The Fine Line of Heaven and Hell

A/N: I took some time off from writing because of an incident I had with a friend, but I keep trying to post at least once a week. O.o It’s really not that hard for me; I enjoy writing this story especially, but I keep getting so busy with everything lately. *sighs* At work, I’ve been pulling some awful shifts. Eleven, twelve hours sometimes; terrible. Well, enough of my complaining. I’ve got 34 reviews. When I read them in my emails it doesn’t really impact me as much because I don’t see them all together, but when I saw them as I was posting the last chapter I was awed. Thirty-four! That’s so cool I feel all special and everything.

Thanks so much for all your feedback and comments!

Chapter 20-Gratitude
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Shuey was settled in her bed, frowning at a bowl of soup before her; what kind was it? What looked like little noodle pouches with something in them floated around in the broth, along with other bits of food. Spices and herbs swirled around as she stirred it, debating whether or not to eat it simply because the angel told her to. In all honesty, she hadn’t wanted Jerrick to go. It seemed he always took care of her and left before she could thank him, so she had to thank him for everything just to keep up. It was rather irritating.

What could she possibly do to thank him? She wanted to ask Leon; being the demon’s best friend, he was obviously the best choice to ask. Even knowing this, she had a few major reservations. After all, it was Leon she was thinking about here. “What’s going on inside that head of yours?” he asked loudly, making her blink at him for some time. How did she phrase what she wanted to say? Her face must have showed her loss because the man smiled at her; it was eerie. “Just say what you’re thinking and I can probably figure out what you want,” he offered, plopping into the floor beside her bed with a thud.

She mulled it over, considering all her options, which in reality was only one option. She had to ask the redhead because she didn’t know anybody else who could help her. “…” Somehow, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Some emotion kept her from speaking her mind on this matter and she couldn’t figure out what it was. Her slight turn of the lips turned into a full-blown scowl, directed more to herself than anything else.

Blue eyes watched her carefully, seeing flits of confusion and irritation pass across her face as she thought something over. He tried deducing what it was; she usually only got that way when analyzing something. Judging by the conversation being held, she wanted his help or wished to say something, but was unsure how to say it. He’d offered her an out on that, but it seemed she still couldn’t ask. Pride? There was really only one thing he could do: wait.

“….Jerrick,” she began slowly, taking note how Leon’s eyes widened at the name, “has helped me a lot.” Dawning understanding was distractingly obvious on the man’s face before a little untranslatable grin appeared. She had thought his previous smile was eerie, but this one was simply disturbing. He straightened up a bit, leaning heavily on the bed and leering at her dangerously.

“You want to thank him?” he asked, an insinuative tone held in his words. What was he hinting at? She nodded and the smirk grew marginally. “And you don’t know how?” was the next question, Leon coming closer with every question. He had one knee propped up on the edge of the bed, leaning his weight on the other leg. She nodded a little slower this time, knowing her hesitation was very readable; Leon seemed to see right through her, anyway.

“I know how,” he said, his villainous grin becoming truly disquieting. She had wanted to know, hadn’t she? Shuey was already regretting her decision as the angel’s face came close to hers, his cheek nearly touching hers. His breath ghosted the side of her face as he spoke. “Why don’t you give him something he really wants?” If she’d known what he wanted, wouldn’t she have given it to him already? A chuckle emerged from his throat as he leaned back, blue eyes watching her with mirth. “You even know when I’m teasing you now, don’t you?”

Instead of answering, her brow quirked slightly. “Give him a kiss; it’s not like he’d want anything you bought for him. You’re pretty dense, you know that?” Before she could even defend herself, he’d continued on. “He kisses you, and you don’t know what he wants? Really now, Shuey, if you think about it for just a minute, you might figure it out.”

Her brow furrowed; was he saying she should kiss him? He smirked at her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the footboard. “Honestly… It’s not like you have to. You’re the one who asked, so don’t frown at me just because you don’t like my answer, Shu.” The nickname made her eye tick, but she guessed he was right; she had asked, after all. Part of her rejected the idea firmly while the other half questioned her if it would be so bad to kiss him. “You’re so troublesome,” the angel said shortly, breaking her train of thought yet again. He had a habit of doing that, didn’t he?

A muscled hand ruffled her hand, dodging her more easily than she would’ve liked to admit. “He’ll probably head to his room after the meeting. I’m going out to get some stuff for the bar, so you can have some privacy,” he teased with a wink, already halfway towards the door once she’d absorbed the words. Glaring as he left, she decided she would at least give it some thought. Before the door even closed all the way, his red head peered around it and grinned. “Make sure you eat your soup, Shu.” Yes, she was going to kill him, if not, find a place to stab him that hurt.

In the end, she thought it over for thirty minutes. She still hadn’t come to a decision on it, but she didn’t have enough time left. Hadn’t she agreed to try and get close to him, anyway? When he said he couldn’t just be her friend, wasn’t she the one who had said it was fine? Then again, she also recalled telling him not to expect too much, and to help her. Who knew? She leaned forward, tugging at one wing and running her fingers along the feathers there. So much to think about.

