windfall | what i desire most, what i fear most

[Angel doesn't respond to him, still staring at the door to the bedroom as Denji climbs into bed and claims he doesn't eat people. What Angel doesn't call him on is that he's eaten devils, and that's what Angel is. But he wouldn't expect him to understand the difference, let alone understand how his halo is no different to the blood running through his veins that he's fed Denji to bring him back. None of that reasoning feels worth it. Humans don't think about devils like that - half-devil or not, themselves.]

Just lay down. [Aki coaxes him quietly, moving around briefly to straighten the blankets on the ground as Angel finally turns toward him, some sort of resignation in his features as he squats to lay down again. Aki lifts the blankets for him and drops them over him when he lays down, then sits on his own bed and looks down at him. Thinks about saying something, then decides not to. "I don't think your halo looks like an onion ring." Yeah, he probably wouldn't want to hear that.]

[And Denji might be a teenager and he might be skinnier than most his age, but he's still an awkward sleeping partner. Aki sleeps fitfully thanks to that, eyes opening suddenly if he moves or turns in bed as he lays still on his side, facing away from him and, by necessity, toward where Angel lays on the floor, fast asleep and with the normal glow of his halo. Whatever he must have been dreaming about must be gone now. At least it didn't start turning red or something creepy.]

[When his alarm goes off, he's already awake and sits up to shut it off. It's a work day, which is part of the reason he's a little annoyed they pulled this shit, but whatever, it just means Angel will actually be on time today. He reaches over to nudge Denji first. Get him out of the room and going before these two can bicker again.]

[ Where Denji's movements kept Aki half-awake the remainder of the night, the utter stillness of his bedfellow made for a wonderfully restful sleep on his end. Power has much of the same sleeping habits as he does, so rooming with her tends to cause him undue stress more often than not, of which bleeds into his dreams. Someone gnawing on his compound fractures or rolling him on a gurney to extract his organs while he's still awake, imaginative sequences that tend to have him waking up in cold sweat.

Aki's nice, though. Comforting to have nearby, even. He lets him hog all the space he wants, and he doesn't have horns to poke him in the eyes with when Denji unwittingly broaches to his side, both of his legs folded over his own, hanging off the edge of the bed. ]

Whaaaat…

[ It's an odd little giggle that comes out. Sleepy, but playful. Kinda gross of him, let's be honest. He must really be enjoying his dream right now, because none of Aki's shaking manages to wake Denji up. Rather, all it's doing is further entwining him within the covers, whorled like a mollusk shell washed ashore a warm and sandy beach bed. He even has the nerve to blissfully sigh for a second, any awareness of his dimmed by sleep.

No, it's not until he hears a cacophony come all the way from the bathroom, shortly accompanied by Power's thunderous laughter. "Yes! Yes, Meowy! It would behoove you to accept your fate as a harbinger of chaos!"

Denji's eyes squint up, then whip open fully wide. Face reddening in an instant, he simultaneously kicks his feet out at Aki and frantically tries to crawl off the bed — ]

Ueh?! Y-You…!

[ He drops over the footboard, not exactly prepared for it, because he lands face-first into the floor. His neck makes a snapping sound. Did… Denji just die?

A groan wriggles out from his throat. Nope, still alive. The only good part of this morning so far is probably that he didn't land on Angel. ]

[Angel was pretty clearly attempting to stay in bed as late as he could, but Denji splattering to the ground and nearly dying sort of ruins that plan. He pulls to the edge of the sheets on the ground to dodge his drop, even if the action was unnecessary, squinting out unhappily at the scene before him. Aki rubs at his head, tempering his momentary panic until he hears Denji's groan that proves he didn't die. No blood-letting this morning. He reaches down and hoists him up, knowing he'll take a moment to get his bearings. Best to get him out of here before he and Angel have another argument.]

[Which nearly begins as Angel says over his shoulder, "You live with such inconsiderate housemates." And Aki thinks, Pot, meet kettle, but only says aloud,] Go wash up if you want, but don't take too long in there. [And he raises his voice, just enough to be heard in the other room.] Power, there's a guest, so you can't hog the bathroom.

