Staying Together

"Now there are rules you will have to abide by if you are to stay here with me." Liam spoke to Leticia while he sat with his legs crossed and placed on the table.

He watched as the girl took in all of her surroundings with her eyes and she loved every where but where he was, she was feeling uncomfortable having just him with her, that much he could pick from the feelings swimming around her which was so evident to him.

What had he been thinking when he had offered his place for her to stay?!

He had not been thinking, it was the cursed feeling he always felt when she was involved, caused by the bond which they now shared. He hated that feeling because it always spoke out in favor of his human and usually, his brain would go dumb and he would be unable to fight the urge to help her and to keep her safe. Him having a human right now with the way the world was like this, was like having a child running around a play ground full of broken bottles, and he was the unreliable parent.

"I did not ask you to stay Leticia." His voice had been stern, it had even sounded strange to his own ears when he had heard them but still he had said it. "That was an order."

And just like that, they had become one because his spirit accepted her but his mind did not. Not just yet at least, although he knew it was inevitable. He would have to eventually.

"I have been used to living alone and without a company, most especially without a female company as you can see..." He continued, taking his eyes off the girl.

Leticia nodded. Yes, she could clearly see that he was used to living alone and without any company or else this place would not be like this. The house was a mess and reeked of alcohol and sweat and something else which she could not quite place. How could he stay in this... dump, there was no other word qualified to describe the place and if she was going to have to stay here with him for the mean time, then some things would have to change, like the litters in the room which looked to have been blown in by the wind. But then how? Does he leave the door open at all times?

The house was decent enough if you overlooked the fact that it had been unkempt for like a decade. It was one of the few houses that had not been knocked to the ground by the war and it still stood without any of the walls or part of the roof missing, but the houses surrounding it were all leveled to the ground like a bomb had been dropped o them, it kinda made it odd, because it looked like they were all purposely pulled down so this one would be secluded. The house was the last one on this lonely street.

Leticia stood in the middle of the room, her eyes wandering here and there trying to take in the as much of the new place as she could and making a mental note of the things she would have to lay her hands upon to effect some change. If she would be staying here then many things would definitely change, she was sure that Liam wild not mind, if at all, he would be grateful that she had cleaned up the place at least.

Leaving the safety of the mountains against the judgement of the elders, where the rest of mankind had hidden, she probably had not thought about what her next steps would be thoroughly, about a place she would have to stay in until she found her brother. She had thought it would be a day's job. Get into the forest, find him however she could, fight off some demons, keep them both alive and sneak back into the forest in he cover of darkness that same day. She sighed,well the day was not yet over.

Thankfully Liam had grudgingly allowed her into his space, it was not much but it was better than none and much better than staying at Smokes, she did not want to have to see that demon girl's face every single day. She giggled when she remembered the demon girl's facial expression when Liam had literally commanded her to come stay with him for the mean time.

Liam suddenly slammed his fist on the table causing Leticia to jump a bit and she brought her focus back on him, shifting back slightly when she saw that he now leaned closer to the table and his legs were on the floor, his eyes were fixed on her.

"Did I say anything funny Leticia?"

"Hmm...?" She looked at him wide eyed.

"You laughed."

She could not say anything more than, "Oh" and "sorry".

"Were you even listening to everything I was saying?" He asked. Leticia nodded even though she knew that she had not, at a point his voice had just faded away from her hearing and she had heard nothing that he had said.

"Were you at all?" He asked again with one eye brow raised and Leticia nodded but could not look him in the eye because she knew that she was lying.

Liam got up and walked towards her, Leticia swallowed and fear settled in her heart she bent her head slightly so that her gaze was to his feet, watching his every step as he gradually approached her. When he was closer to her, she took a step back but Liam did not stop, with each step he took towards her she took one back. He looked down on the girl who had practically invaded his life and he just wanted to scream at God that he did not need this burden. Not now at least.

He wanted to grab into her shoulders and shake the bond away of that could work but then that was just a wish, he knew the bonding was not entirely her fault but he would still put part of the blame on her, if she had just been obedient and not the stubborn human, he would have just had to take her to Sheila and she would be off his hands. But now they had bonded, meaning she was now his responsibility and responsibility was something Liam hated.

