Those Dark Wings

The young man rolled over in the bed, hating the way he had to readjust the various tubes in his arms so they were semi-comfortable. The pain tonight had settled in his back. It was just a dull ache that would sharpen into a quick jolt every few minutes. He could feel the fever making his skin hot, while at the same time he shook with chills. He closed his eyes tight, determined to go back to sleep. Sick of sleeping, his mind would not turn off. He found himself thinking about what Tory had said earlier. 1

----2

“I’m not going to lie to you, Joey. You look horrible.” His voice was full of tears. So were his eyes. Joey noticed sadly. He was going to cry. The expression looked odd on his face. Joey wasn’t accustomed to seeing him so emotional. 3

He tried to laugh, and ended up coughing and nearly gagging instead. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.” His voice sounded weak to his own ears. Tory kissed his temple and practically fell down in the chair next to his bed. He laid his head in his arms. The slight shake in his shoulders was the only sign he was crying. Joey could do nothing but curl his fingers in Tory’s gold locks and sigh.4

----5

He gasped. His chest really hurt. He opened his eyes to slits when he heard Tory whimper on the small cot over next to the wall. It looked like he was still asleep. 6

Joey let his gaze trail over the wall casually. The room was softly illuminated by the light above his bed. It gave him a clear view of the young man in the corner. Joey couldn’t say why he wasn’t surprised to see him. This was a private room. No one was supposed to be here except Tory or a nurse or doctor. He looked completely odd and out of place. His hair and eyes were black, but his skin was very pale. He was dressed in black slacks and shirt, which was the color of the pair of feather covered wings that hovered behind him. 7

The man’s dark eyes were wide in a look of surprise, and his right hand was tangled in his dark hair. It was as if Joey caught him doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing. Of course, Joey wasn’t really worried about seeing this young man with the pretty dark wings and pale face. He had hallucinated before when a certain medication backfired. So, instead of letting it disturb him, he simply smiled at the vision. When he blinked, and reopened his eyes, the man was gone. 8

He was surprised when the pain in his back eased, and he found himself falling into a restless sleep. 9

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Tory was just staring at him. Joey tried to smile, but didn’t have the energy. 11

He woke in the early afternoon of the following day, tired and both physically and mentally ill. His lover’s green eyes were sad. 12

“Do you remember…how we met?” His voice broke and he winced. Joey tried to remember, but the images he conjured were blurry. “You looked so silly on that skateboard.” 13

Joey closed his eyes and let Tory’s words flow over him. 14

----15

“Alright, kid, show us what you got.” Joey gripped the skateboard so hard his knuckles were white. He was cursing his older brother, Jackie, mentally. Jackie was the type of person Joey wanted to be. The only problem was, seventeen year old Jackie wasn’t interested in having a fourteen year old brother shadowing his every step. Today, Joey had caught up with his brother and five of his friends in front of the library. 16

The parking lot in front of the library was an ideal place for the local high school skateboarders to hang out. It was common knowledge if you could grind the railing that framed the ten or so steps that led down to the library’s courtyard with your skateboard you would be considered cool and a daredevil, and could basically be friends with anyone you wanted. 17

“He’s not going to do it. He’s too scared.” Jackie said, smirking. Joey scowled at him.18

He dropped the board and placed one foot on it gingerly, running a hand through his light brown hair. Both boys had the light brown hair of their mother and were small-framed and short. They were often mistaken for twins because of this. It served as a source of constant frustration for Jackie, but Joey loved being compared to his idol. 19

Of course, they really looked nothing alike apart from their hair color and height. Jackie had light honey colored eyes and a nice built, even if he was short, and usually stayed tan year round. He was outgoing and friendly, if a little dim when it came to school work, and was generally well-liked. He had no trouble making friends and keeping them. 20

While Joey, on the other hand, was pale, had dark brown eyes, and had a very slender body frame. He wasn’t as comfortable around people as was his brother. Most people found his tendency to tell the truth, no matter how many feelings were hurt in the process, a little off-putting. 21

His brother’s friends laughed and snickered as he stared hard at the set of stairs and the railing leading down to the library’s entrance. Easy, right? He has seen this done a hundred times before. Unfortunately, he had also seen some of the more colorful wipe-outs as well. 22

Taking a deep breath, he pushed off. 23

The next thing he knows, he’s sliding down the slick black railing like he’d done it all his life, landing hard in the paved courtyard below. The cheers from the older boys behind him caused him to turn, but the momentum promptly caused him to loose his balance. He fell, his feet flying over his head ungracefully. He managed to land squarely on the back of his neck. 24

