The Unexpected Inheritances

Chapter 16

Disclaimer:

- this - means thoughts

this means creature talking in head

"this" means normal talking

James's P.O.V.

I practically feel Axel relax when Severus stops bleeding, and he melts into the back of our brain, letting me take control as his body shifts into mine, the smoothest shift we've ever gone through. I'm naked, with nothing to change into, but I genuinely couldn't care less.

Now that my mate isn't in mortal peril, I take the time to to appreciate how truly beautiful he is. (If you had told me a year ago that I would say that I would laugh in your face.) Everything about him is soft and feminine and delicate. His skin is smooth like silk and pale like porcelain. His eyelashes are long and full and fan out across his cheeks, one of which is red and bloody and will probably be left with a nasty scar. I frown, if only because I can imagine how upset he will be, before gently wiping the blood away. In his sleep, his face turns towards my hand, and I feel a rush of affection so strong it would probably knock me off my feet if it wasn't for the fact that I was lying down.

He murmurs something too quiet for me to catch, and his lips gently curve into a smile. That's another thing about him- his smile. It's something I've rarely seen. I've seen him smirk, plenty of times, but a smile is rare, and a laugh is even more so. But that means I get to be the only person to make him happy, to see his smile, to hear him laugh. And that is the greatest privilege I could ever ask for.

Aside from that, his smile is truly beautiful. His lips are thicker than they used to be before his inheritance, and are light pink and so smooth. 

-Shut up, Axel, I was not spending my time looking at his lips, thank you very much.-

I can't help but wonder if they feel as soft as they look.

There's only one way to find out.

-I just thought I told you to shut up.-

I trail my eyes to his chest-

-Shut UP, Axel.-

I didn't say anything!

-You were about to.-

Touche.

Anyway, I realize his shirt is so stiff with dried blood, so I remove it, trying not to wake him, then wrap his cloak around his shoulders so he doesn't get cold. His body is truly breathtaking. His skin is even paler where it is usually covered with clothing, and softer too. He has more muscle than I thought he would, but his collar bones and hips jut out, and I find myself tracing them with the tips of my fingers, making him whine in his sleep, and I know that if I keep it up and he continues to make those noises I'll do something I'll regret. 

But he's so-

-No, Axel.-

I proceed to clean up the wounds on his chest and shoulder the best I can, before moving to his wings. I don't quite know how to address them. I can tell just by running my fingers through them that a lot of feathers are loose, and are making the wings a lot heavier than they need to be. A lot are also matted with blood, and I think the only thing for that would be to take a bath. But I can at least remove the old ones.

I groom his wings with my fingers, and sure enough more feathers than I expected come loose and fall away. I realize the ones that do are a more gray color and look a lot messier and duller. It takes a while to get the entirety of his wings, them being so big, but the motions are relaxing, and to be honest, I would give anything just to be touching my mate.Once I'm done, which is probably hours later, his wings are more delicate-looking, softer, and shinier. They were beautiful before, but now they are even more so. I can barely take my eyes away. Which is probably why I don't immediately realize when he wakes up.