She didn’t really have anything to loose, right? Even if it didn’t work out, she would learn from the experience as normal people did. The contrast of her coat and wing drew her gaze to the leather clothing; it was completely ruined. She glowered at the wall, wishing her wings were more obedient. She had more control over them now, but it was still pretty shaky.

Her other problem was the mist that paced around her, currently in the form of what looked like a kitten. It never stayed one shape for long, but it always took the form of things she was familiar with. So far it had been a dragon, a small horse, and the kitten currently pawing at her leathery wing, licking the clawed bones that protruded from them happily.

One hand waved the mist away, passing right through it as she leaned over to set the now empty bowl beside the bed. In truth, she didn’t mind the mist at all; it was the opposite, really. She enjoyed the presence of her power. It comforted her to know that it was there for her and her alone. With a small sigh, Shuey decided she’d delayed the inevitable for long enough. Idly she wondered if Leon had taken her uncertainty into account when “buying supplies for the bar.” She stood rather slowly, still lingering after already choosing to go on with it.

Frowning for a moment, she pondered the best way to hide her wings. After a long period of silence, the fog at her feet spread wide and draped over both, making her eyes widen as they winked out of view. She hadn’t known she could do that; it would be very beneficial to her in the future now that she did know. With a fleeting smile, she left the room, trailing down the steps only to whip up another set to Jerrick’s quarters.

She hesitated for a few seconds before rapping on his door lightly. Her stomach felt strange; maybe she’d eaten something she shouldn’t have. What was in that soup, anyway? The eerie feeling got stronger when she heard a soft, “Just a second,” before listening to soft thuds on the other side of the door. She knew he’d gotten to the door before she saw him; she could smell him. It was the same scent from earlier; that drugging, slightly sweet honey-like fragrance that made her want to bury her face at his neck, if only to smell it a little longer. It was an idiotic, pointless, and ridiculous urge, but one she had anyway, apparently.

Jerrick’s immaculate features peered from a crack made in the door, his eyes widening as he pulled open the door. His shirt was nowhere in sight, revealing lean muscles his clothing hid fairly well. A towel around his neck and damp hair made it easy to see he’d been in the shower just recently. His likening went from a painting to a porn shot; the thought made her smirk in amusement without realizing it. “Shuey?”

One hand waved to his side, silently asking her to come in, so in she went. She waited until he’d turned from shutting the door to brace one hand on a lithely toned bicep as her other tugged lightly at his hair. His eyes fluttered with each small yank to inky strands, his neck bending with the movement automatically. It wasn’t until his lips met soft, plush ones that his grey orbs snapped open in surprise. His brain had gone into temporary overload before those petals of lips moved back away. That was it?

When he looked down, Shuey was frowning. What was she contemplating now? It wasn’t until he remembered the fact that she’d never had experience with this type of thing that he became overly happy. He’d been her first kiss; and he should teach her how to kiss properly, right? A puzzled expression wandered freely onto her face as a smirk crept onto his. She’d kissed him first, so that meant he had permission. One hand cupped her face lightly, fingers slipping into her russet hair as one thumb brushed that pout mouth.

“No, that’s not how it’s done,” Jerrick murmured at her, the hand on her cheek cool and relaxing to the touch. She felt her face heat up at her mistake, her brow furrowing in confusion when he pressed his lips against hers in the same manner. Hadn’t he just said that was wrong? His hand tilted her face up slightly, her own hands gripping his arm a little tighter. He slowly meshed their lips, her mimicking his every move leisurely. She didn’t particularly find it enjoyable, but it was very far from bad. Still, she didn’t understand why he would want something like this instead of something more material.

When his teeth sunk lightly into her lower lip, a spike of sensation hurtled down her spine, forcing out the most embarrassing noise she’d ever heard herself utter. Something in those grey eyes changed, even as she felt his tongue flick lightly over the spot his teeth had attacked and sliding into her partially open mouth. The muscle explored what it could reach, a strange sensation tingling in her mouth everywhere it touched. Though her mouth moved willingly, she found it hard to concentrate when he made her shiver that way.

His free hand slid around her waist, pulling her close and ducking a little more comfortably. His tongue brushed hers teasingly, something stirring against her lower abdomen when she moaned from the feeling. She was steadily losing breath as his lips melded against hers and her tongue tried to compete with his more experienced one. She was fighting a losing battle. She realized this when one deceivingly strong hand groped her rear before slipping under her shirt to explore her back. His hand was cold, though it felt nice, even as it gave her a barrage of tingles everywhere it touched. She could feel her eyes sliding closed; her air supply running dangerously low. As if sensing that, Jerrick pulled away slowly, pecking her on the lips a few more times after the initial one.

She was in his arms, letting him kiss her… Why? He didn’t want to question it; didn’t want to hear something that would hurt. When her low-lidded eyes looked up at him, her cheeks flushed and her lips parted in a soft pant, he could feel the twitch of excitement from his lower entity. He really wanted to scold himself, but didn’t have the heart. Her eyes were finally showing emotions. There were two feelings at the forefront of Shuey’s eyes: Hunger and Fear. She was afraid? “You’re…afraid?”

