Chapter Text
After listening to the sound of the chainsaw during the fight with the Bomb Devil, Angel remembered how he died the last time he was in Hell. Determined, a couple days after the fight he decides to visit Denji and try to approach Pochita and speak to him.
He had a few hours at most, before he had to go back to his cell in Public Safety and before Aki was done with whatever work he was sent to without him. He knew Denji was at his home at the time. Ever since the bomb incident he was told that he had to remain inside before a plan to protect him was formed.
Angel's plan was simple. He knew very well that his power couldn't truly kill the hybrid, only make him unconscious for a couple hours. He hoped the Chainsaw Devil would manage to explain with honesty. He needed to know why he was killed in Hell and was brought back to this torment.
He also knew how angry Aki would get at him for hurting the boy, even momentarily, despite always acting like he didn't care for him. Angel knew better. He knew how much Aki truly cared for many things… including himself.
After that night, it was awkward at first. He wasn't expecting to be saved, not only by a human, but by someone who was known for his deep hatred towards devils. And despite the aggressive wind hitting on them, Aki's hand was warm. And that thought of warmth had kept Angel awake more often than his dooming nightmares.
Facing Aki the days after was challenging. He couldn't help but feel guilty. Perks of being a humanoid devil, he always thought. There were times that he wished he just wouldn't care. It was inconvenient to care, especially for a human with an even smaller amount of time left to live. And it was him to blame for that. Yet he couldn't bring himself to apologize. There's the devil side.
Aki however acted completely unbothered. Like it never happened. A side of him was thankful that they didn't talk about it. What was there to say anyway. Yet he couldn't help but remember Aki's words while he held him close to him. "I don't want to see any other people die.". People. Since when was Angel viewed as a person, let alone from the number one devil hater? His head hurt just trying to understand it. So he brushed it away. It didn't matter.
He stood outside the apartment door contemplating. Once this was done he would be faced with plenty of interrogation, that much he knew. Denji would most likely inform Makima, and the witch would find interesting ways to torture him in return. He didn't care, he just hated that he had to explain himself.
He knocks and waits. He can hear things falling and a cat making all sorts of noises while Denji's footsteps and groanings made their way towards the door. When their eyes meet, Denji looks firmly surprised, clearly not expecting him.
"Umm… Aki's not here…" , his voice obviously confused his expression fairly animated.
"Your eyes will pop out, relax. I'm not here for Aki." , Angel tries to keep his voice as neutral as possible. He doesn't want Denji to feel threatened.
"Huh? Why you here then?"
"I need to speak with you about something, may I come in?"
"Well, Aki seems to trust you so I guess so do I.", he walks in leaving the door for Angel to close. Relax, he tells himself. Stick to the plan and you'll deal with the rest later. Before Denji manages to turn his body to face him, Angel charges forward and puts his hands to his cheeks.
"I'm sorry but I need to speak to him." , Denji's arms go limp to his sides, his eyes from wide and full of terror, slowly starting to close. Angel tries to concentrate on his breathing, closing his own.
Once he opens them again, he finds himself in a field, a little Pochita on the ground in front of him. "Angel" he calls to him.
"You're the Chainsaw Devil?", he asks in disbelief. He expected a more gruesome and terrifying form for a devil feared from many. But Pochita paid no mind to his surprise, so Angel wastes no time,
"Are you the one who killed me while I was in Hell?"
There's a deafening silence for a few seconds before the small formed devil answers with a simple,
"Yes"
"Why", there is no emotion in his voice, you can barely hear a curiosity.
"We made a promise to each other. An inconvenience that you don't remember, but this is all Makima's doing."
"M-Makima? And what promise are you talking about? Did I know you before?"
Angel suddenly feels ringing in his ears. He already had a terrible feeling about Makima ever since she forced him into this horrible life, but what did she do to him in order to lose his memories? The thought alone sends chills all over his spine.
"Sometimes it's better to forget. Memories can be painful. You always hated being a devil, Angel. You said you would help me eat them all, and I gave you my word that I would eat you last. The devils I eat stop existing."
"So a world without devils can exist…", Angel falls on his knees, his legs growing weak.
He believes the devil's words without a doubt, a feeling in the back of his mind confirming such a pact. Yes, a world without devils would be a good world. And an end to his miserable existence would be a gift he didn't think he truly deserved but nonetheless craved deeply.
A world where Aki can finally rest…
"How can I get my memories back?"
"Last thing I knew before my fight with the horsemen is that you lived in a village. Perhaps the place could trigger back your memories. See, after you came back from Hell I didn't have the chance to find you, things didn't go as planned and you didn't remember."
