Chapter 23

"Of course it is cold today. Out of all days, this one has to be the coldest I have ever dealt with." A huff of warm air blew out of Ivan's mouth. "Did you see that, Matthew? It is so cold that you can see that it is cold. Look! Look at these clouds coming from my face!"

Matthew gazed thoughtfully at the two naked wings arching out of slits in the demon's coat. "Maybe I should invent wing warmers. Do you think they would sell?"

"I would be the first to buy a pair! No, I would buy twenty pairs!"

"Twenty?! Oh, wow..."

The dead forest echoed with their footsteps crunching on the frosty ground. Ivan eyed the trees suspiciously, and occasionally scented the breeze, only to clamp a hand over his nose. Matthew was more worried about keeping his fingers warm in Ivan's palm. Any white of wings and angel-cloth would mesh into the landscape, but a head of golden hair popped out from behind a tree trunk.

Alfred brandished his arm and called, "Hey dudes!" He immediately shoved that arm underneath his other one. "Fuck, it's cold!" When they drew closer together, both mustered a smile at the sight of their twin's well being. "Nice to see you're all right."

Matthew could hardly believe it, too. "Yeah, you-"

Ivan asked tersely, "Why would he not be?"

"Eugh!" Alfred scrunched his face into the collar of his winter coat. "Could you like, back up five feet?"

Matthew shook his head, and had to point out to two grown adults, "It'd be a lot warmer if we all huddled together."

Alfred blinked a few times at the ground, considering the truth, and scooted to cozy up to Matthew's side. "Are you ready for this?"

"I am, and so is Ivan, which is sort of important, if you forgot."

Ivan blinked, coming from a distant stare. "What?"

"Don't worry about it."

"I find it very hard not to worry at this moment."

Matthew sighed, butting his head against Ivan's shoulder. After hesitation for a short-stare down, Ivan smiled and held his arms out to encompass both of the brothers.

Alfred's eyes went wide, freaking out as a strong arm crept across his back, "Agh! No!"

Ivan only giggled at his critical meltdown, "Very nice and warm, yes? You spend so much time chasing after the angel, you will freeze."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

Very nice and warm. Alfred's loss; Matthew pressed his face to their organic heater. "Where is he anyway? You know anything?"

Alfred shot the arm braced around his side a furious pout, but did not do anything about it. "Artie's around. He's looking for other angels to help, and they're going to regroup right around here."

Matthew pulled back to see Ivan's expression, matching his barely-contained blight. "Oh. That's nice."

Alfred threw his head back and yelled, "Winter can suck balls!"

Ivan jammed the twins against him, a moment before something, or someone, thudded to the ground. "What in the world?!" The ugly hollering could only be Arthur's voice, "Unhand those boys this instant!"

Matthew shrunk into his coat, but Ivan kept his cool, "What? I am keeping them warm. Do you know what that is like?"

"Wha...w-well, you..." An indignant huff, "Fine! You try anything funny, and I'll strangle you with your own tail. You hear me?"

Ivan smiled as he stuck his nose into Matthew's hair. "I hear something."

"Hush!"

Arthur's feet swished in the snow, circling them and not bothering to hide his disgust in the slightest, "I'm a tad surprised you even bothered to come. It would have been wise to simply flee back to Hell."

"Wise to you, but angels always had cold hearts."

"Hmph! A demon in love sounds so much sillier."

Matthew looked to Alfred, as if he would tug on his angel-leash, or whatever was between them, but his brother squeezed his eyes shut and squished his face against Ivan's coat. So, Matthew had to play referee, "Guys, can we not?"

A moment of peace. Until Ivan giggled, "So, you're not going to join the cuddling?"

"Ugh! Bloody Hell!"

Matthew turned his head to eye Arthur sticking his nose to the pale skies. "Aren't you cold?" His mouth lifted in a sly smile and 'politely' added, "On the outside, I mean."

Arthur glanced down to his simple toga and his toes wiggled against his sandals. "The skies are open to the weather. What angel would I be if I could not handle mere frost?"

"Ha-ha!" Ivan laughed again, not really helping matters, "It would be interesting to see you walk through a lake of lava."

