bakerstreet | jan texts

o i saw them
but figured it wasnt u

[ which explains nothing of why angel replied to that last one. but one can guess: he was bored enough. ]

and it wasnt sarcasm

[ that time. ]

they seem to get a hold of ur phone a lot

[ based on the number of prank texts angel has gotten, not just today but other times. he almost expects it at this point! ]

You baffle me, Angel.
You really do.
But thanks for ignoring them.

[ Some of them were more embarrassing than the one he actually replied to. Asking him for sexual favors, or memes where they'd edited it so Aki's face was in them. Honestly, those two morons could be smart when they wanted to humiliate Aki it seems. ]

They do it when I'm in the shower.
Mostly.
Or I fall asleep.

Are you nearly here yet? I'm sure I saw a halo in the crowd coming down the street.

so hide ur phone?

[ he knows very well aki probably could hide it and lock it and those two would find a way to get their hands on it but he says it anyway. ]

u saw me?
i dont see u...

[ probably due to his height (lack of it). he could fly but that would expend unnecessary energy, so, you know. ]

And forget where it is when Miss Makima calls?
No thanks.
I'll just make them clean up or something.

[ Maybe because Aki might have sent some of the texts himself and is blaming the others?

He beeps the car horn. ]

You hear that?
That's me.
I swear you just walked past.
You better not be sitting down!

right right

[ angel still doesn't understand what makes aki like her so much, or anyone else like her so much. she makes angel extremely uncomfortable, and half the time he doesn't even know why. it somehow makes it even worse.

he glances over his shoulder, the horn seeming to come from there. oh. ]

im not sitting

[ yet...he squints. ]

do it again

[ What's not to like about her?! She's... Well, she... hmm, y'know what, Aki can't put his finger on what's so great about her either. But it's not important! The point is, he doesn't want to miss a call from her! ]

Alright.
I'm beeping the horn.
Just come towards it.
Im parked up on a curb.

[ Honestly, Angel better be here soon. Aki hates wasting time like this. Though, it's given him time to lean on the hood of the car and spark up a cigarette. ]

You walked too far, didn't you?

[ the slow brief nod angel would give... ]

o i see u

[ he doesn't...even wave, one hand occupied by the phone, the other by aki's shockingly not melted ice cream. somehow angel avoids bumping into anyone despite his wings. helps perhaps that he's not exactly taking up much space to begin with. ]

[ There he is~ Aki sighs, thumbing his phone one last time. ]

Hurry up.
I don't wanna get a ticket.

[ Unlike Angel, Aki at least flexes the fingers of the hand he holds his cigarette in acknowledgment of Angel approaching. ]

[ angel...predictably does not hurry up at all, but he does offer aki's ice cream up to him, head cocked to one side as if trying to figure something out about his expression. ]

If you don't like it, I'll eat it.

[ probably goes without saying but hey he didn't know what flavor aki would want. strawberry seemed good, mostly cause if he didn't care for it, angel would. ]

[ There's a moment there, where Aki just stares back at him. Letting his cigarette burn right down before putting it out and reaching to take the ice cream. ]

Sure it wouldn't be too much of an effort to eat? You already had one.

[ It comes off in a snappish sort of comment, but Aki was just joking. Mindful of not brushing Angel's fingers as he takes the cone. ]

C'mon. Get in the car.

Mm.

[ apparently too much effort to use whole words, angel shrugs and does at least get into the car, wings folding neatly behind him as he pulls the door shut before looking over at aki. with his other hand still occupied, he fixes that by finishing his own ice cream as if to further prove eating aki's would be no trial, some of the melted stuff seeping onto his fingers through the bottom of the cone. not about to waste any of it, angel has no qualms of licking his fingers, sucking on them absently to get the last stickiness off. ]

[ Aki let's out an exhausted sigh, almost rolling his eyes as Angel unceremoniously grunts his response. Sometimes he considers how lucky he is to be partners with Angel. They hardly talk, so the chat-back is minimal, they don't take up much room and are relatively clean.

In fact, Aki was about to say something about how Angel better not make a mess in the car- only to be left staring, lips slightly open before swallowing and clearing his throat. It was just something about the way Angel licked and sucked his fingers clean.

For someone who puts very little effort into everything they do, Angel sure was making sure he didn't waste even a drop. ]

Here... You can have some.

