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Here is what they don't tell you
"S-Scar- Scar-"
Icarus laughed as he fell
"Scar! Scar, c'mon, you have to wake up. You have to-"
There's no response. Scars eyes behind his HoTGuY visor remain closed.
Threw his head back and
Grian- CuTeGuY- he had to be CuTeGuY right now- scrambles for Scar's- HoTGuY's- wrist, desperately, desperately hoping for a pulse, ignoring Cub's stare.
Cub. How long had he known? Probably as long as he could.
yelled into the winds
"He was right."
CuTeGuY ignores the scientist-slash-engineer- with his blue-tinted glasses and colour-stained lab coat, both Emerald-Solider issued- in favour of pressing on HoTGuY's pulse point, only breathing easily again when he feels the steady thump-thump-thump of a still-working blood vessel.
Just unconscious, then.
arms spread wide
"Why?"
Cub shifts, not looking at CuTeGuY anymore.
"He's been- acting strange. For weeks. I thought he'd stopped this, I swear-"
"Stopped this? What is this? Why?"
"Look- he's been weird since you left. Went missing. Whatever. Tried to jump off buildings. I caught him in time, then he says you didn't come because you didn't trust me. That you always caught him. I thought- he promised he wouldn't do it again. He didn't- for weeks- until- until today"
teeth bared to the word
"Sheesh, HoTGuY, obsessed much?" Grian whispered to the still form.
He knows why Scar would do this, remembers the promise he'd made.
I'll always catch you.
CuTeGuY blinks away tears, brushing Scar's hair away from his eyes.
You stupid idiot. He never should have made that promise.
(there is a bitter triumph
Making a snap decision, CuTeGuY rolls HoTGuY over onto his side- into the recovery position, just to case.
Winces at the harsh bruises already forming on what skin he can see through the tears in his uniform.
Hears Cubs intake of breath
"That-"
in crashing when you should be soaring)
"That's not good. His legs-"
"I know, Cub. Remind me, who's with him when he's out patrolling? Not you, certainly. I know what he can take."
Subdued, Cub steps back, then forward again.
"Get out of here, Cub."
"But-"
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
The wax scorched his skin
CuTeGuY remains still as he listens to the footsteps fading into the distance, then relaxes, allows the tears to finally slide down his face.
"You stupid-"
Scars eyes flutter, half-opening.
"Knew- knew you'd come."
His voice is shaky, pained, so, so soft.
ran blazing trails down his back
"Gods, Scar, you can't give me a break, can you?"
Scar hums, smiling a little.
"You promised. You don't break your promises."
Grian laughs, a shaky, disbelieving laugh that somehow brings more tears to his eyes.
"Your insane, you know that? Clinically insane. I said I'd catch you if you fall, but that doesn't mean you need to throw yourself of godsdam buildings."
his thighs, his ankles, his feet
Knowing he can't get through Scar like this, Grian changes tactics.
"Where does it hurt? Do you need the hospital?"
Scar thinks, brow furrowing as he brushes his hand over a few bruises.
"… everywhere. But no."
Grian huffs at his stubbornness.
Feathers floated like prayers
"Fine. Can you stand. Scratch that, no, you can't, not with your legs injured."
Scar just hums again, not taking his eyes of CuTeGuYs mask.
Grian sighs, then makes himself move, picking Scar's (surprisingly) light frame bridal-style for the short flight back to his apartment, then winces.
His wings hurt like hell from the erratic flight and subsequent crash trying to catch Scars falling body.
past his fingers
Grian's breath short-circuits as Scar buries his head into Grian's neck. Warm breath spills across his collarbone, contrasting the biting cold of the night air.
The city lights wink and blaze under him as he grits his teeth against the pain flaring in his wings.
close enough to snatch back
He lands, knees almost buckling under the unplanned-for weight
Scar raises his arm to grab one of the feathers that were jerked off Grian's wings due to the sudden stop, brushing the tip to his nose.
He stays silent as Grian bustles him inside, lays him down on the couch and leaves to fetch the medkit.
Blatantly stares, eyes half-lidded, as Grian addresses the many cuts and bruises littering his body.
Death breathed burning kisses
When he's finally finished tending to Scar, Grian sits on the floor, leaning against the couch.
And then nearly hits the roof as Scars lips brush the back of his neck.
"What the- Scar!"
Scar, the little shit that he is, merely hums and buries his face where his lips once were.
Against his shoulders
"Thank you, by the way. For saving me. Again."
Grian scoffs, hands fiddling with his wings, which are curled around him loosely, the tips resting in his lap.
"'s not like I do it all the time"
"Still. You keep coming back."
"Someones gotta take care of you"
Where the wings joined the harness
"And who's taking care of you?"
Grian doesn't respond. He fiddles with a feather, running a finger down the vane.
"Grian?"
He stands
"Its late. We should sleep."
The sun painted everything
Scar is staring at him, softly, like he's the stars.
Which is terrifying. Because Grian is not the stars. Not one.
"Goodnight."
He turns, knowing Scar will be fine to fall asleep on the couch. Even in costume.
No-one will see, anyway.
in shades of gold
He reaches his room, shutting the door before breathing out heavily, sitting on the bed and burying his head in his hands.
"Gods, I am so screwed."
(There is a certain beauty
Because- because if Scar doesn't stop being... Scar, then Grian might break and do something stupid.
Like stay.
And he can't stay. Grian can play with the media, hinting at a friendship, always tantalizingly close in the edges, but he knows it can't come to anything.
He has his own loyalties.
in setting the world on fire
He changes out of his costume, tucking away his wings with magic, and falls backwards onto the bed.
Staring at the ceiling, he lets himself imagine.
Imagine what would happen if he was free to stay, free to be by Scar's side all the time.
and watching from the centre
Gods, what's the point?
He won't ever be free to stay, he doesn't want to sever his loyalties.
Because not everything is about Scar. It's about everything that Grian worked so hard to build.
Rolling over, he stares at the poster on the wall, one for Ariana Griande that he kept for ironic purposes.
No, he can't give everything up for Scar.
of the flames)
But... this is okay, he supposes.
He can be here to catch Scar when Scar needs it.
This... dance they have- it's not sustainable. He knows.
But he'll be damed if he doesn't try to keep it this way.
He feels his eyes shut, and, with a sigh, surrenders to the pull of sleep.