Title: Fly
Prompt: 276. Fly
Word Count: 220


It hurts! It hurts!

He wraps his arms around her and holds her tight, quietly cooing to calm her down.

It won't hurt for long, he promise, kissing her forehead. It'll all be over soon.

She cries harder, harder, weeping in pain. Finally, she blossoms with a scream, wings bursting out of her shoulder blades.

Van smiles at her. He reaches out to touch her blood-speckled wings, fingers just barely ghosting over the almost pure white feathers. They're beautiful.

Luxanne sniffles, trying to swallow her tears. R-really? she stutters, afraid to touch them. Are they really?

Van chuckles and takes her hand, spreading his own wings. Of course, he says. Now fly with me.

But what if I can't? What if I—

Shush, he commands, and silences her with a kiss. I'll teach you to fly.

She's nervous, scared, all the what ifs and things going wrong flashing through her mind.

She takes a deep breath, and takes his hand. I'm ready.

She closes her eyes and feels her feet lift off the ground. Slowly, carefully, she flaps her wings, afraid they may shatter at the slightest movement.

Nothing shatters, nothing breaks, and she flaps her wings again.

Fly with me, Van repeats, and smiles.

She opens her eyes. Okay, she says. I'll fly with you.

And they fly.