@hellcab Posted:

@hellcab posted:

Comfortably numb, Roth’s lazy eyes peered out across the sea. A summer breeze touched his face. Miami Vice in one hand, he wanted for nothing.

This isn’t real.

Faintly, he could hear Hula music coming from the bar. A game of volleyball happened down the beach. Roth sees women walking by his eyes wandered and stared.

This isn’t real.

Sucking on the straw, he downed his third Miami Vice and slouched in his beach chair. His mind wanders and returns to the sea. He stared long and darkly, his mind captivated by the tides. He watched as they broke on the shore.

Someone is out there.

This isn’t real.

He sees people in the tide playing and laughing. They looked free as they danced and splashed about. Then, he sees him. He was rising up, dressed in black head to toe and wearing that god awful mask.

This isn’t real.

He stood there in the water as everyone played about. He just stares. He just stares as he’s dressed in all black. That peacoat was damped and wet, but he just stood there watching Roth.

Roth’s heart was beating faster and faster, ready to pop. His blood rushes as he drops his glass. Chest rising and falling, as The Wire walks out from the surf onto the beach. The Wire reaches into his pocket. He retrieves a switch blade that glints in the summer sun.

Oh God, he’s real!

Roth wakes up screaming his lungs out. Everyone on the beaches stops and hears him screaming. Roth nearly jumps out from the chair as he falls over. His eyes frantic, he looks towards the surf and sees nobody. No man in black.

People are laughing, some are staring.

Roth cannot stand it and gets up to leave for somewhere private.

-

Blitz was passing by when the taxi driver screamed.

He'd gotten to the beach a little late, still not completely convinced that imps were actually wanted at this event, and was still learning his way around, trying to identify and memorize the best routes for escape, the best spots for ambush. More than a little on edge, because hanging out with the hotel crowd apparently might mean hanging out with the hosts of Heaven, Blitz wasn't half as relaxed as he looked.

He glanced over at Roth as he passed him, smiling a little. The driver charged more than fair rates for driving innocent Hell citizens with multiple large pieces of luggage to body dumping remote sites--or so Blitz had heard, of course. He would certainly never need to use such a service himself.

Heaven fucking forbid.

Roth was sleeping though, so Blitz--

Jumped, eyes going huge, when the man screamed.

Blitz landed on his feet, crouching, gun out, looking around for whatever the fuck had scared the guy that fucking badly, but nothing seemed to be around. No real threats. Nothing to be afraid of... They were just being met with blank stares and a few amused titters from other beachgoers.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Blitz growled. He straightened up and looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Roth's retreating form; he looked embarrassed, Blitz thought, or uncomfortable at least. And shit, maybe they weren't exactly friends, but he ran after him all the same--although he didn't come within reach, staying just outside it.

"Hey, man. You good?"

Fuck. Blitz was usually the one to lead when it came to kissing someone, initiating things, setting off cascades of dangerous sparks. That was usually his fault--his doing. But giving in and letting Angel kiss him like this? It was nice, for a couple of seconds. For just a moment there, it was kind of wonderful. The kiss was hot, and as Blitz returned it with full enthusiasm, it was sexy as fuck--

Until he felt it.

The honesty.

The need.

The yearning. Not even desire, but a yearning behind that passion. The need to connect. To see and be seen. To hold and be hold. Angel had just willingly smashed all of his own walls down, taken down his own protections, and he was putting himself out here--fully vulnerable, fully courageous.

The way Blitz kissed him back softened, eased, pulling back from something passionate and dangerous, smoothing into something gentler, but no less deep, no less wanting. Eventually, when he pulled back enough to look up into Angel's eyes, Blitz's expression was almost imploring. Don't hurt yourself to help me, he wanted to say. I'm going to find a way to help you someday. Whatever it takes. But that means you need to be around to be helped... why are you risking yourself like this? Why are you risking baring yourself to me? He could feel the tenderness of a good heart here, a heart that could be bruised, that maybe bruised itself half the time when a smile was forced...

A little overwhelmed with the weight of this trust, Blitz nonetheless took it in stride. He didn't imagine he was hiding anything anymore, either.

"Angel?" He took two of his hands and kissed them both, unsure what he was trying to accomplish here, only that there was some kind of need, fractured sparks bouncing between them, impossible to see, impossible not to feel. "I don't... know what you... ah, fuck. I'm gonna try so fucking hard not to hurt you, okay? But if--if you start to feel hurt or anything, and you, you, you need to pull away, or stop reading my texts, or just... anything. You should. And I'll get it." It took courage to make oneself vulnerable like this. Angel deserved better than a shitty relationship with a shitty imp--but here they were, starting something without any apparent brakes or definitions, and it felt... fucking nice. Right?

