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Amelia froze. The only thing she could move was her eyes. Warren had his back turned. His loose feathers twitching at the hem of his coat. She didn't have time to think about what they almost did. The urgency in Warren's voice was enough to make her body straighten, her throat tighten, alert. She'd heard half of the conversation. She didn't want to eavesdrop so she forced her body up and looked around his place. She noticed there were still plates on the dinner table. They were used and empty.564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYQtllBzkt
She walked over silently to the table, taking the empty plates up. She could busy herself with cleaning the table. Anything to calm down her unsteady emotions brewing at the surface. Warren shouldn't have to deal with every second of her antics. She carried the plates to the sink and began rinsing them. She had to distract herself for what's to come. Was she ready? Was she ever ready? She managed to wash the dishes with shaky hands.
She shut off the faucet and stared at the sink. Things were never going to get better were they? Maybe they were. That was really quick of the doctor to get back so soon. She seems to know everything. Amelia's mind went wondering again. She held the edges of the sink to keep from falling. Her hands were wet and slippery, Warren's voice drowning out in the background. Her throat went dry, her heart started racing again. Was it a human heart? Was she completely human? She didn't know. What if Moira didn't know? Was it wrong to listen in on the conversation? It had everything to do with her after all. Her thoughts drifted on Warren suddenly.
Warren was involved, even more than she wanted. She really didn't know him. She almost…she was glad it didn't happen. Glad? Maybe glad wasn't the right word. Relieved? Maybe not. But one thing remained certain. She was so close to it. She could taste it. Him…when her lips brushed his it felt like fire. All her emotions were on overdrive. She could feel her heart pumping so hard it was beating against her skin. She willed it hard to quiet down. She could feel his breath brush upon her skin. Felt like a dream. Warren seemed too good to be true. Like an illusion, he was magic. Like one person could make all the difference. This whole situation, it's not going to be fixed with one phone call.
But nothing in life lasts forever. Disaster was what she knew. Anger, hurt, emotional drainage, this was what feels normal to her. Her mentality right now at this moment was beyond confused.
She could remember far back an incident when her father chastised her harshly for coming late from school. She told him a true story of her tormentors but she still felt the brunt of his fist. He would chase her, hold her down and smack her with an open fist for hours straight. She could remember the look his face during the abuse. It was surreal. A possessed demon conjured up from a pure essence of evil. She shook her head. No more. She wasn't going to do this to herself. Bring up these memories. They weren't her memories. She had no control over the things being done to her. She never knew control. All she lived in was fear and self-mutilation behind closed doors.
With Warren, the mutant, the man, the angel, her angel, can she finally let go of years of psychological damage? She's never sat still. Never felt her heart beat at a normal pace. Was it OK? There was hardly a placid moment of calming inhalation. Being around Warren made her feel light. Her shoulders didn't feel so heavy. Her body relaxed, her muscles calm. There were no aches and pains present. She just was, she was there.
"Hey."
She heard him whisper behind her. She gulped and closed her eyes. When she opened them she looked at her hands holding the edge of the counter. The whites of her knuckles returning to a flesh-colored tone once again the more she eased on the pressure. She was back in her body. She was alive. She wasn't alone. She slowly turned around; Warren was inches away from her.
He held out his hands, she looked over them. They were pretty, soft and familiar. He makes sense. She put her hands on top of his. She dropped them suddenly and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I don't care what happens. I don't want to know anything. Don't tell me."
He groaned softly, his arms firmly finding themselves around her frame. "Don't worry about it. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
When they pulled away gently she wiped her eyes, she knew they were red but burning a cobalt color simultaneously. "I'm such a mess."
She laughed as more tears came out. She dared to look at him. He was watching her closely. "Maybe you needed to do this. Get it all out. All the emotions just let it out."
"How much time do you have?"
He looked behind her and pretended to check the clock. "Indefinite amounts."
