Chapter Text
“How can I live without thee, how forego thy sweet converse, and love so dearly joined, To live again in these wild woods forlorn?” - John Milton, “Paradise Lost”
Dabi sure as hell - heh - kept his end of the bargain. After finishing the other movie he requested, he returned to your apartment not an hour later with a ritual to summon All For One. As he could not touch it himself, he directed you in how to draw the new summoning circle on your floor. You put it in a different corner than the one for Keigo - just in case all went well - and laid out a new stack of candles for the ceremony. Plain smelling, nothing but wax, all laid out according to his requirements.
“Here’s the incantation. I’ve done all I can, little mouse. Knock him dead.”
“He’s an incubus, I don’t think I’m capable of ‘knocking him dead’.”
“That was terrible.”
“I’m nervous, what can I say?”
“He’s like a shark, he’ll smell your fear, so lock that shit up.”
And with that, Dabi left you to your own preparations. It feels an awful lot like a job interview, albeit for the biggest job of your life. You shower and dry your hair, styling it in the best way that you can. From the back of your closet, you pull out your power suit - black with a jewel toned tie - and put on your best shoes. A little bit of makeup to hide the dark circles under your eyes, a few last touch ups, and you check yourself out in the mirror.
You got this. You’ve got this.
One shot of liquor later for courage, you stand in front of the summoning circle. You hold the pages tight in your hands, willing them not to shake, and lick your lips.
Right. Here goes.
“De profundis inferni voco te: All For One, Primum incubi. Pacisci opto.” From the depths of hell, I summon thee: All For One, first of the incubi. I wish to bargain.
It takes only a moment before the air in the pentagram begins to churn. You have little experience with incubi magic - mostly Keigo’s and the rushes of magic that brought Endeavour and Dabi - but even your limited knowledge tells you that this is stronger. Black smoke circles around, pressing at the edges of the pentagram, and the flames that spark up inside are the same dark colour. Hellfire, perhaps. Every animal instinct inside you screams to run, runrunrun and don’t look back. But you stand your ground, knees shaking, and you clench the papers tightly.
In a flash of light and a rumble that shakes all of your furniture, a figure appears before you. He looms over you, broad and dominating - different than Endeavor, but somehow still commanding even more attention - and there is a laugh. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Hawks’s little pet human.”
...holy shit you get why the others were terrified of him. You almost shit yourself on sight. You’re sure that you look terrified, but you don’t run.
For Keigo. This is for Keigo.
“Yes, I am, although I wouldn’t call either of us a pet,” you say, voice trembling.
“I must say, I am impressed. Either you are bravely stupid or stupidly brave to summon me,” you can’t make out a face behind the darkness, but you think that he is raising an eyebrow at you, just based on the tone. “I can smell Hawks’s magic on you and...Dabi. Hm. Some discipline will need to be done.”
Nope. Nope. "No need. We had a transaction. After some negotiating, I asked for an appointment. Dabi arranged it. It was genuine. I wished to speak to you about the particulars of Hawks's situation," you reply, chin up, trying not to turn the paper in your hands into a ball. "And it was that or I find my own way down there, and I'm led to believe that I wouldn't exactly have a beneficial effect on your people."
You can't see All For One's face - it’s a mask, you can see that now - but you're fairly certain that he's frowning. "No, it would not. You are a good person, only an idiot would be unable to see that, and you would corrupt my workers. You've already done so to two of them."
“Then it’s best for this matter to be handled quickly to limit further corruption,” you say firmly. “And I…”
You laid this deal out carefully with Dabi, finding the loopholes and tying them shut. This will take literally every ounce of courage you have, but you have to do this.
“I want to make a deal with you. To tie up those ends.”
All for One laughs, his voice low and echoing in the small room. You can almost feel the laughter in your bones. "A deal? My, my, what would Hawks say?"
You can’t help a smile, wry as it is, trying to swallow down your fear. “He’d hate it. Absolutely hate it. But you've got Hawks somewhere where he can't hear this, so...will you deal with a demon-corrupting human?"
