Chapter Text
Aki had planned to sneak in a quick smoke break before his meeting with Makima.
She’d told him she wanted a word with him, Denji, and Power. About what, he has no idea; her amused smile when she’d instructed him to bring the two around to her office at noon had given nothing away.
His plans, however, are derailed when Angel appears beside him out of nowhere, and—before Aki can even open his mouth to greet him—wraps a hand around Aki’s tie, tugs him into the nearest storage closet, and shuts the door behind them.
Aki blinks. The room is dim, lit only by Angel’s halo. Shelves of cleaning supplies and cardboard boxes crowd them in, leaving barely any space between their bodies.
“Angel,” he starts. “We can’t—”
The words die in his throat as a lollipop is pressed into his mouth.
“Relax,” Angel leans back, looking up at him. His eyes are shining in the darkness. “No one’s gonna notice.”
Aki rolls his eyes and pulls the lollipop out. “People will notice if we stay gone too long,” he mutters. “We shouldn’t be sneaking around here.”
“You say that every time.” Angel wraps a hand around Aki’s wrist and guides the candy to his own mouth.
“And every time, you ignore me.”
“And every time, you still let me.”
He’s right. No matter how much Aki likes to think of himself as sharp and disciplined, his usual work-focused resolve goes up into smoke the moment Angel’s involved. This is the last aspect of his life where he can afford to get sloppy and careless, especially right under Makima’s nose. And yet it’s the one place where reason flies right out the window. Because right now, in the hush of this cramped storage room, with Angel looking up at him through long lashes, lips glistening with strawberry-flavored sweetness, the rules feel very far away.
He twists the lollipop stick between his fingers, watching Angel’s eyes flutter as he presses the candy deeper into his mouth. Then, he pulls it back, slowly, before slipping it between his own lips and savoring the warm, sweet, sticky taste he’s come to associate with Angel.
Angel shifts closer, his hand tugging at Aki’s tie again, pulling him even closer. Aki can feel his pulse increasing, can feel a familiar heat coiling low in his gut as Angel parts his lips again, eager, expectant. He presses the lollipop back into Angel’s mouth, watches his lips close around it.
Aki’s gloved fingers drift down, brushing the underside of Angel’s jaw. Angel leans into the touch, eyes half lidded, cheeks flushed. When Aki pulls the candy free again, a thin string of saliva clings between Angel’s lips and the glossy, red tip. Aki leans in too close and licks the lollipop into his mouth.
“Aki,” Angel murmurs, one hand playing with his tie while the other trails up his arm to rest at his shoulder.
Aki hums ands slides a hand to Angel’s waist, pulling him a little closer. His thigh slots between both of Angel’s and Angel shifts slightly so he’s rocking down on it. A small whimper floats out of Angel’s parted lips just as brisk footsteps walk right past their door. Aki freezes. Angel doesn’t even stop, looking completely unconcerned and far calmer than Aki feels.
Aki quickly steps back, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth and pressing it back into Angel’s.
“I have to go,” he whispers. “Makima wants to talk.”
Angel sighs, tilting his head back against the wall. “Of course she does.”
Aki adjusts his pants and gives Angel one last lingering look before he slips out of the closet, the hallway light almost blinding him after the dimness inside. He glances around, scanning for witnesses. No one seems to notice him—or if they do, they don’t care. Aki exhales, straightening his collar and smoothing down his hair before quickly making his way to Makima’s office.
He’s not entirely surprised to find Denji and Power already there. Denji’s practically vibrating, bouncing on his heels like a restless kid. Power, meanwhile, is leaning against the wall, whistling and looking anywhere but at Makima.
“Hayakawa. Good, you’re here,” Makima says as Aki closes the door behind him.
“Makima-san.” Aki bows his head slightly. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, of course,” Makima smiles faintly. “Since I’ve been busy for quite some time, I’ve decided to take a few days off and visit Enoshima. I called you three here to ask if you’d like to join me.”
For a second, no one speaks. Then Denji all but explodes, literally jumping for joy.
Aki’s mind immediately goes to Angel and how he’ll have to leave him behind here for a few days.
Makima’s eyes meet his and Aki immediately pushes the thought away. Their relationship isn't so codependent and dysfunctional that they won’t be able to handle a few days apart. Plus, Makima is being extremely generous, offering them a break, inviting them along with her. There’s no reason for Aki to even hesitate.
He straightens and clears his throat. “We’ll go.”
Power, on the other hand, seems less than enthusiastic. “I have an urgent meeting that day,” she tells Makima, who frowns.
“We haven’t even chosen a day yet, Power.” Her tone softens slightly as she turns to Aki. “I’ll work with your schedules. Let me know what days you can take off.”
Aki nods. “I haven’t used any of my PTO, so any time works for me.”
“Oh man,” Denji sighs, looking like he just won the lottery. “A trip with Makima! It’s like a dream come true! This is gonna go on my list of the top reasons I’m glad to be alive—”
The door bursts open, cutting him off. Frantic footsteps fill the room as a dozen or so Public Safety agents flood inside, looking incredibly tense. One of them hurries straight to Makima, whispering something in her ear, too low for Aki to hear over the commotion.
“What’s the ruckus?” Power mutters behind him.
Makima’s smile fades, replaced by a calm, unreadable expression. “We have a problem.”
She reaches for the remote on her desk and turns on the small TV in the corner. Immediately, the screen flashes with grainy footage from the fight with the Bomb Devil weeks ago, specifically of Denji in his Chainsaw Man form, cackling maniacally over the roar of his chainsaws.
“The terror of the Chainsaw Devil! Is he an enemy or an ally?”
“Shit,” Aki mutters under his breath.
“It’s Denji fighting on a train!” Power yells. She and Denji, too pumped up at seeing him grace the screen, don’t seem to realize the implications of the news report.
Makima crosses her arms, frowning at the TV. “I’d been imposing media restrictions, but it looks like it failed this time. The damage from the Bomb Devil was too great to suppress. The networks won’t stay quiet any longer.”
“Being on TV feels good, doesn’t it?” Denji grins.
Makima’s expression darkens. For a flash of a moment, Aki feels a shiver run down his spine, feels that instinctual chill whenever he knows danger is lurking around the corner. “So that little bomb fulfilled her task.”
Denji turns to her. “Huh?”
Makima sighs. “Denji, the trip is postponed.”
