Top pic credit: unknown

"How ya doing over there, cutie? Die of a heart attack yet?" Keigo chuckled out to me over the flight breeze that rang through our ears.

I continued practically clawing into his forearms as he held me tightly in the sky-realizing I'm still just as terrified of the flying thing as I was before.

Well, no character development there, huh?

"I-I dunno, Keigs. You're Mr. Feather Sensor Man, who can hear my heartbeat. Does it sound like I'm about to die of a heart attack?" I called out nervously, leaning my head back against his shoulder as I squeezed my eyes shut tightly.

He snuggled his chin against my shoulder, the nice caresses of morning air causing his floppy hair to tickle the side of my face.

"Well....want the truthful answer to that question, darlin?" Keigo asked, completely unbothered by my, apparently close to death, heartbeat.

Instead, he let out a soft sigh of content as he held me in the sky, clearly having a much different outlook on this experience, than myself.

"No. I'd rather not know if I'm about to go into cardiac arrest. Thanks though." I groaned out, keeping my eyes shut as my body continued to remain tensed.

"Ah, that's what I thought. You're welcome!" He laughed freely, throwing his head back slightly as he fully enjoyed the nice breeze that was gliding past our bodies.

While I'm sure the breeze felt nice, all I could focus on at the moment was the blinding sun-which felt extremely close to Keigo and I at this high height. Seriously, is it possible to accidentally fly into the sun? Because I feel like we're about two feet away from doing so. Guess I better prepare myself for that possibility, right? Seems pretty likely at this point. Would it hurt? Or would I just melt away into thin air. Hmm, not sure. Probably not something one should be thinking about on a date though.

Noticing my tense silence, Keigo turned his head slightly to look at my face-and while my eyes were closed, I could tell he was smiling at me.

"Wow. Did I really manage to leave the great Ari Parker speechless?" He snickered, brushing his face closer to mine.

"Sure did. What, you want a prize or something?" I asked in fake question, hearing him let out a chuckle of challenge.

"Hm. Maybe. Depends on what the prize is."

"A bath in the fryer." I suggested, causing him to whistle in fake consideration.

"Doesn't sound half bad..." He started out, before continuing his thoughts.

"Y'know, it was a shocker to me, when I first learned about your fear of flying. You're always so tough and cool. I didn't think anything scared ya when we first met. I thought you'd end up being the sexy adrenaline junkie type...." He smirked out, the curve of his smile pressing snugly against the side of my cheek.

I held onto him tighter, already knowing he could feather sense my heart pounding out of my chest with nerves.

"Oh yeah? How about now?" I asked, already preparing myself for the roast Keigo was probably about to hit me with.

Payback for all those times I've roasted him, no doubt. Damn it, it's well deserved on his part.

"And, now...after getting to know you, heh..I realize, chicky....that it's all an act, and really, you're just a big ol' scaredy cat. A sexy scaredy cat, of course." He teased, nuzzling his face into my neck for a moment to get me to laugh.

Considering the fact that my nails were probably making a permanent indent on Keigo's wrists from my anxious grip, I decided to just embrace his words. It's not like I could really deny them.

"I guess I am, huh? I dunno, I was pretty fearless as a child. But, I think everything changed for me after I almost died. You know, during the Great Attack of Fukuoka? I mean, if my angel had never saved me, I'd be dead now. That whole situation just kinda put things into perspective for me. Life is short, and that scares me. But, putting on an act just makes it easier. Especially for our line of work. If I tell myself I'm not scared, then maybe I'll believe it." I shrugged out, feeling my body barely starting to relax in Keigo's hold.

And of course, right when I felt it may have been okay to let my guard down a little, a giant gust of wind consumed our air space, causing Keigo to shoot our flight path up a little higher to avoid it.

I inhaled sharply at the sudden jolt, immediately tensing up my body again.

A soft chuckle vibrated from the bird boy's chest at my actions, seeming amused by my obviously uneasy demeanor.

I furrowed my brows in slight annoyance with his actions, wondering if he made such a sudden movement intentionally because he knew it'd make me jumpy.

"Hm? Got something else to say, birdie? It almost seems like you're enjoying this?" I countered, referring to the trembling state of my body.

