would comply.

There was a very long moment of consideration before Fiore slid closer, just close enough to place the coffee can into DeBlanc’s lap, though he didn’t shift back away after, which was something, at least.

The demon held back another sigh, choosing to focus on Genesis for the time being as he ran his fingertips along the can’s lid and hummed soothingly. “Easy, little one. We’re here. You are loved. No matter what,” he said softly after a moment, before looking up at Fiore, hoping the angel would recognize some of those words were meant for him, too.

Fiore didn’t look away from DeBlanc as he listened, but wouldn’t bring himself look directly at him either, just sitting there, slightly confused, with his eyes focused on Genesis.

DeBlanc decided to take the opportunity, shifting closer to the angel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for what I said to come out the way it did,” he said, reaching out and taking Fiore’s hand before the angel could react and continuing,” There is something I’d like to talk about. But that topic isn’t for tender ears.” Genesis seemed to wail louder in response to being excluded from the conversation, but DeBlanc continued nonetheless, “When he’s settled, I’ll explain, as I should have before.”

The angel was thoughtful for a moment, allowing DeBlanc to hold his hand, before nodding. “When he’s settled,” he agreed, shifting closer to the demon to soothe Genesis.

Once both its custodians doting on it, Genesis quieted slightly, though it still fussed.

After some time, and many gentle touches among the angel, the demon, and Genesis, the entity still stirred and whined but was nearly restful with its custodians curled around it.

“Are you taking him back out to the other room or should I?” the angel asked just as they were starting to nod off.

DeBlanc made a soft, displeased noise, shaking his head. “Just leave him,” he murmured, “Let us all get some rest.”

“He’s not allowed to sleep in our bed,” Fiore murmured, more reflexively than with any actual objection or authority.

The demon pouted slightly. “Just this once”

“‘Just this once,’” Fiore mocked, waking a bit further and with just a bit of playfulness coming through the tiredness in his voice, “will turn into nightly and we both know it. No.”

DeBlanc huffed lightly, then sat up, cradling the coffee can to his chest and got out of bed, leaving the angel confused for a moment and then scrambling to get up and follow him. “Then we’ll all sleep in /your/ bed,” he explained with a grin, leading the way to the other now disused bedroom.

Fiore caught up to the other two by the time they reached the other room, sighing softly in defeat at the way DeBlanc smiled and laid down on the bed, patting the spot next to him.

“Come on, now,” the demon sighed playfully, “There’s plenty of room.”

“This is a special occasion,” Fiore said, in the firmest voice he could manage at the moment as he climbed into bed and curled around the coffee can, mirroring DeBlanc’s position and taking his free hand,  “Don't expect this to become a regular occurrence.”

DeBlanc chuckled, shaking his head gently. “Rest, dear,” he murmured, squeezing Fiore’s hand as he rubbed his thumb over the lid of the coffee can and added, “The same goes for you, little one.”

Genesis cooed once more and quieted as all of them drifted of to sleep.

Chapter Text

It was well past noon when the entity and its custodians woke, settling into their usual routine for what was left of the day. Neither the angel nor the demon had forgotten their agreement to talk, but they both knew that there would be no talking if Genesis was fussing all night again. The took special care to tire Genesis out, playing chase games throughout the whole of the dwelling and only allowing it a short nap before dinner. Their efforts, so far it seemed, were rewarded with Genesis settling down for the night quickly, not even fussing much at the tension that began to build as DeBlanc and Fiore realized that they would have to speak of last night.

Once Genesis was resting peacefully, the angel and demon retired to the bedroom, letting the tension fill the silence until DeBlanc finally broke it. “I’m sorry for last night’s misunderstanding,” he managed, reaching out to take Fiore’s hand as they sat on the end of the bed.

Fiore nodded then, just a bit, carefully considering his words and speaking slowly so his voice would not break as he said them. “What did you mean when you said to kiss you like I ‘mean it’? Do you… not think I love you?”

The ache in DeBlanc’s chest at hearing those words was sharp and burned through him as though Fiore had taken his heart in his hand and tried to crush it. He shook his head and squeezed Fiore’s hand tightly. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he assured, “I know you love me, dear. I’ve never questioned it. Not once, understand?”

“But then what did you mean?” Fiore asked in turn, his tone begging, needing to understand, “Is there something I’m doing wrong?”

DeBlanc still hadn’t figured out how to phrase what he wanted, not without making it sound like it was a shortcoming of Fiore’s and not just a misalignment of expectations, something to be expected when two beings of opposing sides came together as they had. He wondered if Genesis’s parents had misunderstandings like this. The demon pushed those thoughts aside though. He’d already hurt his angel, caused him tears and even now he could see more welling in Fiore’s eyes. He had to say something before the angel connected his own dots and made it sound worse than it really was. “There isn’t anything you’re doing wrong. There’s just something… more… that I would like.”

“More?” the angel questioned briefly before nodding, “Anything. Just tell me what it is.” Fiore was always so eager to do whatever it took to fulfill his duties, including his self-assigned one of making DeBlanc happy.

