~*I'll Be There~*

 Dark brown eyes scanned the words of the page within the mystery novel that he was keeping himself occupied with, however, actually, he just couldn't bring himself to concentrate at all for it had been at least 15 minutes that he had spent on reading the one paragraph over and over once more. Finally sighing in defeat, thus putting the bookmark in, he soon closed the object as he walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water to help calm his nerves. It had been over an hour and a half since Robert was last seen as he could remember from earlier that the angelic teenager told him that he had met some guys over at the Community Center whom he became quickly acquainted with and that they were going to hang out with one another for a while.

     Although he was happy for the younger angel, deep down, he was hesitant. Robert was such a sweet kid who never got into trouble with anybody whom he was either assigned to or any of the boys in the group for he would always be playing the peacemaker due to being the Voice of Reason as well as having great leadership qualities where he considered himself fair to all individuals young and old alike. But despite that, he still wanted to become a normal teenaged boy hanging out with other people in his own age standards and getting together to meet up at places where they were age-appropriate enough that never went above or over the limit. 

     And that was what made James very worried at times. Although he knew that Rob was capable enough to look out for himself, he just couldn't help but to feel protective of him at most times; he looked to him as if he was like a younger brother despite their height differences but it was the age that still made him have authority over the brunette haired boy to the point that it would make people stop and stare thinking that the 21-year-old was the youngest (even though he would never admit that annoyed him a lot of times, just like how he could see in Russell's facial expression that they would point out how he looked like a combination of a young Bill Gates and a young Jeffrey Dahmer rolled up into one).

     Staring at the clock above the fridge that read 9:12 p.m. even made him start to tap his foot and sigh again grunting that he had enough of waiting and was going to go out and look for him. As he was about to get his jacket, the door soon slowly opened revealing to be Robert himself looking tired as he slowly walked into the main room taking a couple of seconds to shut the door back. That made James sigh in relief but what really caught his eyes was that Rob's cheeks were flushed pink and his eyes looked droopy like they were about to close at any given moment.

     He was not going to have any of it and if it meant giving the boy a piece of his mind, then so be it.

     "Where on Earth have you been? don't you know how worried sick I was? I was just about to go out and look for you because I thought you could've been hurt or left out there lying on the sidewalk somewhere." 

     But Rob wasn't paying attention to anything on what James was saying, instead, he was just trying to calm his aching head. "Mmm...stop shouting, you're making my ears bleed." He mumbled tiredly planting his face-first on the table.

     "I'm not finished with you yet, where did you and the guys go anyway?"

     "Does it even matter?"

     "Yes it does matter, now tell me right now or else."

    "I don't want to." 

     "I don't think that's an option at all."

     "Can't you just drop it already!?" James then soon smelt what came out of the young angel boy's mouth blinking three times couldn't believe what he sniffed.

     "Rob, have you been drinking?" When the boy didn't answer immediately, the shorter male angel soon put his hands on his cheeks feeling how warm and clammy his skin was.

     "Rob..."

     "Okay, okay, after we left the Burger joint, we just went out and had some beers, Jerry was able to use his ID for all of us to get in for free no big deal."

     "No big deal? No big deal? Rob, that is a big deal! we might be angels, yes, but that doesn't mean that we can't get an intolerance to alcoholic-based beverages, what were you thinking?"

     "I'm thinking that you need to be quiet because right now, I have a headache."

     James sighed and shook his head couldn't believe what he was hearing right now, couldn't shake off the disappointment that he had written on his face but he didn't dare let it show to Rob right now who looked like he was about to puke at any given time as his prediction came true seeing the teenager make a beeline for the bathroom where he threw up everything that he had made his brotherly instincts kick into high gear following him where he kneeled behind him pulling his hair gently in order for him to finish.

     He didn't let go not even for a second until he knew that he was all done as he flushed the toilet for him who placed his forehead against the cooling plastic as tears ran down his face staining his cheeks. He then patted him on his back helping him to stand slowly but surely as he helped him take off his musty beer smelling clothes throwing them in the dirty clothes hamper where he would have to do some laundry by tomorrow morning, but for right now, his main focus was on the Angel of Reason and Understanding.

~*If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.~*

                                                 Maya Angelou.

