Two days
By: Eternal_Ukyou

	I stand before the alter in the house of my commander. Behind me a choirs sings 'Praise to God on high' and I silently sing along. My lips moving, but no sound comes out. It is not my place to sing with mortals. For I sing in a different choir. 
	With my hand I cross myself and rise to my feet. Smiling, I nod one last time at the cross and put my hat back on. On my way out of the cathedral I drop a few dollars in the donation box. Once out side the heavy double doors I see Sister Karin, I smile and nod at her. She smiles innocently and continues to sweep the steps. I remind myself to do something about her, and I walk on.
	The world here is very beautiful, especially now. I think it is spring, and the flowers are blooming and the weather is pleasant. I'm enjoying this very much. It's so very wonderful. I don't imagine it could get any better. But some how is dose.
	On my way home I come across the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Tall and slender, with long chestnut hair and big green eyes. I walked up to her and am nearly dumbstruck by the aura of innocents she give off. I introduce myself and she says her name is Samantha and that she is new in town. I tell her I am as well and ask her to have tea with me. She smiles and giggles shyly, and nods. So we go to my favorite little place by the river. We sit down, and I know by now that I'm in love with her. She so wonderful. She says she likes to do flower arrangements and paint portraits. She says she works with her mother in a flower shop down the street now, and that she would love to come over and see my place. So I invite her over for dinner. Just as we exchange numbers she smiles at me one last time, and blushes wildly. Then leaves in a hurry, as if she knows where she's going. It's then I realize I invited her over for dinner and I have no idea how to cook. So I polish off my cappuccino and run for my apartment.
	Unfortunately I don't have any friends to call, no cookbooks and no groceries, (excluding a few peaches ands a bottle of whip cream.) and Samantha will be here in three hours. What do I do? Easy, I'll just take her out. But I figure we'd have tea here before we leave, so I set to work cleaning my apartment. 
	Anyway, I clean. She comes. We go. And we enjoy.
	This goes on for three weeks, and then I catch her kissing on some other guy in the park and I'm FLAMED! Like Satan's little helper flamed. Which doesn't happen to me like, ever because of who I am. But I'm pissed; I feel shattered and suddenly hate every person who walks by. I don't know why, but I'm so confused inside, I don't know what to do. So I go to the little tea place by the river I took her to. It's crowded today, but I find a table alone and order a double shot mocha. Caffeine has the same effect on me as alcohol dose on mortals. I get really tired, and when I wake up my problems don't matter so much. So last minute I ask for another shot. When the waitress brings me my coffee she asks if I mind if someone sits with me because they're not enough seats. I shrug and say sure. She brings a high school boy to sit with me. He's nice looking, with these deep chocolate eyes and soft inky hair that he wears in a short ponytail. He greets me politely and says his name is Takesa. I introduce myself and take a few sips of my coffee. He orders tea and smiles at me gently. As we drink, he talks and I listen. It seems to be fine with him that I only nod and shake my head at his questions. I don't feel much like talking, my body hurts, and my head is getting groggy. I'm ready to go home and go to sleep, but that third shot of espresso wasn't such a good idea. When I get up to leave my knees buckled and I pass out on the floor.

	I wake up to the soft aroma of something cooking. I sit up and take and damp towel off my head. Where am I? And Where's my hat? I look around. It's a bedroom; a well lived in one at that. Male pop idols line the walls in perfect cemetery. The bookshelves are lined with manga, and fashion magazines. For a minute I think it's girl room, but then I see there are no stuffed animals on the bed, and no frilly curtains. So where was I? Just then, the boy from the teashop walks in. He smiles and says something I don't quite understand because my head is buzzing very loudly. He sits on the edge of the bed and takes the cloth from my hands. Then touches my face with his soft hands and smiles. I think he tells me I'll be just fine but I'm not sure, so I ask for some aspirin. He nods and runs back to the kitchen. He brings me aspirin and tea on a tray and I take them both with much gratitude. He only continues to smiles.