“…Huh?” Denji repeats, looking crushed. Power, on the other hand, looks positively delighted. Makima’s already striding out the room, barking orders at the other Public Safety agents. Aki follows close behind. Denji stares after them like he still hasn’t been able to process the trip being postponed.
“In the days ahead,” Makima tells him over her shoulder, “assassins from countries all over the world will be coming to kill you. You can consider yourself without freedom for the foreseeable future.”
Aki hears Denji groan before the door slams shut behind them.
In the hallway, Makima walks briskly, her shoes clacking against the floor. “More distractions keep cropping up,” she says, glancing at Aki. “But we’ll be fighting the Gun Devil next year. Aki, I’m putting you on that operation too.”
Aki stiffens, nodding. “Understood.”
“Try not to die during this trouble. We’ll need everyone’s strength to kill the Gun Devil.”
This is supposed to be good news for him. The entire reason he joined Public Safety in the first place was to hunt down the Gun Devil. Still, Angel’s voice echoes in his mind. “Devil’s don’t really die. Not in the truest sense.”
Aki clears his throat. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, and Hayakawa?”
Aki looks at her and meets stern, glowing eyes. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Be careful with your distractions.”
Aki’s stomach twists. He feels his blood run cold. For a moment, he can’t breathe. He can’t tell if it’s a warning because she knows, or if it’s meant to just be standard words of caution. He gets the feeling it’s not the latter. Makima wouldn’t call him out like that. She must know. Maybe not everything, but definitely something.
“Yes,” he says finally, forcing his voice to stay steady, unaffected. “Of course.”
Makima’s smile returns. “Good.”
She dismisses him with a small nod, already turning away to address the other waiting agents. They fall into place behind her without hesitation, like dogs trailing their master. Aki watches her go, rounding the corner and disappearing into another corridor. Only then does he breathe, exhaling slowly before turning on his heels and walking back down the hall. It takes too much effort to keep his strides steady. He has the urge to run, to put as much distance between himself and Makima as quickly as he can.
His legs are already taking him to the roof before his mind can keep up with where he’s headed. By the time the cool air hits him, he’s managed to steady his heart rate and his hands are only shaking slightly as he pulls out a cigarette. The first inhale steadies him a little more.
He lets out a long stream of smoke and only as he watches it drift into the breeze does he notice he’s not alone.
Angel’s leaning on the low wall at the far end of the roof, eyes fixed on the city skyline. The wind ruffles his hair and feathers, but he doesn’t pay it any mind. He glances over when Aki approaches.
“You look worse than usual. What did Makima want?”
Aki hesitates, taking another drag to avoid answering. He exhales, deciding not to mention Makima’s parting words—warning, threat, whatever it was. “She said she was gonna take some time off. Invited me, Denji, and Power to go with her to Enoshima.”
Angel raises an eyebrow. “You're going on a vacation with Makima?” He doesn't sound pleased. It almost makes Aki smile.
“Yeah. But it’s postponed.”
“Because?”
Aki taps ash from the cigarette. “Footage of Denji fighting the Bomb Devil aired on the news. The whole world knows about Chainsaw Man and that he’s in Japan. Hybrids like him are incredibly valuable, so Makima suspects we’ll be getting an influx of international visitors targeting him. She’s assigning us to guard him, by the way,” he says with a slight smile, already anticipating Angel’s soft groan. “You, me, and a few others. Until further notice.”
“Great. More work.”
“Something like that.” Aki huffs a faint laugh, though it doesn’t feel like one. “She also officially put me on the Gun Devil operation.”
Angel glances over at him again, and for a moment, neither says anything. The city hums below them, cars, sirens, the faint chatter of crowds.
Finally, Angel says, “So you're not vacationing with her anytime soon then?”
Aki gives him a sidelong look. “That’s what you took from all that?”
“It’s the most interesting part.”
Aki shakes his head, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “Maybe when all this shit is over, we can go on a trip. You and me.”
Angel snorts. “Yeah. I’m sure Makima would approve of that.”
Aki tenses, thinking back to Makima’s warning. He really hopes he’s just being paranoid. He takes another long drag and turns to fully face Angel, waiting until Angel looks over before he exhales slowly. Angel’s eyes flutter as he leans in to inhale Aki’s smoke.
“Then we won’t tell her.”
Angel’s eyes open slowly and he tilts his head, watching Aki for a long moment before turning back toward the city. “She’d still know.”
The wind picks up again, catching in Angel’s wings, rustling his feathers. Aki stomps out his cigarette and follows Angel’s eyes to the flock of birds flying over the buildings.
The future still seems impossible, maybe even doomed. But with Angel sitting there beside him, the sky wide and open above them, he lets himself imagine, just for a moment, that maybe things don’t have to end the way everything else has.
The devil sitting in his right eye laughs.
🍭
The first day of bodyguard duty doesn’t exactly go as Aki expects.
Two agents each from Public Safety’s Tokyo and Miyagi Divisions have all been assigned to watch Denji—and, by extension, Power. Add the civilian devil hunter, Yoshida—who’s also going to be working with them for at least a month—and the three other Public Safety Agents who are going to be coming from Kyoto, and there’s basically a small army following the two around.
They’re anything but inconspicuous. Even now, as they take a quick snack break by a pond at one of the city’s quieter parks, their group keeps getting wary glances from passersby.
They're not doing anything disruptive. Not yet, at least. Denji and Power are messily chowing down on onigiri, tossing crumbs to the ducks. Angel’s stretching his wings in the sun as he eats his first ice cream of the day. The atmosphere would almost feel peaceful if Aki didn’t know better.
As expected, the calm only lasts about thirty seconds.
Denji drops his onigiri onto the dirt. He stares at it for a full two seconds, shrugs and picks it up again. It’s halfway to his mouth and Aki, used to Denji’s barbaric eating habits, is ready to call him out on it, when a voice cuts in from behind them.
“Unbelieveable!”
Kusakabe from Miyagi Division 2 steps up, grabbing Denji’s wrist.
“What the—”
“Don’t eat food that fell on the ground!” Kusakabe scolds him. “The ground has hundreds of millions of bacteria invisible to the human eye. Some of those bacteria could cause food poisoning for all you know! It’s unsafe. Give it here—I’ll throw it away.”
Denji looks completely baffled by the sudden unwelcome lecture. “I bought this with my own money! I’ll do whatever I want with it!”
“Humans are so quick to steal,” Power scoffs, shaking her head. “Such shameful creatures.”
