....2 weeks, that's how long it had been since Angel had heard from Alastor. It was troubling, it really was considering the state he'd left in. He concerned Angel quiet a bit and he wanted to make sure Alastor was okay. He was also dealing with a lot of things on his end, the whole in the wall had been patched within that day but unfortunately a lot of agents where out on the day of the breach.
Angel had went through the list and at least 50 agents had been out for that day, he spoke to each of them when they returned either the day after or later that day. Most if not all the agents had been out on a field mission while some had just taken the day off to deal with personal matters..He had Cherri check it out and all of their alibi checked out...
There was no one left on the list.......expect one.
One agent (if you could call them that) hadn't returned yet, and it had been 2 weeks which was only more troubling. Angel pinched the bridge of his nose as he stared at the name once again, the only one on his list that hadn't had a red line through it.
Charlie.
It couldn't be her, could it? The girl couldn't even fight muchless cause such an explosion. This girl was harmless, she had been the day he found her and she still was. She even fucking jumped if he so much as walked up behind her while she was going through papers, there was no way she could do something like this.
Even if it was actually her was she really dumb enough to team up with his enemies knowing what he did to traitors. Angel couldn't believe it, there just wasn't enough there. But maybe he just didn't want to believe it?
Charlie hardly ever missed a day at the agency, and when she had..she would always call it in to make sure she was accounted for. For her to up and vanish for two whole weeks without a single phone call or even a word....it was just suspicious and even Angel couldn't deny that.
The blonde sighed as he set the paper down leaning back in the leather chair behind his desk. He glanced at his hand...slowly reaching forward and tugging at the glove before it was fully off. His eyes remained on the emblem that remained a faint red...
"..Al..where are you." Angel closed his eye placing a hand over it..his head hurt. Everything had seemed to be going well until last week, not it just seemed to have gone to shit. His other hand slowly moved to his shirt reaching into it and pulling out the locket keeping his eyes closed. His thumb ran over the heart shaped locket as he remembered the redheads fond look and that soft smile only for him.
The knife Alastor had given him was at home, he had hidden it away for the time being for multiple reasons. One of those reasons having to do with wanting to keep it clean and safe while the other had to do with concerns involving his depression and urges. They hadn't gone away, but they where easier to manage, Angel hadn't harmed himself since that night and he had hoped it would remain that way.
A knock sounded on his door, without opening his eyes he groaned out, "Come in," Angel could hear the squeak of the door being opened -damn he needed to oil it - but hadn't bothered in looking at who was coming into his office. He was too damn tired to care at this point; when he heard the click of the door being closed he removed his hand and glanced at the women standing infront of his desk. She furrowed her brows when she saw Angel's troubled expression.
"Hey Cherri," He sighed as he leaned forward now. She had been worried about him eversince his outburst last week.
"Hey Angie, you doin' okay today?" She asked stuffing her hands in the pockets of her pants as she came closer. She couldn't help but glance at Angel's exposed hand, the emblem on display for her to see while his glove lay on his desk.
Angel shrugged sitting up a small bit as he leaned on his hand.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just......I dunno, thinkin?" He sounded uncertain; Cherri only smirked.
"You worryin' about Alastor?" Angel looked up at her from under his bangs still leaning back in his chair, practically slouched in it at this point. Angel cleared his throat as he moved the strand of hair out of his dark eyes.
"Maybe...a little." He admitted quietly. Cherri shook her head unable to help but smile, it had been so long since she'd seen Angel like this. He was practically a love sick puppy at this point, with his worrying and that look on his face. Cherri sat on the edge of Angel's desk near the side so she was facing him, she rested an arm on his desk the other rested on her knee.
"Angel, I'm sure he's fine, the fuckers a demon for god sake...or..hell's sake? You know what I mean." Angel met her gaze, it was soft and reassuring which was what Angel needed right now, reassurance.
"So, did you to fuck or..." Cherri let the question run on as Angel rolled away spinning in his chair away from her eyes. His eye rolled so far back they nearly went into his head, he couldn't help but let out a tired chuckle at the girls question as he ran a hand through pulled back hair.
"Geez, you never fuckin' change Cherri." His cheeks were slightly tinted pink Cherri had noticed once he spun back around; she grinned, her eyes breifly eyeing the hairstyle.
You clearly have. She thought but kept that comment to herself, she liked the new look and didn't want Angel to think she was discouraging him.
"So is that a yes~" Cherri teased leaning forward slightly with a knowing grin. Angel shook his head scoffing at the girls question. Oh it was a rare site indeed for thee Angel Dust to blush like this; maybe they didn't fuck but Alastor definitely did something to her best friend to practically turn him into a gushing teenager.
