Wings of the world

Joe’s mind was in a million different places. So when he first the noise, it was already too late. The low growl, the scraping noise on the asphalt of the street. It was just one at first, then he heard another and another. The fog was so thick, he couldn’t see how many there were, but he could see one spot where their wasn’t one surrounding him. Smart or not, he took off running. But he didn;t get very far, just a few steps away from where they had been. The black creatures with their foul breath and sharp talon like claws were upon him so quickly. He let out a blood curdling scream, a noise he had never heard himself make before as one of the tails whipped around and hit him on the side of the head. It had knocked him sideways, but he was able to keep on his feet, but not for long when another motion of the same came from the other side this time knocking him down and unconscious.

He didn’t know how long he had been out, but when he awoke, he felt a pain searing through his shoulder, one of the creatures had stuck his claw into his shoulder and was dragging him now, to wherever it was they were going. Joe saw trees and felt the the rough ground below. but that was the extent of what he could tell was happening. they arrived at a cave like place, something he didn’t even know they had near Wildemont. 

-

Kai sighed, it wasn’t that he was unhappy, he felt… stuck. “No Joe, you’re not a horrible person, you’re perfect and will make any man happy. Just not… me.” he nearly whispered that last word. 

He took a step back and pushed his hands into his pockets, Kai could see how hurt Joe was and he wanted nothing else but to comfort him but he also had to put up a boundary between them now that he was with Peyton. 

Joe drew in a deep breath scoffing at the other. “Oh, but not perfect enough to tell me the truth.” Joe looked around frustrated. He had a million other things he wanted to say. A million other feelings he wanted to throw at the other, but he couldn’t find words. He felt the hot tears falling down his cheeks and no matter how much he willed them to stop, they continued to fall. “Well, i guess I know where I stand now. I guess I can quit hoping and waiting.” He said as he wiped a few of the tears from his eyes.  “Goodbye Malachai.” He said as he turned away from him and walked away, not looking back.

-

Kai sighed, he didn’t want to fight, nor did he really want Peyton wandering out at the wrong time even though he knew about Joe. “It wasn’t stupid.” He shook his head. “I needed… something different. Two years is a long time to be with someone, Joe. All we did in the end is fight, what kind of relationship was that? Getting snippy at the smallest thing that happened or if other men flirted. I needed to break this off for my own good.”

Joe shook his head. “So instead of talking to me. Instead of trying to figure it out. You decided that you would need some time to yourself and break it off with me. Why not just tell me that. Why not just tell me you were unhappy?” He clenched his jaw, looking through the window behind him. “I’m that horrible of a person that you couldn’t even tell me the truth? Because that is a whole lot different then I need to find myself on m own.” He said trying to hold back the emotions that were threatening to spill out. While he wanted to yell and scream at him, the weight of it all hit him hard. He hadn’t really grieved the lost relationship before, He always thought they would find their way back to each other. He had stayed away from all others while he waited. But now, he could see that was a mistake, that there was no chance of them ever reconciling. That Kai had never intended for this to be something they could come back from. The tears sparkled in his eyes threatening to spill out, Joe willing them to hold back until he had left this place, not wanting anyone to see him break.

-

“Of course you had a choice in the matter.” Kai’s temper started to flare now. “You could’ve fought for me and worked harder at it.” He stepped back now he had said that, looking quite stunned at the next part. “W-what? Yes! Yes, I did love you. I loved you for a long time.”

“Oh so supporting you in what you asked for is my fault now. Got it.” Joe scoffed. “I told you I loved you al the time. I supported everything you did. Fought for you? You literally told me you needed space and you needed me to leave you alone. How does one do that? How could I fight for you and respect your needs at the same time? I’m sure I could have done something differently. But come on, see it from my side. What the hell else was I supposed to do?” Joe could feel everything he wanted to say of the last three months ready to spill out of him now.  “You want to know where I was, we had been together for two years. I bought a ring. How stupid am I?” 

-

“Um, excuse me?” Kai stepped forward and grabbed Joe by the arm and turned him back to face him. “I did actually spend a lot of time by myself before I met Peyton, I didn’t jump straight into this.” He scoffed. “You agreed to the break up, Joe.” 

“You act as if I had an actual choice in the matter. What else was I going to say? No. You can’t figure yourself out. And force you to stay with me.” He shook his head, his voice raising. “How fucking stupid is that? You told me you needed space and you needed to be on your own so you could figure things out. You wanted me to leave you alone. So I did. I did everything you asked me to do. I guess I am the idiot here.” He shook his head. “But I see. I get it now. It was never you. It was about not wanting me.”  He scoffed. “Its clear now. Did you ever even actually love me or was that a lie too?” He asked.

-

“I hope so too.” Kai nodded. “We’re planning on checking the woods at some point to see if anything can be found or someone at least.” He shrugged. “What about you? You didn’t lose someone in this did you?”