Aki sighs. “Denji, just throw it away. I’ll pay you back later.”
“You should listen to them,” Angel chimes in, taking a lick of his ice cream. He looks disinterested and his tone is light, but when Aki raises an eyebrow at him, a faint smile tugs at his lips. He hides it behind his cone as the others join in, trying to convince Denji to just throw away the onigiri.
Aki looks back just in time to see Denji shove the whole thing into his mouth.
“I threw it away,” he declares proudly. “Into my belly!”
Kusakabe stares at him, stunned speechless. Aki can practically hear him wondering what he’s gotten dragged into. He almost feels bad for the guy.
The rest of the day drags on. They escort Denji and Power through the city. Nothing happens. No suspicious movement, no assassins, not even any devils. Just people going about their day while five devil hunters form a loose perimeter around a hybrid and a fiend. It’s almost suspicious just how uneventful the day is, aside from the usual antics Denji and Power get up to. Aki keeps scanning the crowds, checking for anything remotely shady the way he’s been trained to. But after a while, constant vigilance starts to feel dull and Aki’s attention begins to shift.
His eyes find Angel, who’s walking behind the rest of the group at his usual lazy pace. The devil hasn’t complained much today. Aki doubts he minds the lack of action. But he can tell Angel isn’t too happy about the close crowd they form. Every time another Public Safety agent walks too close, he flinches back, wings twitching involuntarily. It must be distressing for him, surrounded by this many humans, close enough for any of them to accidentally touch.
Aki slows his own pace a little, enough to fall into step beside him. The rest of the team walks on ahead, surrounding Denji.
As they walk side by side, Aki's fingers twitch, itching to reach out and do something stupid like slip his hand into Angel’s. He keeps his hands firmly at his sides, but that doesn't stop him from imagining lacing their fingers together, pulling Angel just a little closer, strolling together like all the other, normal couples they pass on the street.
He doesn’t do it, of course. But how he wishes he could.
He's still imagining the feeling of Angel's hand in his, phantom warmth seeping through his gloves, when they pass by an ice cream truck parked near the corner of the street. Angel perks up immediately at its little jingle, eyes going wide as he looks up at Aki with a hopeful expression. Aki glances at the rest of the group, a few paces ahead, then looks back down at Angel. There's a tiny pout on the devil's lips.
“Make it quick.”
Angel’s face brightens. He picks out a flavor while Aki keeps an eye on their team. Thankfully, they're pretty hard to miss.
“Doesn’t it feel like we’re attracting more attention to the Chainsaw than we should?”
Aki frowns, glancing over at Angel, whose eyes are fixed on the vendor scooping up his ice cream. “Denji attracts attention just by breathing,” he reasons, though he can’t quite disagree. “Makima is just being extra cautious.”
Angel hums, noncommittal. “If you say so.”
Aki can tell he's unconvinced. He quickly pays and accepts the cone on Angel’s behalf. The moment he hands it over to Angel, he's already rushing him.
“Come on. We need to catch up.”
Angel sighs as if Aki just tasked him with an impossible feat, but falls into step with him, his attention mostly on his ice cream.
As they get closer and slow their pace again, Angel glances up at Aki once more. He tilts his cone slightly toward him. “You want some?”
Aki’s first instinct is to say yes. He doesn’t even like ice cream but the thought of tasting something that’s touched Angel’s mouth sends a jolt of electricity through him. His second instinct is to look at the rest of the team ahead of them and remember where they are. It’s too risky.
He shakes his head. “I’ll pass.”
Angel shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
And then, because he’s a menace, he keeps his eyes locked on Aki’s while dragging his tongue slowly up the melting ice cream, catching a drip before it trails down his fingers.
Aki inhales sharply through his nose, heat pooling low in his stomach. “Angel,” he says, voice low, strained. “You can’t do that.”
Angel doesn’t even blink. “Do what?” he asks, slowly licking again. His tone is pure innocence, but his eyes are anything but. Aki forces himself to look away before he can do something stupid like lean in and finally find out what Angel’s mouth tastes like, sweet and cold and soft. Unfortunately for him, the dullness of their patrol means there's nothing to distract him from Angel's constant teasing and baiting. Aki's not sure he's ever employed as much restraint and self control as he has during the past seven hours.
When the sky begins to darken, they finally head back to Public Safety.
Makima doesn’t seem surprised as she listens to their unremarkable report. “They’re keeping watch and waiting for the perfect time to strike. That’s why you didn’t encounter any devils today either. Whoever’s after Denji won’t let something insignificant get to him first.”
She turns to address Aki directly, ordering him to remain vigilant even at home. He’s effectively on 24/7 bodyguard duty until they take down every last assassin that wants to get their hands on Chainsaw Man.
By the time the meeting ends, he’s exhausted. He splashes water on his face in the restroom, trying to wash away the day before he has to go find Denji and Power and take them home. But the moment he steps back into the empty hall, he finds Angel waiting for him, leaning against the wall, a lollipop between his lips.
Aki freezes, heat prickling under his skin. But he thinks back to Makima’s words from the other day.
Be careful with your distractions.
He sighs and walks over. “I know what you want to do,” he mutters, lowering his voice. “But we really shouldn’t. Not here. Public Safety grounds aren’t exactly private.”
Angel tilts his head, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth. “Where else can we do it?” he asks. “We’re always surrounded by people.”
Aki doesn’t have an answer. He knows Angel’s right. Still, it’s too risky. Too reckless.
He’s about to say as much when Angel reaches out and grabs his tie. He gently tugs, just enough to pull Aki a few inches closer. Aki should stop him but he doesn’t. He lets his hands find Angel’s hips.
Angel lifts the lollipop and presses it against Aki’s lips. The familiar sweetness and warmth immediately eases some of the tension in his shoulders.
His response to Angel’s lollipops has started to mimic his response to nicotine.
For a moment, neither of them speaks. Then Angel slips the candy out of Aki’s mouth and places it back onto his own tongue. Aki feels warm all over. He doesn’t want to move away, but he knows he has to leave.
“I have to go,” he says quietly. He pulls back, hands falling to his side. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Angel nods. “Tomorrow.”
🍭
Over the next few days, things settle into an uneasy routine.
Aki starts his Friday the same way he’s started every morning that week. Wake up early. Shower. Get dressed. Coffee and a cigarette. Wrangle Denji and Power to work. Report in.
