Denji trudged through the snowy forest outside Saint Petersburg, Angel, now seemingly more orderly, had made his wings disappear along with his halo. "We need to blend in, Denji," Angel said, demonstrating his ability to make his distinct features vanish. Denji looked intrigued. "Wait, if you could make those disappear, then why didn't you do that on the train ride back from training?"
"You were covered in blood, carrying a limp girl, with an old man who looked like yakuza. I think people judging me would be the least of our problems," Angel explained.
"Fair," Denji conceded, watching as Angel smacked a tree with a stick he had found. As they continued, Angel brought up something that had been bothering him. "Hey, Denji."
"Yeah?" Denji responded.
"Do you remember at the bar when Makima looked at you and then you looked at me?"
"Kinda?"
"Why do you dislike her?"
"Don't you dislike her too?" Denji countered.
"I do, but I don't know why you do," Angel replied. Denji pulled the hood of his jacket down and began sharing his discomfort with Makima.
"She creeps me out. I don't like how she orders people around," Denji revealed. "Kishibe orders us around."
"Yeah, I know he does. But at least he somewhat treats us with respect. Makima just sits there and stares at us like objects," Denji expressed, recalling the unsettling yellow eyes that seemed to penetrate into him. "I'm sick of being messed with, Angel."
Angel, who had his own reasons to resent Makima, remembered how she had taken him from his home and made him a weapon. All he wanted was to be left alone. Anger surged within him. "Why do you not like her, Angel?"
Denji noticed the emotion stirring in Angel's eyes, something rare for the usually stoic boy. "She took me from my home, made me her weapon. All I wanted was to be left alone," Angel confessed, his fists tightening in anger. "I wish I could see the look on her face when I use my sword to cut her damn head off!"
He brought his hand up and punched a tree, the sound echoing through the snowy forest as a cascade of snow fell upon them. Denji was conflicted. He had only known Angel for a few days, but something about him reminded Denji so much of himself—maybe it was the feeling of being trapped by someone else. He leaned down to make eye contact with Angel. "Listen, I'm not going to make a contract, but if Makima keeps using us like weapons, if she keeps forcing us to do all this shit, then I swear I will find a way to get us out of it."
Angel's lips curled into a determined expression. "We're gonna die."
"Probably," Denji admitted, a smile forming on his lips. "Maybe there's a chance." Angel thought about it; maybe, just maybe, there was a glimmer of hope amidst all this chaos.
"So what are you two talking about?" Angel whirled around. Thirty feet behind them stood a heavily kitted-out Reze. "I saw you two while I was out hiking. I figured you all were hiking as well, but you don't have any gear," she observed, her tone slightly accusatory. Angel sensed her probing, trying to see if they were up to something suspicious.
"We were looking for a good camping spot!" Denji blurted out, slightly shoving Angel behind him.
"Camping?" Reze noted Denji's stressed demeanor, reminiscent of their earlier encounter in the cafe. She took it as an answer. "I don't know what idiot would go camping in this weather," she commented, crossing her arms.
"Well, you know, we are only going to be here until Saturday, so we figured we might as well get some good time in," Denji stammered, trying to keep his composure. Angel punched Denji in the lower back, urging him to take the lead.
"You idiot! We aren't supposed to say when we are leaving. It could make her suspicious," Angel chastised.
Reze couldn't quite grasp what Angel was saying, as he was now behind Denji, and she couldn't read his lips either. "Your brother's shy, isn't he?" she asked, with a hint of accusation.
"Just around strangers," Angel attempted to explain, still attempting to stay behind Denji, who was now trying his best to push him forward. "Come on, take one for the team!" he half-whispered. "She's the bomb devil; I'm not messing with that!" Denji finally managed to push Angel forward. "If she's really the bomb devil, then your ability shouldn't work on her."
Something in Angel's mind clicked. "Ohhhh," he realized, nodding at Denji and moving in front of him towards Reze. "It's nice to meet you." He put on a cheery face, which, to Denji, looked slightly creepy.
"Hello, what's your name?" Reze asked, attempting to break through the earlier awkwardness.
"Michael," Denji replied. "He's my younger brother, Michael." Angel looked back at him with a look of sheer disappointment. "Michael? Like the angel."
"Kinda, but no. Angels are totally the lamest," Denji explained. Angel thought he was about to explode. "I think angels are cool," Reze countered. "I actually wanted to visit the Angel statue back in town later, but I didn't want to go alone." Reze sighed. "Denji, you should take him. Obviously, he wants to see it."
Angel looked back at Denji, smirking. "I actually wanted to go take a look at the angel statue, but I didn't know if Denji would take me."
Denji continued through the forest, trying to find his way back to town, while Angel and Reze spent the last 30 minutes engrossed in conversation about various sights and topics. Denji then felt in his pocket for the wad of cash Kishibe had slipped him for "emergencies."
"Reze, I was actually wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me and Michael," Denji proposed.
"Do you even know a restaurant around here?" Reze questioned.
"No, but I want to hang out for a while longer," Denji explained.
"Okay," Reze agreed, content with his honesty. Denji felt his sleeve being tugged by Angel, and when he looked down, he noticed that Angel's bare hand was making contact with Reze's. Denji initially felt a bit of jealousy before realizing that Angel's ability would not be working unless the girl was actually the bomb fiend.
Denji's mood did a nose dive.