[Power says something back about how it's actually her bathroom, so the guest would be the one hogging it. And why does it smell so angelic in here and why are there bird feathers in Meowy's special brush?! Aki sets Denji down at the table in the center of the living room and begins on breakfast.]

[At some point, Angel comes out of the bedroom, still draped in a blanket, and sits down across from him. He's staring at him obviously, almost expectantly. Waiting for him to say something.]

[ Denji's out cold for five minutes to the tee until his eyelids, still closed, spasm and jerk unconsciously, before bursting open as he flings upright with a gasp, like some sort of reanimated corpse, stomach slamming into the edge of the table. He didn't die, but he did suffer a minor concussion. This is just how he generally overreacts to things of that nature.

A pause. ]

Morning. [ A second pause, but this time around his eyes narrow, zeroing in on the winged devil, who he's finally realized is staring. At him. The reason why indiscernible. He gives Angel the type of look you'd expect from a dullard with no self-awareness. ] What. [ The question that isn't really a question doesn't even have time to gestate into the open air between them — a disturbed glint falls across his gaze, disguised as understanding. Or, at least, made-up understanding. His mouth twists into a sneer as he thrusts his hand out, palm facing Angel in a "stop" gesture. ] Nope. Not happening. No chance, no way. [ The hand folds into an accusatory finger point. ] If you think I'm sharing my plate with you after that kick earlier, think again!

[ Yes, never mind that he actually, physically, bit Angel. What matters is that he retaliated and kicked him! That really hurt, though no more than the head trauma he casually gave himself not a few minutes earlier. ]

I don't want your plate.

[He doesn't have one right now, anyway. But for some reason, Angel is pretty sure Denji knows that's not what he's after.]

I kicked you because you bit me. And you haven't made it up to me yet.

[Devils don't care about something like an apology. Those don't mean anything. No, this is a trade. Angel will forget the slight if Denji does something worthwhile enough.]

Make it up to me.

[ Like a dog who comes sprinting at a whistle's call, clear and piercing, Denji recognizes a demand when he hears one. His frown doesn't retire from his expression, but he doesn't argue the necessity for restitution, a balancing of the ledger. Even though he really hadn't been aware the halo was that much a part of Angel at the time, as sensitive to touch as the hard-to-reach places of his wings. ]

Did biting you feel like a kick to your nuts or something…?

[ Tch. Chin leaning on his knuckles, Denji casts his gaze to the TV. It's not powered on, so he reaches for the remote. Light flashes on the monitor and out appears what looks to be a movie, a kaiju of some sort aggressively sinking its jaws into the shoulder of a large gorilla. He flicks to a different channel, almost guiltily. ]

Fine. Lay it on me, dude. If you want me to brush your feathers out again, just say so.

[Angel isn't sure anyone has kicked him in the nuts before, but that pain felt more like a sting than a blow, so he supposes it wasn't the same. Still, Denji actually sounds amenable to the idea of a favor in return for this which is kind of nice. Arguing isn't something he's good at. The only issue is what to ask for.]

[...They had this same kind of conversation last night, didn't they, he thinks. About what Angel would prefer to do. This whole experience of being in the Hayakawa household has kind of been a nightmare, considering he got grabbed all over, bitten, and not to mention woken up in the middle of the night. But what would he have done otherwise? Probably sat in his little cell staring at the ceiling until he fell asleep. Listening to the odd sounds of devils down the hall, pipes creaking and steam hissing. The rare sound of footsteps outside and human chatter.]

[He doesn't know if it was worth it, but he's already wordlessly promised to keep living through this life until it ends otherwise. He shakes his head at the offer to brush out his wings.]

You can come and break me out again.

[Like that's an offer, or something to be granted to Denji.]

Tonight?

[ That's his first question, without betraying a hint of disbelief. Not why, or how, or if that's the sole stipulation to to this very strange favor. He reacts like a courier, a very bored and disinterested one, but one who understands he's got a job to do all the same.

His second question is — ]

Where you wanna go? Back here again? That guy's not gonna be as gung-ho about it as he was last night.

[ Well, gung-ho is an exaggeration. But really. Aki was forgiving this time around because they were being pretty nice to him, but if he were to find out they decided to come out and play of their own selfish volition… Denji can't imagine that going well. Not that making Aki mad is enough deterrent for him to turn down the request, but if he's going to get in trouble for something, it better be worth it. ]

Not tonight.

