Angel Meets Devil

Click to read chapter 3 to follow along

Angel Meets Devil

Friedrich Nietzsche – Beyond Good and Evil:

“He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”

“Why the snake?” Angel asked, curiosity lacing her voice. The tattoo suited him, she thought. There was something about Devil—dark, alluring, unpredictable. He kept her on her toes, never saying quite what she expected. It scared her in a way that oddly soothed her overthinking mind.

“I just thought it looked cool,” he said with the same casualness that seemed to define him. His answer was so laid-back, so effortless. Angel almost envied it. When it came to her own tattoos, she could spend hours explaining the meaning behind each one, each design carefully chosen, each memory ingrained in her skin.

She noticed his gaze shift to her Godspeed tattoo, and she offered an explanation without him needing to ask. “I got this one because of a song by Frank Ocean. It’s about loving someone so deeply, but knowing you have to part ways, even though you don’t want to. I feel things intensely, and when I have to let go, it takes me a long time to do it. But I always end up doing it because…well, it’s the right thing to do.”

As she spoke, their hands brushed against each other, both of them tracing the delicate lines of her tattoo. Every time his thumb grazed her wrist, where the ink rested, Angel lost track of her thoughts, her words slowing as the sensation took over. His touch felt electric, a quiet, thrilling charge that left her dizzy. She couldn’t focus on anything except the way his skin felt against hers, and the warmth that radiated between them. She could live in this forever.

Devil pointed to her moon tattoo next, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “And the moon? Why the moon, moon girl?” he teased.

She grinned, mimicking the answer he gave her earlier. “I thought it looked cool,” she said, laughter filling up between them. He shook his head, his laugh low and easy.

“But really,” she continued, her tone softening as her fingers brushed over the tattoo, “I love the moon. It comforts me. It’s always there, even when you can’t see it. And obviously beautiful.”

Her eyes shifted from the tattoo to his, and for a moment, everything felt still. The music, the moonlight, the way they sat so close yet so carefully apart—it all made the air feel heavier, charged with an unspoken understanding between them. 

The car hummed softly as they fell into a peaceful silence, only the faint music in the background keeping them company. Angel let her head rest against the seat, feeling at ease. She reached out to caress Devil’s arm, his touch warm as he continued tracing small patterns on her skin. It was nice, almost too nice. She could feel herself sinking into the moment, wondering if she could stay like this forever.

Every so often, their eyes would meet again, and each time the connection felt a little deeper. Angel couldn’t help but laugh softly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. This man is going to kill me, she thought. The intensity of the quiet moments between them was almost overwhelming, but in a way she didn’t want to escape.

“You have a pretty smile,” Devil suddenly said, his voice breaking the silence but in the softest, most sincere way.

Angel smiled back, her heart fluttering. “Thank you,” she said quietly, then added, “You have pretty eyes.” She meant it—the way his eyes seemed to lock on hers made her feel seen in a way that was new to her. Just by looking into his eyes, she felt like she knew him. Like she could tell him anything. It was captivating. 

“I was thinking the same thing about you,” he said, still holding her gaze with that same unspoken warmth.

Angel glanced down and noticed that, somewhere in the middle of their comfortable silence, they had started holding hands. He was gently caressing her thumb with his, tracing small, delicate circles. It was a simple touch, but it sent waves through her. She couldn’t stop smiling, feeling that strange combination of excitement and calm she never expected.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she raised their interlocked hands to her lips and planted a soft kiss on Devil’s hand. The action was instinctive, so quick that it didn’t register until her lips pulled away.

She hesitated, too nervous to look up at him, but curiosity got the best of her. Slowly, she peeled her gaze toward Devil, searching for his reaction. Before she could process her own uncertainty, he mirrored her, lifting their hands to his lips and placing a small kiss on her skin.

His lips were soft, sending a wave of warmth that traveled through her arm. There was something about the sweetness of the moment, something Angel wasn’t used to. Devil had a way of making her feel… affectionate. Her fingers continued to trace the lines of his arm, her lips trailing gentle kisses from his hand to his forearm. This was unfamiliar territory, yet it felt so natural—for him, for Devil. He brought these small, tender parts of her to life. And she was happy to oblige.

And Devil returned the favor.

Angel wasn’t used to this type of sweetness. It wasn’t as though she had dated men who were mean or unkind, but it was the ease of it all that caught her off guard. She welcomed it, never wanting to let it go.

“So… what was your first impression of me?” Devil asked, still caressing her hand but avoiding her gaze this time.

Is he… nervous? Angel wondered. She had thought she was the only one wrapped up in her own head, but maybe Devil was, too. The thought comforted her. It reassured her that this—whatever this was—scared him a little bit, too.

“First impression, let’s see…” Angel pressed a finger to her chin, pretending to think deeply. “You seem kind of mysterious, but not in a bad way. It’s more like you make me want to learn more about you, like I want to see you… I think you’re beautiful. You’re funny, and I can tell you’re caring.”

Devil looked away again, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks before he met her gaze once more, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Okay,” he said simply.

Angel couldn’t help but laugh. Had she just rendered Devil—the cool, composed Devil—speechless? This new, bashful side of him was unexpected. She could tell her words had made him a little uncomfortable, though not in a bad way.

“Okay, now what was your first impression of me?” she asked, eager to hear his answer.

He glanced at her and said, “You’re really funny, probably one of the funniest girls I’ve met. And you’re pretty—really pretty. You seemed cool, like when I was looking at your Instagram, seeing you actually doing stuff with your friends. You seem adventurous.”

He paused for a second, as if he were considering his next words more carefully. “And… you just have this really nice aura. It’s hard to explain. Like, being around you feels good, calming almost. It’s like you’re grounded in yourself in a way that draws people in. It’s rare, you know? It almost makes me feel like something’s gotta be wrong with you,” he joked, though his tone was softer.

“Something’s gotta be wrong with me?” Angel raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to feel flattered or confused.

Devil chuckled and shook his head. “Not like that. It’s just… you’ve got this energy, this warmth. The way you look at me—” He paused again, glancing away before meeting her eyes. “It’s nice, but it makes me feel exposed, like you see more of me than I’m used to letting people see. It’s uncomfortable in a way, but not bad. Just… different. You make me feel like I want to be better. And I’m not used to that.”

Weirdly enough, Angel knew exactly what he meant. She felt the same way. The way Devil looked at her made her uncomfortable, but in a good way—the same way. If it unsettled her, she figured it must’ve unsettled him too.

Just as Angel was realizing that this might be as new for Devil as it was for her, her phone buzzed. She glanced at him, and he released her hand so she could reach into her pocket. The instant their hands parted, the warmth and butterflies left with it. She cursed whoever decided to text her at that moment.