“When you kiss me,” the demon began, still trying to figure the best choice of words, “you’re very sweet. And I like that. I can feel all the love and affection you hold for me. It can even be a bit overwhelming. But there are other sorts of kisses, things beyond kissing… You’ve never initiated any of them.” He paused then and moved his free hand to cup Fiore’s cheek, seeing how wet the angel’s eyes were, that tears of disappointment and frustration and confusion would spill any second now and if DeBlanc couldn’t stop them, he could at least brush them away. “I don’t know if angels even can, without being introduced to the ideas. It isn’t your fault. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Fiore’s eyes shut tight and a tear slipped out, though it is quickly caught by DeBlanc’s thumb. “Whatever it is, I can do it. Just show me.”

“We don’t have to do this right now,” DeBlanc assured, pulling Fiore closer, slowly thumbing over his cheekbone, “I know you’re still upset. You’re not a hard read. We can wait.”

“No,” Fiore said firmly, squeezing DeBlanc’s hand in his and blinking a few more times, tears still welling in his eyes no matter how hard he willed them to stop. “I jumped to conclusions. The misunderstanding is my fault. I want to try.”

The demon paused for a moment, studying Fiore’s face, the way he would soon have to catch another tear, and the look of determination set upon it. He knew that Fiore would push forward through most anything if he thought that was what was wanted of him, so DeBlanc had to make it clear that it wasn’t. “I want to wait,” he said simply but firmly, “Not tonight. Tonight, I just want… this.” He leaned in then, kissing Fiore with all the care and gentleness that Fiore took in kissing him.

There were a few noises of angelic protest, but it barely took a second for Fiore to melt into the kiss. It was slow and gentle, about the cadence that he took when kissing DeBlanc while tending to Genesis, and he couldn’t have been happier about that. The demon was more of a mystery when it came to feelings than Fiore was, it was just the nature of demons and how they expressed themselves, but when DeBlanc was genuine, it was like he shone with it. Fiore still felt as though he was aflame everywhere DeBlanc touched him, and right now, he could have sworn he was staring into light through his closed eyes.

The kiss deepened slightly as it continued, and the pair shifted positions to lay down, facing each other, tired but not willing to pull away for long enough to truly stop, but the tone of it never changed. The whole dwelling was filled with only care and peace and love through the night.

Chapter Text

The misunderstanding had not been forgotten about, though all was well forgiven after the following night, nor had DeBlanc’s desires for more, which Fiore did not truly understand, but there was some time before it was brought up again.

DeBlanc didn’t want the force the issue, but he knew that Fiore would be unlikely to bring it up, not until he was feeling badly enough about disappointing DeBlanc that he couldn’t hold back about it. He didn’t want it to come to that, so on a quiet evening, as Genesis settled down and its custodians retired to bed, the demon leaned over and whispered in the angel’s ear. “I want to try something new tonight. Something… more.”

Fiore’s eyes widened with equal parts excitement and nervousness. “More. I’d like to try… more.”

There was a laugh at that, and DeBlanc took Fiore’s hand. “Lie down with me, dear,” he directed, climbing onto the bed and laying on his side to face the angel as Fiore did the same. Then, he leaned in and kissed him. The kiss started the same as their kisses usually did, slow and soft and full of affection. DeBlanc took his time with that, wanting Fiore to be comfortable, and to remind himself how good this was, in case Fiore couldn’t give him the other things he craved. Eventually, though, the kiss deepened and he finally parted his lips further to let his tongue lick at Fiore’s until they allowed him entry.

The angel realized what his demon was doing fairly quickly. He should have known that DeBlanc desired things of a more carnal nature from the start. But, much to his relief, as the kiss changed from holy affection to something else, what he felt for DeBlanc, and what DeBlanc seemed to be expressing to him, didn’t shift. There was still so much care, so much love pouring through DeBlanc, it was like nothing had changed at all. After another moment, Fiore was reassured enough, comfortable enough in this new something to respond, attempting to entwine his tongue with the demon’s as the kiss continued.

The reciprocation honestly surprised DeBlanc. Fiore was a fast enough learner, but the eagerness was unexpected. He could tell it was genuine, though, like most things were when it came to his angel, so he simply smiled into the kiss and let it continue for quite some time. Only when he was thoroughly breathless and his lips were near starting to numb from the pressure and heat did he pull away, laughing and cupping Fiore’s jaw to keep him from chasing after the kiss. “Easy, dear,” DeBlanc murmured, “I need a moment. You’re enjoying this quite a lot, aren’t you?”

“Very much,” Fiore assured, a little breathless himself and very much leaning into DeBlanc’s warm touch, wanting their lips to meet again. “I’m very glad that you wanted more.”

Another laugh bubbled up in DeBlanc’s chest and he couldn’t help but lean in and kiss Fiore again, just briefly to satiate the obvious desire. “There’s more where that is concerned, too,” the demon said with a light tease as he pulled away, “but someone should check on Genesis before we get to that, so he doesn’t feel the need to interrupt, don’t you think?” Fiore nodded reluctantly as moved to get up, but DeBlanc pushed him back down gently. “It’s my turn, anyway. You stay put and lay on your back for me.”

