Wink wink, nudge nudge. Absolutely nothing. Maniacal laughter//
Halo walks beside John, listening to Natalia explain in great detail his old home. He smiles as she talks, adoring just being beside John. He hums softly, looking around. He smelled rain, but also the very faint smell of something familiar. What, he could not say.
John rested his head on Halo’s shoulder, listening intently to Natalia describe Halo’s previous home. He tried to imagine it- Halo, here before they had even met each other and talking with people. He probably had more friends than just Natalia, too. And now John was here with Halo, together. They’d always be together, the thought fanning the fire of love in his heart.
Natalia was going to g on about their animal rehab when a scream shattered the sky. Halo jumps. A woman screamed, and a loud hiss filled the air. The smell of burning rubber became stronger as a black blob of something attacks supernaturals. Many out up fights, others ran. Halo forces John behind him. It was the monster from the cave. The one that had destroyed his life before it came back together again.
John’s world seemed to freeze around him as he stumbled back behind Halo. Then it shattered. Nononononononono- It was here. This fear lurking inside him transformed into reality. Flashes of blood, of Halo, of fire. The memory hammered at his mind. John feet forgot how to move, his mind seemed to forget all his training and logic. “N-No, it’s not real, it’s not real, H-Halo I’m s-seeing things again,” John was panicking, “Make it s-stop.”
Halo turns towards John. "Baby. Calm. Down. It's okay. You're okay. Natalia, do you think you can cast a protective spell?" He says softly. Natalia nods and looks at John. "Hey. Come with me." She tugs at his wrist. Halo kisses his cheek. "Go with her. Meet me at the edge of the forest." He says gently.
“I c-can’t,” John wanted Halo- he needed Halo. He needed safe. He needed this illusion of his mind to be over. John was reduced to distraught whispers, “It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real-“ Another scream made him flinch, and his feet somehow started to move and obey Natalia’s tugging.
Halo kissed him softly yet passionately. "It's okay baby. I'll be there soon. I promise. Just… Get out of here." He kisses John again before nodding to Natalia. Natalia guides John to a quiet alley and focuses, making them teleport to the edge of the city. She glances at John. "Hey." She says softly, sitting him down. "I know Halo. He's a fighter. He's going to be okay."
“B-But what if he’s not?” John whispered, “What if he’s ends up bleeding and in pain, what if that monster hurts him, what if-“ John buried his face in his hands, but a few breaths he showed his arm to Natalia. The names that lined it. “They’re my fault. This is all my fault. When we first went into that cave- my fault, I was the one that wanted to run from the army, I was the one that rushed it. It’s all my fault. Even after that, it’s my fault he changed into a demon, I caused him that pain. I caused them all pain.” There it was. The raw truth. The pure guilt that silently waged on John shoulders, that spurred the fear of causing someone else pain again. And here he was, hiding while the love of his life was fighting a beast to protect him. And if Halo gets hurt again…
She gently takes his arm, tracing the names with a delicate finger. "You can't doubt Halo, John. Him becoming a demon was his choice. He won't leave you." She says gently. "It's not your fault." She looks towards the village. "He has a burden that he carries by himself, John. Behind that fascade he always had a demon lurking behind him. But John, seeing you with him made me see the real, happy him. You need to have faith in him." She says gently, sitting beside him. Natalia gently places a hand on his wrist. "He's gonna be okay. If I know Halo, he's going to be okay."
John took a few deep breaths, and it seemed his vision cleared, in a way. He picked his head up, worry still etching his features, but… He calmed down, a little bit. “Okay,” John breathed, his shoulders sagging a little and he tried to believe it. He tried to believe that Halo would be okay. John looked back, towards the town, “How long do you think it will take before we can go back in?” How long until that beast is killed? How long until I can make sure Halo is safe?
Natalia shrugs. "I'm not sure." She says softly. "We just wait for Halo's signal."
