Angelo and Dante were once again meeting for a stakeout, but this time, Angelo had decided he was the one bringing food. As he slid into the car beside Dante, the detective looked up with a smile and a brief greeting before Angelo just shoved a paper bag in his face.
"Hey-! huh?" He said.
Frowning as he was then interrupted immediately, Dante took the bag and peered inside. A sprinkled donut with pink frosting, he assumed it was strawberry or maybe cherry flavoured. He took it out and sent a sly smile at Angelo, who kept glancing at him but kept looking away as well. Was he embarrassed?
"A donut," Dante mused. "Bold choice. How'd you know I like sprinkles?"
Because I stalk you, Angelo signed as a joke.
The detective just blinked. "I caught I, and you. That's it."
Angelo aggressively rolled his eyes before handing Dante a disposable paper cup of coffee, and Dante took it. Then Angelo produced several miniature creamer cups, packets of sugar, and packets of sweetener. He held them out to Dante like he was a little kid offering his parent a bunch of cool rocks he found. Dante smiled, then put his cup down and gently put his hands together under Angelo's. He dropped them into Dante's hands, and the detective started sorting through the flavours and what he wanted.
After that, they continued to stare at a convenience store that was set to have a meeting held in the back of it, but so far, Dante hadn't seen anyone. Not to mention, it was closed, so he was fairly certain nothing would be happening tonight from the next two hours of nothing. Either plans changed, or…
"Looks like the entire human populace exploded and we're the last people on earth," Dante said. "Or plans were changed… and I didn't hear any explosions."
He offered Angelo a smile, but when he looked over, he saw he was playing with a lighter that had a hinged lid. As he flicked it open and closed multiple times, Dante noticed that the fire was just coming to life without use of the flint or steel. At first he thought maybe it was an automatic lighter, but then he saw the flame licking at Angelo's thumb with no burns.
"Hey," Dante said. "How are you doing that?"
Angelo looked up, the lighter open at this point, and looked down. Apparently realising something, he closed the lighter and held out a hand – thankfully away from any flammables – and set his palm aflame. Dante flinched back in surprise, and Angelo held it steady… no wounds forming in sight.
"Woah," Dante muttered.
Angelo started playing with it in his hands, dancing multiple sparks along his fingertips like he was juggling them. Dante gently moved closer in his seat, watching it with awe and fascination.
"I didn't know you could do that," He whispered.
Use of elemental powers was completely unheard of, but Dante acted like it was just another cool thing that Angelo could do. Maybe it was something known in fantasy tales or flamethrowers, but wielders of flame were unknown. As far as Angelo knew, he was the only one that had an ability like this, but he didn't mind showing it off.
"What does it feel like?" Dante mumbled.
Angelo paused, and the fire dispersed in his hands like it was never there, the only hint it even existed in the first place being glowing embers that quickly dissipated. Reaching for his phone, Angelo sent a quick text to him.
Angel:
Warm velvet.
Dante literally had his mouth hanging open as he read it, smiling. "Can your parents do it, too?"
Angel:
No.
Just me.
Dante chuckled to himself like an excited teenager that just discovered crack. "So cool... wish I could do something like that."
Angelo paused for a moment, then reached out. Without really thinking about consequences, he took Dante's hand and held it palm up within his own. Dante looked confused, but he let him, watching carefully. Angelo summoned fire with his other hand and, while maintaining physical contact, he put the flame in his.
Dante watched as the flame danced over his hands, and just like Angelo had said… it felt like warm velvet. There were no burns, no dangers to concern himself over, just warmth in his hand. Tangible with feeling, but fluid like water. Dante grinned excitedly, astonished, but the flame didn't last long.
Once it faded, Dante and Angelo were left holding hands in the dark. After a moment, Angelo pulled away, the warmth of skin touching his still on his hands. He stared at them for a moment, as if trying to process something, and Dante pulled his own away with a smile.
"You didn't flinch."
That was all he said – slowly, controlled, like revealing a secret that was promised between only them. Angelo glanced at him, then down, biting his lower lip. He managed a small nod, and Dante looked back at his hands, wondering how many people in reality that Angelo trusted. How many people he truly let touch him… but not just that. Who knew him like he did.
One of these days, he wanted to know who he was underneath all that flame and soot.