Work Text:
As it turned out, the weatherman was full of shit. Aki had been lead to believe that the downpour was supposed to begin hours from now. According to what he’d heard, he and Angel should’ve been off work and cozy in their own homes long before the sky split open and dumped water all over the place haphazardly. Not out on the damn street with nowhere around that’d make decent cover. Well, shit.
No trees, no bus stop, and the nearby stores were closed. This really sucked. He knew typhoons could be unpredictable, but this was ridiculous. His wet clothes were uncomfortable and heavy and cold. At least they should’ve been. It took Aki’s brain a moment longer than it probably should’ve to realize that he wasn’t actually getting wet. Aside from the initial surprise and random raindrop here or there, he was totally dry. That was odd.
Aki looked above himself curiously. He didn’t know what he’d expected to see but it certainly wasn’t a feathery wing shielding him from the storm. Water rushed downward from it on the backside, creating a pretty neat waterfall kind of effect.
His gaze followed the wing down to the devil it was attached to. He blinked. Angel, who was standing next to him expressionless, was shielding him while getting totally soaked. Why the devil didn’t bother to cover himself with the other wing made no sense at all. Though in the end it probably had something to do with laziness. Scratch that, it absolutely did.
“Hey, what about you?” Aki asked, motioning upward.
“It doesn’t matter.” Angel sighed. He sounded like he couldn’t possibly care less when he mumbled, “I don’t get sick like a frail human.”
It was thoughtful of him. Aki knew Angel didn’t go out of his way for others very often at all. He’d usually prefer the option that was less effort. This was, for lack of a better word, a sweet gesture.
Though the sentiment was kind of canceled out when after a brief pause Angel added, “It’d be a real pain if I got extra work because you couldn’t come in.”
That much was probably true. Angel certainly would hate something like that, which meant he had to care on the slightest of levels. Personally, Aki didn’t like this situation very much. It was far too one-sided. Luckily, he knew of just the way to fix it. He grabbed his petite partner and pulled him into a hug.
Now they were both under the cover of the devil’s wing. The rain continued to try and pummel them into submission, to no avail. Angel neither moved nor spoke. In response to this new development, he just kind of buried his face in Aki’s chest.
Ah. So cute. Aki shut his eyes and did his best not to react. Cuddly Angel wasn’t exactly a common occurrence, so he didn’t want to discourage it. Honestly, right now he couldn’t be mad at the weather or person who predicted it incorrectly. Not when it lead to this situation.
His other arm slid around his partner to hold him properly. In a way, Aki kind of wanted to thank that weatherman now. If he’d brought along an umbrella this never would’ve happened. No part of him wanted to live in the universe where that was true.
For a few minutes there were no other sounds but that of the rain around them. Soothing, consistent, and unrelenting. There were a great many unspoken things between him and this devil. But Aki knew that sometimes a simple action like a hug meant more than words ever could, especially when it came to someone so used to people going out of their way not to get close enough to accidentally touch them. His grip on Angel tightened.
Aki’s voice was soft, but still loud enough to be heard over the downpour when he said, “This is the second time I’ve gotten to hold you close during a typhoon.” He paused. “At this rate it’s going to become my favorite kind of weather.”
“Huh?” Angel lifted his head and blinked at the taller man.
What a lovely shade of pink beneath those long lashes. One wasn’t often presented with very many perfect opportunities in life. So taking advantage of those that did appear was vital. That was Aki’s line of thought anyway as he grabbed his own tie and laid it across Angel’s lips then bent down and kissed the fabric.
It was brief. Maybe testing the waters a bit. Aki watched the devil’s reaction when he leaned away and the tie fell back down again. Ah, there was that sweet little blush in his cheeks. The one Angel swore didn’t exist. The very same one that made Aki’s whole body feel warm from the inside out.
“That was weird.” Angel muttered.
Aki smiled awkwardly and replied, “Yeah, sorry, it was all I had in the moment. You were making a face that said you really wanted me to kiss you so I did it without thinking.”
“I was making the same face I always make,” Angel countered.
“Tell me about it.” Aki said mostly to himself.
“Huh?” Angel blinked at him.
“Nothing, never mind.” Aki muttered. After a brief silence he asked, “Did you hate it?”
“Not particularly.” Angel shook his head. He glanced off to the side and chewed on his bottom lip while he took a second to gather his thoughts. Then his gaze returned to his partner and he said, “I’d say I liked it.”
Good to know. The two of them stood in silence together after that. They continued their embrace until the rain finally let up as the storm moved on. Finally out of that mess, Aki lit a cigarette while Angel shook his wing to get the excess water off of it before folding it back behind himself.
He exhaled a puff of smoke, glanced at his way-too-adorable partner, and asked, “Hungry? Wanna come back to my place for some food?”
