Flight Without Wings
By Lissa
Disclaimer: Clover belongs to CLAMP, and the song "In the Arms of an Angel" belongs to Sarah McLachlan.
Flight Without Wings
By Lissa
/Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance/
The three-leaf was lifted slowly into strong arms, his black bangs clinging to his pale forehead, and yet still covering his eyes. A damp ponytail hung low over his shoulder.
/For a break that would make it okay/
The small boy stirred lightly in sleep; the memories from so long ago invading his dreams....and some were disturbing...
/There's always one reason/
He rubbed his eyes and headed out towards the living room, where he had no doubt the man was still working. Surely he would not mind if Ran decided to sit with him for a while.
/To feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day/
The door opened easily enough, and Ran slowly crept out of his new bedroom. Being practically alone in the big house frightened him, and though he had tried hard to overcome his fear in case Gingetsu would become angry and send him away, there was just something in the way the shadows from the lights outside his window moved that escorted him to the door. Ran was glad when Gingetsu made a spot on the couch for him by moving his piles of paperwork.
/I need some distraction/
Resting against the soft pillowed fabric, Ran wondered if Gingetsu wore night clothes when he slept. Not that he had ever seen the man asleep since the whole month and a half he had been there, anyway. Ran knew the Lieutenant was a very busy man and had lots of important work to attend to, but really. Gingetsu had to sleep sometime.
/Beautiful release/
After a minute or two Ran was gradually trying to make his way into the older man's lap, but to no avail. A thick sheet of files had replaced the spot where he secretly wanted to be. He sighed softly, louder than a whisper but soft enough so Gingetsu didn't acknowledge it, or even know it had ever been.
/Memory seeps from my veins/
Though he was not exactly where he wanted to be, Ran decided that this was good. No, this was better than good. This was perfect. There were no bars here, no researchers, no needles and pills that he /needed/ to take. There was only...freedom. And something along the lines of contentness. Something like...
../happiness./
/Let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight/
So this was /happiness./ In his life, he had actually been able to find /happiness./ He smiled. Without Ran realizing it, his wings opened and Gingetsu turned his head to look at the child, who looked somewhat like an angel--Ran's frosted wings spread wide and an innocent smile set upon milky white skin, his eyes closed serenely as ebony bangs dangeled over them.
/In the arms of an angel/
Gingetsu put all of the papers into his briefcase, his gaze still fixed upon the boy who was slowly drifting off into sleep.
/Fly away from here/
Carefully unfolding Ran's arms and lifting the small head which lay upon them, the two-leaf lifted his young charge from the sofa. The wings dissolved into the air. Sleep had won him over afterall.
/From this dark cold hotel room/
Gingetsu headed towards Ran's room.
/And the endlessness that you fear/
He stopped when he saw a thin white sheet spread across the cool tiled floor, a pillow and oil lamp besides it. Almost as is someone was going to spend the night there...
/You are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie/
Gingetsu put together what Ran must have planned to do after he had gone to bed. It would make sense that if Ran was having nightmares he would stay silent. And that was not what Gingetsu wanted.
/You're in the arms of the angel/
Ran's fragile body was slowly lowered into the bed. A winged lamp was lit, and the flame danced inside the glass confinement. A hand rested gently on the boy's back.
/May you find some comfort there./