Wings of Gray Ch.02

Mike stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. It was Friday night and he was getting ready for his date with Alex.

He toweled off quickly before pulling on some jeans and a long sleeve, V-neck t-shirt. He brushed his hair back and looked at himself in the mirror.

He didn't think he looked half bad with emerald green eyes and his light brown hair. He was more muscular from playing football then most guys. 

He was tall enough so that when he and Alex stood next to each other the top of Alex's head reached Mikes chin. 

He heard the doorbell ring and ran downstairs hoping he would get to it before his parents did.

"Hello." He heard his mom say.

'Damn.' He thought to himself.

"Hi, I'm Alex. Is Mike ready?" He heard Alex's softer voice.

"Yes, Mi-" 

"Right here mom." Mike interrupted his mother calling for him. She gave him a look and he figured it was about Alex being infected. He hadn't told either of his parents yet.

"Gotta go, we're gonna be late." He said before grabbing his jacket and giving his mom a kiss on the cheek and heading out the door.

"I hope you don't mind walking." Mike said. " My dad had to take the car out." 

"It's no problem. It's beautiful out tonight." Alex smiled as they walked down the sidewalk.

"So tell me about yourself. Whats your mom like?" Mike figured Alex lived with his mom since his dad had died in the camps.

"I don't know, I never met her. It was just me and my dad before we got infected." Alex shrugged.

"Whoa, I'm so sorry." Mike felt bad for bringing it up.

"It's Ok. Can't miss what you never had, right?" Alex smiled. He didn't seem to be effected by Mikes question.

"I guess. So where do you stay now?" Mike asking.

"A foster home." Alex said.

"I'm sorry. I really should just stop talking." Mike wanted to kick himself.

"Really its fine. I don't mind at all. My dad died when I was 6, I got over it." He smiled at Mike to show it was ok to talk about it.

"I just don't want to bring up any painful memory's." Mike admitted.

"You wont. I'll let you know if a subject is to touchy for me OK?" Alex promised.

"Alright. So, if you don't mind me asking, what were the camps like? I read an article in my Ethics class two years ago. And I've seen news reports and shows about em and stuff but I've never actually gotten to talk to someone who was there." Mike asked.

Alex swallowed.

"The camps were bad. But I honestly don't know what's worse. The camps or the public. At least in the camps all you had to worry about were the guards. " Alex said.

"What do you mean?" Mike was confused. Weren't the guards supposed to protect them? Mike thought to himself.

"Well, the government had to hire people who would be around us, who would get a new job there, who were cheap to pay, and who were strong enough to be guards. Most people hate us, have decent jobs already, and aren't strong enough to be a guard. So that leaves very few decent people, don't get me wrong they weren't all bad. Some were nice and I even had a few friends that were guards. But for the most part they were all..." Alex looked for the word

"Assholes?" Mike threw in.

"Yeah." Alex agreed. " And the food was awful. If you didn't like it then you didn't eat. And then there was always the scientists." Alex sighed.

"What about them?" Mike asked.

"All scientists want to do is study. They don't care if they cause you pain or what your opinion is. Our rights were completely forgotten when we went into the camps. They got to do what ever the hell they wanted to us, when they wanted to do it. No matter how horrible it was." Alex finished. He was gazing ahead of him but it was like he wasn't really with Mike anymore, like he was back in the camps.

"I'm sorry." Mike said.

"I told you, its fine to talk about this stuff." Alex laughed.

"No, I meant I'm sorry for what ever happened to you." Mike said and turned to face Alex.

"Thank you, no one has ever apologized for that before.... Not that its your fault but.... It's still appreciated." Alex said.

Mike grabbed his hand and squeezed it trying to comfort him.

"Hey, how about we skip the movie. There's something I want to show you." Mike said.

"Uhm... Ok...." Alex said unsure.

"Come on." Mike said before turning back towards his house.

They reached Mike's house and went through a gate, into his backyard. His house's backyard opened into a wooded area. They soon disappeared into the tree-line. 

"Where are we going?" Alex asked, tripping over a rock. "Ow." He muttered.

"Clumsy?" Mike giggled.

"I'm not used to seeing in the dark. Hawk eyes and all I try to stay inside at night." Alex grumbled.

"We're almost there." Mike said leading Alex through the trees with their hands still firmly locked together.

"Where is there?" Alex asked.

"Be patient!" Mike laughed.

