My Rebel Angel (Editing)

Almost Human

"Aaaaah!"

Mallory screamed at the top of his lungs, waking Don up in a hurry. He jump out of his bed and scurried to the living room.

Don became miffed, putting his hands on his hips heavily as he sees Mallory, with no make-up, just being bonkers over at the television.

"A pandemic? Are you serious? it's just March!"

Mallory cursed the heavens as the blonde man judges him in the distance.

He finally spoke up from the door frame before Mal could roundhouse kick the television.

"qu'est-ce que c'est?"

Mallory turn around, stood up and put his hands on his waist, and in a pose that is ready for a passionate rant.

"There will be a lockdown! That means the concert will be canceled!"

Don shrugged and opened his fridge. He takes out some milk and put it on the dinner table. He passed by Mallory to get his Cornflakes Cereal in the coffee table and goes back the dinner table to pour it daintily on the bowl.

"Atleast we managed to finished our collaboration album, didn't we?"

"Well, yeah.. But we worked so hard for the rehearsal"

Don passed by again to get a spoon, yawning. As he gets back to walk across again, he pecked Mal in the cheek.

"That's 2020 for us"

Mallory sat exasperatedly on the couch and rested his head on his hands. Don then sat beside him with his cereal and put two bowls in the coffee table.

"Thanks", Mallory muttered.

"No problem"

They watched the news and listened about the worldwide pandemic. Mallory picked up his bowl and reluctantly ate a spoonful of cornflakes. He glanced over Don's bowl, which was already empty.

"Finished already?"

"Yep. After what happened last night, I could eat a horse"

Mallory ate more as Don watched him observantly. He glared at Don, who just smiled in a rather childish way.

"Stop making that silly smile as I eat," Mallory complained as he felt his ears getting red.

The blonde man asked innocently as a dimple appeared on his smirk, "What's wrong with smiling?"

Mallory shook his head and kept on eating. Don mischievously smiled and looked at the wall clock haphazardly.

"Do you want to cut your hair later? There is a barber shop down the fourth floor."

**********

Mallory wore his black beanie and burrowed Don's old black wooly jacket while on the other hand, Don wore his usual velvet red dress shirt and matching expensive black suit. Don offered him other clothes but Mallory stubbornly refused to wear decent ones.

He then followed his blonde host down the hallway for the elevator, absorbing the luxurious design of the hotel.

The grey walls with stygian baseboards are decorated with black and antique gold colored sconces that looks like small vintage chandeliers. The carpet is dark red with gold imperial trellis patterns. Lastly, The dark wooden doors they pass by are done with baroque carvings.

Don turned around and sees his special guest's mouth agape in wonder. Mallory noticed his glimpse and closed his mouth into a straight line, subtly swiping the corners of his mouth to check if he drooled.

The blonde man walked backwards and smirked at Mallory as he spoke, "Never been on a place like this?"

"This hotel looks more expensive that my whole life's worth," Mallory commented as he took a glance to some of the huge wall paintings.

"Sucks to be mortal and poor," Don jested. Mallory glared at him until an art piece caught his attention.

It's a painting of a naked angel with curly brunette hair. His pair of muscular arms raised and fingers interlocking, covering his face except his brooding and wrathful eyes.

There is a small written carvings on the side of the dusty gold frame.

"Fallen angel, 1896
By Alexandre Cabanel"

"..."

"Hurry up," Don called out. "The only angel you are allowed to see naked is me."

Mallory shot a confused look at Don, "...naked?" Then he understood.

"That is an odd way to say you're jealous, Don." Mallory said with a chuckle as he continued walking. He caught up to the blonde man, and asked curiously, "Who's the angel in that painting?"

"I don't know. Cabanel could have painted any angel he just imagined"

They approach the elevator. Mallory hasn't noticed or remembered the fact that the modern elevator door is gold, consisting of detailed carvings of some kind of strange creature with darkly-painted eleven wings with oddly menacing giant eye surrounded with countless small eyes.

It opened slowly, showing off the red and black carpet. The elevator's inside has a black and gold theme. The interesting part is that, instead of usual dull elevator music, it emits smooth jazz.

Damn, even the elevator is fancy, Mallory thought.

After they come inside, Don pressed some buttons and paced back. He hummed along the music while he gently gestured his right finger like a maestro.

Mallory isn't fond of this kind of music and tugged his suit. The blonde man raised his brows and turned to his still inquiring companion.

"Who owns this place?"

"My father"

"Whoa, really?"

Don nodded casually.

"I thought he would put heavy metal on, not Jazz," Mallory humored.

The blonde man chortled amusingly, "I don't think a bunch of men screaming something and loud instrumentals could make somebody relax."

"I sleep to metal music," Mallory explained.

Don raised a brow and tilted his head with a puzzled smile.