"What will you offer me in exchange?" All for One's voice sounds like a smirk. "It would be much easier to just kill you, or lock your access to the demon world permanently."
As much as you don't want to die, the second option absolutely terrifies you. That would be it. You’d never see him again. You manage carefully, "Well, considering I've been consorting with demons, but being a good influence on them, I would hazard a guess that I wouldn't end up in your ranks to torment, so you wouldn't get to punish me for what I've done.”
All For One looks you over, his head tilting along with his eyes, and he sighs, “No. No, you would not. Foolish human.”
“So...kind of a waste to kill me? One and done?” You shrug. “I don't know what you’re like, sir, but that doesn’t sound fun or enough for all the trouble I can cause.”
He makes a waving gesture with his hand. “And as for the second option?”
Humans are many things. They are weak and strong, kind and cruel, clever and foolish. But they are one thing above all else - they are stubborn.
You swallow. "When us humans know what we want, we fight for it with tooth and nail. I don't think I can carry hell to your doorstep, because, well, it’s actually Hell, but if you block my access through summoning circles, I will find another way in. I will make my way into Hell and I will find him and I will leave chaos in my wake," your voice is steady. Firm. As dry as you can, but with weight. "So it'll save you the trouble in the end to just deal with me now. And besides,"
You tap just before the edge of the circle with your toe. "You don't get to leave unless you do."
He laughs. "You think this meagre little thing can hold me?"
Maybe. I don't know.
"I think it'll hold you long enough to be a nuisance, and I am good at that . So, what's it going to be?"
Quiet fills the apartment, heavy and oppressive. Finally, after far too long, All for One barks out a laugh and the apartment shakes with it. It makes you jump a little. "Well played, little human. I'll humour you. Let me hear what you've come up with."
Holy shit. Now comes the hard part: negotiating with a demon thousands of years older than you are, with far more experience, and all the conniving nature of the First Fallen. You swallow and begin.
It's a long negotiation, but you find your leg to stand on. The prep with Dabi really, really helped, and you lay out your proposal. You agree to limit your access to hell through summoning circles to only include the incubi that you have spoken to before - Dabi, Endeavour, and, of course, Keigo. You offer the suggestion of any incubi that they specifically choose to bring with them as an option for training - “there will be people like me across time, it is best to be prepared for it” - and you also say that you will not do anything to obstruct or sabotage the duties of the incubi you encounter. In exchange, you want Keigo freed from his current punishment immediately and entrusted into your care until he is stable enough to return to his work.
All For One makes considering hums as you talk. He accepts the option of any incubi brought in - probably because it would make a great Kobayashi Maru style situation for them to use in training incubi - and he waits until you are done to speak. “Assisting with Hell’s affairs will not do well for your future judgement,” he says, voice steady. “Striking a deal with me.”
That is something you are willing to risk. “Maybe I’ll get lucky. Or you’ll get your fun in the end after all.”
All For One’s voice is smug. “We will see. I find no fault in this deal. You will act as a test for new incubi, and Endeavor will supervise those efforts. Hawks will be retrieved from Re-Education and returned to you within one earth day.”
Your joy threatens to leak through your professional expression.
"Then, little human - we have a deal.” He offers a hand out, a firm shake, and Dabi's words are firm in your mind. You have to shake his hand to solidify the deal, just like with any other deon. You have to step forward to meet him, or he'll try to push beyond the barrier and break it. Stand firm, little mouse. Don't agree to anything else.
You step forward, feet just before the barrier, and extend a hand. All for One grabs it and shakes your hand firmly. "Nothing more you desire?" He croons, voice almost sweet despite his menace. It is almost tempting, but you shake your head, shake his hand, and let go. All for One laughs. "You will be a useful asset to us. Let me go then."
Right. You lift up the paper and read again. “Contractus nostri sigillatus est. Abi ut impleatur.” Our contract has been sealed. Begone so it may be filled.
You think, through the mask, that All For One might be smiling. He disappears in the same puff of smoke and flames, and the moment he disappears, you sink to the floor. And hyperventilate.
Holy fuck.
You just negotiated with a Lord of Hell.
AND WON.
