Just so you know, I have given Fang a 'power'; one that I think is pretty cool. Kudos to you if you figure out what it is.
This idea came to me in my sleep, actually, where I was dreaming that this happened (even though it is in Fang's POV – I was watching from far away). I had my iPod on, so I think this song must have been playing at the same time. I hope you like it!
The song is Superman by Five For Fighting.
Disclaimer: I own neither MR, nor the song.
The moon was barely visible behind the thick curtain of clouds, casting an ominous glow onto his outstretched wings. His wings and dark hair shone in a deathly kind of silver where the moonlight brushed them, accenting the purple shadows that lived under his eyes.
Fang stared at his reflection in the crystalline water beneath him, remembering the time that Max had described him as the Angel of Death.
By comparison, Max could be the Angel of Life. Fang turned his head to watch her, lost in her own thoughts. Her normally blonde hair rippled out behind her in a phosphorus halo around her head, moonlight dappled over her freckled wings, making her stand out against the darkness of the night.
She must have felt his gaze, because she turned towards him, banking to her left so that she was flying closer to him. She smiled quietly at him, that simple expression of happiness on her face immediately lightening the atmosphere. Fang smiled back, feeling like his heart might burst with sadness.
Max was just so perfect. Even when she was in leader mode, confiscating bombs from Gazzy, yelling at the older pyromaniac, or comforting the girls when they cried, she was perfect.
And right now, in this moment, she was infinitely beyond perfect.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
In fact, Fang thought she was so perfect that he would never be good enough for her. He loved her more than he would ever know, and would do anything for her. Fang knew that if she had stayed with Dr. Martinez and Ella, to live a normal life and not one of a bird-kid, he would have ripped off his wings just so he could give her that.
Max was lost in her thoughts again, a deep kind of sadness and regret barely hidden in her beautiful blue eyes. She was obviously thinking about her mum and sister; she rarely didn't. She would never admit it out loud, but Fang could see she missed the life she could have had. He didn't blame her really. After all, even Max had to want someone to hold her when she was sad, when she was hurt. To have someone to look out for her, someone who made her feel safe.
Fang only wished that that someone could be him.
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
But Fang was different than everyone else – not in the whole 'Hi, I'm a recombinant DNA life form, but you can call me a mutant bird-kid' kind of different, but even his soul felt different.
When he looked at Iggy, for instance, he saw his soul to be pure, happy and honest. It seemed to radiate this sense of fun and laughter, even when he was miserable. No wonder his presence always seemed good to be around.
When Fang looked into the mirror though, he saw his own soul to be a dark fog. Deep within this darkness, a small light shone through, but it was faint. Fang didn't want his soul to be like this; he wanted it to shine like Iggy's, to make others feel happy.
I'm more than a bird
I'm more than a plane
Next to Max right now, with the wind ruffling his feathers and adrenaline coursing through his veins, Fang felt like he was King of the World. Here they were, flying with the flock to unknown places, saving the world. That had to count for something, didn't it?
More than some pretty face beside a train
Fang didn't think of himself as cute or handsome. He wasn't some sort of self absorbed fool. According to some of the comments he got on his blog though, he was the 'ultimate type', or something along those lines. But really, Fang didn't care.
Because he believed that Max wouldn't either.
It's not easy to be me
Looking back down at the ocean that skimmed past him, Fang saw the dark fog of his soul whirling around inside of him, threatening to escape. It rarely happened, but when it did it was like a merciless storm venting its anger for being caged in. Max had often seen the look of pure death in his eyes when they fought, the icy look that made her shiver.
The only reason Fang was quiet so much of the time was because of his internal battles, fighting to keep control of himself. An overload of emotion could unbalance the precautions that Fang had set up inside himself.
Even happiness could release the demon that lived within.
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Sometimes the internal pain was too much to bear, and he felt like he would explode. He didn't want the flock to see him if that happened, didn't want Max to see him. Because he was scared, scared that if they were around him when he finally could not hold his emotions any longer, he might hurt them.
He might hurt her.
Once again, he had to keep this fear in check, or the balance would be overthrown.
But the thing he was scared of the most was if he lost control while thinking about Max. He would never be able to hug her for too long, and even when he kissed her back in the cave many months ago, he had been stretched to breaking limit.
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
He'd nearly lost it completely when they'd found out Jeb had betrayed them, the man he had grown to like, the safety that he had given them, if even for a short time.
It may sound absurd
But don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
Yes, Fang had loved Jeb. Though now he would never show it, nor discuss that name with the rest of the flock. He had crushed Max – stripped her of happiness, and any hope she might have had for the future. He had made her grow up quicker than any child should, had aged her before she could enjoy her childhood.
