If someone had told them their lives would turn out this way, they would have laughed out loud at their face.

An angel about to be cast to his doom would have refused to listen; he maybe would have cursed anyone who dared speak such crazy ideas. A human who gave her everything in her hunts would have denied those words; she would have only grown surer of her beliefs and actions. A demon which hid in a dark forest would have growled in grief; he may have felt anger for that improbable fate.

The three would have never believed this, not when they were apart. Yet here they were, content with life for once. For two of them, life had been something at risk. Now, what should have threatened it, offered the most protective of bonds. And that bond was tied to another life, one they could not part with.

Soon, a year would go by since they decided to live together. Many had roamed their inn, some had become familiar, but none felt for that place like they did. Home was were the heart resided. In that manor, they shared far too many moments to count. Not all were perfect or pleasant, but all pulled them closer. No matter the situation, at the end of the day, they always found themselves together, be it by a warm fire or lying on the soft grass of a field.

At the core of a frequented commercial route, they never suffered the need of coin; all they needed, they could obtain. Yet they did not think they needed much. All they wanted was this, a simple life, shared with ones they could trust. No struggles for survival, no worries for bloodthirsty predators, and no moral turmoil.

All in all, they were happy. Slowly, they grew used to it, to be able to enjoy their existence. But there could always be more. There was something they felt, but which was rarely acknowledged. All were glances and holds, never a blunt word. No daring advances, no direct actions. It was there, something they found strange yet undeniable.

In their days, they would always show how much they cared, in their own ways.

Today, it was no different.

Under the fierce heat of the season, the air felt heavy to breathe. The woods that surrounded the manor had traces of green, with many flowers that tangled with it. The cicadas could be heard, noisily announcing the summit of the sun above.

Even with this intense weather, someone dared to get out of the manor. Walking down the stony steps, a woman made her way around a spacious stony patio. Turning right, she headed for the garden at the side of their home, spacious and full of plants. She glanced around, trying to see past the tall vines of grapes that crowded most of the front of the garden.

“Alex?”

She heard him shuffle ahead, somewhere in between the vines. She spotted him there, working as always, this time picking up grapes and berries, instead of the usual medicinal herbs at the far end. She neared slowly, to then lean on the small fence that surrounded the plantation. Holding up the small cup she carried in her hands, she called again, seeing that he was not responding.

“I brought you something to drink.”

He finally looked up. He did so slowly, with a long sigh, while brushing off some sweat off his forehead. He stared at the cup tiredly. With a lethargic stance, he reached for it, giving her a quick thankful glance.

Ayako watched as he drank it in one go, as if he was starving. Fondly, she leaned more on the fence, daring to ask.

“Haven’t you been here for too long?”

Again, the question made him frown. Alexis breathed in after drinking, and quickly handed her the cup back, intending on focusing on his garden.

“No.”

She took the cup, but still kept talking.

“You worry me.”

“I’m fine.”

His voice really dragged, like if he was short of breath. It was not only for his work, she knew.

“You’re not.” She added, with a trace of worry in her voice. “You’re not tired because of the hot weather. It is something else, I’ve noticed.”

“Aya, I said I’m fi-”

He shut up, blinking. Soon he realized she had reached and placed a hand on his forehead, much to his annoyance. His slow reaction added to the fact that she felt his skin blaze.

“You’re sick. You have a fever.”

He grabbed her hand, and like if it took a lot of concentration, he lowered it slowly.

“I can handle it.”

“Handle it?” She had been nice, but now he was taking out her most imperative side. “You’ve denied it for days, but I know better. You should have not been out here. You barely can keep yourself from dropping down. Look at you.”

He had walked away. He had reached for the door that led out of his garden, and had been fidgeting with it. Only when she pointed he realized that he had been trying to push the door outwards, when it should open inwards. Realizing his mistake, he shook his head, stubbornly.

“I’m just sleepy.”

