Halos eyes widen slightly. But he takes a breath. "He is unwell?" He asks softly. Of course John was unwell, he was a wreck when Halo had left. "I know if his position. As for what is messed with him, perhaps depression? Loss?" He suggests. He wanted John to have the best medical care. "Unhealthy diet? I have heard of beasts in the forest." He says. "other than me. I met John while in the custody of the opposing side. He was sent back safely, I hope?" He had to keep it together.
“Yes, but even then,” The general narrowed her eyes, “Something had changed in him. I want you to fix it, you said you could heal people. Heal him, and we will consider making your punishment from helping the other side be less harsh,” The general studied the monster. At first glance, it didn’t seem bad. But it was powerful, and you could never trust something like that.
Halos eyes widen and he bows his head. "I can't." He whispers. How could he face John? How could he face the love of his life, the one that no longer wanted him? He couldn't. He still had to float around and protect him, but he couldn't face the man he loved so much but left him. How could he do that? Even if he wanted to… He'd probably burst into tears. "Unless he has physical harm, I cannot help him."
“He has slashes down his arm, one of them is festering. Fix that,” The general demanded coldly. Truthfully, any old doctor could fix up the cuts, bit the general wanted to see the demon at work. She wanted to see the extent of the demon’s power. What gave him the title of demon?
Halo nods slowly and shrinks his wings into his back. He could do that. "Very well." He whispers. He didn't want to see John in pain. He loved John, even if the soldier didn't want him. He deserved the title of demon, since he was such a monster. He had hurt John. "If he is resting, it will make the healing process easier to do." If John was asleep, he wouldn't have to worry about looking John in the eye.
“He’s just this way,” The general turned briskly, not giving a hint at whether John was asleep or not. To be frank, the general wasn’t quite sure anymore. She led Halo to the healer’s tent, to find John turned on his side with his back facing the entryway. The general stepped aside for the demon to enter first.
Halo follows after her, his eyes shifting towards John. He takes a breath before slowly walking towards John. "Captain?" he calls softly as he walks into the tent. His footsteps are slow and quiet, light as a feather as he sits beside the bed.
John heard his voice. He called him by his title, but… Little tears shimmered down his eyes, an endless waterfall, as he turned to look at his angel. John wondered if Halo -gosh, that name- could tell if he refused to eat. He wondered if the angel saw the many cuts John had put on his arm since the time the other left. John had a slight shake to him as his hollow stare stopped just below the other’s eyes, “H-Halo?”
Halo smiles weakly at the other, "H-hey." He whispers softly. He hated seeing John in pain. He reaches a tender hand forward, brushing the stray tears away. "Easy now." He says gently. John… He wanted so desperately to kiss and hold the other. Kiss him and love him. But John didn't want him. He gently takes John's arms and he bites his lip in recognition. "Please don't do this to yourself." He whispers, running his thumb along at the cuts, healing them quickly. "Eat. Sleep. Be healthy. You're a-" His voice cracks and tears slips down his cheeks.
“I hurt you, Halo,” John whispered with lost eyes. He didn’t even know the general was just outside the door watching intently as he spoke, “You hate me…” But John couldn’t stop himself from grabbing onto Halo’s hand in desperation, “How can I be healthy when my compass was ripped away from me? Halo…” I love you. But John couldn’t go too far, he couldn’t intrude. Because he didn't deserve to have Halo in his life, and out of instinct his free hand jerked, going to rake his nails down his arm.
"You never hurt me." He whispers softly. He didn't care that the general was here. A streak of black slowly went down his hair as he cries softly. "Never." He whispers. "I could never hate you, John…" He mutters, "I thought you didn't want me." He whispers. Halo holds onto his hand, resting his forehead on John's hand. "I'm sorry…" He whispers. It was faint. "I love you…" Even he could barely hear himself. He grabs his hand, seeing it jerk, "Don't." He whispers.
“I-I love you, Halo,” John whispered, then the sobs started to come. That little broken thing in side him shook and quivered as he reached out, tucking his head in Halo’s shoulder. “I-I-I don’t de-deserve y-you,” He cried out, clinging tightly to Halo, “I don’t de-deserve y-y-you!”
"I love you too." He whispers, smiling as he cries, holding the other close. He holds onto the other desperately. He started to feel his heart beat again. "And you deserve every inch of me." He whispers. "You deserve everything." He mutters, running a hand through John's hair. "I love you. That will never change. No matter what you say." Halo assures gently.
John clung tightly to Halo, crying more but… it felt better. They were happier tears. He quietly whispered through his tears, “I love you I love you I love you,” He pulled Halo closer and eliminated any excess space between them. John finally looked directly into Halo’s glass eyes and started crying even more. But these were good tears.
Halo holds the other and sobs softly. He was so relieved, holding onto John with all his might. He was so relieved. So happy. He couldn't handle the amount of happiness flowing through him. "I love you. I love you." He whispers in reply, kissing John gently. He refused to let the other go. He gave a relived smile, kissing him repeatedly. The lips, the nose, the cheeks. "I love you so much." He whispers.
“I love you so much,” John kissing Halo back and murmuring, “I’m so sorry, I love you,” He felt as though the broken pieces inside him were sowing themselves together, like magic. John ran a hand through Halo’s hair, hungry hands being satisfied.
