His Advocate

Chapter 9

(The picture is not a reference to anything in the slightest-_-) 

Gabriel POV 

I jumped down the stairs and bounded into the kitchen with a big grin spread across my face. It was finally Saturday! And I somehow slept really well last night. Azrael, who was leaning against the counter, looked up at me with a curious expression. He clutched a water glass, the rim hesitantly resting against his lower lip. I stood in front of him and laced my fingers behind my back.

"Azrael, would you like to go into town with me? You've been cooped up in this house forever, and I'd like to have an outing with you." I beamed, rocking on my heels.

He was silent for a while, but then chuckled and a smile tickled the corners of his mouth. Pushing off the counter, he stretched to his full height, which towered over me. He then grasped my hand, brought it to his lips, and planted a kiss on my knuckle. Smiling against my skin. 

"I would be honored." 

His eyes were locked with mine. I couldn't help but feel butterflies in my stomach as I blushed up to my ears. I retracted my hand from his and began tugging at a strand of my hair.

"Ah w-well, we're gonna have to find some way to hid the horns... And the tail." I mumbled.

I turned away from him and started pacing back and forth. How was I supposed to do that? His horns were too big to fit under a hat. Maybe he could get away with wearing a hood? Yeah, that could work. My thoughts were interrupted by a swooshing noise. I turned back around to see Azrael combing his fingers through his hair, and his horns had vanished.

My eyebrows knitted together. I walked up to him and reached out, where as he bent slightly and leaned toward me. Feeling through his hair where his horns should have been, there was nothing there.

"Well..... That works too."

He nodded. I was still touching his hair, my hands involuntarily tangling in his jet black locks and pulling his face closer to mine. My eyes slid from his hair, to his eyes, and settled on his mouth. An arrant thought flitted across my mind for a brief second. I wondered what his lips would feel like. Full and glistening. Suddenly, I became very self-conscious. I jerked myself away and changed the subject.

"How did you do that?" I asked, over-looking the expectant glint in his eye, followed by vague disappointment. 

"Oh, uh. I used a simple portal to hid them in a negative space. I know I must look quite odd without them, though." Azrael offered me a sheepish half-grin. 

Odd?

I took a minute to scan him over. It was true that his head seemed a little lonely without them, but no one in their right mind would ever think he looked odd.

Handsome. 

I liked the curve of his horns. there was almost a heart shape in them, ending in a subtle widow's peak.

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Since today is warmer, I decided to wear my lighter clothes. Mint green T-shirt, wind breaker, cuffed shorts, blue and white striped thigh-high socks, and black high top sneakers. Clothes that made me feel most like myself. 

We were walking down to the train station. I stole glances at Azrael every now and then, his eyes were simply breathtaking in the sunlight, from a deep blood red to burning embers. My gaze wondered over his figure. He had tied his long hair into a half pony tail, still keeping the pointed tips of his ears covered. 

It looked nice. His eyes suddenly flashed to me, and caught me staring. My cheeks became hot and I began to internally panic. He simply looked at me with a sort of calm, curious glint in his eye. It only lasted for a few seconds, but that was enough to make me blush like a tomato. He turned his attention on something off in the distance, sighing and running a hand through his hair. There was an awkward air that lingered between us. As if we couldn't remember how to start a conversation.