He let down the basket full of grapes by the door of his forge. The small building was not under construction anymore, thanks to the fact that the nomads had come back a couple months ago. He had been using it a lot, with materials that Uriel brought with a horse.

With deep breaths and a deep frown, he began to organize his gardening tools inside, walking in and out. She did not miss how he scratched his shoulders with a hand, when he believed she would not see him in there. That fact worried her even more. It was not the first time he scratched at his scars, and it was not a good thing.

“Stop that.”

He feigned ignorance with a raspy tone.

“What? I can’t leave my tools here, I have to store them.”

She groaned, because she was growing tired.

“Alex, I’ve told you a thousand times to not brush your scars like that. Come inside, I’ll prepare some infusions for your fever and check them out if they itch.”

Alexis turned to face her, like if he did not want her to look at his shoulders. He spoke while holding one arm, fighting an urge to brush his old wounds.

“Aya, please, leave me alone. I don’t want you to. Not today.”

“But-”

She had neared and reached for his shoulder. He winced faintly, as soon as she brushed with her fingers where some of his scars were. Following her slight surprise, he moved her hand away. Then he quickly stepped around her.

“Please, not now.” He held up a hand to his forehead, shuddering while hurrying away. “I- I’ll rest in my room, ok?”

“Alex, wait.” She walked by his side, following him along the way. “You angels suffer sickness differently. Let me check.”

“I said, not now.” He squished his way between the two main doors, too dizzy to want to push them. “I’ll sleep it away.”

She pushed the doors open, chasing behind him. His steps were tired, even if fast. He was trying to leave her behind, but he was only managing to make himself more tired. He was trembling now, not hiding his scratching as much. She was only making him feel more nervous and sick, and in turn he was making her feel more worried and anxious with his evasiveness.

“What’s wrong with you? You never forbid me of-” She blinked, catching something. He had brushed his shoulder, below his shirt. She caught a glint. A small feather, deformed and twisted, peeking out one of his scars, which looked all ever red. His fingers had brushed it, and retreated quickly. “What the…”

He shot her a glare, looking back hazily.

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

He looked ahead again. He almost collided with Uriel, who had turned a corner carrying some plates. The demon scrambled, tiptoed and balanced what he held around the angel, exclaiming with surprise.

“Whoa, careful!” Once still, he looked down at Alexis, quickly noting the feverish dazed frown. “Hey, are you alright?”

Alexis stepped around him as well, nodding slowly.

“Fine. Just… short of breath.”

Uriel did not chase after when his angel began to walk again. He looked at him with a mournful stare, letting him advance towards his room. He had seen the obvious signs of an incoming fever for days, but he had hoped it would not get worse.

The demon only spoke to Ayako, who had halted at his side with a confused look in her eyes. He looked at her, handing her the plates with an apologetic expression.

“Ayako, could you please carry this to the kitchen for me? I need to check on him.”

She held the plates, but still asked.

“Can’t I also-”

“Better not.” Uriel refused to explain much. He was blunt. He knew. “I’ve seen this before. Angels tend to change their feathers from time to time. But he lost them. I don’t think he will be in the mood for much company.”

Ayako’s eyes opened more, with both wonder and concern.

“Could his wings-?”

“They won’t.” His answer was quick, to prevent any high hopes and the resultant sorrow of them being crushed. “His body is just confused. What is afflicting him is not pleasant, but bearable. I beg you to give him space; this is probably reminding him of everything. He’ll be fine in some days.”

He left her behind, alone with a sad beating heart.

He neared the room of his angel calmly. He leaned on the door, to listen. He soon knocked, with a faint sad smile. The angel answered with a raspy tone, with anger.

“Go away.”

Uriel shook his head, knowing better.

“I’m going to come in.”

He did so. He was not surprised to find Alexis at his bed, sitting against the wall, curled cross-legged in a corner. He had taken off his shirt; his hands were open, pressured against his exposed scars. Uriel did not falter under the fierce glare those ambers eyes sent him. Slowly, he ventured closer to the bed, speaking with a calm tone.

