Wings of Gray

As soon as Mike was sure Alex was asleep he stood.

"Where are you going? You promised him-" Mikes dad was cut off by Mikes yelling.

"I'm going to go find that son of a bitch who hurt him!" Mike screamed, pointing at Alex. Alex stirred and moved his good arm above his head.

Mike lowered his voice.

"I'm not going to let him get away with this." Mike whispered and pointed towards Alex again.

"I'm not either. But I'm not about to go and chop his balls off and get myself in trouble." Mikes father whispered back.

Mike paced the room. "God I just want to get my hands around his skinny little neck..." Mike began but stopped halfway through. He threw up his hands and leaned against the wall.

"Alex needs you right now. He needs you here with him. Not out there getting arrested for assault." Mike's dad said.

"More like manslaughter." Mike mumbled.

"Come on. Let's go to the cafeteria and get some coffee. Your mom ran home to get you a change of clothes and some stuff to keep you busy.

We both figured it would take military force to get you to leave his side." His dad smiled.

"Would take a lot more then that." Mike looked up and the two men walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One week later

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike unlocked the door and held it open as Alex hobbled in. His ankle was still to sore to walk on but he wasn't able to use crutches.

He leaned on Mike's dad for support and leaned against a wall while they picked up his and Mike's bags from the hospital.

"Thanks again for letting me stay here." Alex said.

"Really Alex, it's no problem. You can't be expected to work at the foster home in your condition and you have no where else to go." Mike's mom smiled.

"Plus, it's a joy having you here." She added.

Alex smiled and gladly accepted Mike's open arms. Sweat cover his forehead just from attempting to stand on his own for so long.

"Ok, let's try and get you upstairs, yeah?" Mike said and looped Alex's arm around his shoulders. Alex leaned into them and made their way up the stairs.

"How about you take a nap and then after dinner you can shower? You seem a little tired right now." Mike said as they reached his room.

Mike sat him down on the bed and Alex sighed with relief.

"Sounds good." Alex said. His voice was still scratchy and hoarse but the bruising around his throat was almost gone. The doctor had said his voice would return to normal soon.

"Come on, songbird. Lay down and I'll go get you another pillow." Mike said. He laid him down on the bed gently and put the covers over his thin body.

Alex was thin before but he had lost even more weight while in the hospital.

"I hardly sound like a songbird." Alex said.

"Not now, but you will. I always loved your voice." Mike said as he gently propped him up on some pillows.

Mike turned and walked down the hall to get Alex another pillow. When he returned the young man was already asleep.

Mike smiled and put the pillow on the bed before shutting out the lights and leaving him to sleep in peace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike sat Alex on the bed while he started the shower.

"Damn, your mom can cook." Alex said.

"Yeah, I know." Mike said as he tested the warmth of the shower. He got a towel from the closet and set it on the toilet for when Alex got out.

"Do you think you can do it yourself? I can help you if you want." Mike said with a mischievous grin.

"I can do it." Alex laughed. "If you help me stand up." He added.

Mike moved to the bed and undressed him before he helped him stand and get into the shower.

"I'll just be in our room getting some reading for English done. Call me if you need anything." Mike said.

He stepped out of the bathroom and hesitated at the close door. As a second thought he left it open a crack.

He sat on his bed and pulled out the English book he had to read.

He had only been reading for a short time before he heard something from the bathroom. He looked up and listened.

He heard it again, a sob. He swung his legs around to the side of the bed and stood after setting his book face down onto the bed.

He nudged open the bathroom door.

"Alex?" Mike whispered. He pushed back the curtain and saw Alex curled into the corner. His good wing was wrapped around his knees.

He rocked back and forth slowly. He sniffed loudly.

"Oh baby." Mike said. He climbed into the shower and sat on the cold floor with Alex. He wrapped his arms around him and rocked back and forth with him.

His clothes were soaked and the water was cold by now, but he was only concerned for the boy sobbing his heart out.

"Please, don't leave me alone again." Alex whimpered.

"Baby, you should have called me." Mike said and kissed the top of his head.

"I didn't want to seem.... Pathetic." Alex whispered. " I'm sorry I'm so weak." Alex muttered.

