bakerstreet | jan texts

jan texts

texting meme

You’ve got your TFLN, you’ve got your sexting, now here’s the meme for all those gen texts, phone calls, voicemails, pictures of your cats, and whatever else your little heart can come up with, because who doesn't like a little old fashioned friendly texting. (Or enemy texting, if that's more your bag.)

instructions: What it says on the tin! Leave a comment with your character, include preferences, a start, absolutely nothing or whatever you want. Run around and reply to others. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

[ 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.

[ for all of it angel remains silent except for one 'hn' after the mention of makima, which doesn't seem to tell anything anyway, just a sound that's noncommittal as hell. it's only when aki asks if they're okay with it that angel moves his gaze from out ahead at the road full of nothing, back to aki. ]

No such thing as heaven for a devil.

[ even the angel devil, or especially.

they know aki was joking, in a sense, but angel is drily serious, finally just undoing the seatbelt after all, which lets them pull their legs up onto the car seat, knees an easy perch for their chin. they do let their eyes wander back to aki though, elusively thoughtful. they wonder about how laid back aki is. their first meeting comes to mind, when angel said they were surprised by aki's willing to get so close.

as partners they really don't have a choice sometimes, but still...

the light from their halo gives a diffused glow right now, not too bright and not dim either, but the encroaching dark might make it seem brighter. ]

And even if I wasn't okay with it, I don't have a choice.

[ and that's the truth. they both know it. if angel more and more doesn't mind being partnered with aki, if they do more on the job to keep him safe, it's easy to chalk it all up to work. the free ice cream or meal here and there doesn't hurt either of course.

what angel would rather not look at directly: how recently, sometimes, alone in their cell, they wonder what aki is up to. they do their best to stop thinking about it almost in the same stroke, but some times are more or less successful than others. ]

[ With no traffic on the road either before or behind them, Aki feels safe enough to keep turning his attention back to Angel, seeing as they were engaging him currently. ]

I don't think there's such a place as heaven for cursed people.

[ Aki mused over the thought before. Making a contract with the Curse Devil felt like a one-way trip to a bad end. But it was okay, he'd accepted it a while ago.

Seeing as Angel took their seatbelt off and tucked their knees up, Aki slowed his driving down a little. There was no rush and if they crashed for whatever reason, he didn't want Angel getting hurt. Though Aki had no problem in getting close to Angel if he needed to, he's outstretch his arm and hand in a heartbeat if it meant holding them back from hitting the dashboard in an emergency.

The way Angel's halo dimly illuminates the car catches when remnants of Aki's smoke had yet to be blown out of the window, making a pretty, fog that danced above their heads. Aki adjusted his windscreen mirror accordingly to avoid any glare, even though they were the only car out there. ]

... And if you did have a choice?

[ Aki was just as curious about Angel as they were about him. He'd seen the cells the Devils were kept in. Some of them were monsters, nothing more than hissing, evil things that could only be housed in a cell but Angel? Angel was more normal than Denji and Power and those morons lived with Aki for crying out loud. It wasn't fair. Angel deserved better, regardless of what they believed. ]

We should be coming up on the turn-off for the service station soon. Keep an eye out for me.

Who knows.

[ it doesn't even sound like a question because to angel it isn't one. they have a sense that when aki reaches his end, his true end, he will go to heaven and, to be honest, they don't even know why. no bullshit about being a good person or not because there's no way for them to know the truth of it, and really they aren't sure that they believe anyone is good in the world. a person can be kind without being "good", but then that would leave heaven empty. objectively, they know someone goes up there.

no idea who though.

angel's eyes also catch on the little cloud, reaching up to draw invisible nothings through it, gaze remaining there even after it disperses.

if they had a choice?

eventually their eyes close and they fall back against their seat, shrugging, all but crushing their wings behind them but the way they are, they're soft and pliable when need be, bulletproof at other times. tilting their head up to stare at the roof of the car instead, they kick their feet absently under the dash, not touching the floor. ]

I'd leave.

