Caught Between a Halo and Horns

forty.

After a few hours of talking to Matt, I could sense that Harry was growing anxious that we've been away from home so long. 

"And then all of a sudden, boom. The bomb went off, and you could hear faint bullets soaring through the air that were usually so loud and prominent. I lost my hearing for a good while, and then after the dust cleared, it was the perfect picture of absolute destruction." Matt said dejectedly, finishing one of his somber war stories. 

"We're very different soldiers, you and I. I wish I could say I was an honorable one. You should be proud to have risked your life so many times for the good of others." Harry tells him compassionately. 

"Thanks, man. You keep your head up, alright? Both of you." He says, his concern-laced eyes boring into my own. 

I send him a slight smile and get up. "I'm so happy you're okay Matty, and it's been really good seeing you today. But we really should be getting home. I'm trying to ease myself back into a normal person schedule." I tell him. 

"Alright, come back tomorrow? I should know when I'm getting out by then." He says, rolling his eyes. 

"Easy there, tiger. You were seconds away from death today. Arizona will keep you as long as she needs to." I remind him. 

Harry lightly squeezes my wrist, as if to say, so were you.

I shake the reminder from my head and force a smile at my brother. I lean down to place a kiss on his cheek and give him one last hug before we leave. Harry waves and salutes him to bid him goodbye, and with that we walk back towards the elevator. 

"That was a pleasant surprise, I'm sure." He says, breaking the silence. 

"Considering that I was coming here to kill him, yes, it was." I say with a soft laugh. 

"I don't know if you want to talk about it, to me or to anyone, but what happened today isn't something that can be just brushed off as if it were nothing. I don't know if your head caught you in the moment, or if this has been building up for a long time and you're just a really good actress. Whatever it is, I do want to help you. If you'll let me." He says sincerely and lovingly. 

I reach up and wrap my arms around him tightly, my head resting in his neck. He returns the tight embrace and holds it, before I release slightly to peck his lips. 

"Frankly, I think that these past few months where so sharply juxtaposed from the life I'd previously been living, that it just gave me some serious whiplash. This morning on the roof, I felt the peak of it all. But your hand, as if it were the hand of God himself, yanked me from any nightmares that have been stirring in my head. I felt such a sense of clarity to be safe in your arms, and then everything that was wrong just felt right. I'm still not great by any stretch, but I'm better. And I have you to thank for that." I tell him, finally voicing the gratitude I've been yearning to say for weeks. 

His lips form into an endearing, lopsided smile, and he presses his soft, pillowy lips to mine once more. 

And once more, we are interrupted by the awkward coughing form Dr. Grey and her husband. 

"Wow twice in the same month!" Dr. Grey exclaims. 

"Oh, the nostalgia." Her husband agrees with a smirk. I begin to blush furiously I look up at Harry who seems amused. 

"Have a good day." Harry gleefully tells them while we walk past. 

We jog through the brisk air and find our car as quickly as possible. "Baby, it's cold outside." Harry jokes, rubbing his hands together fiercely.