[That, unnaturally, comes out quickly. Especially for the time of day. Angel wants to make sure he doesn't come for him tonight. He needs time to recover from this whole ordeal first.]

[But about his buddy being gung-ho about this... His eyes trail over to him, his back turned as he's in the midst of getting something out of the fridge. When he looks back at Denji, he only shrugs.]

I don't know. I want to do something different from usual. You know... See something different. I've never seen the inside of an apartment where a fiend and a human and a... [He kind of motions at Denji.] Whatever you call it cohabitate, I mean. I only ever see dead people's apartments.

[He'd never bought beer at a convenience store, either. Eaten kebabs in the street. Hell, a lot of the stuff they got tonight was his first time eating it, to his knowledge. Most of his previous partners weren't as willing to fork over money for a devil with a bottomless stomach to have his fill as Aki seemingly is.]

You're always running around. Don't you go anywhere interesting? I want to see that.

Er, yeah… Lots of cool places.

[ His finger taps on the table. Some office romance drama is reflected in Denji's eyes as he stares at the television, but truly, his mind is somewhere else entirely. Filtering through his limited repertoire of places he's been to. However, the more he tries to consult his memory, the more it's like scouring through the shelves of the emptiest library ever. There's the arcade, sure, lots of food stalls and restaurants, the souvenir shop at the station, other dead people's apartments, the movie theater with Makima, uh…

The thing is that even with the autonomy to wander this city, he's been satisfied so far with the novelty of exploring commonplace shops and things that may attract a tourist — which, for all intents and purposes, he still feels like. He's not as familiar with the hidden gems and localities. When he glances back at Angel, he isn't really looking at him, but his halo. ]

You ever been to a church before? Um… We got assigned to take out a Glass Devil there not long ago, and the people runnin' the place were, like, really grateful and invited us to come back, but I haven't gone or anything. I dunno about that stuff. It seems kinda boring.

[ But he overheard the folks talking about this thing called "holy water," though, and he's kinda curious enough about finding some way to taste test it, see if it's like a special type of soda, that he'd be willing to go back. ]

But your whole thing is…

[ Wrapped up, ribboned, and tied into religion. So maybe Angel'd like it??? ]

If you don't wanna go there, I think we should go to a movie theater instead. I went on a date to one once, and it basically changed my life.

[A church...? Angel looks vaguely unhappy with that suggestion.]

People who go to places like that always act weird around me.

[Sometimes they kneel down and pray near him, and other times they ask him to bless something for him. Even worse, sometimes they try and touch him. It's not his favorite kind of interaction with humans.]

They'll probably try and recruit you. That's usually what they're interested in. But you wouldn't do well in a place like that.

[A movie, however, is what kind of piques his interest. He's seen movies, but never been to a theater. He's not sure if he'd be allowed, honestly, but it'd be worth a try. The stuff about going to one as a date and that changing his life soars mostly over his head, though, and Angel nods in agreement to the proposed idea.]

A movie. That'd be good.

[Aki, watching from the other side of the counter as he finishes putting toast on Denji's plate, can't help but silently think someone with a constant light bulb over his head wouldn't be appreciated in a theater.]

[ Angel offers that brief insight into what hanging out with a congregation would be like, and Denji's expression dims straight away. They did sorta have crazy eyes while looking at him, the type of strange fanaticism that only makes itself known when you come face-to-face with something you want so badly to be divine, to mean something; he's glad there aren't any weirdos like that a part of Public Safety.

And just as quickly as his mood had shifted, it shifts again to anticipation at Angel's acceptance. ]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, these theaters have got huge movie posters, popcorn, candy, cushy seats — you'll love it! After that, we can probably sneak into one or two other movies before they catch on, and after-after that, we can go hang out somewhere else! Like a themed cafe… Or like a bowling alley. Or a karaoke place!