[ and go where? it doesn't matter. it sounds final because it would be for angel. they would disappear in the truest sense of the word. they find themselves weirdly grateful for the change in conversation, even going so far as to listen to aki, half nodding and going back to leaning out the window.

for a second angel isn't in a car.

angel is in a small fishing boat, leaning out over the side, their pale fingertips making a sparkling trail through the blue water that looks like a clear sky.

then they blink.

it's night, a dark sky above and their fingers are trailing through nothing but air, their body a little too far out the window to be considered normal.

what was that?

as angel frowns, they also see the turn-off and say quickly, ]

We're here.

[ if they sound sort of confused...it's because they are, even if they couldn't explain why. ]

Yea... Who knows.

[ Aki repeated Angel's words, trying not to think too hard about it. He didn't think he was a good or kind person, particularly. He also didn't know the criteria to get into Heaven if there even was such a place either. So it didn't matter. Though, he found himself thinking about that sort of thing more these days, seeing as he didn't have long left and all.

Angel was refreshing to watch. There was just something about them that calmed and relaxed Aki, when they were just doing their own little thing that is, when they were needed for something work-related, they infuriated Aki most of the time. But now, just making shapes in the smoke and even the way they swung their legs under the dashboard, Aki found himself watching Angel more than he was watching the road. ]

I thought you'd say that.

[ Said with a fondness in his tone. It tracked that Angel would just want to vanish into obscurity. Aki hoped they'd at least say goodbye if they ever had the chance to leave. Despite himself, he'd miss them.

Huh, daydreaming are we? Watching Angel as they hung out of the window, Aki reached out and gently took hold of a baggy part of their sleeve. ]

Careful. C'mon. Stop messing around. You could fall out.

[ There was worry clear in his tone. A mild panic that they were just going to take flight and disappear. He wouldn't put it past them, especially with what they were just talking about. Thankfully, they didn't have to worry for long. Aki let go and took the turnoff that had been pointed out, the faint light of the station services in coming up on their left. ]

[ the tug on their sleeve surprises them, angel glancing over owlishly just as aki lets them go. they stay quiet for the rest of the time it takes to pull up and park at the service station, and even once the car is no longer running, they make no clear move to get out.

as far as angel knows, it's not like devils are ever welcome anywhere and it's not as though they need anything. they don't especially care about upsetting others but the attention is annoying and fielding any need to convince local authorities they're 'safe' would also be a waste of their energy as far as they're concerned.

their hair is a wind tousled mess, fluffy and wild and threatening to tangle. all from hanging out the window of course. but angel makes no effort to fix it or even touch it at all, instead looking over at aki for a while before saying, ]

I wasn't going to fall.

[ in fact, angel isn't sure of that, spaced out as they were, but they assume they would have caught themself on their wings if nothing else, perhaps perched on top of the car instead of getting back in, and, lacking power's mischievous streak, done nothing else at all. ]

[ Once parked up, Aki unclips his seat belt, picks up his wallet from the glovebox, and grabs his cigarette packet before opening the door. ]

Yea well, make sure you don't. I don't wanna run you over or anything.

[ He asks, as he slips out of the car, ducking down so he can look at Angel as he talks. God, just look at them. Their hair is a mess, they look like an abandoned puppy or something. Aki sighs lightly and shakes his head. ]

You staying in here? Want me to get you anything?

[ It doesn't look like they have ice cream at least, so there's no chance of repeating the mistakes from earlier. Walking around the hood of the car, coming back by the passenger side as he ducks back down to appear at the window. Aki reached in and very carefully went to touch Angel's hair, stopping himself at the last moment, despite the urge to do so. ]

It's gonna tangle. Just... Don't get it caught in the door or belt or something, okay? I won't be long.

[ Standing up straight, Aki walked off and shouldered his way through the stiff door. If Angel were to watch, they'd see him through the long windows, vanishing momentarily to the rest room then back out to peruse the few aisles, an arm-full of supplies as he finally came to stand at the counter. Every now and then he looked out towards where the car was parked... Part of him worried that Angel would just up and take off without him there to stop them. ]

[ tilting his head at that, angel shrugs. they don't think aki would run them over mainly because they would probably move out of the way fast enough, but then angel considers the alternative and decides not to say anything at all. their eyes dilate very slightly when aki reaches out, breath held and then slowly exhaled as he doesn't touch him after all. even if their hair is safe, it's not something angel can get used to. they can't afford that luxury because, more often than not, it's nothing less than a slow death sentence.

so they tell themself they're relieved when aki's hand withdraws.

much of their communication to aki seems to be found in slight movements of their wings or a shrug of small shoulders. now is no exception, but they hum slightly to themselves, peering up at him through the open window and adding, ]

I'm not in a rush.