He could hear the jeers and laughter from the group at the top of the stairs. Why had he thought he needed to impress them, anyway? As he lay there counting the silver stars dancing in his vision, he resolved to find a new hero.25

He could hear someone running towards him. Expecting to see his brother, he was startled when a boy with gold-blond hair and dark green eyes appeared. He was scowling behind his glasses. After he had looked him up and down to make sure he hadn’t seriously hurt himself, he said, “That was so stupid. You could have broken your neck.” 26

Tory’s voice of reason, but he didn’t know that back then. Joey had smiled, despite his splitting headache, and said, “You have pretty eyes.” Tory blushed a dark shade of crimson and narrowed those eyes. 27

“You must have really hurt yourself.” His blush faded as he helped Joey to his feet. “Are you alright?” He stooped and picked up the armful of books off the ground and the other boy looked around for his board, which had disappeared. 28

“Yeah. Thanks.” He said, looking around for the others. 29

“If you’re looking for the other idiots, they left right after you cracked your head open.” 30

Joey’s heart sank. “So, I guess that means you saw the whole thing?”31

Tory had rolled his eyes and pushed a thin pair of reading glasses further up his nose. “Yes.”32

Joey grinned, excited. “Wasn’t it awesome? I can’t believe I did it!”33

“Yeah, yeah.” Joey thought he saw the ghost of a grin on his face before he looked down. “Why don’t you help me with these books since you obviously have nothing better to do?”34

----35

“Tory?” He breathed. Opening his eyes, he realized it was dark outside the window he faced. He must have fallen asleep. The infernal light above his bed was still lit. He hated the slightly yellow cast it gave the entire room. It made him feel nauseous. 36

He looked around for his lover, surprised to see he was missing. He wasn’t alone, however. 37

The strange man with the dark wings stood in the corner. He was leaning against the wall casually, eyes closed, arms crossed. 38

“Who are you?” Joey asked. 39

“My name is Sabel.” 40

His smooth voice sent chills down Joey’s spine. “What do you want?” He calmly asked after it became apparent the other was finished. There was no answer, just a glance and a smirk. A blink later and he was gone. The vision didn’t bother him for some reason. He felt no fear at all. The idea that ‘normal’ people didn’t see angel-like figures leaned casually on the wall didn’t really occur to him. 41

The pain in his hips seemed to lessen considerably. This did confuse him. It was odd that sometimes even the pain medication they gave him didn’t ease the hurt, but now the pain had went away on its own again. Deciding not to question a decidedly good thing, he shifted so he could lie on his back. Joey was feeling somewhat comfortable for the first time in days when he heard the door open and Tory entered. 42

“Hey, you’re awake.”43

“Yeah. Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you earlier.” Joey said sheepishly. Tory smiled as he leaned down to kiss him. 44

“Don’t let it happen again.” He whispered playfully, and Joey giggled. The sound seemed to put some energy back into the blond. “Are you hurting anywhere?”45

“No.”46

“Good.” Tory sat on the edge of the bed and placed a palm on Joey’s forehead, running it back through his hair. “It doesn’t feel like you have much of a fever either. And you sound better.” Tory ran his hands down Joey’s neck and chest. When he was in pain, Tory wasn’t allowed to touch him. It had been a long time since he had been allowed to do this. 47

“I miss this.” Joey whispered. “It feels good when you touch me.” Tory laughed again.48

“You’re always so forward.” 49

“If I weren’t you would still be dropping hints and wondering what it would be like to kiss another boy.” Joey grabbed his wrist, holding it to him. “Have you heard from Jackie?” 50

Tory’s face fell. “No, I haven’t.”51

“You know, you’re the only one that I can count on.”52

“Your brother…”53

Joey opened his eyes, waiting for Tory to go on, but he didn’t. He looked embarrassed. “I love you.” Joey said, enjoying the way Tory’s cheeks flushed. 54

“Well, kid, I kinda like you too.”55

Joey saw his doctor about an hour after that. After answering every question the doctor could think to ask, he determined Joey would have to stay for a few more days, at least. He was worried about pneumonia. 56

“Have you contacted your parents?” Dr. Middleton was his name. Joey liked him. He was young and very sweet. 57

“No. My father is dead, and my mother…well, she doesn’t approve of…how I live.” He said the last part quickly, like he wanted to forget an old wound. 58

“I understand.” The doctor smiled warmly at Tory. “I bet you haven’t left his side.”59

“No. I don’t intend too.” 60

“That’s wonderful. Your name is Tory, right?” He waited for him to nod before he continued. “Can I talk to you out here for a moment? I just need some paperwork filled out.”61