[ Alright, he's just naming places he hasn't been to yet now, and has been waiting for the opportunity to drag someone with him. Besides, why not make an occasion out the outing? If Angel's request is really just to hang out and see Tokyo… ]

[The info that there's food at movie theaters is kind of new to him - he knew there was popcorn, of course, but candy? That sounds good. He, himself, has never once been able to be sneaky, considering the searchlight on his head, but he doesn't deter Denji from any of his ideas about doing so, nor his ideas to go to a cafe, a bowling alley, or a karaoke joint. It sounds like a lot in one night, is the thing, but as Aki sets down their breakfast at the table (along with three jars of different jam for Denji's toast) he says, "Just go on the weekend, if you're going to make such a big plan out of it. But go through the proper avenues this time. Don't break him out or whatever."]

The weekend... [He's been out on the weekend a few times, but it's mostly been for work.] I guess I can do that. They won't care if I'm with him?

["You get a lot of leeway, apparently," Aki answers, handing over Angel's breakfast next before finally sitting down with his own. "Since no one thinks you'd go that far." Angel nods at this in agreement. Where, exactly, would he even go?]

[ Though the unorganized jumble of places to go obviously indicates otherwise, Denji would argue that it isn't that big of a plan if you bend a few rules, have Angel move faster than a starfish for once. Better yet, he could use his wings to fly them from place to place. Except that would mean he would have to carry Denji. He may have put on a little more weight since rooming joining the bureau, but he doesn't think he's that heavy.

Oh well, there's food in front of them, plus an actual avenue in which they can realize the stuff they want to do. Slathering the assortment of jams together onto one slice of toast, Denji's far too famished to make things hard or look surprised that it's Aki who's cleared the runway for them. That Aki would take two devil variables and be okay with letting them add together... Maybe miracles can happen. He's not going look a gift horse in the mouth. ]

Is there even more special paperwork to do if ya wanna go far? [ he asks through his open-mouthed chewing. He still thinks the city has nearly everything to offer, even if he can't look up and see the sky as widely as he used to. But this request — it's Angel's to be selfish with. Last night, the countryside seemed like a place he'd like. ]

[Wants to go far...? Aki frowns, truthfully unaware if that's the case. He never works outside the city, after all, and decides to simpy say, "He can't leave the city proper." Kind of a white lie, but in any case, he isn't fond of the idea of them going further than the confines of Tokyo, itself. Angel watches as Denji creates his toast, vague interest in his expression, but he ends up eating his meal plain. "After the stunt you pulled not that long ago, I don't think anyone wants to give you leeway to go too far, either. And not with a devil."]

[Not that Angel is liable to kill him or try and use his body to trade for a pet of some kind, but still. Denji doesn't make the best decisions when it comes to this sort of thing, so it's good he seems to have bitten the halo of a very un-problematic devil in this case. Kind of like he's re-proving that he can handle himself - though this is like assigning him to petsit a turtle. How much trouble can they get into?]

I don't like traveling. I didn't like being on a plane. [It was weird, not being attached to the ground.] Trains are weird, too. But cars are okay. [He pauses, thinking as he presses his thumb through the center of his toast.] But I hate walking the most of all.

[ Forgetting that Angel hates being in close quarters with him, he tilts his nose up, challengingly: ] I'm not going to carry you on my back everywhere we go, dude… At the very least, you're gonna have to step on the train. Cab fees add up. Aki's not made outta moolah!

[ …Implying that he's semi-hoping his handler will be giving them both extra allowance for the extended excursion. Please and thank ya!

At any rate, the same way Angel watched him, Denji pauses in his eating, a very rare thing indeed, to stare at the devil poke holes into his toast. Like, is this some devil eating ritual? Fascinated in a dumbfounded way and probably silently hoping that, by some way of luck, he's willing to give Denji whatever he doesn't want to eat, he smears much of the jam on his toast against the corner of his mouth. Completely missing his target.

Ah… He dabs at his mouth with the corner of another slice of toast, then bites into it. But in place of the dollop of mixed jams are now crumbs sticking to his face. Which is fine, he'll just save those to eat later. Like how squirrels stash away nuts and things inside their cheeks. Something like that. Anyway. ]

Hey, are you eating that?

[ Yeah, he's just going to ask for it now. ]

The train, huh...

[He really doesn't like the trains. They feel weird to stand on. The floor not moving while the world outside does... Angel continues tearing up his toast and surreptitiusly sticking some of the bits in his mouth as Aki tells Denji, "You have your own money, you can pay your own fare."]

