Halo smiles internally. He loved this, he loved John. He lets out a soft noise as John deepened the already passionate kiss. He loved the feel of John's lips against his, they were rougher than Halo's but he was already hooked. When John pulled away for a split second, he caught his breath, and allowed John to return to kissing him. He clings to John, desperate not to let him go.
John’s hand’s moved to Halo’s back, lightly caressing around the other’s shoulder blades. But his army instincts had to kick in eventually, and so he slowly pulled away. He didn’t go too far, but he finally spoke quietly, “We need to go, the men will be searching…” His lazy eyes were just half open as he looked in Halo’s eyes, really wanting another kiss before he became more responsible.
Halo smiles a little at the gentle caresses, he rarely received gentle attention like this. He sighs softly and pulls away, smiling gently. "Y-yeah… I suppose… It sounds like the battle has slowed down a little." His eyes were half lidded. He wanted to desperately kiss John again. He gently kisses John again, this one sweet, tender and chaste before smiling a little. "Let's go."
“I…” Gosh John was at a complete lose after that final kiss. I just got kissed by you. John didn’t want to go, he didn’t want to have to leave and deal with his officials and army. But John had responsibilities, so he forced himself to stand, holding out a hand to help Halo up too. That male was so darn beautiful…
Halo takes his hand gently, standing. He winces as he draws his wings into his back. It was always a painful process pulling his wings back into his back. He takes a small shuddering breath once they were hidden away and smiles up at John with a warm gaze. He gives Johns hand a gentle squeeze. I love you… I would do anything for you…
John felt little butterflies in his stomach and he kept his hand entwined with Halo’s, and started slowly walking on achey muscles towards where the camp had been, but careful to stay away from the tree line. If someone recognized Halo as ‘the demon’… John still had his sword at his belt if he needed it. He looked at Halo with a concerned face, “Do you think you’ll be okay?”
Halo smiles, leaning against the other as he hums softly under his breath. He was glad that John loved him. He sighs softly, a little smile on his lips. Halo follows after John, his gaze concerned and loving. He didn't want John to exert himself to much. "I'll be fine. I've had worse." He smiles sweetly. He had a quick flash back about falling off a building but he shakes it off.
John gave a small smile. I shouldn’t be doing this -I’m in the army- I’m not good enough for him… But despite his inner troubles, he leaned a little bit closer to Halo as they approached camp. It looked quiet, but it was clear that they won when John saw the prisoners of war. He stopped walking and look at Halo, “You should probably stay here.”
Halo stands beside John, humming faintly, his eyes gazing at the ground. When he feels John lean a little closer he smiles and looks up. Then he saw the camp. "It's so quiet." He whispers towards the other. He nods at John's words. "Alright." he whispers, looking around.
“I promise I’ll be back, don’t be seen,” John couldn’t resist pecking Halo on the cheek before turning away and heading for the camp, feeling slightly colder now that he was away from Halo. It took until he passed two tents did someone let out a holler.
His friend, aged in his forties, Brennan, came up and embraced John (as a friend), “Gosh, son, where have you been!? Me and the boys have been worried, we couldn’t find you body or nothing.” John let out a shaky laugh, and spun up a tale that he had stumbled into the woods alone when he made it out of a deadly fight, and passed out from exhaustion.
Halo nods as he watches the other leave, smiling at the quick peck. He places a hand on his cheek before quickly dodging into the cover of the trees, climbing into the thick branches. He sighs softly, brushing some hair from his face as he gazes down at the camp.
John was taken into a tent, where a man, not a nurse or doctor, gave a quick sweep of his injuries. Apparently they didn’t have enough medically trained people to spare, so they taught a few people how to notice festering wounds or injuries that really needed to be fixed. John checked out, and then one of his higher ups came in, “John, how are you doing?”
He nodded, doing a quick salute, “I’m doing better, ma’am. I wanted to talk to you about something important,” John unintentionally took a small pause, and the woman interrupted him.
“Now, Captain Ford, I’m sure you heard, or possibly saw, what the other side had?” The woman raised her eyebrows slightly as she questioned John, which didn’t sit well with him.
He hesitantly responded, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about, ma’am.”
It looked as if that was what the woman expected, “The enemy weren’t fighting alone, John. They had a demonic creature, that now runs free. So we plan to hunt it down, I want you to be the lead of that mission.”