"Alex. Sweetheart, I cant imagine what it's like being you. I see the looks people give you. I know you see them too. But everyday you go to school,

you ignore the looks, the whispers, the comments, and now the beatings. You survived the containment camps, the loss of your dad,

being pitted against other infected, and surviving the infection itself." Mike said.

"And you still have the brightest eyes and the confident smile I only wish I could have." He finished. Alex had stopped crying now and leaned against his chest for comfort.

"Thank you." He choked out.

"I don't mean to ruin the moment, but this water is fucking freezing." Mike said. Alex was shivering also and his wings shook and beads of water dripped off them like duck wings.

"I'm cold too." Alex admitted.

"Come on. Lets wash you off quickly and then go to bed. Carrying your ass around all day is exhausting." Mike joked. Alex laughed and accepted Mikes hand.

Mike stripped off his wet clothes and quickly washed them both off. After drying them off with a towel Mike pushed Alex onto the bed and crawled in behind him.

He spooned Alex gently, careful to not put to much pressure on his injured wing.

Soon Alex had fallen asleep and Mike followed him shortly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ethan and his friends had been found a week after Alex had gone home with Mike. Alex had said he didn't want to press charges.

Mike had tried to talk Alex into but he was firm about just wanting the whole thing to be over.

"Alex, come on! Those assholes deserve the worst for what they did to you." Mike said, as he unwrapped Alex's ribs. The bruising was gone but Alex was still sore.

"Please, can we just drop it. I just want this to all go away and get things back to the way were." Alex said, as he prodded at his tender ribs.

"But Alex, they hurt you! I cant let them just get away with that!" Mike shouted.

"I don't want to make a big deal out of this. I just want it to be over." Alex said.

"Why?! You cant just let them get away with this!" Mike screamed throwing his hands up and looking shocked at Alex who sat on the bed.

Tears fell from Alex's eyes and his shoulders dropped.

"I just want to go back to the way things were. I want it to just be me and you. I don't want to think about them anymore. I don't want to face them!" Alex said.

He was sobbing at the end of his small speech and had his head buried in his hands.

Mike felt horrible and sat down next to Alex.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn't have screamed at you. And I shouldn't have tried to force you to do something your not ready for. Can you forgive me?" Mike asked.

He cradled Alex to his chest and rocked him back and forth trying to silence the sobs that consumed the smaller boy.

Alex sucked in a breath but all that came out was sobs. He nodded his head against Mikes chest and hugged him tighter.

Mike kissed his head and stroked his wings softly.Alex flexed his right wing into the touch but his left wing stayed still.

"Love, maybe you should see a physical therapist. Your wing isn't moving like it should." Mike pointed out. Alex sobs had quieted and he was looking up at Mike now.

"Try and move it babe." Mike said and pushed Alex so he was sitting up straight. Alex straightened up and tried to stretch his wings.

The right one moved easily but the left one only twitched slightly. It stretched out backwards an inch but Alex flinched and tucked it back close to his body.

"Ouch." He whispered and rolled his right wing and shoulder uneasily.

"I'll call your doctor tomorrow. See if he knows a physical therapist that can help an Infected." Mike said while he held Alex's left wing and stretched it out and moved it to see where it was weak.

"Ok." Alex said.

"Let's go to bed sweetheart. We could both use some sleep. I have school tomorrow." Mike said and fell back on the bed.

Alex laid himself next to Mike and snuggled into his warm embrace.

They both fell asleep quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike brought Alex his missing work and future work so he could continue his schoolwork from home.

They were reaching the end of the school year and Alex was concerned about college.

"What if I don't get accepted anywhere good?" Alex fussed as he and Mike worked out their math homework.

" Alex, babe, You have taken more than enough classes to get into a good college. You've taken math and science all four years. You get perfect grades.

The only time your grades dropped was when you were infected and were fighting for your life. And even then you made up the work. You make me look like a slacker." Mike winced.

"I know your smart. You will go somewhere good." Alex said.

"If I can get in somewhere good, then you definitely can." Mike said and nudged Alex with his shoulder.

Alex giggled and nudged him back. They began wrestling and Mike soon had him pinned to the floor.

"Gotchya." Mike smiled. Alex rolled his eyes and tried to get up. Mike held him down and he frowned at him.

"Get your fat butt off me." Alex joked.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. There's a lot of fun stuff we can do in this position." Mike said and leaned down to share a kiss with Alex.

