SUE: Stress on the Sky [Maebelle]

[Kieron Sharpe]

[Forward-dated to 26th June]

June had been a very, very unpleasant month for Kieron. The nurse did not tend to be very fond of his job at the best of times, but this month in particular had been absolutely horrific. The virus had spread through the school like wildfire, and it felt like every single student and half of the staff had passed through the infirmary at least once in the past few weeks. Kieron had been pulling longer shifts and working his days off since the virus had really taken a hold over the school, and even though he had somehow defied the odds and stayed clear of infection, it had really taken its toll on his body and mind.

For the past few weeks Kieron had been sleeping less than usual, spending more and more time at the school with few chances to unwind and switch off. His poor fish had not received their usual level of attention, and the very routine-sensitive celestial danios looked worse for wear. Kieron was utterly exhausted, physically and mentally spent, and with each passing day he resented his parents that little bit more for forcing this career upon him. Yes it was rewarding seeing the students getting better and healing under his assistance, but he was very unhappy with his job anyway and the stresses of the past month had really brought it to a head.

What had made it so much worse, of course, was that he had barely been able to see Maebelle.

Between the ludicrous amount of time he had been working and his own fear of possibly passing the virus on to her, Kieron hadn't seen Maebelle in anything more than passing for several weeks, and that was proving to be much harder on him than he'd have ever thought it could be. She brightened his days in a way no one else ever had before, and the lack of her presence had cast a miserable cloud over him. He could so easily fake the reassuring soft smiles at work, but the smiles at home had been sorely lacking.

Hopefully the virus would pass soon, once it had run its course through the school. In the meantime, he would have to simply do his best to endure it. Taking a rare moment to breathe and relax, Kieron stretched out his wings and enjoyed the feeling of the cool evening breeze blowing against them, ruffling the downy hair along their fingers and running over the leathery membranes. Hazel eyes looked up at the stars dotting the night sky above, and sat on the roof of his house, it felt like no one and nothing could get to him. He could be quiet and at peace, safe away from the chaos of the school and the town below.

[Deleted]

June wasn’t only a horrible month for Kieron, but it also was for Mae. While she understood the responsibilities came with being a nurse, her boyfriend just happened to be one at Hammel – a freaking high school where the flu could effortlessly spread itself amongst all those students who could care less about possible preventive measures to protect themselves against it to a certain degree. The gardener pretty much blamed the current outcome on them. If they had just locked themselves in their rooms until the virus settled down, they wouldn’t be sick in such big troupes and Mae would get to spend some decent time with Kieron.

Of course the young woman made attempts to catch him on more occasion than one. Whenever she showed up at his office, however, a line of students was waiting and all she could do was give him a sheepish wave while standing in the middle of it whenever he let another student in. Maebelle could never afford to wait through it entirely though, so either that prevented her from catching him alone for a minute, or the fact that the nurse would practically beg her to not track down the danger by plopping herself down in the middle of it. That was usually it, other than a quick peck to his lips, which usually left her even gloomier than before.

It had been a couple of weeks now, and honestly? Mae was starting to care less about Kieron wanting to protect her. She appreciated it, very much so, but she missed him. Having made the decision to ignore his advice (which should have happened way earlier in her opinion), the brunette had headed over to her boyfriend’s house. Maebelle knew he wouldn’t be home; he had to work so late to catch up on paperwork next to students constantly rushing into the nurse office. She also knew that this limited his time and that he quite possible could use some help at his place – where she hadn’t been for a couple of weeks either. Of course, when the woman entered after having used the spare key, her suspicions were concerned.

And so Mae had been cleaning and tidying the last couple of hours. A bag of groceries had been brought along as well to cook and prepare some spaghetti for when he came home. She opted for that dish because it could be reheated. She could leave a note, which was her initial intention. Kieron would be tired and quite possibly not overly supportive of her decision to risk her health, so her plan was to head out as soon as everything was taken care of. Or, well, you know… before she decided that: screw it, she wanted to see him and hold him and cuddle.

Covers on his bed had been changed, most laundry had been done and whatever had dried had been ironed as well (for the most part). Dishes were no longer scattered around the house, the kitchen was squeaky clean and so was the bathroom, his bedroom and the living room. The other areas had been vacuumed and dusted, but not as precisely and perfect as the others. What a free day couldn’t do…

In turn, however, Mae felt sticky and sweaty. Taking a shower was in place, and she figured Kieron wouldn’t mind that she did. It was a first though, nor had the brunette stayed over yet, which in turn made it strange. What made it worse, was suddenly hearing something stumble on the roof! Mae had only just dried off and settled for a shirt and some boxers of him when that occurred, and her first thought was that someone was breaking it! She stood still for a couple of seconds, carefully listening as her hand had grabbed for the first item in reach: a bottle of shaving foam. It wouldn’t help a lot, but it did made her feel slightly more secure as she reluctantly stepped out of the bathroom and into the darkness of the rest of the house.