Leticia took one more step and felt her back hit the wall, she hiccuped and swallowed hard, her heart beat accelerated, why was she afraid all of a sudden? She asked herself. But who would not be afraid if a towering angry Angel was baiting you like he was doing to her right now.

"You..." Liam started.

"I was not laughing at you I swear it, I really was not laughing at you or at what you said. I just remembered something funny, that was why I laughed. I am sorry." She rushed out her words and shut her eyes tightly, hoping that he would not just pick her up and fly to the skies, she feared she might just die of heart attack.

Liam looked down at the girl, listening to her thoughts, she amused him. Was she really that scared of heights or she was scared of flying or was it just the thought that he would drop her? Sometimes she was the brave and fearless human girl who had fought a demon in the woods and sometimes like now, she was meek and humble as she had been at the bar, like she was fragile and had not a single strong bone in her body.

"You..." Liam continued when he felt her heart beat accelerate and he knew he was scaring her. He smirked, maybe he liked that. "...you are never to leave this house on your own, got it?"

Leticia nodded her head so hard that Liam thought it would soon pop out of the sockets and drop. He smiled and turned to walk back to his seat, careful not to flex his wings as he usually did for fear of accidentally burning her. Leticia, as if suddenly remembering something, opened her eyes and quickly took a hold of his arm with both her hands, stopping him in his tracks. He turned back to face her.

He looked to her hands holding his, they were small and soft. He raised his eyes to hers. "What is it?"

"I..." She cleared her throat, releasing her hold on him. "I can not stay here forever."

Liam chuckled. "Who says it will be for ever?"

It was suddenly weird to him, having her around all the time and knowing that he was clearly visible to her was not the natural order of things. When the world was still in a sense of balance, where the hidden stayed hidden, it was usually him who would hang around undetected. The bond was normal then but now? He could not imagine it as it was the first time he was bonded with a human that could see him.

"You will leave when it is time." He completed.

"I mean, my brother." She explained. "The only reason I had come out here was just to find him and I have to find him or my coming out of the fortress would be in vain. As it is now, I probably have a deadly punishment to get back to and I really do not mind that, but I can go back only when I have my brother with me."

Liam faced her fully now, his folded wings behind him added to his domineering appearance and Leticia let her eyes move to look at them then back to Liam. He looked into her hazel brown eyes and his heart softened at her humanity, her eyes shook with emotions and longing. He could feel every single emotion her eyes spoke to him and even the ones she could not express. He groaned internally at the bond which pulled at his own emotions.

"He is the only family I have left, I really have to find him then I promise you I will go away and I will not trouble you any longer. Just help me find him. Please." Leticia continued.

Liam nodded slightly, he had already promised to help her on the day they bonded but he would not tell her that, he was still dealing with having the responsibility over her. He already missed his ten years of being totally free and irresponsible and he sighed.

"It is just like I said, you will leave but only when it is time."

"Liam..." Her voice shook.

"You are human and your asphax would not hide you for long so just trust in what I say and do not go out on your own."

"But..." She began to tear up and Liam turned his face away, he could not see her cry, it was one thing that came with being bonded, her tears would eventually melt him.

"He... he might not be doing well where he is, what if..."

"I will find him." Liam said and that shut her up. He turned his head towards her and watched as a tear dropped from her left eye and he took hold of her hand, looking away from her eyes. "That is my promise to you."

"Oh Liam!" Leticia squealed and out of excitement she hugged him.

Liam was taken aback by her sudden action and he just stood still, looking at her small figure attached to him and not sure what he should do. His hands were limp by his side, should he hug her back or get her off him? He felt her arms around him, squeezing him in honest appreciation, he could feel her heart beat, pounding against his body, he felt the tear that rolled from her eyes and came to rest on his body. He took a deep breath and placed a hand on her hair lightly, patting her head.

"Just this once." He told himself. "Just this one human and then that would be all." He sighed.

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