“I hoped it would only be a onetime occurrence.”

Alexis snarled, clenching his teeth while looking at the sheets.

“I wish.” He panted, wincing when another wave of tiredness flowed through him. “We usually molt feathers once or twice a year… I have none left, but my body keeps trying anyway, as soon as the heat hits, like a clock. This is going to happen, again and again. Fuck does this damn thing hurt.”

They shed all their feathers, not mattering if they were in good shape or not. Their bodies used a lot of energy to grow new ones, which pushed out the old ones. An angel never was featherless, which left them to leave behind a lot in the warm seasons. It was an uncomfortable change, but not a painful one.

This hurt, not only for his trauma, but because he had nowhere where to send all the energy his body was building up. He kept on fidgeting on the bed, not quite knowing how to shift to make the ache more bearable. No matter how much he brushed his scars, the few small broken quills that peeked in them would not stop burning. Uriel looked at him, with a mournful guilty expression. With a sigh, he stood, heading for the small bathroom nearby.

“Give me a sec.”

When he came out, he did so with a wet cloth. Alexis pierced him with his eyes when he neared him.

“Do not.”

Uriel sat again at the edge of the bed, holding the cloth with obvious intentions of using it. Alexis tried to swat it away, but with a hand clasped on his scars, he could not resist for long. Uriel grabbed his wrist and moved him a little with ease, allowing himself access to his shoulders. He used his strength against him, for Alexis’ own good.

When he laid the fresh cloth against those red scars, a hiss did not fail to come out from his angel. His skin was blazing, and he did not seem to notice how cool the cloth felt to others.

“Stop it, Uriel.” He snarled again, panting while trying to push Uriel’s hands off. “It burns.”

Uriel obliged for a minute and lifted the cloth off. He stared disapprovingly at the scars, noting well how they pulsed, how they seemed to open with the sharp twisted feathers that pushed out the skin. It was a mess, of scratches, small patches of blood and deformed fluff. Only some feathers had managed to break out, and they did not look like feathers at all. Without the bone of the wings, they just pushed out without form, piercing and cutting, scattered.

“It burns because you are flaring. The cloth is cool, cleaning the cuts should help.” He laid it again against his scars, ignoring the growl that followed. “You know, she really would do this better than me. I am afraid to hurt you with my nails. I shouldn’t be touching your scars, not while they are opening up like this.”

Alexis huffed, glaring down and refusing to meet his eyes. He had finally surrendered, stopped trying to push him off.

“You have already seen me like this… I- I don’t want her to.”

Uriel wanted nothing more than to drop the cloth and just pull him closer. There were some angry tears in those eyes, and it was obvious by his trembling that he was remembering the time he was cut. His skin felt like it was being split open and scorched again. It was his own body what was hurting him now, yet he kept remembering the claws, daggers and bolts.

Some minutes passed. Alexis lifted his gaze after a while. Hazily, he looked up to his demon, frowning deeply.

“Uriel…” The demon thought Alexis would comment on how he always pushed his boundaries when it came to his wounds. But it was not that. “…have you always had four horns?”

Honestly, his angel looked drunk, if one word had to be used for comparison. His vision was completely dazed. He was staring up at him with narrowed eyes, struggling to not fall sideways while sitting. His amber eyes were lidded, all ever clouded.

Uriel slowly reached for Alexis’ hands. He gently moved them down from his scars, preventing him of clawing mindlessly and harshly.

“I think you need to sleep.”

This time, Alexis was not able to fight it. He eased him backwards, making sure he wouldn’t drop harshly. He then stood, once he saw his angel was too tired to turn and twist while lying down. Alexis kept staring foggily at the ceiling, not seeming to notice him walking to the door.

