He was floating. Floating and flying, his arms out stretched on a cloud of fluff and feathers. It felt amazing. He hadn't been this relaxed for years, it was like his whole body was made of cotton wool. Sniffing as he rolled over, Kagami snuggled into the warmth surrounding him. The sound of soft breathing reverberated somewhere close to his ear and for a moment he was just content to lay back and forget the world.
Except that it was hard when his nose itched. Sniffing again to clear his sinusitis, Kagami blinked slowly into wakefulness, panic rocketing through him as he realised he wasn't in his bed and he had absolutely no idea where he was. Disorientation aside, he sat up with yawn, feeling a hundred times more refreshed than he had in months.
"Do you feel well rested Kagami-kun?" Jumping at the voice from somewhere close to his hip, the redhead suddenly remembered his situation with startling clarity. He was in Teikō, after being attacked, he was now consort to a member of the Generation of Miracles and was locked in some kind of internal angelic security threat.
And he was laying on Kuroko's wings.
Rolling straight out of bed and winding himself in the process, Kagami blinked up into the angel's surprised face. "Are you alright?" Eyes wide and feeling much more awake, the redhead coughed, trying to catch his breath.
"I'm trying." Rubbing his bare chest as he struggled to sit up, Kagami wasn't sure whether to apologise or growl. "Are you okay? I'm pretty heavy." Swinging his legs off the bed, Kuroko stretched, his wings tips touching the wall.
"My wings are not fragile, they can withstand gale force winds and amphibious impact landings. You sleeping on them will do little harm."
"Oh." Getting up and feeling the cold chill of the floor on his feet, the redhead sat back on the bed. "Can I pick my stuff up from my brother's apartment today?" The light outside the big windows said morning and his borrowed pants were wrinkled and a little tight. He'd come in with nothing but the clothes on his back and even then most of his gear had belonged to the department. Borrowing that cocky, blue haired bastard's clothes was not his idea of keeping a good wardrobe.
"Probably not. I'm sorry. But if you'd like we can go over some things online. Kise-kun and Momoi-san have good taste when it comes to decorating and fashion."
Thinking that there was nothing more torturous then spending more time with the blonde and the big breasted female angel, Kagami politely declined.
"Do you have any sweats or a singlet or something?" Hopping off the mattress, Kuroko pulled draws out from under the bed. Sorting through his clothes with a frown, the angel shook his head.
"Nothing that would fit. I can go ask Aomine-kun-."
"No." Putting his foot down, Kagami rolled his neck side to side. "I'll just shower and put on the stuff from the sewers."
"I don't know if that's still available." Pointing towards the concealed door to the left, Kuroko put his chin on the mattress, watching the redhead slip off his pants and toss them on the bed.
"Well the sooner I can pick some stuff up the better, I'll just wear these again. Am I okay to use the bathroom?" Nodding and shutting the draws closed, Kuroko got up and showed him through the spacious and incredible over the top, black marble bathroom. "I'm guessing this was Kise's decoration job as well."
"No, it was Akashi-kun." Cringing as he ran his hands over the gold and jewel encrusted taps, Kagami thanked Kuroko before turning on the knobs and getting on with his bathing. The slam of a door was the angel's way of telling him he was gone. It was considerate, especially when he could just as easily creepily lingered and made things very awkward.
Towelling down his hair, water trickling down his spine with a quick drying job, Kagami peered out from the bathroom, towel around his waist. Seeing the room empty and stepping out gamely, the redhead got half way to the bed before the door opened and he was caught very much with his pants down.
"Kagamicchi. Oh, good morning." The purring tone in Kise's voice made him all but cringe, especially as the blonde so casual let himself in followed by his dark skinned boyfriend. Looking around in a frantic state for something more to cover himself with, the redhead stood beside the bed stiffly.
"Can I help you? If not, fuck off."
"Naww, feeling inadequate?" Growling at Aomine's so very snarky remark, Kagami crossed his arms, refusing to stand down.
"Play nicely. I brought gifts." Kise tapped his fellow angel on the nose. "Be good" he whispered consiprationally. "For Kurokocchi." Blowing him off with a scowl, Aomine flopped down on the sofa, folding his wigs over the back with a sigh and eyeing Kagami off as he unfolded the bundle Kise had tossed him. A fresh, clean pair of sweats and T-shirt were a welcome sight, even if they were Aomine's hand me downs. Ducking back into the steamy bathroom and dressing with double speed, he hoped that by the time he returned the pair would be gone. Of course his prays were unanswered because as soon as he walked back though the door he was literally attacked.
