Burnt Feathers and Blessed Horns

Bare Hearts

It was too familiar, the way they could talk to each other as if they were friends from years. The way Minho couldn't help but be tender to Chan, or the way the fallen angel couldn't help but lean on him so easily.

The way they understood each other when they just met yesterday.

Something was missing from Minho's grasp, something that could explain everything, slipping from his fingers, no matter how many times he tried to catch it. It was just there, in front of him and yet he felt blind, unable to find such an easy answer.

"How... how's Jisung now ?"

Minho blinked a few times, processing his words, "He's fine now, he told me his manager kind of forced him to do extra hours," he sighed a bit in annoyance, "if he forces him again I'll make his life a living hell. "

Chan smiled at his words, fond and disapproving, "Why am I not surprised ?"

Minho winked at him, "Because I'm a demon," he stood up with a smile, "what do you wanna eat ?"

He could hear a long hum from the fallen angel, "Eggs ? Please ?"

Minho snorted, "Right away !"

Chan sat, almost forgetting his casted leg. He rubbed his eyes, letting out a yawn. He stood up, biting on his tongue to keep his whimper with how dizzy he suddenly got and bile started bubbling up his throat. Shutting his eyes tight, he put a hand on his mouth to calm his heartbeat pulsing in his ears but he couldn't control his need to vomit. Blurred vision as he jumped to the bathroom and nearly falling if Minho hadn't come.

He didn't know how he managed but his bile finally left his mouth to fill the toilet. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he threw up and he ignored how Minho started rubbing his back soothingly. A warm touch, until he paused his movement.

But Chan didn't even notice it because he was too busy emptying his stomach from whatever, a bitter taste on his tongue, disgusting and metallic and he gagged a few times at the sour smell.

When he finally opened his eyes, he wondered why he wasn't that surprised to see the mix of bile and blood, wiping the path of his tears on his cheeks, while Minho pushed his bangs up in swift movements of his hand through his hair.

"How's Hell ?"

Minho snickered at his question, looking at him pressing his back against the wall, completely tired. There was still blood tainting his mouth and chin and Minho closed the lid of the toilet, flushing it. "Not that bad, I can be your tour guide."

And the way Chan seemed to opt of becoming a demon instead of dying gave him a small light of hope.

Chan snorted and Minho took a tissue to clean his mouth, kneeling in front of him, one hand against his cheek as he wiped the tissue across his skin, Chan's head was heavying his hand, as if he didn't have the strength to keep it up anymore, "Cool, I'm kinda curious now that I know demons and all exist."

There was something tempting, in the way Chan looked tired and vulnerable, completely given up on his fate, and trusting him far too easily. And he was a demon. The fact Chan was so numbed to everything, not looking worried in the slightest about throwing up blood, and so content to be with him, talked loud.

"You look like you don't care anymore," He murmured for no reason and Chan laughed, bitter and dry.

"I've been hit too many times by car, got beaten up from some gang because I looked like one of their rival, lost anyplace to sleep or eat, fired too many times for breaking shits at my work, don't have any family and friends, so yeah I don't really care -" and then he seemed to realize something, looking at him with wide eyes, "- wait, does that mean I have a family ? But they're like in Heaven or something ?"