The rest of the evening was spent more or less the same way for me- in a partial state of confusion. The two geniuses in front of me had been nice enough, for once, to clear up some of it but it hadn't gone further than 'wait and watch'. Considering I dealt with a gloomy angel and a more annoyed than usual demon— it was more than enough.
I walked home slowly after my shift. Much to my surprise, Onoda was a lot more talkative than usual. I was stayed outside to talk to him for a while about his day. He eventually tipped his hat good night to me. Or rather, good morning. The receptionist had watched me talk to Onoda— she waved at me. I almost thought she waved me over for a chat too, but as her head fell back down to stare at the magazine in her lap. I corrected my course towards the lift.
I'd forgotten to mention the fact that I hibernated through my holiday to those two. How would that be related to all of this? Was my body making up for being dead or something? Because if this kept happening, I'd be out of a job.
I walked into the lift. My back hit the back wall as I sank down to my knees. Complications. I hated complications. One of the oldest beings in existence didn't know what I was, or what was going to happen to me. Even the angels didn't know.
I let my eyes flutter shut for a few seconds. I opened them as the lift dinged open. The door beeped as reading the new passcode and my fingerprints. I relaxed a smidge as I walked into my apartment. It felt good to be home, despite everything that was happening. This was still my-
"Human."
I jumped as I turned the lights on. My body twisted to see a familiar figure standing in my living room. My heart rocketing out of my chest as Mike looked me over indifferently. "Fuck!" I hissed. My hand on my chest as I sagged against the wall.
"I've been wa..." He trailed off as I held up my free hand with the index finger raised in the universal symbol of silence.
Turning away from him, I pressed my forehead to the cool wall as I tried to get my heart back under control. "Goddammit, Mike! You really need to start using the door."
"Another human concept."
"Yeah, well, guess the fuck what!" I snapped as I away from the wall to glare at him. "I'm human! So, please start giving me a call or something! This isn't good for my heart."
"I'm not here for your heart." He replied dryly. "Besides, doors are tedious. I can just come right in and save you the energy."
"I'm sorry if I look like I'm going to waft away with a strong wind, but I'm not going to pass out just because I opened the damn door!" I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. Mike watched me try to calm myself down in silence before I headed towards my bedroom.
Mike stayed in the living room as I shrugged off my backpack and my jacket. I took a few extra minutes to kick off my shoes as well and freshen up. Mike was being creepy as usual as he stayed in the same position I'd just left him in.
"What?" I snapped, an arm across my chest as I glared at him. "What is it today?"
Mike looked down. I followed his sightline to see a black duffel bag by his foot. I stared at it blankly before it clicked. A jolt passed through my body and I took an involuntary step back. "Why did you bring that here?"
"Angels have no use for guns." Mike looked back at me. "We've checked them all and confiscated the ammo so they're nothing more than glorified metal bats. But just in case we need them later, we need a place to store them."
"And my apartment is the only place you could think of?" I raised an eyebrow. "I got shot by one of the guns in those bags. What makes you think I'll agree to keep that at home?"
"No. The gun you were shot with has also been confiscated." He paused, hesitation crossing his blue eyes.
"Spit it out, Mike." I turned away from him. "You have until I've finished my drink to say what you want or I'm going to bed and you can go back with that. Because I'm not keeping... that without a valid reason."
I reached into the fridge to pull out a carton of milk. I poured it out into a glass and turned to face Mike as I took my first sip. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts. "I..."
"Go on."
Mike exhaled softly. If I didn't know any better, that was a sigh. "The higher ups want me to dispose of it. But... I'm not so sure I should."
"Why?" I licked my lips. "Suspect a conspiracy?"
"No. Not at all." He threw me a glare. "All they do is for the good of angel and mankind. There is no conspiracy."
"Alright, alright." I held up a hand in a sign of peace. "I get it. It was a joke."
Mike's glare faded away, interest replaced it. "You're acting pretty nonchalant for this situation. Any other human would..."
"Scream?" I added as he trailed off. "Cry? Piss their pants? Have a panic attack?"
"Atleast one of the above."
Wow. He just reminded me of those tests I gave in school. I shrugged. "I don't know if it's the apathy Lou talked about, but I have actually have no feelings towards that bag." I paused. "My earlier reaction was surprise at seeing it, but that's about it."
"I predicted that kind of reaction." He cocked his head. "The change in you is subtle, but I can feel it. There's now a certain similarity between you and Lou."
"Interesting." I replied, not finding it that interesting at all. "I'd rather not be compared to Lou though. He's a straight up asshole."
Mike laughed softly and looked away as he did. "Sounds about right."
I stifled my surprise at that relaxed emotion. Was it all the tequila? Or did he feel a sense of familiarity as well but refused to admit it? He did have a hand in resurrecting me after all. He seemed kind of... human right about now.
