Recommended listening: Hymn to the Sea composed by James Horner

My Angel

Chapter 13

Hisoka blinked as he found himself walking the familiar path towards the golden palace of God in his golden-laced shoes always bestowed on his feet whenever he reached the gateway into heaven. Hisoka sighed as he found that he happened to be walking past the same trees with golden fruit, the trees that never aged nor died, and the fruit that never perished. No one seemed to be out at this time and Hisoka hung his head slightly, realizing it must have been because of what he had done with his client. On trial in the palace of God, every angel and being in Heaven was to attend, either being on jury, behind the witness chair, or out in the halls, waiting for the judgment to be sounded throughout the universe for everyone to hear.

"Hey, Hisoka!"

The angel snapped out of his thoughts, bringing his head up at the voice and turned suddenly, watching as a familiar angel approached him from behind one of the many trees along the pathway. The angel was only five or so inches taller than he was, sleek black hair tied in a ponytail that fell down to almost his waist, glittering purple eyes that immediately reminded Hisoka of his client, Tsuzuki. He wore a similar outfit; only his sash was a swirl of black and silver with sparkling golden dust hanging around the edges.

"Diego, why are you out here?" Hisoka asked curiously.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," was the response from the elder angel as he stopped a few feet in front of the boy. "What are you doing back? You're way too early."

Hisoka looked down and away from the gaze, his bangs hiding his now frail eyes that glimmered once more in tears he knew he could not let himself shed. "I… broke a law of God."

"You what?" asked Diego, disbelief evident in his voice.

Hisoka bit his lip. He could not say any more than he had said. A few minutes passed before he felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up into those purple eyes that mirrored his own sadness. "I think I know what's going on, Hisoka. Here, come with me for a minute."

Hisoka followed his long time friend along the path, welcoming the touch on his shoulder that projected comfort for him as they soon reached a meadow enriched endless hills of luscious green grass that never died and trees surrounding with flowers that endlessly bloomed, sakura trees that never ran out of their pink petals.

Leading the boy to the top of one of the higher hills, Diego stopped at a Japanese maple tree, a canvas hanging with a single silver string holding it up with no effort. Hisoka's eyes widened. "Masaka... You finished it!"

"I did." Diego smiled as he gestured to his perfect oil canvas painting of Heaven itself, each stroke careful that captured the firmest of places, the hardest of curves. Although no painting could compare the beauty, only Diego's came close to seeing the real universe come alive.

Hisoka reached over and with a gentle hand, he stroked the canvas, flitting over the paint, touching, but with no real touch behind it. "It's incredible."

"For taking a decade, I'd like to think so," Diego replied with a smile on his face before it fell and his eyes took on sharpness, narrowing in sincerity. "I want to teach you something, Hisoka. That's why I brought you here."

Emerald glanced up from the glorious painting, the owner of such deep eyes showing that he was listening to what the other had to say. Diego took a deep breath before saying, "Everyone has an opinion, whether it is on a good stand or a bad one. It's not what is told that is right, it's what is right that some can see superior than others."

Hisoka glanced at the painting before looking back at the Angel of Life. "I don't understand."

Diego smiled again, a smile that came close to Tsuzuki's own, but Hisoka shook those thoughts away as Diego put a hand on the younger's shoulder again. "It's like my painting, Hisoka. Many would say that it is wonderful, flawless, the best thing ever done in history, but no. It is not perfect. Most cannot see the flaws bent into the oils as they ballet across the canvas in a dance composed by the artist's brush."

"But that's not what makes the color beautiful," Hisoka interjected as he gazed to the painting hung upon the tree. "Many think that it's only that artist's brush that makes it beautiful, but it's really only the light from the soul that can bring out the magnificence within them. Right?"

Diego nodded. "That's right. Few can see the flaws. It is just like the rules here and down in other worlds. Every rule has a flaw within them, even the ones set by the most powerful being in the universe. We've all broken one of God's laws."

"Even you?" Hisoka looked up at the older angel in astonishment.

Diego nodded again, his black hair falling out of its ponytail, the ribbon casting itself into dust as the wind picked up around them, blowing the endless trail of sakura petals and leaves behind them. "Even I. I still think, in fact, I'm breaking that law now."

"What do you mean?" asked Hisoka.

Diego smiled sadly and fixed Hisoka with a soft gaze. "I commit sodomy almost as bad as you did."