[ if they don't have ice cream, angel can't think of anything to ask for. eating is a hassle second only to work. most people don't mean it when they say they want to do "nothing". but angel is a devil. they want exactly that, and more and more they're fairly sure it'll never happen.

this mission in and of itself fills them with quiet dread that's not all to do with a persistent dislike of work as a rule.

sighing, angel watches aki move in and out of sight, growing bored enough eventually to tug themself into the back seat for the sole purpose of lying down. like this, it would be difficult to see them from outside the car, especially at aki's distance. ]

[ Aki took his time while in the services, asking about the directions he'd been given, seeing as there wasn't a phone signal to keep tracking their journey with the app he'd been using. The guy behind the counter was helpful enough and even threw in a little map he drew on the back of Aki's receipt.

Glancing out of the window again as his items were packed into a paper bag for him, Aki couldn't quite make out Angel's shape in the car, then again, it was pretty dark already now, and he'd parked under the shadow of a fairly large tree, the solo streetlamp that hung beside it, only added to the glare, making the black of the cars paint job reflects the light in a dazzling way.

Making his way back towards the car, cradling the bad in both arms. He knows Angel said they didn't want anything, but there was a deal on the homemade Bento boxes, a nice Yakisoba one for Aki, and a smaller one with some hot dog octopi in for Angel. He figured they were soft and small enough that it wouldn't take Angel much effort to eat them. Lastly, an iced tea for himself and he grabbed Angel a vanilla ramune soda that was also packed away in the bag, along with a packet of various flavored salt water taffy should Angel want then and some gum, y'know, something to chew on while he drives. ]

. . .

[ Pausing as he approaches the car, narrowing his eyes upon noticing he can't see Angel in the passenger seat. ]

Shit! Are you kidding me?! Angel!?...Fuck!

[ Dropping the bag on the bonnet of the car, he rushed over to the driver's side, quickly glancing at the seats before rushing a glance in the back. Due to their black bureau regulation uniforms, Angel blended in perfectly with the interior of the dark seats in the back, causing Aki to completely miss him laying there as still as a corpse. Unfortunately, the one light that shone down on where the car was parked, had the same dull glow as Angel's halo, which didn't help determine the Devil in the dark.

In a panic, Aki rushed a few paces away from the car, looking out into the darkness, searching for any sign of his partner. There was nothing. Not a footprint, not a faint glowing halo in the distance. Nothing. Frustrated, annoyed, and feeling slightly offended by the thought that Angel had just fucked off, Aki came back around to the front of the car, leaning against the bag he'd dumped and sighing as he shook his head. ]

Real nice, Angel... Just, real fucking nice.

[ Pulling a cigarette from the packet and sparking it up, his shoulders and head hung a little as he slouched, deflated, and hurt. It was bound to happen sooner or later he guessed, Angel would take off, and Aki would be alone...Again. ]

Um.

[ the way angel had been tucked, even their wings were sort of under them, and the halo blocked by the edge of the front seat. still, they find themselves surprised when it becomes clear aki thinks they aren't there anymore. without thinking too hard about it, they pull themselves up to a sitting position, absently resettling their wings, slightly ruffled from the impromptu nap. ]

Did you get me anything?

[ no 'sorry' no anything, just angel blinking like a cat in the dark, perfectly positioned in the center of the backseat, their body twisted to angle towards aki. their halo illuminates but there's a softness to its diffused light, and angel rubs at their eyes, staring dolefully as an eyelash clings to their knuckle.

they wonder if it's imagined, the panic in aki's voice and....is that...disappointment? why? arguably aki could have a better partner, a less lazy one for example. angel still has no clue why makima paired them and sometimes sees aki with power and denji and thinks: babysitting. hardly the job he's signed up for, but aki would do anything makima asked of him. angel is fairly sure.

isn't sure, however, why that bothers them.

it's none of their business.

shoving that thought away, angel finally deigns to crawl, also cat-like, over the console and...into the driver's seat, peering at aki through the open window now, head tilted to the side in a way that has their hair spilling softly over their shoulder. their eyes catch on the curl of smoke from the cigarette, on its path to nowhere. ]

[ At first, Aki simply assumes he's imagining things. The sound of Angel's voice coming from behind him, a faint, soft little 'um', and nothing more.