“Sure.” Joey was left alone. The room was warm and quiet, and he soon found himself drifting off. He dreamed of Tory again.62

----63

“You’re nineteen?” Joey said in disbelief. 64

“Yea. Is that a problem?” 65

Joey had found the floor exceptionally interesting suddenly. “And you live alone?”66

“Yes. What’s your point, anyway?”67

“Well, you know…that…well, I’m just a freshman.”68

Tory looked a little confused. He was sitting beside him on the couch in his small apartment. They had been meeting and seeing each other for a few months at the library, and had become quick friends. Tory didn’t seem to mind how often Joey stuck his foot in his mouth, which Joey was grateful for, and Joey found Tory’s company extremely pleasant. He was beginning to wonder if he might like him a bit more than was appropriate. 69

“In college? Me too…”70

“No, no. Um…I’m a freshman in high school.”71

Joey would never forget how high Tory’s eyebrows rose. 72

“What?”73

“Yeah…I’m sorry. I thought you were still in high school, you look so young!” 74

“So, you’re like, what? Twelve?” 75

Joey looked at him, disbelieving. He was grinning. Was he joking?76

“I’m almost fifteen, thank you.” He said, rolling his eyes.77

----78

“Jo-ey. Joey.” A smooth voice was calling his name. He opened one eye. Sabel stood over him. He snapped awake, sudden apprehension filled him. He had never had a hallucination stand so close to him before. It was more than a little unnerving. This close he could see the folds of clothe that made up the black material of Sabel’s clothing. His wings were so shiny and beautiful. He was slender, delicate almost. His dark eyes shone brightly. He looked happy.79

Joey was afraid of him. “What do you want?”80

“It’s almost time, Joey! Aren’t you glad?” He smiled. “I can’t wait to have you back-“81

He leaned down, the tips of his midnight black hair brushed Joey’s forehead and cheeks. Their lips barely touched when the door clicked and opened, and Sabel was gone again.82

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“What is wrong?” Joey asked quietly. The very way Tory avoided his eyes told him something had happened. Something bad. 84

“Your test results came back.” He finally said. His voice was flat, face expressionless. 85

“Will you look at me?” His voice rose a degree in pitch, betraying his true feelings. Adrenaline had burst into his bloodstream, and he suddenly didn’t want to sit still. Tory still wouldn’t look at him.86

“Your test results came back positive.” 87

“What?” Joey pulled himself up weakly. “Tory, what does that mean?”88

Tory climbed up on the bed and pulled Joey close to him, cradling him. Joey laid his head in the crook of his lover’s neck, a couple of tears escaping and running down his cheeks. Tory shivered when one touched his skin. 89

Joey felt better just having the older male touching him. He let out a long sigh, feeling most of his tension following the air out of his body. 90

“You can’t leave me yet.” Tory whispered. “We still have a bottle of wine to share, remember?” Joey half sobbed, half laughed.91

“Of course.”92

----93

“Do you want me to help you with that?” Joey asked, barely suppressing a snicker. Tory had been grocery shopping, and was refusing help carrying the three bags that were obviously heavy. 94

“No, for the millionth time, just open the damn door would ya?” 95

Joey shrugged. “Where is the key?” 96

“You are so hilarious. It’s in my pocket, where else would it be?” 97

Joey was suddenly shy and could feel himself flush as he reached into Tory’s pocket and found the key to the apartment door. It was obvious to him by now he was in love with his older friend. They had only known each other for five or six months, but Joey already felt closer to Tory in some ways than to his only brother. 98

After they had put everything away, Tory had sat down to do some of his homework, and Joey had taken the opportunity to rummage through his cabinets, looking for a snack. A tall bottle shoved in the very back of one of them caught his eye. 99

Pulling it out, he saw it was a dusty, yet unopened, bottle of cheap wine. 100

“Oh! I see how you are! Holding out on me, huh?” Joey teased, making his way out of the kitchen to wave the bottle in Tory’s face.101

“Oh, no you don’t! Put that back.”102

“Why do you even have it? You’re not old enough to drink, are you?”103

Tory sighed and closed his book. “No. A friend of my dad’s gave that to me when I graduated high school. I intend to open it the night I turn twenty-one.”104

“Well, since you’re sure we can’t open it…” He paused, looking hopeful, but continued when Tory gave him the ‘don’t be an idiot’ look. “Then I guess I’ll have to wait until you turn twenty-one.”105