YOU ARE A FUCKING G O D.
It takes a few moments to get your legs moving (and to grab a bottle of alcohol to celebrate), but you manage to run over to the other sigil and call Dabi. It’s just the general call for an incubus, but he appears immediately to see your panicked face. His grin is sharp toothed as he kneels down before you. “Well done , little mouse.”
“I have never been more scared in my entire life.”
“As you should be,” Dabi grins. “ Endeavour and I will be escorting Hawks to you tomorrow.”
“Do you know how he is?” You ask quietly.
Dabi shakes his head. “But I have seen people come out of re-education. You’ll have your work cut out for you.”
“I’m ready.”
He gives you a look of disbelief, but it doesn’t matter. Whether you’re really ready or not...you have to be.
They arrive the following morning. You are standing in your kitchen, still in your pyjamas, hair up and drinking coffee, when you hear the sound of the runes activating. Coffee immediately forgotten, you rush forward to stand in front of the summoning circle. You’re not sure what to expect. You’re not sure if you’re ready. You’re not sure if he’s injured, or in pain, if his mind has been scrambled, or if there’s no hope for him at all. Whatever it is, he’s alive, so there should be hope.
You watch as three incubi appear in your living room. Dabi and Endeavor look the same as ever, but Keigo, oh, Keigo. He looks wrecked, and not in a good way. Dabi and Endeavor are holding him up, and his eyes are glued to the floor. There are bruises and cuts all over him, his hair is matted with blood, and his wings are a mess of broken and crumpled feathers. He looks an absolute mess, exhausted and in pain. He casts his eyes up at you and a horrible expression crosses his face.
"Please," Keigo whines, eyes open to stare at the floorboards. "You've made me see it enough. Don't make me see them again. Please... "
Oh, that hurts. You’re sure your expression crumples. You say nothing, only stepping forward and cutting through the circle to let them through.
Endeavor looks at you with something almost like sympathy as he half carries Keigo to your sofa. “He’s been tormented rather heavily. I believe it was in an attempt to make it seem like you never existed.”
“And that it’d be better for him to forget you,” Dabi adds, setting your battered incubus down. Keigo’s eyes are closed, the shadows deep under them, and he curls away from the two of them. “Although I think he’ll be pleased to remember you. You held your ground quite well, little mouse. I’m impressed.”
"Had a hell of an instructor," you say as you grab blankets to drape over Keigo. "Couldn't have done it without you, Dabi."
"Touya," Dabi chuckles. "You'll be seeing me often enough, little mouse. Call me Touya."
Endeavor frowns and sighs. "And I am Enji, as I will be supervising you."
"Pleased to meet you both," you nod to them and tuck a fuzzy blanket around Keigo's body. "And good to see you again, Kei."
His eyes open to stare at you and he shakes his head, looking away. "You're not real."
Behind you, you hear Endeavor’s voice suggest gently, “The road ahead of you is going to be hard. Stay constant, little flame."
“Thank you. We’ll speak again soon.”
You only get up to see Enji and Touya out, but you immediately return to Keigo’s side. He still faces away from you, looking out the window, barely breathing, barely moving.
“Hey, Kei,” you say softly, gauging his response.
He ignores you, still staring straight ahead.
You inhale slowly. “You can believe I’m not real, I won’t force you, but I do need to know. Are you in pain?”
Kei’s shoulders shift, drawing a little closer to his ears. “What will you do if I say yes?” His voice cracks.
“Ask if human painkillers work on you,” you reply gently, “and if you say no, then get you an ice pack and some bandages.”
Keigo takes one slow breath, flinching on the hard inhale. “...they don’t work.”
“Okay. I’ll be just a moment.” You get up and make your way to the kitchen to get the ice. The first aid kit is in the bathroom, and you return slowly with both. “Are you okay with me touching you to bandage you up?”
Finally, Keigo looks at you. His eyes are almost empty, staring through you rather than at you, and he shrugs. “Sure. You’ll hurt me anyway.”
Your mind flashes back to the conversation with the wings. “I will not hurt you,” you say gently. “If I do, please tell me. I never want to hurt you.”
