Guest: I won't.
Chapter #17
Hazel orbs stared at a white sky in the outside.
Not blue, nor grey; white. A thick mass of clouds working as a barrier between earth and sky. No sunlight would go through it, no glorious gaze of the blue would grace the eyes of the people bellow, not really minding the sight this world gave them this day.
The cold of the starts of winter were already felt; cold and reckless as it had ever been, cruelly caressing the naked flesh of the lonely woman, almost biting the perfect porcelain skin. So delicate, so cold, so abandoned; like a forsaken violin, silently awaiting the musician to grace its strings with the eloquent, yet soft moves of the bow, passionately displaying an unforgettable piece of art with indescribable beauty. But she didn't crave for anyone's warmth.
It almost seemed perfect for the disgraced soul silently mourning within the fragile body of the young woman. Alone and hollow, there she lied; red hair spread across the silk, thin limbs balled up in a fetal position, as close to her inner organs as they could be, desperately trying to catch the fleeting warmth of her pale flesh; a cold hand upon the bare flesh where her heart hid, feeling its weak and sad pulse. Wide hazel eyes hollowly staring out at the thick cloud's barrier, black undergarments jealously hiding the features that made her the woman she was.
No voice inside her head yelled at her, enraged, frustrated with this stuck-up situation of hers. There was no need for that; she already knew how ridiculous she seemed right now. She needn't no one to remind her of how petty and weak she was. No tears fell to moisten the silk beneath her frame, as she had already cried them all before the dim light of the dawn struck her pale flesh. Uncovered and cold as she was, it almost worried her that she might catch a cold. Almost. Swollen eyes remained fixed upon the empty spot where she supposed the sun was, unable to kiss her skin. But she didn't want its kiss, however. Loneliness and darkness fit her better.
Slight strikes of grey then appeared on the white above, like the desperate moves of a thick brush held by a reckless artists, tearfully displaying its discomfort and loneliness to the world in savage moves of its wrist, before its tears were shed upon the floor. So unlike her, who couldn't even call for help, or tell what was happening inside her chaotic mind; bottling up all those tragic emotions, just to see them explode in her most desperate hour.
He couldn't tell what hour it was if he looked out. There was no shinning sun out there. A lazy tanned hand tiredly rubbed the warm flesh of his face. He could bet it was past midday already. And yet, when he shot a glance to the watch, he was surprised to find that he was wrong. 7:53 am. It marked, flashing numbers almost tempting the young man to fall asleep once more, as he had nothing to do for this day, until it hit him.
Aubrey.
The sorrowful silence, the cold skin, the once bright hazel eyes bereft of emotion. The smile that wouldn't grace her perfect lips. Chestnut eyes shut open, a jolt of energy running through his entire body as the Latino rushed out of bed; eyes hastily searching for something to wear as quick hands rushed to grab the garments, just to immediately put them on. It didn't matter that he would not be received; he would find the way to get in. I've waited long enough.
Warm clothes covered his muscled frame as the Latino made his way to the door, decided and stubborn as he was, not even stopping to take something to satisfy his aching stomach. Food wasn't important right now, he would have something later, when he was sure she was okay.
Out in the chilling wind, Angel felt as if he was about to freeze. Damn it all, he wasn't used to this weather, having been born in a tropical country, with such warm climates and sun and heat even in winter, it was not easy for someone like him to get used to such cold climates, so different from his homeland, no matter how many years he had already spent there. A thick fog came out of his mouth when he couldn't hold the gasp he had been holding since he had put a foot out of the warm inside the building and into the freezing cold. Raising both hands to his face, he breathed hot air against his chilling limbs, producing little more than a fleeting comfort to his cold skin, he then cursed himself for not bringing gloves. Goddammit move, he told himself, we gotta go with Aubrey. Blinking several times, he made his way to his car, moved by that simple thought.
Rapidly isolating himself into the vehicle, from the cold and into an even cooler atmosphere, Angel rushed to start the engines and drive to Aubrey's place. Not without, first, turning on the hot air to produce at least a moment of comfort to his protesting body.
Out there, as he drove up the street, Angel saw people buying stuff for Christmas. Isn't it a bit of a rush? He wondered as he saw parents happily carrying gifts for their navy children, whom would be still asleep at their homes, totally unawares that the sweet lie of a fat man in red with a white prodigious beard bringing them gifts, were none other than their parents, who would so effortless try to keep this secret far from their children, and would let their young, navy minds to swallow the childish lie and let them believe until the rests of their innocence faded, and the heaviness of the world fell upon their shoulders.
When their fairies would die, and the illusion would vanish, the fat man in red would become nothing more than a stupid joke for the adolescents to make fun of in every existent way, be it a 'innocent' or completely spoiled by years of immature thoughts. All when the harsh, cold, smashing truth came to be revealed.
