Chapter 20 - Mutual

Iris

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"Iris."
The boy turned to look at him, drooping shoulders and slip of the edge of his shirt showing the inky black bat tattoo, caught from flitting off his skin. He blinked wordlessly.
Valkyre sighed, dropping the knapsack into the lightly-furnished room and sitting on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his raven-black hair. "I-I... I'm sorry about... about..."
He sighed again in exasperation, staring down at the floorboards, slightly, smoothly worn. How could he put it into words?? He'd been so careless, so absentminded and over-confident he could handle a few hunters, a few warrants and wanted posts, could handle the entire goddamned state after him. He-
Valkyre was startled as Iris suddenly stepped closer, wrapping his arms around the hunter, holding him in a surprisingly tight embrace, face buried into his shirt. The angel paused, then draped his arms over the boy's back, feeling the dry sobs through Iris' small, heaving chest against him, thin arms shaking. He slowly pulled the boy up onto the mattress with him. Iris' strength as he clung to the hunter's waist frightened him; how scared had he been? How hurt and despairing, how sad?
Valkyre bent over, almost unthinkingly leaning down and pressed his lips softly to the boy's forehead through the tangled strands of silver-washed hair, felt the warmed body against his own, beating of a similar heart, breaths from alike lungs, both just living beings trying to survive.
"...I'm sorry," he muttered again, breathing his words into Iris' hair, but it didn't feel right to talk. Valkyre closed his eyes and felt the body of the boy curled up in his arms, satisfied to wait out the empty, dry crying and the sharp, thin arms around his waist. He understood. He knew what Iris needed. To feel him; to know he was there, that he was really, physically still with him. That whatever horrible nightmare he'd come out of was over now, and he was safe.
Valkyre bit his lower lip, looking away from the boy in his arms. ...But he'd been wrong. Iris hadn't been okay. He'd failed to keep him safe.
"...Hey..."
Iris was quieter now, breathing more normal, grip finally loosened. The boy was sagging against him, tired. "...I... I'm sorry..." Iris didn't reply, only curled up more in his lap, drawing up his knees and hugging his clenched fingers to his chest.
Valkyre sighed, reaching down to run his fingers through the boy's mussed gray hair. He was startled to see the boy flinch, drawing away. The angel was surprised, and more so, hurt. It pained him that Iris doubted his trust in him, which made him regretful for the entire incident, which was, undoubtedly, all his fault.
Iris blinked his eyes up at the hunter, slow and almost sad. "...Valkyre..." The boy rose sluggishly, movements careful and deliberate, like he was afraid he'd slip or fall, though there was nowhere to fall on. Iris wrapped his arms around the hunter's shoulders and neck, colorless gray eyes staring back at the other. "...You promise?"
Valkyre blinked, smiling softly. "...Yeah," he muttered, though he didn't even know exactly what he was agreeing to, "I promise."
Iris leaned against him, closing his eyes. He looked tired, weary, like a child lost and left on the streets, afraid and alone. Perhaps he was one.
"...I..." Valkyre reached up, and this time Iris only smiled softly as he touched the boy's hair, slowly and gently undoing the tangles and knots. The angel smiled back lightly, though Iris' eyes were closed. "...I missed you," he managed, weakly.
Iris only nodded faintly in his calm, wordless understanding.

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AN: Complete. Chapter. Of. Fluff.
... -_-; Gawd that kills me. I'm horrible at writing fluff. But, well... ...they've gotta do something, right?? I dunno, I'm just trying to make things as realisitic as possible... ...Kinda... ::trails off::
Well, I wanna be happy, 'cuz this is chapter 20! Whoot! Beautiful! We've gotten so far, haven't we?? ^_________^- Thank you all for the comments! Only 3 continual commenters, [maybe 4, 5??] but that's fine, as long as you guys stick around and boost my spirits so often... so wonderful! ^_^- ::gush::
Luuuuuuuuuuuv. Luv for everyone. Thanks for sticking with. :)
[Sry about the short chapter (again) of nothingness, the next one'll be better, I promise. (Hopefully)]

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