Aria's POV
Numb.
I felt numb...just staring at the wall where there had once been a door.
Staring at the wall that sealed away the love of my life...the only true love I've ever known.
My legs gave out, my knees hitting the floor roughly. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't think.
Slowly my hands reached forward, my lips trembling as tears dripped off my face heavily. I opened my mouth to cry, but all that came out were silent, pitiful whimpers.
Then, as if god himself breathed life into me, my lungs regained air through a trembling gasp...only for it to be expelled in a mortified scream that fell into a deep sob.
My fingertips brushed against the wall before I closed my fists and started banging against it.
"You fuck! You motherfucking liar, you promised!" I screamed, falling against the wall as my claws dug into it desperately.
"Come back!" I sobbed, "open this door and come back to me!" My cries fell on empty ears, the only ones around to hear me being my friends.
They were all watching me with empathetic looks, and when I felt a touch against my shoulder, I turned around and let out a visceral hiss.
Angel didn't even react to that, running his hand down my back gently with a sad look in his eyes.
"He's gone, baby..." he said gently, lowering to his knees beside me.
Somewhere behind me I could hear Charlie's muffled sobs, and everything that had been fuzzy before became crystal clear.
My lips trembled and I sucked on my bottom lip to try and stop them.
I shook my head, refusing to believe what I knew was true.
He's gone...
More tears fell from my eyes and Angel used another set of hands to gently push my hair back. I was covered in sweat, and blood, and dirt.
Angel opened his arms, and I immediately threw myself against him, grasping at him desperately as I sobbed into his chest.
"He promised!" I cried, "he promised!"
At this point I was just choking on cries, beginning to feel sick, but I didn't care.
Angel rubbed my back soothingly, pulling me into his lap as he shushed me softly.
"I know suga..." he said, his voice wavering just barely, "I know he did...but'cha wanna know something?" He asked, pulling me away so he could look into my eyes.
I stared up at him, hiccuping, just trying to pull myself together.
Tears glittered against Angel's lashes, his voice cracking slightly with his next words, yet a smile stayed on his face.
"He loved you more than he has ever loved anything else that has ever breathed."
My breath caught in my sore throat, and Angel shook his head, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears, "n' you and I both know he wouldn't want ya sitting here cryin ova him..." he added, "you rememba what his annoyin ass catchphrase is, right?" He choked out, chuckling weakly.
Although there was a deep pain in my chest, I gave Angel a quivering smile, pulling both my pointer fingers to the corners of my mouth.
He nodded, "that's right, baby..." he said softly, brushing my hair back with his fingers. My ears stayed flat against my head.
Him and I stayed on the floor, and I just laid against his chest, clutching onto him desperately.
Eventually he collected me off the floor, walking me through the lobby and towards the elevators. The faces of my friends passed in a blur, each of them giving me a look that was a mixture of sadness and empathy.
Once we made it to our floor, he walked down the hallway, towards my room.
I guess he grabbed a keycard on the way up, because he unlocked the door, pushing it open and taking me in.
Gently, he set me on my feet.
Looking around the room, I thought I might start sobbing all over again...because it was no longer enchanted. The room was normally sized...yet his belongings remained.
My shaking hands closed into fists and I sniffled softly.
"I'm right down the hall if you need me tootsie..." Angel said softly, and I didn't even turn to look at him before the sound of the door closing echoed through the room.
Leaving me alone.
Alone with his ghost.
Slowly I took myself to the bed, gently running my fingers over the covers. We haven't been here in weeks...I wonder...
Bending over, I smelled the covers...but my heart broke slightly when it was just laundry detergent that I smelled.
My eyes shut tightly and I stood back up.
Making my way around the room, I looked over everything. Everything that belonged to him. The room was cramped a bit, now that it was normally sized.
One of his radios sat on a night table, and I bent down, messing with the dials.
But the radio remained silent, not showing any ounce of life to me. Not even static.
I whimpered softly, biting my lip as more tears threatened to spill. My legs somehow found the strength to stand, and I walked towards the closet.
And when I opened it, my eyes widened.
All of his clothes...his suits, his dress shirts, his pants...
My chest swelled, and immediately I grabbed his favorite red suit jacket, pulling it close to my face.
I took a deep breath, and immediately let out a strangled laugh, tears overflowing at his scent basically being beaten into this article of clothing.
Sinking to my knees in the mouth of this closet, I hugged the jacket as if it were him, sobbing into the fabric.
I rocked myself, my body trembling. Eventually I looked up, sniffling and looking around the closet.
Then I squinted when something shiny caught my eye.
I held the jacket, rising to my feet and venturing further into the closet, hesitantly moving a few clothing items to the side.
My eyes widened at his microphone sitting in the back of the closet, the metal staff being the part my eyes noticed.
I brushed my fingers over it, holding my breath.
The microphone itself was dull, the eye closed.
Still, this was a piece of him that's left...and I grabbed it, pulling it close to my chest.
Making my way over to the nook by his window, I pulled myself up into it, just holding his jacket and staff.
I barely even noticed the door opening behind me, someone's soft footsteps approaching.
I didn't have the energy to acknowledge them.
There was a soft touch against my shoulder, "...you know..." Husk's voice started, sounding just a bit more gravelly than usual. He cleared his throat.
