𓅨

a    light,    airy    chortle    rises    up    mikael’s    throat.    really,    he    should    consider    getting    something    nice    for    the    girls    as    thanks    for    setting    this    all    up.    he’s    in    no    way    a    romantic    ⸻    at    least,    not    in    the    sappy    bleeding    heart    sense    of    the    word;    but    still,    this    whole    scene’s    got    him    aching    with    a    fondness    he    hasn’t    felt    in    a    long,    long    time. 
            
            there’s    …    something    soft,    something    delicate,    in    the    way    casimir    rests    his    hand    on    the    small    of    mikael’s    back.   the    unexpected    acquiescence    leaves    the    angel    motionless,    if    only    for    a    moment;    then,    he    tilts    his    chin    downwards,    warm    eyes    transfixed    on    the    man    in    front    of    him.    all    these    years,    and    casimir’s    gaze    still    leaves    him    spellbound.
            
            “fine    by    me,”    he    says,    that    lopsided    smile    of    his    toeing    the    thin    line    between    giddy    and    roguish.    and    then,    with    the    most    sincere    of    affections:    “one    dance    is    all    i    need,    hell’s    greatest.”
            
            /    SORRY    IT'S    SO    SHORT    IVORY    HE'S    SO    RUSTY    RN    </3    </3    I    MISS    THEM    SOOOOO    DEARLY
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬ ꒰ঌ    @hellsgreatest

/     I    SHRIEKED    U    COOKED    SO    DELICIOUSLY    THE    OLD    MAN    YAOI    TODAY    IS    EXQUISITE

/    OH    WHAT    THE    HELL     AUSGAHEHEHD    GNAWING    AT    MY    ARM    I    LOVE    THEM    SO    MICH

what?    too    soon?    [    the    curve    in    mikael’s    lips    almost    looks    like    that    lousy    smile    of    his,    but    he’s    sure    casimir    knows    him    well    enough    to    tell    when    it’s    genuine.    nevertheless,    he    pulls    his    cape    over    to    cover    the    arm    in    question⸺or    lack    thereof⸺and    slumps    deeper    into    the    archduke’s    couch.    ]    realised    i    never    properly    thanked    you    for    taking    care    of    me,    by    the    way.    [    his    voice    is    a    faint    mumble,    eyes    resting    on    everything    but    casimir.    ]    so..    thank    you.
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬ ꒰ঌ    @hellsgreatest 

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      don't—      [casimir      sucks      in      a      deep      breath,      immediately      turning      away      at      the      sight      of      red      hair.      recoiling.]      don't      joke      about      it.      i      don't      even      want      to      see      it      for      the      time      being.      rather,      the      /lack/      of      it.

you    know    i’d    do    anything    for    you.    [    his    answer    comes    easy,    rolling    off    his    tongue    without    a    moment’s    hesitation;    hand    coming    to    rest    on    the    surface    of    a    nearby    table    to    steady    himself    when    casimir    draws    him    close.    ]    don’t    mean    i    ain’t    gonna    complain    about    lookin’    like    i    jus’    clocked    out    of    a    nine—to—five,    though.    [    mikael    quips,    eyes    briefly    flicking    over    the    duke’s    shoulder    and    sneaking    a    quick    glance    at    himself    in    the    mirror.   he    pouts.    ]    ..    ’m    already    missing    the    hat.
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬ ꒰ঌ    @hellsgreatest 

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      you     look     /presentable/     for     once     in     your     life,     mikael.     [casimir     tugs     on     the     loose     tie     around     mikael's     neck     to     bring     the     angel     closer,     deft     fingers     making     quick     work     out     of     the     red     fabric.]     don't     be     difficult     now.     you     do     want     to     look     good     for     me,     don't     you?

/     OKAY    WE    CHEER    I’LL    GIVE    YOU    LOTS    OF    EM!!!