[He looks up when Denji asks after his food, looking down at it. It's true he hasn't wolfed it down like he apparently did, half of it still on his face, but he still slowly nods his head, pressing another bite into his mouth with the edge of his thumb.]

I'm eating it.

["Just go get more, yourself, if you're still hungry," Aki tells him. Angel has never left food on his plate before even if it takes him an hour to eat. Asking for his food is pointless - he'd never give it up. When Aki tells Denji that, however, Angel does look up.]

Can you get me more, too? [And Aki quickly says, "What you have is plenty." Because Angel will eat their pantry dry if given the okay. He clicks his tongue, going back to slowly eating the breakfast still in front of him, muttering,] Cheapskate.

Bleeeh, fine.

[ Denji used to penny pinch toast, too, when he lived in a shed the size of a broom closet, but what's Aki's excuse, huh? A loaf isn't that expensive, not in the same way a cab fare can be…

That's why when he's warming up a few slices at their toaster, he makes two extra to shove into his pockets. There's still enough for Power to chomp on whenever she's done committing war crimes in the bathroom… Or whatever it is she's doing. Denji marches back over to the table, his plate replenished. Instead of swiping more jam across his breakfast, Denji tosses a casual glance Aki's way to make sure he isn't looking, then stretches out a leg to nudge at Angel — he's expecting him to jerk back in annoyance, perhaps glare his way and tell him to go kick rocks, so he makes a pointing motion for under the table. Where he's taken out the two extra slices of toast for Angel.

Man, he's too good at this being sneaky thing. ]

[Aki is focused on the TV now, watching the weather report like it's a drama or something. It means Angel, dusting his hands off over his emptied plate (When did it empty? He definitely had a good portion left when Denji got up), looks up briefly in vague annoyance when nudged, follows the point, and reaches beneath the table to take the two slices. Here he was wondering how he was going to convince Aki to get him dinner tonight, and he's already supplied with more human food. This apartment isn't so bad.]

This... would be good with blood. [He chomps into the center of it after mumbling that and, like summoned by the word, Power is there demanding her food (it's literally on the table) and did she hear they were serving blood? (Aki tells her they certainly aren't) before she looks at Angel pointedly. Asks if he brought an offering to the household. He looks down at himself briefly, still dressed in her socks and her pants, then shakes his head.]

Next time. [Power doesn't seem pleased with this pseudo-promise but begins eatin despite it. Aki finally turns his head and, upon seeing toast still on Angel's plate... does nothing, because he doesn't clock it as unusual. Because he takes forever to eat. With the bathroom free, he gets to his feet to use the bathroom now that it's open, calling over his shoulder, "Don't leave without me today."]

[Angel turns to look at the TV, now a lady news anchor discussing something political that he isn't that interested in. Taxes and stuff, he bets. Leaning over, he sees the remote near Denji and reaches out to try and grab it. He never watches this thing - surely there must be something more interesting on.]

[ He'd been watching Angel at first, curious to see if he'd actually take the peace offering, but as soon as the new broadcast popped on, his eyes became glued to the screen. Probably not for the same reasons Aki's were. ]

Hands off. It's still my turn.

[ Denji's response is automatic. He snipes the remote from right under Angel's fingertips, holding it high above his head — it's what he's used to doing after squabbling so many times with Power over who has custody over TV viewing time. Honestly, they're lucky Power's still shoveling breakfast into her mouth, otherwise, she would probably join in on tussling for the remote, just to feel included.

Briefly, his eyes flick to Angel. Actually… ]

…What would you even wanna watch? [ They're going to the theater together, but Denji doesn't really have a particular genre in mind — there are genres he enjoys more than others, yeah, but he's usually okay with giving most movies a try. He doesn't care so much about choosing something Angel would enjoy, but it'd suck if the dude fell asleep during it. That'd be paying for his ticket for nothing! So something that'll keep his focus for a few hours would be good, at least. ]

[What does that mean, turn...? He actually wants to watch a news report? Angel turns his head back around to look at the screen, to try and see what it is Denji is interested in. The lady on the screen is discussing something about the diet moving forward with an economic reform that changes tax laws regarding government purchases... Huh? He turns back around when asked what he wants to watch instead, and for a moment he's honestly starting to worry that this is what all televised media is like. Is this what movies are like, too? He had assumed not, but Denji actually seems like he's watching this.]

