As much as medication scared me, I had to choke the fear down. Without it... Safe to say I wouldn't be coherent for long. I shook Angel awake, his eyes softly opening with sleep embedded in his lids like a tattoo. I pointed to my head, grimacing, tears starting to pool in my eyes. He understood. He always does. Angel came back within two minutes or so, carrying two tabs of ibuprofen and a glass of water. I choked it down, pain still searing my eyelids a dark shade of red despite the darkness around me. Angel grabbed the bandages from the floor, and started to undo the old soaked-through ones. 

    "They haven't grown much since we fell asleep, so I suppose that's good," Angel murmured softly.

God, what was happening to me? No doubt the internet, with all its knowledge, could not help me with this endeavor. After all, you only hear of horns or wings or any other assortment of mythical characteristics growing on someone in an online comic or novel. This was not one of those. I hoped. The thought hit me just then, that I'd never be able to graduate. The horns were visible through my hair now, and it was difficult, not to mention painful, to wear my glasses with them. I kind of needed those to see. So much for becoming a teacher or professor. 

    Just then, I started to cry. I'd never be able to do any of the things I wanted to. My future was now barren and desolate, devoid of anything reminiscent of hope. Angel's soft hair tickled my cheeks as he leaned in to wrap his arms around my chest. I was going to fuck this up for him too, wasn't I?

    The darkness soon faded into dawn, and the pain had dulled to an ache. I didn't really want to talk about it, but I knew it should happen eventually. I kissed Angel's head with tenderness, all the while hoping it would convey my gratitude for him. It probably didn't. Angel looked up, and pressed his mouth to mine in a slow, reassuring kiss. My hands found his hips, and his, my chest. I needed the distraction. Angel pulled away, only briefly, to gather air before coming back down more intensely. His mouth was hot and sweet and sticky, and I wondered if mine was the same. When neither of us could take a full breath, Angel pulled back, his lips swollen from the kisses, mouth sticky with saliva. 

    I let out a gasp of air: just seeing him on top of me, flushed to the extremist extent- it was intoxicating. I didn't ever want to leave this moment. My eyes traversed Angel's face before resting on the intersection between neck, collarbone, and shoulder. I pleaded with my eyes, and when I had elicited a nod, I immediately began to kiss that spot. He was so beautiful, I almost felt like he wasn't real. but my lips on his neck and the tiny moans that came from him were enough to prove otherwise.

    Angel cupped my face in his hands, thumbs trailing the hollow of my cheekbones. "My turn." He said it so softly I almost didn't understand, but when his lips brushed my skin, just barely touching, it was like I had been set on fire with longing. Desire, even. After giving me a few considerably- sized hickeys, several chaste kisses were pressed to my lips before Angel laid his head back down. We both knew we didn't want to go further, almost instinctively. He whispered his next words against my bare chest.

    "Are you okay? Really?"

"I- I don't know what's going on, and it scares me, but I'm not dead, so that's a plus."

"You know I'm going to stay, right? No matter what."

"We- I... Would you want to be my boyfriend?"

Angel's heart was beating quickly, but he seemed to restrain his excitement. "Yes."

"Well, that's a relief. Can't exactly skip straight to 'the rest of our lives' without a boyfriend stage, can we?"

Angel's small chuckle made me feel like maybe there wasn't something so wrong with me. Just some fuck-ass horns and no social awareness.