Could a relationship ever feel even halfway right...?

Angel knew what was happening all too well. He was no mind reader, but he knew the signs enough. He had seen them reflected in his own mirror, the over extended confidence that yeah, he did have, but it was his only shield, hiding away all the hurt and broken feelings that lingered inside. He didn't know what monster had put those thoughts into Blitz' head, in fact, maybe it had been the imp doing it to himself, but Angel didn't care. All he knew was - he was there. He got it.

Even the way the other forced that smile, put on the facade, it was all sickeningly familiar. Just smile and nod, pretend that the world wasn't falling apart, that Hell wasn't truly the suffering that they had always been promised. He hated every moment that he had lost being alive, because he had thought that was true Hell. His overdose had been a result of that pain, unintentional, yet intentional all the same, trying to escape the torment.

Only to be thrust into it tenfold.

He had stayed silent for a moment, Angel studying Blitz the way that Blitz studied him. A fierce understanding, not needing words. Angel didn't know if he believed in fate, per se, but something had made it so they had met that day. Out of all the souls of Hell. Especially knowing imps could travel between rings, it had been something to draw Blitzo to the Pride Ring at that very moment. And maybe this was it.

He was admittedly terrified; terrified for the first time when it came to using his body as a tool to tell his story. Because he knew as soon as he kissed this man - there was no going back. He knew that every secret feeling he had kept locked up was going to come spilling out, and Angel's heart would once again be at risk. A bleeding soul, desperate to be loved for who he was. For all of him, every broken piece.

But he could tell Blitz felt the same. A need to be understood, despite his brokenness. And that was what had thrust him into action. His upper hands shooting forward, grabbing the other by the front of his shirt, tugging the smaller man towards him. Lower arms wrapped around Blitz' waist, pulling him against his fluffy torso, as he unabashedly slammed his lips into the other. Maybe not the most delicate, but certainly passionate. A kiss that said he was here. He had him. He accepted him. He maybe even loved him.

[for @poisonedspider, continued from here]

Vox smiled when Angel actually accepted the drink, then even more when he spoke to him. Despite them having lived together for so long, he and Angel had had very few one-on-one conversations. When they did, they were usually something short and to the point, like Vox asking what kind of pizza Angel wanted, or the civil exchange of greetings. The two of them didn't interact all that often, certainly not directly. All this time, that had been by design--his design, not Angel's. Vox didn't want the interaction or the intimacy. He didn't want the risk. Too much time with Angel might upset Valentino--or Angel, for that matter--and there was always too much work to do to risk adding more to it. Vox had so many projects happening at any given time, his attention was being pulled in so many directions, that he didn't enjoy having to deal with emotional...

Issues.

But lately, he'd begun realizing that was a mistake--especially when it came to Angel Dust.

The Tower was a little too quiet without Angel around. Something unexpected was missing when he wasn't there, something Vox couldn't name or fully understand; whatever it was, it left an ache behind, left the world too quiet. So this? Having an uncomplicated moment together? It felt nice. Overdue. Stupid, maybe, for so many reasons, but still. Nice.

Vox walked alongside him, smiling--the smile half for Angel and half for the sharks they were going to see.

When one of Angel's arms brushed his shoulder, Vox shivered. He buttoned his shirt up, realizing that maybe he wasn't comfortable showing quite so much of his pale blue skin right now, and hoped Angel hadn't noticed. It wasn't that he didn't trust Angel, it was--something else. Something about Angel, something Vox knew better than to think about. Something dangerous.

Something tempting.

"There's a difference between not being busy," he pointed out, twitching an eyebrow, "and being interested in doing something. Allegedly," playfulness making his eyes seem to sparkle, "it's good for people to just have some downtime. To do nothing." Not that Vox bothered with that often.. or at all. Relaxation was for people who didn't have their own business empires to run; even here, even now, he was constantly processing data and monitoring the projects that needed it most.

Angel probably knew him well enough to know that, and might well make fun of him for it, which Vox wouldn't even be able to say was wrong of him. There were things Angel and Valentino both seemed to understand about being a person that Vox just... didn't. But that was fine. It took all sorts, right? Either way, Vox was happy. There was some pep in his step as the two of them walked along to the lagoon, although for once, Vox didn't seem to be in a hurry. He wasn't rushing--walking next to Angel Dust wasn't something that should be rushed.

"So, do you... have any plans for this week? Other than look incredible, of course."

I ain't too good at expressing stuff unless it's with my body.

Fuck.

Blitz understood that. He understood that far, far too well. The words hit like blows.