He thought he heard Alex grumble something but the smaller boy was quiet. The woods suddenly opened to a large field. Over a hill, Alex could make out something that looked like a shed. Mike pulled him through the field towards the building.

When they reached the building Alex realized it was an old barn. 

"Do you take all your dates out here?" Alex laughed.

"No, your the first. I come here a lot. Its beautiful." Mike said stepping inside the doorway. The door had been open already.

"Beautiful isnt really a word I would use for this place..." Alex laughed.

"You haven't seen it all yet." Mike said. 

They stepped inside and Alex could smell hay and dust. Mike stepped towards an old wooden ladder leading up to the loft. He finally released Alex's hand before starting to climb.

"Is this really safe?" Alex said testing his weight on the first rung of the shaky ladder.

"I've been here tons of times. And you have to weight half of what I do. Just come on." Mike said as he reached the top.

Alex hesitated a moment longer before following him. When he reached the top Mike held out a hand and when Alex took it he pulled him up the rest of the way.

Alex looked around the loft and saw it was mostly bare except for a few bales of hay and a blanket. 

The hay was scattered over most of the loft, but there was a window that looked out over the field and there were several piles of loose hay with the blanket over them that made a make-shift bed/couch facing the window. 

Mike moved around until he was sitting on the 'furniture'. He turned and looked towards Alex and patted the empty spot next to him. 

Alex thought for a moment before sitting next to him. Mike turned and looked out the window and that's when Alex noticed the moon. 

The moon had risen and was hanging low and full in the sky. Far enough away from the towns lights, the stars illuminated the sky. 

The light from the moon shone down on the grass of the field. The wind made it sway back and forth lightly and up here all Alex could smell was lilies. The sight was breath taking.

"Mike, this is beautiful." Alex said, mesmerized by the sight.

"I know. I come out here all the time. Its quiet. No one is ever out here. Sometimes I just come up here to think you know?" Mike said staring at the full moon.

"Yeah, damn, I wish I could find a place like this." Alex laughed.

"I think I would be willing to share." Mike said and turned to look at Alex with a small grin on his face.

"Oh yeah? How could I ever repay you?" Alex laughed.

"Hmm.... If you agree to go out with me again tomorrow." Mike smiled.

Alex gave a dramatic sigh. 

"I guess it would be worth it for this beautiful sight." Alex laughed and turned back towards the view.

"It is beautiful isnt it..." Alex turned to look at Mike and realized he wasnt looking at the view but at him. 

He blushed so hard Mike could see it even in the darkness of the loft. 

He leaned in slowly and Alex tilted his head up in response. Their lips met and Alex let out a small moan. 

Mike turned more to face him and cupped his delicate face between his hands. 

Alex shivered at the warmness of Mikes hands and leaned into the touch. 

Mike nibbled at Alex's lip for entry and he gladly opened to allow him access.

He slid his tongue into Alex's mouth smoothly and their tongues dances in a passionate kiss. 

Mike put his hands on Alex's slender waist and ran his hands up his back. 

He then remembered the grey feathered wings the younger boy sported.

"Can I...." Mike trailed off, his hand resting right above Alex's right wing. 

With his lips swollen from their kisses and panting softly, Alex flexed his wing so it was pressed into Mikes hand. 

Mike was shocked at the silky smoothness of his feathers. 

They were softer than any birds wings he had ever felt and they reminded him of silky hair. 

He brushed his hand against them softly and nearly melted when Alex gave a soft coo of pleasure.

Alex stretched his wings to their full length and ruffled them slightly. 

The moonlight bounced off the gray feathers making them a luminescent silver. 

Mike returned his hand to Alex's face and stroked his cheek softly while brushing his lips across Alex's swollen ones.

He then noticed Alex was shivering and it wasnt because of the passion of their kiss. 

His teeth chattered loudly thought he only now realized it.

"We should head back." Mike said. He stood and removed his jacket motioning for Alex to turn around. 

The smaller boy complied and tucked his wings against his back tight while Mike wrapped his jacket around the frail shoulders. 

He smiled and inhaled Mikes scent and it sent shivers up his back. This time not from the cold. 

Mike wrapped his arm around Alex's shoulders and they headed back towards the ladder. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Mike reached his third period class and was excited they had a substitute. 

He hadnt gotten to talk to Alex the first two periods because the teachers had gotten right to work. 

But that didn't keep his mind from wandering to what had happened last night. 