Nothing could be heard inside… and despite the fear, Maebelle did opt to step outside. There she moved down the couple of steps and turned around to walk backwards until the roof came into sight. And Kieron… The fact that is was darker advocated her current outfit, and that was the last of her corners as well.

“You know it’s still too early to imitate Santa, right?” She called up at him with a little sheepish smile to make him aware of her presence. Hopefully he would have had somewhat of a decent day, and could deal with her being there right now…

[Kieron Sharpe]

Kieron's neighbours knew about his wings, of course. This was entirely because he had told them. If he didn't stretch out his wings at least every couple of days, the aches and pains left him all but crippled and due to their vast span, stretching them out indoors away from prying eyes wasn't always practical or safe. He had told his neighbours mainly so that they didn't happen upon the sight of them one day and get startled or panic. That plan hadn't been a hundred percent proof, of course. Poor Mrs Hall across the street had all but had a heart attack when Kieron landed after a flight one evening. He had of course replaced the broken eggs, but he didn't like startling people and letting them know about his ability seemed to have been the best way to go about preventing that.

Thankfully they had all seemed to have taken the news rather well, a couple even thanking him for letting them know, and so he had very little fear of perching on his rooftop in the cool air of the evening. Sure there was always the risk of a stranger happening upon him, but at the end of the day, if a man couldn't sit on his own roof of an evening, what was the world coming to? It wasn't like they could get to him to make him get down anyway.

Up on the roof, Kieron allowed his mind to drift away from the stresses of work and the tiredness that was causing a physical ache in his bones. He felt like he could sleep for a week, and yet in those snatched moments of unconsciousness he was fitful and agitated; worried about getting sick, worried about the infection mutating into something worse, and of course, worried about Maebelle getting sick. He made a mental note to phone her when he eventually came down from the roof and went inside, just to make sure she was okay.

Let me talk about a game I play,
Wherein I close my eyes and fade away.
I fly away to a special place,
Far beyond the stars and moon and space.
For in this special place, you see,
There are but two people, only you and -

A voice below brought Kieron out of his thoughts, a slight frown of confusion crossing his brow before his mind caught up with his ears and he recognised that voice so very well. After so many weeks barely hearing it, it was the most melodic sound he had ever heard. Giving a breath of a laugh, partly from the words she spoke and partly out of disbelief that she was there at all, Kieron shook his head as he stood, using his huge wings to balance and steady himself.

“Damn, you caught me. Santa has retired; I'm his replacement. I've just been practising that whole 'flying around the world in one night' thing. I mean, who needs reindeer, right?”

Kieron was of course silently frustrated that Maebelle was here; he had been keeping interactions between them to an absolute minimum to prevent her from getting sick, after all. But at the same time, he was deeply glad she was here, and seeing her made the frustration and worry ebb and flow away. He then realised what she was wearing, and scarlet coloured his cheeks as he realised that she must have already been at his house long enough to get changed, at least. But oh my; even in those clothes, she looked so perfect being kissed by moonlight against the backdrop of the front yard.

“I would ask if you wanted to go inside, but it seems you already have.” There was no malice or accusation in Kieron's words, just a mild amusement that reflected in the tone of his voice as he stepped towards the edge of the rooftop, letting his wings catch the air so that he drifted down onto the pavement outside his house, a safe distance from Maebelle. “Also, now you know my secret! So tell me... Will you still like me when I'm fat and even hairier than I already am?”

[Deleted]

A smirk was evident on Maebelle’s lips as the man justified his current location. She liked reindeer! But not as much and deeply as her love for him. That being the reason why she didn’t object, arms folded against her chest as blue eyes remained settled on Kieron. “I am sure you also need to practice that whole ‘drop off presents’ thing, right?” Because hey, this was her subtle attempt to let him know she would have no problem with participating in that. “And, as Santa’s replacement, you quite probably also know what’s on top of my wish list.” Arching an eyebrow, the brunette lightly dipped her head to the side. All Mae truly wanted at this point was to spend a moment with him, with her boyfriend.

So when Kieron stepped to the edge of the rooftop, her heart fluttered – partly due to fear and partly due to anticipation that he would soon be within hugging distance. While he drifted down to the sidewalk, the softest of chuckles slipped past her lips and a hand smoothed down her arm to settle upon her wrist. The other held the shaving foam. “Hope you don’t mind,” Maebelle mused while smiling almost shyly. The lack of communication and affection made her feel awkward for a second, close to how she had been behaving back when neither of them had made a move yet.