Before convening with the rest of the team, he takes a detour up to the roof for another smoke. Angel is already there, looking down at the city, waiting for him. The morning sun reflects off his halo, catching in his hair and the tips of his feathers.
Aki joins him. Angel doesn’t greet him verbally, but shifts a little closer. There’s already a lollipop between his lips. They glisten, tinted red and coated with sugar and spit. Aki longs to taste them. Instead, he satisfies himself with the taste of smoke filling his lungs.
For a while, they just stand there as the city wakes up below them. Angel watches the cars and crowds with a strange fascination, and Aki watches him. When he exhales a cloud of smoke into the air, the wind carrying it into Angel’s face, the devil looks over, brows furrowing slightly. He frowns, as if Aki wasted a perfectly good shotgunning opportunity and steps closer, popping the lollipop out of his lips.
“You could’ve shared.”
“You seemed busy,” Aki says, but he can’t help the twitch of his lips as he takes another drag and, this time, exhales toward him. Angel tilts his face into it. Aki’s hand settles on his waist and pulls him closer. Their breaths mingle in the cool morning air.
They waste as much time as they can, silently exchanging smoke and sugar, never breaking eye contact. When Aki’s cigarette burns down to the filter, Angel’s the one to mumble out a reluctant, “We should probably go before they come looking for us.”
As they walk to the door, Aki knows they have to leave, but he’s not ready for the moment to end. Not ready to step back into the noise and watchful eyes and endless pretending. Not yet. He just wants another moment alone with Angel. Just one.
Before Angel can reach for the door handle, Aki catches his wrist and turns him around, pressing his back against the cold concrete wall. Angel looks up at him, wide eyes turning expectant.
Aki leans in and takes the lollipop from his mouth, his gloved fingers brushing against his lips. It’s nearly finished, but Aki still slips it between his lips, desperate to chase the trace of Angel that still lingers there.
He brings both hands to Angel’s face, cupping his cheeks through the gloves. Angel’s breath stutters, his own hands clutching at the lapels of Aki’s jacket. Aki traces his thumb along Angel’s bottom lip, pulling it down, watching the way it trembles before he presses the finger inside. Angel opens up for him, eyes half lidded, tongue curling around the leather. A soft, needy sound escapes him and Aki’s vision goes a little hazy.
God, Aki wants to kiss him.
He can almost feel the shape of Angel’s lips on his, the warmth, the sweet taste.
It takes Aki a monumental amount of self control not to close the gap.
And maybe he would, if not for the sudden caw that snaps both of them back to reality. There’s a crow perched atop the wall they’re pressed up against, staring down at them, head tilted, black eyes gleaming, judging. Almost as if it caught them doing something they shouldn’t.
Which, well, it did. But it’s a crow.
Aki and Angel exchange a look, knowing they can’t stall any longer. They step apart, slowly, reluctantly. And as they finally head down the stairs, Aki can still almost feel the warmth of Angel’s breath against his skin.
They meet the rest of the team out front. Kusakabe is already lecturing Denji and Power about something neither of them are remotely paying attention to.
Their extremely conspicuous group trudges through an uneventful patrol filled with too many snack breaks, childish bickering, and the occasional yelling that turns every head on the street.
As usual, nothing happens. Nothing but monotony and wasted hours. An endless loop of walking, watching, waiting.
Denji complains the entire time, dragging his feet and whining about being bored, questioning if assassins really are after him. Power tries to cause some chaos to combat the dullness, usually by antagonizing random strangers.
In the middle of it all, despite being surrounded by half a dozen other agents, Aki and Angel still steal small moments. They never drift far from each other, stand a little too close together, brush arms and shoulders, share glances that say more than words.
Aki burns through more cigarettes than usual, not because he’s stressed but because it at least gives his hands something to do—something that’s not grabbing Angel by the wrist and pulling him into the nearest alley, pressing him against a wall just as he’d done this morning, and putting his gloves to good use.
No. No matter how much he’d like to do that, it’s not exactly an option. Especially not now, with this many eyes and the constant threat of assassins hanging over them. So Aki just sticks to smoking.
He catches Angel’s eyes longingly following the puff he exhales and wonders if the devil’s grown addicted to his secondhand smoke. Aki hides his smile behind another drag.
When the sun dips behind the buildings, they make their way back to Public Safety after yet another uneventful day. And then, finally, something happens to break the monotony.
It’s no assassin, though. It’s a devil. An incredibly weak one, slowly slithering out of an alleyway ahead of them, completely oblivious to the fact that it’s about to encounter not one but seven devil hunters.
It looks like a Slug Devil, a slimy, pulsing thing, dragging itself across the pavement and leaving a wet trail in its wake. It hisses when it finally spots them. Aki sighs and reaches for his katana, ready to kill it in one swift strike—clean, quick, easy.
But he’s not fast enough.
Power jumps into action before anyone can stop her, cackling loudly as she creates a blood weapon in her hands, and lunges. “Foolish creature!” she yells, eyes shining with wild delight. “You dare slither before Power, the mighty!”
She slams her weapon down upon the Slug Devil with a wet thwack, knocking it out before she starts mutilating the thing, cutting it up and spraying blood and guts everywhere. The devil explodes like a balloon, splattering its insides across the pavement, the walls, and unfortunately, all over Aki, Denji, and Angel.
There’s a moment of silence. Then Power laughs, triumphantly brandishing her blood weapon over the devil’s remains. “Aha! The great Power has vanquished it! You may rejoice, weak humans!”
Several civilians down the street are staring in horror. One mother hurriedly shields her child’s eyes and rushes away. Aki wipes a thick smear of blood from his cheek with his jacket sleeve.
“Eugh,” Denji sniffs his soiled shirt and gags. “This smells gross.”
Kusakabe looks like he’s about to combust. “Unbelievable,” he mutters. “Do you ever think before you attack?”
“What’s there to think about?” Power scoffs, puffing up her chest. “I killed it! Humans are so ungrateful.”
As Kusakabe launches into a furious lecture about collateral damage and civilian panic, Aki takes a step back from the steaming puddle of slug entrails, the soles of his shoes sticking slightly to the blood.
He glances down at Angel, whose face and hair are drenched in purple slime, his feathers speckled with red blood. Angel meets his gaze, then casually drags a finger down Aki’s bloody jacket, collecting a streak of guts before bringing it up to his lips. He licks it off with a soft, pleased hum as if he’d just gotten a tasty treat.
“Don’t do that,” Aki hisses, pulling back.
