•Y/N: Your Name
•E/C: Eye Color

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Author's POV:
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E/C eyes stared at squares of black and sepia yellow as tiny figures were set on the chess board, lining up one by one until the soldiers were all in their starting positions. Over the numerous games Laurence had been taught by Y/N, this one was his most favorite. It took a lot of thought to succeed, but the angel caught on very quickly with the human's help. There was something so satisfying about taking each piece, like he had accomplished a great feat, and Y/N was clever, a worthy opponent.

There was never telling who would win when they played, but recently, he has had a winning streak the last three times they've played. He would aim to make it four today, and he very well might, for the girl seemed to have her mind elsewhere that evening. The events from earlier were stuck in her brain. The way Laurence acted was strange. He had never pulled her away from Darin before. It didn't sit right with her, and neither did his words about her sister. Unable to keep it to herself, she confronts him.

"Why did you pull me away like that?" She asks, her voice still kind and curious, as it always was. She didn't want to think badly of him right off the bat again. She would allow him the opportunity to explain himself. Her pawn moves forward, officially starting the game.

"He upset you," he responds curtly, though his voice was still tender, since he was talking to Y/N. He was very much upset with Darin for telling her all those awful things that happened to Catherine. He had frightened and saddened his little human after he had put in the effort to make her happy, effort wasted simply because he refused to keep that information to himself. She had no place in that foul woman's life. She didn't need to know all that. It just upset her. She was doing just fine without having to worry.

"He just told me the truth."

"It hurts to see that look on your face." In a few precise moves, already he had knocked her pawn out of the board.

"Still, you shouldn't have done that. You hurt his feelings too." Her bishop was pushed diagonally across the board a few spaces, taking one of his pawns.

"Yours are more important to me."

"Why are you being so combative?"

"I am not. I am only looking out for you, as I've always have." Her knight was taken before she even realized how vulnerable she had left it. "You keep looking at me like I'm doing something bad. Don't you realize how much your doubt hurts me, Y/N?"

"I just..." After softly placing down a pawn, she sighed and slumped her shoulders some. "You feel different somehow."

"I am me, Y/N. My purpose is to look after you. Nothing has changed."

"Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"About Catherine." A light thunk hit the board as he took out her bishop, and he stared at it without making a single move to pick it up. His silence made Y/N's chest ache.

"Don't lie to me. Lying is bad, you told me that." Her voice wavered some, as if she feared his answer. Closing his eyes for just a moment, Laurence collected himself and the fallen piece before setting it aside and answering her calmly.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me? We could've helped her."

"There was no saving her."

"You can't know that." Her queen had to move. His bishop was within range.

"But, I do." His knight advanced.

"How?" She moved out of the way again.

"She was too far gone." His bishop moved closer.

"How?!" He paused. She had never yelled at him before. Looking up at her, the angel found tears of frustration in her eyes. Looking back down, his fingers strengthened around the piece he was ready to move as he narrowed his eyes at it.

"Y/N—"

"Please. Please, tell me why—"

"Enough!" His large wings spread out widely in the room, consuming a good portion of it, as he snapped his head up at Y/N, eyes as yellow as the sun, burning... Burning so deep, they left scars on her. The frightened and hurt look on her face brought him back down as his hardened expression fell and his wings lowered slowly back into their tucked position. He was shocked at himself, but he was so stressed by the topic, he didn't even realize he was scaring her. "F- Forgive me. I..."

'Do not fear me, Sweetness. Please, you cannot fear me.' Y/N looked down, her silence showing she was ready to drop the conversation now, but she looked so beaten. She even trembled to hold in tears. When she wiped her left eye, Laurence frowned and moved towards her, careful not to disturb their game to gather her into his arms and squeeze her tightly, wrapping his wings around them in a safe cocoon to block out everything around them. The feathered limbs stung a bit at the touch, but he pushed it away and kept her close.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetness. I shouldn't ever raise my voice to you. How shameful. I will never do so again, I promise. I don't know what had come over me. It's just this topic, Y/N. You know I do not like to speak about your sister. She had treated you so poorly. I cannot forgive her. Do not look at me that way. My heart cannot take it. Please, just drop this. Catherine will be better off forgotten." Y/N noticed his trembling and settled down a bit as she sniffled.

"You don't think she's coming back, do you?" She croaks, crying as she clings to his armor in grief. She knew it. She didn't want to believe it, but she knew it ever since Catherine had spoken to her about being taken away. She didn't understand what was going on with her, but...

"Sweetness, please. The thought of her will only hurt you. It is not worth the pain, I promise you." She could not retort. Y/N knew the fight would be useless. Just then, her father called her to come down for dinner so she leaned off of Laurence's chest and wiped her eyes. She didn't understand what was happening around her. First, her sister leaves, and now, Laurence is acting strangely, not telling her a thing. She didn't like it. Why was everyone keeping things from her? A hand pushed her hair behind her ear before tilting up her chin, having her meet tender, silver eyes.

"No more tears, Sweetness. I only wish to see you smile. Go eat dinner, and I'll sing you a song for bed. Don't worry, everything is just fine, Y/N. I promise to make it up to you for shouting. Perhaps we can go flying again in the near future?"

Y/N said nothing but nodded as she shakily stood up from the floor and faced away from him, taking a deep breath as she walked towards the door.