Fallen Sparrow

I’d finished my paperwork an hour ago, but I couldn’t shift from my desk chair. I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched. There was always someone around the corner. I wasn’t stupid. You never really stop being a Morte. If it wasn’t pompous Atlas chasing me and thinking I’m some sort of villain, then it’s Chaos with his ridiculous expressions of twisted affection. Axel would think I was insane if I told my reality, that made me grow a tired smile.

“What are you smiling about? Thinking about me?” Axel grinned cockily as usual. I’ve never met a man so confident yet so humble. I didn’t answer I just looked at him, admiring his expression. “So?” He leant forward on my desk, his face inches from mine. “Were you thinking about me?”

“Yes.” His face lit up childishly, “I was thinking about you buying me dinner.” He chuckled and over to his desk to collect his bag.

“So, what do you fancy, ma lady?” he asked in a mock Shakespearian voice.

“Surprise me.”

The Italian restaurant was being warmed by the old-fashioned stone pizza oven that we could see from our table. They had an open kitchen so Axel could admire their cooking skills. “I should have known you’d task me out for fancy pizza.”

“You love it here,” he replied as our waitress placed my spaghetti and Axel’s entire pizza on the table. They had many toppings available and the man across from me had tried 90% of the combinations. Today, he had classic pepperoni. No matter what toppings he had he always had a deep pan. Axel always said his pizza shouldn’t crunch. “So, is there something I need to know?” he asked randomly after a moment of comfortable silence.

“No, what makes you ask that?” I replied, twisting spaghetti around my fork.

When he finished his mouthful of pizza, he explained, “you’ve been jumpy. You are never jumpy. I’ve seen a gun go off two feet from your head and you didn’t even flinch. Now you’re looking around every corner before you step. So, Cora, what’s making you so nervous?” I suddenly became self-conscious of every little movement I made. I had been a little on edge but I didn’t think it was oblivious enough for anyone to notice.

“I’ve just not been sleeping very well, that’s all.” He didn’t believe me but he didn’t push it either. The concern stayed etched on his face.

He changed the subject. “Did you hear the track repairs are finished?” he pointed his finger insistently at me, “I believe you owe me a rematch?” I laughed at his challenge.

“You say that every time you lose. And you lose every time.” I reminded him.

“No. No. No. I beat you that one time,” he corrected proudly.

I scoffed, “my tire blew out, that doesn’t count.”

“Still counts!” he celebrated loudly like a child, throwing his hands in the air. I rolled my eyes.

When we first became partners, I was very reserved. Axel decided to take me to the racetrack just outside the city to try and connect with me. I won.

By the time we’d finished eating, the sun was falling as well as the rain that had begun to fall. We started walking down the street. At first, it was just a light spray, then it began to pour heavily on us. Neither of us minded the shower. I liked the cold sensation on my skin. I watched in the corner of my eye as Axel pushed his hair back from his forehead. I felt his fingertips brush the edge of my palm as if he was politely asking permission before slowly taking hold of my hand. I smiled involuntarily. I could feel the tension in his hand until I interlocked my fingers with his and squeezed reassuringly. It melted away.

“Would you like to come in?” I asked as we reached the entrance to my apartment block. I was taking a risk, especially with recent events, but I hadn’t had much company in a while and he was the only company I wanted.

“Of course.” He gave me a signature smile that always made my insides flutter. I couldn’t help biting my lip. “Would it be too cliché to kiss you in the rain?” His lips were centimetres from mine. It would be the first time I’d been kissed since… I couldn’t do it. I pulled away.

“I’ve got popcorn. We can watch a movie.” The disappointment on his face made the sinking feeling in my stomach heavier.

“That sounds good,” he attempted to sound cheery. He took my hand again and walked me to the elevator. I wanted to kiss him so desperately. I needed to wait and make sure I was in control. I was grateful that he’d been waiting very patiently. Across the elevator, I admired his dark, chocolate hair soaked with rainwater and the way the scar above his ear cuts into his perfectly barbered hairline. Unlike my skin, there wasn’t a single blemish on his face. His hands, on the other hand, were worn and covered with tiny scars from constantly working on car engines in his spare time. We both loved the thrill and it was an addiction. The sound of a roaring engine and the smell of burning fuel got me more excited than most things. He was surprised the first time he saw me fix an engine.

Strangely, I loved how normal he looked. People looked and smiled at him, especially women. Usually, their faces changed when they are met with mine. It’s mostly my eyes that baffle people. The colour is so pale, it’s almost white. My dark, purple framed my face and ended at my chin.

Axel was staring at the floor, clearly thinking about how I’d pushed him away again. When he looked up, those subtle green eyes stabbed into whatever soul I had left, if I had one at all. I lost control. “I can’t do this anymore.” Before I could register what I said, my lips were on his. It took a few moments for Axel to get over the shock of what was happening. He began to move with me. Electricity shot through my skin making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Lifting me up by my thighs, we spun so my back was against the elevator wall. He began to kiss down my neck while I tried to catch my breath, but every time those lips touched my skin, the air was knocked out of my lungs. It took everything away: the worry, the doubt, the fear as well as the safety and the protection. I threaded my fingers through his wavy hair, encouraging him to continue. I was burning with pleasure. The lift doors opened. Somehow, we unlocked my apartment door and crashed in. My bed wasn’t far from the door. When I hit the sheets, something changed. Axel tensed suddenly. He held my hands above my head and placed his knees on my thighs. I hissed at the pressure. He released me and dragged me towards him, placing himself between my legs. “You still like the pain, my beautiful Sparrow.” He whispered sinisterly. It didn’t sound like him. My breathing hitched when I saw his original greens had been destroyed and turned black/.

“NO!” I shouted. The volume must have snapped Axel out of the trance that had taken hold of him because the dark shade had faded away.

I was still quietly hyperventilating when he spoke, “I don’t know what happened. Are you okay?” He placed a hand on my face, brushing his thumb across my cheekbone. I leant into his touch almost instinctively, calming myself. I nodded and pecked him gently on the lips. I huffed and flopped down on the bed. Axel crawled up the bed and hovered over me.

“Let me worship you.” His voice sent tremors down my spine. He kissed just below my ear and lingered for a few moments, letting the sexual tension build once again. My eyes began to close, wanting to sink into the feeling of his touch. Before it completely took over, we were abruptly interrupted by my phone ringing. We both groaned simultaneously. Axel released me and I got up, sighing as I picked up my phone.

“Hello, Sparrow speaking,

“Hello, Detective, there’s been a shooting at Freddie’s diner in the Castles.”