Keigo felt me shaking in fear, hugging me impossibly tighter against him for reassurance. Even so, he didn't seem to take my question seriously in the slightest.

"Damn, still so feisty even when you're a shaking mess in my arms. God, so stubborn. Ah, but I like that about you." Keigo hummed in amusement, before continuing.

"Oi, and don't get it twisted. It's not that I'm enjoying the fact that you're scared. What I am enjoying, is the fact that you have no other choice but to let me comfort you. I love protecting you, chicky. And now, I get to show you that I can protect you. You're an independent chick and I love that about you, but at times like this? I want you to rely on me, occasionally. Let me make you feel safe. You're gonna trust in me today. Alright?" He asked casually, yet the confidence in his voice showed that he wouldn't take no as an answer to that question.

Not that I would say no, anyways. I trust Keigo with my life.

But, that doesn't change the fact that flying high has always been one of my biggest weaknesses. No matter the circumstance.

At the same time, I don't want to hurt his ego.

"Well good. I feel better already." I stated with a forced smile, trying to keep my voice free of any nervous shakes.

Of course, Keigo saw right through my lies, shaking his head slightly in disbelief for my statement.

His lips brushed against my ear now, the contrast of his hot breath against the cool, sky breeze making me shiver slightly.

"Ah? Don't lie to me now." He uttered out smoothly, placing a soft kiss on my earlobe before focusing his attention forward again.

A genuine laugh escaped my lips this time, as my muscles involuntarily began relaxing at Keigo's attempt to ease my fears. The fact that he's showing how well he knows me, somehow made me feel a little better.

"Nothing escapes that nosy mind of yours." I uttered quietly, tracing soft circles on his wrists with my fingers.

He simply hummed in agreement to my statement, clearly intending to drop the subject now.

But, the more Keigo spoke to me about my vulnerabilities, the more comfortable I felt about bringing them up.

Guess he's not the only one who has a hard time talking about feelings.

"You know, things are different with you, Keigs. I can't put on an act with you, and pretend to be fearless, like I can with everyone else. And because of that, you see all of the wimpy-ness I try to hide from the rest of the world." I said, causing Keigo to nod in agreement with my statement. He didn't seem at all surprised by my words.

He continued to press his face against mine as we flew, lazily keeping his eyes on the road-I mean, the sky, as we peacefully soared through the air.

"You could never hide it from me, chicky. I figured it out quick, early on. Even without sensing everything through my feathers. It had nothing to do with the technical aspects. I just knew. It's the same way I could never hide myself from you. Ah, man, it was always so frustrating in the beginning, watching you see right through me all the time. We were never meant to keep things from each other. It....it just took me a little longer to realize that. I'll never stop saying I'm sorry for it." He stated softly, hugging me tighter against him as he spoke the words.

I kept my eyes closed, but I could feel my pounding heart rate starting to calm down and steady the more Keigo and I talked.

"Well, you should stop saying you're sorry for it. I've forgiven you. Now, it's time to forgive yourself. No more secrets. I trust you." I reassured, feeling Keigo very gently swaying our intertwined bodies back and forth in the air.

"Yes. No more secrets. I promise you. Only the truth from now on, chicky. That's it." He coaxed softly, planting a small kiss on my cheek in a way that still said, "I'm sorry."

But, luckily, Keigo knew when to drop the subject as he decided to prod with another one of his lingering questions.

"I've always wondered, though. Which part about the flying thing scares you?" He asked in genuine curiosity, slowing his speed a little so we flew at more of a peaceful coast instead of a car's speed.

Keeping my eyes closed, I thought about Keigo's question, starting to become more mindful about what it is that really scared me about this situation.

"Hm...well....I guess there's just the fear of...falling. Or maybe your wings give out on you. It's....it's the fear of not being in control." I explained casually, realizing that once I actually said these concerns out loud, they were two very unlikely scenarios that would happen when I'm in Keigo's care.

"Is there a rule that says you always have to be in control? Not sayin' you should go crazy and lose your mind on other things. But, in your definition of control....sounds more like a trust thing." He said gently, trying to give me a new perspective on my fears.

I pursed my lips in thought at his words, realizing Keigo had a point.

