FicWad

The shock wore away, only to be replaced by fear. I looked down the hallway from the kitchen; a trail of blood led to the bedroom.

I sprinted toward the bedroom, ignoring the gooey feeling seeping into my socks. My panic overrode all other senses.

I pushed the shoji screen violently aside as I burst into the room.

The image before me made me stop dead in my tracks, paralyzed with disbelief.

Kaworu lay on the bed, dingy grey blanket covering his naked form. Blood seeped from massive holes in his shoulder blades. It ran down his back and up his neck, staining his pale hair a bright crimson.

"Kaworu!" I cried, fear evident in my voice.

I rushed forward, climbing onto the bed and gingerly gathering his battered form into my arms. Tears stained my cheeks anew at the thought of losing him again.

"Kaworu, please don't die, Kaworu. I need you." I begged.

After a few moments, I gathered my composure enough to gently lay him back onto the bed, so that I could go get a damp cloth to tend to his injury. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and after running some water in it, began to dab at the horrific wounds.

I had him sit up in my lap, his head resting on my shoulder so that I could get to his wounds and keep an eye on his face.

Kaworu's normally placid complexion contorted in pain at my attempt to stop the bleeding. Snowy eyelashes fluttered open with a grimace, taking in the sight of my face before him.

A pained smile crossed his lips before he spoke, "Hey, were you waiting for me?"

A smile shone through my tears, as the memory of that day after training came back to me. I placed the towel over his wounds, praying for the bleeding to stop.

"Yes, Kaworu. I would wait for all time for you," I sobbed, overjoyed at the return of the angel.

Kaworu started to sit up, straining the muscles of his torn and battered body. His beautifully angelic face contorted with pain.

"Don't strain yourself, Kaworu!" I cried, worriedly reaching for him.

"Don't worry about me, Shinji." He said confidently, "Take the towel away, look at the wounds."

I raised my hand with trembling fingers, gently grasping the edge of the towel. I pulled it away slowly, wincing in empathy as I felt the towel pull and rip at the clotted blood. When the towel finally came away enough to see the wound, I gasped in disbelief. The wound had already stopped bleeding, new pink flesh forming at the edges.

"How did..." I started.

"I'm an angel, Shinji." He said sweetly, "I am the angel of intelligence, Tabris."

I looked up into his beautiful vermilion eyes, wonder and awe evident on my face.

Kaworu smiled at me. He raised his hand to my cheek, using his thumb to gently wipe away the last vestiges of my tears.

At this simple act of kindness, I finally broke down, losing all composure. I threw myself into Kaworu's arms.

"Kaworu, I've missed you so much..." I sobbed hysterically, "I thought I'd never see you again. I kept having these awful dreams. Dreams about you, about Toji. You both kept telling me you hated me, that you blamed me for your deaths. That I murdered you."

Kaworu tucked me under his chin, holding me through the hysterics.

"Shh, Shinji..." he soothed, stroking my hair lightly, "I don't blame you. Not for my death or anything else. And I certainly don't hate you."

I cried out all of my pain and suffering into his pale neck, clinging to him as if he were the only thing keeping me grounded to this plane of existence.

After a while the tears slowed, soothed away until only hiccups remained. I was bone tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep. Kaworu gathered me up, placing me in the chair in the corner so he could retrieve some nightclothes and change the sheets.

As soon as he was finished, I dragged myself over to the bed, lying down upon the fresh sheets. Kaworu soon turned out the light and joined me under the covers, snuggling close.

"I know you're tired," he whispered into my ear. "Sleep now. I'll still be here in the morning, I promise."

I closed my eyes, slowly drifting off.

Just before sinking into that blissful darkness I mumbled to my angel: "I love you, Kaworu."

And with that I fell in to the most restful sleep I'd had in years.