“Relax,” Angel mutters, completely unbothered. He then wipes a thumb across his own cheek, smearing a streak of red across the pale skin, then licks that too.
Aki’s sigh mixes with Kusakabe’s heavier one and he turns to find the other devil hunter regarding his state. “You three should just go home,” he finally says, gaze flitting from Aki to Denji to Power. “We’ll handle the report.”
Aki nods, not keen on going back to headquarters like this. Then he looks back at Angel and the relief sours.
It wouldn’t make sense to take him too, not when he technically lives at Public Safety, where the rest of the team is heading anyway. How would he even explain that?
Still, Aki feels a twinge of guilt in his chest at the thought of leaving Angel behind—at their time together today being cut short, even if it is just by a few minutes. He thinks about that cold, tiny room Angel has to go back to. A place without warmth, without light. A cell more than a home.
It’s stupid to feel guilty, but he can't help it.
Angel meets his eyes and reads the thought immediately. “You should go.”
Aki should. But he doesn’t move. He lingers for a moment, and then, without really thinking it through, blurts out. “Angel, you come too.”
That earns him a pause. Kusakabe blinks. “Why the hell would he—”
“Because he’s covered in the same shit as the rest of us,” Aki cuts in, trying to keep his tone professional. He needs to sound confident, decisive. He can’t leave any room for debate if he doesn’t want to look like he’s doing something he really shouldn’t be. “My place is closer than Public Safety. We’ll clean up there, then I’ll bring him back.”
Yoshida raises an eyebrow. “Seems unnecessary.”
Aki gives him a sharp look. “You want to argue about it here, standing in a puddle of devil guts?”
Yoshida just shrugs, smirking slightly, looking more entertained than anything. Kusakabe, on the other hand, looks like he wants to argue more but then he spots Power flinging Slug Devil remains at Denji and shakes his head. “Whatever. Just get them off the streets as quickly as you can.”
Aki doesn’t wait. He turns to Angel. “Let’s go.”
Angel looks at him, amusement flickering in his eyes. “So assertive today,” he murmurs, low enough that only Aki can hear. “How could I refuse?”
Aki feels his ears grow hot and his pulse quicken. “Let’s go,” he says again, louder this time as he glances back at Denji and Power. “Both of you, come on.”
They must look like something out of a horror movie. Four figures trudging down the street—three of which are devils or devil-adjacent—dripping in blood and slug guts.
“Hey, uh,” Denji says, picking at a crusted patch of blood on his neck. “Tell me again why the Angel Devil’s coming with us?”
“Look at the state of him,” Aki says simply.
“Couldn’t he just shower at Public Safety? Isn’t that like where he lives anyway?”
“Our place is closer.”
Denji squints, looking unconvinced. But before he can continue his questioning, Angel interrupts. “Can we stop for ice cream?”
Power instantly perks up. “Aha! I second that request!”
Aki doesn’t even hesitate. “No.”
Denji groans. “Man, you’re no fun. What’s the point of saving the city if we can’t even get dessert after?”
Aki rolls his eyes. “We’ve got ice cream at home.”
That shuts them up for the most part. The walk to the apartment feels like it takes forever. The air around them smells of sweat and dried blood. Aki’s skin itches beneath his clothes. He wants nothing more than to scrub himself raw under hot water, but he knows he’ll have to be the last one to shower today.
Thankfully, no other distractions pop up along the way home. It’s nearly dark by the time they climb up the steps to their door. Aki unlocks it and ushers everyone inside with a sharp, “Shoes off.”
Power highballs it through the genkan anyway, heading straight for the living room until Aki catches her by the back of her collar. “Shower,” he says flatly.
“I refuse!” Power yells, twisting in his grip. “Power is clean. Make Denji go first; he stinks!”
“You stink most out of all of us,” Denji shoots back, nose wrinkling. Before they can start an argument that will definitely result in extra cleaning for Aki, he plants his other hand on Denji's back and pushes them both into the bathroom.
“You’re both going in together. And don’t come out until you’re clean. Got it?”
Power squawks in protest but Aki slams the bathroom door shut in their faces. When he turns around, Angel is leaning against the doorway, looking amused. “You’re surprisingly good with your children.”
Aki shoots him a look. “They’re not my children. They’re just idiots.”
Angel hums. “Idiots you feed, house, and lecture.”
Aki doesn’t dignify that with a response. He strips off his jacket and gloves, tosses them in the laundry room through the open door, and heads into the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s get this shit off.”
They wash their hands and faces in the kitchen sink, taking turns under the running water. It turns pink for a while as they scrub out blood from under their fingernails.
When they’re as clean as they’re going to get without an actual shower, Aki opens the freezer and pulls out a pint of strawberry ice cream.
Angel blinks. “You weren’t bluffing about the ice cream.”
Aki scoops some into a small bowl and sets it on the counter. “You’re welcome.”
“How generous of you.” Angel picks up the bowl and immediately shoves a spoonful into his mouth, closing his eyes with a satisfied hum. Aki watches him eat. There are still bits of devil entrails tangled in his hair, glinting under the light from his halo. Somehow, he still looks beautiful.
Angel catches him staring, a faint, knowing smirk forming on his lips. He scoops up another spoonful of ice cream and lifts it toward Aki’s mouth.
Aki doesn’t even hesitate, leaning forward to have a taste of the cold sweetness.
“Why’d you really bring me here?” Angel asks, pulling the spoon back.
“You were covered in gore and this place was closer than Public Safety,” he repeats his reasoning for the third time.
Angel tilts his head slightly. “I think you just wanted to spend more time with me.”
Aki feels his cheeks grow warm. “How awfully presumptuous of you.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Aki steps closer to him, making Angel have to crane his neck to keep their eyes locked. “So what if I did?”
Angel’s smirk softens and he brings up a spoonful of ice cream to his lips. Aki’s eyes follow the motion. A drop of pink lingers at the corner of Angel’s mouth. Aki wants to lick it off.
Then, a loud crash from the bathroom rattles the walls.
“Hey!” Denji’s voice yells out. “Power ripped my towel in half!”
“You lie! It fell apart on its own!”
Aki groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. Angel chuckles softly. “Your children are calling.”
“They’re not—” Aki starts but another crash cuts him off. He sighs and heads into the hallway to restore order.
Denji’s dripping wet and completely naked, holding up what’s left of his towel. Power’s clothes are half on, her sopping wet hair soaking through them. There’s water pooling on the floor, spreading like a small flood from the bathroom.
