As Lovino slowly awoke, and before he even opened his eyes, he realized that he was definitely not in his home. If he had been, the bed would not be this soft, and he would not be in so much pain. He would hear Feliciano singing and Grandpa laughing and right now he heard none of that. Opening his eyes revealed him to be in a strange, unfamiliar bedroom. Sunlight streamed through a window and the distant smell of something cooking wafted through the only door in the room. Lovino tried to remember what had happened the night before, but his mind was muddled by pain and he couldn't seem to place the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.
Before he could figure out what, a man backed through the door, humming merrily with his arms full of medical supplies. He turned around and started slightly as he realized Lovino was awake. "Oh!" He exclaimed brightly. "You're up. Good, I was beginning to get a bit worried." Lovino shifted suspiciously. "Who are you?" He asked. His question was ignored, however, as the movement sent a sharp jolt of pain through his body, causing him to cry out. The strange man's eyes widened and he ran over to Lovino's bedside, dropping the bandages and ointments he held onto the bed. "Careful!" He said, "you'll pull the stitches I did on your back."
"My back..." Lovino's eyes snapped wide open and his thoughts became clear. His memory of the previous night came rushing back: the chase and his capture by the poachers, and the events which had followed. "That's right... Those bastards, they-" he broke off with a choked sob. "DAMN THEM!" He yelled, trying to get up. He couldn't even raise himself up off the pillow before gasping in agony and collapsing again as pain arced up through his back to where his wings should be. His caretaker reached over and held him down gently before he could hurt himself further. "Shh, calm down. You must stop, you will only injure yourself."
The angel sniffled, but knew the man was right and did as he was told. "What, like more than I am already?" He asked bitterly.
The man grimaced. "Yes. I know that it must have been awful, when they cut off your... your wings, but I promise you'll be okay. I'll make sure of it!" He said, a grin that didn't really meet his vivid green eyes flashing across his face. Lovino snorted at the lame attempt to make him feel better, but he began to calm down just a bit.
The panic that had taken hold of him and caused his heart to race was still there, but it no longer had such a tight hold of him. The stranger spoke to him soothingly and rubbed his arm lightly, and it actually helped lower his racing heart and unsteady breathing.
Now that the overwhelming terror was gone, complete and utter despair at his loss struck Lovino's heart. His pride dissolved and he burst into tears, for once not even caring who saw him. Lovino's caretaker wrapped his arms around him, careful to avoid his injuries. The Italian fought against him, not wanting his pity, but he had a grip like steel and seemed determined not to let go.
Lovino gave up, sobbing into the stranger's arms as he screamed and cursed the hunters who did this. The man who had saved his life rocked him back and forth, whispering to him until the angel's tears finally ceased and he just felt empty.
No anger, no grief, not even embarrassment about his current position, crying into the arms of a complete stranger.
I wonder, he thought, what Feliciano would say if he saw his strong big brother lying in a bed and weak from blood loss, having lost my wings to hunters because I was stupid enough to fly beyond the protective boundaries. That I had been so idiotic as to wander through the forest in plain sight, completely unaware that I was being followed.
Lovino almost laughed as he thought of what his Grandpa would say if he saw him. He'd probably hit Lovino for being a moron and cry about his wings, then go off in a crazy rampage to kill the hunters who had gone after his grandson.
Antonio tried to start a conversation to keep his patient's mind off of the physical and emotional pain. "What's your name?" He asked. He figured he should learn more about his ward. It took a moment before he got the answer: "Lovino Vargas." "Ooh, I like that name." Antonio grinned. "How about I call you Lovi?" Lovino glared up at him. "How about no?" He growled. Antonio laughed and simply continued to bandage Lovi's leg.
"What about you? Should I just call you 'Jerk-bastard'?"
The police officer smiled. "My name is Antonio Fernandez Carriedo." Lovino stared at him for a moment before snorting and looking away. "That's too long. I'll just stick with jerk-bastard."
Antonio laughed again. Something about his Lovi just made him want to laugh and smile.
Over the next few days, Lovino was continually forced into the close company of the jerk officer who had rescued him.
Each day, he had to allow Antonio to bandage his injuries as they slowly began to heal. Well, as much as they ever would. Lovino was currently sitting in Antonio's bed as he listened to the overly cheerful police officer cooking a "surprise meal" to celebrate the fact that Lovino had managed to limp slowly over to the window without his caretaker's assistance.
Much to both men's relief, both the bite Lovino had taken to his leg and the gashes on his shoulder blades were healing nicely.
The post-angel had slipped into a depression for the first few days after he had woken up, barely eating and hardly talking beyond the first small conversation they'd had. It took him awhile to accept the fact that he'd never fly again, and therefore maybe never even be able to return home.
During one of the few periods in which Lovino actually spoke more than one word, he had explained to Antonio that his home was impossible to get to without flying; his grandfather and the other avians who lived on the secluded property had dug the existing trench around the lot deeper, creating a wide gap that was impossible to cross without major equipment. Grandpa Roma had made it intentionally so that no human would ever discover them so long as they stayed within the fence line, enforcing with an iron fist the rule that no one was to ever stray outside of the boundaries unless it was for a planned supply run.