When Angel knelt so as not to loom over him, it had quieted him. He went still, watching him, on the verge of breaking--but only on the verge. Blitz didn't know what it was about this guy that made him so easy to open up to--maybe a sense of shared suffering? That they had enough in common, they could understand? Because Angel sure as fuck seemed to immediately get it, to get everything Blitz said, even the shit he only halfway explained.

The imp stepped in closer, trusting him.

He hated this. Hated crying in front of anyone. As far as imps went, Blitz was peak masculinity and beauty rolled into one; he wasn't the type who was supposed to cry. He shouldn't be broken. He shouldn't be so deeply fucking flawed. But he was, and he hated it, and was ashamed of it, ashamed of so much--

Only, when Angel looked at him like he understood? The shame didn't cut quite as deeply.

"Yeah," Blitz agreed, nodding. He swallowed hard and wiped quickly at his eyes, trying to put on a bright smile. "Yeah, you can fucking kiss me."

It was probably safer for both of them if they communicated through the physical, if they danced around the truth. Because while Angel cared about what happened to him, Blitz didn't. If he died, he died. He'd be away from all of this. He'd be free. He wouldn't be trapped anymore, he wouldn't have to think or feel, he could just be free, and so he was willing, absolutely willing, to risk death if he could help his friend. If Valentino needed an ass-beating, if that would get him to lighten up on Angel? It was worth risking everything for--because really, what was there to lose?

I would risk everything to help you, Blitz thought, golden eyes burning fiercely as he studied this friend he had never expected, never looked for. You're worth it. And if in the end we were both free? Even if that meant I couldn't see you anymore? That would be worth it, too.

Someday, one of them was going to be happy. He clenched his fists, determining that. Someday. And it was going to be Angel. Whatever it took, Blitz was going to find a way to help him.

"Yeah, but the fuckin' difference is yeh' could die, Blitz!" His voice strained, not wanting to interrupt the other, but that was it, wasn't it? If Blitzo were to die, then Angel didn't know what would happen. He didn't know what happened if hellborns, or imps, or goetia, or anyone else that wasn't a sinner were to actively die in Hell. He could double die, sure, and he would cease to exist. Or as far as they knew. But he could be killed, and still regenerate. With few exceptions.

He wanted to go off about this, but he was floored by what the imp was saying to him. He had known a lot about Blitzo since they had first met, but there were still things neither of them had shared with the other. While Angel had yet to explain that Valentino literally beat the ever-loving shit out of him, Blitzo had not mentioned this very important piece of his life. Leaving Angel absolutely stunned, mismatched hues wide.

"Please don't march in and beat the shit out of Val." He mumbled, going down to his knees in front of the other. He knew there was the whole don't talk to short people this way blah blah bullshit, but he wanted to be on Blitz' level for this. He wanted to meet him eye to eye, and tell him he understood. Sitting his butt back on folded legs, he opened his mouth, ready to say that he got it, that he was there for him, that he wasn't going -

"Can ah' kiss yeh'?" Well damn, that....that wasn't in the plan. He hadn't had much of a plan to begin with, but that had blurted out far too easily, blushing slightly and glancing away. "Ah' mean, ah' get if yeh' don't wanna, but all of that....ah' get it. Ah' understand it. Ah' empathize with it. Ah' ain't too good at expressin' stuff unless it's wit' mah' body, but right now ah' just....ah' really wanna just cup yeh' face and kiss yeh'...."

It was too early in the morning, and far too peaceful a morning at that, to feel anything but contentment when Angel agreed to go. Blitz smiled, watching him stand up and take the board. He didn't try to look at his feet, didn't even say anything about them, just waited until Angel was in the water, until Angel turned to look at him, calling out like that... Fuck, that guy was so light somehow. Blitz knew that was partially an illusion, because Angel had a hell of a lot of trauma dragging him down, but still, there was something special about him. Maybe it was just charisma, maybe it was just--whatever it was that drew everyone to him so readily. But it drew Blitz, too.

He watched for a moment longer, enjoying the view, before he ran out into the water too. Blitz chucked his board down and laid on it, wiggling around until he felt like he was in a good position to start paddling. Then, he looked over at Angel. This... was definitely a bad idea. The worst idea, maybe. But fuck it, why not? Why not take the opportunity to steal a beautiful moment now and then, when they could? It wasn't like the world was just going to offer them up for free.