Aki lets out the long suffering sigh of someone who’s had to do this far too many times as he shoves them into their shared room with orders to dry off and get dressed. He drags a hand over his face and goes to his own room to dig up the clothes he’d lent Angel the last time he’d brought him over.
When he reenters the kitchen, Angel’s still standing by the counter, spoon hanging from his mouth. Aki holds out the folded clothes. “Your turn.”
Angel hums in acknowledgement, but he doesn’t move right away. “What about you?”
“I’ll go after.”
“You know,” Angel lowers his spoon, “we could just shower together. Save some time.”
Aki freezes, his brain short-circuiting so fast it’s actually embarrassing. He can feel his face heating up, the back of his neck burning. For a second, he actually considers it—imagines the sound of water running, steam curling around them, the way Angel’s wet skin would feel under his hands, the danger—
Angel snorts softly, cutting the thought in half. “I’m kidding,” he says. “You’d literally die.”
Aki exhales shakily, giving Angel the flattest look he can muster. “Hilarious.”
“I know.” Angel sets his empty bowl in the sink. He carefully takes the clothes from Aki’s bare hands and disappears down the hall into the bathroom. There’s a soft click, followed by the sound of running water a minute later.
Aki leans against the counter, staring blankly at the sink. His heart’s still beating faster than it should be. He’s still thinking about showering with Angel when Denji and Power emerge from their room, fully clothed, dry, and, of course, already complaining.
“I’m starving,” Denji groans, clutching his stomach dramatically. “I’m wasting away here.”
“Me too,” Power yells. “We shall perish without sustenance!”
Aki rolls his eyes, all thoughts of a wet, naked Angel effectively chased away.
He still feels gross and grimy and unclean, but it’s already late and putting off dinner until after he showers will just waste more time. “Get the table ready,” he says, heading for the fridge. “I’ll make something quick.”
“Wait—” Denji says, eyeing the bowl in the sink. “You already gave Angel ice cream? Before dinner?!”
“You promised some for us too!” Power jumps in, voice rising. “Where’s ours, greedy human?”
Aki sighs. Normally, he wouldn’t let them eat dessert before dinner because it’ll mess up their appetites. But he’s too tired to argue today and the noise they’re making is rattling his skull. He gives in, if only to shut them up.
“Fine. There's more in the freezer. You can have one scoop each. One.”
Power immediately lunges for the freezer. “Victory belongs to Power!”
“Hey! Don’t eat straight from the tub!” Denji yells after her.
“Don’t forget to set up the table after you eat,” Aki says as they shove each other around.
He quickly turns back to the counter and gets to work. He chops up a carrot and half an onion, tosses some leftover rice in a pan, adds eggs and soy sauce. The apartment fills with the smell of food and the sound of sizzling oil mixes with Denji and Power’s constant bickering and the shower running down the hall.
Aki tries to tune out that particular sound. Tries not to imagine Angel in there right now, running his slender hands all over his soapy body—
”Fuck,” he hisses, burning his finger on the edge of the pan. He quickly runs it under some cold water, scowling before he forces his attention back to the food.
By the time the stove’s turned off, the shower’s stopped. Angel returns a few minutes later, his soft footsteps padding into the kitchen, just as Aki’s spooning three portions of fried rice into bowls. When Aki glances over, his chest tightens.
Angel looks smaller than usual, swallowed up in the oversized t-shirt with the roughly cut holes for his wings. The shorts still hang loose on his hips, held up by the same safety pin as before. Unlike before, however, Aki is allowed to think he looks cute, allowed to want to close the distance between them. Though, probably not right now with Denji and Power just a few feet away and his hands tragically ungloved.
Angel steps a little closer and sniffs the air, trying to peer around Aki to see what he’s been cooking. Aki catches the faint, familiar smell of his own shampoo on him. It’s all so domestic and oddly comforting. He has to look away before he does something like kiss Angel right there, lifespan be damned.
“Dinner’s ready,” he mutters, turning back to the bowls. “Eat it while it’s hot.”
Angel glances at the three portions. “Aren’t you eating?”
“I will,” Aki says, handing a very impatient Denji and Power their dinner. “After I shower.”
He hands Angel his bowl. Angel carefully takes it, frowning slightly, before going to join Denji and Power at the low table in the living room, where they’re already shoveling food into their mouths like they haven’t eaten in days.
Aki heads to the bathroom, closes the door behind him and leans against it for a second. The mirror is fogged, the air thick with steam from Angel’s shower, carrying the faint scent of shampoo—Aki’s shampoo. It’s ridiculous how something so small makes his heart race.
He strips out of his ruined clothes and turns on the water. It’s hot, almost too hot, against his skin. It’s a relief. He scrubs hard until the water runs clear, until the stickiness of blood and slime washes away. Until the stench of devil guts fades, and the exhaustion in his muscles finally starts to lift.
As he drags the soap lower and lower down his body, his thoughts drift back to Angel. He imagines the devil standing right where he is now, water streaming over his pale shoulders, droplets clinging to his feathers, damp hair plastered against his temples. Aki feels himself growing hard and imagines the same happening to Angel. Imagines the sounds he might make—
Aki swears under his breath and dunks his head under the spray. He twists the handle until the water turns cold and presses his palms against the cool tile, breathing deep until the heat under his skin feels bearable again. He’s not going to jerk off in the shower to thoughts of Angel.
When he finally steps out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, Aki feels clean but restless.
The apartment is quiet, except for a loud pair of snores coming from the living room. Aki peers in to find Denji and Power sprawled out on the floor, bowls scraped clean, mouths wide open as they snooze.
Angel is still sitting cross-legged at the low table with Meowy curled up next to him, purring softly. His own bowl is untouched.
“You didn’t eat.”
Angel looks up. His eyes widen for a split second before his expression quickly smooths back into its usual calm neutrality. Aki suddenly becomes acutely aware of the fact that he’s standing there in nothing but a towel, hair dripping, body still flushed from the steaming shower. His face burns hotter than the water he just left.
Angel clears his throat. “I was waiting for you.”
“Oh.” Something in Aki’s chest tightens. “Okay. I’ll change and we can eat.”
Angel’s mouth quirks faintly. “You don’t have to.”
Aki’s cheeks flush harder and he rolls his eyes. “Nice try.”
