The Underground

Lionel watched as she went to the bed. He wasn't sure what to do. He felt weird just leaving her there, but what was he supposed to do? Lionel could keep watch just in case something went wrong, but was there a real need? He stood up, debating in his mind.

Alexia stumbled but caught herself on the edge of the bed. She turned around before she climbed in. Did he want to sleep in his own bed? Probably, so she decided to sleep on the couch. "Uh... If you want your bed back, I'm more than willing to sleep on a couch..." she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes so she stared at his chest. Her cheeks were still reddened from earlier and hadn't calmed down. This was not helping.

Lionel shook his head. "You're a guest and it's been a long day for you, so the bed would be more comfortable." He turned to head out the doorway. "Just let me know if you need anything."

Alexia wanted to tell him to stay for some reason, but she kept her mouth shut. She didn't know why she didn't want him to leave but her head was screaming at her to call him back, to pull him back into the room and wrap her arms around his neck, even though she was too weak to even try. She watched him walk out the room and a soft, confused, and conflicted sound escaped her lips.

Lionel was already halfway down the walkway when he heard a sort of cry come from Alexia. He wasn't sure what she needed, so he walked back to the room, his light blue eyes flickering with concern for the guest. "Alexia?"

The fae closed her mouth. She didn't want to be alone but she didn't want to just come out and say that- she didn't want to seem weird or needy. She stood there, not sure of what to do. "Uh... um... I..." She rubbed her temples. Gah... What do I do?! She collapsed on the bed, sitting at the edge, and kept rubbing her temples.

Lionel blinked at her as his wings disappeared. "I think... I'll just stay in here, just in case." He wasn't sure why he was doing this, but in the back of his mind he knew there was something he was missing. Lionel sat in a corner of the room, somewhat across from Alexa. "Just rest."

Alexia nodded and stopped rubbing her temples. She climbed on top of the bed and curled in a ball. She was so small that the bed all but swallowed her. Before long, she had fallen asleep.
She dreamed about the catcher and was tossing and turning, with cold sweats, and crying. She couldn't wake herself up from it, which only made it worse.

Lionel had watched Alexia for a bit before falling asleep himself. He hadn't meant to, but it happened regardless. He slumped against the wall and memories of his childhood came rushing back.

He shot her and she woke up, pulling her knees to her chest and shaking. She couldn't stop the tears and knew this would be just like when they got her parents. She'd have nightmares for months- nightmares that could set her powers off without her knowledge. She continued to cry until her eyes burnt from tears.

Lionel woke up suddenly to hear sobbing. "Alexia?" He stood up and went over to her, not entirely sure whether he should touch her or not. Why was she even crying? His powers told him that something had happened, perhaps in her sleep, but he couldn't read her mind.

Alexia wiped her eyes and tried to stop crying. "I'm... I'm... I-" She started sobbing again, uncontrollably. "He... he was in m- my dreams..." Her sobs shook her. "What... if he c- comes back?" She almost died today. She could pretend she was fine all she wanted, but she knew deep down inside her that she really wasn't.

Lionel wrapped his arms around her crying form. "He won't come back." If he does he'd kill him anyway. "Nothing will happen to you." Lionel cut off his power because the emotions from her were overwhelming.

Alexia wiped her eyes but continued crying. "I'm- I'm sorry. You m-must feel everything I d-do." She felt awful. She didn't mean to do this. She knew that sometimes the emotions overwhelmed him, he had told her that earlier, but she just could not stop crying. She hadn't noticed that she had leaned into him when he wrapped his arms around her until she pulled back to look at him. "You d-don't have to d-do this..."

Lionel shook his head. "I don't feel anything from you right now. I've canceled my power for the moment. It's better to get it out now than later." He couldn't just leave her like this in her distraught form. "As an angel, yes I do." Sure he was a fallen angel, but he still carried on with his original mission.

Alexia's tears slowed. "No you... you don't." But she knew what he meant. It was like how she owed him her life because it was part of a tradition drilled into her head. She got really quiet. "Thank you..." she whispered, barely audible to even herself.

Lionel didn't say a word. He just held her until the tears stopped flowing. Her gratitude didn't even need to be spoken out loud, but it was nice to hear it anyway.

About thirty minutes later she tears had almost stopped and she was half asleep in his arms. She was a sniffling mess but she didn't want to move.

Lionel thought about how he didn't have anyone when he was thrown down from the heavens. Each night he cried himself to sleep and no one helped him. At least now, he was helping someone else. Lionel leaned against the headboard, thinking of the past.

Alexia was about to drift off to sleep. "Hey Lionel, thanks for making me feel sa..." she fell asleep before she could finish.

Lionel started to feel his weariness as he waited for her to fall asleep. It was strange to think that before the events with Alexia happened, he wouldn't have thought to go to these extremes to help someone. Lionel wanted to stay awake as a guard, but he slipped into unconsciousness with his arms still around Alexia.

The next morning, Alexia woke up still wrapped in Lionel's arms and snuggled into his chest. She looked up and saw he was still sleeping. Not wanting to wake him up, she laid there in his arms. It felt nice, she couldn't compare it to anything because she had never experience physical contact like this before. It wasn't anything sexual. It was just... there. She didn't know how else to describe it. What she did know was that she liked it.

Lionel did not dream that night and it felt nice to not see suffering. His weariness caused him to sleep more than he normally would have. Lionel's hand in his sleep had fallen from Alexia's arm to lightly touching her waist.

Alexia saw Lionel's griffin walk into the room and look at her. She didn't really know what to do so she kind of smiled at him. She felt awkward suddenly and unintentionally squirmed a little.

Scout had smelled a faerie inside the house and was curious. Normally the master had no one stay for very long. It cawed rather loudly at the intruder.
Lionel woke up suddenly at the sound and moved his hands off Alexia. "Geez Scout. Take it easy."