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“Life.” Daniel didn’t expound on his answer; didn’t feel the need to when Jay hummed thoughtfully.
“Kinda crazy, am I right?” Jay finally broke the companionable silence.
Daniel couldn’t have agreed more if he tried.
Thelial
“I screwed up.” Theo hung his head in the face of Leo’s stern gaze.
“I don’t know if I’d go that far, but you made a mistake. You’ll have to talk to Him about not healing you when you return.” Leo then mumbled something about hoping “the pain will knock some sense into you.”
Theo scrubbed his face, then ran his hands through his hair. “But you can help?”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Of course, I’m going to help.” Without preamble, Leo punched him in the gut and, when Theo doubled over, kneed him in the head.
Blood poured from a fresh cut above Theo’s eyes as he fought to catch his breath. “Mercy.” He cursed in his native tongue as he straightened, his fists raised and feet already moving as he bounced out of Leo’s reach.
“I’m done,” Leo said, showing Theo his palms, then pointing at Mary’s styling chair. “Sit.”
As soon as Theo was settled, Mary hustled over, pushing a rolling table already set with a portable makeup bag. She patted his shoulder. “I’m usually the one making the ladies and gents look gorgeous for their big day. This’ll be a first, but don’t you worry. Imma gonna do it right, and El says he can set it so it won’t come off with sweat or a shower.”
“Heavens,” Theo breathed, gazing at the woman whom they all thought of as a meddling mother, “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“No, sir, you did not.” She swung a black cape around him and snapped it closed behind his neck, then tilted his chair back. Coating her fingers with a clear gel, she glanced at his reflection in the mirror. “Your pretty head’s been occupied by a pretty man.”
As Mary rubbed the gel into his cheeks, El stuck a glowing finger on the cut, and a dark scab formed, sealing the wound shut. He wasn’t gentle about it either, pressing harder than needed.
Theo winced and batted El’s hand away as soon as the cut stopped bleeding. “That wasn’t very nice of you.”
El snickered. “Who said I was nice?” Without waiting for a reply, he retreated to sit beside his brother in the waiting area.
Leo moved into Theo’s view via the mirror’s reflection. “You need to focus. Close your eyes; let Mary work.”
Although Leo was no longer his Aluf, he still commanded Theo’s full attention. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath in, and relaxed. At first, the images that formed in his mind were blurry, but as Mary’s fingers swept over his face, and Leo took hold of his hand, they sharpened. Leo showed him new moves, both offensive and defensive. Showed him how to sweep out an opponent’s legs, how to neutralize any possible escape, and how to pin them to the mat. There were quick jabs and snap kicks, holds and how to break them.
He didn’t know how long he lay there as Mary deftly worked her own brand of magic. When she was done, he opened his eyes. Seeing a bruised, purplish-eye and brow, along with half of his nose swollen, made him gasp.
El slid up beside him and touched the center of his forehead. A warm glow emanated from his friend, and the makeup melded into his skin. “All the looks with none of the pain.”
“There will be pain later,” Leo drawled with a solemn nod.
El shrugged. “Better him than me.”
“You always were more of a lover than a fighter.”
“What can I say?” El grinned. “The ladies love me.”
They all laughed at that. Angels didn’t feel any sexual desire for another. Although… Theo seemed to remember Judah mentioning something about Nate, but that was a worry for another time.
Theo pushed himself up and out of the chair. “Thank you, Mary, El.” He hugged them both before turning to Leo, whom he hauled into his arms. “Thank you,” he whispered into his mentor’s ear.
“You’re welcome,” Leo responded, tightening his arms enough that Theo grunted. “Let’s go. We’ll be cutting your arrival time close.”
Theo glanced at the silently ticking wall clock. He’d have to walk fast, but it was doable. If he ran, though, he could spend a minute or two with Daniel.
????
Walt waited for him just beyond the swinging door of the locker room. Disappointed that he’d missed his chance to see Daniel because Sabre had told him to use the back entrance, Theo let the older man grab his arm and pull him toward the locker he’d used the prior night.
