halo 'n horns [klance au]

3. Halohead

https://78.media.tumblr.com/cf06d8a33c54b18858eb07c6d42f62c5/tumblr_oqzl94VtSr1tcghddo1_500.jpg

Lance

"He didn't tell you anything?" I asked incredulously. Jeez, this poor dude. His dad just dumped him up here with no money, no resources, no goal or idea what he was doing? That must be frustrating.

Keith frowned, "I'm sure he had his reasons," he said defensively, and I tipped my head to the side, not saying anything. "By the way, before, on the street- what did you mean by 'you choose what they see'?" He'd lowered his voice.

I leaned back in my chair, sipping my macchiato serenely. "Exactly that. If you don't want them to view an aspect of yourself, or your whole self entirely, you can cast it out of their sight," I dismissed. I'd retracted my wings for now- they're heavy- but I could push them back out any time I needed them.

Keith swirled his plain black coffee with a wooden stirrer, thinking over this. I glanced outside. It was late- the Starbucks we sat in would be closing in 15 minutes and the rain was showing no signs of letting up. What to do, what to do...

Draining my coffee, I stood, pulling on my jacket. Keith looked up at me, unamused as always. I had a strong feeling that he strongly disliked me, but that wasn't my problem. My problem was that he was a devil roaming around the Midworld and he couldn't be left unsupervised.

"Come with me, I know a place you can stay tonight."

Keith glared dully at me. "I don't need your help," he said defiantly, reminding me of an insolent toddler.

"Yes, you do," I countered, "Because this place is closing, you're in the middle of a city you don't even know the name of, and you've never been to the Midworld before. So yes, little devil. You need my help."

He huffed angrily, "Don't call me little."

"I'm taller than you. Now up, let's go."

The reluctance in Keith's steps was mocking as he slugged towards the door, looking out at the rain with an unamused expression. I turned back to the barista, waved goodbye, and then pushed Keith outside. He mumbled something angrily at me, but I ignored him, shifting our appearances to invisibility as we stood on the open street.

My wings sprang from my shoulders and I shook them out, frowning as I felt my halo circle my head. Ugh, it was so cliché. Keith wasn't looking at me when I scooped him up in my arms, taking a running start to launch us into the sky. He immediately started squirming.

"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He shouted, shoving at my face.

I glowered at him and snapped, "We may be invisible but I cannot make us mute, so please shut your quiznak before I drop you."

I could see him about to tell me that I was saying the swear wrong, but he looked down and froze when he saw how high we already were. He immediately looped his arms around my neck. That shut him up.

Flying wasn't easy in the first place. It took strain on my wings, especially in the windy rain, not to mention the devil I held in my arms, one forearm under the back of his knees, the other supporting his back. I pushed my wings down hard as we flew up through the street of the city, weaving through buildings until we were high enough to soar above them. The rain had us both soaked again in a matter of minutes.

Once we were high enough up, I looked down at Keith, making sure he hadn't passed out or anything. His eyes were pinched shut and I was surprised to see two small horns on his forehead, matte black. I felt something slide around my arm and I nearly shrieked, but then realized it was a tail. Keith's tail, to be specific. The same color as his horns and ending in a delicate spade which lay flush against my bicep.