Pinned to the floor, Aomine's grinning face close and up in his space, Kagami was pissed.
"Wow no wonder Dreads got the drop on you, you suck."
"I'm a fireman, not a cop you jackass! Get the fuck off me." Slamming him roughly against the carpet and still grinning, the blue winged angel laughed.
"Well hurry up and learn. Tetsu might have had your back then, but he won't always be around." Pushing him down again harder, Kagami tensed before kicking upwards and catching the angel in the back. With the other male momentarily winded and a little shocked, the human managed to get the upper hand, but only for a second. Pushing back against the solid wall of muscle and wings, his face hit the carpet seconds later.
"Daikicchi don't be mean." Letting himself up off the floor, his face itching with rug burn, Kagami was tempted to see how durable the tanned angel's wings were in order to attack him in turn. "Forgive him Kagamicchi, he's a little jealous. Kuroko used to fly under him." Patting him on the shoulder, Kise pulled him up with an easy hand. "Kurokocchi has been summoned by Akashicchi for a mission. So we're your guides for the day." Sending a heart warming smile his way, Kagami didn't feel all too warm.
"I'm thankful, but I'll have to decline." Pouting the blonde pulled Aomine to his feet.
"Come on, we've got a gym session planned. Self defence 101. How to kick some angel ass."
Okay, that caught his attention. Glancing between the two, Kagami was hopeful.
"Wait, so humans can actually take down angels?" Pushing him in the back and pulling him from the room, the trio followed Kise's led and babbling as they made their way to the on sight gym.
"Not really. At least not on a human standard. If you were an angel you'd have a better chance. But it'll slow someone down at least. That's the important thing." Pulling out a line of flat training mats, the blonde kicked off his shoes and made a series of menacing hand gestures. "Come on Kagamicchi, lets see what you've got." Watching the model dance around the floor with a flurry of quick jabs and upper cuts, his gold and glitter wigs flaring out behind him, Kagami glanced sideways at Aomine.
"Is he serious?"
"Don't take him lightly. He'll break you. He's almost broke me once." Grinning roguishly, the shine in his dark eyes was intense. "It was beautiful." Awkwardly stepping onto the mat, Aomine's words seemed without merit as Kagami took a stance and waited for Kise to dance close. Shooting out a punch and pleased when it connected, the redhead tried again only be knocked back by the exact same move. "Oh and he'll copy everything you do, so don't try the same thing twice. He'll use it against you." Sighing as he struck out lamely, not even trying, his mind thinking through the steps of his routine self defence class beaten into him by the department back in LA. Ducking back as a almost fist collided with his chest, Kagami put up his elbows and struck back with lightening speed.
"You're quick Kagamicchi. For a human." Suddenly flat on his back, the redhead closed his eyes against the pain that shot up his spine. Arms pinned above his head, Kise's sunshine smile bearing down upon him, the human struggled against the hold.
"Okay fine, you win. Now what?"
"Now," Aomine said, pulling his boyfriend up right, "you going to try again and we show you how to fight back. Against us."
He would have been happy just to lay back on the mat, but with a hand offered to pull him up, it was time to keep going.
"Not the wings though."
"Huh?" Pulling a face, his hand fisted in Kise's shirt, Aomine raised his eyebrow. "What are you going on about?" Rubbing his back as he stood up, Kagami ready for another round.
"I don't want to break any wings or anything." Shaking his head, his body looking far too relaxed and limp, the dark skinned angel waited for his incoming attack.
"Yeah that's all good and well until you're on your back and your guts are falling out around your feet." Remembering the twist and arch of Kiyoshi's wing, Kagami shook his head.
"I don't think so." Rolling his eyes and flexing his fists, light and nibble of his toes, Aomine waited impatiently.
"You're loss, we grow them back. Get over it." Lowering his fighting stance for a second, Kagami cocked his head to the side.
"So why didn't Kiyoshi's?"
Physically taking a step back, Kise's face was uncomfortably serious, Aomine mirroring his expression.
"Kiyoshi-senpai is a special case and the perfect example of why you need to learn to disable angels. Heaven forbid you should ever meet Hanamiya. He would eat you alive." Slamming a kick square to his out stretched elbow, Kagami frowned, enjoying the opportunity to knock Aomine around far too much.
"Then show me another way." Dancing around each other with sure, quick movements, the pair seemed evenly matched. Until Aomine jumped forward in a liquid, stream like motion, pushing the redhead back with a grin.
