dark, light | angeless [c]

♗ | trouble always seems to find you

Chris felt ever so foolish for having believed things would be alright on Earth. When Maria showed up out if the blue- in the middle of the night, of all times,- it was far from unexpected.

He wanted to fight, but it was too risky. And, he didn't want to wake Angelo regardless. It felt like it would be a crime to wake the sleeping beauty when he was resting so well.

"This is just perfect," Maria purred, leaning against the door. "I'd love to fight you, but you're outnumbered by a dozen or so, give or take. So," She said. "Now that the cats are out of the way, all you need to do is fork the Parente kid over and admit your complete and utter defeat before I execute you. If you don't hand him over by choice," The blonde said bluntly. "I have no trouble taking him by force."

Chris stood up, arms folded over his bare chest. "Quite a rude little bitch you are." He snit. Maria said nothing, and the witch's expression softened when he turned to Angelo, still fast asleep in the hotel bed. "Did you hurt them? Ricky and Ryan.." Chris asked. For the first time, he was thankful that Mike was elsewhere with someone other than himself.

"Not yet. We need their energy." Maria shrugged. There was a long, eerie silence. "You know, Cerulli, you could have been of so much use if only you tried to be. Your friends didn't have to die, and now you're going to be all alone again..

But since I'm such a saint," Maria purred, "My offer still stands. All you beed to do is surrender yourself to the light and allow us to fix you."

Chris sneered. "Fix me? I don't support your actions and I never will. This is why none of us so wish to aid you- what you do is wrong even by my standards. You don't want me for my power; you want a guinea pig." He seethed. "Angelo won't work with you at all once he finds out what you're doing."

"That's why Nicholas chose to kill himself." Maria said coldly. "But that's also why we don't tell them what we're doing."

Chris grit his teeth. "Witches are killing themselves to get out of working with you. But yet you continue your assumptions in thinking what you do is God's work." He said, the name like poison on his tongue.

"What we do," Maria said numbly, "Is God's work. And Angelo is going to help quite a lot. Hand him over, and no one will he harmed but yourself."

The demon growled, turning to Angelo and frowning as he gently shook the smaller awake. "Angel," He murmured, inhaling slowly. "I'm sorry for letting you down like this. It's disgraceful.."

Angelo rubbed his eyes. "Chris-..? What's going on..?" He asked softly as he sat up, eyes trained on the angel across the room. "W-Why's she here?"

"Don't mind her.." Chris spoke quietly. "I.. failed you. Ryan and Ricky are safe, but.. I.." He found himself genuinely struggling to force the words out. "I need you to.. I-.. We.. lost. And that's on me.. I need you to do as Maria asks. I know you'll hate the reasoning, but it can't be helped. I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Clock's ticking," Maria huffed. "I assume you're accepting my offer, then?" She questioned with a twisted smirk. Chris, in spite of knowing what the outcome would be, agreed silently.

"Chris? What's happening? Please talk to me, you're scaring me.." Angelo muttered, heart pounding.

The demon pulled the smaller to his feet, arms slipping around him as he held Angelo in a tight hug. "I do love you. I know this seems sudden, but I didn't want to go to fast. You humans do so enjoy taking your relationships, what, one step at a time, is it..? But I love you. I do. Very much. And it is important that you remember that."

He ran his fingers through Angelo's hair, slowly, taking a deep breath. Angelo smelled like citrus, Chris noted, and as the smaller slipped into unconsciousness, the demon's eyes went entirely black for the first time in what felt like ages.

It was over, and he knew it.

They lost, and it was his fault. It didn't matter anymore; the future was painted clear, screaming at him from miles ahead that what had yet to come was his fault.

All of it.

A/N: this is the last chapter, in a way. the next will vaguely describe what happened. i'll publish this chapter at the same time as the next one; get ready for feels.