;;      @heavenstrongest      i      would      want      nothing      less!      i      really      appreciate      it      seriously      <3      life      is      bad      but      casikael      is      Good.      it      makes      me      really      happy      actually      :woman_bowing:

/    points.    ivory    are    you    okay    with    me    dropping    so    many    starters    actually    IMLAUSGHDIFNG    I    CANT    SHUT    UP    AB    THEM    MY    BAD

[    the    words    shouldn’t    sting    mikael,    not    after    all    this    time,    but    they    do.   there’s    a    heavy    thud    as    the    angel    crashes    onto    the    ground;    a    few    gasps    and    coughs    racking    his    body    before    he    lifts    his    gaze    up    to    the    archduke.   ]    makes    two    of    us,    i    guess.   [    and    he    should’ve    ended    it    there,    made    it    easy    for    both    of    them.    but    mikael,    foolhardy,    brazen    mikael,    never    chooses    the    easy    way    when    it    comes    to    the    people    that    matter    to    him.    ]    but    i    love    you    anyway,    don’t    i?    [    the    tension    in    the    air    has    long    died    out,    replaced    by    an    ..    uncomfortable    silence.    mikael    mulls    over    the    archduke’s    words,    unsure    of    how    to    respond.    ]    ..    i’ll    leave    if    you    want    me    to.    
            
            /    not    my    best    work    i    promise    i’ll    make    up    but    ERRRRM    WHATS    WRONG    WITH    THEM!!!!    marriage    counselling    NYEOOOOW
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬ ꒰ঌ    @hellsgreatest 

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      [frustrated,      so      frustrated,      casimir      whispers:]      i      wish      i      never      loved      you.      [a      sentence      so      painful      to      say      out      loud,      it      leaves      cuts      in      his      throat      like      each      word      was      part      of      a      rose's      thorny      stem.]      you—      [casimir      lets      go.      his      hands      drop      to      his      side      like      they      were      burned.]      you.      [he      sighs      and      takes      a      step      back      to      center      himself.]      i...      don't      think      i'm      up      for      anything      that      involves      you      today,      mikael.      you      are      right.      i've      been      quite      short-tempered      lately—      with      everyone,      angel,      not      just      you.      with      everyone.
            
            ;;      this      is      not      where      i      wanted      this      to      go????      :'<      errr      mikael      quick      kiss      him      better

   ⠀⠀     ID.   @hellsgreatest    ઉ    
            
            not    my    fault    you’re    so    ⸻    /ghck/   ..    easy    to    rile    up    these    days.    [    though    the    archangel’s    face    scrunches    up    ever    so    slightly    in    discomfort,    messy    wisps    of    crimson    hair    obscuring    his    eyes,    the    air    around    mikael    crackles    with    electric    streaks    of    red.   ]    i    don’t    squeal,    darling.    not    in    a    fight,    at    least.    and    you    should    know    that    more    than    anyone.   [    the    grin    on    his    lips    as    he    meets    that    familiar    sharp    glare    toes    the    line    between    teasing    and    elation.    ]    THERE    he    is.    missed    you,    hawk—eyes.

mm.   [    amber    eyes    half—lidded,    mikael    lifts    his    remaining    hand    and    places    his    stained    palm    against    the    archduke’s    cheek.    the    crimson    smudges    against    casimir’s    skin    as    the    archangel    pulls    him    in    for    a    kiss;    one    that    silences    his    rambling,    and    one    that    mikael    savours    like    it’s    their    first.    pulling    away,    he    presses    their    foreheads    together.    ]    ‘s    jus’    an    arm.    jus’    an    arm,    cas,    i    still    got    the    other    right    here    ..    [    it’s    hard    to    hear    his    own    voice,    his    own    breaths,    over    the    pounding    ringing    in    his    ears.    and    it’s    hard    to    see    the    look    on    casimir’s    face,    what    with    the    tears    stinging    at    his    eyes,    but    maybe    that’s    for    the    best.    ]    ‘m    jus’    ..    glad    you    came.    wanted    to    see    you    ..   [    “one    last    time?”    he’s    not    willing    to    say    that    just    yet,    but    it    might    very    well    be.    ]    love    you    ..    [    he    kisses    casimir    again,   ]     love    you    s’much    ..    [    and    again,    ]    ‘m    sorry    ..    [    and    again.    ]     ‘m    so    sorry,    casimir,    i    wasn’t    strong    enough.
            