He laughs bitterly. “Right.”
Keeping to your word, you keep your touch gentle. You bandage up his cuts and bruises as best you can, binding up his sore ribs, and offer the ice pack for his aching head. The cold seems to get a little more of a reaction from him, his eyes widening, but he still stays fairly still, only moving as directed.
When you tie up the last bandage, you ask gently, “Would you like some help with your wings?”
That is a full body flinch. “No,” he says sharply. “Not my wings, not again, please, not my wings-”
What did they do to him ? “Okay,” you keep your voice low and soft. “Not your wings. Your body, your rules.”
You close up the first aid kit, putting it to the side, and sit nearby on the sofa, not quite close enough to touch. It puts yourself in his field of view, but it does mean you’re away from his wings, and that seems to be necessary. “I’m gonna put a movie on, okay? You don’t have to do anything.”
He shrugs, but doesn’t move. You put on a documentary in the background, something with a low soothing voice, and settle back on the sofa. It’s hard to pay attention to with your attention so fixed on Keigo, but it’s not there to be interesting. Keigo’s eyes flick over to it every now and then, but he is mostly fixed on the view out the window...and you. What he sees when he looks at you, you don’t know, but at least he’s looking.
It’s about halfway through the documentary that you feel the sofa shift beside you. You don’t move, feeling a lot like you’re courting a stray cat, but you slowly feel Keigo move closer. It takes you a few moments to recognize the position he takes: it’s the opposite of your usual movie position. His shoulder rests against your side, and he finds the slight curve of your body to lean against. You keep your arm up high so he doesn’t feel trapped and your breath stays as even as you can make it. No matter what you do, though, he looks mostly off into space, fists clenched in his lap, wincing whenever you shift your body.
When the documentary ends, you ask softly, “Another?”
You feel him nod against you and you put on another similar documentary. Keigo stays where he is, pressed into your warmth. The ice pack is set on the table and he seems to breathe a little easier, the cold easing whatever happened to his lungs.
“May I touch your hair?” You ask quietly.
He shrugs. “Sure.” It has the same air as daring you to hug him, and you respond in the same way. You move slowly, telegraphing your movements, and settle your fingers gently in his hair. It’s hard to avoid the bloody spot - there’s a lump there, someone gave him quite the whack - but you pet through the strands as gently as you can. Keigo is tense at first, but the more you pet him without hurting him, the more he settles.
“...how long has it been?”
His voice, although quiet, grabs your attention abruptly, and you look down at him. He doesn’t elaborate on the question, but you think you know what he means. “Four days,” you reply, voice just as soft. “I got scared and started making calls, for lack of a better term, on the third day.”
Another broken laugh. “Yeah? Who’d you call?”
“Anyone who would answer me,” you smile a bit to yourself. “Dabi answered. Made a deal for more information on what was happening to you.”
Keigo’s face is pressed against you, so you can feel him frown. “That’s not smart.”
“No, but apparently my hugs are incubus catnip,” you smile. “We negotiated information for hugs.”
He snorts. “That tracks. Then what did you do?”
“He stopped me from storming the gates of hell and helped me come up with a better plan,” you explain gently. “So I did possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, Kei.”
“You made two deals with demons, supposedly. What’s dumber than that?”
This...this might break him a little bit. “I...negotiated with All For One?’
Keigo ricochets out of your hold to stare you down. The expression on his face is plain, simple horror. “No. No, you didn’t.”
“He wears a black mask when he deals with humans,” you say softly. “The circle is still on the floor over here.”
His eyes take in the chalk drawing with increasing dread. “What did you do?” He asks, voice trembling. “What did you give him for me?”
“Not my soul,” you say soothingly, hand resting on his shoulder. “Your freedom for...a job offer, basically? I’m to be an introduction to new incubi on what to do when you meet an asexual person. And I can’t contact any incubi other than you, Endeavor, and Dabi.”
He stares you down, still frantic, and he asks softly, “You didn’t sell your soul for me?”
“No. No, I did not.”
“You didn’t do anything you didn’t want to.”
“No, I definitely did not.”