She rolled her eyes as they changed back to the pink he affirmed was his favorite. "Translation: 2 hours."
"Come on." He brought her to the living room and sat on the couch, she sat next to him but at a small distance.
The glow stopped in the dark room, they were nearly looking at each other in a pitch black setting. Amelia moved to get comfortable. Her body attempted to calm down.
Several moments had passed where nothing was said. Amelia was just getting used to the silence when-
"Why were you crying just now?" He asked. She felt him hold onto to her a little tighter.
"Oh…" She stammered. She didn't know how to begin.
"It's OK. You don't have to talk about it if you aren't ready."
Amelia grew stiff slightly; she leaned back onto the couch and started to sink herself. "Well...when I thought of you I felt better."
Warren laced her fingers to his, smiling and looked down. She may not be ready to talk. He won't push her. It has to come naturally. "I'm here to listen if you want to talk. I heard you before. You sounded so hurt. I was wondering who hurt you."
Amelia bit her lip. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness in the room. Crawling out of her personal darkness was the bigger challenge.
"It's not just one person. It's everyone. For a long time it was my life. I felt like I just didn't belong…in life. I had no worth. Everybody around me let me know that."
"Its only true if you believe it. You know that right?" He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "It's not true," Every syllable clear and only for her ears. He moved close to whisper in her ear, "You matter…to me."
Amelia shivered. His words were cutting her deep; almost to the core. "Warren we barely know each other. It's not possible."
He watched as a sky blue tint seeped from her eyes, she was afraid. Inside and outside too. Warren was no psychologist but he knew what being there meant. He ached for her. He wanted to drain all her pain and maybe then she might trust again. If she's open and willing. But he could tell at the same time, she was vulnerable yet concrete strong. She knew how to protect herself, she knew it well. He sensed her body might pull away any second. He wanted to break her. Shatter those walls she held as a shield over her mind.
"Sure it is. This is what it means to care for a friend; unconditional. Let me inside, please. Believe in what you think is impossible. Believe in me."
Amelia felt blinded. All she knew about people, all people gets erased by a few words? She didn't know how to believe. What does it mean to bare your heart? Did she have a real heart in this body? Why does it stand so still now?
She grabbed her forehead. The impossible? A lot was impossible to her, had been that way since she was born. Running, hiding, scrapping by on what little semblance of self she had left. Those were the inevitabilities she grew used to. She sunk into her very own oblivion. She was meant to fight and keep fighting. Why was he looking at her like that?
"Amelia, look at me."
"Why?"
"Because I asked you to."
"My scars are healed, the physical ones. You can't handle the rest of me."
"Let me be the judge of that."
"Takes a lot more than courage to bare what I've been through. You can't begin to accept that."
"What if I can? You can't throw away any chances."
"Warren, I have no more emotional strength left."
He breathed deeply. She sure was a stubborn one. He thought he wore the crown in that department.
"Your emotions are overflowing. It's purer than anything I've ever felt. You still have a purpose."
"It's temporary. When it goes away so will I."
"I don't think I'll ever forget this. I can't let it go."
Amelia swallowed harshly. He was digging deeper. She could feel the walls she built so hard around her heart start to crack. He really didn't know what he was getting himself into. "Warren, you can't know this. I won't let you get hurt."
"You don't have to face everything alone every time. I said I wasn't going anywhere and I mean that. Please trust me. Loyalty is eternal. It's a promise I keep. My friends mean everything."
He was obviously trying to make her feel at ease and smile. It was working, only slightly.
"You know, you say these things to me. You say them with so much conviction. Again, I don't know how you can trust that I won't be a complete danger to you. It's not that easy."
Warren looked at her briefly then looked away. He still couldn't give a direct response to that honestly. Reassuring her was the best he's got for now. He doesn't know a damn thing about her state. Mentally, physically, he can handle her emotions. Her blood mixing in with his made them both feel empathy toward the other.
