Love My Wings

Chapter 23

Lei had to rub his eyes twice before he could believe that Rory was there, lying next to him. Images of yesterday flashed through his brain and last night was barely sinking in as he sat up in bed.

He looked over at Rory sleeping peacefully, except he wasn't. When he heard Lei wake up his eyes flew open. Lei took in his every detail, silently watching as he smiled, and a ray of sun from the window lit up his face. His eyelashes looked like shining feathers, and his hair was wild and unkempt, just the way Lei liked it.

"What?" Rory asked after he had stared a little too long.

"Nothing," Lei replied.

"Say it." He cocked his head in question.

"Say what?"

"Just admit that I'm gorgeous." He replied arrogantly, making Lei crack up.

"You're gorgeous."

Rory darted his eyes to the side and a slight flush came to his face. For some reason, he hadn't expected him to say it, especially not in that tone. No matter how small the action, Lei still didn't fail to make his heart beat faster.

"Stop it!" Rory snickered and playfully kissed his neck and hands, as you would with a baby or a pet.

"Never!" He shot back.

"Dude, you haven't even stepped outside this room, I don't understand how you're only concerned with me right now. Don't you wanna go explore?" Rory shook his head, looking down at Lei beneath him.

"No, I've got plenty to start with in here... I waited so long- I waited every day, and I held back because I didn't think it would be possible for you to like me back. I thought you would hate me, I didn't even know what I felt."

Lei's gaze softened. He wished Rory could see himself the way he did. How did he not realize? He felt his chest tighten at the thought of all the pain they had caused each other.

"When I realized how I felt- When you showed me what I could have with you and then left, it made it even more unbearable. But we're here now, nothing will take me away from you this time."

Rory backed up as tears started streaming down Lei's face. "I'm so sorry. This whole time I blamed everything on you. I thought I could lock my heart in a cage, I thought I could forget it ever happened, and I hurt you in the process."

"Don't apologize. I did it too. I was willing to do anything to forget, but I was willing to do more to see you again."

"How- I thought it was impossible." Rory bit his lip with careful consideration. Would Lei be upset if he found out what he had done?

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"I don't know if you'll like the answer." Lei knitted his eyebrows and changed his posture, growing visibly suspicious. "I did a ritual... From the book." Lei sighed, closing his eyes.

"Why am I not surprised? At least you didn't do anything bad, right?" Rory waved his hands like a little kid being scolded by his mom.

"No, no, not at all. It was way easier than I imagined. I have no idea how it worked. I did notice a few pages were missing before it though, so maybe there was something else to it. I just lit up a few candles, pinched my finger with a needle, and bam."

Lei squinted. "So is my boyfriend a cult leader now?" Rory froze.

"Boyfriend?" He shrugged.

"Well, then what are we? Am I not good enough for the perfect, handsome, Rory? Is it because I dyed my hair?" He replied sarcastically.