Slow steps were taken forward. “If you get even hairier, I have the solution right here.” The young woman chuckled upon holding up the foam for a second. Soon it got lowered again, and Mae stopped right in front of the nurse. The wings might have intimidated some, but the closer she had gotten, the safer she felt. “No matter what though… I’ll never stop liking you.”

A loving smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and then she leaned in to steal a gentle kiss. “Unless you plan on sending me away now - which I will refuse because there’s dinner waiting inside.” The small joke turned more serious as Mae pulled back slightly though. “And because I missed you.”

[Kieron Sharpe]

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice squeaked out pitifully that Kieron was supposed to be trying to stay away from Maebelle, to prevent any risk of spreading the sickness to her. Quite how Kieron had avoided getting ill he had no idea, but he was only too aware that there was a chance he was carrying it and the thought of spreading it to Mae was a deeply unpleasant one. However, seeing her there in those clothes and bathed in moonlight, that little voice of reason was being well and truly squashed by his want to be near her and hold her and simply enjoy her company once more. It had only been a few weeks, and yet it had felt like the longest few weeks of his entire life. He chuckled softly, his happiness at seeing her carrying over in his tone. “No, I don't plan on dropping off many presents. I mean, they would be very heavy. I'm sure all the children would be happy enough with just a pencil or something.” At her next statement Kieron smiled, making his way to the edge of the roof. “A pony, right? I've read the books; all the pretty ladies want ponies.”

As his feet met the earth once more, Kieron folded his wings against his sides and left them out for now, enjoying the feel of the cool night air against the leathery membranes. The joy at seeing her was evident on his face, and he gave a dismissive wave of a hand as she asked if her being there was okay. “As long as you aren't planning on kidnapping Stripey, I don't mind... In fact, I am very, very happy that you are here.”

Kieron often felt that he would never quite get over the pleasure he felt from Maebelle's obvious comfort around him even when he had his wings out; sadly there were many people who he had known for years who were still spooked by them, if only for their vast size if for nothing else. When Maebelle held up the can of shaving foam that was she was holding, Kieron looked at it quizzically for a long moment. “... I own shaving foam? Where did you get that?” The nurse hadn't actually shaved since college; he kept his face fuzz clipped and neat but it felt weird without at least some fuzz there. Perhaps she had brought it with her – was it some kind of hint? The utterly confused expression faded some when she spoke again though, and a smile crossed his lips.

When Maebelle stepped forward to claim a kiss Kieron returned it enthusiastically, broad hands lightly sliding across her hips and relishing in the feel of her warmth through the fabric of the shirt she was wearing. Kieron was clearly reluctant to break the kiss and for a moment his head followed in the same direction as hers, but he managed to catch himself and stopped, eyebrows raising in surprise at what she said next. His tone became upbeat and playful, the smile turning into a grin. “You made dinner? Well, then, I guess that means I have to keep you forever” he joked, vast wings stretching around to encircle them as she stepped backwards, lightly brushing against her back. Kieron's smile softened, his voice becoming soft and serene as he looked at her with utter adoration. “I missed you too... I love you, Maebelle, and I've missed you so very much.”

[Deleted]

A smirk had slipped past Maebelle’s lips. “You’re no real santa.” Her voice was full of mockery and fake disappointment while the man floated down to gracefully land a safe distance from where she was standing. “Unless you can transform into a pony, no – your guess is wrong.” He might not have been serious in the first place, so her reply could be abundant, but at the same time hers also gave away what she really wanted: him. Not a pony, and not Stripey either. Of course a playful pout was given when Kieron made the statement about his beloved pet, yet she didn’t bother to put her teasing protest into words.

Instead her main focus was on him standing there. Intimidating to many, but comforting to her. Maebelle’s steps were slow and small, purposely so. It gave her the perfect opportunity to take in those handsome features, to watch the look on his face. Especially the surprised one when the shaving foam was held up. “This?” She looked at it for a second, and then back at her boyfriend. “In your bathroom. Kind of the only thing that looked worthy as a weapon when I heard something stumble on the roof.” With a sheepish chuckle, the brunette lowered it. Her hand held onto it during the beginning of the kiss, yet subconsciously let go as Kieron attempted to keep their lips connected some longer. It landed on the ground with a small thud, rolling a couple of inches away from them.

Both hands then landed on the nurse’s lower arms, sliding a tad bit further down as she stepped backwards, allowing soft laughter to come in response to his conclusion to dinner being made. It slowly died out and her face softened when his wings encircled them, able to feel them against her back. A quick peek was taken over her shoulder, but her attention returned to Kieron even faster than that. The smile that had lingered made place for a taken aback expression since the last she had expected was to hear those words coming from his lips. Mae did want to state it herself, sure, but the timing had completely taken her by surprise. The almost shocked look remained for a second or two, yet it quite possibly felt like a lifetime.

