It was too late when he finally looked back. Whilst too focused on catching up to the man, he hadn't noticed the imps trying to get Bari's attention.

Their intent didn't seem inherently malicious, since they were just flying around above him. However, once they took off, his companion felt compelled to follow, dashing off after them.

Malik couldn't just let him disappear. Who knew when he'd need his help again, and... the company was nice.

So, changing trajectory, he rushed after the barking that was echoing through the neighborhood.

There was no hope of catching up if it kept going. But they'd have to stop eventually, right?

As he sprinted through alleyway after alleyway, it became increasingly difficult to keep his breath steady. At the same time, the sounds were getting quieter.

In the haze of it all, his shoulder slammed against something moving toward him, making him jolt back. Whatever or whoever it was came to a stop.

Now that he couldn't mask his breaths with pure adrenaline, he panted heavily, trying to decipher what was happening.

Trying to chase down Bari, he had stumbled into... someone. Wait, him?

When their eyes met, both faces lit up in recognition. Finally.

"Malik? No way."

"Ali..."

Their arms were around each other in seconds. He could already feel his eyes watering.

But as they separated, he swiped the evidence away with his hand.

"It's been a while, huh? I hope the demons haven't been too mean to you."

Ali had really grown into a man since he last saw him. Additionally, he somehow managed to keep his hair much shorter than Malik's, whether intentionally or not.

"You're acting way too calm." Malik sounded completely exasperated.

"Yet somehow you're more prepared than I." Ali smiled, pointing to the handle of the weapon poking out of his backpack.

The tension in Malik's body was melting away just listening to him.

"What can I say? You taught me well."

They both went quiet for a brief moment, taking one another in.

"Do I dare ask what happened to your parents?"

Simply hearing that word associated with him brought back a flood of grim memories.

"The siren sounded for my father, and the thing you just pointed to got my mother. When it happened, the demons came up with some pointless excuse for what they did. As if that would make me feel any better."

Ali reached up for his arm, closing his hand around him with a soft squeeze.

There was nothing Ali could say that would be good enough. Malik preferred his silent empathy.

"I've been... searching for a way to stop them."

"Have you figured out anything? It feels pretty hopeless."

"I have. We need to get rid of the drake."

"But..."

"Please. Join me, Ma—"

A loud bark cut him off. Malik stepped back at the noise, trying to decipher what direction it came from. The barking kept going, mixed in with an ethereal but meek screech.

"Bari? Bari, you there?"

"That dog yours?" Ali seemed a bit thrown off, scratching at his own arm after he had lost his grip on Malik.

"Yes. Follow me, and we’ll figure it out after."

Ali nodded at that, and off they went.

It was quite a sight when they arrived in the alley. Two—hopefully dead—imps were lying on the ground, right next to Bari and another demon who were scuffling in a blur of red scales, fur, and plenty of growling.

Malik felt a weight disappear from his backpack as Ali dashed ahead of him, sword in hand. He smiled back at Malik, causing an unfamiliar warmth to spread in his chest.

"I'll help. I'm tired of just sneaking around."

Ali came up to their side, aiming for flashes of red, as he helped the dog put it down for good.

Once Bari realized nothing was resisting him anymore, he stood up straight, looking between the two humans. Unsurprisingly, he was a little confused.

After confirming—because of Malik's composed manner—that the strange new person was okay, he jumped up with excited barks and clumsy pawing against Ali's legs.

"Aw, look, you're his hero now."

As Malik got closer, Ali ruffled the animal's fur until there was almost no energy left in him.

With all fours back on the ground, Bari trotted over to the nearest wall and slumped down against it.

"Ah, feels good to be the savior for once. I'm... guessing he needs some sleep?"

"I'd be concerned if he didn't."

"He's a strong one, I see."

Malik attempted to grab the sword, but nothing met his touch. Ali was holding it just out of reach.

"Hey."

With a smile, Ali slid it into the backpack for him, deciding that for some reason he was going to be the one to put it back.

This time, their closeness felt different from the hug or the hand on his arm. It lingered. Malik was becoming increasingly aware of their quiet breaths.

"Trust your fellow man. We're better off working together." Ali turned around and headed over to the wall where Bari lay. He was fully asleep at this point.

Malik didn't know how to respond to that. All he did was follow Ali, leaning against the limestone next to him as he dropped the backpack to the ground.

"How... How do we do this?"

Ali sighed, his eyes drifting upwards.

"Like I said, we need to deal with their security. The drake."

"Yeah, but it's a drake."

Ali's gaze returned to his friend as he let out a short laugh.

"Mal. What other option do we have?"

"I don't know. There's got to be... something."

Ali's brows furrowed. Silence. Their eye contact broke yet again, the necklace catching his attention.

He reached out for it, sliding his fingers around the pendant. Malik sucked in a breath.

"What's the story here?"

"I... got it from an interesting pair. Their daughter went out to try and find a solution to the demons."

"Oh? Brave. This was hers?"

"Yeah..."

He turned it around in his hand, studying the intricacies of the dove's design.

"It's beautiful."

Their eyes met. Ali had definitely caught onto the effect he was having on him.

When he let it go, instead of the coldness Malik expected, his friend's hand pressed against his chest. Friend, huh?

"Ali..."

Fingers slid down his stomach, making him swallow hard. The only sound was Malik's shaky breathing.

Neither of them could find the right words. If anything, they were avoiding giving an audible confirmation of their actions.

Childhood friends who never would have thought to take a step like this under any other circumstance.

Ali broke right past that boundary, driving his hand under Malik's belt.

Their lives provided them minimal pleasure, if any. This was their opportunity, and they were taking it. Before it was all over.

