Frank - the messed up angel

He sat in the coffee shop, nursing his cup as he watched the rain lash on the window. He checked his phone, and finally gave up; his brother was obviously not coming. He texted 'We can catch up later.' and stood up, pulling on his jacket as the door pinged, and his brother, Mikey, came in. He glared at his brother, who ordered a coffee and walked over. 'Sorry Gee, I couldn't get away,' he grinned, and pulled him into a hug. They sat in the booth, and someone caught Gerard's attention. He was standing in the rain, no shirt, no shoes and wrecked jeans. As the brothers chatted, Gerard watched the boy. When Mikey had to leave, Gerard sat and watched the boy He drained the cup, and headed out the door, walking to the boy. 'Why are you standing here? You're gonna get ill!' he yelled over the rain, which made the boy flinch. He grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the nearest bus shelter. 'I'm Gerard, what's your name?' he asked, and shook the rain from his hair. 'Frank,' the boy whispered. Gerard pulled off his coat, and draped it over Frank's shoulders, but  he shoved it off, whimpering 'My wings!' before slapping his hand over his mouth. Gerard frowned, and wrapped it around his front. Suddenly grey, feathery wings materialized from Frank's back, touching the floor and brushing the arched roof of the shelter. Gerard reached for one, and they fluttered under his touch. Gerard smiled, and Frank grinned back, the devilish side of him showing. 'wanna come to mine? You can dry off,' Gerard blurted. Frank nodded, handing back the jacket. 'Hide your wings!' Gerard whispered, before the pair ran from the shelter. Without realizing, Gerard had grabbed Frank's hand, and was pulling the smaller teen along. They tumbled through the lobby door, and Frank stood, marvelling at the ornate patterns on the walls and ceiling of the old lobby as Gerard tried to call the lift, then opting the stairs, Gee opening his flat door and flipping the light on, dumping his keys and jacket in the small cupboard under his stairs. Taking Frank on a tour of the small flat, he found some of his baggy shirts and cut holes in the back to slot Frank's wings. Frank dried himself off, and Gerard helped him put it on. Gerard cooked dinner, it was later than normal, so he just stuck toast and beans on. When they were ready, they sat down, Gerard asked lots of questions, and the only one that Frank really answered was; 'So why are you here?' his face lit up, and he grinned, his smile creeping up his left cheek. 'I was sent from Heaven to clean up my act... I was a cheater, breaking rules and messing up others. So I was sent here to relearn and become a better 'person' and then I'm reassessed,' he finished with a shrug. Gerard nodded, chewing thoughtfully.  'Why did you do all that?' he finally asked, surprised at the angels next answer. 'you,'
He sat there, staring at the angel, fork and food left and his jaw slack in shock. The angel watched him, causally leant back in his seat, smirking at the older teen before him, processing what he had said. 'Not remember me? I was the kid you saved from the fire a few years back. 'lucky beggar' you called me. I was 11. I was killed a year after, because I ran away, ended up on a highway and a hit-and-run driver shot me, ran me over and left. Somme witness called an ambulance, but I was dead,' he paused. 'and although I'm covered in tats, there is one, on my chest, directly over my heart that stands out. Because, when you die, you are marked with a tattoo if you die because of something. I got shot, so I have a wound-shaped hole, blood dripping from it and the date I died. My legs, they have tyre marks over the shins, because that's were he ran me over,' Frank explained. He lifted his shirt, showing his translucent, muscular skin scattered with tats, and pointed out the one over his heart. Frank dropped the shirt, and spoke. 'See my wings, how they're Grey? That's because of what I did. I need to turn them white again, or blue. If I have one grey feather when I'm reassessed, I'm allowed back. More than one, oh, I'm stuck here,' he chuckled, and Gerard smiled at the teen. 'I remember. You got stuck in the abandoned school, it was set alight. You were almost dead when I got you. The firemen yelled at me, but they were gonna leave you. I'm only a few years older... I was 13. I admit, it was scary, but the adrenalin of saving you dimmed that,' he recalled. The finished the meal, and Frank yawned. 'I'd best be off then,' he stood, but Gee refused to let him go. 'Have the couch. You wanna clean up your act? Why not stick to the guy who saved you?'
Frank stayed a few weeks, and by the end of them, his wings were a gradual transition from the white tips to the grey tops. He did a list of jobs, but got hooked on smoking, so his wings battled between every cigarette he had going grey, and every deed he did making them white. Gerard was at college most days, but his old guitar he had kept Frank amused. When the post came, he'd hide his wings and answer the door, and if Mikey came around, he would put on a jumper, hiding the wing-slots. One day, Gee came in to Frank playing a little riff on his guitar, singing softly to himself.  Frank blushed when he realised Gee was watching. They sat down for the meal, and that was when Gee noticed Frank had very few grey feathers. 'your on the way back, bud. You wanna go?' he asked, and Frank gasped. 'hell no. I'd rather stay here!' he picked up the first drink he could, and drank the entire bottle, before lighting a cigarette, acting like a four year old, so his wings darkened. Gee watched him, and that was when Mikey walked in, Frank, wings out, wasted stood there, frantically drawing his wings in and attempting a mind wipe, but unable to because of the alcohol he had consumed. Mikey smiled, and nodded. 'nice outfit. Got your Halloween outfit ready, Frank?' the only thing the boys could do was nod. Mikey stayed for dinner, and the sat in the living room watching 'the Little Shop of Horrors' Gee sprawled on the couch, Frank sitting on the armchair, legs slung over the arm-rests and Mikey was leant against the couch. They watched reels of movies, and all woke the next morning, stiff and sore in the living room. Happy Halloween, by the way,' Gee moaned as he stood. Frank squinted 'Happy hungover-birthday to me,' he shut his eyes, and Gee threw a cushion at him, Frank then balanced on his face. Mikey walked to the kitchen, and made coffee for the three. Gee made breakfast, and together they hauled Frank to the table, sitting him down and shoving food and coffee at him. 'I don't like coffee,' he mumbled, but Gee knew it was a lie. Mikey left, and Gee forced Frank to go through a normal morning routine, with added painkillers and caffeine. By that night, they had done all the shopping, including sweets, face-paints and tricks, tidied the apartment, hung all the decorations up, helped each other with face-paints and costumes. Frank's wings were grey again. He painted his face like a skeleton, and ripped up some old clothes. Gee messed up his long, slightly greasy hair, covered his face in white and got his masses of fake blood to cover his clothes, hands, neck- everything, and his fake knife, which he would use to saw off Frank's arm. They stood, waiting for the first child to knock, and the answered, crooked, evil smiles gracing their faces as they stood there, children yelling 'Trick Or Treat!' at them. 'Trick!' Gee hissed, and they pulled faces, to which Gee started sawing off Frank's arm, and Frank freaked. The children screamed, and the pair handed out sweets, before closing the door. They laughed, and Frank cleaned up, ready for others. They did this all night, even after they ran out of sweets, eventually just handing every kid a dollar bill. When the kids stopped coming, Gee poured drinks, Frank cleaned up and they sat, drinking and laughing. 'Gee, that was the best birthday ever, thanks,' Frank hugged Gee, and suddenly, another angel appeared. 'Frank, your wings should be white. Why aren't they?' he boomed, and Frank stood up. 'Because I sinned again,' he answered, looking at the man before him. 'you must stay on this earth, keeping him safe,' he disappeared, and Frank grinned.