It was a question they both knew the answer to. The devil would never, ever pass up an opportunity for free food. Aki took another drag off his cigarette and exhaled that while he waited for the response he knew he’d receive.
“Yeah…” Angel nodded.
“Come on, then.” Aki dropped his cigarette butt, stomped on it, then lead the way.
The whole ground was like a giant puddle that splashed and sloshed with their every step. Aki could feel his pant legs getting soaked. Usually that’d be irritating. Right now, though, he didn’t really care. His mind was elsewhere.
While that kiss before hadn’t been planned, it certainly was something that’d been on his mind for a while. He’d considered quite a few scenarios in which something like that might happen. That included a handful of ways to prevent himself from dying in the process. This one hadn’t been too bad in his opinion, and it didn’t seem like the devil was opposed. Good to know. Though there was one more tiny wrinkle that needed to be ironed out.
“You probably shouldn’t tell Makima I did that before,” Aki said softly.
Angel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. After a moment to gather his thoughts he looked forward once more and replied, “Why would I? It’s none of her business.”
Aki shrugged. He shook his head and said, “Knowing you, it’d be some attempt to get me reassigned so you don’t have to work as much or something.” He glanced at the devil. “I’m just saying it’d be best kept our little secret.”
“I wouldn’t… ok maybe I did that kind of thing once or twice in the past,” Angel admitted. His brow furrowed. “But you’re not like those others.”
“Oh yeah?” Aki asked.
“Mhm. As far as humans go, you’re not the worst one to be around.” Angel confirmed with a quick nod. “Though working still sucks in general, I don’t mind the nagging when it’s coming from you.”
“Wow. Who knew you were such a romantic?” Aki snorted. Still, the sentiment was really sweet coming from the devil. And that made him want to tease the guy just a little. He tapped on his own chin as he said, “Maybe I should be the one to report you.”
Angel whipped his head in his partner’s direction and gasped, “What for!”
Oh, that wide-eyed stare of his was way too cute to deal with. This guy didn’t know the half of it. Aki stopped walking, which caused the devil to do the same, and motioned outward with both arms. His right one swooped between Angel’s halo and head as he declared, “For eating all the ice cream in a fifty-mile radius! There’s none left for anyone else!”
Angel rolled his eyes with a snort. He side-eyed the dark-haired man as he said, “If it’s not a hundred, no one will believe your story.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Aki hummed with a smirk. It was as playful as the little gleam he saw in those lovely pink eyes. This was good. There was no awkwardness at all between them.
As soon as they reached Aki’s place, the two of them paused. There was what sounded like a big commotion going on within.
Crash! Boom! Shatter!
“Quit tryin’ to take bites outta me, dammit! If you don’t, I’ll take a bite out of Meowy!”
“How dare you threaten him, heathen! He’s a sovereign and has a way higher status than you ever will!”
“What the hell are you talking abou– gah! Ouch! Dammit!”
Aki stood there totally deadpan as the apparent struggle continued on the other side of the door. After less than a minute, he turned around completely and muttered, “On second thought, do you want to go find somewhere else we can eat? I’m not in the mood to cook.”
Angel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and asked, “Don’t you have to deal with–”
Thud, thud, thud! Slam! The whole door rattled on its hinges as something hit it very hard.
“That’s it!” The rev of a chainsaw was followed by maniacal laughter. “You asked for it, bitch!”
“Now we’re talking! I’ll show you just how pitiful you are compared to me! Praise my might and beauty!”
“All that…?” Angel finished the thought as he eyed the door curiously.
“No way in hell. I’m out of here.” Aki scoffed. He started to walk away, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes. He’d need a new pack by morning at this rate. “You can join me or not. Your choice.”
Angel trotted after him. Because he clearly had nothing better to do. No other reason whatsoever. To assume he had an ulterior motive would be false. He kept pace with the human and stayed silent while he waited for him to finish that cigarette. It seemed to be doing a lot of heavy lifting for his sanity.
Once Aki was done with that and discarded the butt, Angel took the opportunity to speak his mind. He looked straight ahead as he asked softly, “Do you have a handkerchief on you?”
Aki glanced at him. “Yeah, why?”
“If you already did it once, there’s no real reason you can’t do it again.” Angel mumbled. His wings twitched behind him. Perhaps with intrigue, maybe even anticipation. He didn’t wait for a response before he added, “Since we’re keeping it a secret anyway.”
The corner of Aki’s mouth curved upward in a little smirk. The devil’s whole face was pink. So stinking adorable. And frankly, unexpected in the best possible way. To think Angel himself would request another kiss. And so soon, too. Aki wasn’t sure his pulse would ever stop racing.