“What?” A weak nervous chuckle broke free while hands already held on tighter to his arms. She was unaware of that, and soon Mae let go of them and allowed a loving smile to return to her lips as her dipped head straightened itself. If Kieron was good at reading faces, he should be able to spot the wordless ‘seriously?’ on there. No actual sounds followed, but instead the smile widened some (yet it might have just looked like that because soon lips got planted onto his again after having reclosed the distance). “Good,” Maebelle eventually decided against his lips in a whisper as arms that had snaked around his neck loosened themselves lightly. The words weren’t being returned though; she… oddly enough couldn’t at that moment.

Eventually the brown-haired woman made her back meet his wings again, letting hands drop down and for one of them to claim his nearby one. “Maybe… we better head inside then before it gets cold?” Mae still looked nervous. She was lost on how to deal with that confession. Mae hadn’t rejected him though, so that had to mean something! Like, the fact that the woman truly loved him, yet couldn’t get to speak those words… unlike when they were on the lake and she had to keep herself from blurting it out.

“It’s spaghetti.” The gardener added while turning around and gently placing her free hand against the wings that still encircled them. She knew she wouldn’t be able to push them away.

[Kieron Sharpe]

He had missed this playful, cheerful banter over the past few weeks. It was lovely in a way little else in his life was, and her gentle teases and quips did nothing but brighten his spirits and endear her even more to him than she already was. No matter just how tough these past few weeks had been and no matter how physically and mentally exhausted he was, Maebelle's smile went such a long way to helping him recover.

Kieron didn't miss the meaning behind her words regarding the pony, and a soft blush coloured his cheeks as he smiled at her shyly. Kieron knew all too well just how lucky he was to be able to be with Maebelle in this way. She was smart and funny and kind and so very beautiful, and she seemed to love him as much as he loved her. For as much as he disliked his job, he was deeply grateful of it for allowing him to meet her. She made it all worth it.

As Maebelle explained how she had ended up brandishing a can of shaving cream, the Irishman continued to look at it in puzzlement for a long moment before giving a soft breath of a laugh and shaking his head. “If I remember rightly, my sister got me that for Christmas. I forgot I had it.” He gave a quiet laugh. “Besides, I did not 'stumble' onto the roof. I landed with grace and elegance, like a... bat-winged hell-swan.”

The leaving of those words from his lips had felt completely natural to Kieron. He had felt that way about Maebelle for a long time, possibly since the day he had helped her with shelter from the rain after she had missed the last bus home. A deep romantic at heart, Kieron had always believed in love at first sight and whilst even to his mind it sounded a little cheesy and too Disney for reality, he did honestly feel that was how it had been with Maebelle. Ever since she had thrown that ball of tissue at him on the camping trip last year, all roads had lead to this. Whilst the look of utter shock that crossed her face and the following silence did cause a stab of fear of rejection to course through him, Kieron did not regret saying it for a second. To have not said it in that moment would have been akin to lying to her, and that wasn't something he was capable of.

The fear of rejection intensified as the moments dragged out, as he saw that quizzical look cross her face, but she didn't laugh or turn to walk away or smack him so it stopped short of being outright panic. He did not regret telling her the truth, but if that truth caused her to leave him then... he wasn't entirely certain what he would do. The worry caused his stomach and throat to knot, hazel eyes wide with concern that she was going to turn and walk away... but she didn't. It took a moment for Kieron to return the kiss as he stood in surprise from the action, but once he had recovered he returned it warmly, hands lightly resting on the gentle curves of her hips.

Long fingers laced with Maebelle's as she joined their hands, and a relieved smile played across Kieron's lips. It didn't really matter to him that she hadn't returned the words. It would have been nice, yes, but if she didn't feel it right now then he would rather wait until she could speak them with honesty. She hadn't rejected him. That was what really mattered.

“Spaghetti sounds good. I think I have some ice cream in the freezer that we cou-” Kieron was cut off mid-word as her fingers brushed over the highly sensitive skin of his wings, a shiver running down his spine that caused his breath to come out in a quiet gasp that he tried but somewhat failed to mask. The touch was so gentle, so innocent and delicate, but it was so rare that his wings got touched and it had been so very long since the last time, and with the drama of the moment the sensation caused a deep warmth to smoulder through his back and shoulders. He cleared his throat, trying to disguise his momentary reaction and hoping that she didn't notice the deep blush that must have been colouring his cheeks. He swept his wings back behind him, folded neatly against his spine. “Sorry.... That we could have for dessert, if you'd like.”

[Deleted]

Maebelle had wanted to return the words – she just couldn’t form them it seemed. Perhaps the timing simply did not feel right or maybe a subconscious reason was holding her back. Whatever it was, the young woman’s main concern at that moment had been to make sure Kieron did not get the idea of her not caring for him. Therefore a kiss had felt like the ideal solution. No one would peck someone else’s lips if meaningless, right? At least not given the circumstances and the outcome that depended on her reaction. Luckily the nurse didn’t question it, which in turn settled Mae at ease and made her more acceptant of the hesitation that had struck after those words were spoken by him.

