For Those With Wings (Angel/AngelKiller!Brothers and Reader)

Chapter 15

I stood up straight and twisted my back, feeling the tension grow tighter before a semi-muffled crack sounded from my spine. The relief was instant, and I yawned before returning to the dirty dishes that remained in the sink.

Monday had passed quickly, much to my satisfaction. The day had started with work being much more tame than Friday's shift, and the café closed two hours earlier due to it not being a terribly busy day. Ichimatsu seemed to have a pretty accurate schedule for the area, timing the store hours for when the crowds were their largest.

After throwing out the garbage, I drained and washed the sinks after putting the dishes in the air dryer, wiping my hands clean of water. Reaching for the kitchen door, the metal plate smashed into my hand when the door unexpectedly opened up, revealing Ichimatsu as his eyes swept around the area before settling on me. I shook it out in pain, but didn't complain when our eyes met.

"Meet me in my office," His half-lidded eyes didn't hold any kind of tension, but I still couldn't help but feel suspicious of why I was being called.

"Where is your office...?"

"Through the door on the left and up the stairs," He closed the door as he left, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I opened the door after him and noticed a 'DO NOT ENTER' sign on the door he directed me through, watching as Ichimatsu walked towards the cats. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I opened the indicated door and ascended the staircase, only to stand in a studio apartment.

The apartment was mostly furnished, so Ichimatsu must live here instead of travelling to and from his business. I saw a few other cats lounging on the couch that was pushed against the wall, leaving ample room for a coffee table and a closet that looked like it could hide a bed. A kitchenette was on my right, offering most of the appliances a full kitchen would have, but packed into a smaller space.

I didn't make a move to sit anywhere until I heard the door close from the stairway, watching as Ichimatsu walked towards the couch. Maybe I wasn't meant to sit anywhere...?

"Despite the rough start you've had, you've done well here," Ichimatsu started without any ceremony, "Payday is every Friday, and I pay my workers by cash only."

"Okay."

"Just continue to work the same hours, and we won't have another problem," The tone he used sounded dismissive, "As long as you continue to do what you're doing in the café, I don't mind hiring you full-time."

"Oh...thank you! I'll keep working hard," I gave a bow in respect before heading down the staircase, grabbing my sweatshirt from the employee closet and walking out the front door. My heart thudded happily as a smile grew on my face.

A full time job!

With the pay rate that Ichimatsu was paying me, I would be able to afford a decent apartment in a few weeks. I only had a phone bill to pay, but that was cheap enough that I could use the rest for rent and groceries. I'd need to extend the time I'll be staying at the shelter quite a bit, much more than the few days I originally told them, but they didn't seem to mind my current extension. When I had a decent amount saved, I'd start looking for apartments.

The evening air was slightly chilly, but not cold to the point that I'd need my jacket on immediately. It was a ways back to the shelter, and I kept the phone that Choromatsu gave me in hand as I walked through the streets. The street lights turned on as the sun sank beneath the horizon, casting oranges and reds onto the upper levels of the buildings while the people in the streets hurried to get home from their late-night jobs.

It was a much different atmosphere than the early mornings. I yawned again, hidden by my hand covering my mouth. My sleep hadn't been the best in recent nights, and I was looking forward to crashing in bed tonight. The dream about the three brothers killing my foster father had played over and over in my mind, plaguing me and keeping me from getting any kind of decent rest. I didn't know if I should bring that up to them at all. I didn't want them to lie to me, but I didn't really want to know the truth about it, either...