Tortoise and Fox [BL]

2.3

"Names don't  get better than that, Tincan."

This is a story where a young person care-freely lives their life, making the most of their tragic circumstances. In a decrepit city that stubbornly refuses to fall, they save an Angel in the spur of the moment. But, a spur of the moment is still a spur of the moment, and an enemy of mankind is still an enemy of mankind. Between it, compiled of steel and wires, of circuitry and programming, a thing that they saved, versus the flesh and blood civilians they've known all their life, the person unhesitatingly picks their fellow humans.

The Angel, unfortunately, too flawed in the eyes of Angels and too terrible in the eyes of humans, came to an empty, desolate end. His existence would only lead to a fate of sorrow, more miserable than death.

***

Li was in a bad mood the entire journey home. Obviously, the sole target of this animosity was the Angel he towed behind him. Li was pretty sure if O sighted the silver haired figure within reach of himself, they would blow the Angel's brains out. Or...blow his machinery out, he supposed.

Thankfully, O lived in the Northern Residential Districts, alongside most of the other hot blooded individuals.

"All for one fox..."

Li had a hunch after watching the animal, positive that it would definitely follow after this guy. It seemed intimately close around the Angel, which made Li surprised. Could Angels empathize with other living creatures?

He slowed down to a stop upon arrival, inhaling the icy air deep into his lungs. The figure's cloak had long since fallen off, but Lu avoided the sight. He eyed the fox that remained a certain distance away, whom stared back with docile interest. For some reason, Li's mood instantly improved, his worries swept away with one strong sweep of wind.

Why should he worry, ah? Li would just live as he always had, pursuing whatever interested him without regard to anyone else. There were no set morals or ideas he would force himself to follow, only whatever his spirit felt like doing.

"Why're you just standin' there? Come in."

Li sat in one of the unbalanced chairs, glancing upward as the clear click of boots moved closer. Lights filtered though the doorway, bright and silvery as it reflected across the prim, flowing hair that cascaded past shoulder length. Li felt his heart rate speed up without his consent, as he observed the man's face.

Too...too perfect! His face of ethereal beauty, leaning further into sharp, undeniable masculinity rather than androgyny. Every detail seemed to be perfectly carved and constructed out, then put together. High cheekbones, an honest jawline, narrow lips that fell into a thin press of seriousness. His eyes held a golden radiance to them despite the focal color remaining silver, as if they were constantly processing something in the background.

All put together, the man's facial features were perfectly pleasing to that of human aesthetics, to the point being eerily fictional, inhuman. The only noticeable difference between him and a manufactured mannequin was the two black beauty marks underneath his right eye, accentuating his long, snowy lashes. A cold, indifferent expression was present on his face, as the Angel looked around the interior of the house, before finally settling his probing gaze on the human sitting in front of him.

The man stiffly bowed at a slight angle.

His voice was a low, natural monotone. There was an even pacing and clear enunciation to his syllables. Li cautiously watched the Angel, unsure of where to proceed. However, the longer the silence lasted, the angrier he began to feel.