His fingers twitched at the memory of Alex's soft wings. 

He looked up when the sub handed out a worksheet then sat at the teachers desk to play frogger on his phone. 

Alex turned in his seat and Mike saw he had his jacket folded on his lap. He had forgotten to get it back from him last night.

"I forgot to give this back to you last night." Alex said blushing when Ethan looked between them.

"Thanks, but you can keep it if you want. I have another jacket." Mike said.

"You don't mind?" Alex asked. It was obvious he wanted to keep it.

"Not at all." Mike smiled. Alex beamed and Mike saw him smell the collar of the jacket when he turned around before putting on his desk.

"So are we on again for tonight?" Mike asked hoping that Alex hadnt just been joking when he said he would go out with him again.

"Of course. Do you want to actually go somewhere this time or just stay in again?" Alex smiled.

"Up to you." Mike smiled.

"You two totally fucked." Ethan scoffed and looked back and forth between the two boys with disgust obvious in his eyes. Alex smile dropped and he looked at his lap nervously.

"Shut the hell up, Ethan. You don't know what the fuck your talking about." Mike growled at his friend, or at least who he thought was a friend.

"Like hell I don't, 'stay inside'? Come on! Could your little twink be more obvious?" Ethan made a gagging noise before turning back to his paper. Mikes anger burned and he grabbed the collar of Ethans shirt.

"Don't you ever talk about him like that again." Mike said, getting in Ethan's face. By now people were staring including the sub who made no move to stop the fight.

"Get your faggot hands off me." Ethan shoved Mike. Mike stood ready to fight but Alex beat him to it.

"Mike calm down, it's fine I don't care." He stood between Mike and Ethan. The whole class was now staring.

"It's not fine, Alex. He can't talk about you like that." Mike fumed.

"Just let it go, it doesn't effect me." Alex lied. He placed his hands, with their sharp claws, on Mikes chest delicately. 

Mike hadn't broken eye contact with Ethan but he did then. 

He looked into Alex's orange eyes with their larger than average pupils. He noticed Alex breathed faster, more like a bird, then a normal human. 

He relaxed his tensed muscles remembering how he panted after their kiss the night before.

"Disgusting infected scum." Ethan growled before storming out of the classroom. Leaving his bags and worksheet behind.

Mike thought he saw Alex wince but Alex seemed to ignore the comment.

"Alright, sit down." The sub said. Seeming to take control of the situation now that he had his daily helping of drama.

Alex returned to his seat and Mike did the same. 

Mike reached out a hand in front of him and squeezed Alex's shoulder trying to comfort him. 

He felt Alex lean back into his touch and smiled, looking forward to their date that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The bell rang for lunch and Mike and Alex headed to their table. Mike was glad when he saw Ethan wasnt there. 

Mike sat down at their table and Alex sat next to him. Mike noticed he was wearing his jacket. He smiled at Alex and the smaller boy returned the smile.

"So for tonight, what do you want to do." Mike said as he pulled out his sandwich.

"I don't know." Alex said and thought for a moment.

"How about pizza?" Mike said.

Alex sighed. " Ohhhh god, I miss pizza...." Alex grimaced and held up his rabbit jerky.

"Oh, right. Damn." Mike kicked himself for not thinking.

"Sorry." Alex said.

"It's ok. Not your fault." Mike said. "How about movie night? We can hang at my place and just watch movies.... and eat bunnies." Mike said and grabbed a piece of Alex's jerky and smelled it frowning at it slightly.

"Ok." Alex smiled. He urged Mike to try it but Mike shook his head and put it down.

"Chicken." Alex joked.

"Rabbit eater." Mike laughed. Alex pushed him playfully.

"Other people eat rabbit too. Normal people." Alex pointed out.

"Your definatly not normal." Mike said and Alex stared at him.

"Your better then normal." Mike said and pressed a kiss to his temple. Alex beamed and leaned into him.

From across the lunchroom Ethan glared at the two angrily. 

"Disgusting ain't it?" The guy sitting next to him muttered, Rodney, Ethan thought his name was.

"What?" Ethan snapped out of his reverie. 

"The two faggots. Not to mention one of them is an infected piece of shit." Rodney growled glaring at Alex.

Ethan wasnt sure he liked Rodney talking about Mike like that but he did know he hated Alex more than anything.

"Yeah, they should all be put back in the camps if you ask me." Ethan stared at Mike as he put his hand on Alex's thigh.