"I don't want you to drown," Blitz said, finally answering him. He just looked at Angel for a moment more, floating next to him, then nodded to a little point of land. "Let's paddle out to get parallel with that, but not too close to shore. And then... uh, you know. We'll um... It'll be worth it." It would, he told himself firmly, trying not to be nervous. He had practiced with the crystal often enough by now, even if every time it left him feeling a little more hollow with heartache, a little more lost without the lover he'd almost had, the lover he couldn't hold onto, that he ought to be confident in his ability to open the portals. Still, taking Angel out of Hell... Lucifer might get pissed at them for it whenever they came back, and Blitz didn't know what it might really mean to be on the receiving end of Lucifer's fury. Probably nothing good...

But what the fuck.

Life was full of shit that was never good.

Blitz started paddling, focused and just enjoying the physicality of it, the feeling of the board moving as he dug his hands into the water. The ocean of Hell were listless and lifeless at best, but this was still nice, still fun. And once they were far enough out that he didn't think anyone could stop them, Blitz looked over at Angel and nodded. "Let's take a trip. A short one. But let's go somewhere the water's actually fucking beautiful."

He didn't wait to see if Angel agreed. Blitz might lose his nerve if he did. Instead, he opened the portal there and paddled through it to the other side--

To Earth.

The sunlight was brilliant. It felt like it sang against his skin. The water was alive, vibrant and alive and even the way it moved was different. It was early morning there too, near the tropical island he was now floating off of, the sun barely above the horizon. The wind felt bright, and the crashing of waves on the golden sand was somehow soothing rather than intimidating, at least to Blitz. It was beautiful here... He sat up straight and then leaned his head back, eyes closed, trying not to listen to hear if Angel came through the portal, waiting and hoping all the same.

Blitz had needed this, he realized. Needed to be somewhere beautiful, somewhere alive. His heart was a hollow place these days, an aching place, and moments like this might keep it going a little while longer.

Angel was used to an absolutely terrible sleep schedule, having consistently gotten home in the middle of the night - uh, morning? - when Valentino would work him until he could practically not stand anymore. It had been an odd thing to be able to have a vacation, something that everyone had agreed to in the Pride Ring - even Valentino. Now that Lucifer was 'back in action', he was pretty sure his boss didn't want to upset the Princess. Angelic steel wasn't the only thing that could kill a sinner for good.

Because of that though, he had woken up far earlier than he had been wanting to. Of course, the one opportunity he has to sleep in, and his body is on high alert. Decades of cocaine addiction and partying into the night would do that, he supposed. But there was no point just wasting the few free days he had in this relaxing place just staring at his ceiling. Which was what had gotten him up and going to the beach, even if he was by himself.

In a way, that had been nicer. Not that he minded company, being an absolute extrovert. But while everyone else was resting - or fucking, who knew, that seemed like something that would probably happen this week and he totally wasn't jealous - he felt like he didn't have to put on that celebrity facade. Sometimes, Angel just liked to be comfortable. It was why he had gone to the beach in a pair of swim trunks which absolutely still screamed Angel Dust, but were much less revealing and more cozy. A pink matching bikini top over the fluff of his chest.

He had been sitting along the edge of the beach, knees brought up to his chest, watching the sun rise. Well, rise as much as it could in Hell. It was pretty - prettier than anything he had seen since dying, really. But he was drawn away from it as he heard the drag of the surf board, even before Blitzo had talked. The spider more or less glanced in that direction, laughing lightly as the small imp struggled with both the boards.

"Yeh' look like yeh' could use some help there." He teased, though didn't move from his spot, eyes taking in the imp. God, he was so hot. He didn't even pretend to not be checking him out, though pink eyes met gold as he raised an eyebrow. "Does it look like ah' got time? Of course ah' do. Starin' out inta' the ocean, or well, whatever excuse we have f' an ocean in Hell....it ain't exactly occupin' all mah' time." He laughed, though he knew what Blitz was going to ask him before he even did. No way would he be dragging two boards otherwise.

"Well it's a good thing there ain't no waves tah' catch, because unless yeh' want meh' tah' drown, that ain't no good idea. Ah' have no fuckin' clue how tah' surf." He stressed, though finally stood, brushing the sand from the revealed white fur of his thighs. He hadn't considered getting into the water, uncertain of what to do about his boots, pausing for a moment before he took one of the boards.

"But fine. Ah' ain't gonna say no. Especially if it's just....sittin' there." He looked out to the ocean, back to his boots, back to the ocean, and - "....if yeh' look at mah' feet, Blitz, ah' swear to fuckin' Satan that ah' will absolutely shoot yeh'." He stressed, bending down momentarily to unzip the sides of the long black boots he so commonly wore, pulling them off his fluffy feet and setting them aside. Before Blitz could even say anything, he was running towards the water with the board, laughing and making sure he was submerged up to at least his knees sooner rather than later. "Well? Yeh' comin'?"

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Artist : @ayamnnn_195

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