Angel is so light, that when they crawl from the back to the front of the car, they hardly move it at all. Which in turn furthers Aki's assumption that he was just hearing things. It's not until that soft, little voice speaks again, from closer behind him now, that Aki's piercing blue eyes grow wide. ]

Angel! Don't do that to me again, y'hear me! I was worried sick!

[ Turning on his heels and moving towards the car door, dropping his lit cigarette on the ground as he knelt down. Aki set his hands on the rim of the open window, a concerned and yet strangely elated expression twisted over his face, the smell of smoke on his breath, a hint of colour in the apples of his cheeks.

Part of him wanted to shake the Devil, or maybe backhand them for making him panic, but it wasn't Denji or Power he was dealing with here, for some reason, Aki couldn't even contemplate raising a hand to them, just look at them!... Far too innocent and oblivious to what they'd done. Aki knew they were a Devil first and Angel second but at that moment, he couldn't help but think they looked so angelic and sweet.

Shaking that thought from his head, no, he should be pissed with them! If he'd lost his partner, a Devil at that, Miss Makima would give him the biggest telling off of his short life, which would no doubt result in him having to put Angel down when they found them again. Not like he could mind you. Despite himself, and for whatever reasons, Aki had found himself rather attached to Angel.

Reaching in, this time he had no intention of pulling back, as he pressed his hand against Angel's cheek, collecting plenty of that tumbled red hair in his palm to act as a barrier between their skin. ]

... I thought you'd left. And yea, as it happens, I did get you something. So c'mon. Shift your ass over and I'll give you it.

[ It was faint and it was fleeting, but there was a hint of a smile on Aki's face then, the kindness and relief in his tone, unmistakable. ]

[ because it's angel, they just shrug their shoulders at what aki says first. they really can't understand human beings sometimes. why worry? well they guess it would effect aki's job, wouldn't reflect well on him and may get him in trouble with makima. there's a sigh on the tip of their tongue that never makes it, shocked into sitting very very still as aki touches their cheek. with hair acting as a divide between skin and skin, angel can feel that aki is safe, doesn't register any life draining out of him.

it still unsettles them, eyes a little wider and giving the impression of a panicked animal.

they aren't panicked quite, but it tiptoes close to that feeling.

cavalier as angel acts, they care more than they ever wanted to. they say they want humans to die in pain and they offer consolation with a kiss to the hand. they say they don't mind or matter what aki says but they find themselves feeling a little...something about scaring him after all. not bad. not really. but they don't intend to do it again. exceptions exceptions.

angel knows aki told them to move over but they find themselves frozen, debilitated by the warmth from aki's hand through their hair, the way aki doesn't fear getting close to them even if he really really should. angel's eyes close and the dark helps a little, not having to breathe in aki's scent and see him and feel him all at once. at the same time, it makes it worse, the feeling of his hand amplified by his blindness.

it takes a second but then angel opens their eyes, carefully moving back as they were told to do, the lithe way they move backward more animal than human despite their looks, settling back into the passenger seat once again with their knees hugged to their chest, chin perched on top. they choose to face aki rather than forwards like a normal passenger. ]

[ Angle's skin was about as cool as Aki thought it might have been. Feeling the softness of it, just a hairsbreadth away from his palm. It's tempting, to brush the pad of his thumb back and forth, only, that would be too risky and Aki isn't looking to cut his short life any shorter than it already is. So, he's content to just feel the softness through those cherry strands for as long as Angel allows the contact.

Falling silent as Angel closed their eyes, it gave Aki a moment to look at his partner without those big, owlish eyes staring at him, making him feel uncomfortable about looking at them as anything other than a Devil or the unique abilities he can utilize from them.

