Slumber

The 5th installment of Bless!

It's just a filler at the moment, because this is such a slow story, but I've mapped out the rest of the story so it definitely is coming together :)

Enjoy!
And to all the Canadians: HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

::

Sam pauses his knuckles over the grain of Sarah's apartment door, twisting slightly to procure his cell phone from the pocket of his sweat pants to check the time. He sucks in a breath at the late hour, glad he hadn't knocked, in case they are asleep. Stepping back, he scrummages for the nick in the door frame, tongue peeking at his intense concentration as he feels the boards making up the frame with his fingertips.

Dropping his duffelbag onto the floor, he snags the thin string painted the same colour as the boards, and hooks it with his pinky. Tugging the key out of the hidden nook, he chuckles in triumph.

"That little sneaky creature," he playfully chides as he sticks the key into the doorknob and unlocks the door with a congratulatory ping of successfully interlocking metal hooks. 'Always thinking up new hiding places. Hasn't changed a bit.'

Softly, he peels the door open, surprised the lights of the apartment are all on. He recognizes the blaring of infomercials from the living room and he frowns, hoping she hasn't waited up for him.

Locking the door behind him and abandoning his bag with his shoes, his frown lifts at a corner when he enters the scene. Holding back a chuckle, he tiptoes to the T.V. to switch it off, silencing the incessant chattering and revealing the snores escaping from the couch.

For a moment he just watches, absorbing the oblivious couple tucked into the cushions. 'No wrinkles', he marvels, relieved to see his childhood friend as she was years before the worry and stress inhabited her thin shoulders and collected on her brow.

Her hair is tousled, splayed out around her face like an aura to highlight her cheekbones and jaw. A strand tickles her temple and she absently scrunches her face to deter the offending lock. She has slid down the couch to lay across the length of the furniture, her right arm tossed above her head, and her left wrapped around the boy snuggled deep into her chest.

A spark of jealousy spikes through his veins and he remembers the challenging stare the "innocent angel" had displayed.

"You damn cheat," he hisses, and attempts to wipe off the pout that wants to settle on his lips. Instead, to break the losing battle and to satisfy the jealousy building up inside his chest, he pokes Sarah in the cheek, none-too-gently, to wake her up.

After the fifth poke, all unforgiving, she starts to move, although only to shift away from the attack. "Leave me alone," she mutters in her sleep, slipping her arm from around Blue and flipping away to face the back of the couch. "I'm sleepy."

He almost doesn't contain his laughter when Blue is effectively tossed off the edge of the couch from her roll. Managing to stifle his laughter to a smug grin, he remarks, "Looks like both of us are on our own tonight."

Noticing her struggle to curl up against the couch, he twists his mouth before scooping her up into his arms. She doesn't move a lid as she settles into the crooks of his arms as he transfers her into her own bed. Automatically, she sinks into her familiar duvet and pillow, ignoring the feelings of the man watching over her.

Sighing, he pivots on his heel, ready to make himself comfortable on her couch, when he realizes who is making his way to the bedroom.

"Oh, no, you don't," he whispers, wrenching Blue out of the doorway and into the living room. "You get the love seat and I'll take the couch, you sneak," he announces, waiting pointedly for Blue to obey.

As if taking the moment to think over the demand, Blue slowly complies and lays on the cushions, not meeting Sam's eyes as he stares off at the ceiling. Taking this as a sign of obedience, Sam retrieves the spare blankets and pillows from her hallway closet and tosses one of each to the motionless boy before settling himself on the couch so his long legs hang off an armrest with minimal discomfort.

::

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Angelic

Continuation of Gratitude, of my current story-project Bless. 

So take a read and let me know what you think~!

(It would be much appreciated!) 

::

Sarah jumps and smacks her head on the edge of the sink counter when Sam calls for her. Rubbing the aching spot with a groan, she grabs the first aid kit from the cupboard under the sink, hand still cupping the bump forming on the crown of her head, and abandons the bathroom for her bedroom, alarmed by the anxious tone in Sam's voice.

She almost skids into Sam's back, stopping the collision with the hand holding the kit slamming into his hard back. His lean 6'9 stature doesn't move when she touches him and his stillness unnerves her. "Sam," she starts, peeking at his wide eyed expression. He holds up his hand to say something, the makings of a smile wavering around an open-mouthed awe. Nothing escapes his mouth so he points away from her.