Matthew reminded him, "You can't do that either."

An offended gasp, "Matthew!"

Bad tingles ran down the back of Matthew's neck. Arthur drew closer, seething from clenched teeth, "I would not speak like that to the others when they arrive. We do not have to do this. Consider yourself lucky to be spared, for us to allow you to walk amongst humans."

Hardly holding back, Ivan remarked, "I consider myself lucky for other reasons, but most certainly not that."

"Oh? I suppose you rather us send you back to where you crawled from in pieces?"

Ivan narrowed his eyes, clutching Matthew closer. Alfred was unusually quiet. Arthur acted unfazed when a slight breeze blew into his face and the others bunched into their coats and scarves. "When we are finished, if you are caught undisguised for any reason you are out of Hell, we will be investigating why, even for the slightest moment."

"Why can I not wear my cloak?"

"Cloaks are weak, temporary disguises," Arthur shot back with an obligatory scowl to punctuate his words. "They can come off with heightened emotions. You can still smell and sense like a demon. You are still animalistic under a cloak. Our light will cancel any risks it poses."

Yeah, risks. Sure. Matthew had to ask, "So, whatever is going to happen...you guys won't kill him, right?" Of course his voice wavered and broke off at the end.

Arthur raised a grand eyebrow. "Are you asking me personally? Hmph. Personally, no. I will not try not to traumatize you any further, Matthew. God knows your soul needs it. However, it has been a while since I heard of a demon sighting from the others. They may be a tad anxious to see one again when they arrive."

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh, no."

I led him to his Death.

"See?" A hefty hand gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Easy trap."

"Be quiet, would you?"

Ivan stuck his face against the top of Matthew's head again. "If the angels are going to kill me, they lost the element of surprise."

That did not help matters. Matthew squeezed his eyes shut as they stung again, from the cold. Yes, from the cold...

Arthur snipped, "We do not need to swoop so low as to have the 'element of surprise.'"

"Little bird."

"Stupid oaf!"

Matthew begged, "Stop-"

Alfred belted out, "Cool! Great! Yeah, name calling! Are your guys going to be here soon? I'm freaking freezing!"

Relenting, Arthur backed away with a last grumble, "Maybe you should have stayed home."

"Maybe you should have stayed home!"

Matthew gave his brother a grateful almost-smile, but Alfred was too busy making angry faces at the angel. He jumped against his warm confinement as something large circled above the trees. "Uh, guys?!"

That something large plummeted right toward them. Matthew shoved away, and Alfred and Ivan craned their heads up like two idiots blinking at the Sun. They yelled and pushed one another away, seconds before an angel dropped to the snowy ground. Ivan darted around the brunette figure rising to his feet, grasping Matthew's arm to pull him from...

Antonio.

"That's...that's my boss!" Matthew looked to Alfred to see if he also freaked out, "Holy, shit, that's my-"

"Antonio!" Arthur shoved by everyone. Alfred had a big grin as he checked out Antonio in a toga, not freaking out.

Antonio stared at Matthew, and an unusual frown tugged on one side of his face, "I didn't expect you to be here."

All eyes on Matthew. He glanced to the snowy dirt beneath the angels' bare feet. No secret mermaids or dragons this time, unfortunately. "I didn't expect you to be an angel."

"You're with the demon?"

"Um...th-this isn't related to my paycheck...right?"

Antonio kept staring.

Matthew needed to hide.

Arthur asked, "Have you heard from anyone yet?"

"No later than you. Elizabeta shouldn't be too long now, actually!" Finally, Antonio tore his green eyes away, to Alfred this time, "Here for the drama, friend?"

Alfred probably already knew he was an angel the whole time! That bastard-! "Emotional support, actually."

"That's wonderful!" Antonio's short-lived grin fell to a strong tangle of the brows, "Uh, you're shaking a lot."

"I'm cold!"

"Ah." Antonio's gaze jumped over Matthew, and landed on Ivan. Matthew gripped his hand tighter, but before anyone said anything, a loud whoop cried over their heads. Another figure in white thudded to the ground, splattering snow over anyone's legs that stood too close. She straightened, pushing her long locks from her face, and swept the gathered group with a mischievous light in her green eyes.