The demon opened the door slowly, knowing who stood there. His eyes fixed on her, there in the dark of the hallway. She was holding a tray, which had a bowl, a cup, and some bandages. She was silent, only offering what Uriel would need.

He looked down at the infusion and balsam, giving her a grateful sad smile next. While taking it all from her, he leaned to kiss her hair, whispering.

“I’ll take care of it.”

She nodded sadly and let him close the door, leaving her outside to worry for them both. She did not want to push it and hurt them. She trusted them, but she couldn’t help feeling impotent.

She waited, turned and paced. She passed that door many times, while roaming in the manor. It took three days, but they did leave the room. When they did, they refused to speak much of the matter. Alexis was fine, he recovered. No feathers remained, for Uriel had to rip them off. They went back to their daily lives like if nothing had happened. Alexis still shot her apprehensive glances, from time to time, but they soon were gone. She couldn’t forget the hurt that was in those amber eyes though, hidden, every time they crossed paths

She wished she could just voice what she felt, but she just held them close instead, silent.

————————-

Another day, another night.

The two watched the sun go down, sitting there at the highs of their manor. They watched the moon, rising slowly over them.

Today, they had taken things slowly. The fresh breeze brushed them for hours, but they did not want to move away from the view. It was only for her voice that they looked back, when they heard her climb and near their side.

“So, you were here all day.”

She tiptoed on the tiles of the high roof, careful to not trip. Uriel untangled his tail off Alexis’ arm, to lean and offer her a hand. He helped her sit in between them, right at the edge. With a contented breath, she smiled at them both, proudly. Her clothes had a lot of stains, and there was dust on her shoes. It was obvious she had been doing chores while they rested here for once.

They said nothing. It was not the first time they climbed to the top to watch the stars. It was a pretty view, which never tired them.

That did not mean they did not share words. In fact, the roof was one of the places where they could find solace from the guests, where they could voice almost anything. They shared all they had and thought, and today it was not different.

The demon whispered, leaning to look at her with wonder.

“Do you miss it?”

She blinked and looked at him back. Alexis was eyeing her curiously, wanting to now as well what she would answer. She understood the question; she was just surprised that Uriel would ask. She took her time.

“No, Uri.” She smiled again, crossing her legs while leaning up to look at the moon. “Wouldn’t go back for anything.”

It was obvious in her expression that she loved to be here at their side. She wondered why Uriel kept asking after all this time. He should have let go of his inner worries already, because she would never leave.

Alexis smiled knowingly. Ayako did not mind him leaning sideways against her, while commenting casually.

“That girl did not seem to want to go back either.” Ayako’s old colleague had been happy to receive the compass he made this early morning. Eager even. “I wonder if she will be successful, wherever she goes. She didn’t look too prepared.”

“I bet she will manage. Cecilia is very talented, even if still inexperienced.” Alexis yelped, because Ayako leaned sideways as well, making them both weight down onto Uriel’s side. “I just hope she can find a home and people who care.”

Alexis had been wiggling and trying to find balance again, until Uriel decided to wrap his right arm around them. Under that grip, he could only go limp with a huff, because she also tangled an arm around his waist. They stayed there, looking up or down, to the deep forest below or to the black sky above.

The moon loomed as high as possible by the time they broke the silence. Amber eyes moved to glance sideways. He noticed her closed eyes, and her deep breaths. She had fallen asleep against Uriel, yet the demon did not seem to mind.

Slowly, Alexis sat upright, and stared down at her with a fond frown.

“Uriel?”

The demon hummed in answer, still holding her close.

“Yes?”

Alexis kept staring at her, deep in thought. She was in a deep sleep, with a faint smile on her lips. He ended his question with a bewildered whisper.

“How are we going to get her down from the roof?”

Uriel stared too. Both tried to find a way in their brains, anything that they could do to bring her to her room without waking her up. She looked too peaceful to disrupt, it was the last thing they wanted.