So, with that in mind, fingers brushed over the thick wings in a wordless attempt to have Kieron fold them again. Instead, however, it appeared to cause a different and unplanned response from the man. Maebelle had no idea what to classify it as, but the first thought coming to mind was that it had caused pain. Or maybe her hands were very cold in comparison to the skin? She immediately tested this by using her other hand to wrap around the fingers, but no… Not as cold as ice. So even when the brunette didn’t immediately comment on it, surely Kieron could tell that she had taken notice of it (and his failed attempt to mask). The tiny frown and mixture of concern and confusion that settled on her face possibly contributed to this as well. “I’m… I should not have touched them?” Heck, that had never been discussed before!

The ice cream sounded nice and all, but that thought had escaped from her thoughts now. Instead they lingered on how she replayed the reaction in her head, wondering just where the mistake had happened. At least Maebelle managed to combine that with taking his hand (careful not to cause any harm) and to slowly guide him inside. Happiness had kept her warm while outside in her current outfit, but the fear of having caused discomfort helped the cold catch up. Either way, once inside and with the door closed behind them, the brown-haired woman spun around with the same look of concern still plastered on delicate features.

That merely lasted for a second though, perhaps because she worried that her boyfriend would confirm pain. It was why a somewhat avoidant reaction took place, yet Maebelle would blame it on the fact that she had to check on the sauce that stood on the fire. The pasta was ready by now as well. “Should be ready in a second”, she threw out while turning it all off and rapidly searching for two spaghetti plates. Mae didn’t want to ruin this moment; she didn’t want to ruin today. They hadn’t gotten a chance like this in weeks… So avoiding negative things should be effective, right? At least, she assumed it had been a bad reaction.

[Kieron Sharpe]

The physiology of Kieron's wings had long been a puzzle he had been unable to solve. They came from nothing and folded back to nothing, leaving nothing more than the scars on his shoulders, so one would assume that they would be ethereal. One would be very mistaken, however. When they were out they were heavy and cumbersome, so much so that Kieron had to keep up a fairly strict strength-training regime to enable him to be able to do more than drag them along limply behind him. They were solid, they created one hell of a draught, and they had sensation.

That was where the problem so often lay.

His teachers at Hammel had put it down to the energy that was used to create them getting stored in them, powering them and giving them sensation so he could actually use them properly. After all, it would be impossible to control them without electrical impulses from his brain, so it made sense for them to have sensation... He just struggled to understand why his body seemed to go for overkill with it. If he accidentally caught one against a wall it felt akin to being hit with a hammer, and if someone touched one of them then, well, this happened...

The feeling of her fingers brushing against the sensitive membrane of the wing was not at all painful or unpleasant – in fact, it was quite the opposite. Kieron saw the look of concern and confusion on her face and he wanted to be able to comfort her, to tell her that it didn't hurt and it was okay, but for a long moment he couldn't speak for fear of how his voice might sound. By the time he had settled his thoughts and calmed the sudden rush of blood to his head, Maebelle had already taken his hand and was gently ushering them both inside, clearly rather shaken by what had just happened. In truth, he couldn't really say he blamed her. But for the life of him, he had no idea how to explain it without sounding crude, crass or just simply stupid.

Kieron followed her back into the house, letting their fingers untwine as she went to get plates for the spaghetti and he got glasses for drinks out of the cupboard. He gave a small nod of his head when she spoke, trying to work out what the hell to say to her. “It smells great... Thank you again for this, really. It is wonderful to see you.” He placed the filled glasses down on the worktop and then went to get cutlery, but then changed his direction and stood behind Maebelle, leaning forward to rest his chin on her shoulder while she stirred the sauce. He planted a soft kiss on her cheek, fingers resting on her hips as he fought to try to figure out what to say. “It... It didn't hurt, I promise. And I don't mind you touching them, at all. It's just...” He took a steadying breath, but the next words came out slightly rushed and disjointed anyway. “It just feels... really good, in a that way and I wasn't expecting it and it caught me off guard and I'm sorry if I upset you or anything but I wasn't expecting it and you caught me by surprise and I'm sorry.” Jesus, from where his head was resting on her shoulder she could probably feel the heat radiating from his massively scarlet cheeks...

[Deleted]

When Kieron thanked her for the time that had been put into all of this, shoulders slumped slightly for those words were quite a disappointment. They were nice, yes, but not what she had been expecting to hear. The concern remained and by now hope had been given up that her boyfriend was going to address it. In her mind the conclusion was simple, but unpleasant: the touch had hurt. Perhaps it had been better for Kieron to lie about it instead of lacking any objections. Even if she might have been able to see through the lie, at least Mae wouldn’t feel the urge to start thinking her actions through. Those wings were a major part of Kieron (figural and literal). The last she wanted was to make every day a struggle to express affection towards him.