"I wish…" He looked at her as he said this. He wanted her full attention. "I wish you aren't, very strongly. I'm not going to lie here and say everything is fine. But I'm willing to find out what's causing it."
"I'm a freak that's what's causing it."
Warren sighed deeply, "No, if this was true I would be one too."
She blushed and caught her breath before speaking. "I didn't mean it that way. I guess we both know what its like to hide from the world behind covers."
Warren smirked looking down. "Sometimes I like to unstrap myself and fly up the Brooklyn Bridge, sit on top and enjoy the view. That's my favorite part of being who I am."
Amelia was quiet for a few moments. "How high can you fly?"
Warren twitched his features. "What?"
She looked down, some pinkness returning to her cheeks reaching up to her eyes. "How high you can actually fly?"
"Um, I don't know how high…I don't think I kept track."
Amelia shifted her body into a more relaxed position. "I have this power and I don't know how to control it."
"In time I did. I didn't always know how to handle it."
"When you first saw your wings, how did you feel?"
A flash appeared in Warren's memories. It was a bright light that blinked to a scene when he was a young boy. A full-length mirror showing his true nature. His eyes even at that age knew he wasn't like everyone else. He knew it. His world started changing.
"Warren?"
He came back to himself. He looked at her once again, clearing his throat.
He looked down as he answered as if she could make out the anguished expression on his face. "I was scared. I didn't know what the world would think of me. Would they ever accept me? What about my dad? What will that do to him? It's crazy I'm still asking these questions. My role in life is different from everyone else. We have these secrets, who we are, the true nature, and yet, we feel so inferior to everyone else. People who aren't like us, they have no idea what it's like. I was so concerned about everyone else I put my emotions, my opinions; my life away like it meant nothing. I realize looking back on everything, I had it wrong. We are who we are for a reason. I don't know what it is but I feel like I was meant to fly."
Amelia soaked in every last word he spoke. Was she doomed to always be afraid of who she is? It seemed like now she wasn't alone.
"Why do you feel you were meant to be this way? Do you think we're meant for something more?"
Warren's eyebrow bundled together. "I know I can't walk out completely like this but I feel one day I will. I know I will. People are open-minded to anything when they aren't afraid of change."
Amelia moved closer to him with the last few words. How did he so accurately define something so general? Should people be afraid of them? Growing up, everyone was afraid of her, even she was. School wasn't much help. She had to wear sunglasses all the time because of the daily torment that would take place.
She couldn't catch the tears that fell off her cheeks dropping on her jeans.
"I want to believe that so badly. People can't see passed their fear. My faith isn't so strong, I wish it was. I want it to be."
Warren could feel her tears; he didn't touch her face but gripped his hold on her hands more firmly. She surprisingly pulled herself closer to his body, resting her head on his chest. The feeling was like no other. She nearly closed her eyes to his warmth.
"Tell me what she said."
"Moira?" He raised an eyebrow.
She nodded.
"Well…" he trailed off on purpose. He had to be delicate about his next words. "There's good and bad news."
"Bad first." She cleared her throat, lifting her body off his and sinking deeper into the cushions of the couch.
"The Doc isn't quite sure what's encoded into your DNA. She was in the middle of a test and called to say the experiments weren't clear. It's going to take more time. I'm sorry."
Amelia swallowed slowly with some difficulty. What if they never find out? Its possible, to be stuck not knowing. The world gives you clues but no sound answers.
"And the good news?" She looked up, eyes beaming in baby soft blue. She couldn't hide her worry, only wear it.
Warren took both her hands, kissing them. "It's only temporary. The binding. Your secondary mutation, the absorption; your blood reveals strangely so little. The doc thinks it's deeper than this. But we know its not forever."
If it's temporary then the connection between them will be lost too. He would forget her, about all of this. She would go back to living in fear of the next moment and the ones that follow. It wasn't safe and she knew this. But he wouldn't want her around…her messy situation. Why would anyone want to try to help someone who remains eternally doomed? Deep down. She knew everything it was just a matter of time.
