A sudden flash of pain woke Akaashi and he startled awake with a jolt. Sitting upright in his bed, he groaned, clutching at his side. He had heard of the unexplainable pain that Fallen Angels felt, but he imagined this would be far, far worse. A very sharp ache had developed in the side of his ribcage, near where his heart would've been if he had been human. The ache was so deep that he felt jolts of pain run down every inch, nook and crevice of his body when he did so much as stand up to stretch.

Gritting his teeth so as to restrict himself from being too loud in the dead of night, Akaashi slowly slid out of bed, willing himself to bear the pain. He stretched his wings slightly, reaching behind himself and gently pulling it so that he could examine its condition. The feathers that had formerly been a cloud-colored vibrant white had now turned a dull, matte black; a similar color to the ever-growing odd bruises scattered across his body.

How long do I have left?

Akaashi had lost count of the days.

After sharing a conversation with Bokuto at the hospital, he had not returned since; nor had he told Bokuto why he had comitted suicide.

I must go visit Atsumu.

Stumbling and staggering out of his room, Akaashi walked slowly to the kitchen to fetch himself a glass of water before flying down to Earth. As he approached the kitchen, he noticed Yamaguchi was standing looking through the fridge, completely unaware of the black-haired angel's presence.

Akaashi opened his mouth to greet the green-haired angel, but before words could come out, he suddenly felt yet another pulse of dizzying pain coarse through his veins. Groaning, Akaashi fell onto the floor of the kitchen with a thump, failing to keep himself upright.

Yamaguchi jumped, startled, before his eyes widened. "Akaashi-san!"

Rushing over to him, Yamaguchi gently swung Akaashi's arm around his shoulder as he lifted him to his feet as slowly and gently as he could.

"Akaashi-san...are you okay?" Yamaguchi whispered as to not disturb the other angels, his face filled with concern and worry.

"I've been better," Akaashi smiled weakly.

"Don't speak too much. Here, sit down. I'll get you a glass of water."

Seating the black-haired angel down on a nearby chair, Yamaguchi grabbed a glass out of the sink and rinsed it briefly before filling it with tap water and handing it quickly to Akaashi.

"Thank you, Tadashi." Akaashi said gratefully, gulping down the water and feeling some of the dryness and scratchiness of his throat disappear.

"What's there to thank me for?" Yamaguchi murmured, crouching down next to the seat and looking up at Akaashi, "Anyone would've done the same."

There was a moment of silence as Akaashi finished his water, before he spoke again.

"Tadashi...I don't have much time left."

"What?" Yamaguchi asked, snapping his head to look at Akaashi.

"I'm going to die soon...and for good this time," Akaashi chuckled sadly, tightening his grip on the glass in both his hands. "Please...you've done me a huge favour by not telling the others. But please...only tell them I've fallen after I'm truly gone. You'll know when I'm gone; I'll leave a feather from my wings on my nightstand. When it's gone, I'm gone."

"Akaashi-san...no..." Yamaguchi whispered, tears brimming in his eyes. "What are we going to do...?"

"What can we do?" Akaashi sighed, turning to face Yamaguchi and putting on the most convincing smile he could muster. "Tadashi...you've been such a good friend to me. I'm sorry for burdening you so."

"Don't say that!" Yamaguchi almost shouted, standing to his feet. "You've never been a burden to me!"

When Akaashi didn't reply, Yamaguchi frowned.

"I'm so happy that you trusted me to keep your deal a secret."

Akaashi turned to look at Yamaguchi with a surprised expression.

"Akaashi-san...you helped me as well. You were never discouraging about Kei. You always gave me advice. I'm only doing my part as a friend."

A friend...huh?

Blinking, Akaashi stood up abruptly, ignoring the blistering white-hot pain that jabbed at his spine, and pulled Yamaguchi into a hug.

"W-What?" Yamaguchi stammered, shocked.

After a few seconds of silence, Akaashi pulled away.

"Thank you for everything, Tadashi." Akaashi murmured. "I was never a good enough friend to you. But you've always been so empathetic and understanding."

Blinking, the black-haired angel set the glass down on the table.

"I'll be on my way. This is probably the last you'll ever see of me." Akaashi murmured. "But I'll never forget your kindness, even after I die."

Looking out the kitchen door at the balcony where the wispy clouds were gathering around it, Akaashi sighed.

"If we are to be re-born one day, I hope that we'll meet again."

Akaashi rounded the corner to approach the dark alleyway in which he had first met Atsumu. Although that had only been about three weeks ago, he felt as though it had been ages.

"Atsumu!" Akaashi called, his voice low and scratchy from trying to hold back yelps of pain as every step shook him to his core.

"You're back, Keiji-kun." A velvety smooth voice spoke from behind him, and Akaashi turned around to face the source.

The wound in which Akaashi had caused by punching Atsumu in the face had completely healed, and the devil looked slightly plumper with somewhat of a healthy sheen to his glowing exterior.

Asshole. That was all mine before he sucked it out of me. Though I did agree to it.

Groaning, Akaashi clutched at his side as pain ran up and down his ribcage.

"You...how much time do I have left?" Akaashi hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh? You didn't keep count?" Atsumu replied, and Akaashi did not fail to notice the sadistic glint in the devil's crimson orbs.

"Just...tell...me...you...bastard." The black-haired angel panted.

"You should say your goodbyes now," Atsumu carried on, smirking down at the crumpled angel. "You only have a day left."