"mmm, that was fun..." Alex sighed.

Mike made an agreeing grunt and let go of Alex's wrists. Alex threw his hands around Mikes neck and pulled him down to him.

He rolled them over so he was on top of Mike. He licked and sucked at Mikes neck and nuzzled into his embrace.

"I love you." Alex said.

"I love you too, sweetheart." Mike said and squeezed Alex tighter.

"How much?" Alex pouted and looked up at Mike.

Mike kissed his lips roughly until they were swollen and he was panting softly.

"A lot." Mike said. Alex moaned and panted against Mikes chest.

" I see." Alex replied.

"You have that physical therapy session tomorrow. You're going right?" Mike asked.

Alex turned his head and groaned.

"Do I have to?" Alex whined.

"Yes." Mike mimicked Alex's whiny tone.

Alex groaned again and buried his head in Mike's chest.

"Ooooh, it won't be that bad stop pouting." Mike laughed and stroked Alex's back.

"I don't want to." Alex whined more.

"To bad. You're going." Mike said.

"Meh." Alex sighed.

"Why don't you get started on your homework. I'm going to go take a shower then mom and dad want to go out to dinner." Mike said already heading up stairs.

"Ok." Alex said and set the large pile of work in front of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple of weeks later Alex got a handful of letters in the mail. And a matching set for Mike.

"They're here!" Alex said as he bounded into the kitchen where Mike and his parents were eating lunch.

His wings were fluttering excitedly and his eyes where wider then usual.

"What's here?" Mike asked.

"The letters from the colleges we applied to!" Alex sat in one of the chairs. It seemed he couldn't hold his wings still.

"No way, give me that!" Mike said and grabbed a handful of letters from Alex. He sorted through them quickly and separated his and Alex's.

He handed Alex his handful and began glancing over his own.

"These are my top choices." Mike said as he held up a few letters.

"Open them!" Alex pestered him. He beat on his shoulder and flapped his wings franticly.

"Shhh! I will I will." Mike shoved him gently away. "Open yours." Mike said nudging his shoulder.

"Ok..." Alex began opening the letter but stopped. " I cant! You open it for me!" Alex said and threw the letters at Mike.

He began pacing the floor nervously. His wings no longer bounced in excitement but now drooped and shook nervously.

Mike looked at him and then slid his finger under the envelope seal where Alex had stopped. He ripped it open quickly and unfolded the letter that was in it.

He was reading over it as fast as he could to get through all the formalities and just get to their answer.

He smiled widely.

"Accepted." He handed the letter to Alex who read it quickly and threw his wings up in glee.

"Yes!" He jumped up and down. Mike chuckled and looked down at his own letter.

"Give me that." Alex said and snatched the letter. He ripped it open and Mike looked up at him eagerly. He sent a silent prayer.

Alex seemed to take awhile to read the letter.

"You don't really want to go to this school do you? I mean, they have a record for being a shitty party school and-" Alex was cut off as Mike stole the letter back.

"Fuck." Mike through it down on the table.

"You still have a few more letters. that's a shitty school you can do better." Alex tried to comfort him. Alex grabbed one of Mikes other letters and ripped it open.

Alex smiled. " You got in!" Alex said and jumped excitedly.

"To where?" Mike asked and looked at the letter.

"Same place I was." Alex smiled and blushed.

"So we get to stay together in college too?" Mike asked excitedly.

"If you want..." Alex trailed off worried Mike didn't want to.

"Of course I do. I can't believe our luck." He whispered into Alex's ear as they hugged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You hungry?" Mike asked as Alex walked downstairs.

"Very." Alex said. Mike set a plate full of what sort of looked like a steak.

"What is this?" Alex asked.

"Rabbit." Mike smiled. Alex returned the smile and dug into his meal. Mike sat next to him and began eating his own plate of food.

"Aw man, I used to love pancakes." Alex gave a sad look at Mikes stack of pancakes.

"Did you ever talk to a doctor or something? Maybe there is something they can do." Mike suggested.

"We all had to see doctors when we where at the camps. They were working on my food situation when the camps shut down. I never thought to go see anyone else." Alex shrugged.

"Hm, next time you get a check up for your recovery we can ask about it. I think we would need some kind of bird specialist too though." Mike said.

