It's that time again! Wednesday Briefers unite! Okay, I've been watching too many old cartoons. :P Swear, we don't have funky rings or anything. However, we are all joined in bringing you some great flash fiction, between 500 and 1k in length, based on a series of prompts. The one I chose this week was to use a 'blue moon' in the story. I hope you enjoy this latest update to Birch and Sayer's story!
Take Flight Part 8
Birch stretched in Sayer’s arms. It felt good; his body was
stiff. All of it. “Gotta pee,” he muttered. Sayer had him wrapped up in his
arms and his wings had appeared again. They were tickling the curve of Birch’s
bare back just above his ass.
He wiggled and finally got away from Sayer who mumbled and
turned over. Birch shook his head. So much had changed, and yet so much was the
same. He was still out of balance, physically and emotionally. He stumbled away
from the bed.
“Wonder where the bathroom in this place is?” He yawned and
decided on trying the open doorway before he went to the big double doors on
the far wall. He stepped cautiously as he walked through into … a grotto.
Like a real life, sparkling lights among the tall, white trees
and soft grass in a brilliant green carpet that flowed gently downhill to a
small stone lined pond. A misty vapor hung over the slowly moving aquamarine
water that seemed to be draining in a small series of steps that faded into the
darkness behind the pool. He could have stepped into a scene from a child’s
storybook.
It was pretty, but where was the bathroom? Birch spun around
in a slow circle, trying to figure out where he was and if there was a sign for
a bathroom anywhere. He was about to leave and try the other doors when the masses
of little lights left the trees and streamed toward him. The lights stopped in
a flicking ball of light, hovering over his head like a blue moon in the
darkness of the far off ceiling.
Several lights came down and swirled in front of him. They were
glowing creatures, man-shaped but their glow was too bright and he couldn’t see
any individual features. Their turquoise wings were big, dwarfing their tiny
bodies. Birch’s hair stood up as they hovered near.
He lifted his hand, stretching out one finger that looked
huge compared to the tiny creatures. “Hello,” he said softly. One came toward
him. Could they understand him? He held his breath as the small being started
to settle on his fingertip.
“I wouldn’t—”
Too late. Birch went flying backward, a harsh buzzing
flooding his body. “Oomph.” He landed hard, pain shooting through his shoulders.
He lay on the soft grass, twitching slightly, unable to catch his breath.
Sayer began scolding the small things. “How could you? He is
human; he can’t handle your power. Go on now; go make mischief elsewhere.”
Birch drew in a painful, shuddering breath, finally able to
get past the air lock in his chest. “Ow. Geez, what was that?” Sayer helped him
sit up.
“Those are sprites. Air sprites, actually. They create the
light displays above thunderstorms. I always found it humorous that humans call
the phenomena after the real creatures. Just another sign that we won’t be able
to be hidden from them forever.”
“So I just got zapped by a bolt of lightning?”
Sayer smiled. “Maybe a tiny bolt.”
Birch shook his head; the knowledge that he was in a very foreign
place was impossible to ignore. He’d forgotten somewhat when he first woke up,
but that morning fog was gone. Well, at least he hadn’t peed himself when he
was shocked.”
“I was looking for the bathroom; I really have to go.” Birch
let Sayer help him stand; he still felt a bit buzzy. “Your wings are tickling
my back.”
Sayer ducked his head. “Those aren’t my wings.”
Birch jerked around. There was nothing behind him that was
tickling him. “What do you mean? What is that?” His voice rose as his heart
began to pound. “Is there something on me?” He twisted his head. His mouth
dropped open.
“Calm down. Birch,” Sayer slid his hands down Birch’s arms
and entwined their fingers, “you’re going to be okay.”
“I have wings,” Birch said faintly. “Sayer! I have wings!”
If Sayer didn’t have his hands, holding him still, Birch might have ran from
the room.
“You do. They appeared when we bonded.”
Birch froze. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why are you still
keeping things from me? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice big, white wings
growing out of my back? What the fuck,
Sayer!”
“I wasn’t hiding them from you. You needed healing; I could
feel how much pain you were in. I swear I was going to tell you when we woke
up, but you got up before me. I don’t want to keep anything from you, beloved.”
Sayer was begging him to understand, but Birch was overwhelmed.
“This is too much. I can’t … Sayer, I can’t do this! How can
I go home with wings? How will I work? You said I wasn’t going to turn into a
fae! What have you done to me?”
***
Sayer’s heart could’ve stopped in that moment. His beloved’s
eyes were dark with fear, his nostrils flaring as his chest heaved. Their hands
were locked together, but Sayer could feel him trembling.
“Shh, it’ll be okay.” Sayer tugged Birch against his chest
to enfold him in a tight hug. “You can’t see my wings right now, right? We can
hide them, and so can you. You’re not a fae, but we have been bonded for a long
time. No Lord has ever bonded with a human like you and I did. We’re unique, both
of us.”
Birch didn’t try to pull away again, and Sayer hid his sigh
of relief. “Your wings are beautiful. So soft,” he ran a hand across the downy
scapular feathers down to the stiffer primary flight wings, “so pure.” He’d
never seen a sylph with white wings.
“Is this going to slow down? All this crazy stuff happening
to me?” Birch asked with his voice muffled against Sayer’s shoulder.
Sayer grimaced. He said he’d tell the truth. “Probably not
for a while.”
Birch groaned. “Great.” He looked up. “And I still have to
pee!”
TBC
Finally got to see the grotto and Birch's reaction to his wings. Still sooo much left to come though. Now, read on with the other updates, and please make sure you welcome our virgin Briefer, Rob Colton! Don't be too rough on him, lol.
Wallflower by Heidi Belleau
