Wings Of Fire (Mostly JW) as Humans

Chapter 8 - Helpful Hand

it's firefly
next chapter is below :)

warning: cussing and abuse and self-harm

Qibli's POV

"Moon, I-I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Bye!" Qibli ran after Winter.

No no no no nooo please don't leave

"Winter, it's not what you thi-"

"What do you want?" Winter asked coldly, "Go back to her and continue doing whatever you were doing. I don't want to be the one stopping you."

"Winter-" Qibli put his hand on his shoulder. Winter flinched.

"Moon wants you. Go to her. I don't, I... I never did," Winter's eyes were starting to tear up.

"...What do you mean?" Qibli asked.

"I mean that you should stop pestering me with questions and leave," Winter glared.

That stung.

"Winter, stop being such an asshole and tell what's wrong already! You've been acting weird ever since yesterday morning," Qibli said, "The world doesn't revolve around you!"

Crap, I took it too far...

Winter stared at Qibli in disbelief and slowly shook his head.

"We're your friends and we're worried," Qibli said.

"Well, you're a sorry excuse for a friend," Winter said, tears streaming down his face, "I can't believe I ever loved you."

And, with that, Winter took off.

"Wait!" Qibli yelled.

He... loves me?

***

The next two days of school after the weekend, Winter was absent from school. Moon apologized to Qibli for whatever happened after that night. Qibli decided to stop by his house with Turtle.

"Oh, he left," Winter's dad, Narwhal, said, "God knows where he is now, but I surely don't."

"What exactly happened before he left?" Qibli asked, Turtle hiding behind him. Winter's parents intimidated him.

"He just yelled at us and packed his stuff and left. I assumed that he stayed at one of his friends' houses, but now I think he's at a motel since you're here looking for him," Icicle said, chewing a pb&j sandwich.

"Why aren't you guys looking for him?" Qibli asked, curious.

"Why bother? He's useless," Narwhal chuckled, but stopped after seeing Tundra shake her head at him, wide-eyed, "Of course, we know he'll come crawling back here when he's cooled down."

"Why are you so curious about what happened? Why don't you stay in your own business?" Icicle glared daggers at Qibli.

"Why don't you tell me the truth about what you did to him? And where's Bandit?" Qibli frowned.

"Get out!" Narwhal pointed to the door, fuming.

"We should go," Turtle whispered.

The pair left Winter's house, and they headed their separate ways to their homes. Qibli was walking to his house when suddenly, an idea struck him.

There was a motel five blocks from Qibli's house, and Winter could be staying there with money he got from his older brother, Hailstorm. Qibli ran over to the motel and asked if anyone named 'Winter Frost' was staying.

"Umm... yes, we have someone staying who is named 'Winter Frost.' Would you like to meet him? I could drop you off at his room," the lady asked. Qibli was relieved.

"Yes, please. Thank you so much," Qibli was trying to catch his breath.

Once the nice lady dropped Qibli off at Winter's room, he knocked. A wary, puffed-eye Winter opened the door. For a second, you could see the shock in his face, but then it disappeared. It was plain old moody Winter, but a crying version. Winter dragged Qibli into the room and shut the door.

"Why the hell are you here?" Winter asked, wiping his eyes.

"I was trying to find you because you missed two days of school. Your parents clearly didn't give shit about where you were," Qibli sat down on the bed, which had... dog hair on it?

Oh yeah, Bandit must be here.

"Of course they didn't," Winter mumbled.

"You good?" Qibli asked.

"Yes, Qibli, I'm perfectly fine. That's exactly why I ran away from my parents, skipped school for two days, yelled at you, and am staying at a motel. I'm obviously feeling great."

"Great to know that the good old sarcastic Winter is back?" Qibli shrugged.

"Listen, I'm sorry for whatever I said last Friday... I don't know what I was thinking. Especially now, running away from home and skipping school? I'm a total coward and jerk, running away from all my problems..." Winter rambled.

"Hey, look, everything's fine, okay? Just tell me what's wrong," Qibli smiled.

Winter's POV

"E-everything," Winter looked down, "Everything's wrong."

I love you. That's what's wrong. My freaking abusive family(excluding Hailstorm) and the fact that I love you.

"What do you mean?" Qibli asked.

"You wouldn't get it. You have a perfect life, the perfect family, perfect grades..." Winter croaked.

"Welllll... I am failing biology, which just so happens to be the same class you are acing. Tutor me later?" Qibli tilted his head a bit.

"Sure," Winter rubbed his eyes.

Qibli grinned, "Sit down, and tell me what happened. You can trust me."

Winter loved seeing Qibli smile. To him, it was the one thing that made him happy.

"My parents are horrible. They hurt me all the time," Winter explained, starting to cry, "I couldn't tell anyone because I... I was scared."

Qibli gasped sarcastically, "The almighty great, big, and strong Winter was scared? How come he never told his trusty sidekick any of this?"

Winter smiled a little, "I just- I'm sorry Qibli." He cried and rolled up his sleeves, showing his arms to Qibli and looking away.

"W-Winter..." Qibli was shaking his head, in shock.

Winter's arms were covered in cuts, but these weren't the same ones from the glass vase his dad threw at him. No, these were new ones from Winter with a kitchen knife in the motel.

"Winter-" Qibli grabbed a first aid kit and started wrapping around his arm gently, "Why? What- what made you do this? I swear to fucking god, I will strangle your parents with my bare hands."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Winter sobbed.