Chapter Text
Hey I’m back and better than ever! Long time no see I missed you guys so much. I got caught up in some Velvette and Beelzebub drama and it was spicy to say the least. It kept me pretty pretty occupied but I’m here now and last we left off our Web of Love became quite tangled with lies, deceits, half truths…and secrets. Of course that’s the thing about lies once you start telling them you can’t stop telling them. Until you’ve woven quite the web
Anyways…
Saying goodbye over a massive, traditional Italian breakfast was an experience in itself, filled with enough teasing and noogies to last a lifetime—mostly because they’d clearly heard him and Lily being "quiet" the night before. But that wasn’t the point. He left loaded down with enough home cooking to sustain them for three lifetimes, but not before his mother pulled him aside for a very stern talking-to: if he didn’t visit again, she’d march right down to that hotel, drag his sorry ass back up here, and embarrass the shit out of him in front of all his friends if he ever tried to keep her grandkittens from her again. With the threat—and the feast—secured, it was finally time to go home.
Although that was easier said than done Lily was sleeping she needed her sleep. She was carrying his kittens even if one of them technically wasn’t his. That’s right I’m still hung up on that and I’m not going to stop so f*ck you!
Besides…
…they’d been up late into the night and she deserved every second interrupted sleep she got. She was busy making life that was all she needed to worry about…nothing more. She needed the rest…and Angel didn’t want to wake her. He really…really…really didn’t want to wake her up. Lily looked so peaceful while she slept…also if he was being honest with himself. Lily was the only thing keeping him from completely losing his f*cking mind. That at the moment was filled with nothing but thoughts of fear…stress…anxiety. About his upcoming chat with Emily consumed his every waking thought.
Lily was the only thing keeping his head above water, her purring calmed his racing heart. Her fur kept him grounded; it felt nice to have something to hold and touch; it made everything seem a little less scary, a familiar comfort he’d felt before. As Angel locked his fingers into her fur, ruffling it up real good, letting it glide through his hands like silk as he gently worked out any knots, taming her bedhead. He finished it off with a few gentle scratches behind her ears and under her chin. Even the trail of drool starting to form on her face made him smile.
Even with Lily calm, his thoughts were still spiraling. A portal was their best bet to get back to the hotel…back home. Minimum fuss, minimum run-ins with Heaven’s citizens. After everything that happened, he just wanted to lay low. Angel tried to open a portal, but…nothing. He tried again, still nothing. With one last deep breath, he rested his hands protectively on her stomach, his focus sharpening…
“Just get us…home”
His voice was shaky, nervous, and pricked with anxiety—he was terrified this wouldn’t work. He feared the fallout: Heaven’s wrath, their displeasure, their disgust at the chaos Lily had unleashed. And all the while, the worst part gnawed at him: he didn’t even know why she had bolted. That look on her face when the doctor walked in—that raw, visceral terror—was etched into his mind forever. She had looked at him like he was a monster.
The doctor, however, clearly knew her. His expression was the polar opposite of Lily’s; he showed no fear, only shock, guilt, and a profound, aching remorse. It was the look of someone who had done something he desperately wished he could take back, something he ached to set right. His eyes went wide and his body trembled as tears welled up, and in that split second, he had reached out, a desperate, silent plea for her to let him help.
But he never got the chance…
Angel wasn’t thinking—just acting on pure, blinding rage. Seeing the recognition in the cherub's eyes and the terror on Lily’s face was all he needed to know; nothing else in the world mattered.
It was all a hazy blur, a frantic snap of instinct took over. He couldn't even register exactly what happened—only the sound that echoed in his skull and the sudden, heavy stillness that followed. He didn't check to see if Collin was alright; he didn't care about the cherub—he only cared about her. His hand felt oddly sore and stiff, a dull ache he didn't have the time to analyze. He had only one thought, one desperate drive: find Lily… no matter what.
With that, Angel closed his eyes, his mind letting out one final plea...
