HIDDEN PAIN 𐦍 GarrothXReader

52| Insignificant

     "Paint a picture of the sky in your head," Chris whispers from beside me. "Paint the clouds, the birds, and the sun or the moon- doesn't matter." I breathe in gently, doing exactly as she says.

My wing twitches in delight when I conjure an image of the skies, an ache filling me. "Now imagine yourself in the sky. Imagine air gliding under your wings and the clouds in your hands," Another twitch.

All this talk of the skies and flying is irritating me but in a good way... ah, the word I'm looking for is called motivation. It's motivating me to take to the skies. "Your wings are responding so that's good..." I hear her murmur beside me.

I make no effort to respond, more focused on practicing to get my wings to move on command. The sooner I get this down, the sooner I can get back to school and have my life back.

Whatever's left of it anyway. Who knows what Talia has done in my absence. I'm more worried about my friends though since I haven't responded to many of their texts and overall ghosting them.

I still make an effort to talk to Aph and Garroth every night, but since we started training with my newfound wings, I sometimes pass out before I get the chance to tell them I'm alive.

I hear Aaron's voice from the porch, slowly peeling my eyes open to watch as he and Karina bicker with each other. She's trying to give him some concoction she's made, but Aaron looks terrified to take anything she gives him.

A light smile finds its way on my face at the sight.

These past couple of days have been... different. It's strange to wake up to a lively house since it's usually just Aaron and me, but now with Chris and Karina, it seems every silence has been filled with laughter or obnoxiously loud talking.

Meals, however, are still awkward.

As much as I try to force myself to eat, I can't. It feels wrong. Makes my skin crawl with disgust that has me gagging and trying to run. It's embarrassing, especially since yesterday Karina and Chris tag-teamed me and force-fed me some soup.

I don't deserve their care.

"Stop," A hand chops my skull. "I can hear your self-deprecating thoughts from here." I shoot Chris a glare but say nothing, schooling my face into a neutral expression. I used to be great at hiding how I felt. Guess having friends has made me more readable.

     "How much longer until I learn to Tuck?" Tuck, a term used by Wolves and Angels that means to tuck the extra appendages away.

Chris hums, tapping her chin lightly.

     "I guess since you're progressing more quickly than the others..." I smile. Thanking her quietly before she raises her hand. "This is only because I know if I don't teach you, you'll go off and do it yourself, most likely hurting yourself in the process," A grimace finds its way on my face.

Not sure how to answer, I shrug. "I get it. You want to see your friends and Garroth, but you have to realize there are some things you can't rush-"

     "I know," I cut her off. "If I wanted a lecture I would've called Sierra- which I'm not doing!" Chris shut her mouth as quickly as she'd opened it and scowled.

     "She's going to find out one way or another, (Y/N). Might as well come from you."

     "She can't say shit about it though," I mutter. "With the number of things she keeps from me- about us, it'd be hypocritical of her."

I don't know what happened between Sierra and me. We used to be thick as thieves, someone I could confide in without fearing repercussions, the female figure I needed in my life. As soon as she told me who she really was everything fell apart. She was away often, she spoke in code and hid things from me. She dropped a fucking bomb on me and left me to deal with it alone.