"Agreed." Rodney said and the two boys shared a look.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Mike laid on the couch with Alex laying on top of him, Alex's left hand rested on his chest and his right was wrapped around Mikes neck. 

Mike fed himself another small handful of popcorn and felt Alex jump as the scary movie progressed.

Mike realized he was out of popcorn and began to slide out from underneath Alex.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Alex asked, fear in his voice.

"Just to go get some more popcorn I'll be right back." Mike smiled. 

Alex curled into the warm spot Mike had just been laying in and hugged his pillow. 

Before glueing his eyes back to the T.V. Mike looked back as he was walking into the kitchen and saw him close his eyes and inhale Mikes scent that was still on the pillow. 

He smiled and stepped into the kitchen.

"Hi, honey. You two having fun?" His mom asked when he walked in.

"Yeah, he's terrified of scary movies but that's all he wants to watch." Mike laughed.

"He's cute." His mom smiled.

"I know right." Mike beamed. He heard a squawk from the living room and poked his head out around the corner to peer in at Alex. 

He was hiding behind the pillow as the killer chased the damsal in distress through the house. He laughed and Alex looked up and blushed. 

Mike finished the popcorn and returned to the living room. He sat down in his old spot when Alex scooted over and Alex laid down so his head rested on Mikes lap.

Mike attacked the popcorn with one hand and stroked Alex's hair with the other. Alex still clutched his pillow to his chest and Mike smiled at the orange eyes open in fear.

After the fourth movie had ended they decided to call it a night.

"You sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Mike asked as he lead Alex to the door.

"I'll be fine. I'll see you Monday at school, yeah?" Alex asked. Mike frowned.

"Not tomorrow?" He pouted and stroked Alex's arm.

"No, I'm sorry. I have to work around the Foster home so they let me stay there. Since I'm 19, I aged out of the system I just have no where else to go while I finish my last year of highschool." Alex explained.

"Aw, ok. Then yeah, I'll see you monday." Mike said. He leaned down and they shared a warm kiss before Alex walked out the door, giving a last bright smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

They dated for two more months and Mike never felt more strongly about anything or anyone besides his parents. 

He only hoped Alex felt the same way. They often held movie nights at Mikes house and when they weren't watching movies they were out at the barn watching the moon rise or the sunset. 

Mike wondered about the foster home but Alex never invited him over and he didn't want to push the subject. 

He also wondered when he and Alex would take it to the next step in their relationship. 

Up until then they had only done some heavy kissing.

He knew he wanted more but didn't want to pressure Alex into anything he didn't want. He was definitely willing to wait.

"You gonna come over for movie night again, tonight?" Mike asked as they packed up from their last class of the day.

"You bet." Alex smiled and his wings raised slightly.

Mike had grown accustomed to reading Alex's expressions and emotions by the way he moved his wings. 

If they raised he was happy or excited. If they drooped he was sad about something. If he ruffled the constantly, like he did before big tests, he was nervous or uneasy. 

And he beat them furiously when he was angry. Mike had found that out the hard way, two weeks ago.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Alex asked after one of their movie nights. His wings ruffled and twitched.

"What? Why would you think that? Of course, I'm not." Mike said pausing the movie and turning towards Alex.

"It's just, you haven't introduced me to your parents or your other friends. And we never go out in public I just want to know if you don't want to be seen dating a-a...." Alex swallowed loudly. 

He had started his speech angry. His wings spread and made gestures as if he was making them with his hands, but as he got to the end he became nervous and his wings folded and twitched.

"an infected person?" Mike asked. Alex nodded and looked at the floor. Mike carressed his face between his hands and tilted his head so he was looking at him.

"I'm not, nor have I ever been, ashamed of you. I think your beautiful. And if someone can't see that then they don't deserve to know you, and what a wonderful person you are. As for my parents and friends. Honestly I think I just wanted you for myself. It never occurred to me to share you." Mike smiled.

Alex smiled and hugged mike. He burrowed his head into the crook of his neck and enjoyed the feeling of being held.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." He said.

"I'm sorry I made you doubt me." Mike replied. Alex smiled up at him and the two shared a passionate kiss.

Mike remembered that night and ever since he made a point to introduce Alex as his boyfriend and invited him to dinner, at a restaurant, with his parents. 

Alex hadn't ever been mad at him for anything other than that. Mike had simply never been mad at him. He wanted to give his boy everything he wanted.