Angel just nods while looking at the ground,
"I… lived with people…"
"Near the sea. Find the place and remember. Now wake up, you'll have some explaining to do."
During the transition to the real world he could feel the faint sound of Phocita's voice,
"Soon enough my plan will come to action, we will speak again."
And with those words Angel awoke, Denji passed out in front of him.
He'll come back soon, he thought. And then he left.
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Aki came back to the apartment hoping for some peace and quiet after a long day. Yet, he found himself in a chaotic household, Power and Denji yelling at each other things that he couldn't make sense of.
"What's the matter with this?" , he groaned as he entered. They of course hadn't noticed him since they were preoccupied with whatever was going on.
"YOUR PARTNER TRIED TO KILL ME!" , Denji yelled furious.
Aki didn't know what he expected to hear but it certainly wasn't that.
"What? Angel was here? What happened?"
Denji tried to explain that Angel showed up at their door a couple hours ago when he was alone, claiming that he had to talk to him. He said he heard him mention talking to Pochita. Then he just touched his face and he passed out, when he woke up Power was on top of him yelling at him to get up.
Aki was in disbelief after what Denji told him. Why on earth would Angel go and talk to Pochita, what could be so important that he had to hurt Denji in the process? Part of him wasn't surprised since he was a devil and they are capable of anything, but another part, one he wouldn't dare to let affect him, was disappointed. He thought, he really thought, they were doing better with each other. After that night… he thought maybe they could be good partners after all. He thought something was sifted. What a fool he was. A devil is always a devil.
"I will speak to him first before we take this to Makima."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HE LITERALLY KILLED ME- A-AKI!"
But Aki was already storming towards the door. He needed answers and he needed them now. He had a bad feeling about informing Makima right away, maybe he would get in trouble for that, he didn't know, but that's not what mattered at the moment.
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The sky was already dark. He should've had a nice dinner and went to bed, not dealing with a devil's mysterious attitude. He entered Public Safety, heading towards the devils' cells on the basement. He told the guards he needed to speak with his partner and was thankful enough to have earned everyone's trust so they didn't question him further .
The hall felt endless and freezing as he walked, the air suffocating. He reached Angel's cell and the door was opened by the guards. "Thank you, it won't take long." and he entered.
Angel sat on the mattress on the floor, still in his suit, as if he was expecting him. They looked at each other for a moment.
"I suppose you're here for the chainsaw boy. I knew my powers wouldn't kill him, I just-"
"You just thought of coming to my house and killing him for a little while, what the fuck is wrong with you?"
Aki desperately tried to keep his composure so no one else would hear them.
"Why the hell would you need to talk to Pochita anyway." he sighed, his back now against the wall.
"I remembered something involving him." Angel whispered.
"What's that supposed to mean."
Angel starts fidgeting with his fingers, his face glued on the floor.
"The last time I was in Hell… the last thing I remember hearing was a chainsaw sound."
Aki looks at him bewildered.
"The last time you were in Hell?"
So Aki doesn't know,he thought.
"Devils never truly die, you know. Don't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you." he took a breath and continued, "If we die while we are on earth, we go to Hell. If we die in Hell we come back here but without our memories from before. It's like an endless cycle of reset."
Aki didn't know what to think of that. So any devil he ever killed was in hell and could back at any moment? That seemed completely meaningless.
"So wgat? You mean that Pochita killed you in Hell?"
"He did, but he refused to tell me why. So this whole thing was a waste of time. Shouldn't have expected honesty from a devil." he shrugged. Ironic speaking about honesty when actively lying to Aki. He knew he couldn't tell him the truth though. And if Pochita's plan was going to start any time soon, he wouldn't let anyone know. The plan had to work. Devils had to disappear, no matter what that took.
"I just wish you could have told me before you acted on your own. Denji and Pochita have a good relationship, as long as I'm aware. We could have figured a way for you to speak with him without all this fuss."
Angel wanted to apologize but words wouldn't come out, so he just shrugged his shoulders.
Aki sighed loudly and straightened his body ready to excuse himself.
"Wait-" Angel said. "He told me something else."
"What"
"Before I was brought here I lived in a village, near the sea. I thought maybe, if I went there, my memories would come back." he couldn't make eye contact. It was vulnerable enough to ask for Aki to help. He hoped he got the clue.
Aki however remembered Makima's words, about Angel killing everyone in the village he used to live. The devil didn't seem to remember that part.
"I'll see what I can find. Good night." and just like that he opened the door and left, leaving no room for answer.