“Alright,” the angel replied, letting DeBlanc get up to check on Genesis. His lips still burned from the contact with DeBlanc and the heat felt like it was spreading to the rest of his body slowly as the kiss had continued. It was exciting and different and he waited anxiously for DeBlanc to return and continue.

DeBlanc didn’t leave his angel waiting long, returning quickly after making sure Genesis was resting and content. He climbed into bed again and gently guided Fiore to lay on his back before shifting atop him. The demon honestly prefered other positions for this sort of thing, but he knew he would have to set an example for his angel to learn from this first time, so he didn’t really mind. As long as he got to touch Fiore, to do this with him, it would be amazing.

Fiore let himself be guided, excitement and a bit of nerves bubbling up in him again, but he tried to keep himself calm, opting to wrap his arms around DeBlanc’s neck and pull him into a kiss again, innocent for the moment but just on the edge of more.

The kiss kept the demon distracted for a moment, but soon DeBlanc pulled as much focus as he needed away from it, instead working to position himself, hips against Fiore’s and then their legs entwined, putting pressure against just the right parts.

The touch sent the burning feeling everywhere within Fiore, and he felt the need to deepen the kiss in response, licking into DeBlanc’s mouth as DeBlanc had done to him, and settling his hands on his demon’s back just for more points of contact.

DeBlanc took the reactions as encouragement, making a pleased noise into the kiss as experimentally he rolled his hips, adding friction to the pressure.

A gasp escaped Fiore’s mouth, followed by a whine when DeBlanc eased up, unsure of what the gasp indicated. He felt more than heard the chuckle against his lips then, DeBlanc rolling their hips together again, more sure of himself this time.

The feeling was intense for DeBlanc, despite how many times he’d done this or something like it, he’d never done it with an angel before, never with Fiore, his forbidden love who kept him warm in the same way Hell chilled him to his bones. It wasn’t his own pleasure he was chasing after though, not yet. The sounds his angel made were like music to his ears as he continued to grind their hips together, his movements echoed, slowly at first, then harder and faster as hands gripped at his back and fingertips dug into flesh.

Fiore felt something pulling in his gut and suddenly a realization - a revelation of what this was - hit him. He stilled and pulled back from the kiss quickly as he gasped, “No!”

The word made the demon stop with confusion and concern, but before he could pull away of his own accord he was pushed with surprising force, suddenly finding himself no longer on top of Fiore.

“Not this,” Fiore said, nearly shaking as he moved to the edge of the bed, “The kissing, yes. I can give you that. But not this…”

DeBlanc remained confused. “Fiore, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice soft, almost afraid, “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” the angel assured, although his voice was weak, “I… I know what it is. What we’re doing.”

The demon paused, looking at Fiore and waiting for him to continue with an explanation.

Fiore obliged. “Conjoining,” he said simply, “It’s how Genesis was made.”

DeBlanc nodded then. He’d suspected as much, that Genesis was created the old fashioned way that things not created by the Lord Himself so often were, but it still hadn’t occurred to him why the act upset his angel so.

The angel continued again before the demon could voice his confusion. “We can’t risk it,” he said simply and firmly, “Genesis was never meant to be, and neither were we. There can’t be another. We can’t take that chance. We would be as bad as the traitors. Worse.  If there was another, they would take them away from us and take us away from each other. And that is if we’re lucky. It could be so much worse…”

A part of the demon wanted to argue, assure Fiore that wouldn’t happen, that even if it did, no one would know, that creating another something wouldn’t end everything like he feared, but DeBlanc didn’t know if any of those assurances would be true, and there was so much pain and fear in Fiore’s voice as he spoke that he couldn’t dream of actually trying to convince the angel otherwise. Slowly, he shifted closer to Fiore again, reaching out to take his hand. “Then we won’t,” he assured.

“I’m sorry.” Fiore whispered, letting DeBlanc take his hand, finding comfort that his demon still wanted to touch him, even while letting him have space.

DeBlanc shook his head, squeezing the angel’s hand gently. “Don’t be.”

“You wanted more.” Fiore insisted softly.

Again, DeBlanc shook his head, shifting closer, still giving Fiore space but cupping his jaw now with his free hand. “But you don’t want this. So I neither do I. It’s okay,” he said, before starting to pull his angel closer again, slowly enough that Fiore could stop him at any moment.

Fiore was skeptical, and the look on his face showed it, but he let DeBlanc pull him close, just holding him and settling down into the bed again. No more words were exchanged on the subject, the matter settled and the fears pushed out of their minds, allowing them to sleep to tend to Genesis again in the morning.

DeBlanc didn’t bring up conjoining again, always remembering the fear in Fiore’s voice anytime he felt urges to push things too far as they were intimate,  and Fiore accepted that what he did with DeBlanc was enough. There was the occasional spat, rough nights with Genesis refusing to be soothed, Fiore being unnecessarily immutable or DeBlanc being overly devious, but overall, things were good.

The dwelling where the angel, the demon and their charge called home was safe and full of love. A place for things never meant to be. Until, one day, one was gone.