Supernatural in Real Life 5

Chapter 20

Third Person POV
(A/N I feel like it's weird switching between first and third person but the story is no longer just about Bailey [clearly] and it's weird to think about Bailey in third person so I'm just gonna do it the annoying way.)

Michael and Alexis head to an empty bedroom, where Michael creates a sink and a rag as he instructs Alexis to sit down on the bed. She does, watching Michael nervously. They acted like this was going to be hell, and she is not excited for it. It's clear that Michael isn't stoked, either. He turns around with a wet rag.
" First, you have to make your wings solid," Michael tells her. "Otherwise, the rag will go right through them."
After about five minutes of attempting to explain it to her, she finally figures out how to do this, though she has to strain herself to keep them up. Michael nods approvingly, and that's all the incentive she needs to keep herself trying to hold them like this. He sits next to her on the bed, and she turns to look at him.
"Wings 101," Michael says, "Wings are very sensitive, so you have to be really careful with them. But, if you're light enough on them, I've heard it can tickle."
"You've heard?" Alexis repeats. "So you've never...?"
Michael shakes his head. "I've never had occasion for anyone to touch my wings, excluding myself. I've also never touched anyone else's wings, but I'm familiar enough with my own that it shouldn't be too much of a challenge."
Alexis nods once to show she understands. "Alright, then. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" She tries to hide her nervousness, but Michael can tell she isn't as ready for it as she claims to be.
"If it hurts, tell me," Michael says before gently bringing the rag to the tip of her wing. She flinches at the contact, but then realizes what Michael was talking about. It does tickle. Alexis bites her lip to keep from laughing. Michael can't help but find it amusing, watching her like this.
It continues for a while as he slowly finishes cleaning the top of her wings. It's not much, but it's a start. He can only work so fast without hurting her. He moves down the wing slightly, cleaning another part.
Alexis flinches again, biting her lip. But this time, it's not because her wings are ticklish. She tries to hide the small moan that wants to escape, but she can't. Michael stops and looks at her curiously.
"What?" he asks.
"Keep going," Alexis mutters, so he does.
Alexis lets out another moan at the feeling this is creating, one she's never felt before. Suddenly, Alexis crashes her lips against his, unable to overcome the urge. Michael pushes her away immediately.
"I'm-I'm sorry," she mutters, embarrassed. "I didn't mean..."
Michael isn't sure what to say, so he doesn't say anything. He returns to cleaning her wings, and Alexis attempts to hide the pleasure it causes. She bites her lip, burying her head in her hands, and Michael stops.
"Does it hurt?" Michael asks.
"N-no," she stammers. "Keep going."
Michael does as he's asked, but he can tell something is wrong, and it's definitely not tickling. He stops again, looking at her curiously. She hesitantly meets his gaze.
"What's wrong?" the clueless angel asks.
"Nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing."
"It's nothing," Alexis repeats.
"Please, tell me what's wrong so I can fix it."
"It's... I don't know," Alexis admits. "It just feels... I don't know," she mutters, embarrassed.
"But it doesn't hurt, and it doesn't tickle?" Michael asks, confused.
"No, it's... I don't know," she says with an embarrassed laugh. "It's... Nice."
Michael can't help but find that interesting. He didn't realize it could feel nice. He thought there were two options when it comes to wings; pain or tickling.
"I wonder if it's just your wings..." he muses aloud.
"We could test it," Alexis suggests, just because she wants to see Michael's reaction.
"That probably wouldn't be a good idea," he replies. "You still don't know how to handle wings."
"Then I can learn on you!"
Michael hesitates. He doesn't really want anyone to touch his wings, but he is curious. He's never heard of this before. Finally, he says, "Okay, but be really, really careful."
Alexis grins victoriously and lightly touches his wing. Michael squeezes his eyes shut, letting out a small yelp of pain.
"Too hard?" Alexis guesses, earning a small nod from the angel.
She lightly touches his wing again, and this time, he realizes what she was talking about. How could he not know about this? Perhaps it's lack of experience, but the other angels would have told him. They're supposed to tell him anything. Though, it's possible that they didn't because they know what this feeling is, and they know they aren't supposed to feel it.
"That's enough," Michael says quickly.
"But-"
"That's enough," he repeats, his voice commanding.
Alexis nods silently, a sudden fear coming over her when he says it. She's never seen this side of Michael. He can be really freaking scary. But why? Why now, when she's done so many more annoying things to him?
"Would you like me to continue cleaning your wings?" Michael offers in a kinder voice.
Alexis just nods again. Michael begins to clean them again, and every time he touches them, she has to fight to remain silent. She finds herself watching his lips as he works, seemingly oblivious to how crazy this is driving her. She wants nothing more than to kiss him again. She has to restrain herself from doing it, which is not easy, especially with him sitting so close to her.
Michael doesn't say anything, so she doesn't either. Though he's comfortable in the silence, seeing as he has something to work on, Alexis is wishing someone would say something, wishing he would distract her from the growing urge that is nearly impossible to overcome.