"When was that?" Hisoka stared deep into Diego's eyes, looking for the hidden truth there. Diego let out a sound between a sigh and a laugh.

"Present tense, Hisoka, present tense. It's now… it wasn't direct, but it was to you."

Hisoka took a step back, away from his friend whom he was now both curious and a bit scared about. Diego also took a step back to allow the distance. He fixed Hisoka with a smile that told him no harm would come, nor any infliction of pain, whether it would be physical, emotional, or mental.

"But I didn't pursue it," Diego said.

"You… felt that way towards me?" Hisoka asked in disbelief. He couldn't believe that someone who loved him the same way Tsuzuki did had done so for so long, yet it was never clear to him before. Diego nodded once more, but smiled sadly at the younger.

"I knew that if I did, I'd go through a punishment far worse than what you would ever get on your trial."

"What would that be?"

"I cannot say exactly. But I promised myself I would refrain from pursuing you, for both your sake as well as my own. I do love you, Kurosaki Hisoka, but I can only be near you."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Hisoka demanded. "You knew I was miserable and you kept this from me. Why?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," Diego answered desolately. "After what you had been through… I realized that I could only be close to you. If you will allow me, it's more than enough."

Hisoka bit his lip and a silence ensued in the moment. This angel whom he had known throughout his life in heaven was now expressing a love for him in the same way Tsuzuki had done just hours before, the same love that now kept the two separated, the same love that was deep within both of their cores. And…

It hurt. It truly did hurt Hisoka. He had thought the small comforting touches were because Diego pitied him or expressing a friendship gesture, but deep within the Angel of Life, deep in his soul, he loved the boy whom had been his friend all these years. It was hard to believe and Diego looking similar to Tsuzuki did not help Hisoka's situation at all, especially now.

Seeing Hisoka's stricken face, Diego sighed and shook his head. "It's all right if you don't trust me now."

Hisoka looked up at the angel before glancing back at the canvas, mulling over the lesson Diego had just set forth in his mind, trying to find the hidden meaning behind the lesson, find the real reason in which this lesson was given to him. After a moment, Hisoka sighed, closing his eyes. "I… I still do trust you, Diego. And I appreciate that you didn't want to hurt me. And I can see why you kept this from me, so… thank you."

Diego smiled as Hisoka's eyelids slid back, revealing the grateful green eyes. "But I don't like it when you keep things from me. In the future… can you tell me what you're hiding? I don't want to do something that will hurt you to find out you hid true feelings because of it, all right?"

Diego nodded and took a step, kneeling down to Hisoka's eye level. The younger angel reached over and hugged the Angel of Life tightly, his wings flexing off to the side as the older embraced him in return. For a moment, that's all they did, hug each other as friends would to comfort friends, as family members would comfort their relatives. But now, they were just close friends.

Diego broke the embrace and put a hand on Hisoka's shoulder, looking into those innocent, alluring eyes that promised a long friendship should the trial be merciful on him. Diego glanced behind his shoulder to watch as a few other angels of the kingdom flew overhead, heading towards the golden palace where a trumpet sounded, its notes perfectly strung together, an eternal melody that had no end even when the sound faded. Hisoka looked down at the sound, biting his lip again.

Diego looked back to his young friend and placed a hand under his chin, forcing him to look up. Diego stared into those eyes again before he let out a long sigh. "Listen to me Hisoka. Whatever happens on trial, whatever happens to you, bear in mind that this can be changed. When you are up on that stand, you will tell both truth and judgment that everyone in that room will gap at."

Hisoka attempted a small laugh, but at the same time a tear rolled down his cheek. Diego continued. "You will shock everyone in that room to their second death with your answers. We know how strong you are, I know how much strength you carry. Just say the truth and you will win."

"You'll be there, right Diego?" Hisoka asked hopefully, a foreign light shining in his eyes, a light which held more strength tan any angel could hold within them.

The Angel of Life nodded. "I will be there with you. I am defending you on part of both friendship and duty. You are my client on trial. You know my ways, right?"

Hisoka nodded before looking down as they made their way towards the palace of pure gold, power suddenly fading within him. "Thank you Diego."

"You're welcome, Hisoka. I feel this is one trial that will be its first in an eon."

Green eyes looked up at glittering amethyst before Hisoka nodded, eyes setting themselves into stone as they gazed at the golden palace. This was going to be one hell of a trial.