It takes time, but Keigo sinks back into place beside you. This time, his hands slowly undo from the fists on his lap and he winds his arms around you, holding you tightly. Your hand goes back up into his hair and he leans into it. “Good. Even if you’re not real…that’s good.”
You spend hours like that, only getting up to get water, food, and use the washroom. Keigo seems to have given up on pretending you’re not there, as every time you move, Keigo is watching you like a hawk (heh). He eats a little bit, drinks water, and mostly just soaks in the contact and time with you. Something about it doesn’t seem quite right, when you remember Endeavor’s voice.
Stay constant.
...Keigo’s waiting. He’s waiting for something to happen. Based on his last comments...he’s waiting for you to do something you haven’t done before. Something that happened in that place.
When the movies end, you finally just...talk. Your voice is soft as you talk to him about your life, things you’ve told him, things you never have. You continue your conversation on Frankenstein to talk about ambition, nature, and revenge. He doesn’t say anything or interject. He just listens to what you’re saying. At first, you wonder if he fell asleep or is just letting the words wash over him, but when you look down, there are his sharp eyes on you, his attention fixed upon you.
You don’t know how late it is, only that the sun is finally setting, and Keigo finally says, "You haven't changed."
That makes you pause in your gentle petting and chatter. "No."
"You're supposed to have changed, you're supposed to have tried to get me to sleep with you, or gotten hurt, or said something cruel," Keigo turns to look at you, his voice a little frantic, his eyes wide. "But you're still here and you’re still...you."
You take his hand and raise it to your cheek, letting him cup it. He shivers at the touch, and he whispers softly, fingers flexing against your cheek, “Please, kid. Please be you. Please be you, baby bird, I couldn’t take it if this was more torture.”
You simply tilt your face into the touch. "I’m here. I would have come myself, but Dabi said you'd have killed him if he brought me."
"I would have," he mutters, thumb brushing over your skin. "But you said that you...no, you wouldn't have..."
"Negotiated with All For One for your freedom?" you laugh. "He said himself that it was either bravely stupid or stupidly brave. But it was for you, so...I was willing to take the chance."
With a rush of movement, he leans up and presses his lips to your forehead, inhaling as his nose presses into your hair. The touch wobbles, he shudders, and his fingers flex on your cheek. "You're...you're real." His voice is wondrous, his breath a soft little puff against your forehead, and he slides his fingers back into your hair. "You're real?"
"Hey, Keigo," you murmur gently, and he shivers at the puff of your breath against his neck. "I missed you."
You have exactly one moment to breathe before he draws back and throws his arms around you in a desperate hug. You yelp with laughter, your arms sliding around him, just barely managing to avoid the wings. "Keigo!"
"You're okay!" He wraps his arms around you tightly, burying his face in your shoulder, and you are fairly certain that he's starting to cry. "You're real, you're okay, you're okay..."
" You're okay," you manage, rubbing his back as he trembles. "This is real, you're okay."
He keeps the firm hold, breathing hard, wetness starting to seep through your shirt. You hum soothingly and keep rubbing his back while his emotions seep out of him. "I thought I wasn't going to see you again," he gasps, voice beginning to ramble, "That was- I could have taken the pain if it meant I could see you again, fucking hell, kid, I thought all I was going to have were my memories and they were going to change you too, oh little bird, fucking amazing thing you are, you’re here, you’re okay..."
"I am. We both are. Now, breathe, darling," you say softly, pressing your lips to his temple.
As the contact happens, he stops breathing. He freezes in place, his expression still where it presses against your body, and his hands flex at your back.
"...that is the opposite of what I said, Keigo," you tease softly, pressing another little kiss to his temple. "Can you take a breath for me?"
He gasps, sucking in a breath, and says, "...you...you called me...and you..."
You lean back slightly from the hug so he can see you. When you see his golden eyes drink you in, you smile and press a kiss tenderly to his forehead. When you draw away, his eyes have closed, his eyelashes fluttering against his skin, and his lips have parted. You say softly, "I did. And I will again, if that's okay?"