He retreats to his room, pulling on an old sweatshirt and a pair of grey sweats before hurrying back to the kitchen to shovel the remaining fried rice from the pan into a bowl and finally joining Angel at the table. The food’s gone cold, but neither of them complains. They eat in silence, Denji and Power’s synchronized snores filling the background like white noise.
The faint smell of Aki’s shampoo drifts through the air every time Angel shifts next to him. Aki tries not to get distracted by it but his eyes keep darting to Angel’s damp hair, the soft way it falls over his forehead. All he can think about is reaching out and running his fingers through it.
Angel catches him looking and holds his gaze. “So,” he says, voice soft, almost casual. “Are you going to drop me off after we eat?”
There’s something in the way he asks it that sounds like resignation. Aki’s stomach drops as he remembers he still has to take Angel back. He hasn't even informed Makima that he brought him over in the first place. He’s sure Kusakabe has already reported it, but still. Makima’s warning from last week echoes in his head again.
Be careful with your distractions.
He should take Angel back immediately. For a multitude of reasons, it's too dangerous to keep him here any longer. Makima would be disappointed in him. And yet...
“It’s late,” he says finally. “I’ll take you back tomorrow.”
Angel raises an eyebrow. “Is that allowed?”
“I’ll explain the situation to Makima.”
Angel tilts his head. “Why?”
“You said it yourself,” he says quietly. “I want to spend more time with you.”
A faint flush spreads across Angel’s cheeks. "Oh."
He looks so pretty it steals the breath right out of Aki’s lungs. Aki savors the sight. It’s rare to see Angel so caught off guard.
They finish eating in silence, Aki stealing not-to-subtle glances of Angel, who meets his eyes with looks ranging from flustered to exasperated. When their bowls are finally empty, Aki stands and kicks lightly at Denji’s foot, rousing him awake.
“Up,” he mutters. “Go to bed. You too, Power.”
Denji yawns loudly, scratching his stomach and muttering something about how Aki’s too bossy as he staggers toward their room. Power scoops up Meowy in her arms and follows.
Normally, Aki would make them clean up since he cooked, but right now, he doesn’t care. He just wants to be alone with Angel.
He starts gathering their bowls and takes them to the sink. Behind him, he hears soft footsteps and then the sound of Angel poking around the kitchen drawers. He turns on the water and, a moment later, hears the familiar sound of a lollipop being unwrapped over the sound of the running tap.
When Aki glances over his shoulder, Angel is sitting on the counter, legs swinging lightly, halo shining in the dim kitchen light. The red lollipop disappears between his lips, glistening when he pulls it back out to speak.
“You really keep a stash of these,” he muses. “For emergencies?”
“Something like that.”
Aki can feel his eyes on him as he washes the dishes. When he glances over again, sure enough, Angel’s watching him with that half lidded gaze, lollipop stick poking out of his mouth. The faintest smirk curls his lips when their eyes meet. Aki turns back to the sink. He rinses the last plate and sets it on the rack to dry. He shuts off the faucet and dries his hands on a towel. Then exhales, the exhaustion hitting all at once now that he’s done with the chores.
“Tired?” Angel asks, hopping down from the counter.
Aki nods, turning off the kitchen light and walking to the living room. “I need to just sit for a while.”
The couch dips under his weight as he sinks down, shoulders slumped, the day catching up to him. For a long moment, he does just sit there, head tilted back against the cushion, eyes closed.
Then, before his brain can process what’s happening, Angel climbs onto his lap.
Aki’s eyes snap open. His hands twitch, almost reaching out to rest on Angel’s bare legs before he remembers he’s still gloveless. He rests them on his covered waist instead. “What are you—”
“You haven’t had dessert yet.”
Angel shifts, one hand settling lightly on Aki’s shoulder, the other tugging the lollipop from his mouth. The candy shines under the soft light of his halo, sticky and red. Angel presses it against Aki lips and he takes it in, the sugar melting against his tongue.
Angel watches Aki suck on the candy with his lashes lowered. His breath catches slightly when Aki slides his hands up Angel’s sides, then down again, memorizing the shape of him from over his shirt. He squeezes around his waist, runs his fingers along Angel’s back, pressing lightly at the base of his wings, cautious at first, then firmer when Angel doesn’t pull away. As his fingertips massage the base of his wings through the cotton, Angel shudders and grinds down into his lap.
Aki moans around the lollipop, drags his hands lower until they reach Angel’s ass, and squeezes. Angel gasps, his breath fanning over Aki’s lips. He pulls the candy from Aki’s mouth and presses it against his tongue, licking it wetly before he slips it inside. Aki watches, dizzy with want. His hands tighten and he pulls Angel down against his crotch, grinding their hips together torturously.
“Fuck, Angel,” he murmurs, throwing his head back on the couch and focusing on rocking Angel up and down against him, dragging their erections against each other, listening to the wet, breathless gasps escaping Angel’s mouth.
He’s so lost in the pressure and motions that he barely notices Angel’s hand sliding down from his shoulder, his chest, his stomach to cup his bulge over his sweats.
Aki gasps, bucking up into Angel’s hand, his eyes flying open. Angel presses his hand harder against his straining cock, stroking it through the fabric. Aki can’t help the moan that escapes him. He’s rock hard and throbbing in Angel’s grip. He cranes his head back to make sure Denji and Power’s room is closed and the lights are off.
When he feels Angel climbing off his lap, Aki looks back to protest, only for it to die in his throat as Angel slides down to the floor between his knees, still impatiently rubbing him through his sweats. He looks up at Aki through his lashes, cheeks flushed, eyes wide, face level with Aki’s straining erection.
He pulls out his lollipop and licks his lips. “Aki,” Angel pants. “I wanna see.”
Aki swears under his breath. “Move your hand.”
Angel slides his hand from Aki’s crotch to his thigh and Aki quickly pulls his sweats down just enough to pull his cock out. He’s already leaking from the tip. Aki rubs the drops of precum over the head with a shaky exhale and wraps his fingers around his cock, letting out a soft sigh. He slowly starts stroking himself, eyes glued on Angel’s face. Angel’s eyes, on the other hand, are fixed on Aki cock, watching almost hungrily as Aki jerks himself off. His fingers twitch on Aki’s thighs but he keeps them put.
Aki’s not sure how long he can last like this, with Angel on his knees, staring at him so intensely while sucking on a lollipop.