Leaning there, through the window as Angel finally started to scoot back over to the passenger seat, just watching the way they moved and regarding their silence. It was nice, watching them do as they're told without a cheeky response, it made Aki feel as though there was a modicum of Angel that actually liked being good, for their partner at least. That and well, it seemed as if Angel wasn't as scared this time when Aki touched him. Baby steps.

Standing up and moving to retrieve the paper bag from the top of the car, Aki soon pulled the door open and slipped back into the driver's seat. Tossing a glance over at Angel, at the way they sat there, facing him, looking at him. ]

I dunno what you even like and I guess if I'd have asked you, you'd say nothing so... Here, if you don't like it, you can have mine.

[ With that said, Aki handed them the bento box and soda, slipping the taffy and gum into the little built-in tray of the console for later. By now, a few people who were staying in the services had stopped to look across at them, seeing as how Aki had only moments ago been yelling and looking for someone. He didn't want any more attention on them before people started to ask what Angel was and why they were all the way out here, so with his own food and drink on his lap. Aki turned the engine on and drove them off a little ways away from the station before parking up in the grass just off the side of the small winding road. ]

I'll eat up, see if I can't get a message back to head office then we might as well hunker down for the night. I'm pretty beat and all the excitement of thinking I'd lost you was kinda stressful.

[ even if part of them likes being good, there exists such a strong belief -- fear -- from those responsible for angel devil's existence, that in a way it feels futile. still, it doesn't erase the resonance, the brief feeling that obeying even small things results in strange gratification. angel will excuse it as taking orders being easier, that he doesn't feel like thinking or making active decisions even though that's objectively untrue based on his other actions.

angel's eyes widen at the bento and soda, taking them carefully with their hands dedicatedly on his own side of the bento, or in the soda's case, around the bottom of it rather than the neck. then they settle back against the door as if it is a seat itself, dangerous maybe but they won't fall even if the car is faulty, which they already know it isn't. they draw their knees down so they're folded up under them, criss-crossed, and balance the bento on their lap while of course opening the soda first. it's sweet and pleasant, the bubbly sensation, a pleased flush in angel's cheeks highlighted by the light of their halo.

aware of the people watching, angel doesn't seem bothered but it's not entirely true. it is more that they have had time to desensitize themself to it. they ignore the stares and the growing sense of suspicion and dislike, grateful when aki pulls the car out and drives them far enough away it's a non-issue.

in the meanwhile, angel wonders why aki bothered to get them anything, not complaining for once but curious as they drink more of the soda, seemingly reluctant to let the bottle go even as they use their other hand to lift the plastic lid of the bento, plucking out one of the little octopi. popping it in their mouth, it might be a little comical as the curls of the "legs" stick out as they peer over at aki, listening.

only after chewing and swallowing do they reply, wiping their mouth with the back of their hand, ]

Probably can't get any signal out here.

[ angel has been out this far on other missions. it's half the reason they get sent, because often there's no chance of backup and at the end of it all, angel has a power strong enough to handle most things even if they themself aren't very strong at all. with a soft tilt of their head, they peer at aki for an uncomfortable amount of time by human standards before adding, ]

What did you get?

[ not "give me some" but the way angel lowers their gaze at whatever aki is eating implies as much. a glutton after all, albeit a sometimes well behaved one. ]

[ For the most part, Aki is also of that thinking. That Angel simply does as they are told now and then because it's easier than being made to work. That or they're bored enough to play along. If he knew, if he had any inclining that Angel got even the slightest bit of gratification when they were looked at as being good, he might have made more of an effort in praising them from time to time.

Aki's lips twitch up at the edges for but a fraction of a second, too quick to notice but it was there, the hint of a faint smile as he watched how carefully Angel took the offered food and drink. It was a step forward. Seeing as the Devil was so reluctant to let Aki get close, the fact he let him hand something off to him in the first place was progress. Aki, as patient as he was stubborn, held the items, nice and still, and where Angel could clearly see the placement of his own hands.

Seeing as Angel was using the door as a backrest, Aki flipped the locks on, just in case they managed to wriggle the handle open or something, he just hoped they wouldn't feel trapped in the car with him. Nah, he was sure they'd say something if they did, rigth?