"Ok." Alex shrugged.

"Oh, and we have to go shopping today. You need clothes." Mike said. Alex bristled and ruffled his feathers.

"Why... I have clothes!" He whined. Mike smiled. He felt like they were an old married couple.

'Hm... marrying Alex? I wouldn't mind that at all....' Mike thought to himself.

"Yes you do. And your going. So meet me at the mall after I get out of school ok?" Mike said and pointed his fork at Alex.

"Meh." Alex pouted. Mike smiled and kissed his forehead. Alex's frown vanished and he beamed and blushed and turned his head down to his food.

Mike loved the look he got when he was surprised by a kiss or a spontaneous hug.

"Ok." Alex said.

"Good." Mike said and returned to his food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike picked his bag up off the floor and headed for the door. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and saw it was a text from Alex.

Alex: Where r u?

Mike: I just got out of class I'll be right there.

Alex: OK, well hurry up. I didn't want to do this Anyways.

Mike rolled his eyes and put his phone back into his pocket.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex paced in front of the mall. He sighed and sat on the bench with his head resting on his right hand.

He looked at the time on his phone again and saw it had only been two minutes since he last checked.

He felt uneasy about something but couldn't place it. It reminded him of the feeling he got about Ethan before he was attacked.

He shuddered and shook his head trying to shake the memory away.

Thinking about what had happen made him more nervous and he checked the time again. He sighed and stood up to pace again.

He had just risen when he saw Randall walking towards the front door of the mall. He shuddered again.

'What are the odds that he would show up when I was thinking about what had happened....' Alex thought to himself.

'He wont do anything its broad daylight.' Alex tried to settle his nerves. He shifted from foot to foot uneasily and looked again at the entrance to the parking lot.

Mikes car was no where in sight.

Randall's eyes were locked onto Alex's and he began to smile as he got closer. He stopped several feet away but continued to stare at Alex.

"What do you want? I didn't press charges, please, just leave me alone." Alex said.

"You don't get it. I didn't mean to just kick your ass that day, you piece of shit." Randall laughed.

Alex frowned and shifted uneasily again. He looked back towards the entrance of the parking lot.

"I meant to kill your ass. Every last one of your kind deserve to be lined up and shot." Randall said.

"For what? How is it my fault I was infected?" Alex asked. He threw up his arms and looked again towards the parking lot entrance.

"I don't give a shit what those bullshit scientists say. As far as I'm concerned it is your fault. Why not get the ugly things cut off." Randall nodded towards Alex's wings.

Alex folded them more and tucked them closer to his body. He fingered the longer feathers at the bottom of his wings nervously.

"They're like actual bird wings, idiot. It would be expensive and dangerous to cut them off." Alex said.

"Worth it if you ask me. They're disgusting and make you one hell of a freak." Randall said and laughed.

Alex felt tears beginning to fill his eyes.

'Don't fucking cry Alex I swear to god.' He thought to himself.

He heard a car enter the parking lot and looked up to see Mike in his fathers car. He sighed and winced at how loud it was.

"Get the fuck away from him you piece of shit." Mike parked quickly and quickly got to Alex's side. He hugged him close.

Alex buried his face in Mikes arm and felt the tears dampen his shirt. Mike pet his wings soothingly.

"We were just having a little talk is all." Randall laughed again.

"Come near him again and I'll beat you so goddamn bad you wont have enough blood left to fill that fat ass head of yours." Mike fumed and moved Alex so he was behind him.

Alex moved his head so it was buried in Mikes shoulder blade.

"Whatever." Randall laughed and walked back the way he came.

Mike watched him walk away until he turned the corner and could no longer be seen. He then turned and wrapped his arms around Alex.

Alex sobbed and hugged Mike back with his arms and his wings.

Mike nuzzled the soft wings and kissed Alex's head.

"Come on babe." Mike moved Alex towards the car and sat him in the passanger seat. He moved to the drivers seat and drove home quickly.

His parents were out so he brought Alex to his room and undressed him until he was down to his briefs.

Mike undressed himself and laid Alex down on the bed. They got under the covers and snuggled up close to each other.

"What did he say to you, baby?" Mike asked as he stroked Alex's wings.

"Nothing." Alex whispered into Mikes chest.