“Please”
Then as if the universe answered his prayers as he snapped his fingers. The space right in front of their very eyes started to shift, wrap and swirl until a gold portal opened up. Angel didn’t know what that was about; his portals were usually some form of pink, usually neon pink not gold. However, he didn’t care who had opened it or where it would lead; he wasn't about to ask questions. Completely unaware of his destination, he simply scooped Lily into his arms and whispered…
“Don’t worry Lily, I’ll get you home…I promise”
…then walked on through expecting to be greeted with the familiar sights…sounds… and smells of Hell. However, Angel emerged on the other side. He wasn’t greeted by the familiar, smog-choked, ruby-red skies of Pentagram City, nor the stench of rot, ozone, and copper-thick blood that clung to its streets. The absence of the city's chaotic soundtrack—the screaming, the metal-on-flesh, the guttural crunch of cannibals, the endless cacophony of horns and cursing—hit him like a physical weight. It was too quiet, Angel found himself actually missing the chaos, calamity and clutter of hell.
Don’t get him wrong, heaven had its perks and made for a lovely place to visit…but it wasn’t home. He loved getting to reunite with his Ma again and he wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. In fact he looked forward to future visits…but Angel couldn’t imagine living here full time. He wasn’t sure how Pen did it. This place was too peaceful… calm… too quiet.
So you can only imagine Angel’s surprise when he emerged on the other side. To find out he wasn't greeted with the familiar sights, sounds and… smells of home. He didn’t see bright neon signs that lit up the skies or the hotel on the hill overlooking the city. In fact he wasn’t in hell at all…he was still in heaven. A rather populated area full of Winners, various heavenborn. Some that seemed like they were pretty high ranking officials in the heavens hierarchy.
Yet, oddly enough, the cherubs were nowhere to be found. They were the imps of Heaven; they ought to have been all over the place, yet they were staying strictly to their own territories. Then again heaven while massive it has small town vibes. It was the kind of place where everyone knew everybody and news travels fast. So there is a chance that what happened in the doctor’s office got back to them. It might explain some things but that can’t be however…it would explain why they made themselves so scarce.
However weird their abstinence wasn’t as important as this…
As Angel looked around at all the winners of all shapes and sizes chatting with their friends. Heavenborn with little ones playing games with what he believed were their parents. High racking officials sipping coffee or tea in to-go cups it was hard to tell. From what he could tell he arrived in the town square, the heart of heaven if you will. The realization hit him like a physical blow: he’d done the exact opposite of laying low. Instead of disappearing, he was standing dead center in a spotlight he didn't want, hating every agonizing second of it. He felt mortified. The moment they’d stepped out of the portal, the bustle of the square had simply evaporated, replaced by a wall of silence. Every single eye in the place…and locked on… them.
When this happened Angel wasn’t expecting them or at least him… to be greeted…after what he did. With lots of glares, hushed whispers and bless yer hearts. This was Heaven, not Hell. Hell was a lot of things, but at least people there weren’t afraid to speak their mind—even if it meant walking away with a black eye or a bloody lip. Honestly he’d rather have them tell him what a miserable piece of shit he was!
That would be better than the reality of the cold, undead silence of their stares.That triggered a spike of panic, and he felt a cold dread sink in—the kind of feeling that even Lily usually kept at bay, but not today. His face felt flush, sweat prickled his forehead. His knees felt weak, like they’d buckle under his weight. His stomach was a mess of knots, Angel’s breath was hitched and jagged; he felt his chest tightening.
Making it impossible to do anything…much less breathe. Angel’s skull was pounding, the courtyard was spinning. His vision blurred as his breathing got shallower and shallower. The people around him turned hazier and hazier until they were engulfed in shadows. Then something happened Angel wasn’t expecting…no one was…
“Woah! Easy, try to breathe, you're Amelia’s kid, D’Angelo, right? Anthony…or is Angel? I forget what cha’ goin’, by these days. It's hard to keep track. You're still with me… the air up here is probably…different then what you’re used to.”
Angel’s vision started clearing up the moment he heard a voice. Oddly enough it sounded friendly like true kindness. As he blinked slowly his eyes…all eight of them. They felt heavy and it was a chore just to stay awake. He wanted to close them, give in to the darkness and…sleep. After a very stressful afternoon. His head felt heavy—a thick, sluggish fog settling behind his eyes. He tried to blame the overindulgence of the morning—the rich coffee, the pastries, his Ma’s cooking—all the comforts he hadn't tasted in a century. But even as he tried to convince himself he was just suffering from a sugar crash, the reality was more intense. The looming, heavy silence of the courtyard was pressing down on him, making his worries about Emily feel like a distant, unreachable memory.