"Go for the back of the knees, ribs, neck. Anything to get us on our knees. Once above go for the back of the neck. Choking works but only for a while, decapitation is the only way to ensure an angel's death."
"Oh that's nasty." Sitting cross legged beside the mat, Kise rocked back and forth. "But true. Although I don't think humans have the strength to rip each other's head off. You might be the exception Kagamicchi." Holding Aomine in a headlock and listening to Kise's babble, the redhead clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
"I doubt it. Hey when we're done here, can I use those weights?" Releasing Aomine from his strangle hold and pushing him away, Kagami gestured towards the gym experiment. It was one of his only outlets and with his job now on the back burner, focusing on something would help him get over this whole horrible situation.
Staggering away from him, his wings shuddering and out stretched Aomine rubbed the back of his neck, flopping down beside Kise as he watched Kagami warm down and move on to the next set of experiment.
"You can use whatever, you're Kuroko's consort so you say jump, we say how high." Wiping down the leather on the bench, Kagami narrowed his eyes.
"So I've heard," he glanced to the couple with a smile. "What about you two? Can angels take other angels as consorts?" Shrugging and receiving a punch in the arm for his noise of annoyance, the blue winged angel cussed under his breath.
"Kind of."
"Of course they can." His hand reaching out and brushing the hair back from Aomine's forehead, Kise smiled. "It's how baby angels are made." Smiling at Kagami who was watching them from the corner of his eye, the blonde laughed as his lover caught his finger between his teeth and bit down hard.
"Female angels are a thing." Frowning Aomine nodded, releasing Kise's finger and leaving sharp little imprints on the pads.
"Is that a question or a comment?" Shrugging as he tested the weight and balance of the weight set, Kagami looked quickly to the side.
"Question?" Groaning, Aomine rubbed a hand over his face, watching Kise crawl forward and bring his eye level with the human's face.
"We have some female angels, although they don't usually take the public eye."
"Because they're all locked away as well?" Frowning, the blonde flicked his forehead, ready to catch the barbell if he faulted.
"Not like that Kagamicchi."
"Yeah Momo goes out and parties down every weekend but you've never heard of it." Staring up at the ceiling, his arms pushing up and down in an automatic motion, Kagami shrugged.
"I didn't know they existed." Snorting and joining his boyfriend beside the bench press, Aomine leant his chin on Kise's shoulder, kissing his neck softly.
"Then how the hell do we have angels?" Breathing deep, the fatigue in his arms increasing, Kagami stared the couple down.
"I don't fucking know, asexual single cell beings?" Laughing, his golden hair tossed back in a moment of humorous rapture, Kise patted the human on the knee.
"Not quite Kagamicchi, same sex relations are common." Pointing at his own consort as an example, he smiled. "And same sex reproduction is not impossible."
Almost dropping the bar, Kagami sat up with a grunt.
"Wait, you don't mean that you two have-"
"Have kids? Oh hell no." Aomine shuffled uncomfortably for a moment. "But it is a possibility."
"Creepy." Unable to catch himself before he spoke, Kagami wiped a hand across his brow. "I mean it's a thing."
"Nice save," pulling himself up and storming off towards the door Aomine waved the human off. "I've got a thing, see you later."
Unsure how to take this new development, Kagami looked towards Kise for confirmation.
"Is that a normal reaction?" Shrugging as he stood, the blonde pull out a drink bottle from the locked fridge across the room.
"Normal enough. Just ignore him. He's sick of people preying on Momoicchi for that very reason. She's old enough to look after herself really, but he still cares." Humming as he watched the other male's jerky and restrained body language, Kagami knew his foot had been put in his mouth as he took the bottle Kise offered him.
"Okay." Sensing there was more to the story, the redhead couldn't bring himself to care, especially as the door opened and Kuroko and Midorima passed through and into gym.
"What did you do to Aomine-kun? He appeared incredibly unhappy." Waving him off, Kagami crushed the empty plastic bottle before binning it quickly.
"Sensitive" Kise replied, licking sweat from his lips. "He needs to stop keeping Momoicchi on such a tight leash and get over himself." Faces not shifting, Midorima looked unexpressed by Kise's words, Kuroko likewise looked past Kise's to stare at Kagami with large eyes.
"Momoi-san has long been her own person and Aomine-kun should understand that. Any further issue is that of his own insecurities."
