Angel Wings
Chapter Two
The morning light flooding through the hospital wing windows woke me up that afternoon from a deep sleep. My body ached all over and I felt awfully cold, but other than that I felt much better than I had earlier that day. My hazy eyes wandered over the vases of flowers next to me and then to a rather worried face with a violent red scar that traced between a pair of stormy gray eyes. "Hey." He said softly with a smile when he saw my eyes meet his. "How're you feeling?"
I tried my best to smile back and reached out towards his hands. He took mine in his own and brought his chair closer to my bed. "Much better." I said softly. "Did they find out what was wrong with me?"
Squall's smile faltered for a moment and I watched his eyes dart nervously from mine to my back and back again. "Well, you...um..."
I scrunched my nose at the lack of description of my physical state. It felt like I had gone through hell and back this morning and the only explanation I received in return was "um". I wasn't impressed. "Well?" I persisted, watching his face pale another shade. Squall didn't utter another word, so I moved to sit myself up to look him in the eye.
That was when I first felt it.
The softest touch caressed the back of my legs, and as I moved my shoulders I felt new, powerful muscles flex at my shoulder blades. It was a stiff sensation, like stretching my arms after a long day of training. A soft breeze caught my hair, and in a state of confusion I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see a large ivory white wing protruding directly behind my right shoulder. The light coming from the window shafted through its long feathers, tinting them a delicate shade of gold. It took me a few moments to realize that I could actually feel that breeze sifting between the feathers and the warmth of the sun hitting the skin beneath it...I had sprouted wings this morning.
I was too shocked to say anything at first; I simply sat perfectly still and stared back over my shoulder at the wing that stretched from my shoulder to my calves. On some of the feathers spots of blood were visible in sharp contrast to the soft sallow tips. My mouth was dry, my stomach dropped, and I slowly turned my head back to look at Squall, who seemed completely flabbergasted at what he was seeing. I found that it was impossible to produce words to explain the emotion I was feeling.
Somehow I managed to get to my feet, clutching the bed sheet to my chest and not daring to look back over my shoulder again. 'If I ignore them, they'll go away.' It was a desperate wish, and I knew it wouldn't come true. For some reason I had sprouted wings, and it terrified me. Feeling completely numb, I slowly looked into Squall's eyes and quietly mouthed the word "why?"
Squall paused before getting to his feet and walking up to me. The solemn look in his normally confident eyes scared me even more, and I could feel tears burn my dark eyes. With a poignant sob I threw myself into his arms and hugged him around his neck as tightly as I could. Squall hesitated for five seconds before returning my embrace, and those were the longest seconds of my life. Finally, he put his arms around my waist, brushing the tips of my wings in the process. The feeling was awkward and alien; I knew I shouldn't have been able to feel that before, and now it was part of me. I'd always feel whatever touched my wings. My wings...
I wanted to tear them off of me and burn them, to be free of the heavy weight that now pulled at my slender shoulders. I clumsily thrashed my wings out behind me, knocking over a small bedside table and several trays of medicine. The resounding crash echoed through the hospital wing, scaring me even more. Squall said something in a soft voice but I didn't pay attention to his words, I was too busy focusing on controlling my wings. I felt oddly cramped in the large room, and I had never been claustrophobic before. I staggered backwards out of Squall's arms and bumped into something behind me. My powerful yet unruly wings pushed me forward and I fell to the floor, trying my hardest to tuck them flat against my back. I hugged myself tightly and bowed my head, sobbing bitterly.
"Rinoa..."
"...Leave me alone, Squall...Please." My wings trembled with each word, and I felt like the world's biggest jerk by saying those words, but I truly needed to be by myself. I needed to learn to accept this on my own.
Squall didn't protest, but I knew the words cut deep. After spending so much time coaxing him to open up to me, I was shutting him out. What could that have meant to him? I never did ask him, and I regret that every day. It was my first day as an angel, and I had already committed my first sin...