Yet something told him to call it a feeling to fight through the fatigue… and wake up.
Ding-dong… Ding-dong! Ding-dong…
Heaven’s clock tower chimed 12:30 church bells filled the air. Thirty minutes passed and Angel was finally coming to. Although it was touch and go for a while. When Angel’s vision started clearing his eyes slowly fluttered open. He was finally able to get a good look at his surroundings. A crowd had gathered, still just a blurry mass. Everyone looked concerned, their voices hushed and barely audible….
“Is he breathing? He looks ghastly.”
“Oh, darling, that’s just his fur he takes after his mother, that one.”
They were all bearing gifts—extravagant, oversized baskets overflowing with artisan chocolates, taffies, and soaps molded into elaborate shapes.
“I heard the son of Amelia D’Angelo is quite particular. Does he even like chocolate? Or are soaps the safer bet for a mother-to-be?”
There were plushies, bouquets of roses, and even those rare Heaven-only blooms—sunblooms and moonblooms—tucked into every available surface.
“I hope the plushies are soft enough? We wouldn't want the kittens to have anything less than silk. ”
“Honestly, what do you get the mother of Amelia’s future grandkittens? You can’t go wrong with Heaven’s finest blooms… can you?”
However, out of this sea of faces Angel was able to make out one face. From the swarm of people it stood out partially because their outline looked familiar but completely different at the same time. It was a cat winner, However it was hard to tell they lacked a halo and wings. They were really pretty though not as pretty as Lily though…no one even came close…
What Angel liked best was that she stood out, but not in a bad way. In a landscape of blinding whites, golds, and pastels, she was a grounding anomaly. She was a rich, cocoa-brown from head to tail, though her fur wasn't uniform; it was marbled white and purple in a way that made her look entirely unique.
The patterns weren't symmetrical, just a natural, beautiful bit of chaos that made her stand out from the polished, perfect citizens of Heaven.She watched him with dark, liquid-brown eyes. Everything about her felt heavy and real: the oversized paws, long twitching whiskers, but oddly enough no tail at least that he could see that looked completely out of place in this pristine courtyard.
Angel was finally coming to, although his senses still felt hazy and sluggish. Coming to him in phases with his vision finally clear and any prior events were just a hazy blur. It didn't matter. He was happy exactly where he was. With a slow, steadying breath, he opened his mouth to speak...
“L-Lily”
Angel rasped his voice like he’d swallowed gravel. Clearly his facial recognition was still seriously f*cked up because this cat looked nothing like Lily. Even if she did shapeshift there’s no tell no mark nine or heart or blue eyes or any of her usual tells in her forms when she shifts. Also the real Lily was currently attempting to do spoonies with Angel. Not exactly easy when you’re 13 weeks pregnant with four very demanding little ones. Who insisted on taking up all their father’s love and attention.
However love always finds a way as Lily wrapped one of her tails tight and taught around Angel’s leg. Then, one of Lily’s legs slowly hooked around that same leg, locking it into a heavy, deliberate hold. She wound the rest of her tails around his stomach, pulling him flush against her—pressing into him to shift the blunt, unyielding weight of the babies away from her aching spine and lower back.She tucked her face underneath his hoodie, nuzzling deep into his back— as the sound of her loud yet gentle…
“Purrrrrrr!”
…purring. Followed by the rhythmic, soothing kneading motions of Lily’s claws making biscuits and massaging Angel’s back in the process. Lily wasn’t the only one enjoying this Angel was enjoying this quite a bit. He quite enjoyed how Lily’s claws gently pricked his skin and massaged his back. Of course Angel didn’t know what was happening all or who was doing this. All he knew was that he had this mysterious pricking sensation in this back that felt amazing. It felt more than amazing, it felt better than words could possibly describe… It left him, quite helplessly, hard as hell. With Angel being dazed, confused and defences lowered things are bound to slip out…
“Hey kitten, let daddy give you some sugar.”
Angel leaned in, entirely certain of his ground, and delivered a gentle, playful nip to the side of her neck. Who isn’t Lily! Causes her to gently blush, as she chuckles politely with her paw over her mouth.
