Angles Curse

Chapter 19

Shoto and I were currently in one of the waiting rooms, enjoying each other's company while we rested up before the matches. After our encounter with Enji, the two of us made our way to one of the last rooms in the hallway, to avoid running into others and vise versa. We didn't talk on our way to the room, choosing to enjoy each other's company in peace and sort our thoughts out after what Enji said. 

Reaching the room, we entered and took a seat on one of the couches along the wall. As soon as the door closed behind us, I released my wings from their allusion and stretched them out. They cramp up after a while so it always feels nice to stretch them out once and a while when no one was around.

"Your wings are looking a little dull and miskept. Have you been taking care of them recently?" Sho asked as soon as he noticed I released them from their hidden space. Reaching forward from his spot next to me, he gently stroked them with a confused and worried look on his face. 

"Ah, about that. I guess I've been a bit busy lately. I haven't been able to properly take care of them as of late. Since I've left that death trap of a house, I haven't been able to groom them. The most I've done is a quick rinse here and there." I whispered, closing my eyes and leaning my head back. I heard him hum next to me as he continued to card his hands through my wings.

"You shouldn't neglect them like that. You really should be taking care of them." He lectured, already going through and pulling out bad feathers. The slight pinch I feel every now and then told me he was anyway.

"I know, I've just, I haven't had time. With Enji and school and everything else. I just don't have the time." I said softly, turning away from him slightly to him better access to my wings. He sighed heavily before answering back.

"I'll go ahead and groom them with the time we have left. You really shouldn't let them get this bad again." He said, continuing to pick through my feathers and get rid of all the bad ones. 

"I know. I'll them the proper cleaning and makeover they deserve tonight. After all, we'll have the next two days off to allow the second and third years to have their sports festival. I'll even have Kacchan help me." I said, relaxing into the couch and allowing him to care for my wings. They really did need it, and I know I shouldn't have neglected them like that for so long.

As he made his way through my wings, I could feel he was getting closer to my prized and special feather. He's helped me groom my wings enough to know not to touch them but I could feel him hesitate once he reached it. He gently touched it, stroking it softly before moving on. 

"You still haven't told me what this odd-colored feather is. You're always so defensive about it. " Shoto said, still moving through my feathers as his gaze burned a hole into the back of my head. I've never really told him why it was there, and I don't plan on having to unless absolutely necessary. 

"Just a special one I don't want to let go of." I said, keeping my eyes closed and focusing on his hand movements throughout my wings. 

"It's starting to lose its color. It's duller than the last time I saw it." He said as he finished one wing, moving onto the other. I hummed, finally opening my eyes and bringing the finished wing in front of me. I carded through the mass of feathers, easily finding the bright red feather hidden behind a curtain of black ones. 

As Sho had pointed out, it was indeed losing its color. I give it another month or two before it'll be worthless. Guess I'll need to meet up with him soon. If mine is like this, I bet he is too. But it'll be hard to get a hold of him without it seeming like I'm in danger and worrying him for nothing. Besides, he's not even in the country at the moment, so now's not really a good time.