Running • Iggy

Control

"I'm fine, guys. I don't know why they keep doing that, I'm not good-looking in the slightest." I chuckled. Gazzy looked shocked. "Whatdya mean? You know we weren't joking when we said you look like a model, right?" Gaz asked, blonde curled falling out of his eyes when he looked up. I rolled my eyes, looking away from the younger boy. "Sure, and that man didn't want to sleep with me." I said sarcastically. "Please, Gaz, we know I'm not that appealing to look at, I don't need a fake self-esteem boost." I chided, but both Iggy and Gasman did not seem amused. "Stop putting yourself down." Iggy hit my arm lightly, my over-sensitive nerves could feel the exact way his hand connected with my arm through the blue cardigan I wore.

"When pigs fly. Wait, nevermind." I blinked, thinking back to the piglet-bird hybrid the School had once crafted for the sake of it. "They already can." Gazzy grinned at my comment, leaning to the side to look past me and Iggy. "Look at those kids, Cee." He murmured, nodding. I don't normally stare, but I turned my head. Three boys, one maybe 13, one possibly 10 and one around the age of 8, were playing with a ball between each other. His sapphire orbs met my green ones and I could feel the silent question in them. Please. was all I could hear as I weighed out my options. Either upset my little brother by not letting him play ball with three kids, or make him super happy by letting him play and be a normal, happy kid for a few minutes while Max wasn't looking and risk getting yelled at by her. I knew which option I would take every time.

"Ten minutes. Do not leave my sight, you hear me?" I said sternly, letting go of Iggy's arm to kneel down and fix the collar of his jacket, pulling the zipper up so his wings didn't make his chest look like it was bulging out as much. He nodded excitedly, running over to the boys and speaking quickly. They seemed to accept Gazzy into their game, telling him the rules. I grinned as I took Iggy's arm again, not letting my eyes leave Gazzy's form as they played with the children. "You're insane." He murmured, seemingly upset by my choice. "I'm a big sister." I corrected firmly, not looking to the older male. "Who would sacrifice anything for the happiness of my siblings." I finished, feeling him tense slightly at my words.

"It's a bad idea, what if he falls and his wings become visible? Or what if he slips up and says something that normal kids don't say?" He said in a quiet, seemingly angry tone. I resisted the urge to yell at him, tell him that I'm just letting the kid live for once in his life. I just breathed out a shaking breath of anger. "I thought I'd get this from Max, not you." I growled, the deep anger in my voice surprising even myself. It must be the aggressive tiger genes in me, another reason to hate myself.

"I thought you'd have more sense after last night." He retorted, pulling his arm away from mine and standing just slightly away from me. That shouldn't have hurt so much. I thought. We had so many fights growing up, so much worse than the two we had recently, but they had hurt so much more. I didn't want him to be mad at me, I almost called Gazzy back because the hurt was that strong.

10 minutes had gone by, but I didn't want to call him back. He looked like he was having the time of his life, curly hair bouncing around as he ran, occasionally dodging a few adults who were walking by. I didn't realize the two elders and the younger had returned until Max's steady, anger-filled voice was speaking behind me. "What in God's name is Gazzy doing?" Max growled. Angel looked up at me in excitement. "Can I go play too? It looks so fun!" She giggled, but Max gripped her hand tight enough that I was sure it hurt. "No, you cannot." Max's voice came out even but full of anger. "Call him back, now."

"Gaz!" I called, and when his sapphire eyes met mine and he realized Max was behind me, he winced at me like he was saying 'oh no.' He said his goodbyes to the children and jogged back to me, a smile still on his face from the encounter. "No fair." Angel said softly, looking to the floor. Iggy walked to Fang, hooking his hand around the technically younger's belt. He wouldn't speak to me. Why, because I had let a child have fun? I didn't understand it.