She has forgotten about Blue in her frantic to decipher what is wrong with Sam, so she is surprised when she turns to face Sam's amazement and sees Blue on her bed. To be more accurate, what is attached to Blue drops her jaw. 

"Blue?" she squeaks, but can't find any more words.

Sam breaks into a grin. "You went to get the first aid kit so I thought I'd face whatever was hidden under the bandages before you did, y'know, because of your silly squeamishness." Sarah snaps her head towards him at the jest, ready to retort but he continues. "So I managed to convince him to let me peek at his shoulder blades, I mean, on the court I see a lot of bones get broken, but his shoulder blades just didn't look right, so I unraveled the bandages and they just peeled off, then, Sarah, you see them. I wasn't sure what to do. I mean, they're feathers! Feathers! He has feathers, Sarah!"

Turning away from Sam's excited smile and twinkling eyes, she inches closer to the edge of the mattress, catching Blue's attention from the jersey spread flat on the sheets over his knees. At the sight of her, he greets Sarah with his familiar cherub smile and silent laughter, leaping from the pillows in a bound. 

Sarah freezes, stunned by his leap, but mostly by the arc of his slow descent as the wings on his back beat with his excitement and momentarily catch air. His impact slams her to the ground, and if Sam wasn't there to catch her, she would have ended up with another bump on the head. 

Blue pops his head up from her neck, his laughter a silent melody as his wings flex behind him. Her fingers cautiously reach towards his left wing with an itching mind of their own, and when he notices her endeavor before she does, he turns and stretches the wing closer so the light tips brush her fingertips. "So soft," she murmurs, stroking the long, gossamer white feathers and tufts of down clustered closer to the base of his wing. "What are you?" she breathes, gingerly brushing her fingers over the area around the base of the wing. It's smooth and flawless, and the muscles corded underneath and around his shoulder blade stretch and relax under her touch with natural ease.

A sound escapes his mouth and Sarah, startled by the only noise he has ever made, flinches her hand away only to recognize the sound, not as a cry of distress, but a giggle. Relieved that she hasn't hurt him, she grins, mirroring his contagious happiness, and without a moment's hesitance, tickles him under his ribs. 

He squeals and his previous silent laughter finally awakens to a melodic sound that carries, like a cool, light sheet dotted with twinkling stars spread overhead. The chime of his high pitched giggles bounce with the same joy radiating from his flushed cheeks. 

Sam clears his throat, ceasing the playful session so they both relay their attention to him. He has settled on the floor beside them, cross-legged, which is quite a feat for a professional basketball player, and has lost his childish glee to a more somber expression. "I think we need to discuss this first before you get too attached. Sarah, sit up, please," he commands and she obeys, imitating his seating, allowing Blue to crawl into her lap. 

She recognizes the tone and expression from when they were younger and a serious atmosphere was required for situations. "You're right," she agrees, smiling briefly at Blue who lays his palm on her cheek with confusion evident in his eyes. 

"Blue," Sam asks, diverting Blue's attention from Sarah. "How old are you? Eight? Nine? You look around ten." Blue doesn't reply, instead, he tilts his head similarly as he had when Sarah had asked him in the park. "Do you know where you live? Where your parents are?" Again, no answer. 

Sam pauses to think, his left hand burying itself in his mussed dark hair, tugging as if to pull up an answer. Finally, he leans forward to meet Blue's curious gaze and asks, "Blue, where did you come from?"

Immediately Blue smiles and shoots his arm up to point his delicate fingers to the ceiling. His eagerness to please radiates, and when he twists to Sarah for praise, she pats his head with a smile, although slightly worried. 

"I think we need to take him to the police," Sam starts, then slaps his face with his hand and changes his mind. "No, no they won't believe this. A boy with angel wings." He barks out a laugh before snapping his fingers. With eyes alight with an idea, he scrambles to his feet. "Hold on," he says, "I've got someone to call." With that said, he leaves the bedroom with his hand digging in the pocket of his sweatpants for his cellphone.

Dumbfounded by his departure, Sarah gazes at the boy nestled in her lap. "Angel, huh?" she whispers and finds herself surprised by how easily she can accept the situation. He perks up at her voice and mouths the word, so she repeats it for him. 