[ Spoken in a hushed tone, Aki held his ice cream out towards the Devil, a little of it melting and starting to trickle down the back of his hand.]

[ briefly angel's gaze flicks to the ice cream on aki's hand, then going back to the offering, which he doesn't hesitate to accept. of course it is angel. "some" is...well. he takes one lick, and then another -- to keep it from dripping more. sure. between licks, he does look back over, finally using actual words, ]

Doesn't the smoke make it taste bad?

[ these kinds of questions crop up out of nowhere from angel typically, an individual who seems like has no particular love or aggression regarding humanity. but aki has been his partner for a while, and angel tells himself not to change this sort of sterile, quiet thing they have. but sometimes things like this happen.

his focus goes back to the ice cream and he sort of slouches in the passenger seat, like he's hoping the seatbelt will just put him out of his misery -- after he's done with the ice cream but before the assignment destination. ]

[ Aki's watching every little move Angel makes with great intensity. He's been fascinated by the Devil since he first handed him a handkerchief in that room full of zombies. Not that it shows on his face all the much, Aki's mastered that stoic line mouth and stare just as much as Angel has. ]

Yes. It dulls the taste too. Is it not too sweet for you?

[ Happy to answer truthfully as he continued to watch Angel lick at the ice cream. Leaning in as he held the cone there for his partner to lick and captured some of the melting ice cream on his own tongue, just as it was about to drip from his hand and onto the seat. He let his face get pretty close to Angel's when he did this, he wasn't afraid of possibly brushing against him. ~~didn't have much to lose these days.~~ ]

Uh-uh. [ just the mildest response, but nothing angel has ever eaten was too sweet for him. he pauses when aki also leans in to taste. he recognizes it as more of a functional thing, how he's clearly trying to save it from dripping off of his hand, but his eyes stick to where aki licked just a moment longer than necessary. he has the brief curiosity: what does he taste like? but he has this thought about various people, here and there. all in all, given the option, he guesses he'd prefer ice cream or other sweets.

angel has had enough of people in his life from day one.

at least as far as he can remember.

even wondering though, angel stops tasting more than his fair share, leaning back to better peer at the devil hunter. if asked straightly, he would not admit to it being for any reason other than being 'done', but it's not especially unknown that angel is something of a glutton. his eyes flick from aki's mouth back to the ice cream as if waiting to be told he can have the rest, expression the very picture of expectation. ]

[ Aki continues to watch Angel, making a mental note of the way his lazy-looking expression seems fixed between Aki's mouth and hand. Its unclear to the Devil Hunter if they seem more interested in the ice cream or the fact Aki was more or less taunting him with it? ]

Y'know, if you seemed more grateful maybe I'd be more inclined to offer you the rest.

[ It's just another one of Aki's little power plays, he tries from time to time to make the Devils and Fiends under his charge, domesticated... Angel so far, has been his biggest challenge.

It's just then that Aki's phone vibrates intermittently in his trouser pocket. Shifting in his seat he automatically hands off the ice cream to his other hand, and accidentally he unbalanced the half melting slop to slip and slide. With both hands mucky now, Aki sighs and holds them away from himself and Angel. ]

Can you get that.

[ More of an order than a question as he shifts his hips. Angel will have to fish the cell phone out of Aki's trouser pocket for him, hopefully before it stops ringing but Aki gets the feeling by the time Angel helps, it will have gone to voicemail. ]

[ angel doesn't dignify that domestication attempt with actual words, just 'hn' as he manages to be lazy about eating the ice cream too, a feat given he's also doing his best to not waste any. only when aki moves his hand and the ice cream away with it, does angel lift his head and stare properly, the faintest annoyance there as aki asks him to get his phone.

at first, angel has every intention not to.

then, true to his decided nature, he figures it's too much trouble to refuse and reaches across aki's lap. even with cloth between them (if there was ever a reason to be grateful humans believe in clothing, it's this) part of angel hesitates. on top of that, he's much smaller than aki, and so he has to lean over the console, partially across aki, head bowed as he digs in aki's pocket, phone slipping out of his fingers once inside and then, unfortunately, a second time as he picks it up. it falls somewhere on the floor near aki's feet.

angel sighs....and doesn't immediately grab for it. he glances at aki's sticky hands dully as the phone continues to ring. ]

They'll probably call back.