Ali paused for a moment; his eyes stayed locked on Malik as if waiting for an answer.

Malik gave him a weak nod.

It was about time to let someone close. To let him close.

Wrapping a warm hand around Malik’s cock, Ali forced it out to brush against the cold night air. The contrasting temperatures were a startling, unknown sensation that he already couldn't get enough of.

Malik inhaled sharply, closing his eyes.

Though their actions were messy and crude, it only aroused him more to feel that desperation fully acted out between them. Perhaps to a shameful degree. He was certainly never going to mention this to anyone, though. How Ali was making him yelp and whimper with just his one hand.

Malik gasped, his head hitting the wall. His entire body heated up with each stroke, until he finally had to hold onto something to stay upright. That ended up being Ali's shirt.

Opening his eyes halfway, he saw the pleased look on the other man's face. Ali leaned in, grazing his lips against Malik's neck.

"Mal."

His legs twitched as he gripped Ali's shirt tighter, briefly worried he was tearing it up. However, Malik's concern didn't last long, as a surge of pleasure spread through him. His back arched from the limestone, and the overwhelming pressure released all at once.

He writhed, unsure of what to do with himself in the blissful seconds that remained. All he saw were stars.

It took him a moment to return to reality, and when he did, the sight of his cum painting the ground made his throat tighten.

"Oh, sorry..."

"The demons deserve no better."

Malik couldn't disagree with that. He let go of Ali's shirt as the man leaned back against the wall again.

He clumsily stuffed everything back in place before doing the same. The quiet that followed kept swinging between comfortable and constant awareness of what they had just done.

He didn't regret it.

An unwelcome, deep siren disrupted their fleeting respite.

It was closer than it had ever been.

When their eyes locked, it held for a beat, tension thick in the air. Ali was once more waiting for an answer.

Malik smiled.

"I'm with you."

Hurtling through the increasingly charred streets with Ali and Bari right behind him, Malik occasionally glanced back at his company. He couldn't quite express how good that made him feel.

It wasn't just the siren filling their ears anymore. A mix of ethereal and human voices were calling out to each other in the distance.

Turning the corner leading out to one of the city's wider roads, they were met with a grisly sight.

More bodies than he had ever seen in one place lay on the ground by a group of humanoid demons.

Closer to Malik, with a few actively backing away, gathered crowds of people.

Worst of all, behind the demons, the source of the unbearable heat towered above them. A statuesque display of power, with horns, spikes, and edges everywhere you looked, decorating the titan.

Further back by its claws, a few demons nearly blended into the fog, chanting something indecipherable at the drake.

One of the humanoids stepped forward, its voice booming over all the commotion.

"It appears that some of you have been hunting us recently. Do you think you can just hurt those of us trying to find shelter? We'll see about that." With its sword held high, it motioned for the ones in the back, and their chanting got louder. A red mist from their arms and hands drifted around the drake.

"We won't stop until you're all gone."

The drake... moved. Malik had never seen that before.

The earth shook beneath it, its full shape and size coming into view as a bright glow burned inside its open maw.

"We have to go in." Ali's whisper barely reached his ear. He was too paralyzed to move.

There was no way they were defeating that thing.

A flash of bright searing light came from the abyss that was its mouth as a burst of fiery breaths cascaded in waves. Everywhere Malik looked, flames and screams surrounded him. Life torched.

And yet, none of them ran. In fact, with loud, insistent cries, they kept marching forward.

Looking to his side for Ali, all he got was a smile before the man rushed in ahead of the crowd. Bari followed.

Malik didn't think he'd ever be able to comprehend a display of bravery like that. But... tonight was different. Tonight, he had them. And Ali.

How could he not want to fight for the future of such people?

Malik ran. He kept going, dodging sparks and flickers of fire clawing at him from every angle.

Once back by Ali's side, his eyes landed on the demons in the back once again. Could they be...

"They're controlling the drake. If we can get to them, we'll be able to deactivate it." Ali panted.

"Wait, it's not alive?"

"Do those eyes scream 'alive' to you?"

"But... won't we die? If we go in there?"

Ali's expression was somber but determined.

"Your sword might—"

"We're still going to die. Aren't we?"

No response.

"I'll do it. Alone."

"Wait—"

"Rally the people. Tell them to attack when the demons by the drake are dead."

"Mal..."

"Please."

"I've never hated you more. But... I've also never been prouder."

Malik pulled the necklace off, holding it out in front of Ali.

"I like you... a lot. I always have. I’m... sorry."

He couldn't remember if Ali had ever cried before. However, there was no mistaking those glossy eyes.

"Then... I look forward to searching through every corner of the afterlife—forever if necessary—to find you." Ali grabbed the bird, clutching it so tightly you'd think its existence was keeping him alive.

“I’ll try to stand out.”

A bittersweet laugh left them.

“At least I know where you’re headed.”

Malik glanced over at Bari, who was in the middle of his usual valiant efforts, keeping the demons distracted.

"Thank you again, friend." He yelled out. Bari's eyes briefly met his.

With a loud bark urging him on, Malik took off into the depths.

His sword went through body after body, cutting off the source of the mist bit by bit. As it dissipated, so did the chanting.

The drake slowed down significantly. Ali was right.

The moment that person entered his mind, the last of the demons fell, and his gaze swept the flames for him. Just one last look.

The inferno engulfed him, melting down what was once a complete human. Like so many in this city before him.

But one crucial part remained intact, enforced by what happened before him. What he saw last. Ali, rallying the ones still alive. Making them fight together as one.

Now there was a savior.

Maybe he even dared to imagine a future for them. Just maybe.

Malik couldn't be happier, knowing he had been able to contribute what little he could to the resistance.

There was hope.

Then, darkness.