Afterwards, when Max snuck away from a squealing Nudge and Fang not so subtly followed her much to everyone's great amusement, Angel mentioned that there was a fireworks display on later in the night. They'd be able to see it from the back garden, she told them enthusiastically. For some reason he had a feeling Angel was talking directly to him and Ella when she told everyone.
And so, with darkness quite firmly enveloping them, Iggy somehow found himself sat down outside, with only a thin blanket separating him from the dewy grass. Beside him, Ella was sat shoulder to shoulder with him. Somewhere to his left, Angel, Gazzy and Nudge. Iggy had a feeling he knew where Max and Fang were.
He couldn't really blame them.
It wasn't like he'd be able to see the fireworks anyway. Hear them sure, maybe smell that tinge of sulphur in the air when it had finished but that was it.
Truthfully, the only reason he was here was because of the warm, comfortable hand that was holding his under the blanket he'd had the good sense to drag out. Still, the cooler night air was making him shiver now and then.
It definitely wasn't the low voice which Ella was using when she spoke to him or the way in which her thumb was rubbing over the back of his hand slowly, soothingly.
"You don't mind staying out here, do you Iggy?" Damn it, maybe he had shivered a bit too obviously. "I know it's getting colder out."
He gave her hand a quick squeeze under the blankets. "Nah. Course not. Besides, I don't think I could much stand Max and Fang making kissy face at each other anywhere near my bed."
"You're blind." She responded with good humour.
"Yeah, well, I don't want to hear it either." Ella shuddered good-naturedly against him and Iggy couldn't stop himself from grinning a bit. "I rest my case."
"Now, that's just grim."
Do friends just hold each others hands while sitting outside? Iggy wasn't quite sure where to go from there. He liked holding Ella's hand but grabbing the other one seemed a bit out of the question.
Hmmm.
He heard a small puff of breath come from Ella, the smallest of chills running through her.
Aha.
Iggy tried to not think too hard about what the others might think of what he was about to do as he let go of Ella's hand for a second, shaking his jacket off. He tried really hard to not think about the small possibility he was completely misreading the situation. Jeez, that would be mortifyingly awkward and would be just his luck. Goosebumps snuck up his bare arms as Iggy moved the jacket beside him.
"What are you doing?" Ella's voice seemed confused almost, and he could almost see her head tilting ever so slightly. She seemed like someone who would tilt her head.
No idea, he felt like murmuring back to her. But I really like the way your hands fit mine, and the way that your laugh leaves me a little tingly, and I loved the way you found me and dragged me out here to sit with you-
Christ, Fang was right. He was a romantic.
"Just...relax." He murmured instead, wings slowly unfurling to curl around the pair of them, feathers acting as a shield from the cool night air. Iggy could've whooped a little bit as Ella leaned against him, almost carefully placing her head on his shoulder. His right arm naturally fell around her waist and he felt that warm hand grabbing his left hand with a slow squeeze, resting in his lap.
Ninja cool Iggy, ninja cool. Romeo, eat thou heart out.
A comfortable silence fell and it almost startled Iggy to find that he was content. Just sitting and listening to the night sounds, Ella's steady breathing brushing against his neck now and then. Man, stick your mansions and money where the sun doesn't shine. This was where life got good, the small, quiet moments that he wanted to last forever.
Jeez. It was almost scary how sappy he could get.
"This is nice." Ella murmured in an undertone meant for only for him. "Never thought your wings would be so comfy."
"You're not gonna skin me and make me into a pillow are you?" It was rare that Iggy heard Ella laugh in such a breathy way. She was silent for a moment, and then-
"I could just grab you and do this again if I wanted to instead."
"I-uh, I really wouldn't be complaining." Really? He was stuttering? So much for ninja cool.
After a few moments, Iggy felt lips press against his cheek ever so softly, lingering for a little before pulling away and that lovely weight was back on his shoulder. Yup. Bye bye, ninja cool. It was fun while it lasted.
"You're sweet Iggy." Hell, if abandoning any pretence of James Bond levels of smooth made Ella sound so quietly happy, Iggy was pretty happy to roll with the punches.
Heh. Fang had a point after all.
There was a pleasant tickling sensation from where Ella's lips had met his cheek and Iggy'd be damned if he didn't want that giddy feeling in his stomach to go away. He wouldn't mind much if she did that again.