"So, what are you suggesting then?" I asked, loosening my iron grip on his wrists just a tad.

The powerful flapping of Keigo's wings gradually began to slow down in the sky. The fact that we were still hovering without much wing power meant that he was probably holding us up telekinetically.

His hands carefully adjusted my body, keeping a secure hold on my waist as he slowly turned me around in his arms.

I hummed softly in unease as Keigo shifted me around in the air, hearing him utter a soft, "I got you."

Keeping my eyes closed, I was still able to realize that Keigo had turned me around to face him, with my chest pressing flush against his own now.

Instinctively, I put my hands around his shoulders to steady myself more, feeling him press his forehead to my own now.

"What am I suggestin', you ask?" He whispered out, grazing his bare fingertips along the side of my face.

I simply remained silent in curiosity, already knowing he had more to say.

And he did.

"Well, for starters, how about opening your eyes for me?" Keigo uttered out softly, the nostalgic familiarity of his voice sending a shiver up my spine.

And it was different this time.

Instead of needing him to constantly try and get me to open them again, the way he usually needs to, my eyes opened quickly this time...eager to hear his truth.

Keigo's brows barely raised up in surprise at how quickly I opened my eyes, his lips curling up into a small smile as I did so.

"Hey, you opened 'em quicker this time. Maybe it's a sign that you're starting to see it. Maybe it's a sign you're starting to catch on." He breathed out against my face, his words coming out so soft, they were almost inaudible to my ears.

My eyes automatically searched for his, finding them quickly. His golden orbs glowed extra bright from the reflection of the sun. But, they were also bright from the warmth he was currently harvesting in them.

His hair was flowing back ever so softly, dancing along with the direction of the morning breeze. His face was so unusually genuine and peaceful, you could almost mistake him for someone else.

I've said it before, but being up in the sky with the clouds and soft rays of sun as our backdrop, just emphasized his...angelic appearance.

Just opening my eyes and seeing it was him instantly relaxed me and made me feel okay-or, a little better, anyways.

But, judging by my confusion with his incredibly soft spoken statement, I wasn't even sure I heard him correctly.

"Hm? What did you say?" I asked, bringing my arms a little more securely around his shoulders.

Keigo's glowing eyes burned into mine with a focus and intensity that made me instantly intrigued. He didn't speak a word for a moment, just studying the features of my face intimately-watching me study the features of his face. Almost like he wanted me to know what he was thinking, and just figure it all out for myself.

A smile slowly began spreading across his face as he saw me pondering my own thoughts, gently dragging his eyes away from mine to look at my other features.

He sighed softly in content as he brushed his thumb along my cheek, giving his head a slight, dismissive shake.

"I didn't say anything important, little dove. I'm just glad you opened your eyes. That's all." He smiled warmly, pulling his forehead away from my own slightly so he could look at me better.

I swallowed thickly as the scenery around us began to cloud my peripheral vision, making me remember that we were still in the sky.

My eyes slowly drifted away from Keigo's as I started taking in the height, feeling my heart beginning to pound again.

"W-Wow....we're really high up..." I uttered out, starting to look down towards the ground.

But, Keigo didn't allow me to look down, quickly catching my chin between his fingers before I could, and slowly turning my face back up towards him.

"Mhm. We are. We're high up. But, look at the clouds. You always enjoy those when I take you flying. Feel the breeze. It's not the same type of breeze you'd feel when you're down on the ground. This is a rare, fresh breeze that not many people are able to experience in their lifetime..." Keigo started out, keeping his gaze locked on my own in a peaceful manner.

I drank in his words, as I focused on his descriptions of the world around us, feeling him starting to lightly sway us back and forth in the sky again.

My gaze naturally drifted down towards the ground again, before Keigo gently grabbed my chin between his fingers, pulling me back up to look at him once more.

"No, don't look down. Listen to the wind, chicky. There's no city noises to distract you from listening to the chirps of the birds that are passing by us. Reach out and touch that cloud next to you, feel the vapor of it on your hand..." He whispered now, keeping his eyes on me as I slowly lifted one of my hands from around his shoulders to reach out and touch the clouds that surrounded us.

