A Change Of Heart - An excerpt from the first draft of Unholy War
My scythe swings down at the Guardian, clashing against their spear. Just as I wanted. With a smirk concealed below my mask, I manoeuvre my scythe to hook the spear and wrench it from their gloved hands, discarding it across the pavement. The Guardian quickly backs up, their allies flocking over to defend them, but the flash of light behind us notifies us all that they’re too late
We turn, watching Angelus as he sends the final harpy back through the realm portal, a final screech escaping it as it returns to its home world. Angelus raises his wings, the white feathers shielding our charge as they go on their way, only lowering when the portal is closed once more
“Shall we wrap things up?” He suggests, golden helmet turning towards me. “We shall,” I return, pulling out a spell tag from my belt
“No, sto-!”
The outrage of the Guardians is cut off with coughing and spluttering when I cast the smokescreen, and Angelus uses his illusions to further conceal us as we make our escape. “Good work today,” he murmurs to me, sparing a slight glance my way. I raise a brow at this, but nod. “Hm. Same to you…”
We tuck ourselves away around a corner while we wait for the Guardians to leave, still invisible thanks to Angelus’ magic. At long last, after combing the area, they make their move, leaving us both sighing in relief. The illusion falls
All is silent for a moment or two as we take a breather from the fight. Then, briefly nodding to Angelus in goodbye, I move to scale the nearest fire escape - that is, until Angelus grabs my wrist. His touch is firm, but oddly gentle
“Can I… talk to you for a minute?”
His words are quiet. Unprovoking. I frown slightly, but slowly nod. “Uh, sure…”
He pulls on my wrist, knocking me off-balance into his chest, where he puts a hand on my shoulder to steady me. My eyes widen in surprise and my mouth opens to ask what the hell he thinks he’s doing, but before I can protest he drapes my arm around his shoulders. His own hand meets my waist, and suddenly our feet are carried off the ground as he beats those powerful wings of his
“Where are you-?”
“Just to the rooftop. Bit more private.”
“Oh.”
He flies us up to the roof and lands, setting me down the moment it’s safe to do so, raising his hands in mock defence. I take a step away to put some distance between us
“What did you need to talk about, then?”
Angelus seems to consider for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. His head tilts between me and the view of the city
“… I… I have to apologise. To you.”
I pause. This certainly wasn’t what I was expecting from Angelus of all people. He takes my silence as permission to continue
“Since that fight with the sand wraith, I just… I’ve treated you like crap, I won’t lie. I know that. Before you even knew me, I was already taking credit for your work, and you still came out just to protect me. And… I was just awful to you, wasn’t I?”
“… You were,” I agree, watching him closely. “So what’s changed here? You’ve gone from an insufferable asshole to self-aware in half a day.”
A sigh escapes Angelus at this, his weight shifting from one leg to the other. “… I thought I had reasons. I thought… I thought I knew who you were. And I didn’t want to put the person I thought you were at any risk. So… I thought I’d take the blame for the griffin to protect them.”
I blink. I hadn’t considered this. “… Who did you think I was?” I ask tentatively, but Angelus shakes his head. “Can’t really say. But that’s why I was being such a jerk. I thought… maybe if I acted like that… doing all the things she’d hate… she’d call it quits. Go home angry, but safe.”
He sighs again, sitting down on the edge of the roof. “But you kept coming back. And the more I tried to push you away, the more you stuck around. You’re so… stubborn… just like she can be.”
I sit beside him, waiting for him to continue. Just watching the stars over the city skyline. It all seems so peaceful. So quiet. As if there had never been a harpy in the streets only minutes prior
“… You’re not her.”
He sets a hand on my shoulder, making me look back at him
“You’re not her. I know that now. And… I’m sorry for treating you the way I have. That wasn’t fair to you. I’m supposed to be-… I want to be better than that. It’s more than just an obligation.”
I don’t know how to answer all this. I bite my lip, considering his words. But nothing comes to mind. Nothing appropriate for such sincere candor
“You don’t have to give me an answer,” Angelus assures, adjusting his helmet. “I know I… well. Frankly I don’t deserve much sympathy for the way I’ve treated you. But I hope you know I mean what I say now.”
“I do,” I nod slightly. “I know.”
“I’m glad.”
And just like that, it’s as if there’s nothing more to say. The silence settles into something of comfort, of understanding. And while I can’t say for certain that things are going to change between us… this feels like it could be the start of something better than our usual bickering and antagonising of one another
A feeling of protection from the chilly air surrounds me as Angelus wraps his wing around me, keeping me warm. I look to him, noticing how he’s staring off at the skyline still. Or is his mask simply not betraying the true focus of his eyes?
“You must be cold,” he notes calmly. “What with that costume of yours.”
I can’t help but to chuckle, and for once, I don’t mean it condescendingly. “Are you still on the costume?”
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great look for you - but is it practical? Not in the slightest.”
“Says the guy decked out like a tin can~”
“It’s armour,” he corrects. “Functional. Practical. We’re vigilantes, not models.”
“Yeah, well, your armour is shit.”
“Excuse me?!”
“Clunky as all hell,” I tease. “And real subtle, by the way; white and gold? What are you, a dress nobody can agree on the colour of?”
There’s a pause for a moment, followed by a confused; “What?”
“Oh, right; you’re not from here,” I brush it off with a dismissive wave of my hand. “Never mind. Just a thing.”
“… You’re very strange.”
“Yep, that’s what my therapist said.”
“Of course you’d need therapy.”
“Mhm.”
“I need it after just meeting you.”
“Alright, golden boy, wrap it up.”
Angelus chuckles and removes his wing from me before rising back to his feet. “Still as sensitive as ever, I see~”
“And you’re still just as much of a prick,” I retort, hoping my mask is doing a decent job of hiding my amused smile. “Are you heading off now?”
“I’ll have to be getting home before somebody notices I’m gone,” Angelus confirms. “I’ve used enough bad excuses already.”
“I feel you there,” I nod, sighing. “Gonna get my ass in trouble at this rate. I won’t keep you, then. Have a nice night.”
“You too,” he hums, wings spreading out before he takes off across the night sky. I watch him leave until he’s merely a speck of white amidst the darkness, hardly distinguishable from the surrounding stars
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