Hamilton / Lams Oneshots

It hurt when you fell from heaven (Lams) [Angel AU]

I'm proud and ashamed. PS: They're flashbacks, not his storytelling. You'll understand.

My steps sounded almost comforting against the light, springy forest floor. It was a day like in a picture book, warm and sunny and dry, rare in these parts of the world. I hadn't been able to help myself, and so I had taken my mind away from my work for a bit, and went outside for a walk. The city with its cobblestone roads and busy marketplace lied behind me, I felt myself purposfully moving away from the noise.

When I had been younger, I had always dreamed of moving to big cities, with their lavish parties and aristocrats. Back then of course, I was dirt poor, and had not a shimmer of an idea about how the reality of those dreams held up. Now, I was making a good living as a lawyer, and though I still hadn't attended any parties, I felt absolutely no need for one. The noise and social pressure was sickening to me.

Instead, it was days like today that kept me from burying myself in my work and urged me to let go. The path I was walking along wound through a light forest, the birds were singing their songs up in the treetops, and off to my left I heard a creek making its way through the earthy ground. I could almost hear how it slowly carved out the earth to its needs, slithering over and under roots, supplying the forest with fresh water.

I almost felt ecstatic in my peace. I quietly chuckled at the thought and continued on my way. All around me, I could hear animals, busying through the bush on their hunt for food. Ahead of me was a small clearing in the path, light flooded through the treetops. When I came closer, I noticed something white on the ground. At first I thought it was just some plant, or something left behind by other hikers, but I knew that nobody came to this path.

I walked closer, the shapes and colors became clearer, and I could make out the blue uniform of an angel underneath the heaps of white feathers. It was a man, he seemed no older than twenty like me, his wings were bloodied and his clothes torn. Quickly, I bent down to the unconscious figure and tried to shake him awake. My heart was racing when he didn't move, and I quickly grabbed for his wrist to check his pulse. There was a strange chain winding around his hand, but I ignored it and placed my two fingers on his wrist. I was almost sure he was dead, but then I found the right spot, and I could feel a steady heartbeat.

With a relieved sigh, I brought my attention to his hand, the chains sparking my interest. They were small, just a bit bigger than a necklace, and golden, winding around the pale skin of the angel's hand, linking into an intricate web around his palm. The same chains were on his other hand as well.

Just as I was going to get up and look for help, I noticed the angel shift, slowly regaining consciousness. He tried sitting up, but flinched and dropped back to the ground with a whimper. His eyes closed, he slowly turned his cheek to the ground, taking a soft and shaky breath. He seemed to be resting, and he didn't notice my presence.

I couldn't bare to say anything and interrupt him, the way he took his breaths as he tried to steady himself, his chest going up and down with each breath, moving his figure ever so slightly. There was beauty in his pained and careful breaths, he looked so vulnerable that I felt the need to comfort and nurse him, though he was a total stranger to me.

When he opened his eyes and spotted me, he didn't even attempt to get up. He seemed so accepting of his helplessness that he didn't even flinch when he realized I had been watching him. He looked at me with sky blue eyes, questioning, or maybe pleading. He didn't have to say anything for me to understand, and I slowly reached forward. As my palm rested against his cheek, I could feel the softness of his skin, but also the dry dirt and blood. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. And I'll get you to safety, as soon as I can." The look in his eyes disappeared, he relaxed, accepting my words.