Burn

Angel Boy, despite how chaotic he could seem, was easy to predict. He had a method to his madness, a schedule, no matter how loose.

Which was why, when he was suddenly nowhere to be seen, it was concerning.

He wasn’t underneath his “napping tree,” and he also wasn’t underneath his “relaxing tree.” The distinction made a lot of difference to him. He wasn’t up, nor down, nor anywhere Ocellus had looked in an attempt to find his friend.

That led Ocellus to look in places that Angel Boy didn’t usually go, which also drew a blank.

This left the fallen Angel with the places Angel Boy actively disliked going, which felt useless, really, but better sure than not.

And that led Ocellus to a dark forest that seemed to eat the light around it. Of course, it was just a forest, it couldn’t eat light, but Angel Boy had always said that this Forest just didn’t feel “right.” Ocellus wasn’t worried about that, however.

And that’s how Ocellus came across Angel Boy, knelt in a clearing.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Ocellus spoke softly, a tone Angel Boy was more receptive too, “You had me worried, Angel.”

Ocellus walked closer, and that’s when he noticed the trail of blood leading from somewhere, right to where Angel Boy was. Red, bright red. And then he heard it, the heaved, almost growled breaths from… Angel Boy?

“Angel, are you hurt?”

He finally got a response as Red eyes stared at Ocellus like a deer in headlights, “Ocellus?”

Angel stood up, wobbling slightly as he did. As he stood, his wings, now dark and torn, caught the light. Something had happened.

“I didn’t mean too,” Angel slowly turned to face Ocellus, “I had too…”

He was soaked in blood, spilling down his pink shirt, covering his face and hands… claws? Two horns sat upon his head where there were no horns before, dripping small drops of blood down his face.

And as he smiled, it was unlike the soft, cloud-like smiles he used to give, his teeth were pointed and smile too crooked to feel genuine.

“I think I did something wrong.”