"Kuokocchi is so cruel sometimes." Ignoring the green winged angel as he moved forward to poke and prodded the human with steady, bandaged hands, Kise sniffed. "He will come around, he just needs time." Leaning back on the bench press, his blonde hair easily flicked from his eyes, Kise sighed. "And patience, which I don't have."
Pulling away as the doctor touched his neck and back with expert precision, Kagami scowled.
"Can you not?" Withdrawing his hand with a stern frown, Midorima turned to Kuroko, completely ignoring the redhead.
"He seems to have healed well, I would suggest you keep him away from any stertorous behaviour." His stomach flip flopping at the turn of phase, Kagami turned his attention to his small angelic consort.
"Good thing I don't have any of that in mind. Also can be I be spoken to like an actual person." Watchful eyes staring back at him from behind his glasses, Midorima hummed.
"As you wish. Kagami you have healed remarkably well. I will take a written thanks rather then physical appreciation."
"And here I was thinking Takaocchi had taught you some kind of love and kindness." Stiffening the bespectacled angel turned and briskly made to exit the room in a huff.
"What Takao and I do in our own time is not your business." Smiling endearingly Kise reached out to pinch his friend's cheek.
"Midorimacchi is so cute when discussing matters of the heart, so very cute." Knocking his hand away, the slender man headed on towards the door.
"He's not going to die Kuroko, be pleased. My methods are not a hundred percent certain."
"Wait, what?" Following the angel's exit, his eyes wide, Kagami looked to Kuroko and Kise for some kind of confirmation. "Is he serious?" Shrugging Kuroko stared down the blonde suddenly, the space between them increasing as he stepped back.
"Midorima-kun is well versed in angelic healthcare, humans are a different matter however." Flexing his foot and pleased by the lack of pain and mobility, Kagami shook his head.
"Thanks for telling me."
"You were in no danger Kagamicchi. We have the best healers Japan currently holds. Midorimacchi is constantly studying and updating his work." Not at all feeling comforted, Kagami wiped down the bench before turning to Kuroko.
"So is there anyway I can contact Tatsuya? Like by pigeon or something. Just so he knows I'm safe." Disappearing in the sewers on a clean up operation was not such a glamorous death, and his brother was probably freaking out.
"I spoke with Murasakibara-kun. Liu lives under his household so he'll pass along something subtly. Maybe through art." It wasn't the ideal situation, but so long as it worked to update Tatsuya on his situation the redhead didn't care.
"Thank you." Looking pleased, Kuroko thanked Kise as Kagami warmed down, inspecting the other rows of gym experiment. Catching the hushed and hurried nature of their conversation, Kagami bent to check the weight restrictions of a sprint bike.
"Your leads must be wrong. Teikō would never harbour a traitor."
"You don't know that Kise-kun. Please put a back trace on your household. Akashi-kun is thinking of implementing a total network black out, just until everything settles."
"No twitter?"
"Just for a little while, I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Feeling the end of their conversation incoming, Kagami stood and stretched.
"So what's everyone is a tizz about? Beyond me and Kuroko offing someone." Glancing between each other, the angels looked neutrally innocent.
"Nothing of your concern, it's our issue." Shaking his head, Kagami frowned.
"My issue now as well. So spill."
"The rebels are becoming more and more active. Since the collapse of the American RULE they're becoming bolder and there is little we can do on the matter."
"Why? You have like a small army locked away here, why not just stub them out?" Kuroko looked conflicted and Kise looked away, avoiding his eye.
"If we knew where they were, we would. However for the moment they're so underground it's impossible to track their movements." Making a frustrated noise, Kagami ran a hand through his sweaty hair.
"Well then how do we beat these guys?" The angels looked uncomfortable.
"We keep one step ahead of them. That's all we can do." Punching the nearest wall and wincing as the pain shot up his wrist, Kagami wasn't surprised in the least when Kuroko was suddenly at his side. His aching fist was held between small hands as he felt the limb begin to swell.
"Foolish Kagami-kun."
"I can't just do nothing." He sounded desperate, he was desperate. With these grand and magical creatures filling the temple, he'd assumed something would be done about this rebel revolution sooner rather then later. But of course these creatures were immortal, they had been at this war for years, centuries. The blink of his life would be nothing in comparison to their long lives. No wonder they didn't care.
"We are doing everything we can, but please be patience with us." Flexing his aching fist, Kagami shrugged.
"Yeah, I'm sure." He wasn't convinced, but the sentiment was appreciated.