“Hmph. I’m not contributing to your delinquency. We’ll have to wait until you are old enough.” Tory said as Joey skipped back into the kitchen area, oblivious to the other’s discomfort. 106

“Okay, fine, whatever. Can I stay here tonight?” Joey yelled from the other room. 107

“Why?” Tory yelled back. 108

“Mom’s spending the night at our grandmother’s and I happen to know a certain brother of mine is throwing an unauthorized party.” He said coming back successful from the kitchen. He fell down on the couch and dug his spoon in the tub of ice cream he had snagged from the freezer. “I had rather not have any fingerprints on that train wreck.”109

Tory chuckled. “Give me some of that.” 110

Tory noticed him blush slightly as he offered up his spoon. 111

Later that night, after they had been asleep for several hours, Joey woke suddenly with Tory hovering over him. Temporarily forgetting where he was, he almost panicked. Sitting up a little too quickly, he almost bumped heads with his friend. 112

“What’s wrong with you?” Tory asked softly. 113

Suddenly, Joey realized what had caused him to cry out in his sleep. Embarrassed beyond comment or even blushing, he pulled his blanket into his lap, trying to hide himself. He hadn’t had a wet dream in three weeks, why it happened now of all times he didn’t know. Apparently his luck was just that bad. 114

Instead of freaking out like Joey expected Tory gave him a knowing smile and pulled the blanket back, letting his hands fix Joey’s little problem.115

----116

Joey sighed again, the memory of their first night together warming him. Opening one eye slowly, he physically jumped when he saw Sabel grinning at him over Tory’s shoulder. 117

“What is it?” 118

“Nothing.” 119

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Over the following short weeks Joey was in and out of the hospital. He only saw the dark-winged man when he was half asleep in a hospital bed.121

Sometimes he would feel so sick and tired that he just wanted to give up. However, Tory never let his side, although he only saw his mother twice and his brother once. He felt like they were abandoning him sometimes. He knew neither was emotionally fit enough to handle what he was going through, but that seemed like a weak excuse. He was only nineteen, and Tory was only twenty-three and juggling an internship, a sick partner, and trying to finish up his last year at university. 122

He started treatment, but despised how ill he felt afterwards. Tory thought he was getting better, however, so it came as a surprise when one morning Joey was too tired to get out of bed and had a very high fever. 123

Tory took him to the hospital, and he was admitted yet again.124

He couldn’t help but imagine that he might not be checking out again. When he said as much to a nurse with a half-hearted chuckle, he was reprimanded by her and told to think positively. “If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for him.” She nodded towards Tory. The blond was scowling at him with his arms crossed. Sabel leaned on the wall next to him grinning, black wings pinned behind him. 125

Joey’s condition declined very rapidly. By the evening of the following day, he wasn’t able to sit upright. By that night he had fallen into a deep sleep Tory couldn’t wake him from. 126

It wasn’t very dramatic at all when it happened. In fact, Joey just thought he was dreaming again. He opened his eyes sometime during the night to find himself standing over his bed, looking down at his body. He was surprised to see how small he looked. Tory was dozing with his head resting on the edge of the bed where Joey lay. A monitor made a distressed beeping sound that hurt Joey’s ears, and he started. Tory stared at his surroundings for a moment wide-eyed, like he didn’t know where he was, but he froze when his gaze fell on Joey.127

“Joey?” Tory was breathless. His lungs seized when Joey did not respond. He wasn’t moving. Tory dived for his young lover.128

Tory picked Joey up, buried his face in Joey’s neck. His body was racked with sobs. Joey started forward, but stopped. 129

Joey thought it was a pitiful sight. He was awestruck, standing over himself and his lover. The person Tory clutched was him, but at the same time it wasn’t. The loose white clothing he wore was so soft it felt like clouds. The black wings he glimpsed when he turned to look at Sabel were heavy on his shoulders. 130

“Did you enjoy your little vacation as a human?” Sabel asked bitterly. Joey glanced back at Tory, who still sobbed. He had never seen him show such emotion before. He sounded completely heartbroken. 131

“You look confused. Don’t worry, it will come back to you, just give it some time. Come on.” 132

Joey took one last look at the scene before him, hating the unfairness of it all. Then hesitantly took the hand Sabel offered. 133

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Ya know, for a very spontaneous idea (that came to me while reading With You Forever by CJ Mikalski for about the millionth time) I feel this came out rather well. I am actually quite satisfied with something I’ve written! O.o Shocking! <3 I could have gone into a little more detail up there in that last flashback…but, well, I have this nagging feeling I really suck at writing ‘intimate’ scenes, so that’s all you get! Muah!135