"I-I just… we hardly even know each other and you already want to do so much for me… I don't know why you think I'm worth it. I haven't really done anything to deserve it…" Joey relaxed a bit into the touch, but shivered, obviously unused to it.
“You have been yourself,” Sol said, continuing to stroke the angel’s wings. “And you are lovely. I have been told I can move too fast, so if you are uncomfortable with anything, please tell me.”
"I'm not lovely… I'm the worst…" Joey mumbled. "I'm weak and fragile and anxious and… and broken and wrong…" His breathing hitched and he started shaking a bit harder. "I-I appreciate you wanting to help, honestly, and I'm very grateful that you're willing, I just… I don't see what you see in me."
“You are not broken or wrong, Joey,” Sol said softly, but firmly. “You are fighting your own battle, and you are brave to do so.” He turned his face to press a kiss to the angel’s head. “I’ll help you see it, okay? See that you are good and absolutely worth it.”
Joey hiccuped again and clung tighter to Sol, not entirely sure how to react to this. "I-I… thank… t-thank you…" He stammered. "Even if I don't know why you're willing to help me, I… thank you anyway…"
Sol wrapped his arms around Joey’s thin frame and held him close. “Of course, estello. I would not be who and where I am today if my sister had not seen my battle and been there for me,” he said. “I won’t leave you to fight alone.”
Joey nodded weakly, wrapping his wings more tightly around himself as Sol hugged him. "O-Okay…" He whispered. "If that's what you want to do, I can't… I can't stop you. I won't stop you."
“I will be here for you,” Sol said softly. “But everything is up to you. If I push too much, tell me, okay?”
"Okay…" Joey huddled closer, seeming a bit drained from crying. "M'sorry…" He mumbled weakly.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Sol murmured, stroking Joey’s wing. “It’s okay, Joey, I promise.”
"Mmm…" He relaxed a bit more into the petting, but still seemed uneasy. "This is a lot to put on you a day after we met…"
“I have been told that for an immortal I can take things rather quickly,” Sol said. “But know that it is not too much, I am happy to be here for you and get to know you better.”
Joey nodded weakly. "I-I guess we should probably try and get to know each other a bit more then, yeah?" He laughed dryly and sat up, rubbing at his teary eyes with one fist. His cheeks, eyes, and nose were all blotched with pink, which made the blue of his eyes more prominent.
Sol gently wiped away a couple of stray tears from Joey’s cheeks. “That’s a good idea,” he replied, gazing back at Joey’s bright blue eyes. “What would you like to know?”
"I-I dunno… um…" Joey was quiet for a moment. "Are you an angel too?" He asked curiously. "I mean, I've never seen an angel without white wings, but… there's exceptions to everything."
“No, I’m not an angel,” Sol answered with a smile. “I am fey. There are different kinds of fey, and my people have wings. Most of us have brown wings, a few have grey or black wings.”
"Ohhh… interesting." Joey examined Sol's wings, hesitating before gently reaching out to touch them. "My wings are really sensitive to touch. Are yours the same?"
Sol shivered slightly at the gentle touch. “Ah, yes, they certainly are,” he replied. “Physical affection towards our wings is common, but only between family and friends. If a stranger or enemy were to touch my wings, it would be considered a challenge.”
Joey nodded a bit and pulled his hand away, huddling up against Sol's chest again. "Physical interaction other than like, shaking hands or something isn't particularly common amongst angels. It's so stiff up there…"
“Stars, I would hate that,” Sol said, cradling Joey close. “My people are very physical affectionate, even outside our wings. My sister loved tackling me when we were fledgelings.”
Joey smiled weakly. "That sounds nice… my siblings and I trained together sometimes, but we didn't do a whole lot of playing. Not out in public, anyway. Sometimes we made up our own little games to play inside."
Sol nuzzled the top of Joey’s head. “What are your siblings like?” he asked. “I haven’t met many angels, they usually stay out of this territory.”
"Mm…. my big brother, Jay, was really nice when we were kids. He's the oldest, so my parents put a lot of pressure on him, and he started becoming more distant and stressed… I always tried to spend time with him whenever I could. Jezzy, my sister, is a bit rebellious. Since she's the only girl and the middle child, she got away with a lot more than Jay and I ever did. I'm the youngest of the three of us."
Sol nodded with a hum. “I’m the youngest as well. My older sister, Krystal, is the second youngest according to birth order, but the eldest of our line still living. she’s the only one of my siblings i have known and she practically raised me.”
Joey nodded a bit and shifted to be a bit closer. "Mm… how many siblings do you have?" He asked softly. "I've just got the two…"