Revelations of the Heart

The Aftermath

Aella Jones, 18 years old
New York, New York 2018
I dropped the soapy plate I was holding, and it crashed to the floor at my feet. Small shards stung my bare feet, but I was in shock. I couldn't move, and there was a roar in my ears. 'Damn, Aella. Stay still, I'm coming.' Raphael's words brought me back. He crossed the kitchen in two strides and picked me up by the waist, setting me down on the counter. Mikey poked his head in. 'I heard glass. Is everything ok?' Raphael was inspecting my feet but he looked up to say, 'Get out Mikey. I got it.' Mikey threw up his hands and walked away. I kicked my right foot against Raphael cause he was tickling the bottom of it. 'I'm fine Raph. Don't be mean to your brother.' He grabbed my calf, holding it still. 'Stop moving.' I did, but more because his warm hand felt amazing than because he told me to. Once he was satisfied, he tried to step away, but I grabbed his arm. 'Raphael, did you mean it? You love me?' He wouldn't meet my eyes. 'Raph, please look at me. Tell me again if you meant it.' He looked up then. 'Of course I meant it. Why else would I say it?' 'Raphael', I said, quiet this time. 'Please.' I was going to cry if it wasn't true. I'd probably cry even if it WAS true. He stepped closer, like he had earlier, and put a hand on each side of me on the counter. His fingers brushed my bare thighs, and I shivered. 'I'm in love with you, Aella Grace Jones. Even though your brother is going to gut me when he finds out. I've loved you since I saved you years ago. The way you looked at me, I've been obsessed with you since then. It kills me when you're hurting and I want to put my fist through a wall when I think about you with anyone else.' I let out a sob. He must have taken it the wrong way because he pulled away and said, 'I knew it. I shouldn't have said it. I never actually expected you to feel the same way. Just forget I said anything, alright? And please don't tell Casey. I won't stop him from kicking my ass but I'd rather he not if it's for nothing.' I jumped down and followed him, stepping around the glass on the floor. 'Raphael, wait.' He ducked into his room and I paused outside. 'Raph, can I please come in?' I heard a grunt. 'Go away, Aella.' That made me mad. He got to be bipolar and temperamental, but he wouldn't even hear me out? No. I flung open the curtain and stepped inside. 'Listen to me Raphael. You don't get to just dismiss me like that.' He was undoing the wraps on his hands as I spoke. 'I mean it Aella. I'm not in the mood for this.' 'No, Raph. You're an asshole. You're hot one minute and cold the next, and I get the strong sense that you don't even know what you want but I do.' He was looking down at me now, green eyes shining. 'I want you, Raphael. I've been in love with you for a while now too. I don't know why, and honestly I've tried not to be but I can't help it. And yeah, Casey is probably going to kill you very painfully, so now is your chance to take it back before-'. He stepped toward me, grabbed the back of my thighs, and walked back to his bed. I panicked a little internally but he just put me on the bed and kneeled in front of me. It was his turn to ask, 'You mean it, Aella? Believe me, I've dreamed of this day but I've also weighed the price, for you. You'd be giving up so much, if you're with me. I'm not willing to share you in any way, so that means we'll never have, you know what, because I refuse to do anything that might hurt you. We'll never have kids, obviously. Your future, job, friends, it's all gonna be affected by this. Are you sure?' I kissed the side of his mouth. 'Raphael, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Please, please just shut up.' I was happier in that moment than I had ever been in my life because of a hot-headed mutant, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. He laid his head in my lap, and I heard a muffled, 'How is this going to work?' I stroked the length of his head to the tip of his mask tails and tugged hard, making him look up at me. 'Because we will make it work.'