“Oh wow I’m flattered but I think you have the wrong girl. The name’s Rosemary you’ve probably never heard of me. I’ve heard all about you and Lily from my uncle…and you’re real sweet. Not my type…not that matters… but you do know how to make an impression don’t you.”
Rosemary’s voice smooth as silk and entirely unfazed. She brushes a hand against her neck where he nipped her, her expression amused rather than offended. This is when Angel’s senses came back to him in full force. That’s when he realized this cat wasn’t Lily and he just bit this total stranger on the neck. That wasn’t even the worst part… she wasn’t alone, just the opposite.
Angel felt completely and utterly… mortified and overcome with embarrassment that he couldn’t speak. I mean it was bad enough Charlie had to use him as an example at that big heavenly meeting a few months ago. But just had to go and prove them right they all probably thought he f*ck anything with a pulse. Suddenly Angel’s skin began to prickle and…
POP!
Out goes Angel, and in comes Aphrodite—or Ally for short—Angel’s imp form. He turns into this when he’s embarrassed, flustered, or, in this case, completely mortified. However, he’s never shifted this quickly; although, given the situation, you can’t really blame him.
Naturally, he knew he’d changed, and that was the second thing he didn’t want to happen. To transform into an imp… a creature from Hell. Not here. Not in front of a bunch of Winners who were only just starting to accept sinners into their home. His mind was racing a thousand miles a minute…
“Shit! Shit!! Shit!!! Shiiiiiiiiit!!!!!”
Angel thought thinking he was completely and utterly…f*cked. However, that's when Angel suddenly felt Lily’s head rubbing aggressively against his horns. Followed by a very loud and familiar sound…
“Purr… Purrr… Purrrr…”
…of Lily’s purring. But Angel’s horns were hollow so to him Lily’s purring sounded like this…
“Purr! Purrr!! PURRRRR!!!!!”
…the sound practically made Angel’s skull vibrate and his roll back into his made him hard as a rock. All while her claws still gently massaged his back which wasn’t helping. Well that and she was holding him close cuddling him like a teddy bear. His face was mere inches from Lily's breasts and his face felt flush and his mind was screaming.
“Fck! Fck! Fuuuuuuuck!!!!!! Why does that have to feel so f*cking good? These stupid horns—they’re making me feel everything, and I’m losing my f*cking mind.”
“Maybe I can just… give her a little squeeze… It's not like that. No! Are you f*cking stupid? These Winners already think you’re nothing but a whore after that little stunt you pulled. They’re just waiting for you to prove them right. God, they already think I'm a whore—that I only do anything if the price is right. If they see me all over her, they’re gonna see a Sinner acting like a Sinner. That’s what they think if I can’t keep my f*cking hands to myself.”
“I can’t f*ck up any future visits with Ma—not after I finally got her back. She’d kill me. Charlie seriously screwed things up for me, and Adam… that smug bastard didn't help my case. He made sure I was the poster boy for everything they hate.”
K-chk! K-chk! K-chk!
Angel waited in pure agony for how they would react but Angel underestimated just how cute they looked right now…
“Awwww! That’s so f*cking cute, she thinks he’s her teddy bear! I have to get a pic of this for my Halogram; otherwise no one is going to believe me. All my followers are gonna lose their shit when they see this!”
K-chk!! K-chk!! K-chk!!
“I know right now and looking at his face that look is killer and perfect for going clubbing.I mean, look at that heart on his face—it’s the absolute anchor of the whole aesthetic. It’s totally prismatic. I have to recreate it. My fans on Aura would go nuts for it. It could totally ascend and have everyone floating on cloud nine.”
K-chk!!! K-chk!!! K-chk!!!
“Forget about that, have you seen that tail?”
That’s when another cat-like Winner pushed through the swarm. She was a striking silver-gray, her coat a broken mackerel pattern—tight, elegant stripes that fractured into dark, charcoal splotches along her flanks. Her fur had a silky sheen sunkissed look to it. With beautiful gray eyes as big as moons. A long luscious tail that was twitching with excitement. Complete with wings as white and soft as freshly fallen snow tucked immaculately against her back.
But oddly enough no halo, as soon as she saw Angel’s tail with its unique heart shape. Without a second thought grabbed it much to Angel’s horror and started stroking it. Now while he was a lot better given what Val put him though. He can handle when someone accidentally brushes him…however in instances like this…when someone purposefully grabs him…it brought up…bad memories.