"Hello, gentlemen." The others shared a more apprehensive look, mumbling their own greetings. "I heard there's a demon on the loose!" It was obvious who it was; horns curling from each side of the head, towering figure. Ivan pulled his scarf over his nose. The woman slapped a hand over her mouth to poorly stifle a giggle.

"Out of the way!" A voice from above warned, and two more dropped from the sky. The smaller blond landed much more quietly, and her look-alike put an arm before her as soon as they situated themselves beneath the trees. "This is an interesting bunch, Kirkland."

Arthur seemed tense, despite being among his own kind, "Nice for you to take time out of your 'busy' schedule, Basch."

"Erika!" The brunette woman threw her arms around the smaller girl. "It is marvelous to see you once more!"

Basch opened his mouth to dissent to the affection, but clamped up from a threatening smile sent in his direction. "Hello, Miss Elizabeta," Erika turned pink. "I was worried there were going to be no one else I know."

Antonio asked, "Are we waiting for more?"

Arthur said, "There are fellows from the North that should arrive soon. Give them time. It is a while away."

Ivan let out a noise that could pass as amusement, "They laugh and smile before they plan to slaughter me."

"D-don't freak out!" Matthew said, perhaps a little too loud. The gathered angels turned their heads, and many pairs of very green eyes fell quiet with baited breaths at the slightest movement, shouting silent threats and deadly promises.

Basch, without taking his glower off of the pair, asked, "Is he one of them, too?"

Alfred snorted, "Does he look like a freaking demon?"

Matthew's mouth popped open to tell off his brother, but Arthur got to it first, "Alfred." He gave Matthew a sour look, too, before turning to Basch, "No, but you have him to thank for our gathering this day."

Basch curled his nose and shook his head, but apparently had nothing else to say.

"So, what are we doing?" Elizabeta was a bit more gentle, "You told me we were dealing with a demon, but with how many of us are here, I'd expect you caught more than one." She beamed, "Unless we're not dealing with it in the traditional sense!"

"Kirkland," Basch again, "What is going on."

Not a question. A demand.

Arthur remained sturdy against their hard stares. "Listen, all of you. Matthew, here, tangled himself with a demon." A few glances over to the said demon. Matthew could not be as undaunted, and pressed his nose into a strong arm. "To keep it short, we were planning to neutralize its demonic rubbish, so there are no more unnecessary arguments and drama."

"What?!" Basch nearly shrieked, "From whom? A demon?!"

"Arthur!" Antonio scolded, "I thought you already took care of this!"

"Wait, you know, too? Both of you! What sort of town is this to breed traitorous angels?!"

Erika's little voice came up, "Brother! Please calm down!"

"Would you let me explain?!" Arthur seethed, "Thank you!" Not so thankful. "I carried out the typical procedure. I cleansed Matthew in case it was demonic possession. I engaged the demon. It was taken down without showing much of those...ahem, dark abilities, which proves that is has not been feeding off of anybody during its time on the surface as I firstly and rightfully believed!"

Matthew peeked at the surrounding angels, to the hush that fell over their heads as Arthur folded his hands in front of himself, presentable, but firm, "I come to the conclusion that both of them have somehow managed covert, yet friendly relations, and therefore mean no harm to the people around them."

"It's a demon!" Basch reprimanded. "Its presence is a harm to humans and even us!"

Antonio gave him a weird look, then nodded to Arthur. "Yes, it is strange that you did not just send it back to Hell the first time you caught wind of it. Without its wings."

Alfred caught Matthew's eye and shook his head. Matthew looked away. His own boss. He could not help but be a bit betrayed.

"It's behaving right now," Erika pointed out. "Right, Mister Demon?"

Basch latched onto her arm and pulled her back, as if she was not several wing lengths from Ivan. "Don't talk to it!"

"Enough!" Arthur's façade cracked when he stamped a sandal on the ground, "This is why we should have it neutralized! So it's not a threat!"

Matthew squeezed Ivan's hand and pressed his cheek to his shoulder, hoping it could be some kind of measly apology, but Ivan did not react, steadily observing the angels.