Angel sighed, slightly taken aback briefly to the sweet, childish moment of his own Christmas at home. Laughs and toys. A delightful meal with his family. The atmosphere of genuine harmony that one could even breath. The smile of his parents. A smile graced his lips, and then, that was when he saw it. Slowly, almost lazily, a white dot fell upon the glass of his car, before softly landing upon it and immediately becoming nothing more than water, then another followed, and another, and another. The first snowflakes had begun to fall. White, tiny, magnificent in their microscopic form, they fell, careless from the world, their short life coming to its end as they gracefully landed in the ground.
Holy shit, it's going to get colder… Angel thought, cursing himself once more for not bringing gloves. And before he could even realize it, he was before Aubrey's building. He got out of his car with one more fueling thought. Out of the comfort of the vehicle, hands in both of his pockets, and silently staring up to the top floor; Angel could barely recall how he had even made it there, and didn't remember, either, that the way to this place was that short. Those times when the mind wanders and you just do it automatically, he simply thought, vaguely answering his own question.
Decided, the Latino entered the building, a friendly warm welcoming him as he entered. The lobby, however, hosted no one, except by a young man, obviously bored and somewhat tired, behind the reception. Angel immediately recognized him as the man that had told him to leave the night before, and without thinking it twice, he headed his way.
"Good morning, gentleman." Angel greeted, as politely as he had been taught to be.
Somewhat startled, the man turned from his documents to look up at him, "Oh, good morning, sir." He said with a weak smile then, narrowing his eyes, he asked, unsure, "Do I know you, sir?"
"Well, yes." Angel responded, smiling. "We met last night, remember? I was looking for Miss Aubrey."
"Oh, now I remember." The man said, somewhat embarrassed at his lack of memory. "I suppose you want to see her, don't you?"
"Yes, I do." The Latino replied.
"Pardon me, sire, but I'm afraid I can't allow that." The man adopted then an odd air of seriousness.
"Listen, I need to see her." Angel said, almost desperate.
The man said nothing. Only staring at him with a expression that suggested that he was considering it. Then, he finally said, "Did she tell you to come?"
"No, she didn't. I have come on my own accord, simply because I want to check on her." Angel said with and almost defiant tone.
The man stared at him, then sighed. "I hope you're lucky."
Angel couldn't help a wide smile to dance on his lips, "Thank you!" He said, then ran directly into the opening elevator, and pressed a bottom with haste. Silently hoping that he could help her.
Loud knocks on the door almost startled the freezing woman.
Who could it be…? She thought, not moving even an inch. It doesn't matter anyway.
But the knocks continued, this time louder, accompanied by a warm and familiar voice, "Aubrey! Are you alright?" Came the voice of her beloved Angel.
The fleeting emotion that burned within that very instant vanished as soon as it came, leaving nothing but blankness in her hollow heart. He can't see me, he won't see me. It doesn't matter anyway.
Almost desperate at the lack of answer from his partner, Angel grabbed the hold of the door and pulled, not actually expecting that it might open. He almost stumped in with a surprised yelp.
Almost immediately, Angel felt cold. He closed the door then, unsure of the precedence of such grieving cold.
"Aubrey?" He called, but received no answer.
Slowly walking on the wooden floor, Angel advanced through the apartment, his heart beating faster each time. "Aubrey?" He called again, as he passed by the leaving room, an odd feeling burning within his chest. So out of place this seemed to be, this cold, this petrifying silence in the atmosphere. The dull air passing through his nostrils and into his lungs; it almost scared him, as he roamed the apparently empty place. Then, at the end of a corridor, he saw an open door. Narrowing his gaze, Angel watched, and was petrified to discover an unmoving and -god forbid- dying body laying in the bed of the redhead. That body which belonged to his beloved Aubrey.
"Aubrey!" Angel screamed and ran, nonchalant of any delicate object in his path, he only wanted to reach her, as if she were about to vanish at any second.
The Latino entered the room with haste, but stopped in front of her bed as soon as he acknowledged the state of the young woman before him.
There she laid, almost naked, coated by the chilling weather that was proper of winter, although she had been born in autumn, it seemed the cold of the winter preferred her the most, for it seemed it wouldn't let go of her ever again. Pale flesh was snow-white at his sight, almost reaching a deathly icy blue; her once bright eyes staring at the empty nothingness, covered by a sorrowful shade. He was grateful that she wasn't exposing more than what her balled-up frame allowed to see.
She was a precious stone about to break.
Immediately exiting his stupor, Angel glanced at the windows and was terrified to find them wide open; the wooden floor already hosting dying snowflakes in its reduced cruelty. The Latino closed them with a quick movement, then turned towards Aubrey's things, nonchalant for the girl's privacy, he invaded her wardrobe, desperately looking for something warm and comfortable to put her on. His eyes were laid on a big and cozy blanket; without thinking it twice, Angel grabbed them and returned to her.