She frowned slightly; how’d he know? Something about this situation seemed very dangerous to her, though she wasn’t completely sure what it was. She wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly what was going on; it was fairly obvious. Right? Maybe she was scared to let herself go in such a manner. After all, Shuey had only read about this kind of thing before. Of course she was anxious. “Yes.”

She was frightened; he’d upset her without even really trying this time. If it weren’t for the obvious want entwined with her fear, Jerrick would have apologized. Instead, one hand brushed the hair from her face, showing off that sparkling golden eye that oft resembled a cool glass of ale. One thumb idly brushed a well-structured cheek, the blush on them so vivid on her pale skin. A true sight to behold, she was. “Are you only afraid?” he whispered, leaning forward slightly. It seemed to make her slightly uncomfortable, but she didn’t attempt to move away, so maybe it was good.

“No,” was her immediate response, blunt as normal, though her voice was lowered a bit and sounded faintly hesitant. At least she was being honest, but he’d never really seen her lie outright to anyone, even about her heritage. It didn’t seem to mean as much to Shuey as it did to him.

“Do you hate me?” he asked quietly, the arm around her waist unmoving except for the lightly circling fingers brushing her side. Even though most times she disliked the man, she really couldn’t say she hated him at all. She shook her head in answer, a small glint of relief. “…How do you feel about me?” he inquired after a brief moment of silence. The closeness of that sweet smell and Jerrick’s form was making her head somewhat hazy; she couldn’t think clearly.

“….I don’t know,” was her honest reply, her eyes watching his reaction intently. In truth, it was a better answer than he’d been hoping for. He smiled a bit, resisting the urge to kiss her again and just held her close while he still had a chance to. Surely soon she’d be threatening him to let her go.

“…Why did you suddenly come in here and kiss me?” Jerrick murmured, his breath blowing a stray stand of hair. Her lips tilted into a frown at the exact moment her head slanted to the side a bit. Her brow furrowed slightly in thought before she seemed to remember something.

“To thank you.” Something inside of the demon fluttered dangerously; so she didn’t really want to? The whole idea had only been to give him something he wanted, only to take it away like that? His face must have revealed something because she was leaning forward. “What?”

“…So you didn’t want to?” he asked softly, his voice a light flutter of sound that she barely heard. Shuey didn’t like the look he was giving her; it almost hurt to look at. Why? “…I’m sorry, then,” he said shortly, arm squeezing lightly around her waist before he released her. “I shouldn’t have made you kiss me again.”
Really, she hadn’t minded; she could see why he wanted that instead of something else now. It was thoroughly enjoyable…even if it did make her brain scatter too fast to think.

“It’s not bad,” she said simply, watching with slight amusement as grey eyes widened comically before a dusty blush formed on his features. The mist around her wings seemed to grow bored with their covering of her wings, dropping to the floor like rain to the ground and forming into a large lizard. It was quick enough to make Jerrick jump in his place a little, his hand twitching at the sight of the smaller set of wings.

“….May I?” he asked, his brain still trying to process the fact that the girl he’d wanted for months now thought kissing him was a good thing. When she nodded, his hand shot out, burying themselves in soft white feathers. He felt Shuey’s shiver, which in turn gave him something akin to excitement. His whole body tingled with it, making it hard to focus. Without thinking his free hand ran through her hair, eyes roving her angelic features as those pout lips parted into a small gasp. So she liked that? It seemed his little Halfling’s wings were fairly erethirismic.

Before he realized it, his lips were pressed against hers once more, the hand that ran along her wing slipping back around her and pulling her flush against him once more. Though she hesitated slightly, she didn’t object and kissed him back, attempting to kiss him with equal fervor. Her hands slid around his neck and threaded into his hair, tugging at it lightly and tearing a moan from his throat. Those dual eyes snapped closed after that, his own lids trying to slide shut in light of the new enjoyable act of kissing Shuey.

Those lovely hands didn’t explore his body at all, perfectly content to play with his hair, encouraging an erection he was sure she just wasn’t ready for and making the situation dangerous. His hand crept under the back of her shirt, fingers gliding along her boney spine and up to where a feathery wing joined with her back. How did they fit inside her body like that, anyway? Angels were the only ones with that capability, yet their back never seemed different than a human back when the wings were inside like that. He mentally berated himself for his lack of focus as his fingers met a spot of dried up blood. Remembering the last time her wings had flared out, he pulled away and frowned at her. Now he could see her weary expression; she was exhausted. Pecking her on the forehead, he stepped away from her with an apologetic smile. “You need to get some rest.” Her lower lip turned down the tiniest degree into an almost pout before she turned to leave without question.

It was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.


A/N: For some reason, I always feel like writing is taking too long. I’m always thinking “Man I should get that done instead of playing this game” or even “Why am I sitting here reading this book/watching this movie/drawing this picture when I could be writing?” I’m such a procrastinator, so I have to set deadlines so that the chapters get done. Honestly, though, I really enjoy this story, so if I actually start typing it at one point, I can finish pretty fast.

I can only think of one word for that: LAZY. I’m so lazy.


Honestly, I thought about changing this one because it was a little... Well.... But I'm too lazy. It's sad, but true. I hope I'm not making it go too fast. O.o