So when the nurse stepped up behind her, Maebelle tensed for the briefest of seconds – so short it might hardly be noticeable to begin with. The stirring of the sauce slowed down and her hand slowly let go of the spoon to rest on the bit of counter between her body and the fires after having switched the latter (for the sauce) off. And she listened, carefully, to what he had to say. Only when Kieron started to blurt things out did the gardener react by turning her head just slightly to catch a glimpse of him, but without him feeling the urge to pluck his away from her shoulder – at least for a couple of counts. After those, the brunette slowly spun around to gain decent eye contact. “It… didn’t hurt?” Despite his words and attempt at explaining it, her voice still housed some doubt and surprise. For a second blue optics tore themselves away for his, falling to the fabric that covered his lower torso. Just in a way to keep herself busy while processing the information, hands gave the hem a little tug, straightening it (despite it not being necessary) before plucking the tiniest of fluff off of it.

Even though Mae had not looked up at him that long, she could still tell he felt ashamed to talk about it. And while she was prone at making situations even more awkward than they were already, she at least had enough common sense to not dig further in it. “Good,” the young woman mused gentle upon gazing at Kieron again. Heck, if he looked close enough he might even detect the smallest mischievous grin at the corner of her lips. “I’m sorry for catching you off guard though.” And her tone of voice might have lacked sounding one hundred percent genuine. The fact that two words followed afterwards only backed that up. “Kind of.” It was at that point that Mae’s bright smile returned and a hand drifted up to lovingly cup his jaw.

Spaghetti? What spaghetti? At that moment she couldn’t really be bothered about the fact that the pasta might be getting too mushy by now. “The last I would want was to hurt you. And I am sorry for making you blush like a tomato.” Chuckling, Maebelle’s thumb lovingly caressed his cheek. For a second she paused, but then continued after having become a tad bit more serious again. “I really do care for you. You do know that, right?” While his other three words had not been returned, she hoped it didn’t make him doubt her feelings. “More than I have ever cared for anyone else.”

[Kieron Sharpe]

It was an embarrassing subject to talk about, and Kieron was well aware that his rambling didn’t really convey exactly what the touch did to him. He wasn’t particularly verbally gifted at the best of times, and when situations got a little more awkward and uncomfortable he often failed completely to fully explain things through. Perhaps it would be easier if he were less polite and well mannered, with a cruder tongue. Most other young men seemed to have little trouble letting a woman know exactly what effect she had on them. Perhaps it would also help if he were less afraid of what she might say or think if she realised the full truth.

As Maebelle turned around to face him Kieron straightened again, removing his chin from her shoulder and letting his arms fall loosely to his sides as their eyes met. It was still a little strange to him having lights in his home, but he was slowly coming around to them. There had never been any before Maebelle, but it just made everything so much more difficult and awkward when he had to guide her around everywhere because she couldn’t see. The lights were all low and muted, just bright enough so that Maebelle could see safely but not so bright that Kieron had to constantly squint. It made things so much easier most of the time, but right now he internally desperately wished that she could not see, just so she couldn’t glimpse just how scarlet his cheeks were and just how awkward and embarrassed his features must have been.

His wings were still out, albeit held against his back so he didn’t accidentally break anything, and he hoped that went some way to easing her anxiety. Surely if it had hurt or upset him he’d have put them away again, right. He gave her a small but hopefully reassuring smile. “I promise, it didn’t hurt in the slightest. If it did, I would have told you.” Kieron’s eyes followed Maebelle’s hands down, watching her gentle fussing with the hem of his shirt and the bit of fluff on it. His eyes stayed lingering there as she spoke again, only glancing back up when she apologised for catching him off guard. He returned her smile with a shy one of his own, a hand reaching up to brush a flyaway stand of her hair back behind her ear before falling lightly back to his side again. The shy smile turned brighter at her next words though, and he tilted his head so it rested against the warmth of her hand as she cupped his jaw. This was already better; it upset him when she was so obviously concerned as she had been moments before, especially when he wasn’t really sure how to help her through it.

He chuckled softly at her second apology, hazel eyes finally meeting blue again as he twisted his neck so he could gently kiss the thumb that was stroking his cheek in such a beautifully soothing way. As Maebelle spoke again, expressing her feelings, Kieron smiled warmly and reached up, ever so gently stroking his fingertips over the sensitive skin of her inner forearm that was reaching towards his face. “I know you do, and it’s okay, really. I want you to be happy, and I will never rush you. I could wait until the end of time. It doesn’t, and never will, change how I feel about you.” He chuckled softly, giving a very gentle kiss on the end of her thumb, trying to lighten the mood a little. “I have the right to change that statement if you try to murder me in my sleep or something, though.”