She had seen every one of his moves, but hadn't watched any of them. It was only when she felt a heavy and soft blanket cover her entire body, that she fully realized someone had found her.
Warm fingers caressed ice-cold skin as he protected Aubrey's body in the blanket and alarmed, Angel sat on the bed beside her, then lifted her fragile frame in his arms bride-style, and cuddled with her to the center of the silken bed. Aubrey's eyes then locked onto his, no sparkle of recognition shining in them. Angel's heart dropped at her sight; icy blue lips slightly parted, hazel eyes bereft of emotion looked to chestnut without recognizing to whom they belonged.
Angel's gaze was blurred by tears; a painful sob hitching in his throat, and a lonely tear falling down to his companion's face.
Why does he helps me? Aubrey wondered, distant. Angel? Asked another voice inside her mind, almost disbelieving, yet, hidden, blindly hopeful. A tear then crashed against her cheek, warm against her cold skin. Vaguely, her eyes tried to follow the trace it left, but to no avail. Angel… Angel… Angel… Her mind called, between whispers, he has come for me… he is here… Angel.
And as if something had snapped inside of her, Aubrey's eyes locked onto Angel's once more.
Angel saw his face reflected upon her crystalline orbs, and saw her beneath the veil of sorrow, her despair almost breathable in the air slowly fading. Tears began to appear on the edge of her eyes, blurring her vision, as her face contorted into one of utter pain and sadness.
"Angel…" She pronounced between controlled sobs, as she reached a hand out to strike his warm cheek.
A weak smile graced the lips of her partner, as he looked at her, and without any warning, he embraced her with all his might, shamelessly crying on her shoulder, as his strong arms held her as close as possible, no words leaving his mouth. The redhead's trembling arms hugged Angel's frame with the little strength she had left, reciprocating his embrace. And she, just as he had done, let herself cry without shame.
They stayed like that for what it seemed like an eternity, embraced in a isolated place which could be known as their own little world, finding comfort from one another.
She was not alone. Her minds screamed, full of hope, as she clung to his trembling body.
She was crazy. Angel told himself, embracing her strongly, as if fearing that she might disappear any second. She's most definitely crazy and I won't let her go.
Minutes passed and time passed before they could get to a halt.
"I was very worried about you…" Angel said, smiling at her with tearful eyes.
Aubrey couldn't do much but to smile back at him, a tiny and faltering smile gracing her icy lips.
"What happened to you? Were you trying to catch your death or what?" Angel asked, drying his tears with the back of his hand, not losing his sight on her.
Aubrey's smile vanished, as she recalled why she had been like this all this time, and couldn't help feeling embarrassed. Tears threatened to blur her vision once more and, unstoppable as she knew it was, she covered her face with both of her hands, letting her tears fall unseen by her partner.
"Aubrey… cariño… it's okay to cry… just let it go…" Angel said, giving her a reassuring squeeze in her arm, as her caressed her hands, trying to remove them from her beautiful face. "It's okay if you d-" He started, but was abruptly interrupted by the redhead in his arms.
"No! Y-you deserve to know…" She started and, in a sea of tears and sobs, Aubrey revealed her most darkest secret to him, letting out all of her guilts and inner conflicts.
Angel listened carefully, patiently waiting whenever she needed time to stop her cry and continue. However, he couldn't help feeling protective towards her, and furious towards he who had done her that.
"It's okay…" Angel said, trying to comfort her once again as her cry had broke loose once more. "It wasn't your fault Aubrey… you didn't know what you were doing…-"
"Yes it was!" Aubrey screamed between her cry, "I allowed it, and I could've stopped it but instead I allowed him!" She screamed before returning to her uncontrollable cry once more.
"It wasn't your fault." Angel repeated, "You were younger than him, you couldn't have done nothing at all." He said.
The redhead said nothing, only crying against his chest, moistening his jacket with hot tears, but he did not care. He caressed her bare shoulder as her held her closer, hoping that she might find comfort in his company -and indeed, she did-. After some minutes, Aubrey's cry softened and in a whisper, she said, "Don't ever leave me…" as she clung to his chest with all her might, not minding the blanket sliding down her back.
Taken by some surprise, Angel deeply blushed, as he covered her with the blanket once more, unable to utter an appropriate answer. Suddenly, he felt Aubrey's arms lose strength around his chest, and was soon preoccupied. Gently moving her face from his chest, he found, relieved, a sleeping Aubrey; surely she had fell in Morpheus arms because of her weakened state. Angel smiled at her sight, and pressed a hand against her forehead. His smile immediately vanished.
Feeling the warmth beneath his hand, Angel was sure of it. Fever.
It seems she did it… His mind voice grunted.
However, accommodating himself and his companion in the bed, Angel embraced her lovingly, and allowed himself to follow the leader of his crew.
"I won't."