Ravenwings (Imaged + Completed) [1st in Trilogy]

Part II: Chapter 27

My stomach twisted as soon as I said it. I love you. It lurched as Raven froze.

I suddenly wondered in anyone had ever told him that before. If he had even ever heard it said out loud.

Raven picked his head off my shoulder and returned to sitting next to me on the flat roof, setting his hands in my lap.

What...why...? Why wouldn't he want to hear that? He does love me back...right?

Or maybe he loves me too much, and knows that this can't last, because he plans to leave to escape whatever happened to him up to a long few weeks ago, and to get away before it can happen to me too.

He had to think for a minute and figure even his own feelings out. He was confused, but more calm than he'd ever been before. So at war with himself, but had never been so happy.

He swallowed. Then be turned his head to look at me and meet my gaze.

He reached out to run his fingers through my hair a bit, and pulled me in for a comforting hug with both arms.

While it was technically a show of affection, it didn't seem like he was returning my declaration. Where's the kiss? Where's the 'I love you?' Where's the smile?

"This...will never work," he whispered. "You said we can't avoid problems just because we don't like them...but us is cosmically wrong, isn't just Raven-human, this is Raven..." he trailed off, deciding against telling me something, leaning away from the hug. "And yet 'us' is the only thing that's ever felt so right."

I was taken aback. "Of course 'us' is right, I've never felt so alive as I have with you in my life. There's just...no me without you now."

"I can't be the reason you got roped into something you don't understand. If you were extorted or hurt...I would never forgive myself."

Extorted seemed like an odd word choice, considering that unlike Raven, I had nothing special to offer anyone. My only 'magic powers' were abundant creativity and an open mind. Meanwhile, Raven was a royal 'f*ck you' to nature itself.

"Nothing could hurt me more than you leaving," I replied.

"That's a lie and you know it," he said firmly, then caught himself and sighed. "I'm sorry. You don't know what they can do, you don't..." He looked away for a moment as he tried to hold in a loose tear. His breath was shaky and shuddering. "And I won't let you find out."

"What are you saying? What is this about?"

"If I made an appearance somewhere else, distracting them from here, then flew away while dropping a trail of clues leading away from you–"

"Please don't leave me," I begged, cutting him off.

"Melody," he said, turning back to face me, "I promise one day I'll come back for you and we'll have a life together, but I can't be with you if there are things there trying to hurt me and anyone I care about. I need to finish this. I can't stop until he's dead."