The scent of pork roasting in the oven filled the small cabin. Carrots sizzled in a thin pool of butter on the burner, caramelizing in sugar. Kismet stood at the stove, mashing potatoes with a fork, having to stand on tip-toes to apply force. The kitchen was longer than it was wide, so Nyx had to manuver around Kismet with the plates in one hand and cutlery in the other.

They decided to take the opportunity to dress up. Nyx wore a red dress that hugged her curves, flaring slightly at the waist and ended just above the knee. Slender spaghetti straps held it to her shoulders, stopping the low neckline from plunging any further.

Kismet had managed to buy some clothes of her own over the past month, though had yet to get anything remotely formal, so Nyx had taken her shopping to pick something out earlier that afternoon. They figured it would be a good idea to grab something for tomorrow’s council meeting as well.

It was odd to see Kismet out of a hoodie and jeans, and in a floral sundress instead. The teal colour complimented the tint of green in her eyes and sun-bleached strands in her light brown curls. Even still, she avoided makeup, claiming the goopy texture bothered her skin. The cuffs of her white knit cardigan were already frayed and damp from being gnawed on all day.

Nyx laid out the plates and cutlery along the table.

“Can I ask you something?” Kismet placed the bowl of potatoes on the table then shuffled back to the stove.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Would you mind being a reference for me tomorrow?” Her cheeks blazed red and she hid her face, turning away to get the carrots off the burner as quickly as possible.

“I’d love to.” Nyx smiled at her, but it broke her heart to see how the other girl tensed, curling into herself as she scraped the carrots into a bowl. “It’s been great having you here.”

I wish she’d see I really mean it. It's been nice having someone to talk to other than my siblings, and she's helped Angel with his powers so much.

“Do you think Angel will feel left out I didn’t ask him?” Kismet asked.

“Not at all,” Nyx laughed. She scooched behind Kismet again to grab the glasses from the cupboard over the sink. “He’s a bit shy about that sort of stuff.”

“I noticed," Kismet nodded. "I have to admit, he’s hard to wrap my head around sometimes. I never thought I’d miss being able to use my powers. It’s difficult to read him without them. It’s not that he’s not expressionate, but -”

“I know what you mean,” said Nyx, arranging the wine glasses beside each plate. “I wish I had telepathy or something. If only I could read his mind, life would be so much easier.”

Kismet stumbled, dropping the fork onto the top of the stove with a clatter.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Nyx. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I imagine being a telepath would be quite difficult. Empathic abilities must be kind of similar to reading minds right?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Kismet muttered, bringing the bowl of carrots to sit beside the potatoes.

“Did I hurt your feelings?” Nyx flushed. “I keep putting my foot in my mouth, don’t I?”

“You’re fine,” said Kismet and she flashed a smile, but her eyes seemed miles away.

I may not be a telepath, but something is definitely on her mind.

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m just nervous about the council meeting, is all.”

“You’ll do great.” Nyx pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. “Watcher Liz seems to like you and it’s her vote that really counts, and you know Daisy will vote for you. Mom and Dad like you too, so far as I’m aware. They’d have to risk us never speaking with them again if they didn’t let you stay.”

“What about Julian? I haven’t even met him yet,” said Kismet, plunking into the chair beside Nyx.

“Don’t worry about him,” Nyx scoffed. “Even if he says no for some reason, he’s out voted.”

Kismet kept her head dipped, hiding behind the wall of curls shielding her face. She plucked at a loose thread on her sleeve, tugging until it began to unravel a little.

The front door opened as Alistair let himself in. He came around the corner with a bottle of wine in his hand. When he saw Kismet, his eyes lit up as he smiled. She stopped fidgeting and looked at him, a grin brightening her face, and hopped off the chair to greet him.

He’d also gotten dressed up in a white linen shirt, the sleeves rolled over his forearms, and a dark pair of jeans. A silver necklace dangling through the open neckline matched his piercings.

Alistair passed the bottle to Kismet. “I know you don't drink much, but I figured since it's such an occasion, I got this for you.”

“Thank you. You really didn’t have to.” She turned the bottle around to read the label. “It’s my favorite, how did you know?”

“You told me a while ago, remember? You mentioned it when we went out to the beach that time.”