Watching as Angel went for the soda first, of course, they did, it was sweet and easy to swallow. Aki shook his head in amusement, only to let out a little gasp as he watched the colour bloom in Angel's cheeks. It must have been from the bubbles? But it was endearing to see. Stop it, Aki. Don't let yourself get attached. You'll be dead soon anyway. The intrusive thoughts bubbled up into his current thoughts, much like the fizzy bubbles in Angel's soda rose to the surface.

As for why he bothered to get them anything, well, it seemed mean to just get himself something, besides, he didn't much fancy eating alone. The reasoning behind getting them little hotdog octopi and rice was easy too; Power only liked meat whereas Denji at least seemed to like more traditional things, this was a happy medium, no? Aki blinked at the little legs poking out of Angel's mouth before popping the lid from his own bento, the steam rising up and filling the car with a mouthwatering scent. ]

Yea? And there wasn't a pay phone back there either. Guess we really are alone until the jobs done.

[ Aki could feel those large claret eyes fixed on him. It might have unsettled others but he was starting to get used to it now. Turning his head, his chopsticks dug in and lifted a bunch of slick, hot noodles as he was asked what he had bought for himself. ]

Chicken Yakisoba. Why do you want some?

[ Clearly they did, there was just something in their eyes. Maybe it was just greed after all? Either way, Aki was feeling generous. Perhaps thinking that he'd been abandoned by Angel just a short while ago, had him feeling protective? Turning to sit like Angle was, crossing his legs under himself and with his back towards the door, Aki leaned over and extended the chopsticks, holding the box under them so no sauce dripped onto the car. ]

Here.

[ hearing the locks click, angel's brow rises briefly but then they go back to focusing on their soda until aki offers them some of his food. angel is surprised and it shows on their face, not hesitating so much as they take a moment to peer at the food again and then at aki himself. then angel uses the hand holding the soda to push their own hair back away from their mouth and the raised bento in order to take the bite offered. greed sure, hunger sure, but also maybe some curiosity: what will aki give them and what won't he? already, he's gon above and beyond what any of angel's other partners have.

it doesn't mean anything, angel reminds themself.

makima told him to get along with them. they know this because it's what she tells everyone. aki will die like the rest of them, only angel knows "when" and thinks it's kind of worse, being told there's an inevitable death for their partner. they don't know either what to make of caring enough to dislike that knowledge. if it were someone before aki, maybe angel wouldn't care.

or the lie to themself that they don't care would root stronger.

instead, slowly chewing then swallowing, licking their lips with a dart of their tongue, angel stares for no apparent reason at aki's hands, remembers how warm one of them felt against their face through their hair moments ago.

letting their own hair go, they sip at the soda again, a little fast, a soft choking noise and red cheeks resulting as they catch their breath, grip firm around the bottle's neck. their wings flutter behind them, hedged in by the car, and as they huff uneven exhales, they let their sight move down to the bento in their lap. ]

[ The Devil before him might be an Angel, but Aki, at this moment, has the patience of a Saint. Just waiting, arm outstretched and slightly hunched over due to how tall he was, holding the chopsticks with the noddles on them for Angel to decide if they wanted or not. When they take a bite, Aki smiles,lowering his head and looking down. Was Angel just happy to take the offered food because they were greedy? or did they want the interaction with Aki, as innocent and small as it was?

Aki didn't feel that he had anything left to live for. No family, no friends, the only friend he cared about, his last partner, gone... In fact, if he hadn't bothered to take a chance on Angel, he'd still say his only purpose in living was to kill the Gun Devil. But with them sat across from him, letting him feed them, letting him care for them, then maybe he'd still feel that way. It was getting harder and harder to not give a shit. ]

Hey-hey! Whoa, easy. You 'kay?

[ Aki set the bento box down at Angel's crossed feet and shuffled forwards as his partner made that little choking noise. Reaching out with his now free hand, Aki felt behind them, patting their back from over a shoulder, carefully maneuvering through those fluttering wings. His voice was surprisingly soft, with no way to mask the concern. Tipping his head aside to try and catch Angel's eyes as the looked down. ]

First time you tried anything carbonated? I'm sorry, I just assumed. It's sweet and all.

