Dead Men Smiling

9.1

You know what they say; no pain, no gain.

-----

Sora was instructed to lay on the table by Wynter, dressed similarly to Hope and Maximus, who attended to the burns on the Angel's back after cutting what remained of the shirt.

Dolan was flipping through his book, probably trying to glean last minute information on the surgery he was about to perform. He closed the book and turned his gaze to Rowan. "Does Beast have any idea on this?"

"Sadly, no."

Sora realized he was tense as it dawned on him that he would actually be getting the operation to remove his wings. Dolan glanced at his friends as if asking for one of them to do something.

He relaxed slightly when hesitant hands rubbed his lower back and carefully moved to his shoulders. "Relax, Sor. Dolly says it'll hurt less if you aren't tense." Leilani muttered as Maximus continued his ministrations.

Rowan stood at his right and griped his hand. "Just squeeze when it hurts, ok?"

Dolan chewed on his lower lip as he stared at the notes before turning his attention to the healed back, picturing the Holy Fire and remembering the darkness of the Angel. he shook his head. "I can't."

"Why not?" Wynter asked, raising a brow.

He couldn't admit that its because he feared getting burnt and grasped at excuses. "I'll be dealing with a lot of blood. What if i try to attack him?"

"I trust that you won't." Sora assured, swallowing his nerves so as to calm the Vampire. "Besides, you didn't try anything when we were young and I fell." "You really trust me that much?"

"With my life."

Dolan nodded his head and let out a breath; Sora would never hurt him with the flames.

He pulled himself together and held out his hand to Hope who handed him a surgical blade that he lightly pressed along the elongation.

Sora gasped at the cold of the metal. "Will it hurt?"

"From what I've researched, it will be the most excruciating thing you'll experience," Dolan said as he pressed the blade and dragged it along the skin of Sora's back. If he messed it up, that would be on him.

The Vessel cried out as Sora's hand griped his tightly, nearly breaking the bones. He tried to focus on Leilani who was whispering words of encouragement in Sora's ears which he didn't process as he focused his attention on not ruining Dolan's concentration.

Dolan placed the blade on the tray when he saw one of Sora's wings and grit his teeth as the smell of blood wrapped itself around him.He nearly considered licking the red on his gloves when Hope shoved a crystal in his mouth. He smiled gratefully and chewed as he pocked the wing in contemplation. "He's too tense."

Wynter nodded and turned her attention to Maximus. "Do what you did to evade arrest."

Maximus froze in his spot before relaxing when no one looked at him, too absorbed in helping Sora. he pursed his lips in thought before sighing and tapping Leilani on the shoulder. "Let's swap."

He squatted next to Sora and whispered one word in his ear. "Relax."

The effect was instantaneous. Sora's muscles untensed and Rowan noted the dramatic reduction in the grip Sora had on his hand. He sent the Siren a questioning look that the latter pretended not to catch.

Dolan didn't waste time and forced the left wing out, causing everyone to wince at how brutal he had been and the scream Sora let out. He slowly dragged the blade in preparation for the right wing while telling Wynter to massage the other wing.

Maximus whispered his single worded command for thirty minutes, only stopping when Dolan called Sora.

"Yeah?" The Angel muttered.

"It's over."

Sora attempted to push himself up. "Really?"

Dolan shrugged and pulled out the right wing. "OK, now it's over."

Sora dropped himself with a yelp before glaring at the white haired male over his shoulder. "You said it was over." "Well, I lied."

Dolan then waved his wand, healing the wound while Wynter cleaned off the blood. Hope cleaned off the excess blood and motioned for everyone to give him their cloaks.

Dolan squatted in front of Sora and smiled. "So... how do you feel?"

Sora flexed the wings before flapping them. He smiled as the lifted him before he zoomed out of the house, eager to test his wings in an open space. Everyone ran after him except Dolan and Leilani. The dark haired female clapped his back. "Great job there, Hex."

"Thanks, Leilani." He hugged her. "I'm so glad we're still friends."

"You should be proud." "It was nothing."

"Nothing?" She gasped. "He looks like the cat that caught the canary. You're amazing, Dolly."

"If I told you half the things I knew, you wouldn't agree." Dolan sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, coating it red.

"I understand your hesitation, take you time." "No, i have to tell you this, you-"

Hope ran in, out of breath. "What's taking you so long? He's putting on a show."

Dolan and Leilani, they'd sort it out later.

---

Sora missed the feeling of flying; the wind in his hair and wings. He let out a whoop as he flapped the bloody wings and punched the air in excitement.

"Someone finally has their wings," a smooth voice said, "Did you like my gift to your friend?"

Sora glared at the fellow Angel. "Trust me, Bela, I have no problem with ending you if you cross me." "And risk your chance of coming back to Heaven?"

Sora remembered how he hesitated when Maximus had asked him a question of a similar nature. Bela smiled and Sora wondered when his former best friend became so cruel.

Bela tilted his head. "Do you not wish to come home? Eric and I miss you."

Sora nearly fell from stopping the flapping in shock. That shock soon turned to a memory of Mason throwing her hair back, rich brown curls falling over her shoulders as she laughed and pinched Sora's cheek. "Home is where the heart. In some cases , its who your heart is with."

He remembered how his heart once belonged to Bela who at the time he'd do anything for; including befriending Eric who he wasn't fond of.

Bela's dark eyes gleamed. "We have no choice, Heaven will always be out home. "

Sora shook his head. "No. Heaven is where I come from. Home is where my heart yearns to be. " The grey eyes hardened. "Heaven stopped being home to me as soon as you never tried to comfort me after everything. "

With those words, Sora folded his songs and let himself fall, ignoring Bela's startled cry. When he saw the ground get closer, he spread out his wings and stopped the fall, landing gracefully as he did so.

"One would fail to believe that this is your first time flying on twelve years. " Rowan smiled, impressed by the skill the Angel had shown.

Dolan flicked his wand, thoroughly cleaning Sora and studied his wings. He caressed the left wing with a curious smile. "From the few books available to us lesser beings, I know that you're a warrior Angel. Judging by how vibrant the red is, you're a commander."

Dolan smiled, revealing his teeth. "Operation is a success."

Maximus tilted his head. "Shouldn't you have fangs? Don't Vampires have fangs?" "Retractable."

As an example, Dolan opened his mouth, showcased his fangs and retracted them with a smile.

Hope let out a sneeze that caused Dolan's wand to float upwards. Sora caught the wand and handed it to Dolan who pocketed it without saying anything.

The white haired male gestured for the company to enter the house only to find him seated on the couch with something long and covered with cloth.

"So the speed isn't a myth. " Maximus nodded as Dolan handed the lump to Sora while telling him to unwrap it.

Sora grinned at the crystal sword while Dolan looked around. "Let's perfect everything. The Emperor won't know what hit him."