"You really made an impact on him...and I just wanted you to know...he's not the only one..."
I had stopped crying, and I was just staring numbly out the window.
But at his words my back went stiff, my throat immediately feeling tight again.
"You bring a lotta happiness to everyone you meet, kid..."
My lip trembled and I bit it, trying to stop the tears.
He rubbed my back, then reluctantly let me go. His footsteps retreated quietly, but before I could hear the door open, I decided to try and use my voice.
"Husk..." I called, my voice sounding horse and just utterly pathetic.
But the steps stopped, and I knew he had heard me...
I didn't turn towards him, just held the jacket a bit tighter. My eyes stayed focused on the city that stretched out far beyond my sight range.
"I love you..." I uttered softly, a stray tear slipping on my lashes, "...thank you."
He was quiet for a moment, but I heard a very quiet sigh, the door clicking open.
"I love you too, kid..." he said back quietly, and then the door shut.
Leaving me alone again.
The silence was deafening...not one buzz, not one slight scratch, not one single random no signal noise.
I miss his static. I miss his smile.
I miss him.
It felt like I stared out the window for years, just clutching his things, burying my nose in this jacket.
I lost track of time. I don't know if it's late or early. It's not like the activity changes to indicate to me that hell should be asleep or awake.
My fingers trailed over the smooth metal of his staff, and I pulled the microphone close to my lips, giving it a soft kiss.
Just then, a bright light caught my attention. I looked out towards the city, but the light was a lot closer.
Because it was on me.
My eyes fell to my finger where the golden ring sat, and it was glowing brightly. A soft buzzing noise was coming from it and I narrowed my eyes.
Then it felt like it was pulling me to the microphone, like a magnet. So, my fingers wrapped around the staff.
My eyes widened when the ring snapped, but seemed to liquify and wrap itself around the staff, securing tightly around it-fusing into it.
There was now a gold stripe in the metal.
Confusion flooded my system, and then a loud screeching noise made me jump sharply. Pulling myself off of the nook, I held the microphone and the coat close to me, warily looking around the room.
My eyes found the source of the noise...the radio.
It was on.
My breath caught slightly, and I gently put the microphone by the door, but kept the coat in my arms.
Approaching the radio slowly, I watched as the dials flickered, the face of the radio lighting up and dimming rapidly.
It sparked slightly, shooting lighting all around it, making me squeal.
The entire room started to change around me. I spun around, watching with my mouth slightly agape as the room became larger.
My eyes fell back to the radio, and it was now just situated on one channel...playing soft music.
Then my eyes rounded, my lips parting when I heard someone speak behind me.
"My love..."
A short gasp fell past my lips, my fists clutching his coat tightly. My legs refused to move for a moment...afraid if I turned around, there would be nothing there.
But, I couldn't fight my desire for more than a few seconds, spinning to face the voice that belonged to the man I love.
When he was actually standing there...right by the door, holding his microphone, I nearly lost it.
He smiled widely, putting the microphone to the side and opening his arms.
I let out a happy cry as I sprinted to him and launched my body into his, wrapping my arms around him tighter than I've ever hugged anything before in my life.
He wrapped me up and squeezed me, burying his nose into the top of my head and sighing deeply.
"I am so glad that worked..." he mumbled into my hair, and I pulled away from him, taking his face up into my hands.
I pulled him down and peppered his face with kisses, then ended at his lips, giving him a long and slow kiss.
He wrapped his arms around me, smiling into the kiss, and chuckled slightly before wrapping me into another hug.
Then I realized what he said.
"What do you mean...what worked?" I asked him, my voice still hoarse as I held onto him as if he'd disappear if I let go.
He laced his fingers with mine looking at where my ring used to be.
"That ring I gave you was part of me...one of my teeth...it kept a piece of my soul here..." he said, and then met my eyes, "while I wasn't anticipating this event...I was anticipating something similar...but I didn't know if it would actually work," he said, and I shook my head, my lips quivering as I reached up and felt his face.
"...You gave me a ring made out of one of your teeth?" I whimpered at him, tilting my head as happy tears fell from my lashes.
He nodded, and I shook my head, laughing slightly.
"That's so disgusting..." I choked out, and then laughed, pressing my forehead against his chest.
His chuckle reverberated through his chest and we both stood there, laughing with one another. He ran his fingers through my hair, pulling me close to him.
"That's alright..." he said softly, and then let out a gentle sigh, "I have a better one for you," he finished, then slowly slid down onto one knee, taking both of my hands in his.
My eyes were wide, and I didn't think I could cry anymore, but a new wave of tears overflowed the moment he grabbed my left hand and enveloped it in both of his.
There was a warm feeling, then he let me go, and on my finger was a white gold diamond engagement ring.
I gasped softly, my free hand flying over my mouth as I looked into his eyes.
His smile was soft and he gave me a gentle...human expression. Completely surrendered and on his knees in front of me.
"I love you so much..." he started, "and I would walk through hell and back just to be able to call you mine until this world caves in...and even then, I will hold your hand through the dark. Please...do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
I nodded quickly, squeezing my eyes shut as I pulled in a quivering gasp to try and stop the tears. I laughed slightly, opening my eyes.
"Of course I'll fucking marry you!" I let out excitedly, and then tackled him to the floor in a tight hug.
**
Damned: Alastor X OC
By: whatevers_whatev