            /    MY    BAD    ..    KYO    GOT    TOO    SILLY    ..    IN    MY    DEFENSE     I     MISSED    THEM   ..
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬  ꒰ঌ     @hellsgreatest

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      [confusion,      then      comprehension,      then      disbelief,      then      /rage/.      a      horrified,      terrified,      hell-burning      rage.]      your      arm.      [not      even      casimir,      as      unwavering      and      prideful      as      he      is,      could      mask      the      pain      in      his      voice      as      if      he      was      the      one      who      lost      an      arm.]      mikael.      mikael,      here,      i'm—      i'm      here.      i'm      going      to      pick      you      up,      okay?      bring      you      someplace      safe,      and—      [/babbling      words      of      comfort      is      unbefitting      of      me,/      he      thinks      as      he      scoops      the      angel,      the      one-armed      angel,      up      into      his      arms.      he      holds      him      as      close      as      he      possibly      can.]      you're      a      fucking      idiot.      christ,      you're      an      idiot.      seraphiel?      why?      fucking      hell,      mika,      why      in      the      goddamn      /world/—
            
            ;;     ARE     YOU     CRAZY     KYO!?     ARE     YOU     INSANE!?!?!?!?!     NOOOOO     WHAT     HAPPENED

⠀⠀     ID.    @hellsgreatest     ઉ   
            
            [    a    humourless    laugh    escapes    mikael's    lips.    his    straw    hat    hangs    low    over    his    head,    obscuring    most    of    his    face    ⸻    save    for    a    glimpse    of    his    tousled    red    hair    and    the    slivers    of    a    wry    smile.    ]    yeah,    no    arguing    with    that.   [    slumped    up    against    a    wall,    his    breaths    come    ragged    and    laborious;    with    his    right    hand,    he    pulls    his    cape    off    his    shoulders,    revealing    a    torn,    bloodsoaked    left    sleeve      ⸻    arm    nowhere    in    sight    from    below    the    deltoid.    ]    ..    must    be    gettin'    real    rusty,    huh?    never    thought    some    pencil—pusher    like    seraphiel    could    take    this    much    off'a    me.    i    always    thought    if    i    was    gonna    lose    a    limb    to    anyone    ..    it    would'a    been    to    you.
            
            /    ARRRFGFGGFFG    EATS    THEM!!!

look    on    your    face    says    otherwise.    i    know    you.    [    absentmindedly,    he    tosses    his    hat    up    and    down    by    its    rim.    and    there’s    that    teasing    grin    of    his,    always    present.    ]    ‘s    kinda    cute,    actually.    you   DO    know    ‘m    just    taking    the    piss,    right?
            
            ⠀‬‬ ⠀⠀‬‬⠀⠀‬‬ ꒰ঌ    @hellsgreatest

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      i'm      not      jealous,      [casimir      snaps      a      little      too      defensively.      he      clicks      his      tongue      and      looks      away.]      i      don't      care      what      you      do      with      your      abundant      free      time,      archangel.      just      spend      it      somewhere      far      away      from      me.

⠀⠀     ID.   @hellsgreatest    ઉ    
            
            you    didn't    seem    to    mind    what    i    called    you    by    last    night.    or    was    that    ALSO    unwanted,    unwarranted,    and    unamusing?    
            
            /    NEEDED    TO     GO    FULL    OLD    MAN    YAOI    CZ   I    MISSED    THEM    </3    WHOOPSIES

┈┈      [MIKAEL,     @heavenstrongest]      ;;      do      not      shorten      my      name,      pest,      it      is      disrespectful.      just      like      your      so      called      "jokes"      which      are      also      unwanted,      unwarranted,      and      frankly,      /unamusing/.