"If that's okay," he parrots in disbelief, expression bewildered a little wondrous as his golden eyes open again. "Little bird, you're...too good to be true, you know that?"
"I'll still hog the blankets and make stupid jokes and sing obnoxiously to every musical number. That won’t change."
He waves his hand slightly. "Endearing quirks, little bird. But besides the point," he looks at you firmly. "Why are you-"
"I love you too, dummy," you say with a warm smile, raising a hand to his cheek, and he turns his head fully into it, staring at you with amazement. "I didn't want to push anything before, not when you were already pushing your boundaries with me. But I've been half in love with you since you watched my favourite movie with me and didn't judge me. Even more so when you took care of me after I had been puking my guts out, and you kissed me and you still called me pretty bird."
"Because you are," he says, eyes wide. "How- how did you know-"
"Endeavor," you tell him. "He broke it to me. Then Dabi confirmed it."
He growls. "Of course they did, those bastards."
"Hey, don't be mad. It got me moving to help."
He shakes his head, but you watch as his expression becomes something deeply vulnerable. "You...you love me?"
"I love you."
"You're not saying- Don't say things you don't mean, little bird," he says, voice disbelieving. "You don't have to say anything because you know how I feel about you-"
You reach forward and catch his chin with your fingers. He blinks and you lean forward a bit more, touching your forehead to his. "Keigo. You can feel my emotions and my desire. Look at me. See me.”
He trembles in your touch, but you feel him focus for a moment, tensing up under you. His eyes glow a brighter gold as he looks over you and as he looks, you can see his expression melt into something like joy. Then his exhale shakes desperately. “You…you mean it.”
“Yeah, I do,” you smooth your thumb across his chin in a gentle pet and ask gently, “Hey, Kei...may I kiss you?"
He nods jerkily, his expression the picture of excitement. “ Please.”
The kiss is soft, as tender as you can make it. You’ve kissed people before, you know how this goes, but Keigo seems hesitant. He holds back from your touch, focused on keeping it as chaste as possible, but his hand comes down to grab yours, squeezing it tight. His lips taste a bit like salt from his tears and when you slowly draw back, his exhale trembles out of him.
Then you kiss him again. And again. And the next one, Keigo presses into it, slightly tilting his head to get the angle right. A normal incubus, you imagine, would know how to kiss in the perfect way, but Keigo has stumbled his way through intimacy his entire existence. He’s learning, figuring out what angle means your noses won’t bump, how much he should open his mouth, where his boundaries and yours align. His hand squeezes yours, and you feel the couch cushion dip where he is squeezing it with his other hand.
He pulls back slightly, resting his forehead against yours, your noses touching. You open your eyes to see that his eyes are closed, lashes brushing against his cheekbone. Then they open, and you stare deep into golden eyes. “Hey,” you say with a bit of a giddy smile.
He looks equally giddy. “Hey,” he can barely speak because of how wide he is smiling. “Fuck, baby bird, you are just…amazing, look at you.”
Your cheeks go bright red at that. “You say the sweetest things.”
“Course I do, you deserve them.” He smiles at you and kisses your forehead. “Then I...I want to ask you something.”
“Of course.”
“Can…can you...my wings?” His voice goes soft. “It hurts and...I trust you.”
Oh God, Keigo. “Of course, Kei. Lemme get a picture so I know how it should look.”
You get your phone and pull up an image of a bird’s extended wing, with all the proper names and terms, and set it in a place you can see. Keigo shifts away, back slightly away from you, and he extends his wings gingerly. His wings are, quite frankly, a disaster. Half of the feathers are broken, the rest crumpled and out of place, and you think you can see bruises on the bones underneath. Right away, you gently run your fingers through the good feathers, a tender little touch, and Keigo’s head tilts forward, relaxing into it.
“I’ll put something on the bruises after,” you say gently, and he nods. “You tell me if anything hurts?”
Another nod. With that, you set yourself to work. The broken feathers are gently pulled out and set to the side in an ever-increasing red pile. The others you work on straightening, using the photo for reference to try and reassemble his working wings. It is a quiet job, and as you look at it, you think you can see what happened. Experience tells you exactly how sensitive his wings are, and if someone wanted to cause him pain…
It takes effort not to clench your fists as you process that.
