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Relieved to be home after a long long day, Angel slams the front door shut behind them. Dropping their bag on the ground and tossing their jacket in the vague direction of the peg, they move upstairs. David won't be home till late, so they have time to explode without worrying about lashing out at him.
Agitation sat beneath their skin like ants; scratching and biting at their bones. They wanted to let the anger out, but they were too frustrated to focus on venting it properly. They didn't want a distraction, they didn't want to be pissed off out of their mind, they didn't want to have a family whose mission it apparently was to just cut them down. They pick up the nearest pillow and scream into it, missing the sound of a key in the front door.
David hears the scream as he shuts the door behind him and immediately sprints up the stairs, half shifted. “Angel?” He calls, hating how his voice shakes. He’s experienced every worst case scenario at work and never wavered, but in his home, with his Angel? The fear swallows him more than he’d like to admit.
“Fucking hell!” Angel startles and hastily wipes the angry tears away as best they can. “Davey, you're home early.”
“Are you okay? I heard a scream.” He scans the room quickly, searching for any kind of threat.
“That was me.” They smile unconvincingly, putting the pillow back on the bed with shaking hands. “I'm fine, but I'm sure you could make me scream later ayyy.” They half heartedly shoot a finger gun at him.
Assured there's no physical threat, letting go of the shift, he gradually shrinks back down. Well, as much as David can shrink to anything. He moves closer, out of the doorway towards his mate, ignoring their weak attempt at an innuendo. “What's wrong, Angel?”
“It's nothing.” The words spill out reflexively, but they stop themselves, deflating a little. “It's not nothing I-” they swallow thickly. “...It's a lot.”
“What can I do?” He asks lowly.
Forcing themselves to breathe they answer. “Let me tell you about it?”
“Of course.” He nods, taking off his jacket and draping it over the desk chair.
“Stop being hot while I'm trying to be angry.” They grumble with a sigh. “I'm sorry-”
“Don't.” He stops them, sitting down on the bed. “Let it out Angel, you're allowed to be angry and have had a shitty day. And you’re allowed to joke if that helps you ease into it more. Take your time.”
Blinking back more tears they nod, feeling the bittersweet sting of comfort on long open wounds. “Okay. I… yes.”
“Tell me what happened.” He prompts, inviting their hurt into the space.
“Saw my parents today.” They don't look at him, starting to pace around the room. “And I thought we were doing better. But I guess not. It seemed fine at first but then the little comments dropped here and there began. About ‘if I’d finally made something of myself’ and done any of their ‘suggestions’.”
They see David tense out of the corner of their eyes, ignoring it too focused on trying to let it all out. “And I used to be able to handle it just fine. But I wasn't able to today. And all I got for what little restraint I had, was a fucking chat about how moody I'd become.”
Angel’s pacing has sped up now. Their anger and frustration felt like fire flickering at their heels as they gain momentum. “And then to top it all off they said they got me a gift and-” they falter for the first time. “It was slimming pyjamas . To make me look better, for you. While I sleep .” Their voice cracks, and the tears finally spill out.
That doesn’t stop the pacing though, if anything it becomes more erratic, fists clenching. “Because that's what I needed to worry about on top of everything . How I look when I'm asleep . In front of my fucking husband out of everything who's the best part of my life and now it won't leave my head.” The last sentence brings them to a halt as the tears overwhelm them.
They have never felt more exposed in that moment. Standing before David, their chest had opened and they were offering him the small figure of their childhood. A little kid begging for a parent’s love, crying out for a hurt yet to fully heal. Showing him some of the shaking mess within, once again.
And just like when rain made them flinch beneath the covers. Or when the dark looked too much like the night of the Inversion when they waited for his return. Or when, in trying to hold everything together weeks later, after work, they were still able to fall into his arms and cry. David is there, right beside them. Loving them with everything he has.
He doesn’t say anything, he holds out a hand to them. Offering his comfort without hesitation or judgement. His gaze is just as vulnerable and loving as if a younger version of him was also reaching out to theirs. They look at his hand for a moment before slipping their hand in his and allowing him to pull them onto his lap, melting into his hold. They sob into his shoulder for a long while, his hand gently stroking their back while they do.
“You're worth so much more than they ever bothered to show you. You are just incredible and so capable, in work, in life, in everything I see you do. And you know I don’t just say things like that for nothing.” He murmurs once their breathing evens out. “You are the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on, Angel. My mate , my Angel. I never want you to feel you have to hide yourself from me. And I am so angry they think they can treat you like that.” A growl slips into his voice that he tries to swallow, wanting to focus on his love.
“I’m so tired of trying to prove myself to them.” They say in a small voice and David feels his heart crack at how vulnerable they sound. They’re such a vibrant and bright presence even when saying nothing at all, and it hurts him to see them so subdued.
“You deserve better.” He presses a kiss to their forehead, carefully wiping tears from their cheek with his thumb. He keeps his anger measured, there will be time for his rage at the injustice, when his spouse is feeling better. “How can I improve this evening for you?”
Angel considers for a moment, leaning into his touch as if they were starved of it. “Can we cook together? And watch something terrible?”
He kisses them gently. “Anything you want my love.”
“Even the Lego Batman film?” A smile creeps onto their face as a more mischievous tone returns to their slightly croaky voice.
“Almost anything you want.” He replies immediately, unable to hide his own smile despite his grumbles.
“Boo after the day I've had? You loved that movie.” They huff against his neck, teasing.
“Yeah, until you and Tank decided that I sound like that emo and quoted it every pack meeting for a month.”
“You secretly loved it.”
“Milo still calls me Mr Wayne in that stupid British accent, Angel.”
They burst out laughing, wrapping their arms tight around his shoulders as a small chuckle escapes him.
After a moment, the laughter dies down and they give him a small squeeze. “Thank you Davey. I love you.” They whisper quietly against him.
“I love you too Angel. Come on. I'm going to put my shoes and jacket away, but meet me in the kitchen?”
They nod, leaning forwards to capture his lips in theirs before standing up, allowing him to leave the room.
As they go to follow him, they pause by a picture of David and his dad in front of a blooming and colourful garden. “I wish I could have met you Gabe.” They murmur softly.
“Angel?” David calls from downstairs.
“Coming Batman!” Angel pads downstairs, passing more pictures along the walls. Them, Asher, and Tank after being ‘rescued’ from that lake, the smash tournament, the first mates outing, their wedding.
Family is what you make. And by god if they hadn't found a good one, they think proudly as they emerge into the kitchen, hugging David from behind. A damn good one.