Chapter Two
The morning light flooding through the hospital wing windows woke me up that afternoon from a deep sleep. My body ached all over and I felt awfully cold, but other than that I felt much better than I had earlier that day. My hazy eyes wandered over the vases of flowers next to me and then to a rather worried face with a violent red scar that traced between a pair of stormy gray eyes. "Hey." He said softly with a smile when he saw my eyes meet his. "How're you feeling?"
I tried my best to smile back and reached out towards his hands. He took mine in his own and brought his chair closer to my bed. "Much better." I said softly. "Did they find out what was wrong with me?"
Squall's smile faltered for a moment and I watched his eyes dart nervously from mine to my back and back again. "Well, you...um..."
I scrunched my nose at the lack of description of my physical state. It felt like I had gone through hell and back this morning and the only explanation I received in return was "um". I wasn't impressed. "Well?" I persisted, watching his face pale another shade. Squall didn't utter another word, so I moved to sit myself up to look him in the eye.
That was when I first felt it.
The softest touch caressed the back of my legs, and as I moved my shoulders I felt new, powerful muscles flex at my shoulder blades. It was a stiff sensation, like stretching my arms after a long day of training. A soft breeze caught my hair, and in a state of confusion I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see a large ivory white wing protruding directly behind my right shoulder. The light coming from the window shafted through its long feathers, tinting them a delicate shade of gold. It took me a few moments to realize that I could actually feel that breeze sifting between the feathers and the warmth of the sun hitting the skin beneath it...I had sprouted wings this morning.
I was too shocked to say anything at first; I simply sat perfectly still and stared back over my shoulder at the wing that stretched from my shoulder to my calves. On some of the feathers spots of blood were visible in sharp contrast to the soft sallow tips. My mouth was dry, my stomach dropped, and I slowly turned my head back to look at Squall, who seemed completely flabbergasted at what he was seeing. I found that it was impossible to produce words to explain the emotion I was feeling.
Somehow I managed to get to my feet, clutching the bed sheet to my chest and not daring to look back over my shoulder again. 'If I ignore them, they'll go away.' It was a desperate wish, and I knew it wouldn't come true. For some reason I had sprouted wings, and it terrified me. Feeling completely numb, I slowly looked into Squall's eyes and quietly mouthed the word "why?"
Squall paused before getting to his feet and walking up to me. The solemn look in his normally confident eyes scared me even more, and I could feel tears burn my dark eyes. With a poignant sob I threw myself into his arms and hugged him around his neck as tightly as I could. Squall hesitated for five seconds before returning my embrace, and those were the longest seconds of my life. Finally, he put his arms around my waist, brushing the tips of my wings in the process. The feeling was awkward and alien; I knew I shouldn't have been able to feel that before, and now it was part of me. I'd always feel whatever touched my wings. My wings...
I wanted to tear them off of me and burn them, to be free of the heavy weight that now pulled at my slender shoulders. I clumsily thrashed my wings out behind me, knocking over a small bedside table and several trays of medicine. The resounding crash echoed through the hospital wing, scaring me even more. Squall said something in a soft voice but I didn't pay attention to his words, I was too busy focusing on controlling my wings. I felt oddly cramped in the large room, and I had never been claustrophobic before. I staggered backwards out of Squall's arms and bumped into something behind me. My powerful yet unruly wings pushed me forward and I fell to the floor, trying my hardest to tuck them flat against my back. I hugged myself tightly and bowed my head, sobbing bitterly.
"Rinoa..."
"...Leave me alone, Squall...Please." My wings trembled with each word, and I felt like the world's biggest jerk by saying those words, but I truly needed to be by myself. I needed to learn to accept this on my own.
Squall didn't protest, but I knew the words cut deep. After spending so much time coaxing him to open up to me, I was shutting him out. What could that have meant to him? I never did ask him, and I regret that every day. It was my first day as an angel, and I had already committed my first sin...