[ right. ]

[ Aki didn't expect Angel to actually help, so he was pleasantly surprised when they eventually attempted. It meant that his trousers would survive getting sticky from his own hands at least, even if it was frustrating listening to his phone vibrate constantly. ]

Careful.

[ Such helpful encouragement there, well done, Aki... Moving the ice cream out of Angel's way as the lent over and ducked their head. The cone was soft now, and cold, sticky cream trickled out slowly against Aki's fingers, drizzling down the back of his hand as he raised it to his mouth, catching the drips before they could fall onto Angel's bowed head. ]

Hmm?

[ Why was Angel sitting back up and just looking? Aki frowned, craning his to glance down at the floor, his phone having vibrated its way under one of the peddles. ]

Really? Too much?

[ Tossing Angel a look of utter disbelief. He stretched out a leg and tried to use to toe of his sneaker to dislodge the phone. All to no avail. Aki didn't have a lot of patience for Devils before he was partnered up with Angel, but as the little brat grew on him, so did his ability to put up with their utter lack of drive. Still, at times like this, even that was wearing thin. ]

You're gonna have to get it. It's probably work. They might expect you to slack, but my neck is on the line here too, Angel.

[ the look angel sends aki is as deadpan as they come, but there's always more troublesome things to deal with than clear direction, so they shrug after that point is made, only to duck down again. somehow when aki attempted to use his foot, the phone clattered further back, so angel is down there for, well, a while. it happens that they are curved down against aki's knee and his thigh, reaching all the way back until they grasp the phone only to drop it again, and it will be a wonder it's not broken when it's finally retrieved. this takes another moment and when angel sits up, they drop the phone again in the same motion, letting it land unceremoniously in aki's lap.

the mess of the ice cream, though not unexpected, is a shame. angel decides they should have eaten it before getting there to not waste it but too little too late. by some stroke of luck (or bad luck), the phone is still ringing and angel remembers aki's order wasn't just to get the phone but answer it. ugh.

they reach to get it from aki's lap, frowning.

it's the least conversation necessary for a conversation, which probably makes it impossible to tell what they are being informed of until angel hangs up with their frown replaced by a soft scowl. ]

They changed our assignment.

[ a changed directive comes through in type shortly along with the new location and assumed devil therein. or rather, that there is a devil. apparently it's unclear what kind it is, and so they are choosing to send in aki and angel. they can practically hear the nonsense reasoning "a competent team", as if everyone isn't competent just by preferring to survive, already putting them leaps and bounds apart from angel. but it's not up to them. whereas their previous assignment wasn't too far, this one requires aki to drive them out farther, several hours to what looks like a long abandoned farm. ]

[ Aki tried to move his legs as best he could, so as to better accommodate Angel as they actually made themselves useful and went to retrieve the ringing phone. While Angel was down there, Aki brought the ice cream to his lips, taking a soft bite and licking some of the mess from his hand, he didn't want to drip any on his partner and he'd rather use a handkerchief than his mouth but that was in his shirt pocket which he didn't fancy mucking it up with sticky fingers trying to fish it out. (That could be another job for Angel in a moment.)

Angle was light, their slim, little body hardly a presence against Aki's thigh and knee as they bent over it, Aki lowering his leg, trying to be helpful but also mindful not to slide Angel completely off and onto the floor too. There's a silent sort of pride that washes over him when Angel sits back up, they'd managed to follow a string of orders now, with very minimal protesting. Things were looking up!

That is until his phone is dumped in his lap. Oh c'mon he thinks to himself I can't exactly answer it with sticky fingers now can I? Is what he's about to say before Angel follows through on the previous order and picks the phone back it.

It felt strange... The vibrations from the phone in his lap, then Angel's small hand pawing about to pick it back up. Aki cleared his throat and shuffled back in the driver's seat where he sat, trying to shake off any awkwardness he'd suddenly felt.

It's like pulling teeth, watching Angel take a call. The poor person on the other end of the line must have thought they'd been hung up on before the Devil finally spoke. ]

Hmm? What, where to?

[ Handing Angel the ice cream as he popped his index finger into his mouth, giving it a quick suck, the other hand still messy held out to the side. Tapping the screen and managing to click the link without making too much of a smear on his phone, Aki extended his hand back towards Angel, eyes still on the phone taking in the directions. He didn't say anything as he held his messy fingers out to Angel, but he was expecting to be handed back his ice cream... ]

Fuck. It's gonna be a long one. Great...