I took another sip of the milk as I turned to keep the carton back in the fridge in the extended silence. Mike had his eyes on me again when I turned around. "Back to the point. I need you to keep this bag safe. Hide it."
"Need me?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly new. But it's not a good enough reason for me to keep it."
Mike narrowed his eyes at me. "I saved your life."
"After Lou had already gotten to it. But, fair enough." I shrugged. "Don't you guys have evidence lockers in heaven, or Angel Land, or wherever you live?"
"I'd rather keep it separate." He replied immediately. He hesitated once more. "It's what you humans call a 'hunch'."
A soft whistle escaped my lips. I left the glass of milk on the counter as I walked over to Mike and the bag. He stepped aside as I went straight for it. I took a few moments to look over it. It elicited no more reactions from me. There was nothing. Even after I unzipped it and stared down at the guns in the bag— there was nothing.
I reached out and ran a finger over the cold metal. A shiver went down my back. It reminded me of Lou's skin on mine. I felt Mike shift beside me as I decided to wrap my fingers around one of them. The barrel, I guess that's what they call the business end of the gun, was pretty thin.
"Ooh, that's heavy." I mumbled in surprise. The metal thunked against the guns at the bottom as I let go. "Where do I hide it?"
"With your stash of marijuana in the ceiling tiles of your bedroom would be a good place to start."
I raised my head to meet his blue eyes. He was still wore his funeral suit. "Do you... want to smoke some with me?"
"It won't affect me."
I shrugged. "It's still pretty calming. You're grieving as well. It should take your mind off of it." I bent to grab the duffel bag, it was heavier than I expected. "Ugh... whatever you do, I need to finish it off. It's been lying around for ages."
"Go ahead. I'm leaving. My work here is done."
"Hey! Not even a 'tha-" I was cut off by a gust of warm wind as Mike vanished into thin air. My lips pressed together in irritation and envy. What a great little trick. I wonder if I could do it eventually.
I lugged the duffel bag into my bedroom. The ceiling tiles above my bed could move. I turned my head to the side to cough as pushing it aside showered dust onto me. Maybe those leftovers aren't so viable anymore. I'll just get rid of them.
I cleaned out the entire space first before I grabbed the bag at my feet and shoved it up there. A telltale creak made my heart stop in my chest. I can't have my ceiling crash down on me in the middle of the night. This is a bad idea.
I stayed there with my hands raised towards the ceiling until my shoulders started to burn with the strain. My eyes were glued to those tiles as I let my arms down and sat down on the bed.
My eyes were wide open. My body didn't feel exhausted. It didn't even feel different. Yet, I was here. Freshly resurrected, eyes on a hidden bag of the guns that had been used to kill angels and demons in my bar. It was still hard to believe I'd died. I didn't remember anything of it but blankness. There had been nothing. It had just been dark, and quiet. No thoughts, no sound, no light. If that was the afterlife... it was terrifying. Religious people seem to have it easy. They believed that a cushy place awaited them upstairs if they did good in their life, and there was an all-round awful place downstairs if they did bad.
I let my head face forward and a hand over my hair. There was a lot of it now. I'd been growing it or dying it ever since I'd been sixteen. Maybe I'd take an appointment for my next day off.
Since I didn't feel sleepy, and I don't think I will for a while... it's time to get through some work I'd put off for a while. Some self-care I was long overdue ever since Lou had messed up my life.
The sun rose to find me seated in my living room with a fresh self-done pedicure. I smiled to myself as I felt the soft warmth on my skin. I'd planned to go for a run if I'd finished up everything earlier, but the waxing had taken longer than I'd expected. And then I'd ended up watching a movie in the bathtub. And then I'd cooked for myself. And yada yada whatever. It had been a nice, sleepless night. And I didn't feel the need for any rest yet. If this was a part of the demon-angel fuck-up in my body, I could get used to it.
Wasn't I still supposed to be mostly human? I should still be able to sleep. Maybe I'll-
I glanced down at my phone on the floor. The vibration was muffled by the carpet on the floor but the screen had lit up with a familiar face.
Trace.
Wow. It had been a while since I'd talked to him. He hadn't texted or called me for a week. I was just about to start wondering if he's going to ghost me.
I reached down and carefully tucked in my nails as I picked up the phone. It rested it on my cleavage as I set it to speaker. My hand reached for the homemade fruit punch as it connected. Damn, I missed alcohol.
"Hey, Trace." I greeted easily, and then took a sip.
"Ryleigh..." He sighed. "I'm sorry I haven't called or texted. I was working."
"Yeah. You told me."
"You... sound mad."
"I might be." I sighed, genuinely a bit irritated. "A text or a call couldn't have hurt."