[Deleted]

Despite the lights being dimmed, granting Maebelle a chance to avoid furniture around the house, she still had a small flashlight laying around somewhere. At the moment she had no clue where it was though, mainly because she hadn’t expected him home yet. Not that it truly mattered too much. While it might be a tad bit awkward, she enjoyed being close to Kieron whenever he guided her around the house, even though (other than the dimmed lights) it wasn’t exactly required anymore given she was slowly starting to find her way by heart. The gardener was incredibly comfortable around there. The fact that a couple of plants had been placed between the curtains and the glass of the windows possibly made that clear. While not in sight, it still added a more relaxed atmosphere for the girl – and something to tend to when Kieron took care of his fish.

To hear that the touch had not hurt was a relief. It took a bit for Maebelle to be completely convinced by his words, but the nurse had a point. Unless he knew how guilty it would make the young woman feel if she were to receive confirmation of having hurt him. Luckily Kieron’s features lit up, underlining his statement, making her relax visibly. And by the time the man stopped talking in response to her brief speech about affection, she was fully at ease – and lost in those hazel eyes of his. The thumb that had just been granted a kiss slowly drifted over his lips, towards its left corner, before the hand settled upon Kieron’s shoulder. It caressed down at an incredibly slow rate, even allowing her to reply to his little joke. “Ah damnit. Hopefully I can get a refund from those assassins then…”

After her smile had expanded some, Mae leaned forward to capture his lips. Beside wanting to do so, another reason went hidden behind this. Fingers of the hand that had been sneaking down reached back far enough for tips to tease the wings that rested against his back. In the meanwhile her other hand found his, guiding it back to her hip, to the same spot where it had been before. Of course, while occupying Kieron in a kiss, she could detect his breath hitching. When lips broke apart again, the young woman was confident enough to look up at him. Perhaps the look on her face said enough, perhaps not. In case of the latter, maybe testing his wings did. Maebelle was not certain she had interpreted his explanation correctly, but something told her she had.

"They have magical powers of their own," a grin graced her lips.

[Kieron Sharpe]

Kieron had of course not been at all imposed to the small changes Maebelle had been making around the place. The plants added a nice element to the home that had never been there before, and he always made sure to tend to them when Maebelle wasn’t around. He had even started to gradually use more real plants in the numerous fish tanks, using them to replace the realistic looking but most definitely still plastic ones that had been there before. He liked to think it made the fishes happier, though in truth it did also make him a little happier too. Though not nearly as happy as the knowledge that Maebelle was obviously quite content being there, because surely she wouldn’t make the effort to move plants in if she didn’t want to be there in the first place.

There will still times when Kieron wondered just how he had become so incredibly lucky. He knew it was a cheesy thing to think, so often the fuel of Disney movies and teen romances, but he couldn’t help it. He had never achieved much in his life, he was awkward and not particularly bright, and in a town that sometimes seemed like it was full of faces that should be in blockbuster movies, he was very aware that he was rather plain looking in comparison. And yet she genuinely cared for him. This beautiful, smart, gentle and kind woman. He sighed softly, a quiet and contented sound, and his eyes flicked closed for a moment under the comforting, relaxing touch of her fingers caressing his shoulder. Her touch was like a balm, slowly easing away the stress and tension of the past few weeks, and he chuckled softly and his eyes opened again at her teasing joke. “I hope they didn’t over-charge you. I’m not worth that much.”

Kieron softly returned the kiss, enjoying her closeness and obvious comfort now she seemed certain she hadn’t hurt him. As her fingers met his he allowed his hand to be moved back to her hip, smiling softly into the kiss- right until the fingers of her other hand played across the soft downy hair along the finger of one of his wings. His gasp was muffled by the lips against his own but this time he did not flinch away from the unexpected touch. As frustrating as it would likely end up being, he embraced the soft pulses of pleasure coursing through him. His breath came in soft hitches, arms lightly looping around Maebelle’s waist and lightly holding her close, one arm cradling her lower back and the other sliding up her side and around her shoulder. There could have been little doubt now about just what effect the touch was having on the Irishman.

