2. An Unexpected Meeting

"Ravi asked me to come, so I'm here. It doesn't matter that it's not time yet, because if Ravi hadn't called, then no meeting would have happened so soon." Raymond said in a half-whisper that Ravi could still hear very well.

A line appeared between Ravi's eyebrows as he didn't understand Raymond's last sentence. He saw the earnestness in Raymond's different-colored eyes, which were starting to water. However, Ravi didn't understand when he asked Raymond to come? Ravi didn't even know Raymond until this man came and stood before him suddenly. Bullshit, all this!

"It hurts, Ravi." Raymond grimaced at him with teary eyes, as if begging Ravi not to press him too hard.

When Ravi felt Raymond wouldn't hurt him, Ravi released the pressure to take a few steps back and didn't look away, afraid that Ravi would miss Raymond's hidden expression. However, inside Ravi, somehow his heart and mind firmly believed that Raymond was not a bad person and that what he said was the truth.

Ravi's brown eyes rolled down when he saw Raymond's hand caressing his tattooed chest, and Ravi just realized he had forgotten that important thing earlier. "Why is my name there?" Ravi pointed with his eye movements that did not waver at all, staring intently at this man.

Raymond lifted his head and a smile quickly blossomed on his cheeks, a very sincere look stuck to Raymond's face when he looked back at Ravi. Raymond's hand stroked where the tattoo was slowly, like a glass that could shatter at any moment. "This is a sign of ownership that has been with me since I was born, Ravi. I belong to Ravi completely and will protect and do whatever Ravi wants."

Ravi narrowed his eyes and blinked with disbelief running through his mind. This man was just about to cry because of him, and now he could smile so big, he just said about the tattoo on his chest. "You don't belong to anyone. I don't even know who you are who suddenly appeared here. You shouldn't be here." said Ravi emphatically.

Raymond gaped at Ravi's words, he slowly shook his head quickly Raymond's eyes watered and started flowing down his tanned cheeks. Ravi saw Raymond looking at him with disbelief plastered on his face, his eyes widen instantly. "I belong to Ravi, and Ravi doesn't want it. Why?"

Raymond darted to the floor, sitting on his knees and sobbing painfully as if the words Ravi had said had slapped him to the heart. Ravi grimaced at Raymond, this man was suddenly in his room and immediately said many things that Ravi couldn't digest quickly. Is this a trick? Is he a gang of thieves? thought Ravi.

Ravi took a deep breath, where the sweet smell was no longer as intense as before and was relieved that the smell had faded. "No, it's not like that. You're a strange man, walking into someone's room without wearing a shirt with my name on your chest. I don't know what your real purpose is, you could do something bad, right?"

Raymond looked up at Ravi through his wet eyes, he wiped his cheek with the back of his hand then Raymond shook his head. "My intention is purely to protect Ravi, I swear I will never hurt Ravi. Want me to show you something, Ravi?"

Ravi gripped the racket tightly at his stiffened side. "Go ahead and do it. Make me believe, but if you ever try to do something dangerous, I'll call the police and shoot you right away."

"I won't hurt Ravi. I'm here to protect Ravi."

Ravi glared displeased at Raymond who was stalling the time he gave him. "Do!"

Raymond rose to his feet wiping his runny nose with the back of his hand. He then looked at Ravi with the confidence he was trying to share with Ravi and his lips moved as he said back "I won't hurt Ravi. I promise."

"Who would believe a promise made by a stranger like you?"

"I'll show you." Then Raymond bowed his back slightly, and Ravi stared warily. He seemed to be out of breath as Ravi saw clearly before his own eyes, on Raymond's back quickly the bodies of two small black hairy bumps that grew bigger and bigger.

Ravi unconsciously slid against the wall, the racket in his hand falling. Ravi's breath hitched and he was panting and his heart was beating fast. Raymond seemed to be waiting for Ravi to say something with a curious look through Raymond's eyes which were brighter than before shining more beautifully so that Ravi himself seemed to be anesthetized by those eyes.

Ravi's eyes blinked then widened rapidly as he turned and was fixated on something behind Raymond's back, those were huge wings that appeared and flapped softly at his sides. Ravi's throat went dry realizing the feather he had just met wasn't a bird or from some other animal, but a human?

"Jesus. What kind of human?"

Ravi closed his eyes tightly lost for words in shock and Ravi opened his eyes again quickly to make sure that what was standing in front of him was only his reflection. The door slams open against the wall loudly. A new problem reappeared. His brother, Daniel came at the wrong time. Breaking in with steady steps streaked in front of Ravi. Pushing Ravi to stand behind him so Ravi could feel the anger bubbling up from him.

"Who are you?" Daniel hissed glaring at Raymond. One of his hands gripped Raymond's shoulder tightly, so Ravi could see Daniel's nails turning white as if they were about to penetrate Raymond's skin.

Before even answering Daniel's hand swung to hit Raymond's cheek hard with a burst of fury that Ravi had never seen before, causing Raymond to stagger to the floor.

As if Daniel had one hundred percent courage and indifference to what kind of human Raymond was, Daniel restrained Raymond who was crying with a mumble of pain to continue kneeling. Daniel growled with his face red with anger. "Why are you in my brother's room? What have you done? If you only touched his with your dirty hands, look who you were dealing with."

Raymond's wings curled over his own body, he wept inside with those stinging sobs. Ravi holds Daniel's hand to do whatever comes next, so he pulls Daniel away from Raymond.

Daniel's hateful gaze stabbed in Raymond's direction didn't diminish in the slightest when Ravi managed to move him, making Ravi rumble inside him feeling disapproved of Daniel's treatment, even though Ravi himself didn't know Raymond's figure at all.

Ravi blinked at all of a sudden weirdness in his life, he must be dreaming now. Dreaming enveloped in the thick aroma of chocolate, rain, and freshly cut grass. He will wake up and things will be back to normal. Then he felt a tug on his wrist.

Until everything goes dark.