Swooped | ✓

Chapter 13: To Spread Your Wings

I felt someone pull a warm, soft blanket over my shoulders, and I grumbled as the thing I was leaning on shuffled. The movement woke me up from my nap - when had I fallen asleep? - and I frowned as I turned my head, burying my face into something soft as I tried to go back to sleep. 

In all honesty, I hadn't slept very well last night, and I had been tired throughout the day, but lying on the bouncy air mattress and sandwiched between two warm-bodied people had made me nod off. The boring movie didn't help me hold onto my consciousness either, but I didn't know how long I had been asleep for. 

I could hear some people talking around me, the mattress under me bobbing up and down as someone moved, and then there was a click of a door and then all was quiet again. I snuggled into the warmth I was leaning on, and it exhaled in a silent laugh.

"C, you should go to your room and sleep," Milo whispered, and I groaned as I blearily opened my eyes, rubbing them with the back of my hand.

"Mm, sorry. Did I fall asleep on you?" I asked, blinking around. I had somehow draped my arm across Milo's stomach, my head nestled in the little dip between his shoulder and chest. One of his arms rested behind me, holding the blanket tighter around my body. Seeing me wake up, Milo cleared his throat, hand dropping from my side. "How long was I out for?"

"I think you made it past the opening credits, and then you passed out," Milo said, smiling slightly as I crinkled my nose, looking around. Lark was nowhere to be seen on my other side, and her bag was gone from the floor. Seeing my confused glance, Milo pat my arm gently, turning me back to face him. Yawning, I let my body flop back down, pressing my cheek against Milo's shoulder. "Lark went home. She said you seemed fine, so..."

"Mm, okay," I mumbled, nodding against Milo's T-shirt. "If Lark's gone, can I take my wings out, then?" I felt, more than heard, Milo's laugh, his chest rising and falling. 

"Sure, just don't hit me with them," my friend said, and I smiled, groggily pulling off my top and shifting myself to make room for my wings. I groaned as they unfurled, stretching before draping themselves on the ground. Milo stiffened, and peeled my eyes open to look at him, chin on his shoulder.

"Sorry, did I catch you with 'em?" I asked, Milo shaking his head, still a little stiff. His hand resting at the back of my head shifted, like it didn't quite know what to do with itself. Pushing off from his body, suddenly a little shy, I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to wake myself up. "Oop, sorry, your arm's probably asleep."

"S'fine," Milo mumbled, drawing his arm to himself, voice rough. He absently rubbed his skin, which was prickled with goosebumps. 

"I haven't used you as a pillow for ages," I said suddenly, feeling the need to laugh. I did, and it sounded clunky, even to my ears. "Not since you found out I also liked guys and had that major freak out."

"I didn't 'freak out'," Milo said, voice rising in pitch. 

"Oh, you definitely freaked out!" I said, laughing in earnest at Milo's pinched expression. "You choked when you walked in on me and Alex, and he had his dick out and you... You were like 'Oh my God are you gay' and you sounded so scandalised. Oh my God, your face that day, I can't. I can't, it's so vivid in my head. It was hilarious!"

"I wasn't scandalised, you idiot," Milo urged, cheeks flush with colour. "I just... never thought that you could... like..." Milo's face grew more red, his hands fisting themselves into the blanket still draped over our legs. "B-Because you were always with girls, and I..." 

Milo's words died in his throat, eyes conflicted. I tilted my head to the side, giving him a questioning look. Milo just shook his head, shrugging.