I Have Friends in Both Places | Thiam

iii.

Liam was burning, and he was burning brightly. His entire body was engulfed in flames, but he was silent. He felt as if he had been falling for years, each body part burning until he couldn't feel anything at all. He tried the best he could to move his wings and arms, but the rope didn't even singe. It was terrifying.

As Liam saw the Earth finally come close, he began screaming. He closed his eyes involuntarily and shook violently, ready to hit the ground, only to fall right through. He let out a breathy screech and opened his eyes in shock only to hit the ground, but this one was different. This one burned him worse than the falling did.

Liam let out a terrifying yell before falling limp, his eyes half-closed and his body screaming in agony louder than he did. He figured he would die there, resting in pain as he looked at the pitch-black roof above him. His breathing was barely there. 'This is it,' he thought to himself as his body began to give out, 'God has left me.' And as he took a few more breaths, and his eyes closed completely, he gave himself completely to the ground, prepared to die.

Liam woke up in a dimly lit cell with only slight pain. He was laying on his stomach, and, as he began to sit up, he noticed chains wrapped around his wrists and ankles. He grumbled lightly and looked around himself, taking in the dark walls. There was nothing around him but brick and cell bars. He stood up and stumbled a bit to the bars, looking out to the hallway. His breathing began speeding up as his eyes fell across a huge crest painted on the walls. He moved and gripped his hair, backing away to the wall behind him.

Liam's face began turning red and tears brimmed in his eyes. He looked up to the roof and screamed, pulling at his hair. "I'm sorry, dad! I'm so sorry, but I don't deserve this! Why would you punish me like this? It wasn't even that bad! I didn't do anything bad!" His voice echoed down the hall followed by a loud wheeze as he fell back to the ground, his legs giving out.

"Well, aren't we Mr. Dramatic today," a voice spoke up. Liam turned to see a familiar face, his brown hair and smirk sticking to his face.

"Corey," He questioned, his lips parting in astonishment. "What are you- what are you doing here? How are you here? I thought you were human." Liam remembered the boy as Mason's boyfriend, someone he had been dating for three years, but every time he had seen him, he had been a human.

Corey grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "We have a bit more magic down here, cover-ups and spells that can hide anything. You guys are too busy worrying about disappointing your dad that you don't take advantage of the stuff you can do."

Liam sneered and pulled himself up, stalking over to him and grabbing the bars separating them. "You absolute piece of-"

"Hey, now. That's a bit rude." Corey cut him off and raised an eyebrow.

"He was the only person I cared about, and there was some demon corrupting him? Dammit!" Liam pushed himself away from the bars as he screamed the last word, feeling tears gather again, his emotions getting the best of him and his anger taking over. "I couldn't even do my one job right!"

Corey sighed and tapped on the walls. "If it helps any, I truly do love him."

Liam looked over his shoulder and rubbed his face, running his hands over his eyes. "How could you? You were born from hatred."

Corey groaned and rolled his eyes, shaking his head a bit. "What do they brainwash you into believing up there? Do they even tell you the real story?"

Liam pursed his lips and looked down a bit. "I was never really told any story." His tone was soft as he spoke. "I was just told rules and the basics."

"Liam, have I done anything to ever harm Mason? I've been with that boy for three human years, and I've done nothing but care for him. If anything, I think he's messed me up a bit, to be honest." Corey laughed a bit as his eyes brightened a bit. "I really am in love with him, and it's disgusting for you to even think I would be bad just because of what I am. That doesn't define me."