"No Cherri, we just hung out."
"So you were with him~" Angel gave the girl a look but Cherri simply brushed it aside, unphased by it.
"And you finally kissed 'dat boyfriend of yours I saw." Cherri blushed at the mention of that, stupid cameras.
"Oh Puh-lease, I just did it because he was bitching about his outfit. I needed him to shut up."
Angel smirked,
"Mhmm,"
"What I did!"
"Suuure," Angel grinned leaning on the bridge of his fingers, he was practically smug at this point. "You know ya' liked kissing him."
Cherri simply turned her nose up as she hopped off the desk. "Pfft- yeah right." Her hips swayed a small bit as she turned to look at Angel. "Getting back to you..." Another eye roll from Angel, Cherri was worried he that eye would fall out at this point.
"Okay, if ya' didn't fuck...you mustiv' kissed. Don' think I didn't notice Al chasin' after your ass after you left that night." Cherri raised a brow as she caught the others ears tinting pink, oh ho! Seems she struck gold!
Now it was Cherri who was grinning smugly and Angel on the other end blushing at the mention of the other. He folded his arms as he turned his gaze away from the girl, dark eye hiding under those blonde bangs.
"Ho-ly shit! You did kiss him!"
"Shuddup!" Cherri laughed, she couldn't help it. Angel really was acting like a lovestruck teenager. He glared at Cherri as she leaned forward all up in his face with a huge grin on her face and that one good eye practically sparkling with mischievous as if to say 'spill it'. "Fine! But I didn' really kiss 'em. He kissed me,"
Cherri squealed practically beaming, Angel was relived by her reaction. It was a total 180 compared to her previous reaction when they kissed the first time. Angel sighed coming down from his little joy run... He still was worried about Alastor and he just couldn't help it.
"Cherri, see if you can get a hold of Charlie." Angel said, she nodded and briskly walked out of the room. The least he could do was distract himself right now to keep his mind off of Alastor....
He glanced down at his arm that lay on top of some papers...
And he would distract himself with paperwork! Ugh...it was at times like these he wished death actually came knocking at his door.
The man swiftly removed the knife from the body and with another quick flick of his hand blood splattered on the wall. All the while the brunette hummed softly to himself as he placed the now clean blade back in it's hiding spot which was in the leather sheath under his jacket. He glanced up at the sky, it was getting quiet late and his love would no doubt be returning home at this point. He glanced at the body of the young women...he simply hadn't the time to drag her to his place. Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't left behind a body before. He was always careful and never left fingerprints thanks to his gloves; his shoes where always different in case they left blood marks, so he would always burn them each time he committed a murderer.
He couldn't wait to see his red-headed beauty once more, see their lovely smile and the twinkle in those green eyes...though, they had seemed off recently. Perhaps due to stress? He would have a talk with them when he got home.....tonight, he would tell them who he was. What he did when they weren't looking..and pray -hope that they'd still love him the same.
He began to head out of the alleyway away from the streets, he was in a back alleyway away from prying eyes. He was about to walk away when he heard footsteps coming towards him, the man was about to make a break for it as their was an easy exit through the fence to his left..but something kept him from doing so..a voice.
"He's a danger....you must help him. J-just catch him and don't hurt him okay?" That voice...he knew that voice.
His heart sank, no...this had to be some cruel trick, right? The footsteps they came closer, and every fiber in his being told him to run but his feet remained glued to their spot as his brain tried to process just what he was hearing..trying to prove that maybe it wasn't them..that maybe he'd finally gone over the edge and hit insanity..
"Sir, we'll try our best he's very dangerous and we can't afford to-"
To late.
They rounded the corner and saw him, standing there...clothes filled with blood, eyes wide with alarm. That day, that had been the first time he'd frowned after becoming the New Orleans killer.
He didn't care about the police officer looking at him, actually shocked to find him..he didn't care that the man was yelling orders at him while pulling his gun out...he didn't care.
No, his eyes where stuck on those green orbs..he hated the look they held..they looked,
afraid.
Why was he afraid? Didn't he know that Allen would never do such a thing to harm him..? Hadn't he known...why, why had he done this! WHY!
The mans fist balled tightly, nails digging into the palm of his hand despite wearing those brown gloves now stained red. His brown eyes held a dark glint to them, almost appearing red themselves in the moonlights glow..
"A-Allen..I..." His lover tried to speak but they couldn't..their jaw trembled at the sight of him, at the sight of who he truly was.