 Once showered, and dressed in pajamas, Robert soon found himself staring out at the moon through the window of the bedroom that he was temporarily residing in for the time being. Its bold bright light shone within the dark sky along with some twinkling stars that sparkled like scattering diamonds that added to help calm his nerves down as he found it to be quite calming feeling as though he could remember some fond memories of doing the same thing. Pretty soon, he closed his eyes taking a deep breath thus exhaling as well as sighing once he pictured a young man that looked like him but he was a good 9 years older than he was. His hair was brunette like his but with a different style than his own.

     And he was...smiling...but right at him as he envisioned them side by side to one another as the elder boy pointed and named the different constellations that he could memorize then putting his head onto his shoulder closing his brown orbs to feel his warmth knowing that he was safe, protected, and well-loved.

    "Promise me that we'll always be together? Ken?

     "I promise Robert, no matter where you are, or where I am, I'll know that you are right here, and I'll catch you whenever you fall, I'll be there."

     Eyes opened up within an instant as they soon shot towards James who soon came in with a glass of water and two aspirin in the other hand; he had a look of concern asking the younger male if he was alright thus walking over towards him to give him the necessary supplements needed.

     "Swallow these and drink, it will help to prevent a hangover by tomorrow." Nodding his head in thanks, he then did as he was told drinking the ice-cold liquid until the glass was empty soon setting onto the night table as well as staring up at the moon again.

     He sighed but didn't dare to look at James's expression so instead, he started to speak. "I'm sorry." He said not fully comfortable in going any further, but it was the only way to get off what he wanted to say off his chest. "I shouldn't have gone with them at all, to begin with. I know why we were sent down here and what we're supposed to do in the first place, but at times, I just want to be normal, I just want to be somebody else besides just being an angel for one day even if it's just one hour. But I know there's no time for that for the main purpose of helping those in need and to also even better ourselves to become more understanding to those around us.

     James hummed. "I'm not angry at you Rob, so you don't have to be ashamed thinking I'm going to belittle you. To tell you the truth, I often also think about being normal for one day where I can even join the other guys in their activities, but being Supervisor is the most important job to have, and for that, I am grateful. There are times when we think the people whom we associate ourselves with are the ones we call either friends or acquaintances where we want to be like, talk like them, and of course walk like them. But there is always a see-through once we are reeled into their world and we see them for who they are once the mask is taken off and there is no return, however, we can change that by just being observant of their motives and capabilities so that way, we will know on how to handle the situation at hand."

     Robert took the information very carefully closing his eyes to digest everything in. James was right, these days, people had to be observant, or else they would pay the price for whatever they went through by not taking things seriously as well as always wanted to jump headfirst without thinking of a plan that would help to save them in the long run. Starting to feel drowsy, he then slowly placed his head on the elder angel's shoulder feeling the warmth radiating towards his body who soon smiled down.

     "You know, from earlier, I had been worried about you. I thought something terrible had happened."

     Rob felt guilty, although James was just doing his job, at the end of the day, he cared deeply for him along with the other boys and men that were there. He was a very fair supervisor and held great patience to teach the younger angels moral lessons for them to understand as well as watch over them too like he was a surrogate father towards them. 

     He could not imagine how the world would be like without him. He inhaled his scent as his eyes widened slightly as he could tell that it was familiar. The vision of the older boy showed up once more like images of him came in flashes.

     Them walking side by side to each other,

     Them having lunch together,

     Him giving him helpful advice on how to talk to a girl whom he was too shy to talk to worried that she would find senior boys more interesting than having a plain, ordinary sophomore like him around.

     Tears soon started to cloud his eyes as he then closed them whimpering silently but James was not fooled soon asked him if he was okay who then quickly wiped away the remaining orb water in one swipe as the next thing he knew, he was being held protectively.

     "What's the matter? you know you can tell me anything. I would never judge you. I love you."

     "I love you Robert...I'll always be there to catch you when you fall..."

     "You smell the same way like him...it's so comforting..."

     "Huh? Rob, what are you talking about? and what do you mean I smell just like him? who is he?"

     He just smiled and shook his head.

     "Nobody"

     The moon was still up, it still gave out its bright light, and he knew...

     That they especially him would be there to help him and catch him when he would fall.