Antonio shrugged, "I don't know, friend. We should just send it back to Hell."

"No!" Matthew clamored, but none of the glowing beings seemed to have heard him.

"No, we can talk about this." Arthur lifted his hands to punctuate, "Will we just talk for once?!"

Basch scoffed, "Why should we? It's a demon."

Alfred calmly replied for anyone, "And you're rude."

Matthew almost smiled. Almost. If looks could kill...poor Alfred.

Arthur took a deep breath, and let it out in a sharp exhale through the nose. His hands balled into fists against his sides, and he spoke slowly, as if to children, "If we neutralize it, it will be as if it was never one in the first place. We will not have to worry about anyone being pissy or unreasonable. We are angels. We are supposed to grow goodwill. How can we do that if we rip a pair apart?"

Antonio shook his head, "Ugh, no! This feels...this feels wrong! It feels like you're siding with the creature. Our ancestors would not want this. They would smite it right away without a second thought."

"Yes!" Basch gestured to Antonio, the star pupil, "Since when do demons have these frivolous 'feelings?'" He set his disdainful green eyes on Matthew and sneered, "Even if it is true, surely it's all one-sided."

Matthew gasped, but Ivan gripped his hand before he could go over there and - "I have felt feelings since I was born!"

Basch was not impressed. "Nobody told you to speak!"

A low growl broke from Ivan's throat. Matthew squeezed his eyes shut and squished into his side, pleading in a breaking voice and a breaking resolve, "I'm sorry."

Arthur's argument fell to a flustered stammer, "I am not turning against Heaven, if that is what you are implying!"

Ivan rested his cheek on top of Matthew's head, managing to be much more chill than he was at the current moment, "Do not blame yourself, Matthew. If you are here, then I want to be here, too."

"I'm sorry."

"Besides!" Arthur scoffed, trying to get a good footing but honestly, looked stupid with his hands flourishing, "this is our time! We're not a bunch of mindless warriors!"

The surrounding angels exclaimed in disgust, horror, or a mix of the two.

Alfred stomped his feet a few times in the snow with a noisy and aggravated yell, "Jeez! I thought angels help people!" As if to the sky and not to his audience, "I'd think that if a demon was willing to get help, they wouldn't stand there and complain the whole time! Wow!"

Some of the curious gazes turned hostile, and Basch immediately pinned on Arthur, "I suggest if you are going to bring guests, make sure they are more mannered."

Arthur's face bloomed to a strong pink and turned his gaze from everybody.

"Hey!" Alfred jabbed a finger at the other blond angel, "Don't be putting the blame on Artie! I came here because I wanted to!" A little wag of the hips, "If you got something to say, then say it to me!"

Basch's wings uncurled from his back. Arthur snapped his head toward him.

"Alfred!" Matthew begged, "Don't pick a fight with the angels! Please! That's what we're trying to avoid!"

Ivan rumbled with amusement, but Alfred sent a pout their way.

"Yes!" Erika quickly nodded, glancing around the group with wide verdant eyes, "I don't anybody to fight! We don't need to!"

"Thank you," Matthew whispered, even though she probably did not catch it.

Basch stared at Alfred for a long moment, before his feathers flattened as he rolled his shoulders back. "Yes. Fighting, especially amongst ourselves, should be out of the question."

Arthur kept glaring.

Elizabeta stuck her hands on her hips. "The human's right. You boys always want to take the quickest way out, even if it's the harshest one." That got the dirty looks away from the twins. "Why are you all throwing a hissy fit over this? We can just neutralize the demon and be on our merry way! There is literally no reason to drag your feet and groan about it!"

"Yes," Arthur sneered at his 'colleagues,' "since everyone has important things to do, let us stop this squabbling and get on with it!"

Ivan grumbled, "Preferably before I freeze to the ground."

Antonio retorted, "I do not want to use the goodwill I harvested on a demon! It seems counter-productive!"

Matthew nudged Ivan, lamely offering, "Just think; if that happens, then the angels won't have to worry about big, bad, evil Ivan pillaging and burning the town."