I've never seen or felt anything like it. It’s so soft and… the perfect inspo I’ve been snuggling for weeks to find anything worthy of making into jewelry and this is so f*cking perfect! It’ll make killer earrings, nice big ones with hoops. Bracelets, sunchies, necklaces and keychains…in this very shape! that my people on Seraph would eat this shit up!”
As this winner we’ll call her Felicity kept stoking his tail. Showing no signs of stopping paralyzed Angel with fear. How it sent chills down his spine, his heart beating faster than a snare drum. He wanted to speak up…he really did but his throat was dry and clamped shut. So the words were stuck in his throat unable to come out. Also a small part of him didn’t want to say anything; everything was going so well. He didn’t want to screw that up just because he was feeling a little uncomfortable.
It’s not like Felicity meant any harm she and everyone here just had different…levels of personal space. However, try telling his brain that because his breathing was jagged and his chest felt so tight he couldn’t breathe. Sensing Angel’s panic a low loud rumble erupted in Lily’s chest…
“Purr…”
“Holy shit! is she purring…”
“...and making biscuits because…I feel faint, someone…catch me.”
“Oh, the way she nuzzles him… I could literally die again! I wouldn’t even care, it’s just too much. I want to bury myself in that fur; she’s just begging for some lovin’.”
“I know, right? I’m already imagining how I’d style her. Braids, waves, maybe even a perm—not everyone can pull that off, but she totally could.”
“Her fur looks so incredibly soft, and she makes that bedhead look chic! And that scent… is that perfume or her natural musk? Just look at the way her head fits perfectly between his horns.”
“Awwww! I think you’re smelling the fresh nip I got for you. It’s straight from the farmers market, so you know it’s the good stuff. You want some nip-nip, Mama? Go ahead and take the edge off, sweetie. You’ve earned a good, long nap—those babies must be keeping you up all night. You poor thing, you deserve a little treat.”
Winners swarmed Angel like flies and that’s when his anxiety spiked. With all the camera flashes, shutters and clicks. The crowd and on top of all that Felicity was STILL touching his tail. It was all starting to become too much as his body started to shake with pure terror. His eyes wide and trembling like a deer in highlights as tears welled in his eyes…all eight of them. As parts of him slowly started to become translucent. The power that came with this form, as Angel was becoming more and more transparent. Since he couldn’t speak up for himself, luckily for him there was someone who could…
“Hey everybody… BACK THE… F*CK UP! GIVE THE POOR GUY SOME F*CKING SPACE YOU’RE SCARING HIM!! ALSO FELICITY STOP TOUCHING HIS F*CKING TAIL!!! HE CLEARLY DOESN’T LIKE IT AND IS TOO NICE TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT… BUT I’M NOT BITCH!!!!”
Click!
Click!!
Click!!!
Click!!!!
Soon after that everyone within a 100 mile radius— well maybe not that far but you should’ve seen them. Those f*ckers scattered like field mice fearing for their lives after Rosemary’s little outburst. The once buzzling courtyard was now a ghost town. Once everyone was gone Rosemary’s demeanor changed back to her usual self, her face flush. With her paw back politely over her mouth stifling a giggle.
“Hey, are you feeling better?”
She asked, her voice dropping to that soft, conspiratorial tone he’d grown used to. Angel just gave a shaky, barely-there nod—it was all he could muster, as the transparent color receded and little tufts of fur started…
Pop! Pop! Pop!
…as little tufts of fur sprouted across his arms and legs as his body readjusted. He even seemed to stretch an inch or two taller, his frame snapping back into its true shape, though his breathing remained jagged and hitched as he finally loosened his death grip on his chest. Things weren’t as scary now that the crowds were gone.
“Sorry about that little scene; people here are just a massive headache. Look, I can get you a unicorn carriage to the gates—no one’s hanging around to bother us, and I’m sure you and Sleeping Beauty here need a break from this mess. Besides, I could use the company. Nothing calms me down like a chat, and I don't mind helping you carry her. She’s not waking up any time soon and I know better than to wake a sleeping queen… learned that lesson the hard way.”
Angel’s face smiled slightly as he did a quiet non-verbal giggle. Clearly amused by this as he took her paw. Wait! What’s happening why are we zoooooooming ou-
POP!