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“...You're a human.”
Voice devoid of emotion, Azz's startled statement sounded much crueller than he probably meant it.
A supportive hand on the back of his head kept the worst of his trepidation at bay as Iruma reluctantly nodded. “Yes.”
“Truly?” Azz's eyebrow began its inevitable ascent to the slowness of his speech. “This is not some strange sort of joke that failed to hit the mark?”
“Y-Yeah... I'm human.”
Azz huffed. Iruma flinched, worried it was displeasure, the look on his face unreadable. Maybe he was angry-
“You're not what I expected.”
Iruma blinked. What was that supposed to mean?
“...Eh?”
“I said, you are not what I expected. Aren't humans supposed to be...” An idle forearm waved stiffly in the air, a vague motion that surely made sense to his boyfriend. At the very least, he was trying to be charitable despite the confusion blatant in blank features. “...Smaller? Less durable? You caught a flaming cannonball with your bare hands and came out mostly unscathed! You bewitched the Guardian of Cutthroat Valley! You faced down rabid beasts and countless perils without so much as a grimace!”
“W-Well,” shaky hands rose between them, more leftover adrenaline than actual fear, “the Guardian's child was injured! All I did was heal its wounds, really. I'd been training with Opera-san's throws, and the rest of that... is just life here, isn't it?”
Azz stared at him like he'd grown a second head – not that he could blame him. He himself couldn't believe how vastly different, yet remarkably similar, their worlds truly were in the beginning.
“So... when Balam-sensei panicked about your wings...”
“I don't have them,” Iruma freely admitted. Part of him was tempted to just show Azz his back, although that could wait until after all this. When his precious friend had recovered from this horrific shock.
“And that's why you walk everywhere... And why you never l-let me... touch...” At some point, Azz's palm had risen to rest exasperatedly upon his nose, long fingers stretched out over his reddened face. “It should be so obvious; why did I not see it?”
“It's not something that's supposed to be known,” Iruma hastily assured, some semblance of his usual smile slowly climbing his cheeks. “Please don't take it personally.”
Broad, beautiful black wings spread as though with a mind of their own, quivering tensely mere inches above the ground. Now would be the wrong time to stroke them, to console him in that way, although when Azz took one stumbling step backwards, he feared he would take off.
“All this time...”
At least, Iruma reasoned, he wasn't looking at him. He couldn't take the hurt that must surely be in his eyes, the betrayal. After all this time, after so many months together, he should have mentioned it sooner. So much sooner that Azz would have never had to fall for him, would have been free to choose him or not with the knowledge of what he really was...
Iruma took a deep, shuddering breath. Despairing wouldn't get him anywhere, nor would things get any better if he didn't say something now. If nothing else, he should stop Azz's emotional spiral. Another breath, mouth wide, chest puffed almost painfully with the force of his inhale, and-
“...I can show you, later.”
A single magenta eye peeked past half-curled fingers, confusion all there was to be seen as he silently waited for him to continue.
“My back. You might find it interesting.”
Azz's mouth gaped just far enough to see the tips of his fangs as his hand awkwardly fell to his chest, one knee barely behind the other. “You... would trust me with something of such personal import?”
“Of course!” Iruma grinned, confident and full. “You're my soulmate, aren't you?”
Clearing his throat with a sound that must've been painful, Azz solemnly bowed his head, dark eyes closing on their own. “Yes, I am. If you would still stake your life in my presence, well...” Trembling fist clenched tightly in his lapel, he lifted his head just high enough to reveal a forced and wobbly smile. “Who am I to refuse?”
“Great!” Iruma aimed a cheerful wave his way, determined to keep going as though nothing was different. Azz was anxious enough without his inner turmoil reaching his voice. “Come to my house later, okay? Thanks so much for understanding, Azz-kun!”
“O-Of course, Iruma-sama...”
“Thanks for not flying away, Azz-kun.” Back still to him, his bravery caused exclusively by not having to look at him, Iruma slid his shirt from surprisingly relaxed shoulders. “Really, I mean it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
Somewhere behind him, Azz muffled a gasp with a single tentative step in his direction. But he approached no further, still close to the wall, holding onto his reserved sort of dignity with an iron grip. “Th-Think nothing of it, I pray. It is the least I can do to repay your generosity.”
Smiling, first to himself then sweetly over his shoulder, Iruma caught his eye. “You can touch if you want. I don't mind.”
This time he clearly heard Azz gulp, and it seemed like forever before hesitant footfalls began to move softly across the carpet. His warmth reached him far before his hands did, palms hovering just beyond his shoulder blades, too afraid to touch. “Are you truly certain?”
With nothing but certainty, Iruma firmly nodded.
Tight lips trembled with concentration, or perhaps restraint, as Azz's eyes finally left his own to roam uncertainly down his back. Finally, with only the lightest touch, hot fingertips pressed gingerly into his skin. They dragged gradually towards his arm then back again, then carefully traced the bone. Eventually his entire palm settled across his skin, as tender as it was warm where it followed the previous route. Iruma shivered.
“Are you alright?” Azz immediately froze.
Swiftly, Iruma nodded. “Keep going.”
Azz shook his head. With measured, careful steps, he sidled past Iruma to sit awkwardly at the foot of his bed, hands stiffly folded in his lap beneath his agonised stare. “I fear I can go no further. My apologies.” Breathing a heavy sigh, he finally managed to meet his eyes again, a tiny, sorrowful smile just barely shifting his lips. “I must thank you for this opportunity, however. Truly, from you and all that you are, this is nothing short of the highest honour.”
Iruma grinned. Azz warily watched his easy approach but did not object to Iruma picking up his hands, encouraging thumbs gently rubbing small circles over his knuckles. “You're welcome, Azz-kun. Thank you again for trusting me to show you the truth – this really means a lot to me. For so long, I wanted to tell you, needed to tell you, but I could never find the words. Every single time, I doubted myself, feared how you might react... But I didn't want you to find out some other way, so in the end, I finally made it. I'm so glad you're still by my side!”
Azz was crying now. He always did, when he felt relieved, and even though the tears always made him feel bad, that openness was one of the many things Iruma loved about him. Without hesitation, Iruma leaned forward to place a tender kiss on each cheek, kindly drew Azz's tears away. Glistening eyes gazed up at him, and their lips met. Fingers shifted to tighten minutely around his own, and a heartfelt arm wrapped warmly around his back. Still Azz wept, but because they were tears of joy, he could set aside the worry for now.
Trust was a beautiful thing. And Azz, his precious Azz, now fully aware of the truth that weighed him down for all these countless weeks in the Netherworld, still trusted and adored him. Truly, there was no greater outcome than this feather-light delight! As they smiled against each other's mouths between giddy and awkward huffs, the whole situation as strange as a dream, they settled into a familiar hug, the furl of Azz's beautiful wings spread warmly along his forearms to trail unhindered across his quilt. One loving arm unfolded from his back to run smoothly along the warm, supple leather, the careful weight of his boyfriend's forehead against his own every bit as comforting as it always was. No more hiding dark and harrowing secrets. Cradled in each other's warm, protective arms without a single fear, this is how it was meant to be.