Instead, you just focus on your work. With each feather you put back in place, a little more tension fades from Keigo. The feathers turn into your touch, hesitant at first, but when you offer little gentle pets to them, they press into you. Please, they seem to say. More. Please.
Which you oblige. Of course.
Keigo swallows audibly and turns his head to the side to look at the TV reflection. You do the same, and his expression is...sad, almost. “This is supposed to hurt,” he says quietly. “Everything else with my wings hurts.”
You run your hand gently along his primaries. “I told you I will never hurt you.”
“Fuck, didn’t think you’d be so serious about it,” his voice is sheepish.
“Well, I love you, so you can be doubly sure of it.”
That happy little trill comes out again. “I am never going to get tired of hearing that,” his wings tremble under your hands. “You know we’re not supposed to?”
“To love? Dabi said something like that.” You slide a hand up to rest on his shoulder, thumb stroking along the golden skin, and he presses back into you like a cat. “I guess you’re really special, huh? Breaking tradition.”
“I was gonna say that about you,” his reflection smiles at you. “Broke thousands of years old tradition by just being that fucking amazing.”
Again, you start blushing. “Keiiii.”
His wings press back into you. “Hey, I’m telling the truth.”
One wing now completely put to rights, you start working on the other one. “I’m sure you are. I don’t think you’d lie to me.”
He nods. “Whatever you want from me, kid. You get all of me on a silver platter.”
“Likewise,” you lean forward to brush a kiss to his temple. “By the way, part of my negotiation was that you stay here until you’re recovered enough to return to duty.”
His body twists to look at you. “I...I can stay?” His eyes are wide. You think you know what else he isn’t saying. I don’t have to leave before nightfall or as soon as you wake up. I get to just...stay by you?
“Yes. Yes, you absolutely can.”
If you thought that he shone before, the smile that crosses Keigo’s face is enough to put the sun to shame. He doesn’t say anything more, but you continue your gentle care of his wings. You fix every feather, pull out all of the broken ones with delicate fingers, and, as soon as you’re done, you find a medicinal balm to spread across his bruises. When you’re done, Keigo turns around and gives his wings a little shake, as though he’s getting water off of them.
“Feels good?” You ask.
Keigo nods. “Better than when I do it. They’ll grow back in a few days.”
“Then…?” you shift back onto the couch and open your arms again. Without even needing to finish the question, Keigo answers by practically diving into your arms. He splays across your chest, his wings draped over the two of you like a big blanket, and his hands tuck neatly into their usual place by your sides. Your hand settles back into his hair, playing with the strands, mindful of the lump. He trills again in joy, his body melting against yours.
“Best place in the world right here,” he mumbles into you. “Fuck, I love you, kid.”
“I love you too.”
There’s not much else to say. You could, of course, tell him exactly how worried sick you were that he was gone, or ask him about what he wants to do in however many days he takes to heal up. He could offer to take you flying, or to tell you a little more about what happened in that hellscape they put him in. He could ask what you plan to do with the new incubi who come up to you for training, or tell a joke about how they’ll react if Keigo is already there in your apartment. You could ask what about you was so special to earn the love of an incubus, and he could ask you the same. There are questions of the future and so much more.
There are many other things you do not want to say. Keigo will still wake up in pain, or wake up in the middle of the night, screaming in a strange tongue at things that you cannot fathom. You will get a knock on your door from your landlord about the person sharing the apartment with you, and when he makes jokes about keeping busy, you will have to not slam the door in his face. There is still a pandemic waging outside of your apartment walls, and when you have to go back to work, you will tremble in fear of the ignorant and wrathful. Neither of you are broken, but being loved suddenly does not fix everything.
But after all of the action of the day, all the two of you want to do is to simply...exist together. You are ready to drift off to sleep wrapped up in his warmth, and him to the same surrounded by love and affection. You both are comfortable, safe, and loved, and in this moment, there is nothing else that you want to be.
We deserve a soft epilogue, my love. We are good people...and we have suffered enough. - nikka ursula