Lovino felt regret burn in his throat as the stumps where his beautiful wings had once been throbbed. He remembered how he used to be so picky about the state of them. Each day he had meticulously preened and maintained each feather until they were perfectly aligned and glossed enough to reflect the sun. Antonio had tried his absolute hardest to make him feel better about it, but Lovino had refused to be comforted. He knew it was his fault, no one else's. He had chosen to ignore Grandpa Roma's rule and wandered beyond the fence out of pure spite after an huge argument with his family.
--flashback--
Lovino and his grandfather continued to shout at each other as Feliciano weaved between them, trying to break up the fight. "Come on, fratello! Please don't fight, I'm sure you can go next time!" Of course perfect boy Feliciano had taken his Grandfather's side. He always did, even when he wasn't being fair! All Lovino had wanted to do was go on the next supply run. Now that he was twenty-one, he felt that he should be well past able to leave the monotonous boredom of his cabin and go out into the real world for some excitement! His Grandpa had refused again, however, leading to a fight between the two that resulted in Lovino storming out and flying straight ahead as far as possible until he inevitably reached the border of the woods. Once there, he had sat down on the edge of the abyss, breathing heavily and glaring across the chasm with angry tears in his green eyes. Why can't Grandpa understand? I just want some freedom; I want him to trust me!
He sat there for a few minutes, seething. In his anger, an idea started to form in Lovino's mind. At first, he dismissed it as an idiotic thought that was bound to get him killed, but as he suddenly heard his Grandfather's voice calling him, joined by Feliciano's, he realized how much trouble he was going to be in if his family found him here, on the very edge of the safe territory.
As the calls grew frighteningly closer, Lovino made a panicked, split second decision and jumped off the cliff. He unfurled his wings and sped hastily to the other side just as Feli and Roma flew past, swooping close to the ground and desperately calling for Lovino. However, the boy was hiding on the other side of the boundary, stowed away in the fork of a tree high above his relatives. He felt a small prickle of guilt as he noticed the worried expressions on the faces of his brother and grandfather, but fear and anger kept him from giving away his location as he slipped away into the woods.
Soon, all thoughts of tension left the angel as he glided lazily over the forest. He stopped at a small creek and ran his hand through the water, grinning as minnows slipped between his fingers. His trance was broken, however, by the small crack of a twig being broken behind him, ringing like a gunshot through the air. Lovino snapped up and turned around, staring behind him into the underbrush, but seeing nothing. He turned around slowly, giving his attention back to the stream. A few seconds later, another crack and what sounded like a voice shushing made him whip around again, staring off into the brush.
Suddenly wary, Lovino started to get up to leave. It was not long before the humans that had stealthily surrounded him made their presence known, springing up from every direction in a tight circle around Lovino. He gasped and shot straight upward, terror and adrenaline giving his wings the power to lift him high above the trees. One of the men pulled out a small gun and shot a red, beeping device at their quarry, which stuck to his wing and wouldn't come off.
Lovino flapped his wings to dislodge the object, but it held fast and he was in no shape to make an effort to remove it. Lovino simply flew off in what he thought was the direction of his home. What he didn't realize was that during his venture he'd become completely turned around, and was now facing the opposite direction that he wanted to go.
The angel flew onward towards human civilization, unaware that he'd had no chance against the hunters from the moment the tracker was placed on his wing. It would only take a day and a half for the angel to be worn out from the chase and end up in a tiny clearing, where he was quickly surrounded.
Lovino was jolted back to reality as Antonio flounced into the room. The Spaniard presented his dish with a flourish: spiced rice with chicken, shrimp, and sausage mixed into it. Peppers and herbs were arranged artfully on the top, and a pleasant, spicy smell wafted through the air. Lovino's mouth watered and he barely noticed Antonio's pleased grin as the plate was placed on his lap. "What is it?" The angel asked, not waiting for an answer before he took a big bite. His eyes grew large as the taste pervaded his mouth. Spicy, as predicted, with just the right amount of salt and a profusion of other flavors. "It's paella, a famous dish in my country. It is one of my favorite foods, so I hoped you might enjoy it as well."
"I guess it's okay..." Lovino muttered between huge mouthfuls. Antonio laughed. "I'm so glad you like it, Lovi~! careful, or you'll choke."
"I'll be fine, bastardo!" Lovino snapped. "And I told you to stop calling me that." Antonio simply smiled as the Italian finished off the meal, sighed happily and leaned against the pillows. Soon enough, he was drifting off to sleep.
Antonio chuckled a bit as he lifted Lovino's empty plate from his lap and stood up to leave. The angel was snoring gently in the mountain of pillows. He almost looked... Adorable. Yes, that was the word. Antonio blinked and shook himself. Now was not the time to think about this.
He left the room, closing the door softly behind him, and made his way back down the hallway to the kitchen. He would confront his feelings in the morning. Right now, he just needed a good night's sleep.