Partly inspired by "Stronger Than You" from Steven Universe bc I'm such a nerd.

X • Chris' POV • X

It's hard to see what's right for me anymore. A angel with a demon's soul, or an angel's soul with a vampire's body. It's a love triangle mixed with yin and yang. This shit only happens to me too. No one else has to think about whether they should be with a demon possessed angel or a blood sucking martyr. Only do I get stuck in these kind of decisions! Fuck!

Angelo was asleep next to me, but I couldn't even think of sleeping. There was too much on my mind. I knew it was time I finally made a decision to commit to someone. I can't keep on fucking with Angelo and Ricky like this. It's time I chose one or the other, but I love them both so much.

Ange rolled over in his sleep and snuggled up to me. He was wearing my shirt, and he looked so cute in it. I had never loved anyone before him, and when he "died", I never thought I'd love anyone afterwards. Then Ricky came along and stole away my heart. Angelo still loves me more than anything, I can tell. I'm just not sure I love him as much as he loves me. He's so willing to give me his all, and I'm hesitant to return the favor.

Even tonight, I was stupid and greedy enough to have sex with him. Having the gentle heart he does, he's clinging to me, and I'm just laying here. I'm laying here, thinking about Ricky. He's like the broken version of Angelo. Ricky is still just as sweet, but he can be a lot more angry and spiteful. There's just something different with Ricky. Angelo, I got used to, I got bored of. But Ricky... He always excites me every time I see him. His eyes are always a relief to see. I would waste my days away just dancing and singing with him. And, most importantly, I'm willing to give Ricky my patience.

I think my choice is pretty clear. Difficult, but clear. How I'm going to get Ricky back, now that's a whole other problem. That's why I'm going to give Angelo this last night. I know he loves me so much. He deserves it. I was just about to turn over in bed to cuddle up to him, when I caught motion out of the corner of my eye.

Looking out the french doors that lead to the balcony, I saw a winged creature fly over the moon. It was a clear, starry night outside, so the patio doors were left open. The wind made the sheer curtains dance gently. This creature seemed to enchant me, as I couldn't stop staring. As it got closer, I realized why my eyes and heart were locked on it. Ricky.

Concern washed over me, because I had no idea if that was Ricky, or Death. I'd like to think it was my angel by how graceful his movements in the midnight sky were. I can't hold my breath though. Sitting up in bed, I delicately moved Angelo's arm off of me, careful not to wake him. The angel landed out on the balcony, but I couldn't see much. It was so dark. The moonlight just barely highlighted features of his face.

I was cautious in my approach, but I was almost certain this was my angel. I brought myself close to him, until we were almost breathing the same air. "Ricky," I whispered.

"Shhh." He interrupted me.

Ricky brought his lips to mine. I deepened our passionate kiss as I wrapped my arm around his lower back, tilting him back a bit. He ran his hand up my bicep, and as it reached my neck, that was when I realized I had made a foolish mistake. A mistake that was too late to correct.

He wrapped his arm around the back of my neck until his hand was on the opposite side it began on. Then Ricky, or I should say, Death dug his nails into my jugular. His remaining hand grabbed my free wrist, and he pushed his nails down into the veins in my arm. I wanted to fight, but all I could do was yell into a kiss he wouldn't release me from. Death began to focus pure corruption down my throat, pouring up from his own. It felt just like when Matt pulled it from me early, but in reverse.

Death literally had his grasp on me, and he was not letting go. There was no escape, and for once, I finally thought I was going to see the end. I have cheated fate too many times. This time, there was no out, or so I thought.

I felt Death's nails painfully ripped out of my skin. He was actually the only thing keeping me standing. I weakly fell to the floor, without a chance of seeing who saved me from Death itself. My body was quickly breaking down from all the corruption in my system, and I almost instantly fell out of consciousness.

X • Ryan's POV • X

A crashing from the other room caused me to jump out of my skin. I knew Angelo and Chris had been fucking around a lot, but I don't think those were sex noises. I don't know why, they just didn't settle well with me.

"They're back at it again." Balz joked.

I shook my head. "That didn't sound right."

"Nothing those two ever do is right." Ryan-Ashley replied.

