Wings Of Despair - Book 2

Chapter 4

Greg peeled his eyes open, he still felt the comforting arms wrapped around him. He noticed the same glow of Yuta's halo reflect the surface of the bed, which meant she still had her wings exposed. Greg was glad, he wanted to see her wings more. He went to turn around when Snab tightened its body around him, squinting its eyes at him sickly.

"Sorry, bud." Greg whispered as he tried to turn his body again, Snab was resilient as it moved.

After Snab re-positioned itself, it went back to sleep. Greg glanced at Yuta's stained cheeks, he hoped she hadn't cried for too long last night. He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs, ridding the dried tracks. He then dragged his thumb down to her lips. He trailed delicately over the soft surface, then pulled back. He ran his fingers through Yuta's hair before pulling her fringe back from her face, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. Her wing subconsciously draped over him, and Greg physically held back a coo. He moved the wing away from him and sat up, Snab fully hissing from the disconnection. It then twirled around Yuta's body before attempting to fall sleep again. Greg swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up, making his way to the kitchen.

Yuta stirred an hour later, Snab once again hissed from all the disruption of its sleep. It slithered away from her and moved to the lounge room, contemplating if it'll ever sleep with the pair again. Greg glanced at the slithering green and red on the carpet, as it curled in the corner of the room. He didn't question it, as he poured milk into his cereal and carried it to the couch. He turned the TV on and watched the news. He wondered if Yuta's assumed murder had died down, so he quickly got her tablet and looked it up. There were new clips stating it might have been a potential suicide after all, however the situation had been put to a close. Greg sighed from relief and placed Yuta's tablet away, as he ate his cereal. Yuta emerged from the bedroom 30 minutes later, her hair and wings muddled from sleep.

"Morning sleepyhead." Greg greeted, before returning to his cereal.

Yuta hummed, settling next to Greg. She laid her body against Greg's side, placing her chin onto his shoulder. She protectively wrapped her wings around Greg, some of her feathers dipping into his cereal.

Greg swatted his palm towards her. "Oi, your wings are in my cereal."

She grumbled an apology before she rid her wings entirely. Greg grew concerned.

"Don't you need to preen them?"

Yuta shook her head.

"Well, it certainly looked like it." Greg's motherly instincts arose. "How long has it been? Have you been doing it at all?"

Yuta groaned, before she stuffed her face into the crook of Greg's neck. His face flushed, but took her answer as a no.

Greg inhaled. "If you don't clean your wings after breakfast, then-"

"Then what?" Yuta croaked; her voice lathered from sleep.

"Then," Greg began, as he scanned the room. "you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Yuta reeled back as she glanced towards Greg with her eyebrow raised, a smirk accompanying it. "You make us sound like an old married couple."

That made Greg's face blare red, his arms flailed. "N-No! I didn't mean it like that! There's nowhere else for you to sleep and I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but that doesn't make us-"

"I never said it was a bad thing." Yuta pointed out.

Greg kept quiet after that; he chewed his cereal bashfully. Yuta got up and began to make her way towards the bathroom. Greg smiled as he finished his breakfast, pulling his legs off the floor and against his chest. He continued to watch TV as he heard the water run. He didn't realise an hour passed when Yuta sat next to him again, wings slightly damp as they dripped onto her shoulders. As she lent back, the water seeped into the cushioned couch. Greg glanced over her feathers, they were carefully cleaned and positioned.