As they broke the kiss Kieron stood very still for a long moment, eyes closed and lips slightly parted as he tried to settle back down. The expression on his face was certainly not one of pain, and when his eyes finally opened a few long moments later they were soft but heavy with an unvoiced ache. Maebelle’s confidence was a direct contrast to Kieron’s obvious uncertainty; he knew what he wanted, but had no clue how to get there without the possible risk of going too fast and scaring her away. For a long moment he fought, trying to find suitable words, but eventually all that came out of his lips was a very quiet, unsure murmuring of “… The… The sauce is probably getting cold…”

[Deleted]

Maebelle had missed Kieron during the last couple of weeks. Their lack of spending time together could be considered a relationship test. While she clearly had survived, it had also proven hard to not check on him every single day. The main reason why the young woman had managed to refrain herself from doing so was the fact that her getting sick might have led to a discussion because it would totally have been the gardener’s fault for not listening to him. A discussion, in turn, could have weighted on their relationship. Not only had it survived the test though, Mae also came to acknowledge just how much he meant to her. And while unable to decently word that now, actions could possibly help her out.

The effect Maebelle had on him was obvious despite closed eyes. All she had to do was feel and hear, to rely on her other senses. While perhaps a tad bit evil to tease him like this, nothing was said or done to indicate she only intended for it to only last that exact moment. When they broke the kiss, however, Mae let her hand drift to the man’s upper arm. Their foreheads practically lingered together when eyelids fluttered upwards again, briefly taking in the expression on his face before eye contact was regained. The look in hers unmistakably mirrored Kieron’s, but at the same time it didn’t shock the woman that the nurse didn’t appear to catch on. It was rather disappointing, yes, yet not something that Maebelle could comment on. All the brunette could really do was accept it, right? And perhaps figure out if he was genuinely concerned about the sauce or if it was merely an excuse that worked as an interruption. If she could gather the guts.

So Mae cast the briefest of glances over her shoulder at the stove and then back up at Kieron. “Right,” she decided. Hands that had first guided his onto her body now gently peeled them off and she effortlessly spun around to have her back face him now. Lifting the pot from the fire, Maebelle took it over to the kitchen table and placed it down. During that process, however, just as it met the flat surface, the young woman bit her bottom lip. “It… the sauce could be reheated though.” And blue optics drifted over at him again as she only barely faced him – eyes suggestive and searching for his reaction – before Mae ever so slowly shuffled her feet to decently gaze at her boyfriend once more.

Maebelle felt a bit frustrated at this point. Both of them seemed to be dancing around the obvious, too ashamed or uncomfortable to decently voice the ache that seemed to be rushing through their bodies. With a little sigh, the dark-haired woman looked down at hands that were fumbling with the hem of his oversized shirt that covered a major part of her body. “I’m… not really hungry right now.” She tried while peeking over at him through eyelashes. That was probably the most straightforward that she would get, not counting the little addition that was made.

Stepping over and reclaiming his lips was an option and more clear than anything else at that moment, but the risk of being rejected or Kieron not catching on was real. No matter the outcome, though, her appetite was gone by now, so she wasn’t really lying either.

"You?"

[Kieron Sharpe]

The past few weeks had created a similar effect on the Irishman and in a way he was rather thankful for it. It had been very difficult being away from her, but it had cemented in his mind what he had believed all along. He’d always had a romantic soul and did honestly believe in love at first sight, however dated that belief might be to most, but this time apart had confirmed to him that he did truly love her and it was more than just a simple infatuation or lustful longing.

Although he would be unable to deny that he’d held many thoughts about her along those lines.

Kieron had always been a very patient man, and despite his claims to the contrary, he had also always been a rather fearful one. This was true with Maebelle more than anyone or anything else. He did not fear violence or hatred or abuse; his fear was of causing fear in her. For as much as he had craved greater intimacy with her, he had never pursued it for the worry of rushing her, upsetting her or frightening her. It had been a little difficult sometimes, admittedly, but he valued her happiness and contentment far more than he valued his physical urges. She would let him know when she was ready to take that next step and until that time he was content to love her, regardless of whether or not she voiced her own love for him.

As hungry as he may actually have been, the truth was that at the moment he didn’t have a single care to give about the sauce. It was difficult for him to care about anything other than her when she was there, and the lingering sensation of her fingers against his wing was doing nothing to abate that. He was just afraid of potentially rushing her, of trying to instigate something that she may have not been ready for, and the sauce had been the first thing his brain had been able to think to mention that wasn’t begging her to let him hold her.

For as slow on the uptake as Kieron sometimes could be, even he didn’t miss the dejected look on her face as he mentioned the sauce, and her following words and movements left no doubt in his mind about her actual intentions. Butterflies began to swarm madly in his stomach as he stepped forwards, closing the gap between them, and rested his hands once more upon her hips. This time though they did not settle on the fabric and instead curled underneath it, long fingers softly stroking over her smooth skin, running around her sides and then across her lower back, gently pulling her close. His voice was low, husky, and hazel eyes heavy with a hunger that food would not sate met hers. “I think I’ll cope without for a while.”

The vast wings folded and disappeared into his back as Kieron pulled them back in, his lips meeting Maebelle’s as he ran his hands up her back, under her shirt, his movements deliberately slow and careful, ready to pull back instantly if she spooked.