An Angel's Wings.

Ch. 13 That Beautiful Smile.

Honestly, Angel was the one who found me coiled up on the ground. After E left, I didn't move. So many thoughts were racing through my mind. What did he mean? Is he really trustworthy?

I didn't know when I was going to get up again. Part of me wanted to stay on the ground forever. No one could get me here. As I stared blankly at the wall with my tear stained face, E's warning rang in my head like an alarm with no snooze button. What did he mean? I dimly recognized when my phone went off. Earlier I'd told Angel he could call, he asked what to do if I didn't answer, and I told him the only reason I wouldn't answer is if I was in some sort of trouble. Because it was true. It's not like I'm busy doing anything else. But when the phone started vibrating on the floor next to me, I did nothing. I didn't move, instead I just closed my eyes. The pain E caused me fresh on my mind. Maybe I should've just listened. 

Angel called a couple times, but I didn't pick up. I couldn't. Quite literally, I couldn't. My arm was completely numb, I couldn't feel it. I went to move it, and I realized that I couldn't even bend my fingers, and that feeling was quickly spreading through my body. Suddenly I couldn't move my arms, and the numbness was encompassing my legs. Panic started racing through me. What would happen when the numbness reached my chest? Would my heart stop? 

Honestly, I couldn't move my lips to cry for help. All I could do was lay down as the numbness slowly encompassed my whole body. It crept up my torso mercilessly. Who was doing this? Maybe E was still mad at my resistance? 

Time passed, the numbness was happening slowly but at this point I was having a hard time breathing as it reached my stomach. That's when a miracle happened. Angel was banging at my window, and I couldn't move. All I could do was look over and strain my eyes to see him. Somehow he managed to get into my room. I didn't bother asking, it was getting extremely hard to breathe. "Twelve?" Angel asked, he knelt by me, and shook me. I looked at him, "Twelve, why aren't you moving?" I opened my lips but that's when the numbness reached my lungs. All I heard was my breath catch, and then stop. 

Angel's eyes widened in concern. He lifted me and I lulled around like a rag doll. He shook me and I couldn't even feel it. "Fuck." That's the only time I've heard Angel curse, and even then it was just a soft mutter. To my surprise, he pressed his lips to his wrist and used his teeth to rip open a cut. Blood dripped from the wound and I couldn't protest as he pressed his wrist to my mouth, and his blood poured in between my lips. As the liquid raced down my throat, my body shuddered to life. I felt Angel un-tense in relief as I gulped in a huge gasp of air. Hacking; I leaned forward, dizzy from the sudden rush of air. Angel let me rest against him as tears fell from my eyes. 

"Twelve, are you okay?" He asked, I shook my head. I felt his hand slide underneath my chin, and he made me look up at him. His eyes were dark blue, gently he wiped my tears away. My heart thudded slightly as I realized how close he was to me. His face inches away. "It'll be alright, I'm here now." He didn't bother bandaging his wrist, his blood dripped onto the floor. I didn't ask how his teeth were sharp enough to rip open a cut on his wrist or how his blood managed to heal me. He gripped the sides of my face, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears. "I'm glad you found me." I managed. His lips quirked into a tiny smile. I was still shaking like a little leaf in the wind. His face softened as he noticed my heart was still pounding. 

"It'll all be okay Twelve," instead of just saying it, he leaned in. I didn't know what he was going to do until he planted his lips atop my head. His warmth diminished the cold in me, and flooded through me. I settled down, but my face was flushed as he pulled back. "Better?" He asked. I couldn't maintain eye contact because I was too flustered, but I nodded. Angel chuckled, "You know you don't have to be so flustered." He whispered.

I looked up in surprise at his statement, his face was close to mine. I stared at his beautiful features, the scar on his brow, the way his choppy black hair fell into his face, his medium length lashes, the fact his eyes were now back to being neon yellow, or his slightly parted lips. My heart started to beat a little faster, and instead of leaning in. I pressed my outstretched hand against his chest. He looked down, "Does it ever become a burden?" I asked quietly, the moonlight illuminated us, demonstrating how long I'd been laying on the ground. He looked up in surprise, and I felt his warm heart beat beneath my fingertips. Just faintly. "What?" He asked. "Isolating yourself, being what you are." I explained gently. His eyes got a little glassy. "It's always hard having to distance myself from people, I want to be included, I want to be able to talk more easily. But I can't, because it's too dangerous." He explained, his sadness and frustration colored his tone. 

His hand rested on my wrist as he looked back down, as if ashamed. "I'm here for you Angel." I stated, "It's not around you," He whispered. "What?" I asked. He looked up, "Being what I am isn't a burden around you. I don't feel like I have to be something I'm not. I'm not ashamed around you. It's never a burden when I'm with you." He answered, I stared back at him, and smiled a little. "I'm glad then." I stated. Before he could do anything, I pulled him into a tight hug. Running my fingers through his hair, I felt him exhale. "Thank you." I whispered. 

Angel pulled back, and let out a little sigh. He was slightly flushed. "There's something I want to show you." He refused make eye contact and I got suspicious. "What?" I asked slowly. "You know how earlier I explained marks, and how all Halflings have them, but they show what Halflings are?" Angel asked. I nodded slowly. "I figured I should show you mine." I nodded slowly, "Alright." 

I expected it to be a small mark or something, I was wrong. 

Angel unzipped his jacket, so I thought it might be on his arm, then he gave me an impish grin. "Close your eyes." He stated. So I did. I heard rustling of fabric. "Okay, stand up." I slowly did, and then I heard a little sigh. "Alright, open your eyes." I did, and there was a shirtless Angel in front of me. Of course his back was facing me, where I saw what looked like a very intricate tattoo of angel's wings. Guess that's where the name came from. They wove from the top of his back to the small of it. Honestly it was beautiful. My face was also flushed completely red, because distracting as the mark may be, it was not as distracting as the fact Angel was shirtless in front me. 

"Whoa..." Was all I managed, then he did it. He turned around, and I swear I was nearly blinded. I can't handle pelvic bones, how am I supposed to handle this!? His lips quirked in a little smile as he saw how  flustered I was. His stomach was really defined but not at the point of abs, however it was muscular. "Do I look that bad?" 

"No. You look good shirtless!" 

GOD TWELVE SHUT UP! 

Angel's face flushed red and he just started laughing. Of course that made my face flush more red. But my embarrassment didn't last long. When I looked up, Angel's grin made me forget about the world around me. Forget about embarrassment, even forget he was standing in front of me shirtless. Nothing but that beautiful, earsplitting grin mattered. 

Slowly I found myself smiling too.