Scathefire(MxM)[Unedited]

11

ᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢ

Avery adjusts surprisingly well to being outside, and Austin is sure that progress can be accredited to Calla, who focuses on keeping the group busy. Austin lingers to the back of their little pack, nursing the vanilla ice cream left over from his float, while Jasmine takes the lead. Austin should have guessed that she would take them for clothing first- "Alright Avery, lets find you something that's not a decade and a half old," She'd said- but Austin isn't sure he'll be much help in this adventure besides his comfortably full wallet. His closet full of old gray, white, and the occasional khaki tee shirts should vouch for his void sense of style.

Jasmine frequently tells him that his poor fashion sense is equal only to men who've been in the Army. She insists that he's a reincarnated Army man, and he almost agrees, hell, if life had been a little more forgiving to him, he might have ended up in the Army. 12 year old him fucking shudders that that thought, though. Granted, 12 year old him is probably shuddering at the thought of becoming any kind of Peace Officer, even if his job is centered around rescuing angels like Avery.

Avery finds himself a little overwhelmed by the clothing choice in the store as his eyes are attacked by color and texture and style, but Jasmine and Calla are quick to get him into the dressing room, trying all sorts of styles. He doesn't like tight jeans, the seams rub against his skin and hurt, but the loose jeans aren't so bad. He finds himself appreciating the shape the jeans give his butt, but he keeps that to himself. The tighter shirts aren't as bad as the jeans, and have some cute designs on them that he enjoys.

He finds himself particularly attracted to the lace, frills, bows, and almost childish patterns, but he's not so sure he's brave enough to wear the ruffled skirt or daisy patterned halter top that he has his eye on. For now, the embroidered shorts and striped t-shirt that Calla had picked out has to suffice, as well as several other articles that Jasmine had insisted on purchasing. Avery finds his eyes searching for Austin, who remains watching them from a little corner he'd settled into. They make eye contact, and Avery offers Austin a smile, who stares blankly at him for a moment, before returning the smile.

Avery spreads his arms out and gives Austin a turn to show off his outfit, coaxing Austin to stand and approach. Avery wrings his fingers together as he watches Austin walk closer.

"What do you think?" Avery asks before Austin can say anything. Austin makes a show of thinking very deeply.

"Oh come on, don't do this to me!" Avery protests with a grin, playfully shaking Austin's arm. Austin grins and gives in without much resistance.

"I think you look great, Avery. What do you think?" He asks, raising a brow. Avery takes a deep breath at the question and looks at himself in the mirror with a small frown. Austin follows suit, gently rubbing his thumb up and down the back of Avery's neck.

"I like it..." Avery starts.

"But...?"

"It's just weird. I feel like something is missing. Not my clothes or anything, that's fine. Just.. in general." Avery whispers, as if it's a secret they could get in trouble for. Austin's frown deepens with concern. He wants to say that it'll pass, and things will get normal soon, but he's no psychologist, and there's no possible way for him to know that.

"I'm sorry." Austin whispers back. It feels like the only suitable thing to say, but it draws a short laugh from Avery.

"That's my line," Avery jokes, before his voice gets more serious, "You've made this whole thing so much easier. Thank you." He murmurs, turning and hugging tight around Austin's ribs. Austin can feel himself tensing up, arms stiff at his side and staring straight into the mirror until Avery breaks away and heads back over to Jasmine and Calla, who are beginning to check out. The tags of the clothes that Avery is wearing are gently tugged off and scanned, as Calla had insisted that he just wear those clothes for the rest of the day.

Next is some less fun stuff, in Avery's opinion, at least. Jasmine and Calla examine his curls, or at least the curl that's least messy, before picking out a cocktail of ingredients that Avery is too overwhelmed by to read. Luckily for Avery, though, the rest of the day is quieter.

It's near mid-afternoon when they finally get home, and Calla makes quick work of exchanging the children's decor for the sheets and blankets that Avery had picked out. Jasmine doesn't allow him to help with that process, instead helping him wash his hair and refresh the blond curls. About halfway through Calla comes to help, and Austin has disappeared to his room.

While Calla dries his hair, Jasmine uses Austin's laptop to walk him through studies for the GED. It's daunting, but Jasmine walks him through the website slowly and answers his questions carefully. She insists that he joins a study group. Not only so that studying is easier, but also so that he can meet people. It makes sense, and admittedly, he'd love to have his sense of community back. Austin is well and good and all, but Austin doesn't bring the same sense of belonging and kinship that the girls at Linus' compound had brought.

Avery tries to be excited about the neatness of his hair when it's dried, but his brain is too stuck on Austin. Their first day, Austin's shifty awkwardness around him, how comfortable life feels with Austin, despite their few fumbles together, drinking, Austin's dark eyes fixed on him, and many other moments. Today had... very little Austin in it. Avery isn't sure how much he likes that. This moment feels... pivotal, as if at any moment Austin will walk out of that door and just never come back. The looming knowledge that this circumstance is expected to be temporary is scary.

By the time the sun begins to set and illuminate the living room in golden light, Jasmine and Calla have said their goodbyes and are heading out the door. Jasmine lingers back to talk with Austin before she finally leaves. Avery doesn't pay much attention to their departure as he walks onto the balcony, wings dragging on the ground behind him.

The sun illuminates their ends, and Avery's fingers lift, brushing the spot where Austin had rubbed at his neck earlier that day. He turns as the balcony doors slide further open, and Austin walks closer, head tilted.

Austin steps over Avery's wing and sits in one of the chairs at the balcony table. His eyes never leave Avery's and the moment feels too sacred to say anything. He can't read Avery's normally open expression, but then again, he doesn't have much time to do so before Avery walks closer and places his hands on either side of Austin's face, leaning down and pressing a desperate kiss on Austin's lips.

The initial shock is easily overpowered by the ecstasy of Avery's lips against his, like nothing he's ever felt. Velvety against his own and warm, molded perfectly to his own. Austin's eyelids flicker shut and his hand creeps over Avery's shoulder and neck, caressing his cheek, fingertips burying into Avery's hair.

Avery has been kissed once before. Linus had done it, of course, but as quick as he'd decided to, he'd pulled away and left without a word. Linus had later explained that while a kiss isn't really a sin, it leads to sin. But Austin doesn't care about that. Avery has already drank with Austin, and chosen these clothes based on vain desire, so how much worse can these sins tally up? Linus' words about how these kisses can quickly become a sin doesn't take long to become clear as Austin sits up, his arm looping around Avery's waist, pulling them close. Avery lifts his knee, leaning his calf against one of Austin's thighs, half-crouching in his lap.

Just as quick as Avery had started the kiss, Austin stops it, gripping Avery's shoulders and leaning away. Avery hesitates as they stare at each other, Austin's tongue running over his bottom lip with a nervous tension.

"Avery-" He starts.

"I know." Avery cuts him off, standing up straight and stepping away, averting his gaze. Austin stands and looks like he wants to say something, but instead turns and makes a beeline for his room. Avery watches him go and shakily sits on the couch, drawing his legs up and pressing his fingers to his lips, regret stabbing at his mind. His chest feels tight and his eyes burn. Avery stands and rushes for his own room, closing the door and begging himself to forget it already.

ᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢ

Thanks for reading :)

A/N : They finally smooched!! Ironically I think this is my least favorite chapter rip, but I think it's fine, I just get nervous