[ no one has ever offered angel much. aki outstrips them by far. angel knows without asking, because aki is kind, he has no idea of how severe and extreme this truth is. for the most part, it hasn't bothered angel either -- or they tell themself it hasn't. they don't need anything. they don't care. over and over. say it enough and anyone starts to believe it, the survival tactic of the one who does not especially want to survive.

working with aki has been odd in that way.

unbidden, moments happen where angel does care, where angel feels something suspiciously like lonely in the halo-spoiled dark of where the bureau keeps them.

when they feel aki's hand between their wings, fabric keeping both of them safe from each other, angel wheezes again softly, eyes watering a little. really they are fine, but it took them by surprise and they nod at the question, then shake their head. ]

How would you know.

[ it's not aki's job to know angel's past experiences or lack thereof after all. their words are said quietly as they are careful not to cough again, clearly not put off as they lick at the rim of the bottle once. it really does taste very good. sweet, syrupy. with aki this close, when angel peers up at him, it's right through the long lay of their eyelashes, something subtly curious there they don't even mean to show. why the heck is this human so nice to them? a kind person is not necessarily kind to all. angel knows this better than most, has seen enough examples. and then there are the unkind sorts who are kind in samplings that serve them. and there are devils who, according to rules of the world they live in, could never be kind or nice.

could never share a meal peaceably without any hostile intent towards anyone.

never mind the obvious proof to the contrary with how aki seems to get along -- as much as one can -- with the likes of denji and power, a hybrid and a fiend. and angel.

again angel wonders why but can't bring themself to ask. instead, they lift the ramune up, a breath shy of aki's mouth. ]

Have you had this one?

[ Angel might be a Devil but they're also Aki's partner and that puts them above all other Devils. That and the fact that Aki already stated they don't seem like a monster at all. And not only because of what they look like. No, Angel wasn't hostile, they didn't cause a fuss or think they were better and deserved all the humans they could feed off of. They simply wanted to do nothing, no fighting, no fuss. Nothing.

It was refreshing. Most humans were more like monsters than Angel. They killed and hurt people, they sacrificed others for their own gain. Aki wasn't innocent in this either mind you. He wanted to kill, wanted to hurt, though it cane from a place of pain and revenge, even then it was more evil that anything Angel wanted, which as far as Aki could tell, was simply to be left in peace.

Looking down into those cherry red eyes, his own piercing sky blues seemed to stare for longer than he meant to. He'd never held eye contact with them for this long before. It was nice, it showed a vulnerability between them that might never be spoken of. ]

You're my partner, Angel. I should know these things.

[ Said so matter of fact like.

Aki, leaving his hand on Angel's back, slowly started to stop patting them, yet he remained in place, leaning closer and holding it. ]

No. Never tried it. May I?

[ Asking for Angel's permission to taste their soda, Aki slightly jut their chin towards them, parting his lips open a tiny fraction, giving Angel an opening to press the rim of the bottle against his mouth if they so wished.

Why on earth it felt so nerve wrecking, waiting to see what they'd do, Aki didn't know. No matter what Angel decided yo do, Aki was content. Wholesome little moments with his partner like this made him feel like there might still be something, or someone, to continue living for. ]

[ as answer, angel lets their gaze drop: i'm your partner. no one else has ever said that. it's always been you're my--. and it would be devil usually, not partner, and often neither, as if the person couldn't even bring themself to acknowledge them that much. which, to be fair, angel has spent their entire life at the bureau telling themself a couple consistent stories: i don't want to do anything, and i don't want to be noticed.

if it's true , really true, is hard to say and angel wouldn't ask such a question of themself anyway.

the way they are compelled to obey when makima enlists them to do anything already grates on them.

but aki is so strange. different. aki who brings them food and seems to care about angel's weird little choking fiasco moments before. aki the devil hater who for some reason doesn't seem to hate them, at least not yet.

angel presses the bottle to aki's lips and watches closer than they mean to, murmuring almost more to themself than to him, ]

You really aren't afraid, huh.

[ because they can feel the warm press of aki's hand at their back, faintly brushing just the very edges of the juncture of their wings, suppresses a shiver from it. no one touches them, not like this, not ever. angel touches them and they both pay a price. that's how it's always been. again angel reminds themself: yes aki is kind.

that's all. surely. ]

[ Aki wanted to hate all Devils, he had a reputation for hating them, but truth be told, he only really hated one. The one that took his family from him. The one that set him off on this self-destructive path in the first place. The Gun Devil.

