Content warning: Implied prejudice

Andreas trembled as he saw the charred remains of his house.  A series of images flashed through his mind.  Himself as a child, running down the halls.  His mother baking bread in the kitchen.  His father coming back from his routine lighthouse checks.  The few times he had friends over.  The house was small so he and his friends ended up playing outside while their parents admonished them not to get too close to the rocky shore.

This house had sheltered his family for generations.  It was built at the same time as the lighthouse and lasted through many storms.  The roof and wood paneling had been modified over time, and modern amenities were added as they came into existence.  However, the structure had remained steadfast all these years.   It was home, a comforting haven to return to.

And now that home was gone, replaced by jagged blackened wood and broken shards of glass.  A burnt out frame that was half collapsed, ready to crumble with the next gust of wind.

Andreas fell forward and dug his fingers into the dirt.  His head was spinning and his throat felt constricted.  Who did this?  Was it those awful men who captured him?  It was terrible enough that they injured him and locked him in a cell.  Did they have to destroy his home too?

“Andreas…” Viro murmured.  He placed a hand on Andreas’ shoulder.  Andreas looked up at him.  He felt his heart still.  Something about Viro reaching out to him always calmed him down.

“Viro…” Andreas slowly stood up.  “I…I don’t know what to do now.  The food’s all gone.  My car…it should still be in town where I parked it.”  He reached into his pockets and felt nothing.  He laughed bitterly.  “Of course, they’d take my wallet.  I have no money now, unless I go to the bank.  At least they’d recognize me there.  Maybe I could find an old friend to stay with until things get sorted out.  But I don’t know how they’d react to you…”  He remembered how the townspeople stared at them when Viro’s wings were revealed.

Viro looked at him with solemn silver eyes.  Andreas bit down on his lip to keep it from trembling.  “It’s okay, Viro, we’ll figure something out.”

Viro turned his attention toward the lighthouse and squinted his eyes.  “Andreas…”

“Hm?”

Viro sent the next message telepathically.  The lighthouse…there’s writing on it.  What does it say?

“Oh?” Andreas turned his attention to the base of the lighthouse.  It was covered in graffiti but they were too far away for him to make out the words.  He sighed and walked towards it.  Viro followed closely behind.

As they approached the lighthouse, he saw that the door was wide open and the rusty padlock had been broken.  Spray painted words stretched across the stone.  He began to read them.

Demon

Evil

Get out!

As his eyes traveled further, his jaw dropped and his heart began to palpitate.  There were longer messages scrawled into the stone.  Messages attacking his character and telling him how ashamed his parents would be of him.  Messages from former classmates who said they would no longer associate themselves with him, despite growing up together.  And finally a group of words that made his blood run cold.

When he saw the slurs, he began to tear up.  “These words…are so hateful…”

Viro looked at him.  Who wrote these?

“It…would have been the people living on this island, given the personal details.  They’ve known me all my life, but because of this, they completely turned their backs on me…”  His body felt weak and he sank to his knees again.

“Andreas…”

The tears began to roll down Andreas’ cheeks and he wiped them away.  “I…I think the townspeople were actually the ones who smashed everything in the lantern room and who…burned down the house…”

Viro put his hand on Andreas’ shoulder.  Andreas looked up at him sadly.

“You know Viro, I think I know why those people who were after you confronted us in town rather than out here.  The people on this island are superstitious, so any talk of demons and evil will work them up into a frenzy.  And also, they’re not particularly open to…differences…”

Viro looked at his wings.

“Not just differences of appearance,” Andreas said.  He looked defeated.  “There was a reason I wanted to study abroad and experience a different environment.”

Viro looked confused.

“Those people who were after you, who captured me, they knew exactly what they were doing when they revealed your wings and announced to everyone that you and I were kissing.  They wanted to turn the townspeople against me, so that I wouldn’t be able to run to them for support.”  Andreas dug his fingers into the dirt again.  “They claimed that their organization has been around for centuries.  Maybe that’s how they’ve been able to avoid scrutiny.  If anyone questions their methods, they just find ways to isolate that person, make it seem like that person is part of the problem that needs to be eradicated.”  He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.  “And it worked, didn’t it?  No one’s going to help me now.  I’ve lost everything…”  He trembled and broke down into sobs.