The general took a step while the demon was distracted, holding her sword up to his back. She pointedly coughed at the demon, “What did you do to him?”
"I love you too." He whispers in reply. He was relieved. Happy even. "I'm sorry…" He whispers. He gives a happy sigh before squeaking when he feels the dagger to his back. His eyes are wide and frightened. He looks at the knife at his back. "P-please no… I didn't do anything…" He pleads softly. He had be reunited with John, only to be held at knife tip. "I don't control peoples mind. I can only heal." He whispers.
John paled, scrambling to sit up and look pleadingly at his general. When had she gotten here…? “Please, please, he’s okay, he’s safe, Halo hasn’t ever done anything wrong!”
The general sneered at John, then focused her glare on Halo, “You were going to fix him. You put him under a spell. Give me a good reason not to impale you right now.” John tensed, almost frozen in place for a few breaths.
Halo's eyes are wide with fear as he stares down at the sword, his breathing uneven and shattered. She wouldn't believe him if he said anything. And she wouldn't believe John because she thought he was under Halo's spell. "That's the thing." He whispers, "You choose whether to believe me or not." His eyes are wide with fear. "You would not believe me, no matter what story I told you."
“You are too dangerous for this power hungry world anyways,” The general said coldly, and John watched as the muscles in her arm contacted as if it had been in slow motion. He pulled Halo back, shielding his guardian with his own body. At that the general stopped, blade hovering just over John’s heart.
“Don’t-“ He choked out, body tense, “Don’t hurt him.”
Halo's eyes widen when he he watches the blade head towards his chest. Halo's eyes shut, expecting the knife to go through him, but… He peeks his eyes open and sees John holding onto him. His breathing is heavy, his eyes widen, his breathing shaking. He looks down at John and hugs the other gently.
The general frowned, “Stop obeying him. He’s controlling your head. So stop, and step away from the demon. Captain Ford, this is an order.” Such clear words, an instinct that they ingrained into him from the beginning. To always obey the orders. But John did something he thought to be unimaginable. He grabbed his sword that had been sitting on a coffee table a few feet away and held it up. Pointed it at the general.
“Let him be,” John’s voice was strong and as clear as day, the crying broken person he’d been a few minutes ago was gone. Replaced with strength and… love. A deep unending love for Halo. For his guardian.
Halo's eyes are wide as he watches the woman. He was so scared. "N-no…" he whispers, his eyes staring at the dagger. He releases a breath. "J-john…" He whispers, then squeaks with surprise when he watches John point the sword at the general. "John, no. This is treason to your commanding officer… If I'm a demon to them, let them say that… but treason will get you killed." He says softly, staring at John. Why… Halo was happy that John was willing to defend him, but going against your commanding officer was absurd! But he felt loved. He felt like he was whole again. He smiles softly at the other, feeling unfaltering love towards John.
The general spoke coldly, “You should listen to the demon, John, treason will get you killed,” But her voice faltered. Because John could beat her any day in a spar, because he always fought with the army.
He took a step forward, forcing the general back a few steps, “Halo, come on. We should go. I don’t care about treason or not. I care about you.”
Halo's eyes are wide as he watches the interaction. "I-I…" he was speechless. He looks back at John, the determination on his face. He looks at the general. "I…" He couldn't say anything. He was so stunned John would chose him over his life's mission of serving people. He looks at the General. "I care about you too, John… but this was your life before I came into it." He whispers softly.
John turned to look at Halo, “I’d rather give up my dream than have you get hurt and-“ John let out a noise of pain as he fell to his knees. The general stood there next to him, watching him hesitantly. She had shoved her sword into his chest. John’s eyes bulged and he started choking up blood as he tried to get to anything, anything to stop it. To freeze time. But it already happened, and blood was flowing too fast out of his chest too indicate something not fatal.
Halo's eyes widen. "John!" He cries, his heart going a million heartbeats per second. "Why would you do that?!" He cries, holding John. His breathing is heavy and uneven. "Hold on baby, hold on!" He places his hand on the wound, choking back tears. He had to breathe, focus. A warm light spreads through his hands, and into John's chest. "Hang on… hang on…" He whispers,
The general took a step back, then another, as if realizing what she’d done. John’s breathing was labored already, hands clinging onto Halo. “I-I love you…” Silent tears were streaming down his face as black splotches started to appear in his vision. He wheezed out a breath, blood dripping down the corner of his mouth. John coughed furiously then, blood coming out in splatters and falling onto Halo’s chest. Just one last kiss… John tried pulling closer to Halo, but he just felt so weak and tired…
Halo shakes his head. "John no- stay with me baby… Stay with me please!" He begs, crying as he keeps his hand over the wound. "You're not going to die! You're going to be okay!" He sobs, shaking his head. "I love you too baby… Hang on… Please hang on." He trembles. He leans forward, kissing John gently, not caring about the blood. The wound was almost hesled, but he had lost so much blood… Halo chokes back tears as he kisses John.
John just about melted into the kiss. The last thing he did, as his eyes glassed over not a moment after Halo had pulled away. He was dead. The general took another step back. She had just killed the captain… Out of self defense, he had been pointing a sword at me, She told herself taking another step away from the body.
