bakerstreet | jan texts

[ 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)

Ah-!

[ Aki ever so slightly gasped when Angel pulled back. For a moment then, he thought he'd been reckless enough to actually touch the Devil's flesh. But no, it was just the fact he'd apparently startled Angel? Frowning a little before carefully plucking the cloth from where it landed on his leg and meticulously wiping the melted ice cream remnants from his fingers, before moving on to the other hand. It would do for now but they were still a tad tacky to the touch.

His thoughts dwelled on the slight warmth and softness he'd felt through the fabric when their hands had pressed together. Rubbing the pads of his thumb and forefinger together as he pondered. Glancing over to the huffy redhead, just as he was told it wasn't their fault. ]

If you hadn't stopped for ice cream in the first place, I wouldn't have been tempted and none of this mess would have gotten onto me. I stand by my statement. It was your fault.

[ Knowing that Angel probably isn't even going to humor him with a response as they turn their head aside, Aki spots their reflection in the window and leans over, the handkerchief in hand. ]

C'mere. Hold still.

[ There was a smear of ice cream on the side of Angel's mouth and so, with the fabric still in hand, Aki gently pressed it against the strawberry mess. At least Angel was cleaner than Power, but it did make him wonder why Devils could be such gluttons at times. ]

I'll stop at a service station on the way so we can have a bit of a break. Grab something proper to eat too.

[ Aki spoke as he diligently cleaned Angel's cheek, enjoying the slight closeness. It made the Devil feel real to him like they weren't just a partner, a tool the Mis Makima has said to use to his benefit. ]

[ as aki expects, angel doesn't humor him, if anything is about to slump further down in the seat when he more feels than sees aki lean over. he half turns, which makes it inadvertently easier for aki to reach him -- not that with the difference in their size it would be hard, he supposes -- and he holds still albeit not out of sheer obedience as much as confusion. once he realizes what he's doing, he just blinks, a little owlish. aki is warm, and even though angel has warmth too, it's different. he's not used to being touched in general and it makes his nerves stand on end, not unpleasant but also unsettling.

he doesn't need to acknowledge the part of him that suggests it's not a bad thing to be looked after.

swallowing quietly, angel just shrugs at aki's words. he imagines as much as aki needs food, he might also just want to properly wash his hands. it's actually one of the things angel likes about him -- how clean he is. a funny thing too from a devil with ice cream askew on his face, but it is what it is.

slight color tinges his cheeks, and angel stays silent not just because he has nothing specific to say, but because with aki cleaning him off like this, there's no need to be careless. through the fabric he can feel aki's warmth and the weapon worn calluses. even this little bit of barriered contact feels...nice.

he tells himself to not think that, and mostly succeeds. ]

[ Aki can't help it. As cold as he comes across, as stern and strict as his tone of voice suggests, he acts out of kindness and care. Maybe it's part of being an older brother? Or maybe it's part of having to raise himself after his parent's tragic demise? Whatever it is, it doesn't match his face. Stoic expression and intense eyes as he carefully attempts to look after his partner.

He knows it must be strange for Angel, a human, his work partner, fussing over him over something so small as a little ice cream on his face. Mindful of the fact Angel might not be comfortable, he's about to ask if he wants to do it himself when Aki spots the slight color in Angel's cheeks. Huh, that's not a stain from the ice cream, is it? Gently moving the handkerchief a little higher, delicately brushing over the flush to confirm it wasn't food. ]

It doesn't hurt does it?

[ His voice almost soft, if you could call anything about Aki 'soft' ]

Your skin. It's soft. The sugar and cream didn't irritate it, did it?

[ Turning his hand over in the cloth so that he could lightly brush the back of his fingers against Angel's cheek, daring to carefully brush an unruly bang of that red hair aside as it hung over Angel's face. ]

You need your seatbelt on.

[ Said like an afterthought as Aki lent further over them, a hand pressed into the side of Angel's seat, ever so slightly his wrist would bump the side of the Devil's thigh before reaching over them to pull the belt across and clip it in place before reluctantly shifting back into his own seat.

It -- !?

[ one of angel's eyebrows arches at that, lips parting to confirm that no, it doesn't hurt when aki brushes the covered backs of his fingers along his cheek, only making them flush darker. it's painfully obvious on angel's complexion, the sort of near transparency only a devil representing a fear of angels would carry. somehow it's aki brushing his hair out of his face that almost pushes angel to just leaving the car entirely. nothing in his expression shows it though, there's just a tension in his wings and thin shoulders. an animal poised to run. don't be nice, he thinks and knows aki can't help it.

then he blinks, dropping his gaze to the side, intending to not reply to that seatbelt comment at all when aki does it for him.

unconsciously he bites his tongue at the unnecessary nearness, the slight press of his body because it's a car and it's small and that's how it is when someone else reaches over you like that. as if it weren't enough, the bump however brief against his thigh nearly makes him jump. he wonders if aki is doing it on purpose and then immediately trashes the thought, because what would be the point?