Viro furrowed his brow.  His silver eyes flashed with indignation.  How could these people, who have known you all their lives, treat you like this when you’ve been nothing but kind?  If demons are those who cause harm, then perhaps they are the real demons!

Andreas looked at him.  “Viro…”

Andreas…I’m so sorry.  I…I shouldn’t have come…

“What?”

If I hadn’t washed up on your shore, none of this would have happened…

“Viro…”

Then you’d still have your old life and be happy…I’ve ruined everything for you…

“Viro…”

Viro’s eyes began to water.  A tear rolled down his cheek.  I should have just drowned in the sea…

“Viro, no!” Andreas stood up and wrapped his arms around him.  “How could you say that?”  He embraced Viro tightly.  “Please…don’t blame yourself or think that you’ve ruined my life.  It was the other people who did all this, not you.”

Viro wrapped his arms around Andreas’ waist and leaned against his chest.  His tears seeped into Andreas’ clothes.  

Andreas caressed Viro’s dark hair.  “I was unhappy for a very long time before you came.  I thought I’d be alone forever.  You showing up…it was the best thing that ever happened.”

“Andreas…”

“Viro…I love you…”

Viro’s silver eyes widened and he looked up at Andreas.  Andreas leaned towards him until their foreheads touched.  They could feel each other’s exhalations.  Andreas moved forward and his lips brushed against Viro’s.  Viro closed his eyes and their kiss deepened.

This.  Even if he lost everything else, Andreas still had this.  When he was curled up in the dark cell, he thought he would never see Viro again or feel his warmth.  Now that Viro was here in his arms, he never wanted to let him go.

***

The waves of the sea crested and fell, the pattern ever unchanging.  The cold wind whistled through the rocky shore.  The gulls glided through the air in the distance.  

Andreas and Viro sat on the damp rocks.  Viro’s head rested on Andreas’ shoulder.  Andreas wrapped his arm around Viro and held him close.

“So…what happens now?” Andreas murmured.  “The lighthouse has been damaged.  I can’t get supplies to fix it since the townspeople no longer welcome me.”  He kicked the pebbles near his feet.  “What they did was so foolish.  Even if they hate me now, they didn’t have to wreck the lighthouse like that.  Ships rely on it for safe navigation.”

Viro put his hands on Andreas’ arm.  Andreas began to feel calmer.

“Bjorn is still missing,” Andreas continued.  “I hope he’s still alive.  We have to keep looking for him.”  He sighed.  “And there is no longer a home for us and no one is going to take us in.”

Viro looked up at him.  Maybe, once we find Bjorn, I could take you both to my home.

“Your home?”

The other world.  Beyond the barrier.

Andreas’ eyes widened.  “Oh…but would Bjorn and I fit in?  Wouldn’t they treat us as outsiders?  Would we even survive there?”

I’m not certain…but, I’ll take care of you both.  The same way you took care of me.  And if it doesn’t work out there, then we’ll keep going until we find a place where we can all feel safe and live in peace.

Viro stretched out his wings and enveloped Andreas in a protective cocoon.

I love you too, Andreas.  I owe you my life so I’ll protect you always.

Andreas felt his heart stir.  He traced his fingers along Viro’s face and kissed him tenderly.  Tears trickled down his cheeks.  They were tears of bittersweetness, of relief, of a cautious hope that, no matter how bleak things seemed now, the future still held some promise.  Their kiss deepened and they spent a long time in the sanctuary of dark feathers.  When they finally pulled away to catch their breaths, Andreas put his forehead against Viro’s.

“Let’s go find Bjorn,” Andreas said.  “And our new home.”

They stood up.  Viro wrapped his arms around Andreas and opened his wings.  Andreas held onto him tightly.  With a flap of Viro’s wings, they flew into the air.  The future was uncertain, but at least they would face it together.

The End