But he played it as calm and collected as possible and simply replied, “You make a pretty good point. I’m sure the perfect opportunity will present itself before the night is over. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
While Angel didn’t respond, there was what looked like a little extra pep in his step as they continued on their way. Now that was a rare sight, indeed. It was all Aki could do to hold back his laughter.
After not nearly long enough for Aki’s liking, he looked up at the building they stood outside of and said, “Ah. Here we are.”
The first thing Angel did when they stepped into the quaint little diner was order a milkshake. He hadn’t even sat down yet. Talk about enthusiasm. It was admittedly infectious. Aki nodded at the hostess and said, “Make it two.”
She nodded then wandered off. Only then did the two of them sit down and start to look at the menu. It was only a single page but the way Angel was studying it, one would think there was an impossible decision to be made. Like he’d be tested on the contents. Aki could watch him all day long.
Their chipper waitress in a light pink apron meandered over to the table and set down the shakes. Both were also pink. Aki found that charming in a way.
She smiled and hummed, “Here you are, fellas. Would you like to hear about tonight’s specials before you order?”
Angel nodded. As usual, he was all ears when it came to food. Aki focused on what she had to say as well.
“Tonight is really special!” She chirped and motioned with both hands. “We have a deal called The Lovers’ Happy Ending, which includes an appetizer to share, two main courses, and a gigantic dessert that couldn’t possibly be consumed by a single person! Make sure you have someone you care about to enjoy it with!”
Aki glanced at his companion. The way Angel’s eyes widened was so darn cute it should’ve been illegal. It was clear as day that there was no way he’d leave the establishment without seeing said dessert for himself, it was written all over his face. He’d get violent about it if necessary. Before that, however, he tried the simpler route.
Angel pointed to his partner across the table and said, “He kissed me. Does that count?”
“Oh, sure! That’s lovey-dovey enough for me!” The waitress chuckled. After confirming the appetizer and main courses with him, she scribbled on her little pad. “One Lovers’ Happy Ending, comin’ right up! You darling boys won’t be disappointed!”
Once she trotted off to bring the order to the kitchen Aki leaned his elbow on the table then rested his chin on the heel of his hand. He glanced at the devil and hummed, “So much for our little secret, huh?”
“It still is. From Makima like we agreed.” Angel reminded him. He took a long sip of his milkshake. When finished he licked his lips slowly. Only then did he add, “I wanted the big dessert.”
“Oh, I’m aware of just what you wanted,” Aki huffed in amusement. “How’s the shake?”
“Good. You should drink yours before it melts.” Angel replied. He continued to sip.
Aki tried his as well. He let the flavor linger on his tongue for a moment before he swallowed. Strawberry, huh? It suited the devil. Somehow that made it extra good in Aki’s eyes. He watched his companion while he had another sip.
“That was the biggest dessert I’ve ever seen…” Aki said mostly to himself as he stepped out of the diner.
It was borderline shocking. If he told Denji and Power about it, they’d be here in an instant pretending to be a couple just to experience the majesty. And he’d just watched the most petite devil devour the entire thing on his own. It was as funny as it was amazing. He held the door open for his partner, who was right on his heels.
“It was yummy,” Angel practically purred. “I wanted to order another one but unfortunately it was one per couple.”
“That is a shame,” Aki replied. It would’ve been kind of amazing to watch his partner devour that much food. Maybe even a little sickening. But like, in a good way. Or something. He blinked to clear his head then said, “We’ll just have to come back again for the same special.”
Angel eyed the taller man silently for a long moment. Drip, drop. The trickle of rain kissed both their noses. Aki looked upward with a frown, silently wondering if it was about to be the same situation as earlier. Then, without a word, he grabbed Angel’s sleeve, careful to avoid his hand, and dragged him around the building.
Aki looked around the dark alley. The light above them flickered on and off ominously, giving him just enough to see it was a filthy place. Surely no good could come of hanging out there. Just as he had the thought he heard the sound of rain landing on what sounded like a tin roof. A quick glance upward and he saw they were under an overhang. Huh. Ok, maybe one good thing then.
He grunted in surprise when Angel grabbed his tie and yanked hard. Aki had no choice but to bend to his will. Literally. His eyes widened when they were suddenly nose to nose. There was a determined look in those ethereal eyes, which was almost overshadowed by the sweetest blush across the bridge of his nose.
Angel held up a handkerchief decorated with silly little hearts all over it. Ah, that was what he’d grabbed at the register on their way out. Aki hadn’t been paying attention. Now, though, nothing could get him to look away from his partner as he stretched it out across his face and surged forward.
Though goofy in design, this handkerchief was special indeed. It was a thin, silky material. Very soft to the touch. Not at all good for wiping up blood… but perfect for feeling the warmth of another’s lips through the fabric. And feel he did. Aki’s eyes fell shut. He instinctively leaned into the kiss, incredibly fond of this little secret of theirs.