“…” Uriel surrendered in trying to think, deeming that every choice would startle her awake. “We will think of something… later.”

Alexis shook his head with a sigh, knowing what that translated into. They kept sitting there at her side, not daring to wake her up.

——————–

He slammed his foot down onto the shovel, sinking it into the deep layer of snow. His breath was coming out in dense puffs of air, no matter how thick his clothes and cape were. Working efficiently, he kept shoveling snow off the patio, sending it over his shoulder onto a corner.

Alexis soon crossed paths with Uriel, who carried a second shovel. With only an acknowledging nod, they kept at it, going to scoop where the other had been. Small but persistent snowflakes fell from the sky, creating multiple layers of white all over.

It was not common for snow to fall in this region, so it was understandable that they were not happy about it.

“Why the hell does it have to be so cold?”

The angel was grumbling yet again, not one to hide his frustration. The demon was calmer, even content of the weather.

“Don’t you find it pretty?”

Alexis shoved the shovel down and answered sarcastically.

“Oh, look at that, I can’t walk a couple of feet without sinking down into this freezing mass of white water; how…. beautiful, to be stuck here, having to clear the paths for travelers. It is really pretty… for the first five minutes.”

“So I guess you saw a lot of snow in your home?”

“Not much, but enough to make it annoying. It gets stuck on the wings, you see. It’s water, but cold, which makes it worse. We don’t like water in general. However, snow would always freeze the huge sea near our citadel, so it was not as bad as normal water. Though it still ruined our crops.”

“You like water now.”

“But not snow.” Alexis kicked the snow, like if it could feel it. “Fuck snow.”

Uriel laughed, looking at him emphatically. Putting down his shovel, he walked towards him, offering while laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s take a break shall we?” Alexis nodded with a relieved grin, shoving his own shovel to the ground. “We’ve cleared the entrance and patio enough. I’m sure travelers will manage to walk with a small patch of snow left, they can’t be that clumsy to-”

As if summoned by his words, two guests came their way. They both blinked at the horse that ran quickly through the gates, halted strongly by its riders. A couple. The two were laughing while riding, holding tight on their mount. The man was the first to jump down, smiling like a fool while offering to catch her on her way down. Alexis and Uriel couldn’t avoid flinching nervously when said couple tripped, because the man failed to catch her well. Off they went into the snow on the ground, and yet they still were smiling and laughing, exchanging a kiss like two idiots in love.

Alexis made a face, not getting why they needed to be so dorky. He cringed more when he looked sideways and saw that his demon was smiling like an idiot too, looking at the two with his claws clasped together.

The angel opened the doors and got in, while Uriel recovered from his absence of mind. The demon approached the two, and quickly helped them to their feet.

“That was quite the entrance.”

The woman stood, holding his claw with an embarrassed smile, not bothered at all to see a demon. In fact, they looked far too infatuated with each other to pay mind to how their host looked. They looked up at him, holding each other closely.

“We could say we were in a hurry. It is quite cold today.” The man looked at his fiancé for approval, and then pointed at the manor. “You wouldn’t be the owner of this building, right? We really could use a place to stay the night; we are a little lost in these roads.”

Uriel raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Alexis, who was watching by the doors. If he wasn’t imagining things, he would say that these two had no clue they had stepped right into an inn.

“Umm, excuse me if I seem to boast… but this building is in fact an inn, sir.” He motioned with a claw, inviting them to get inside. “Would you like to-?”

Before he could finish, the woman clapped enthusiastically, pulling at her lover.

“We couldn’t be luckier!” Uriel watched as she dragged the man along, quickly heading for the doors. “Come dear, let’s rent the biggest room!”

By the time Uriel followed inside, the couple was already at the hall, checking everything out like if they had never seen an inn. Alexis leaned to whisper to him, never having seen humans be so crazy in love like this.

“Should I tell them to keep it down?”

Uriel shook his head, even though he really did find their shows of affection and adoration smitten.