Joe sighed. He was trying to be ok, with everything. He had given him the distance he had asked for so he could be on his own, but this was beyond. “I just, I have to know something, that line you gave me about wanting to find yourself on your own. It was all bullshit right? I mean here you are with someone else already. Long enough to call him your boyfriend.” He shook his head. “Good luck in the woods Malachai.” He said turning away again.

-

Kai watched Joe now, sighing a little. “No.. no, it’s fine Joe.” He put his hand on his arm so he couldn’t just leave. “I am okay, no-one I know properly has gone missing, but I am helping my boyfriend get to the bottom of his friends death.” He told him.

Joe looked down at the hand that was touching him. He did his best not to pull his arm away especially when he heard him say his boyfriend. Had it really been long enough for Kai to have a new boyfriend already? He did his best to mask his feelings on that before turning around to look at him. “Oh? Well I hope it can be figured out.” He told him, his tone clipped.

-

Kai had seen him standing out there from the window and peered through it for a minute. “Excuse me.” He excused himself from the house and slipped outside, closing the door behind him. “What are you doing here, Joe?” he asked in a low voice. 

Joe sighed. “I was coming by to check on you. Wanted to make sure you were ok, with everything that is going on.” He said shaking his head. “Clearly you are. Mission accomplished.” He took a step back to walk away. “Have a nice night Kai.” He told him sighing.

Joe had been perplexed by the crazy fog and all the disappearances. But now, a murder on top of it, things were really out of control. While things weren’t exactly kosher between him and Malachai, he still cared about the the big dumb idiot and against his better judgement, decided to go check on him. As soon as he arrived at the others front door he knew it was a mistake, but before he could turn way, he realized he must have been seen through the big window in the front and decided he might as well go for it. He knocked twice hard on the door and waited for the other to answer it.

Joe didn’t know why he was at Malachai’s house. Honestly, he wanted to burn the place down, just to torture the angel, but in the end decided against it. He would heed Raziel’s warning to behave for now. He made his way around the house, opening doors, looking in on everything, when he opened the last door on the hallway, he was pleasantly surprised when he saw a naked man in front of him. “Well aren’t you a beautiful specimen.” He said to Peyton as the man turned around to put all of him in view.

It was the most uncomfortable situation, but it had to be done. The only way Raziel was going to drive them anywhere was if they were all wearing seat belts. But the seat belt in the other seat was broken. He plead with Raz to just drive anyway, they would be safe, but he insisted. Already sitting in the seat the only option to get them both buckled was for Jonas to sit on his lap. He looked at Malachai sitting the front and smacked him in the back of the head. “Come on Jonas. Let’s do this.” He said as he turned sideways a bit to try and give them some room. When Jonas sat, he did his best  to adjust himself, buckling them both in.

Joe hadn’t been in town very long but he had met a few people. Malcolm had been one. The two of them were heading into the bar for some drinks when Joe was pushed into Malcolm, their lips brushing against each other, by someone coming through the door at the same time.  “Sorry Malc.” He shrugged. “That asshole wasn’t watching where he was going.” He said towards the other. “Get a room!” was heard from across the room yelling at them.

Joe wasn’t sure exactly why he had volunteered to do this but he found it oddly relaxing. He gently pulled the brush through her hair checking in with her to ensure she was ok. “Your hair smells amazing. What is that Shampoo you are using?” He asked her.

-

“Aw diddums, is someone missing heaven?” Malachi used a tone of voice which was usually reserved for little children. His nostrils flared a little at the prod, trying to not rise to the bait. “At least I don’t have my head still firmly up His arse any more.” 

“Awe sweetheart you must have me confused.” He said looking at his nails shrugging. “That certainly is an improvement for you. I guess it will take a while for you to look normal having been squeezing your head between his cheeks for so long.” He said touching the sides of his head tapping his temples lightly.

-

Malachi had been a rare good mood for once as he was chatting to someone in the town square. That was until he heard a familiar voice and looked up, he didn’t recognise the face at first but the general vibe the guy gave off caused it click and for Malachi to roll his eyes. “Jehoel, what an… unpleasant surprise. Why is your vessel a chav?” He scoffed, eyeing him in disgust. 

Jehoel shook his head, a look of disgust on his face he looked the other up and down. “It seems you still haven’t figured out how to manage this wreck of a vessel.” He looked around at the town. “So, it looks like you haven’t changed much. That’s a relief.” He commented sarcastically. “You being an arrogant arse is at least a consistent I can count on in this god forsaken place. So, what have you done to destroy this place more? Seeing as your ability to protect appears to be as lacking as it was back home.” He prodded him.

It wasn’t often that Jehoel came face to face with someone that irritated him as much as Malachai did. He found few others that he liked, but most he could get along with. But Malachai found a way everyday they were in heaven to piss him off and push his buttons. While he bit his tongue and said very little when they were behind the promised gates of gold, now on the firm ground of earth, he felt no need to do the same. The other had been the perfect soldier never questioning, not that Jehoel had not, but the way he saw Malachai do it, with an arrogance. So when he saw the other across the small town square he made his way across to conftont him. “Well if it isn’t everyones favorite fallen angel Malachai.” He said arms crossed his chest, the irritation evident in his voice.