Hearing that word…temporary. Just like her life. Exactly how long do the good things seem to last? Everything has an expiration date. No shortage of times, good ones straying in long term.
She stood up, her glassy eyes hidden from view, but the bits of her neon colors were oddly prominent in the dark.
Warren went to turn on the night lamp. He could see she was having trouble with this. He would be too if he just heard they don't know what you are exactly. The bad news out weighted the good. It's not fair. She deserves to know. He wished he could give her more. She felt lost, confused and helpless. That wasn't the answer she expected.
"I'm sorry, Amelia. I thought it might help. I guess it-there's more that needs to be done. I feel awful."
She started to feel dizzy; a beginning headache was tugging at her mind, her body unwilling to comply. It was too strong, she couldn't take it. A jolt flushed her nerves. Her body suddenly flung itself outside passed the balcony. She was flying higher, faster than before, speeds nearing past 70 mph. Her body flew out of control; she hardly had time to think. Her eyes bursting streams of red from her iris.
"Warren?!" She felt her shoulders being pulled and she clutched his bare chest.
The dark overcast of the night sky made it difficult for him to see clearly, she was flying much higher than last time. It was a good thing his powers had a limit on her. She can't control her spurts. Though the unpredictability still terrifying him.
"Hold onto me, you're pulling away. I can feel you slipping."
Amelia swerved and grasped, her hands attempting to cling onto him in any way she could. Her heart sped to an enforcing rate. Her blood pumping harder, so hard it was making her skin freeze over.
"Warren!" She exclaimed trying so hard to will this power in control some way.
It felt as if someone broke apart a puzzle and scattered the pieces into the sky. Where was she? Her body gave out; she began to slip through his fingers, falling deeper down into the darkness. Gravity pulling at her like a magnet toward an abyss.
Warren drove as fast as his wings can fall. He reached her just before she hit the ground, landing on the damp concrete; his feet wet and coarse, his toes scraping against the rough terrain. She convulsed briskly in his arms. Her body felt on fire, her mind drifting around in pieces. She burst out of his hold, flying into the sky once again. Twirling and twisting, reaching the ebony sky with an unbridled emotion. It was like some invisible force catapulted her as high as they could as if she was a helium-filled balloon losing air.
She was losing steam finally, she could feel it. Her back no longer keeping up with this new found energy. Her frame twisted again, she took a deep breath almost biting her tongue.
"Warren, go away. I'll hurt you. Please…don't…" It was supposed to be her last plea but her words held no truth. She couldn't hurt him but the power she borrowed from him could change that.
"No, I won't, uh," he flew faster, nearly screaming his words; he didn't care about his own safety anymore. He also knew the altitude of his aerial limit was dangerously approaching. "You won't hurt me."
He grabbed her hand with all his strength, pulling her to him. Their faces so close she felt his exhaustion brush her flushed cheeks. Her legs tried to pull her body higher but Warren wasn't having it. "Don't let go." He whispered.
Amelia's body was finally catching up to her will, she felt her heart decrease. She held onto his body with her other hand; it was free at her disposal now.
Her eyes began to pierce again. A soft red shined over Warren's light azure stare. "I could feel it leaving me. We have to hurry."
"What?"
"Your place, take me back." She gripped him hard, her heart finally mellowing out. She stared back at him.
Warren panted and gulped, "Hold on tight then."
"I'm not letting go this time." She whispered into his ear, drawing an obvious shiver. She chose to ignore it. There are more important things to worry of now.
Warren gently flew passed various buildings, searching for his balcony. It took a few seconds for his memory to return as he flew in the opposite direction. Amelia held on for dear life, smothering her face into the crook of his neck. The smell of his skin was doing something to her. She was intrigued by it. She couldn't define his scent but she liked it. She liked it a lot. Had she thought of this before? Maybe so, her mind was in a daze now. Bits and pieces of her behavior were surfacing from the previous night.