His hips jerk upward, chasing the pressure. More and more precum spills from the head as Aki tightens his grip, quickens his pace. Angel pulls the lollipop out of his lips with a pop and leans forward. When Aki pauses his movements, he glances up at him and says, slightly breathless, “Don’t stop.”
Aki can feel Angel’s warm breath on his wet tip as he resumes pumping steadily. For a second he almost wants to throw caution to the wind and shove his dick inside Angel’s parted lips. But then Angel brings the sticky lollipop up to Aki’s leaking cock. He touches it to the tip, licking his lips. Precum dribbles over the candy and, once Angel’s gathered enough, he brings it up to his mouth and licks it off with a soft, satisfied hum, his eyes fluttering closed.
Aki almost comes right then and there. His other hand, which had been desperately clutching the armrest, grabs Angel’s shoulder, where his hair is splayed out, brushing against auburn strands. In his hazy mind, he realizes he just touched Angel’s hair with his bare hands and nothing happened.
Aki’s breath stutters. He curls a lock around his finger, testing, waiting. It doesn’t seem to do anything. Angel hasn’t even noticed—he’s just looking up at Aki with blown pupils and sugary sweet drool spilling from his parted lips.
Aki slides his hand deeper into Angel’s hair, careful not to get close enough to touch his scalp. It’s just as soft as he’d imagined. He gives it a gentle tug. Angel’s breath shivers out of him, eyelids fluttering, looking utterly wrecked despite not even being touched where he needs it most.
“Fuck, Angel,” Aki moans. He can feel himself getting closer, his hand movements becoming faster and more erratic. Angel picks up on it, eye widening. He pulls the lollipop out again and opens his mouth, sticking his tongue out. And Aki is a goner.
His toes curl into the carpet as he comes all over Angel’s face. Most of it lands right into Angel’s waiting mouth but some also gets on his cheeks and drips down his chin. Aki milks himself dry of every last drop and Angel takes it all. He licks his lips before dragging his fingers through the rest of the mess on his face and sucking them clean too.
Aki groans, hastily tucking himself back into his sweats. He uses his grip in Angel’s hair to pull him back onto his lap. Angel comes up willingly, his hand curling into Aki’s sweatshirt, right over his heart. The other hand absently drops his lollipop onto the couch.
Aki wastes no time pressing his palm into Angel’s neglected cock and Angel moans loudly and shamelessly, grinding into his hand, frantically chasing the friction. His wings tremble. His breath is warm against Aki’s throat. He’s already so close, letting out soft, desperate moans and whimpers as Aki rubs him through his shorts.
It doesn’t take long before Angel shudders, a long, low moan spilling out of him as his whole body tightens, then melts. Aki feels the front of his shorts dampen under his hands as Angel’s movements slow, falter, and finally stop. He goes limp against Aki, soft and pliant in his arms.
“You good?” Aki asks, wrapping both arms around him automatically. Angel just hums into his chest, a soft, exhausted sound. Aki rubs his hands up and down his back. They’re so close, all pressed up against each other. Aki doesn’t have his gloves on and Angel’s legs are bare. This is so risky, so reckless. Yet neither of them moves.
Finally, Angel mumbles. “I think I need new pants.”
🍭
Aki cracks another egg into the frying pan, resolutely ignoring the socked foot keeps periodically kicking his thigh, courtesy of a still sleepy Angel sitting on the counter beside him. Behind them, the fridge is already beeping from being kept open for too long as Denji pulls out every jar of jam they own. Over the sounds of the beeping and sizzling, he can hear Power laughing as she rolls around on the couch with Meowy. It's slightly chaotic, wholly grating, but everything feels so normal, comforting, right. Especially with Angel right next to him, fitting into their silly little family like he's been here all along.
Aki imagines starting all of his mornings like this. Waking up next to Angel, dragging the grumpy devil out of bed, brushing his teeth next to him at the tiny sink. Feeding his three walking hazards, making them clean up while he takes a smoke break, sharing that smoke with Angel.
“Topknot!” Powers yells from the living room, effectively dispelling his daydream. He turns to see her sitting upright on the couch, tugging at a sticky red lollipop tangled in her hair. “Why is there old, bare candy festering in our sitting space? And why was I not given any?”
Aki’s stomach drops as he recalls exactly how that lollipop ended up there. Before he can even try to think of an excuse, Angel hops off the counter.
“Blood Fiend,” he says, expression flat as he strolls over. “That’s mine.”
He plucks the stick out of her hair, making her wince, and pops it right into his mouth. Aki stares at him in disgust.
“That's revolting,” he says as Angel returns to his spot on the counter.
“Is it?” Angel pulls the candy out of his mouth and presses it against Aki’s lips.
Aki jerks away instantly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Cut it out.”
A jar clatters loudly behind them. “That was an indirect kiss!” Denji shouts, pointing at them accusingly. He looks at Aki, scandalized. “You know he’s a guy, right?”
“We share lollipops all the time,” Angel shrugs.
Aki shoots him a sharp look. Angel ignores it.
“Gross,” Denji looks disgusted. He grabs his jams, slams the fridge shut with his foot, and heads to the table. “Lollipop sharing is only acceptable when Makima and I do it!”
Aki stares at him before turning to Angel, muttering, “I don’t even wanna know what that means. And throw that lollipop away. Breakfast is ready.”
Angel lets out a long suffering sigh, but complies. Aki plates the eggs and some toast and carries everything over to the table. Angel sits between Aki and Denji, who narrows his eyes suspiciously.
“Wait. Why’d you even spend the night here?” He turns to Aki again. “Weren’t you supposed to take him back to Public Safety?”
“Yeah,” Power chimes, spraying crumbs over the table. “Where’d he even sleep? The bathtub?”
“I slept in Aki’s room,” Angel says casually, poking at his egg yolks.
Aki gives him another look, which goes ignored. Again.
“Won’t he kill you if you touch him?” Power raises an eyebrow at Aki.
He sighs. “We didn’t touch.”
Denji stares between Aki and Angel a few times before he slams his butterknife down. “Dude. You know he’s a guy, right?”
Aki fights the urge to channel the cutlery and slam his own head against the table. “Yes, I’m aware. Now shut up and eat your breakfast. We’re already running late.”
He feels a knee bump lightly against his and glances over at Angel, who’s eating his eggs in perfect innocence. And smirking around his fork.
Aki bumps him back and returns to his own eggs, trying to hide his own smile.
Yeah, he wouldn't mind doing this every day. At least, with some minor adjustments.