chalk it up to aki's incurable kindness. nothing more.

still, when he swallows it feels a little sharp and the aftertaste of the strawberry wreathed in the scent of smoke that always lightly follows aki. as the devil hunter presumably draws back after securing him, angel stays carefully still, hands tucked under his own thighs, sleeves long enough they easily always cover his wrists. none of his clothes -- well he only has the bureau uniform and a plain white shift he arrived in when makima captured him anyway -- have ever fitted him but it doesn't seem to matter to anyone else and angel is too lazy and apathetic to mention it. ]

[ As forward and possibly annoying as Aki might come across with all his talking and questions and fussing, he just wants to make sure Angel is okay. Safe, even. Devils could die, a lot of them deserved to, but not this one. Angel was about as on the fence as a Devil could get when it came to their opinion of humans. Sure, Aki knew they disliked them, they were just too passive to actually do anything about it.

-But that was beside the point! They were partners, they had to work together, be in each other's company a lot of the time and Aki didn't want another new partner, he never wanted another partner for as long as he lives. He was sick to his back teeth of people dying before him now and so, he'd do all he could, within his power to protect Angel. No matter how annoyed they were by it.

So when he noticed the flush of colour and the way Angel tensed up, he withdrew. The leg touch and the way he leaned in close enough for Angel to feel his smokey breath weren't intentional either, Aki was just a tall guy, all arms and legs so maneuvering in the small space was kinda hard. ]

Alright. Let's get going.

[ Was all he said as he turned the key and held the wheel in one hand, feet moving from pedal to pedal and feeling for the gear stick as he started to reverse off the curb and slowly into the traffic. Once on the move, he glanced at Angel briefly a few times before talking. ]

I know you'd rather not be here with me. But the way I look at it, your head is on the chopping block for lack of participation as it is. It's better to be here with me, doing menial crap than be on Miss Makima's shitlist.

[ But the truth of the matter was, Aki actually enjoyed having Angel around. Even if they were a pain in his ass, in a fucked up sort of way, they gave him something to live for in his last years. ]

[ the exhale angel releases when aki withdraws is quiet but very palpable, like some anxiety has been either shelved again or undone. they lean their forehead to the passenger seat window, pressed so much to it that their eyelashes drag down it with every blink. aki isn't wrong. angel, if not for their very unique ability, would have been disposed of ages ago, or so they guess. some of it might be that the idea of dying doesn't bother them and makima knew that from day one.

angel finds it hard to remember the details of that day, though there is a memory of being wet and cold. empty.

they can't remember why.

another sigh leaves them, this one more ordinary and nothing to do with aki. rather, angel thinks of makima and frowns against the glass. it's obvious to them that aki likes makima, the way many of the hunters seem to for whatever reason. angel can't even get to the part of recognizing she's attractive because to angel, she isn't. so they settle for question marks, crossing their ankles under the dash and folding their arms across their chest, shrugging. ]

It's better to not have to do anything at all.

[ at the same time, it's not denial. angel would rather be with aki than makima, and the times that they've done makima's bidding without aki was...what did makima call it?

nice.

kind?

angel doubts their own capacity for kindness. someone who's killed as many as they have probably doesn't count or have it in them.

but sure. maybe by not bringing aki when makima tells them to, it was their own version of...protecting? well. angel tries hard not to think about it, shrug it off like a coincidence. easier than admitting to anything else. ]

[ Aki didn't like the idea of Angel being disposed of. At one point in his short life, he could have cared less, in fact, Aki swore he'd never befriend a Devil and yet, he managed to live rather peacefully with a hybrid and a Fiend. Though when it came to his partner, it was a little more complex.

Maybe it's because Angel genuinely doesn't seem to be bothered if they die or not. It doesn't sit well with Aki. He's got two years left and when he dies, he won't just go to Hell or be reborn somewhere else. It's lights out. Angel takes it for granted, though Aki reminds himself, Angel is a Devil, not a human, no matter how normal they look. He wanted to understand why. Why they didn't care, why they'd rather die. And as for them having a poor opinion of Miss Makima? That confuses Aki, then again, he doesn't know the details of Angel's capture any more than Angel seems to know themself. ]

You don't have to do anything for hours now. It's going to be dark by the time we get to the job.

[ Looking over at Angel after talking, watching the way they were pressed up against the window. It made Aki feel like he was kidnapping them, like they couldn't stand being in the car with him. Maybe it was divine payback? For all the times he'd ignore his little brother when they wanted to spend time with him. Ugh, no, Aki don't start thinking about that. The last thing he needed was to feel depressed in a car with someone who couldn't care less...

Shaking his head and sighing, Aki rolled the window down while they were slowed by traffic, patting his pockets down and looking for his cigarettes. ]

Do you want your window down? I need a smoke.

I guess.

