You Have Wings?

Chapter 26

  "Wait, so you could sleep when you were a child?" Corey asked.

"Yes. As an angel, when you reach your teenage years your body no longer needs sleep because it can refresh itself when you're conscious" Panuleon said as he looked towards Corey's parents to see Richard now engaging in the conversation.

"Do you ever get bored when everyone else is asleep?" Corey can barely handle staying awake for just one night. Tiredness or boredom gets him first.

"I used to. When I was alone on earth, it drove me crazy how the world gets so quiet at night. But now that I'm with you, they go by quickly" He smiled, making Corey lean into his chest more. 

"YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE!" They both heard a screech from Jenny before she bounced over and pulled Corey away from Panuleon. she flung her arms around him, pulling him into another one of her tight hugs.

"You wouldn't believe she's almost thirty-five" Corey breathed, she was squeezing rather tight.

 He let out a big puff of air when she let go.

Panuleon watched in amusement. He was thankful not to experience another hug.

"Okay, so tell me, how long have you two been together? Where did you meet and when?" She asked before guiding them both back into the living-room. 

She sat on a chair opposite the boys who sat on the couch.

"So uh, we've not been together that long and we met in um, school" Corey looked at Panuleon as he spoke. He wasn't sure on what to say and thought that school made the most sense.

"Were you in the same classes?" 

Corey nodded, hating that he has to lie to his auntie. At least his parents know the truth, but he doesn't feel right lying. Panuleon could sense this and shuffled a little closer.  

"That's sweet" She grinned. Her eyes lingered on Panuleon for a second longer. "Have you always lived in London Panuleon?"

Corey's parents came in and sat on the opposite couch.

"No, I moved here a few months ago," He said and technically, that was true.

"Do you like it here?" Jenny noticed that he wasn't a typical teenage boy. He was very polite, calm and had an interesting atmosphere around him. There was something different about him and Jenny could tell that he was a very wise person. She didn't know why, and that confused her.

"I do." His replies were simple while looking at Corey.

"I like the outskirts of London. I think living close to the centre gets too chaotic" She then made herself a little more comfortable. "Oh, I've got exciting news!" She gasped excitedly.

Her words startled Panuleon and he very nearly flashed his wings. Corey could feel it too and bit on his bottom lip. 

"Please try and keep them in, she'll probably faint with excitement if they suddenly appear," He thought before Panuleon took his hand to calm himself. 

"Don't worry Corey," He thought back with a reassuring smile. 

"I think we spotted an angel the other night!" She said and allowed her enthusiastic gaze to look at everyone, waiting for a response.

Before Corey knew angels existed, he thought Jenny was crazy. Now, she's pretty normal compared to him.

"What? How can you tell?" Richard and Samantha both glanced at the angel who was finding this amusing. Even if a human did spot an angel, it is pretty much impossible with their technology and their strong conflict to decide on the truth.

"Well, me and my friend Monica were walking her dog in the woods. You know the woods just up the street from here?" She said as Panuleon wondered where this was going. "I came across this white feather and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was perfectly shaped and so soft-" 

"Wait, so you didn't see an angel?" Richard interrupted.

"Well, technically no. But we found proof that they exist! I've got the feather here somewhere" Jenny turned and rummaged in her bag. "here it is!" She pulled it out and held it up for everyone to see.

"She was right, it is beautiful," Corey thought to himself while Panuleon leaned closer.

"Can I look at that?" He asked with intrigued eyes.

"Sure" Jenny smiled and handed it across. She was very proud of her findings.

Panuleon looked at it closely, inspecting every little detail.

"Interesting" He mumbled while handing it back. "She's right, it's an angel wing," He thought to his soulmate. 

"It does look like one. Do you know who's it is?"

"I think it's mine." 

They both looked at each other with the same expression, knowing they had to check.

"Um, we're just going upstairs" Corey declared to his parents as they stood up.

"Okay, we'll shout when dinners ready" Samantha smiled before they both left the room. 

The boys rushed upstairs and into the bedroom. Corey shut the door behind him and watched his angel walk over to his mirror. He stared in amazement as Panuleon effortlessly shined his magnificent wings and stretched them tall. He needed to see if there were any missing feathers.

After a few seconds of him tracing up and down his wing, Corey came over to help.

"Can you see any missing feathers?" Panuleon asked when he could feel Corey's fingers tracing the back of his wings. He tried to ignore the tickling feeling.

"No." Corey came in front of him and looked his wings up and down. "Oh, here." He pointed to his left wing.

Panuleon looked and there was a tiny gap in the layer of feathers.

"You've got a sharp eye Corey" He beamed as he traced his finger over the empty space. Corey grinned. He couldn't help but stare at the beauty in front of him. Panuleon himself was a beautiful person but with the perfection of his wings shining behind him, he was pretty much breathtaking. 

Panuleon felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

"You're beautiful too," He said quietly.

Corey raised his eyebrows.

"You heard that?" He chuckled nervously and twiddled his thumbs with embarrassment. Panuleon smiled and very gently pulled him closer.

"I always hear you" His tone was soft and he planted a kiss onto his forehead.

Simple displays of affection are needed between two soulmates. It's hard for them to go almost an hour without showing their love through physical contact.

Corey smiled sweetly. They both felt the familiar warmth surrounding their chest. Panuleon stared at the gold mixing with the blue in his sparkling eyes. He bit down on his bottom lip before pulling the boy into a warm hug.

This is what they always crave. They are in constant need to be this close, twenty-four hours a day. 

They held each other for a few seconds until Corey reached up and tickled the back of his angel's wing.

"Hey! stop it" Panuleon laughed and squirmed away.

"I didn't do anything." Corey blinked innocently.

"Our souls and minds are connected now. I can tell when you're lying."

Panuleon jumped forwards and tickled Corey back. He laughed and tried to hold his hands away.

"Okay okay, I'll stop" He breathed.

Panuleon grinned at his quick defeat and put his arm around his shoulders. 

Corey leaned against him as they both looked back towards the mirror and at the angel's wings. Panuleon kept looking at the small gap in his feathers. Even though it was barely noticeable, it was irritating him and his wings had to be perfect.

"I need my feather back."