"Why..." was all Allen said, his voice practically cracking..it was low and dark..nothing compared to his usual mellow voice. Tears prickled on his lovers eyes streaming down their pale face...why were they crying? He should be the one crying, he should have expected this..expected that his lover couldn't handle him for who he was..
He'd been a fool for even falling in love with them...muchless considering being with them. ..He should have put his heart aside and killed them all those months ago like he'd planned...
...No, he couldn't. Even now...he wouldn't...he couldn't. Even if they feared him....he loved them, but they did not.
"Put your hands up where I can see them!"
Alastor did not listen. Instead he reached for his knife and the gun fired hitting him in the shoulder -a warning shot no less - but that hadn't stopped him. He'd felt much worse pain, and the pain of his heart being ripped out was nothing compared to a mere bullet wound. He'd grabbed the knife and chucked it across hitting the man cleanly in the forehead with it. With a loud thump the man fell to the ground his pistol clacking to the side.
His eyes rested on the trembling redhead who's green eyes welled with tears. "I-I'm sorry Allen.." The brunette sighed and shook his head, the grin on his lips not returning but rather the frown deepened.
"Allen's gone." Their green eyes widened as Alastor stepped closer, he wouldn't kill them..he couldn't bring himself too. No, he would just leave...hopefully they found someone...worthy of their heart, he clearly wasn't.
Before he could get past the redhead attempting to side step them they swiftly pushed him to the side yelling out a loud 'stop' but he hadn't known why. He was pushed so hard he felt on the ground behind them as they stepped infront,
..and the gunshot rang out...
He's replayed this scene out over and over again.... he'd seen it millions of times....their body laying their lifeless as those large green eyes lay open in shock their blood pouring out from under them..and their red hair-
...Wait...why wasn't there hair red...it was.....blonde? No... no no no no...NO!
Alastor ran to the body dropping to his knees as he pulled them into his arms tears welled up,
No...no.....he couldn't go through this again.....wake up...wake up.....wake up.......
WAKE UP!
ANGEL!!
His eyes flew open as Alastor gasped for air jolting up...he heart raced against his chest as he looked around...his bedroom, he was in his bedroom. ....It had just been a nightmare, he was...he was here...he was dead, still in his demon form...
His grin slowly returned at its full volume. He moved off the bed and stood up brushing himself off, he couldn't help but spare a glance at his hand... His brows knitted together. He couldn't repeat those mistakes.... But, he couldn't avoid Angel forever.
... Perhaps, it was time.
He would see him,... One last time.
Alastor sighed as he waved his hand, the microphone staff appearing in his hand.
It was time..
Angel had begun dosing off, that was until he felt warm, so warm he swore a fire erupted in the room. He opened an eye sparing a glance around the room. No fire, his gaze finally fell on the emblem glowing very brightly. Angel sat up, it had never glowed on its on, well not this bright at least.
It was emitting an aura, this was strange....Angel could..sense Alastor. He could smell his sweet scent, the warm aura that surrounded him..but wasn't there.
Angel stood up, something about this...it told him..that it was time...
Angel grabbed a ball pin from the board behind his chair and poked his arm with it with enough force to draw blood. He held up his arm, watching the thin blood of stream run down his arm until it it covered the emblem.. The blood dried up immediately upon touching the emblem that soaked it up like a sponge...it glowed brighter the red light engulfing the room causing Angel to cover his eyes with the other arm...
After a moment...the warm feeling diminished..faded completely, but the scent had grown stronger. Angel took his arm away looking infront of him where the redhead now stood...Angel's eyes gazed over his being relived that he seemed unharmed.
"Al...I'm glad your okay, I was worried." Angel finally spoke giving the other a warm smile...something was, off...about Alastor. He hadn't seemed as energetic as he usually was...and his eyes didn't hold the same light they had before, his grin wasn't as full either. Angel furrowed his brows, it was as if....he'd been meeting Alastor all over again, back to when there was a wall between them.
"Al? Are you okay?" Angel reached a hand out to grasp the others face but Alastor had stepped away from Angel's touch. Angel withdrew his hand regretting the action now. "W-what's wrong?"
He'd finally noticed it, Alastor hadn't been looking at him. Alastor always made eye contact with him.
"Angel, I must...speak to you about something." His voice hadn't carried the soft tone it had during their last meeting, nor the energetic tone he often had. Alastor just sounded.....scared.
"Um, sure. What's up Al?" Alastor sighed turning away from Angel..he couldn't bare to see the look on his face...he couldn't. He knew it was wrong and that he should face him, but he just couldn't.
