The Angel with Black Hair

Chapter 2: Wake Up

[Revised Version]

"Wake up. Stay with me. Through the flood and through the fear. Right now I need you here. I need you to stay strong. To remind me where I came from and where I belong. So wake up and stay with me. 'Cause I'm starting to think that I never actually had you. You're not in the dark. But far from the light. And I need to know now. Are you with me?" ~Nilu

-

He was staring at Dark eyes, overawed. A second ago, and they hadn't been there - directly in his field of vision, closely in his face. What were they looking to find? They seemed to want to invest their time into knowing him. So the Boy - for a while - was letting them.

"You came."

A sly smile swept those Dark eyes with a flicker, turning Black Waters into a Blissful Sea. "It does appear so."

As Black kept observing, scrutinizing every detail, the Boy got a little lost. Like, every Hope and Dream of his had shrunk within those eyes. "I'm happy it does appear so."

The Man was just as happy. Even though they both couldn't know how long the flame between them was to last.

"Look," The Boy said up to him the moment little chirps could be distinguished. The Boy's eyes escaped from the Man's, diverting their attention to the source of those chirps somewhere above them. "Little Birds."

The Man, as if compelled, followed the Boy's line of sight, spotting the nest on a branch with the Birds they both couldn't see from the ground. His eyes ran to find the Boy's still staring longingly at the Birds they could merely hear. The Boy wanted to see. But his feet wouldn't leave the ground - as if afraid. The Man wondered what was holding the Boy back.

So, he raised his hand - for him. Delicate, Long fingers danced. And Blue, Harmless Flames appeared to aim for those Tiny Birds up there on that branch, slowly and safely transporting them down to the Boy's level with their nest along.

"Whoa!" The Boy gasped vivaciously across them. They were Beautiful, Tiny, and vividly Blue - precisely like the Man's Powerful, Gentle Flames. And the Man was equally surprised by their color. "They match your Flames. Did you do it?"

The Man tilted his head slightly down at them. If he had done it indeed, he didn't have the intention to. "Don't know." They could be just Pretty like that - like the Boy. The thought crossed his mind. But he cowardly restrained himself from phrasing it. "I didn't mean to."

Maybe he did mean to make them Beautiful and Blue - having the Boy in mind.

The Boy's smile only grew brighter down at the Little Miracles. They seemed to fit perfectly within their Little Home - they seemed to adore it there. And the Boy wondered if he could ever feel like belonging somewhere without the Man by his side as his Home.

"Do you think..." The Boy hesitated, eyes never leaving the Birds with the fear of the Man giving a cruel reaction to his words. "That we can be like them someday?"

The Man couldn't quite follow along. "Like what?" His flaming hand - steadily - began to guide the nest with the Birds back up to their spot on the tree. "Tiny and Blue?"

The Boy giggled airily and foolishly at the Other's attempt to appear cleverly funny. "No! Like-..." He paused softly. And his smile transformed, falling lethargically into its previous hurtful doubts - appearing wistful. "Like we are individuals that belong and have a Home."

Honestly, the Man knew the Little Thing in front of him didn't want to know his answer. It was brutish and ugly. And the Boy had faith in fairytales, was floating on pink clouds, and lived in a Dreamland far from there. The Boy had yet to wake up. But he didn't want to be the one to shake him awake.