I don't know... But this isn't interesting at all.

[He folds over his last piece of toast, the bread crinkling before he lifts it and pushes the whole thing into his mouth at once. Chews in thought, then swallows before he answers.]

What kinds of movies are there to go see?

[ Denji's pulling up movie posters to answer Angel's question when, out of nowhere, a glint enters his eye — ]

It is interesting, though! Just look, look there —

[ And the hand that'd confiscated the remote wildly points out at the screen, but all that happens on the program is that the woman turns to her co-anchor, a light bounce to her coiffed curls, to comment that while public sentiment has been generally positive toward the reform, corporate lobbyists are in a stir, citing that increased taxation on government expenditures will hurt the nation's commercial growth.

Denji turns to him, grinning wide. ]

You saw that, right?

[ …Anyway, as for movies… ]

Hey, see, she's doing it again!

[ The movies… ]

Yeah. The news is really the best.

[ On the bright side, Denji's phone is open and right there, revealing everything looking up before on the table for Angel to peek at, if he wants. There are three movie posters for him to cycle through. Denji won't even notice. ]

[Angel looks each time Denji points to the screen with so much elation, but every time he assumes he missed it or isn't looking at the right thing. Eventually he gives up, letting Denji ogle the screen while he stares down at the smaller one on the table. He hears the bathroom door open as Aki comes out, crossing the room to his bedroom, and when he comes out with his shirt half-buttoned Angel waves him over. He motions to the phone.]

I don't want to pick. You pick for me, human.

[Aki looks down at it, flicks through the choices. He's kind of used to making decisions for Angel for things he doesn't actually seem to care about. Thinking is too much effort for a dumbass devil, he always figured. After a brief examination of the titles, he says, "I heard that drama movie is depressing, so you should see the kaiju one." (Truthfully, he thinks Angel won't enjoy any of them, but a depressing movie will make Angel a pain in the ass and Denji will probably like the kaiju one. ...And he doesn't even know what the cartoon one is.)]

Okay. That one. [And he pushes the phone back over to Denji. Easy peasy.]

Aah? [ Denji grunts back at him, finally turning to address their weekend plans, but only once the news segment has moved on to a man reporting live from a recent devil attack. Yawn fest. ] Oh. [ He slides over, face tilted to see which one Angel — well, Aki — decided upon. The monster one will be fun, lots of explosions and decimated buildings, for sure, but he's a little disappointed they didn't wind up going with the movie with the two dudes in suspenders. The tiny mushroom head looked really cute. ] Okay, lemme reserve the tickets.

[ The only seats left are at the very front, closest to the screen, but it's probably fine. It'll be immersive, and with their seats reclined, just as good as sitting on the upper levels. He's about to proceed to payment… But he glances up, then quickly yanks his gaze back down. Very indiscreetly. ]

Uh, you sure you don't wanna invite anyone else?

[Angel wonders, for a second, who he would invite - if this is Denji's way of asking to bring Aki or Power or... or who. Beam? He isn't sure. However, before he can answer, Aki clicks his tongue, his eyes on the news while he finishes buttoning his shirt.]

You two, go and get dressed. [Said to Power and Denji.] It looks like there was activity in Shinjuku. We should get to the bureau early, in case they need us down there.

[And so Aki starts herding the two of them like cattle, shooing them to go get dressed and finish washing up. Angel only has his clothes from the night before, so he changes into those and dumps the ones he was lent in a pile on the floor while watching the same news anchor who Denji seemed fond of, like he's still trying to figure it out. Aki is fine with this since he's out of the way and quickly washes the dishes while reminding Power to get her tie and Denji to button his shirt properly, matching the buttons to the right holes, no not like that, do it again, start from the top. Once everyone is finally out the door, herded outside and down the street toward the train, he nudges Denji briefly, not really whispering so much as speaking quietly so Angel doesn't pay attention to it.]

I'll give you money for concessions this weekend, but you have to be careful with him. You need to make sure other people don't bother him, or try and approach him. People don't always think of him as a devil. Understood?

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