The word flows from his bud lips after a couple soundless efforts until he forces the air from his lungs so the last syllable of the word is heard like a bell in the air. His voice is beautiful, like a song. He repeats the word over and over, as if mesmerized by the accomplishment, and Sarah is enchanted by the symphony of his exuberance. 

"Who has connections?" Sam sings, sliding into the bedroom with his hands in the air and effectively interrupting the concert. He hooks his thumbs so they point down to his cocky smile and raised eyebrows as he proclaims, "This guy!"

Blue pauses to stare at Sam's pose in the doorway and Sarah is just as befuddled. "Is that really necessary?" she asks sarcastically, and his mock glare automatically ignites an eye roll from her.

"I was just on the phone with one of the city's top detectives and he says he'll be on the lookout for any missing children reports fitting Blue's description, but y'know, without the detail of his wings." 

"How do you know a detective?" she asks, dubious.

"He's on speed dial for some of the players on my team who need a watchdog for their girlfriends during the season. He's real famous for being anonymous and really good at investigation. Everyone knows him."

Still concerned, she asks, "What's his name?"

"He goes by Detective R," he brags, rubbing his fingernails on the chest of his shirt.

"Never heard of him," she bluntly replies and shifts Blue off her lap so she can stand. 

"Well you shouldn't," Sam answers pointedly, a catty grin smeared on his face with matching twinkles in his eyes. "Or he wouldn't be one of the city's top detectives."

"Fair enough. Now, before we get all caught up in this, because heaven only knows what else is going to happen now that a detective is involved," she raises her eyebrows at this, pointedly staring at Sam. He rolls his eyes at her in the same manner she had, but the excitement in the quirk of his mouth refuses to settle. "We need to deal with Blue, and I mean, it's obvious he's staying here with me, but Sam, I know nothing about children."

Sarah slumps onto her mattress and massages her forehead with her fingertips, strained by the responsibility. Blue immediately clambers to her side, and Sarah peeks through her fingers when he wraps his hands to pull her fingers from her face. Finally noticing his nakedness, she leans away from him to stretch across the bed for the jersey still spread on the sheets. 

"Right, my apartment is lacking on the nutrition and household necessities," Sam admits as she guides Blue's crown and arms through their respective holes. "But I could stay over tonight, although I've got practice in the morning."


"Really?" she asks with a smile of relief. Sarah tugs the jersey so it covers Blue up, and her mood gently lifts with Blue's admiration of his new favorite shirt. "Thanks Sam. I know how busy you are."

"Not at all, sweets. I just wish I could do more with my schedule. But before I say anything further, 'cuz you know I would, I have to hit up the gym with my team."

Surprised, her eyes widen and she starts an apology only for him to silence her with a chuckle. 

"Plenty of time for me to catch them," he reassures and strides towards her to bow forward and softly peck a kiss in her hair. "Now, don't fret while I'm gone. I'll be back in a couple of hours. Just make sure he eats something and drinks his juice; he didn't finish it, like he should have."

A silent battle rages as the boys lock eyes for a moment until Blue turns away to smile at her attention. "That's simple, I can handle that," she verifies, but more for herself than for him.

"Awesome, so I'm off," he calls, quickly ruffling Blue's feathery hair, chuckling when Blue frowns, and heads out the door. 

The sound of the door thudding shut at Sam's departure leaves the duo in silence. 

Blue shimmies closer to her side, snuggling almost into her lap in an attempt to attract her attention again, and Sarah chuckles at the feathers poking from the collar and short sleeves of the jersey. 

"We definitely need to figure out your clothing situation. This just won't do," she notes as he attempts to flutter his wings under the fabric constraint. He pouts, frustrated by the defiance of his favorite shirt to the whims of his wings. 

::

Goodness! It's taken quite the time to finish this chapter!

I haven't had the time to work on it, but after a lot of encouragement to continue from friends on Protagonize, I have made it a mission to work on it in any spare time (when my brain hasn't fallen asleep, that is!). 

So thank you all for your support! Each comment and review sparks life into my mind and reminds me of why I write :)

Also, I've been hit with quite a bit of inspiration for short stories and character ideas, which hopefully don't interfere with Bless! So I will definitely attempt to write them up, and if not, when this semester is over, there will be a lot for you to read :P

Always busy, but placing my best smile forward,

Mera! :)

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