"I'm sorry. I-I-Something also came up with a friend in the middle, so it really pushed back some work."
"What do you mean?" I checked my nails. Maybe I should've gone with red.
"I-It's nothing important. He's fine now."
"Did someone get into an accident?" I hadn't read the papers in a while. "Was it in the news?"
"No. No, it wasn't anything big." He exhaled softly. "I'd rather not talk about this if you don't mind. I've wasted too much time on this already."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "Okay... Is everything fine?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just peachy." Now he sounded mad. "Anyway, want to meet up for breakfast?"
"Uh, yeah." I shrugged, and glanced at the time. "I'm awake anyway."
"I figured you might be working out."
"No. I'm not. I'm just awake." I wiggled my toes. "Where do you want to meet?"
"How about your place this time?"
My gut twisted and I immediately shook my head. "No."
"Oh, okay. Ouch."
Ah, shit. "It's not you, Trace. I just... have a hard time with letting people into my apartment."
He was quiet for a few moments. "Why?"
"It's a... personal space thing." I shrugged. "I've always been like that."
"Not back when we were younger."
"Yes, but back then I didn't have a choice. We were staying with about ten other kids. Privacy wasn't a thing we were allowed to be worried about."
"When you put it that way..." He trailed off. "How about we meet up in the park? I can get these amazing bagels from this bakery near me and we can just relax. Catch up."
I laughed softly, feeling myself relax a bit. "Catch up? Again? Is this another first date?"
"Come on, Ryleigh." He whined. "You're going to make me start from scratch again?"
"That's your punishment for leaving me hanging." I stuck my tongue out. "Can you get some sandwiches instead? Bagels don't really fill me up."
"Sandwich. Alright. Any preference?"
"None, really. I'll get the juice?"
"You have juice?"
"I just made some. It's watermelon and orange."
"How about smoothies?"
"I... don't have yogurt lying around, but I can get smoothies."
"Sounds like a plan."
I smiled to myself, butterflies in my stomach. "Yes, it does."
"Need me to pick you up?"
"No. I think I'll walk." I looked out the floor-ceiling glass windows. "It's a nice day outside."
"And it's going to get even nicer after I meet you."
Aww. "It better." I smiled to myself. "I can't imagine how dreary your days have been without me."
"Is that so? I'll just tell you all about it and you decide." He laughed
"Ugh, how boring." I scoffed in a joking manner. "Who wants to hear about your dull life?"
He laughed easily. "Well then, I better not hear about yours."
I gasped, scandalized. A laugh bubbled up as I spoke. "How dare you!"
"Hey! You started it!"
"Shut up!" I laughed, a hand against my mouth. "You're mean."
"Hey!" He repeated. "You started it!"
I know, but I'm not relenting. "I'm so not getting you smoothies."
"Okay, okay, fine." He chuckled as well. "I'm sorry for ending something you started."
"That's the worst apology ever."
"What do you want me to do? Make a video?"
"You're a YouTuber now too?"
"No." His voice shifted slightly. "But I am heading down to get those sandwiches. What do you want?"
"Get me whatever you're eating." I raised my hands above my head. A much needed stretch with a smile on my face. "Anything with meat is fine too."
"Alrighty. I'll get a few different ones."
"Any smoothie preferences?"
"Mango. I'm in the mood for mango."
"Hmm..." I moaned softly as my entire body turned to jello with that stretch. "That sounds great."
"And... that sounded even better." Trace lowered his voice. I knew he was talking about that sound I just made. "What are you wearing?"
I giggled, and looked down at myself. The toffee-coloured lace blended perfectly with my skin. "Lingerie and a silk robe."
He exhaled harshly. "Are you sure I can't come over?"
I burst into laughter, colour rose up my cheeks. "No! We just made a park date!"
"Right, right." He sighed like a tragic hero in a novel. "What a shame."
"Yeah, yeah. Complain to someone else." I let my head fall back to stare up at the ceiling. "I have to hang up now to go get ready."
"Yup. I'll see you... in an hour?"
"Alright. Just call me whenever you reach. I'll find you."
"Yup. Bye, Ryleigh. See you in a bit."
"Bye, Trace." I bit my lip. "See you."
I was silent for a few seconds as the line beeped and he hung up. Surprisingly enough, I had a grin aimed at my point. It disgusted how much I like him. The conversation went from me being passive aggressive to agreeing for a date. He's just so... smooth.
I wasn't too worried about the idea of having him over either as of now. It had been a while since I'd slept with someone. And Trace was just... yummy.
I stayed on the sofa for a while more. Only hopped out of the position I was in once I saw Trace's text about getting the sandwiches. I needed to go get smoothies.
And go meet my boyfriend.