In fact, the more he got to know the Devil's he contracted with and the Fiends and Hybrid he had to work with, Aki started to understand them a little better. They were just living creatures at the end of the day. Living creatures with their own needs and dreams, and once he realized that, it made fighting them easier. The Fox Devil enjoyed helping humans, The Curse Devil enjoyed making them suffer and The Future Devil seemed to only be interested in entertaining itself.

Angel, however, was still sort of an enigma.

Aki closed his lips around the opening of the bottle and ducked his head so that Angel could tip the glass up for him to drink from it. He didn't want to take the bottle from them, even if it was just for a moment, he'd given it to Angel, it was theirs.

The bubbles felt nice against his tongue but the sweetness of the soda was stranger than he imagined. Maybe it was because his tastebuds had been damaged from smoking so much. Or maybe Aki just had plane tastes? Either way, it wasn't bad.

Only just caught what Angel said as he pulled his lips off the bottle, swallowing before drying his mouth with the pad of his thumb. Aki raised a brow, tossing his partner a curious sort of look. ]

Hmm? Afraid?

[ Leaving his hand there for a long moment, between Angel's wings, heating both the fabric and possibly the flesh underneath it with his palm, before finally moving it. Dragging it up and over Angel's shoulder first, pausing, and then drawing back completely.

No, he wasn't afraid. He knew Angel wouldn't harm him, not deliberately anyway. Though it was nothing to do with being 'kind' as hard-pressed as he would be to admit it to anyone, Aki had a soft spot for the Devil sat across from him. What exactly that soft spot was, was still a mystery even to himself, but there was definitely something. ]

Well...yeah.

[ no matter if aki knows angel won't do it on purpose -- angel doesn't know why he trusts them that much anyway, but maybe it has something to do with aki's own personal sense of character. angel doesn't claim to understand humans. they also don't claim to understand devils. as always, they veer towards a point of zero: nowhere and nothing. no hate or love lost. but aiming and succeeding are different things. they hold the bottle of soda carefully, hands closer to their own side even though it probably looks weird.

they want to disappear a little less when aki is around and it's frustrating. why? they don't even know.

angel looks down at the food in their bento, the rice and the remaining octopi shapes. why does even this feel thoughtful?

well they know the answer to that kind of. no one else would have brought them anything, and even if they pretend they could have, it would not have been given as thoughtfully as aki did.

taking another sip themself, it tickles their throat and there's another flush of color in their face, eyes a touch bright even in the dark, though the halo certainly helps with that. peering through the window at the dark of the hour, angel hums thoughtfully. ]

We'll sleep out here?

[ another hotdog octopus makes its way into angel's mouth, nibbling slower this time. ]

No. I'm not afraid of you. You give me no reason to be.

[ Aki responded as he pulled back after he'd been given a taste of the ramune, silently enjoying the look of slight colour on Angel's cheeks. It matched their hair, their eyes.

Angel wants to know why Aki trusts them? They're proving why just now. The way they hold the bottle closer to their end, so there's little risk of brushing against Aki's face. It's little reasons like that. As far as he's aware, it's painless when Angel siphons life from you, so if the Devil wanted to be sly, they could touch Aki subtly again and again without his knowing, chip away at him bit by bit- But they don't.

Likewise, Aki doesn't want them to disappear anytime soon.

When it came to being thoughtful, Aki didn't even realize he was doing it. He just figured Angel would only eat sweet things that weren't good for them if he didn't fetch them something with a little protein in it. Power only seemed to like meat and with blood being something he knew Devils consumed to heal or grow stronger, he assumed it was best to give Angel something that was a happy medium.

Following his partner's gaze out of the window and into the dark, Aki nodded. ]

Yea. The seats drop back a little and there's always the back seat.

[ He didn't exactly have camping gear in the car, but there were blankets in the boot in case of emergency, so they should at least be comfortable. ]

Let our food go down then we might as well catch some shut-eye. We'll leave again at first light.

[ Though, Aki would be more than happy to get up and start driving early and let Angel continue to have a sleep-in. ]

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