The vague haunt in Ivan's eyes melted into a little smile. "My Matthew."

At the very least, he found it somewhat funny. Matthew closed his eyes as their foreheads met. The angels bickered, their wings twitched, their sandals stamped against the frosty grass, and they were not the ones wrapped in strong, cozy demon-arms.

Basch complained about his 'evening tea-time' getting postponed.

Antonio threatened to 'defeatherize' Arthur.

Elizabeta tried to scold everyone for fighting, but almost laughed through it.

Arthur now had his hands fiercely pinching Antonio's cheeks, shouting that no, chickens cannot fly without feathers, they would just flap around awkwardly like an angel out of water.

"Hey!" A distant voice shout out, but the echoes died against the bare trees. "G-guys!"

A set of boot clad feet slammed onto the ground, ultimately killing the squabbling with a deep roar of, "Enough!"

Everyone yelled and scattered, wings flapping and feet skittering in the snow to get away from the newcomer rising to a monstrous height. Ivan angled his back toward him as Matthew's eyes were glued over his shoulder. Alfred squeaked, "Whoa!"

Matthew wondered if he urinated himself.

The tall blond gazed upon the crowd with sharp aquamarine eyes, making sure to look at everybody before brandishing an strong arm in the air. A second figure thudded beside him, almost collapsing to the ground as he doubled over and planted his hands on his knees. Both newcomers had longer, thicker robes instead of the usual togas, as if they were for the aesthetic of a colder climate.

"W-we did not...hah...miss much, huh, Berwald?"

"Hm," the giant grumbled, "somethin' smells burnt."

"There you two are!" Arthur marched right up to the pair, and put his hands on his hips, greeting them so kindly, "When I say there is a demon in our midst, I would think it would classify as an emergency."

The shorter angel gave his head a shake, too focused on getting the air back into his lungs. Berwald planted a large hand on one of his shoulders and glared heavily at Arthur.

"So, there's more than enough. Didn't know you were bringing extra, Tino."

"Oh, you know what the humans say!" The chubby angel peeled into nervous laughter, "The more, the merrier!"

"I believe seven will too much for a neutralization," Arthur said. His gaze immediately jumped to a tree trunk when Berwald narrowed his eyes at him.

Matthew guessed, "They're going to fight about this now?"

Alfred noisily whined, "It's freezing! Are we doing this or not?"

Basch clipped the problem before it could bloom, "Erika will stand out of the circle unless she is needed."

"Brother! I can handle it!"

"I do not doubt you, but one of us should keep our store of luminescence if possible."

Erika understood, nodding in agreement. "That makes sense. I agree with the human, though. We should start, do you think?"

"W-wait!" Tino held his arms out, until everyone fell quiet and looked at him. He pointed to Ivan, "That's the demon? Holy moly! I-I..." His lavender eyes flickered around, and nobody seemed impressed anymore. "Okay, never mind. Jeez. I just hope all of you know what we're doing."

"Yes." Arthur beckoned, "Ivan, you may approach." The demon simply stared. "Well? It's either this, or go back to torturing the souls of the damned."

"Why does everybody think we do that?" Ivan snorted. "The screams would give me a headache after a while-"

Matthew slapped his butt.

Ivan clamped his mouth shut. He whisked around, clasping his hands onto Matthew's cheeks and squished their lips together. Matthew squeezed his eyes shut, clutching him closer, for all the angels, for his heart pounding faster and faster, for the warmth between them, for their final moment trickling to an end.

"You can do it."

Because I can't.

Ivan nudged their foreheads together, murmuring, "Matthew."

Their hands slipped from one another. Matthew missed the warmth already.

From the corner of his eye, someone crept closer. Alfred's mouth hung open, and he gestured after the demon, "Dude! You...you guys talked about The Feelings?!"

The angels' glows meshed into one another as Matthew distantly gazed forward. "Yeah." His throat tightened. "He's got The Feelings, too."

"Yeah!" Alfred held out his hand. "Fist bump!"

The cold air stung Matthew's eyes. Alfred lowered his arm with a dejected, "Mattie?"

Matthew turned his face away.

Heaven have mercy on us.