To Be A Hero - Colossus and Angel

5. Consequences

Last year, Daniela had gotten a part-time job at a vinyl record store downtown (not the sketchy end). Like visiting Warren, it was a breath of fresh air from the same old school life everyday.

Despite how business could be slow, she enjoyed wandering through the aisles of records, flipping through, organizing, making recommendations to other music lovers like herself. She was saving up to buy a record player, already having a collection of vinyl at home, just waiting to be played.

The store sold both new and used items, and she was just rifling through a box of used cassette tapes that had been dropped off when she sensed a familiar presence behind her.

"Excuse me, Miss. I'm looking for something very specific..."

She gasped and giggled at the hot whisper beside her ear from the person standing behind her. She spun around to face her golden-haired boy.

"What are you doing here?" she cried. She noticed that despite hating it, he had tucked his wings into a baggy jacket in order to appear human.

"I wanted to come visit you." He grinned. "You're always coming to visit me, so I wanted to visit you."

"Well, I'm glad you did."

"I also wanted to give you this-" Warren reached into the pocket of his jacket and withdrew a necklace with an orange charm pendant.

She gasped as he handed it over. "Warren! Where did you get this?"

"I bought it, with some of the money I earned the other night."

"You didn't have to-"

"I know. But I wanted to. I wanted to do something special for you."

"Well thank you, so much. I love it." She gave him a hug and pecked his lips.

"I'm glad. I also wanted to let you know that I've found a new place to stay."

"Ooo, where?"

"An old abandoned barn. It's great. It's secluded, quiet, got a loft. Won't have any nosy people poking around. I'd like to show it to you sometime."

Daniela looked at her watch. "Well, you're in luck, I finish in about forty-five minutes, so if you don't mind waiting, we could go after my shift."

"Sounds perfect. I'll keep exploring then."

"Holler if you need help finding something."

"I will."

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"This is great, Warren." The barn itself was in a bit of a rough shape, but provided shelter. And with his wings, Warren could fly up to the loft and various ceiling beams.  "I like it a lot."

"I'm glad.  I'm hoping to stay for a while."

Daniela climbed up the ladder to the loft.  Warren simply floated up.

"Show off."

He just laughed.

She threw down her bag and collapsed next to it on the hay. "Hey, you can see the stars through that crack in the ceiling. It's really quite nice..."

He lay down next to her to inspect the stars. "Yeah, it is."

"I wish I had a private, secluded place to come stay, away from the school and everything."

"Well, feel free to come here any time. I may not always be here, but I'm happy to share it."

"Thanks, Love."