"Last night, I—did I do something wrong?" She pulled back slightly, looking at him through a side glance.
Warren flew a bit faster, he was having trouble maneuvering and thinking about how to answer. The clapping from his wings startled her a bit. Reminded her of tiny cracks of thunder and high winds on a blustery day. He was avoiding the question but who could blame him? She could have embarrassed herself and made him feel like shit in the process. She had zero control over her motor actions. She could have been anyone; his worst nightmare even.
Warren breathed a sigh of relief mentally as he approached his balcony. Flying ever so slowly, he sunk down and landed inside. She clung to him with an iron grip as if she was glued to his body, hugging it against hers. A few moments passing them. It was quiet between them finally.
"Are you alright?" He spoke softly, hushing his tone on purpose.
"I'm-I'm sorry. I should let go." Reluctantly she pulled away. The strength she felt so prominent before it vanished gradually.
"I could get used to you doing that." Warren smirked. Trying to get her eyes back on him. Those eyes that saw him only. Or at least he hoped they did.
She turned pink all over when she realized she was still holding onto him by his hips. She took her hands down and awkwardly hugged her shoulders. "Sorry…"
Warren pulled her back in his arms. His chin resting on top of her head. "Let's go inside, OK? It's freezing out here. New York wind is coming back."
He kissed her forehead and pulled the doors shut. The room was pitch dark until a golden shimmer came around the corner. It was flickering, when the color came close, he felt at peace. He reached for the side light, switching it on. She was staring at him; looking as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how. Her eyes tore from his as she noticed something.
"You're hurt." She gestured, looking at his hand. She closed her eyes. She couldn't look at him directly and say it while taking his hand. "I did this…"
Scratches meant nothing to him. He barely knew anything was there until she mentioned it. She looked hard at the scratches still avoiding his eyes.
"Its OK, I'm fine. I heal fast remember? It's not something to worry about."
"I knew this would happen. Let me see it." She examined the cut closer as well as observing his body for any further injuries.
"It's OK, really. Amelia, look at me." He said more directly but gentle.
Her fingers brushed around his abdomen. She was really concerned it was worse than he's letting on. "I just have to check."
Warren smiled, amused and blushing slightly at her hands skimming his body. "Oh wait…I think it's my eye."
Amelia stopped and immediately looked up; checking over his face and one of his hands covered his eye. "What's wrong? What is it?"
He smirked and peeled the hand off his eye, wiggling his fingers playfully. "Nothing, see? I am just fine."
She sighed deeply. "Don't do that. You really scared me."
"Sorry…I just didn't want you to worry over a tiny scratch. This power is so new to you. It could have been worse but it wasn't. You have some control over it now."
"I had so much strength building up inside me. How do you fight the urge with this enormous power? If a man had all this strength, he'd use it everyday."
Warren stepped forward, taking her in a soft hug, pulling away to glance in her inquisitive eyes. "I don't need to. Unless it's for someone I care about. I protect them. By any means."
"But…who knows? Who else knows this? Your secret?"
"Very few people know of my abilities. And those are the people I care about."
She looked to the ground, "Oh…" her eyes found his hand again. "I need to fix this. I am so sorry. I don't remember being so aggressive."
"You were flying faster than me. High altitudes that were out of control, even for a skilled flyer. Anything could have happened in that state. It's really no need. I'll just go wash it off. It will heal so fast you'll forget about it."
Warren nodded to her as he moved to wash his hands. He winced slightly at the warm water covering the dried blood of the cut. It wasn't too deep and indeed he would heal like he always does from minor injuries. When he finished washing he dried off and took out a Band-AID. He was opening the small adhesive package when he felt her come close.
"Can I?" She held out her hand.
