The Shadows of The Devil's Tragedy

Five

"We should go, lov-" Miles cut himself off, and Matt knew he was realising his mistake. Being queer wasn't okay if they were in public. Not because it was wrong, but because everyone thought it to be unacceptable, a sin. "We should go, Matthew."

Neither of them noticed the man who followed them out of the bar. When they were a good while away from the bar, close to Matt's home, the man attacked. Miles spun to meet him quickly, and so did Matt, but it was Miles who got stabbed.

Right in the middle of his stomach.

His eyes went wide and he stumbled backwards, placing a hand on his stomach, fingers spreading around the knife.

Matt gave a cry of rage, and launched himself at the man. He didn't remember much of what happened, as blinded as he was by rage, just that he beat up the man well before the man struggled away and Matt turned to his lover.

He knelt besides Miles, who had propped himself up against a cold brick wall.

The detective leaned up, and Matt kissed him softly,  before he pulled away. He somehow managed to scoop up the detective bridal style, and murmured to him softly.

"We jus' gotta get to my house. Then we get ya in the car, and we get ya to a hospital. You're gonn' be fine, Wishing Well. I swear to god, if you die on me, I'll kill ya, Hartwell. Oh god, Miles. You better not die."

~~~

Amelia made her way to Gabe and Miles' temporary apartment, spotting an unfamiliar car parked in front of it.

She furrowed her eyebrows before striding up to the front door, only to find it unlocked.

She opened it and stepped inside, hearing voices coming from the living room, so she stopped and listened, still and quiet.

"-you have to kill The Devil Incarnate."

Amelia froze, her mind going into overdrive.

"But sir," Gabe's voice started protesting. "I can't. I promised myself I would never kill anyone—"

"What's one life to a thousand?" The other voice questioned.

"Well, sir—"

"You have to do this." The voice told him firmly. "You're the only one that knows who he is."

She.

"When you next see him, you take your gun and you shoot him right between the eyes." The voice said. "You kill him, Gabriel."

Amelia bit her lip and stepped out of the house, quietly closing the door and running back to her house.

She knew she had to die.

But there was no way she was going to make Gabe do it.

~~~

Matthew sat beside Hartwell, holding one of his hands. The detective held his hand back tightly. The nurses and doctors had given them looks, but not said anything. A patient, after all, was a patient. Miles was awake, but extremely weak.

"Hey, Cooper?" Miles asked. Matt bit his lip.

"Yeah, Wishing Well?"

"Matthew James Cooper, you live the rest of your life- normally- and then... I'll see you in Hell. I love you, Matt. Tell Gabe he was a- a great detective to work with and a great friend and tell-" He took a terribly shuddering breath."-Amelia to keep being strong. Tell them I'll see them in Hell too. Remember I- I love you, Cooper. Matthew, I love you."

"I love you too, Miles. I love you, Wishing Well. I love you." Matt said desperately, as if simply the force with which he said the words would bring his lover back from the brink. Miles Hartwell's hand went limp.