❝ i know , i know . i just– … i don’t want you to think i’m not trying , or that i’m not interested , ❞ maybe it had something to do with her need to prove things to people , or simply the fact that angel didn’t want to disappoint kai . his reassuring words , however , made her feel good about her progress ; they brought a certain sense of confidence to the redhead , as if whatever little mistakes she might have made were only natural . she didn’t have to be perfect , not for him . it was a good thing to be reminded of . ❝ a break ? yeah , that sounds nice actually . there sure is a lot of new information for me to process , ❞ nodding as if to reaffirm her own statement , angel closed the notebook she’d been keeping on the pillow over her lap , placing both items to the side .
as he talked about the things his mother would do to feel better , but also to pull him out of teenage angst , angelina giggled at the image of kai dancing to abba , ❝ do you have a favorite abba song then ? you must know a few . ❞ the smile on her face did , however , falter a bit , turning into a slightly saddened one when he asked about why exactly her parents no longer talked to her . it wasn’t his fault that he was curious and in fact , she definitely trusted him enough to tell him about it ; still , it didn’t make the subject any less painful to think about .
❝ well … i just– ❞ the redhead pauses , a deep breath escaping her soft lips , ❝ i guess they just got tired of me . i was never the daughter they wanted me to be , you see ? i disagreed with them on a lot of things — they are very traditional people , never wanted to date the people they would pick for me , didn’t follow any of the careers they wanted me to choose from , was far too emotional all the time … ❞ a small shrug , gaze shifting downwards for a second , ❝ i just wasn’t the person they wanted me to be , so when they realized that would never change , they shut me out . all of my credit cards were taken away & they gave me a week to move out . ❞ tears started to blurry her gaze , though angel refused to let them fall . her parents didn’t deserve her tears . ❝ it wasn’t– it wasn’t all bad , you know . they used me for so long , there’s a part of me that feels freer now than i ever did ; even with the sanctum around . as a matter of fact , that’s the reason i joined , ❞ she confessed , lips pursing together for a moment , ❝ i had nowhere to go , no money … but lucinda and her husband were acquainted with my family . lucy knew what had happened , i told her during this stupid brunch they threw just a couple of days after kicking me out , which they refused to cancel , & she told me about the sanctum . ❞
taking a deep breath , angel reached back to bring her red curls over a shoulder , shrugging lightly as she offered a small smile to kai . ❝ but it’s not all that bad , you know ? i mean , i’m here now . i don’t owe them anything anymore & … well , i met some nice people within the untouchables . i met you . ❞ and that was something she would never regret . ❝ of course i want to meet her ! i mean , if that’s alright with you — i feel like she and i might get along , so … so why not ? ❞
as she listened to his reasoning , angel’s ocean eyes watched kai’s reaction to her words ; not only because she was curious , but also because it wasn’t like her to say something like that . usually , guys wouldn’t hesitate to kiss her if the mood was right ; then again , kai was different . so different , and she liked it . with his last comment , a confident smirk grows on her lips , body shifting lightly on the bed so that she is sitting on her knees instead of crosslegged . ❝ good . ❞ angel says nonchalantly before her hands reaching upwards to his cheeks & she leans in , eyes closing while rosy lips brush lightly against his own before pressing a gentle kiss to them .
“angel---” he caught himself laughing “you’re sitting here with me, inside, on a beautiful day in sweden --- to learn asl, just to help me.” he couldn’t have ever asked anyone to do this, but she was there voluntarily, happily, he’d never have a bad word to say about it. “and i don’t expect you to be an expert in a couple of days either. asl is just as complicated as learning any other language. but you’re doing amazing and i am very impressed.” and he was. he watched her process his words and nodded as she asked for the break he was sure they both needed. “i can call for some room service? could use a bite.” he loved this hotel and he loved having it all to themselves, nothing could beat room service in his mind.
“oh, i’ve got three i think. mamma mia, a bop. take a chance on me and honey, honey. but really can’t go wrong with any of them.” he only had fond memories of it all, he had a whole playlist of abba on his spotify and remembered he had to take his mom to see the new mamma mia movie. but when she stopped smiling he found his own fell as well.
his entire focus was on her as she told the tale. he had half expected a legitimate reason but the way she explained it, he was shocked and appalled. when he was a teen he made some poor choices and he knew for a fact his moms family thought him to be nothing but a mistake, trash that should have been thrown away. but he’d been lucky, he’d had his mom and with her on his side he really didn’t need anyone else; even if questions about his father echoed at the back of his mind. what angel had grown through was disgusting and cruel and there was no justification for it whatsoever. hearing how lucy had taken care of her, brought her to the sanctum hurt him. had she really had no one else, that the sanctum was the only option? he wished none of them had made the sanctum a necessity but he didn’t hold it against any of them either. if he ever had the opportunity he’d ---- that was a thought for another time.
his eyes follow the curve of her curls and the clear lift in not only her tone but her entire demeanor when she stops talking about her family. he makes a mental not to never bring them up again, he just wants to see her happy, safe. he agreed with her sentiments too, even though the sanctum asked too much of them sometimes, and he was burning with the guilt of what he’d done for them up til now, he wouldn’t trade it. not really. he had found incredible friends, he’d been given what he needed, his mom was safe. and more than almost all of those things, he was there with her. “well, i do need to take her to see the new mamma mia movie, would you umm---would you want to come with us?” it was as good an opportunity as any.
he was worried she’d be upset with him but a playful crosses her features and he has never seen it before. aimed at him it is intoxicating. she’s up on her knees and looking at him like that and he can practically hear the buzz of his excitement. she speaks but a moment later heat scores across his skin, her hands on him, her lips. he was burning up and he thought there was no better way to go. she wanted this and with her clear permission he felt invisible shackles release, lifting his hands to her, fingers entwined in her hair and bringing her back to meet her lips again, and again.