He relented silently, giving her the Band-AID. She opened it with shaky hands. It could have been worse. Those words reverberated in her ear as she focused on covering his abrasive wound. The one she caused. Who knows what else was on his body? He wouldn't allow her to look. She pasted both sides of the tape on the inside of his hand, pressing gently. She just stared at it. Deep breath, she told her body to relax. Her blood heated at the notion that she could hurt anyone, especially him. All he did was protect her. How could he possibly trust her?
"All better." Warren laughed softly.
She finally looked up at him from her small daze. "Good." She said, firmly.
It could have been worse, the words dripped around her mind. Warren touched her hand, attempting to get her attention.
"You alright? Do you want to lie down?"
She looked around his place as if for the first time. He had a life here. He built it for himself. His own private space. Was this her place too?
She followed him leading the way to his bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed first motioning for her to be closer.
Tentatively she moved to sit. Even something as simple as sitting suddenly became a challenge. She managed to do it despite her hesitance.
"I know this isn't going to be easy. I said I would help you. Nothing in life is smooth. We can't plan for everything to go right, most of the time it goes so wrong. My life is far from perfect. Yours isn't either. But I am willing to understand it through your eyes. I want to know you."
Amelia turned her face slowly. "Why?"
Warren brushed aside his platinum blonde wavy hair from his eyes. "Because I am running of reasons why I shouldn't. Its over. You, all of you, your thoughts, your heart…I care about you so much and I don't care if it sounds crazy anymore."
"But you could, I mean, you're an amazing person. Surely there is someone more better than—"
"No one is more beautiful than you, right now, in this moment. No one." His eyes staring hard on her with an intense fire she brought out of him.
Amelia sucked in her lip, using her long brown hair to cover her emotions; the intensity was too much, even for her.
"You could—"
"What? What could I possibly do to stop feeling this way?" He took both her hands, grasping them, molding all that's left of him with her.
She smiled, scoffing softly. "I kinda wish I had that super strength now."
"I told you, nothing that you do could keep me away." His own eyes brimming, he didn't reach to conceal them.
With a free hand he caressed her cheek; feeling the warm radiating off his skin. It was getting harder for her to resist the urge to—the fight inside her decreasing, she felt so small, so young and vulnerable. The slightest break can destroy her or save her.
Her heart began to speed suddenly. She felt weightless, like a feather floating in a placid breeze. But it was the beginning. She felt shivers inside her body reaching the chamber of her heart.
"My heart! Oh my gosh, Warren, it's my heart!" She exclaimed.
"What? I don't get it."
"My heart is the trigger. It's what is causing me to lose control when I fly. Tell me," She faced him directly now. "What happens when you fly? Inside I mean?"
Warren was taken aback; blinking rapidly as he thought of his answer quickly. "I don't know. I do it so naturally that I don't pay attention."
"But your heart, does it beat fast? It has to be true. The power is brand new; it uses something I've never used before; my heart. You are the only person to make my heart feel this alive. I fly so high because of you. Oh my gosh! It's so simple now!" She got up off the bed but he stopped her suddenly.
"You're heart is key to controlling this?"
Amelia smiled warmly. "Yes, when I was flying out of control, I felt my heart was going to burst out from beating so hard. It's happened twice. When my heart races I start to feel light, like I can't harness it. I don't have wings like you." Her eyes looked up as her hands suddenly felt the softness of his feathers. "It's not going to be easy but I may know how to control it. Will you help?"
Warren started to process this new discovery, her fingers, a slight distraction in his thoughts. When he flies it was second nature to him he rarely notices any change. His wings and back muscles do all the work. Maybe it wasn't going to be so difficult after all.
His fingers found the soft waves of her hair. "Of course," the corners of his mouth lifted as her face drew closer, closing the space between.
She was looking at him anew. A familiar scene before them. She moved 2 steps ahead, he tried to keep up. Was it his turn to feel a bit scared now?
She closed her eyes, the inevitable approaching, the anticipation making her lips burn. She moved closer…until she felt…
His lips grazing the skin near her ear. "Lay with me."
ns 15.158.61.48da2
