our wings bloodied and worn, our halo in cracks. closed.

It was dark and the stars blinked down at Nadine when she managed to open her eyes. She was laid out on the ground in a small alleyway and the gravel was a little caved in from the impact. It was uncomfortable and it made her aching body feel worse. Nadine rose slowly to a sitting position and found her body littered with bruises. This was what being human was; it was fragility, it was imperfection, it was bruises, it was the ache in her shoulders where her wings protruded from the skin. They no longer felt like apart of her, like her arms and legs, but like someone had shoved the large white wings into her... like they didn't belong.

With a whimper and slow movements Nadine tried to stand, but the gravel was wet and cold and she wasn't comfortable in her human body. It wasn't like being an angel, which came with natural grace and fluidity. She collapsed to the ground once she stood on her two feet with a dull thud and a small noise that fell from her lips. It was the first time she felt real pain. It was the first time she felt anything. Nadine felt like a new born baby, birthed into the human world without all the screaming and blood but with all the pain and discomfort. But she was human and that was enough. With clumsy hands and weak feet she tried to stand again, oblivious to all her surroundings.

@ healysquad

Jude had just closed down the bar for the night, last call ending just half an hour ago and his ears were still ringing from the loud chatter and cue balls hitting against another. He was always in his element once the night got going, and the money and hours weren't too bad either but he always looked forward to going home after a long night, drowning himself in his bathroom and falling into his bed.

And once the bathrooms were mopped and floor swept and the place was tidy as it was ever going to get and the drawer was settled, Jude finished with wiping down the counter top and tied up the big, black, plastic garbage bags that were overflowing before hauling them out to the Dumpster in back of the building, wiping his hands on his jeans, that's when he spotted the girl, who was clearly not alright by the looks of her swaying about. Jude slowly moved toward her, unsure what to even say to her and he looked around to see if anyone was looking for her but no one was even out."Are you alright? Can I help you or anything?" Jude asked and he hoped she had an ID or something on her.

Nadine managed to pull herself into a standing position with her hands bracing herself on the brick wall opposite her. The ground was cold and wet from rain that had fallen just before her and her toes were turning pale from it. Her movements were clumsy and wobbly, like a baby animal trying to walk for the first time. It was different; being human as opposed to being an angel. There was a certain mystical grace that exempted her from fumbling and falling. Her eyes widened and she stumbled backwards, almost falling, when a man came around the side of the dumpster near her. She had been afraid to be found while her wings still clung to her (they would fall out eventually). "I'm fine." Nadine croaked out, giving herself away. It was obvious she needed help, the poor girl could barely walk on her own right now. But how does one go explaining that she just fell from heaven and needed help adapting to her human body? Nadine tried to angle her body so that he wouldn't see her wings but they were large and stark white, opposing against the dark and wet colors that surrounded her. He would have to blind not to see them and he obviously wasn't.

Jude was surprised when she stood, seeing white, large wings but that couldn't be possible because no one had real wings, right? He scrubbed a hand over his face, clearly serving too much alcohol and the smoke from inside had messed with his head."How about you come inside?" He gestured to her bare feet which looked almost translucent from being cold from the rain on the ground."It's a lot warmer inside." Jude opened the back door, hoping she would follow and he could see in the light that those things attached to her weren't really there.

Nadine nodded her head, smiling a little at his kindness, before making her way through the backdoor. The warmth from inside the bar settled in her bones and she started to feel her feet again. It was a lot cozier inside and she breathed out a sigh of both relief and happiness. As an angel she didn't even get to feel the sun on her face much less a cold breeze or the warmth she was feeling right now. Angels didn't feel anything, emotional or physical. They were just so and it was why a lot of them fell to earth, it's why she fell to earth. Looking down on a race that feels so many things, and sometimes so strongly that it sends them to war, while the whole time feeling nothing but numbness was excruciatingly painful. It was like starving while watching everyone around you eat. "Thank you." Nadine said, her voice soft and as warm as the room. Her wings skidded across the ground with every wobbly step that she took. She could tell by his face that he didn't really believe it. He probably thought he was seeing things in the dark. Most humans don't believe in angels or miracles or any sort of magic anymore.

Jude was glad he was the one closing tonight, no one was else was inside which was probably for the best."Do you need to call anyone or I can drive you somewhere?" He asked her, rounding behind the bar, pulling two glasses down, filling one with tap water and the other with Bourbon, it might definitely help wake him up with the idea of the things he possibly couldn't be seeing on her, it was a ridiculous idea anyway. He handed her the glass of water while he threw back his glass, a nice burn in his chest.

Nadine shook her head as she struggled to a seat. It was all a little weird to her, but she was slowly starting to settle into it. "No, I don't have anyone to call." She said, taking the glass of water and bringing it to her lips. She let out a little noise as she swallowed, not realizing until now how dry her throat was or how thirsty she had been. Nadine drank the glass in silence, watching him throw back his own glass of alcohol. He hadn't fainted yet, though, or even mentioned it so she was sure that he was in denial. How does one go about telling a human that you were an angel, that angels were even real. It wasn't exactly proper small talk. "I'm Nadine." She introduced, brushing her stringy hair out of her face and taking another sip of her water.

[ sorry I haven't replied before now ]

Jude couldn't help but stare at the things protruding from her back, wondered if she felt them or knew they were even there, couldn't she fly? His eyes shifted to her face."I'm Jude." He sat his empty glass on the counter top, leaning his arms across the glossy top."Are you from around here?" He asked because of course that would answer all the questions he couldn't even ask.

A loud laugh left her lips when he asked if she was from around here. It felt weird just doing it. She didn't think she'd ever laughed before now. "No, not by a long shot." Heaven was a lot further than just above the clouds and if there was anything sweeter than the jump it was the fall. It wasn't just a metaphorical fall, it was literal too. She felt the wind in her hair and the adrenaline pumping through her. It was the first thing she ever felt. "I-I, well," she stuttered. "I fell from heaven." Nadine surprised herself by her bluntness.