Although, he didn't need to, Keigo made it a point to hold me tighter as I released one of my hands from around him, trying to let me know that he wouldn't even dream of dropping me.

I smiled softly, as the vapor of the cloud swirled around my hand, dragging traces of it back over to Keigo and I.

He continued swaying us back and forth, focusing on my awestruck smile as I swirled the cloud around with my fingers.

"Wow. It's amazing..." I breathed out happily, feeling my body melt into Keigo's hold completely as I began actually taking in the sights.

Clearly, he felt me relaxing as well, judging by the way he subtly loosened his extra secure squeeze on me so I'd actually have some room to breathe.

"Mhm. It is, right? Don't get me wrong. I know it can be scary for you, too. You don't have wings the way I do. You're vulnerable up here. I understand this is a big fear of yours, Ari. But, it's all about how you look at it. It's all about perspective. Remember what I told you that one time? Don't focus on the parts that make you scared. Focus on the parts you enjoy. You and I, right now...we're flying free. Uncaged. Together. That's something you could focus on." He suggested, the rare, soft tone of his voice drawing me back towards him so I could look at his face.

The sky is a vulnerable place for me, but it's clearly also one for Keigo, as well. It just affects us in different ways.

For me, it makes me feel afraid.

But, for Keigo....

It makes him feel free.

I've been lucky enough to see Keigo in his truest form a few times, and right now, was one of those times.

I can always tell when he's decided to completely let his guard down, and allow himself the luxury of being the person he actually wants to be.

It's not a luxury he gets to indulge in very often, due to the nature that is his life. That's why, when he is completely Keigo, I try to engrave every bit of him into my memory. I want to remember every part of it.

Like, the different inflections that his voice takes. Instead of the loud, drawling tone that Hawks uses, Keigo is always more soft spoken. His voice can be quiet, almost shy sounding at times, more pondering than impulsive.

He's not as animated and over the top with his body language and his actions. Ironically, he's more expressive with his emotions when he's not making such a big effort to mask them in over-exaggeration.

Even the way he speaks is different. Don't get me wrong, he'll still use his quirky little catch phrases and bird references here and there. He'll always make his silly jokes, and he still wants to have a good time.

But, he's more free to say what he wants to say. While he's still learning this part, he's starting to speak his mind whenever he wants to. He's not concerned with 'hitting the punchline' at the perfect time to make the crowd laugh. He's doesn't force himself to mask his personal humor and interests in deflections and metaphors, because he thinks the truth will bore people.

No. No more of that. Not when he's completely Keigo.

Now, he laughs when he wants to laugh. He's not afraid to smile genuinely, leaving behind that mechanical, cocky smirk that he's been forced into perfecting for years.

He's learning to love. He's learning to feel, and become humanized again.

He's learning to be free.

Hawks has changed in the time that I've met him. He's changed a lot.

He's changed into Keigo Takami.

And right now, his gaze was the softest I've ever seen it...looking at me in an emotion that I could now clearly decipher as...love.

Throughout the time I've known him, Keigo has looked at me this way quite a bit, and I could never understand what emotion lied behind it.

But, now....I know it's love. And it only warms my heart even more when I remember all the times he's looked at me this way. All the times I never knew that the love of my life was standing right in front of me this entire time.

Bringing myself back to reality, I comfortably removed my iron grip from his shoulders now, hearing a few birds flapping past us as I ran my fingers through his hair.

"I love you, too." I uttered quietly, watching Keigo's eyes melt into mine even more upon hearing my words.

"Hm? Ah. I should have said that. I do love you, Ari. I love you very much." He responded, matching my soft tone as his look of blissful peace remained unchanging.

"You didn't need to say it. I know you do." I whispered, slowly leaning in to kiss him.

Keigo's lips immediately meshed against mine, as one of his hands abandoned the hold on my waist to pull me closer by the back of my head.

Even though one of his hands was no longer supporting my body weight, I wasn't afraid this time as I simply continued kissing Keigo. Focusing on him. On us. On how we're free.

He kept his other hand wrapped around me securely, and I believed and trusted that he wouldn't let me fall.

And he didn't let me fall.

I knew he never would.

********
Today will be a double update. Part 2 coming soon ❤️