Their eyes met and Kismet flushed.

Nyx felt like she might as well be another chair. Though she had to admit, it was nice to see them getting along so well. Since Kismet’s arrival, Alistair had frequently stopped by to visit. So often in fact, Nyx began to wonder why she even bothered to move away from home in the first place.

Nyx cleared her throat. “No Cassie?”

Alistair looked over as if seeing her for the fist time. “Oh, no, sorry. She and Blossom are fire-spinning at The Barn tonight. It’s just me.”

The front door opened again, letting in a gust of evening wind as Angel stepped inside. He’d only just pulled his black shirt back on, still in the midst of buttoning it up as he walked.

“Sorry, I’m late,” he said, joining them in the kitchen. He greeted Alistair and Kismet before stooping to peck Nyx on the cheek. Though he smiled, his eyes were distant. He slid into the chair next to her, slouching. The wind had tugged hair loose from his already messy bun.

“Everything ok?” Nyx asked.

“Oh, yeah, I’m good,” he said. “Just got held up a moment, is all. Smells super good in here, what are ya cooking, Kizzy?”

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

What isn't he telling me?

“A roast,” Kismet replied. “It should be just about done now.”

After getting the meat out of the oven, they all sat down at the table to eat. Angel poured the wine and Nyx noted this was the first time she’d seen him drink in nearly a month. She didn’t remark on it and sipped her own glass.

The meal was one of the best she’d had since moving out. Not even her mother made dinners like this outside of Christmas. Kismet insisted on cooking every night, and truly out did herself this time.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Angel said, reaching for his pocket. He brought out his wallet and handed Alistair a-hundred dollar bill.

He took it with a frown, turning it over like he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. “What’s this for?”

“Stop twisting it around, it’s not counterfeit. I’m paying you back for covering me with Timmy,” Angel said.

Nyx nearly dropped her fork, almost choking on a carrot, and Alistair’s eyes widened. Kismet looked from one to the other.

“Are you sure?” Alistair asked.

“I’ve been saving up some,” said Angel, “and I thought I’d better start paying you back. It’s not a lot but it’s a start.”

"Really?" Alistair asked.

“Seriously, I insist.”

Alistair shrugged and tucked the money in his pocket.

Nyx smiled at him, finally allowing some of her initial hope to creep back in. She tried to warn herself to be cautious, but couldn’t resist.

Maybe Angel really is ready to change.

After supper, they crowded into the living-room for a movie. Nyx had finally gotten a small television propped up in the corner. They’d rented a horror movie on tape from the corner store and Nyx slid it into the VCR.

Kismet squashed on the couch next to Alistair while Nyx and Angel occupied an armchair each with the side-table between them. The wine bottle had been emptied during supper so they brought out the beer from the fridge, and put the case beside the chips and dip on the coffee table.

Between Alistair and Angel, the beer didn’t last long. Nyx even had one herself, but Kismet abstained, opting for water instead. They’d hoped a movie would distract her from tomorrow’s meeting, but it didn’t appear to do the trick. Kismet watched the television with vacant eyes, twisting the ends of her sleeves.

When the movie finished, Nyx and Angel were the only ones left awake. They got up carefully to avoid waking Kismet and Alistair who had fallen asleep on opposite ends of the couch. The soft blue light of the television reflected off their faces.

Nyx gently tossed a throw blanket over them.

I don't know what I'll do if they tell her to leave tomorrow. They have to let her stay.

Angel was already in bed when she got up the stairs to her room. She undressed in the dark then slid under the sheets beside him. This close, she felt the heat emanating from his skin and the soft rise and fall of his ribs. She pressed an ear to his chest and heard the steady beat of his heart.

“I’m alive,” Angel said, peeking his eyes open and stroked her hair.

“I just like to listen,” she muttered. “I never want to forget what it sounds like.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

She looked up at him. The soft moonlight from the window was enough to illuminate the contours of his face, capturing all the sharp angles and the bend in his crooked nose. The mischievous glint in his eyes could not conceal the brooding shadow that had been growing since he arrived.

“Are you sure everything is alright?” she asked. “You seem upset.”