It grew silent, and not the comfortable silence Angel had grown used to with Alastor, but an erie and uncomfortable one..the one that made it hard to breathe. Angel could only stare at Alastor's form as the other now turned his back to him...had he done something wrong? And if he had..how could he fix it?
"....I'm afraid, this is where our partnership must come to an end."
The words, they carried pain with them. It felt as if someone had struck a needle through Angel's heart, knowing that was only just small compared to the larger pain he would feel if Alastor had actually meant what he was saying...
Angel wanted to walk forward and grab the other, make him look..ask him why, what had happened...why he suddenly decided this. But he didn't, he couldn't move..his feet felt glued to the floor..he was hardly able to move the hand slightly outstretched to Alastor..
Alastor could sense Angel reaching out for him.....there was nothing more he wanted to do in the whole entirety of Haven, Hell and here than to grab Angel's hand and hold him..kiss him, tell him he didn't mean it...that he wanted to remain by his side forever.
He's a danger....
I-I'm sorry Allen..
...But he couldn't.
"A-Al...y-you don't-"
"Yes, I mean it.." He didn't. "It's best if we separate from here, Angel. I apologize but this is were we must say goodbye." Alastor was trying to sound like his usual cheerful self but his voice only came out strained like he himself was holding back the urge to cry.
He heard the sharp intake of break from Angel and he'd already knew. He couldn't bare to see him cry...his heart couldn't take it...he couldn't take it.
"Y-you...you can't.." Angel sounded choked up, tears where streaming down his face as he stared at the back of Alastor his expression practically pleading for Alastor to tell him that he was lying..that he wanted to stay. "Y-you promised...you promised you'd help me. I-I...can't live without you Al.."
Those words, "I'm no good for you Angel!" had made the redhead snap. He whirled around eyes glowing a bright red, the air had grown thicker..he wasn't angry, not in the slightest-just simply in pain and he refused to show it. Angel had stood his ground when Alastor practically yelled at him. "Do you understand what the mark entails!" Alastor said pointing to Angel's hand, Angel hadn't looked at it only keeping eye contact with Alastor as the tears continued to stream.
Angel hadn't said anything, one because he hadn't known what to say and two he was afraid if he had, he'd break into sobs. "I am your end Angel! I.....I will be the reason you die...." Alastor's loud voice lowered slowly...
Angel lowered his brows... " Al..." his voice was croaky, his nails digging deep into his hand trying to swallow the tears that burned his throat. "I don't c-"
Alastor slammed his claw down against the desk,
"I know you don't Angel!" He held the other claw to his chest as his eyes glowed brighter, "But I do! I care for your safety, I value your life Angel! I cannot remain knowing I am your end. I cannot stay knowing I am poison for anyone who dares to care for me! That someone being you." Angel could only stare at Alastor as he continued, the tears flowing down his damp cheeks causing the mascara around his eyes to run in streams.
He pushed off the desk as he held the claw to his chest, "I am damaged, far too damaged Angel." His grin stiffed, "But your not beyond repair. Stick around here...make things better. Do not throw your life away for me. Your life is not worth anyone Angel..no matter how deeply you care for them.."
Angel's tears continued to flow..but he looked less pained. Angel remained quiet...slowly walking up to Alastor.. he wanted to grab him, hug him....but he knew he shouldn't...
"..You don' have to do this Al...p-please...." He couldn't help it, his body practically giving up as he fell onto Alastor's chest sobbing heavily...the redhead wanted to hold him..but he couldn't..he he had..he would turn back..and he couldn't...He didn't want Angel to die, not because of him. He couldn't relive that..not again.
He had to force down the claw that raised nearly grasping at Angel's hair wanting to pet him and comfort him..he pushed it back to the side... His sharp teeth bit slightly into into his lip as his throat felt tighter...
"Please...please Allen.....please don't go....you mean the world to me..please...please don't go.." Angel's words fell into heavy sobs as Alastor remained a brick all against him, not moving.
I know you care....you mean the world and so much more to me...and that is why I must go..
That was what Alastor had wanted to say... but he couldn't bring the words out..
"....Goodbye, ......goodbye...Anthony.."
Angel clutched harder to the others jacket for dear life...but the jacket had vanished...the body in it had vanished and Angel collapsed on the empty spot....crying his eyes out not caring if anyone heard him..all the while......unaware of the hand now completely void of an emblem and no traced of it ever being there.
...Alastor returned to hell.... and could no longer contain the pain building up in his throat....
for the first time since the day of his ex lover's death,
He cried.
Trivia Question
What do you think Angel and Alastor well do from this point on?
- Thanks for reading -