She buries her head in her hands, hoping that not looking at him will make this easier. It doesn't. This time, Michael doesn't ask what's wrong. He knows exactly what's going on, and, as much as she wants to act on what she feels, Michael won't let it happen. It's not real. It's a side effect of the wings, nothing more. He wishes he could just hurry this up, make it easier on both of them, but he can't. If he did it any faster, he'd make mistakes, and he doesn't want to put Alexis through the pain a mistreated wing can cause.
After a few minutes, Alexis pushes his hand away. Michael lowers the rag and waits for her to speak.
"Stop," she whimpers.
"Are you sure you want me to stop?" Michael asks. "It probably won't be comfortable with the blood on them, and it will be harder to remove when it dries completely."
"I don't care," she murmurs. "I can't..."
"Can't what?" Michael asks curiously.
I can't not kiss you.
But she can't say that, so she doesn't say anything, just shakes her head silently before burying it in her hands again. She begins crying, more out of frustration than anything.
Michael watches awkwardly for a moment, not sure what to do. He's never been good with others. He doesn't know how to comfort someone. All he knows is that he wants to comfort her, if only it was that easy.
"Don't cry," Michael pleads, as if that will help anything. "Um... I-I don't know what to do right now," he admits, getting a slight smile from Alexis, though he can't see it. "Don't cry. Please?"
Alexis looks up at him, her crying changed to soft laughter at his pathetic attempt to console her. He was so bad at making her feel better that she has to feel better. It's a foolproof plan.
"I like this more," he tells her.
"You like what more?" Alexis asks.
"I like when you smile."
Alexis feels herself blushing and she looks at the bed instead of meeting his gaze.
"Do you want me to finish your wings?" Michael offers.
Alexis nods reluctantly. "You probably should."
Michael begins slowly and gently cleaning her wing again, about halfway done with the first one. No, the first side of the first one, but the back will hopefully be easier. Alexis whimpers at the feeling, looking anywhere but the angel to avoid doing what he clearly doesn't want her to do.
But, somehow, she manages. It takes a few hours, lots of sympathetic looks from Michael, and lots of self control, but finally, her wings are completely blood free. They're mostly black lie an angels' would be, but there's a zigzag like a lightning bolt coming from the tops.
Michael gives her a small smile. "See, that wasn't that bad," he says as if she hadn't been in the worst situation of her life for the last few hours.
Alexis flutters her wings slightly, feeling the air against them without the blood in the way. She grins as her wings lift her off the bed before sitting back down and turning to the angel next to her.
"Thank you," she says.
"Of course."
Alexis gives him a hug, carefully avoiding his wings. Michael is rigid for a moment before returning it uncertainly. Alexis giggles as they pull away.
"You're so socially awkward," she observes, amused.
"I know," he admits.
"Well, don't be," Alexis instructs.
"Thank you. I'm cured," he says sarcastically, a slight smile on his face.
"Would you like an instruction guide?" Alexis jokes.
"I don't think an instruction guide would be enough to help me."
"Then I'll be your mentor!" she announces.
"I don't need a mentor," Michael protests.
"Too bad. I'm bored," Alexis replies. "Seriously, you need to learn how to hug because that was horrible. Like, it was a four. Out of a hundred."
Michael chuckles. "I'm sorry my hugging isn't up to your standards."
"Don't be sorry. Learn how to hug," Alexis says. She gives Michael another hug. "Stop being so... Sticklike. I'm sure there's a word for it, but whatever. Stiff? Rigid? I don't know. I don't English."
Michael laughs and attempts to relax, but for an angel who's always on high alert, it's hard.
"Alright, F-minus on the hugging front," Alexis announces, pulling away.
She accidentally brushes her hand against his wing, causing Michael to flinch, his wing flicking far away from her.
"Oh, but you can touch my wings for hours," she says as if it's a much bigger deal than it is.
"I asked you not to touch my wings, and I would appreciate it if you didn't," Michael replies, wanting to remain somewhat composed.
"Sorry," she mutters. "I didn't mean to."
"It's okay," he assures her. "Just please don't do it again, okay?"
Alexis nods, then changed the subject. "This is awesome!" she exclaims, fluttering her wings and flying off the bed, hovering over it.
Michael watches, amused. He remembers when he used to fly around like this with the other archangels. Of course, it was much more fun, because there's an endless amount of room in Heaven. They weren't confined by the walls and ceilings, but rather how far their wings would carry them.
"I wanna go outside and fly around!" Alexis announces.
"That wouldn't be wise," Michael warns her. "If anyone saw, there would be a bit of an issue."
"Then where can I fly around?"
"I don't know."
"Can I fly around Heaven?"
And there it is. Michael was hoping she wouldn't think of it, not because he doesn't want her around, but because he knows the other angels don't. Her being in Heaven would be dangerous, and though Michael was able to watch her and stay with her this time, she may not be welcome again.
"I don't think your parents would be okay with that," Michael replies.
"They don't have to know."
Michael sighs. "In true teenage fashion," he mutters. "I won't go behind your parents' backs, but we can ask them, and if they both say yes, then we can go to Heaven. Deal?"
Alexis frowns. "My mom's never gonna say yes."
That's exactly why Michael said it, though he would never tell her. "Then I guess you're not going to Heaven."
"Let's go ask," she says determinedly.
Michael sighs. She's too committed to getting what she wants, and that could be great, or it could be the death of her. And, in this line of work, it could be literal.