"Not like that. I don't think that was from them... you know. I'm going to go check on them." I said as I got up from my chair.

"I hope you don't walk in on anything." Balz chuckled.

Yeah, you and I both. Something told me this wasn't right though. I just had this burning feeling in the back of my mind that I should make sure that bang against the wall was nothing major. As I walked out into the hallway, I was taken off guard by a body flying in front of me. It went by to fast for me to see who it was. All I knew is, however they were thrown, they managed to break through a solid door and railing.

I looked over the now broken railing, to the ground level of the tavern. Angelo was the one that was thrown! Fuck, I knew something was wrong! Who threw him though? He managed to land on his feet, being the ninja he is. His clothes were torn and just barely hanging off of him.

"What the fuck?!" I yelled down to him.

He didn't even have time to respond as he shouted back, "LOOK OUT!"

Too little, too late. I was shoved off the edge of the balcony, seeing the ground grow closer. Luckily, right before my face was destroyed, a gargoyle swooped in and grabbed me. I was set on the ground as I looked for my attacker. Standing viciously at the break in the railing, Death looked down upon us. The noise woke up others, drawing them out of their rooms.

"Take him down!" Denis instructed the gargoyles.

"Keep him alive!" Balz added as he finally came out of his room.

Death looked around the room, at the many soldiers ready to take him down. Countless gargoyles and demons, along with vampires, and whatever Denis was. This is the spirit known to destroy entire armies, so why was he being so timid? Maybe it has to do with his physical form being a few months pregnant... Which is a whole other thing in it's own. Is the child evil as well? How exactly does that all work?

I don't think I have time to question it right now. Death made his move. He quickly swooped down, faster than we could catch him, and grabbed Angelo by the neck. Death rose again, as high as he could, and held Angelo over the height.

"He'll survive the fall." Death sneered. "But the baby won't."

"What do you want from us?" Ashley snapped.

"Stay out of my way." He sharply replied.

Angelo tried to steady his breath. How he remained calm, God only knows. "C'mon, Ricky, I know you're in there somewhere. I know you can hear me." Ange took a hard swallow as he continued. "You would never allow these things to happen if you knew you could stop them, and you can."

"Don't try and flatter yourself." Death groaned. "Ricky's spirit is dead."

"No, it's not. I know the lore of the Horsemen. Ricky, I know you're alive in there. Listen to me. You can beat Death, you can regain control of your body. You just have to try, for our sake. For the baby. For Chris. Death put too much corruption in Chris for him to survive much longer. You're the only one that can defeat Death, and if you don't, Chris will die."

I saw color return to Death's pure white eyes, only for a moment. Ricky's voice softly broke through, "...Chris..." He suddenly let go of Angelo, and one of the gargoyles caught him.

Unfortunately, that episode was short lived, and Death returned. "Fools! You can't defeat me!" He spat.

With a sharp breath, Ricky spoke again. "But I am!"

I was literally watching him argue with himself... Well, technically Ricky was arguing with himself, but it was weird when they were in the same body. It was kind of like watching a car wreck. I want to look away, but I also don't.

"You won't win against ME!" Death declared.

"I won't let you hurt my family!" Ricky responded.

He laughed. "What family? You're a stray. Your own kind didn't want you!"

"I love them. I love Chris, and I'm not going to let you hurt him. Even, if that means taking you down with me."

Ricky flew straight out one of the windows, shattering it forcefully. Like that, he was gone. Denis reframed from having any gargoyles follow. He just allowed the broken angel to go. I just sat there, staring at the broken window. The silence lingered for a moment, until Denis decided to break it with his thick accent.

He leaned forward on the upstairs railing and rubbed his temples. "Okay, three questions. What the fuck just happened? Where the fuck is Kuza? And, why is that one missing half his clothes?" He asked as he pointed to Angelo.

"That's not important to the other two questions." Ange sheepishly responded.

"I never said it was." Denis said.

"It doesn't matter now. All that matters, is someone goes and helps Chris. Death got to him and filled him with corruption."

"The gargoyles can take care of it." I told him. "Go get some clothes on, then have Nikki check on you baby. The rest of us will... try to find the missing puzzle pieces."