Angel smiled, but it was not the one she was used to. There was no spark of laughter in it, but a bitter-sweetness instead. He gently smoothed the hair away from her face.

“I’m not upset.”

“Then what is it?” she demanded.

“It’s stupid,” he muttered, trying to shift away, but she held on tighter.

“Well, tell me anyway.”

Angel wriggled away from her, scooching closer to the wall. The growing silence only made her heart beat faster, so she pressed in closer, not letting him get away so easily. He scrunched his face, struggling to find the words, and she could almost hear him thinking.

She prodded him in the ribs. "You're freaking me out. Just say it."

“I love you, ok?” He said it so fast it took her a moment to decipher the words. “There.”

She blinked, still processing. Her heart beat so fast it came to a stand-still like the wings of a humming bird. When the words finally sunk in, she grinned and pressed closer to him again so that he was pinned between her arms and the wall.

“You do?”

He was finally able to look at her again. “Of course I do. Don’t act so surprised.”

Nyx squinted, reaching up to pinch his cheeks and examine his face. “What did you do with Angel? Are you an evil clone?”

Laughing, Angel swatted her hand away. “No, dingus. I mean it.”

The heat glowing from him increased until she felt like she was lying directly in a sun beam.

“I’m sorry I never said it sooner,” he continued, gently running his fingers through her hair. His voice became tight, almost strained through his throat. “I just wanted to tell you when I could do it right, when it could be real."

"What do you mean?" she frowned.

"I scare you too much," he said, looking up at the ceiling.

"No, Angel -"

"I don't mean to, but I do." He continued. "It wasn't just the fight with Aluminum Carl, or with Timmy or on and on and on. It's the fact that I do it at all. The way you looked at me in the car that night... I won't ever forget it. I'm killing you, aren't I?"

"Angel -" Her heart swelled, pushing against the confines of her ribs.

"It's so stupid." His voice quickened, rushing to explain as if his words could outrun the tears scratching at his throat. "It's so selfish of me to love you like this, the way that I am, and to ask you to love me back, but then I died and nothing has been right since."

“It’s ok,” she said softly. “You’re alive. That’s what counts.”

“That’s a low bar," he grumbled.

She peered up at him, making eye contact. “You have a second chance.”

“I want to be better."

She sighed and rolled over to look up at the ceiling.

“I’m just scared you don’t mean it.”

“How can I prove it to you?” Angel turned and put his arm across her.

“I suppose you can’t.” Nyx’s stomach tightened.

“What do I have to do to make things fair, so that loving me won't hurt so bad?"

There was too much longing in his question. Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces. The pit of her stomach hardened and twisted. She pressed her hand to his cheek. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn she felt moisture under her thumb.

“I don’t want to lose you. It seems you’re always running. I’d give anything for you to stay here with me.”

“I’ve always been here.” Angel frowned.

“Not really,” she said. “You're partying all the time or in some stupid fight. I didn’t realize how much I’d been holding my breath until the worst finally happened and I lost you. I can’t go through that again.”

“You won’t have to,” he said.

“You can’t promise that.”

The image of Ivy descending upon the island, demanding he join her at The Academy… or worse, was not far from her mind.

“No, but I can promise to try.” Angel pressed his forehead to hers. “Please believe me.”

Please don’t prove me wrong.

“Ok,” she said.

Nyx placed her faith in him once more. Perhaps it was stupid to do so, but a sliver of hope slunk back into the cracks of her heart and she wrapped an arm around him. Their noses touched. Angel leaned in, pressing his lips to hers with a sort of desperate hunger bordering on starvation. The emotion lingering from their conversation trembled under his skin along with the mounting heat of his life-force until he began to radiate a soft blue glow.

The warmth enveloped her, releasing the tension, she melted beneath his touch. The wave of energy pulsated up the entire length of her body until pins and needles prickled her skin. Every light stroke of his fingers lit a trail of tiny sparks like electric jolts as the energy increased. It was nearly too much to take, until Angel absorbed the excess life-force, making the aura around them pulsate.

She tangled her hands through his hair, pulling him closer, hoping he could feel the comfort inside of her body that he was desperately searching for, wishing she could radiate it outward like the glow that now surrounded them.

Maybe then he could feel it.

So she comforted him the only way he'd understand.