[ in reply to which? both probably. angel doesn't know what aki is thinking, and even if they did an answer likely wouldn't be forthcoming. once this devil ceases to be, a new one will incarnate. it won't be the angel devil aki knows, and so to angel themself, it is effectively a final kind of death. something ugly and desolate lives like dead roots at the pit of them even though they can't remember why or how. if they could, they might notice that it has something to do with that perceived apathy for life even though it isn't apathy at all; it's disgust.

some of the faces in angel's nightmares they doesn't recognize. but they all tell the same true story: that angel killed them, that they hold their years in a halo like a tyrant slaughterer. they don't think it is inaccurate but it doesn't make it any less jarring. and angel will wake in their cell, very still and perfectly quiet, hands folded over their stomach the way some humans arrange their dead in their coffins.

sitting next to aki now, angel knows they are both alive but sometimes it is hard to feel that truth.

once the window is open, they sit upright a little more, just enough to rest their arms on the windowsill and their chin as well, hair flying out with the wind. their eyes go skyward. it really will be very dark when they arrive. they sigh. why's it so far? angel bets they were given this one on purpose too, the punishment for working well together, in a way. they get the worst things, somehow. ]

[ Aki's taking that 'I guess' as a response to both comments.

Managing to fish his packet of cigarettes out of his pocket, he taps the box on the steering wheel to push one of them out the top, raising it to his mouth and capturing the cigarette by the filter between his lips. The pack is left out in the little compartment in front of the gears, where Aki plucks his lighter from. Sparking it up with his thumb and took a few draws to light the cherry. Ah, that's better.

Looking over at Angel as they rest on the open window, watching how their hair fluttered about and how the breeze caught some of their feathers, fluffing them up like a baby bird. Aki actually smiled a little then. His piercing blue eyes softened, that cold stun expression melting merely momentarily in the calm silence that filled the car.

Yea, he didn't want Angel to die. Against his better judgment, he liked them. Maybe that's why Miss Makima paired them together. Maybe she knew Angel would be made to work due to Aki's diligence and loyalty to the role, and that Angel in turn would not only drive Aki wild but tug on his heartstrings.

Was this the first time they would be out after curfew? Usually, the non-human hunters had stipulations placed on them. What, with how dark it was getting, how late in the day they set off, they'd be out overnight. ]

They should have given this job to Kobeni. She's always after overtime.

[ Aki started to say, mostly out loud to himself but if truth be told, he liked talking to, or at Angel. he never knew when they would chip in and say something in return. ]

Wouldn't they be scared?

[ not to be mistaken for caring, angel just hasn't interacted with kobeni very much, only enough peripherally to notice she gets scared what seems fairly easy. well she would have her partner with her so there's that, angel guesses. but still.

the cool air on their face feels nice, and angel sighs as close to contentedly as they have been all day maybe, for all the world looking like they might doze just like that. they don't, tired but not able to sleep as it turns out, and without thinking about it, angel ends up saying something quiet enough for the wind to run away with it, ]

Guess it's curfew now.

[ angel has been out before, albeit with a partner or with makima herself which of course always gets carte blanche to act as she sees fit. never before with aki though, and it's that sort of sleepy thought that has them pushing up off the windowsill to turn a little and look at him again. the seatbelt has left a red indented mark across their neck where they let it bite into them, deciding being sluggish on the window was worth it. in hindsight, they think next time they'll just unbuckle. they only didn't this time because...well because aki... well.

it probably doesn't matter why. ]

Are we still stopping at a service place on the way?

Without a doubt. Yes.

[ He said in an almost amused tone, lulling his head aside to toss Angel a look, seeing as they were engaging him in conversation. He secretly appreciated the effort on Angel's part. Aki still had a healing scar on his side from Kobeni, mentioning her made him think of it and it started to hurt a little. Grimacing at the thought, he plucked the cigarette from his lips to tap the ash out in a used coffee cup in the driver's side door. ]

Hmm?

[ Hearing Angel speak but not sure he caught what they were saying. It wouldn't be long now until it was pitch black. Out here along a county road, twisting and turning with no street lamps or built-up areas. Aki flicked the headlights on a little earlier, just before they turned off onto an anonymous, long stretch of God-knows-where. ]

Yea. I'm hungry and I'll be tired by the time we get to the location.

[ Speaking of, Aki looked down at his phone, watching the little blip of a car on the screen, signaling how far they'd come along the trajectory already, only to notice the signal was buffering, no cell phone masts all the way out here apparently. ]

I'm surprised Miss Makima only wanted us out here. Feels like one helluva way away if we needed backup...

[ Looking at Angel again, as he stubbed out his cigarette but left the windows open for them. ]

Are you okay with this?

[ He meant was Angel okay with it just being them, out all night, searching for an unknown Devil. Then an amusing thought dawned on him, something he thought Angel might appreciate. ]

The car breaks down out here. Miles away from anywhere. The phone signal is lost and no one uses this route anymore. Just imagine. Shame you're stuck with me or I'd say that probably sounds like your idea of heaven.

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