[ angel ignores the weird energy coming off of aki as he seems to push himself as far backwards in the seat as possible, more interested in how aki taking his phone back means more ice cream for them. wasting no time in decimating it, when aki offers his hand again clearly to take it back, angel just stares lamp eyed at him over their latest bite. ]

Do we have to?

[ what a question. but it's angel so they ask anyway, then proceeding to finish aki's ice cream. so much for getting him one. angel somehow has already made it down to biting through half the cone. their eyes slide to the phone screen and away again, sighing as they let their tongue dart out to lap at another stray trickle of ice cream on the remnant cone. ]

[ Aki should have known Angel would just eat the ice cream once it was handed to them. Honestly, what was he thinking? Of course, they wouldn't just hold it and give it back. Great. Now Aki has nothing to eat and they're about to go on a long drive.

That question has Aki shaking his head, the topknot on top of his head bobbing and swaying from the motion. ]

All you have to do is sit there. How is that in any way, shape, or form, an effort for you, hmm?

[ Piercing blue eyes shift from the phone to Angel's face, seeing as he's been sitting there with his hand out for a while now and it's still empty. ]

Really?... And now I have to do this long-ass drive on an empty stomach. Thanks.

[ Going to set his hands on the steering wheel only to remember how sticky they are at the last possible second. Grunting and shaking his head. ]

Do me a favor. Grab my tissue?

[ Leaning in towards Angel, shrugging to show the handkerchief in his shirt pocket. Go on. Help him. ]

[ somehow mild and dry and "really?" at the same time, one can argue that angel despite laziness has no problem returning sass in its lesser percentages. they consider giving aki the last bit of the cone before deciding against it after that request, as if it's some kind of 'do this' toll.

... and then they don't do it.

at least not for a moment. stalling won't help either of them avoid the assignment and they know that but indulging in a briefly lived fantasy of unemployment is second nature to angel at this point, so there it is. even when they lean forward enough to properly reach aki again, they murmur, ]

You could just lick them or something.

[ as if that gave them the reminder, angel sticks the fingers of their other hand into their own mouth, unhurriedly licking between them to get all the sticky residue off. all this as they retrieve aki's tissue, delicate knuckles grazing against his chest inadvertently as they pull it out of the pocket, then holding it...right in his face. ]

[ Listen, it's not a bad dream, being unemployed and all but Aki want's to be useful with what time he has left on this earth. It's kind of why he gets so frustrated with Angel not wanting to do anything like he's literally wasting Aki's time. Then again, he's probably looking at it the wrong way. He should be enjoying his time with Angel, considering he seems to have warmed- in Aki's strange sort of way- to the Devil. ]

I don't want to lick them. It's bad enough watching you lick yours.

[ Said with a slight flush on his pale face.

His eyes widened as Angel retrieved the handkerchief for him, mostly because of the sensation of that slight, soft touch. It made him wonder... How soft Angel's skin was? If it was cool or warm? If he had no sign of a day's work on them, no rough patches or calluses? ]

Hmm... Thanks.

[ Reaching up to take the slip of fabric, only to splay his sticky fingers out and press his palm to Angel's with the handkerchief acting as a barrier between them. It was impulsive and Aki didn't have time to think it through should his partner ask what he was doing. ]

I was tempted to have you lick them clean. Considering it's your fault they're dirty in the first place. Not that it's possible you could mind you... Still.

[ angel's brows rise at both the first comment and the last, head tilting at the last as well, as if considering it as well even though this is very much not the case. most of the attention goes to the way aki seems almost to press their hands tighter together through the cloth. it makes him frown and pull his hand back, a little too fast as if burned and possibly unless aki catches it, the cloth will fall and land on aki's thigh.

it's possible even through the napkin that aki might have been able to tell a little: warmth like when a person is just starting to get warm after being incredibly cold for a long long time, soft deceptively so for someone who wields weapons -- but not that much obviously, since angel would still rather die than work given the chance.

when he sighs, it sends his bangs flying up. ]

It's not my fault.

[ of course that's what he says before sinking backward into his own seat, looking sidelong at him anyway, as if to say: obviously.

there's a faint hit of pink in angel's cheeks, but for the moment, he doesn't realize it himself. ]

Whatever.

[ tacked on for no reason, he sighs and actually shifts his gaze to the window. ]

Edited 2023-02-19 08:38 (UTC)

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