"Do I get a kiss every time I say something sweet?" Oh boy. Now you're done for Iggy boy. This is only gonna end one way.
Ella's head turned into him for a moment and he could feel her lips curled up in a smile against his shoulder. Iggy's wings involuntarily wrapped around Ella a little tighter.
"Maybe."
"So, if I-if I said that, uh, I think you've got one of the nicest laughs I've heard?" Well he hadn't stuttered too badly that time at least.
Lips pressed against his cheek again, lingering a bit longer than it had the last time. Score for Iggy. He couldn't stop the lazy smile from slipping onto his face.
"I'd say you're disgustingly sappy," her voice breathed into his ear, pleasant chills racing down his spine. "And that your wings are wonderfully amazing, just like your smile."
Well, Iggy hadn't quite been expecting that. He didn't know what he was expecting but it wasn't that.
"And I'd also say it's awfully endearing how flustered you get when someone compliments you." There were definitely worse ways to spend the night than this. Jeez.
If Max can get the nuts to kiss Fang, you can kiss Ella. Come on Casanova, you can do this.
Iggy turned his head and his hand let go of Ella's, drifting up her arm and grazing her shoulder lightly as he rested his hand against her cheek. One thumb came out and Iggy could just about feel the corner of Ella's lips, smiling.
So far, so good.
"Ella?"
"Hmm?"
"I think I'm going to kiss you now."
When he didn't hear any complaints, Iggy leaned in just right of where his hand was, lips meeting Ella's softly.
He didn't really care much that he missed the fireworks after that. He vaguely registered the loud whizzes and bangs but was a bit more focused on the slow way Ella kissed him back, her hand coming up to rest at the back of his neck. There was that small niggle that maybe he should probably breathe but god, suddenly he got why Fang just wanted to kiss Max all the time. This was better than breathing, lips gently moving against each other with no hurry. It was sweet and addicting and soft, just like Ella and that giddy feeling in his stomach turned into a soaring elation, a lovely haze spreading through his body and-
And they broke apart with a small gasp, breathing heavier than usual, grinning with abandon. Iggy could feel Ella's smile as she brushed his lips with hers, the hand at his neck moving to tangle in his hair.
"We missed the fireworks." Iggy murmured, his own lips ghosting over Ella's as they spoke.
"I think I prefer kissing you." She murmured back and was it normal for his heart to be beating so fast? His face felt weirdly warm in the cool night air.
"Fireworks are overrated anyway." He responded. Screw his heart, was it normal to feel this happy? Iggy really, really hoped so. "You're a great kisser by the way." Ella hummed against his lips at that and for the rest of his life, Iggy would deny that he groaned a little at that. No sir. Not him.
"Then you won't mind if I kiss you again?" Almost tentatively, her nose brushed his as she asked the question.
"I won't mind if you kiss me until hell freezes over."
"Sap."
And then Ella's lips were on his once more and wow, screw breathing, this was better than flying. He remembered to breathe through his nose for all of five seconds and then teeth were cautiously biting at his bottom lip, Ella's lips cheekily turning up.
Yeah. Ninja cool kinda went out the window at that.
Angel nudged Nudge (heh) with her shoulder, smiling as Iggy pulled away from Ella dazedly, the pair of them grinning unabashedly as Ella flushed crimson at something Iggy said.
"About damn time." She heard Gazzy mumble from her other side.
"Good day for romance all around then huh?"
"About damn time." Nudge echoed Gazzy with a smile, lying back on the blanket to look up the sky. "I think we've earned some normalcy in our lives by now."
A/N-Wingythings I really wish you had an account so I could PM you. I do see your reviews, I just can't respond to them. Your kind words are appreciated, a lot. I'l definitely be putting more Max Ride up soon
Consider this fic completed now. While Iggy and Ella haven't exactly been the main focus of this, I wanted to wrap everything up nice and neatly before I moved onto a bigger project. Although I'm not saying I'll never come back to this, I am saying I'm quite happy to leave this as is; short, somewhat decent and despicably fluffy.
Thank you all very much for reviewing, following or even just reading. Always good to know that some people enjoyed this at least.
Had to edit because mobile and italics do not go well together apparently. *sigh*