	I don't know how it happened but I spend the night with him, we slept side by side in his large bed. It was pleasant. He slept silently, serenely. And it was even nicer to wake up to his sweet voice in my ear. We go for a walk in the morning, back to my place so I can change. Then we go to the water front to walk. I like being with Takesa. He is very kind hearted, and very lonely. I can see it in his eyes. When he walks, he keeps his hands in his pockets, but keeps his back straight. As if he is a walking contradiction. Much like his expression. He smiles and laugh, but I can see in his eyes the pain. I don't not bring it up. I do not want to shatter this perfect afternoon. We ride the train home and when it's my stop I rise, and he grabs my arm. I look down at him, and his face is gentle, but disturbed. He asks to stay with me for the night. He promises not to be a burden and to even cook in the mourning if I like. I can not resist him so I tell him sure and we get off together. As we walk back to my apartment in the crisp night air, he takes his hand out of his pocket and laces his fingers with mine. At first I am startled, but in his eyes I can see there is nothing to fear. So we walk, hand-in-hand back to my house. And again we sleep side-by-side. But tonight we hold a conversation before we sleep. 
	Takesa asks me what I want to do tomorrow. I  tell him I have to visit the cathedral in the other side of town then we can go anywhere he wants. He smiles and says we should go to Tokyo tower. I've never been, I say. And he says all the more reason we should go. And, he says, there a great tea shop right by it that makes the best strawberry short cake. At that we fall asleep, awaiting another day.
	Takesa and I go to the cathedral the next morning. He seems more beautiful today than he ever had. When I get up, he is already showered and dressed and setting tea and toast on my coffee table. I yawn and he hands me a shirt. I take it, but am still very tired so I have a hard time buttoning it. He only laughs and does it for me, and runs his hand through my hair so it falls straight again. I pull on my hat and stick my tongue out at him. We eat slowly and take the train to the church.
	I am greeted by Sister Aoi on the way in, and so is Takesa.  And I wonder how many sisters it takes to sweep a two step porch. As we bow before the alter I ask the commander to bless this boy, because he's going to need it. And as I think this I feel Takesa's hand on top of mine and I smile and I thank the commander for the luck. Then I cross my self and pull my hat back on. Preacher Youji looks at me side long but I do not pay any attention. I drop a few dollars in the donation box, as I always do and we head for the tower. 
	The elevator at the tower is empty when we step on, which surprises me because of all the people I see around us. The doors closes and I lean on the hand rail. He stands very close to me and takes my hand. Then Takesa rests his head on my shoulder and I pray to the commander this elevator ride will never end. But it does anyway, and thinking logically If that elevator ride would have lasted forever we would have died of starvation. Still holding my hand, we walk out on to the observation deck. I can see everything from up here. And I notice it's a very long way down so I step back from the edge. Takesa seems to feel no fear and leans out over the railing so the breeze caress his face playfully. He smiles and tells me to join him. I only smile and shake my head. Highest aren't really my thing. He grins playfully at me and he rocks on his toes, smiling like the child he is. I turn away from only a moment, to see what else is going on and when I look back I don't see Takesa. I look in both directions and suddenly I hear him scream, running to the edge I see him, falling downward. So I do the only thing I can do. I step up on the rail, with one hand on my hat I jump. I scream his name and dive toward him, falling head first to gain speed. I come nearer to him, I can reach him now. I take his hand and smile at him. It is at that moment I do what I am never allowed to do. I let go of my wings and they burst forward, shredding my shirt to near nothing. I hold him in my arms, I close my eyes and kiss him good-bye. We are to close to the ground, not even my wings can slow us. I love you. He says to me. I smile and tell him that I think I love him too. 	
	And then we kiss down on the pavement. My back hits first but I do not absorb enough of the impact. We skid and roll down the side walk, I hear his screaming so I squeeze him tightly. One of my wings had been broken off entirely, my hat is about to come off. I grab it. Because I know I have done all I can for Takesa.
	He cries as they carry us off to the hospital. I tell them I am fine but they insist. So as we are carted away in the ambulance I take his hand and squeeze it gently.
	I will see you in the commander's house, I say to him, don't worry. Death is not scary… And I kiss him, the kiss of death you might call, it because he closes his eyes and smiles. I am numb, he says to me. I can't feel the pain, only the hope. I love you. He says to me. I love you too. I say. Let's go home.