After an hour or so of ceaseless waiting a dark red streak flew into the sky and exploded like a firework. Natalia stands, "That was Halo's signal! Come on!" She grabs John's wrist and teleports them to the edge of the town. People were slowly flooding back into the streets. On the ground surrounded by a pool of blood, was Halo, his wings wrapped around himself and a small child. A little boy looking to be around the age of five. One of his wings seemed to be broken, his eyes shut tight, a large gash in his back. But the monster was no more.
John froze for a second, hands shaking a little bit before he sprinted to Halo’s side, “Halo, gosh Halo-“ John saw the child, his heart stopped for a second. Then he was moving, gently but firmly nudging Halo’s wings aside and putting his hands gently over the wound and pushing his healing powers onto the boy’s gash.
Halo looks weakly up at John, smiling a little. The boy began to relax, his breathing easing slowly. Halo wraps an arm around the boy once John was done healing. Halo groans softly, reaching up to caress John's cheek gently. "You made it out." He says softly, before smiling.
A wave of relief washed through him at the sight of that smile. “I did. Are you okay?” John asked immediately, his eyes searching over Halo for any injury or pain, “Please tell me you didn’t get hurt.”
At that Halo falters. He unfurls one of his great wings to show long gashes along the feathers. "Unfortunately…" He sighs and slowly stands, gently picking the little boy up.
John’s breath stopped for a second, panic racing in his eyes as he stood to, not able to take his eyes off the wound, “We- I- I can heal this, right?” His hands hovered just above the wound, a tiny fear rooted in him that he might make it worse. A familiar fear.
Halo gently takes John's hand. "Yes. But to much healing can hurt you in the process. Be careful." He says gently. He extends his wing to the other, letting John's hand rest on the feathers.
John slowly pushed his healing powers onto the wound, being very careful and delicate as he let the power drain out of him and onto Halo to heal him. John felt exhausted by the time his hand slipped down to his side, but he did the best he could, and at least Halo wasn’t bleeding anymore, “How does it feel now?” John asked, a tiny bit of worry tainting his words.
Halo let's out a soft sigh as his wing is healed. "Thank you, love. That feels much better." He kisses his cheek gently and gently holds the boy in his arms, looking around for someone to claim the child. He was breathing softly and Halo turned slowly in a circle. No one rose to take him. Halo glances at John in worry.
(I cannot stop smiling about this an I’m in the middle of class)
John bit his lip, looking over the child. He was just so cute… Please let at least one of his parents be alive, he shouldn’t be orphaned…. “Does anyone know this child’s parents?” John asked the surrounding people, concern etched in his face.
People shook their head, and Halo looks at John with worry. Halo looks at the young boy, and the small one began to open his eyes, they were different colored. One was crystal blue the other earthen brown.
“Hey,” John said softly, looking at those cute little eyes. He bit his lip, looking at the crowd another time. He took a deep breath, glancing at Halo before returning his gaze to the boy and asking, “What’s your name?”
"Alvor." He says softly, looking at Halo and John. His eyes were filled with curiousity and interest. Halo looks around before looking at Alvor. "Where are your parents?" The younger looks down. "Momma's dead… The monster killed her…" He says softly.
John put his hand over his mouth, worry filling his eyes, “Oh no…” His voice came out little more than a whisper, then he looked to Halo. “Do you think we should…” He didn’t want to ask when the boy was right there, so he whispered as quietly as he could into Halo’s ear, “Do you think we should… watch over him? At least until he finds a more… permanent home?” A secret little selfish part of him was actually… happy, at the idea of having a child to look after. He scolded himself for it, knowing that Alvor was just orphaned.
Halo nods slowly, a small smile crossing his lips. He looks at Alvor before saying softly, "Would you like to stay with me and my fiance, John?" He asks gently. The boy perks and looks at John and Halo. He nods slowly and shyly, looking at them with soft and curious eyes. Halo looks at John. "We have our answer." He says gently.