I may be disturbed
But won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
Fang knew she hadn't wanted to be dumped with the responsibility of five other kids, especially high-maintenance bird-kids. He had offered to help her, and she had subconsciously accepted. Max might be strong and seemingly invincible, but really, she was just a child herself.
Fang glanced back at her flying form next to him, entranced by her beauty. She had her eyes closed, wind whipping her hair back from her face. He banked even closer to her, letting the tip of his wing brush hers on each downstroke.
She opened her eyes, surprised at the contact, and smiled sweetly at Fang again.
His heart thudded with overwhelming bliss, and he struggled to keep his feelings under control, not wanting to move away from Max.
It's not easy to be me
He closed his eyes, breathing hard and thinking calming thoughts. Max saw his strained face, thinking he was starting to feel fatigue, and signalled to land when they reached the looming coast.
The flock spiralled down in perfect sync into a grove of tall oak trees, each choosing their own branch to sit on. Fang chose one closest to the ground muttering to Max on the way past about taking the first watch. She smiled thankfully, and settled high in the topmost branches of their oak.
Up, up and away
Away from me
It's alright
You can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy
Or anything...
Fang stretched out so that he was comfortable on his branch, swinging one leg over the side of the thick branch. He kept his ears alert for any suspicious sounds and lost himself in his emotions again.
Up above he could hear the flock chattering before they went to sleep, talking about the places they'd been and where they would go next.
They made it sound so easy – life, that is.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Fang sighed. The younger kids had no idea of the kind of stress Max faced everyday – heck, the stress he felt every day. Even Iggy was slightly ignorant to these facts, his blindness making more of a child out of him than Max or Fang.
Then again, Fang thought guiltily, Iggy could be a very deep and understanding person sometimes, even if he did try and make jokes out of everything.
Life would be so much easier if he was a normal human kid.
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
Fang had always wondered if he had been fully human at one stage of his life. Did his mother, suspected to be a mere teenager, give birth to him and then hand him over to the whitecoats, or had they crippled him before he was born?
And the question that haunted him: Would his soul have been different if he was human?
Fang was almost sure the answer was no.
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Part of him wanted to believe that there was a way to destroy the darkness surrounding him, but another part of him, his darker part, wanted him to let it engulf him and take him over.
Fang wanted the first part of him to win, but it wasn't going to be easy.
There had to be something that would cut through the fog, something that would vanquish it.
Even it must have a bane.
The flock had quietened now, the younger kids already fast asleep. Fang looked up at Max, and his heart filled with jealously. Next to her, talking quietly, was Iggy. He knew how good Iggy made others feel, and felt like he was being crushed, just because of a soul that was killing him from the inside, and slowly.
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Fang turned away from the two, face burning with shame. If Iggy liked Max too, could he blame him? After all, he would be much safer for Max to be around. And Max hadn't responded to any of his own moves; instead she was constantly running away from him.
But then he remembered her bright eyes and sweet smile, as their wings had beat in rhythm, and realised she had never looked at Iggy like that.
Maybe there was nothing between them.
Laughter broke the silence, and Fang looked back up at them, jealous once more.
Fang felt tears pricking at his eyes, and sadness built up inside him. His spirit howled out in rage, feeling the fog trying to push its way out.
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me
With a deep breath, Fang suppressed the darkness, his heart thudding. It took a long time for the darkness to subside again, and by the time it had completely disappeared, Max and Iggy were asleep.
Fang noted with a little satisfaction that they were far apart from each other.
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
Fang knew what he had to do. He needed to know.
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it's not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...
Fang jumped up off his branch, snapping out his wings. He flew up to where Max was sleeping peacefully, landing on her branch with a soft thud. She stirred slightly in her sleep at the sound, but didn't wake. Fang crept over to her, and picked her up in his arms. He sat down against the thick trunk of the oak, leaning her against his chest, so that she was half on the branch and half on his lap.
Fang knew it would take some effort to control the emotions bubbling inside of him, but he had to.
He began to stroke her golden hair with his fingers, letting them run through the silky strands. Max woke at the touch, blinking her eyes open from the sleep. She looked confusedly up at Fang, and when their eyes met, she beamed up at him, and at the rare smile plastered on his own face.
She leaned her head back against his chest, sighing in contentment.
It's not easy to be me.
I didn't expect it to end up being this long, but hey! It was sweet right?
Please review! I'd love to know what you think of it.
Vote on my poll too? And R&R my other fics? 0;-)
Thanks!