John paled, and stood from nervousness, “Are you sure that-“
“John, it’s an order.” A shiver went down his spine. Was this a test? Someone might have said how John had defended Halo in battle…
So many thoughts ran through his head, he simply forced out, “Okay, ma’am, I get right on it.” The he speed walked out the door, ignoring the woman’s last words to him. Once he got out, Brennan was waiting for him, but he ran past him, jogging towards the woods. Need to get out, need to get Halo, need to protect him…
Halo leans against the branches, staring at the sky. He was crippled, he couldn't fly. He sighs softly, and shakes his head, turning has gaze back towards the camp. John seemed to be taking a very long time. He glances up at footsteps and smiles when he sees John. He leaps down from the branches gracefully. "John!" He calls, smiling a little.
John turned to Halo, slightly panicked by his own thoughts, “Halo, we need to get you out, they’re going to send search parties, and hunt you down and-“ John grabbed Halo’s hand and already started pulling him deeper into the woods, “-And we really need to go.”
Halo starts when he sees the other panicked, "John-" His eyes widen with fear when he hears that people are coming after them. "J-John…" He stumbles after the others, his breathing harsh and quick.
John looked at Halo with a worried, hopeless look. Gosh, most times he had it under control, but he was only 24 and all of it was starting to crack when he didn’t have much control like this. He tried desperately to blink away the tears, to be strong for Halo, to keeping moving and get out. But John let out a small pained sentence, “I-I can’t protect you this time.” Because John would now be right with Halo, he couldn’t stop the search parties, he could control them. He could just kill people anymore to protect the ones he loved, because his friends would be coming after them now.
Halo's eyes widen fear on his eyes, his lips trembling. "J-John!" He couldn't keep up. He stumbles, trembling and falling. He grunts in pain, shutting his eyes. "I-It's okay." He whispers. He slowly tries to stand, but he couldn't. "I-it's okay. I-If we have to we can turn me in. I can show them I'm on their side." He whispers. He was so tired of running.
“Ohmygoshohmygosh,” John breathed in a panic, halting as soon as Halo fell and landing beside him on the dirt, scanning over Halo’s body for injury or pain. He wanted to do something, to comfort, but felt like he jut couldn’t help, “Halo, Halo, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
"No, no. It's okay. It's okay." He whispers, leaning against John, wincing in pain. He leans against the other. "John, calm down. You need to be able to think." He whispers, squeezing his hand gently. "Easy."
John let his head drop, letting the tears fall as he wrapped his arms around Halo finally, more looking for comfort than being able to give it. He tried to speak but every word was interrupted with sniffles, “Halo- I- I can’t do- can’t do anything to- to stop it- I can’t protect you-“ John dug his head into Halo’s shoulder as his world fractured. He couldn’t be the big strong soldier anymore, he couldn’t pretend to be okay with killing people as a job. It was too much right now, too much to a point which made him finally break.
Halo starts when he sees John break down. "Oh, John…" He whispers, holding the other gently. He runs a soothing hand through the others hair and sighs softly holding the other. "John, I can just turn myself in. I can show that I'm on their side." He whispers, running a soothing hand through John's hair. "I can try and do something." He mumbles. "It's okay. Who's the guardian here?" He assures gently. He just holds the other. "It's okay. It's okay."
“You-You-You-“ John let out a large sob, clutching the other as his sholdiers shook and tears poured out of his eyes. You can’t go, they’ll hurt you, I won’t be able to stop them- Another larger sob cake out of him as he tried to say, “Pl-pl-please don’t g-go.”
"Shhh. John, calm down." He whispers gently, holding him. "It's okay, it's okay." He whispers softly, holding the other gently. "I've got you." He whispers. He didn't know what to do. "Shhh. Calm down."
John slowly, so slowly, stopped the outright sobs as he leaned into Halo’s warmth. He felt so… so broken. He slowly stopped himself to small sniffles, “I’m sorry, I’m- I’m scared.” The words -words that John had always been desperate to admit- finally came out as he tried to steady his breathing.
"I've got you." He whispers softly, hugging the other gently. He didn't want to see John like this. It hurt him. "Shh…" He whispers, running his hand through John's hair, humming softly. He places a gentle kiss on John's forehead.