The Black Wings

Chapter 18

Chapter 18
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"Okay, sure fine. Lets go back to the place we've spent our whole lives trying to escape from. Bravo Ace." Junior adds a sarcastic clap with his statement.

Out of all the emotions he lost when he was awakened, his sarcasm just had to stay.

"I'm serious, Nadie has a right to visit her brother's grave. I won't mind paying a visit either." I persist.

"I just want to visit Triana." Lana speaks up, avoiding my gaze.

I asked Junior to invite Lana to come. Call it cowardly to talk through someone but we haven't spoken since our fight. She still deserves an opinion.

"Plus...we should break the news to Wy's parents. It's only fair." I speak up, hoping to strike a chord with Junior.

The protest that was hiding in his throat quickly dies. He realizes I'm right.

"So when would we leave?" Junior asks in defeat.

"Sunrise." I reply.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and stands from the logs we're sitting on.

"Let's get some sleep then."

We all agree. I've already been given clearance out of training, so I'm allowed to sleep back at my own nest tonight.

This also means a night next to an unresponsive Lana.

It's going to be rather chilly.

We all walk back to our tree. As I fly up the top, I lend a hand to Lana so she won't have to climb up.

She declines it, avoiding eye contact while climbing up herself. Junior says his good nights before flying up to his empty nest with no objections.

I lay down, pulling the linen sheets over my body as Lana presses her back against my own. Shutting my eyes, I try and picture I time where my stomach was pressing on the small nape of her back.

It's too much, I don't want her body. I don't want her affection.

I need her presence. I need that leader with a hand on my shoulder.

I need her drive, her will.

It crushes me.

"Lana." I whisper her name like it's a physical object.

"Ace." She replies, mimicking my tone.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat this. We're going to town, then we're going to come back. After the whole trip, the black winged forces will advance and I won't be returning."

"Why are you reminding me?"

"To show how much time we truly have left with each other. I'm not asking for your pity, I just don't want the tension to be so thick between us."

"How on earth do you expect me to act like nothing is wrong Ace? In a matter of weeks you're going to be dead. I don't just put on a fucking smile and act like the world is covered in roses!" She raises her voice at me.

"That's my point Lana! We have to cherish the time we have left together. Do you want to remember the days where we distanced ourselves or the ones where we held hands and flicked off fate?"

She closes her mouth and ends her agrument.

"So we're flicking off fate?" Lana inquires slowly.

"Absouletly." I reply with hope.

With that she raises a middle finger to the canopy of branches. She doesn't hide her feelings. No, she shows it to everyone, even to the slivers of the starry sky poking through.

"Let's get married."

The request leaves her lips without a smile nor and ounce of emotion.

The compassion of love is in the sense of this marriage yet the occasion would only be somber.

We both should be entitled to a wedding. We do truly love one another.

"Let's get married." I echo her words.