“They do no harm.” The woman was now motioning excitedly towards a painting, which showed a figure clad in a beautiful dress, which she wanted her man to find and buy. Other guests were sending them confused glances now, because the man was now proclaiming out loud a promise, of how he would travel everywhere to find such dress for her. “I think…”

Alexis eyed his demon up and down, as if waiting for him to change of opinion. When his demon said nothing more, he commented, with a tired blow of air.

“Weeell then… I’ll just do the usual and lead them to a living room, while you prepare their chambers.”

“Better a room for two, with a lounge. Yes, it would suit them better. Maybe with a fireplace.”

“Right. Wouldn’t want them to keep slamming the doors that separate them at every minute. They could explode or something if parted for a single second.” With a whistle, he moved away from Uriel, preparing mentally to lead those two. “See you in a few hours.”

Uriel nodded and quickly disappeared into a corridor after taking a key.

Alexis cracked his neck, and then neared the two reluctantly. They were now doing something stupid by the stairs, which he did not want to acknowledge. The man caught her as she slid cheerfully along the railing. Both looked back when the blond coughed, loudly. They blushed and looked sideways while he stared them down blankly.

“Having fun?”

It was not a scolding remark, just a plain question he felt obliged to ask, in order to feel inviting. However, he was still not good with public relations, and his question felt quite robotic. In fact, he just wanted to get this over with and just go tinker around in his forge.

The couple did not seem to mind though. They smiled again, not faced by his uninterested expression. They both answered, still holding hands.

“Quite so.”

“This place is pretty.”

Alexis let out a silent sigh and commented plainly.

“Yes, it is pretty. That’s why you shouldn’t just slide down the stair’s railings; you could get hurt, and really upset my fellow demon over there. He’s quite in love with this inn, maybe as much as you two.”

His sarcastic joke managed to ease the mood; they looked a little more eager now. He motioned with a hand, asking them to follow.

“Let me show you the west wing of the manor. There’s a nice dining hall there, full of paintings with a lot of fancy clothes splattered on them. And what’s more, food should be served soon. Knowing Uriel, quite a romantic himself, you will have the most fancy chambers there are.”

With more than a year of experience, he had learnt to handle his anxiousness. That always left him to do his assigned tasks grumpily, but with efficiency. He walked ahead without looking at them again, being much less talkative than Uriel or Ayako. He did not bother to be formal or walk charmingly. He went ahead with his hands in his pockets; he guided them carelessly towards the dining hall. He liked these two better than other guests, because they only talked between them, for now.

At last, he reached an arc that led to the big room. He pushed the door open without caring, pointing out with a monotone tone what they could expect inside.

“And here we are. Not great, not small, just a dining hall.” He eyed the room, and spotted Ayako in there, carrying plates and refilling glasses of wine. He snapped his fingers and caught her attention. “Aya, can you please serve these two?”

Ayako shot him a disapproving glance, having told him many times to refer to the guests in a more respectful manner. She decided it was best to not argue right now, so she nodded to him while nearing them. She spoke with a smile, dodging some guests that roamed in the room.

“Of course I can. If you could please take a seat, I will write your orders in a minute.”

Alexis leaned with his arms crossed against the door frame, inviting them on to give her any chores they wanted to.

“Aya here will fill your drinks, serve your food, and even make sure the chairs have the perfect cushions. She can even put on a show if you wanted, she’s quite skillful holding the forks and knifes. Don’t be afraid to ask her.”

She smiled mischievously, swaying while she laid some napkins on the table.

“Yes, I can do anything. But Alexis here on the other hand… is more laid-back. He will gladly be your shadow, and guide you everywhere, into every single corner of this beautiful inn.”

“Yes, I-” He blinked, realizing she was setting him up for even more time out of his dear forge. “Wait a moment…”

She ignored his glare and looked at the two guests fondly.

“Just give a call if you need anything. One of us three will make sure to attend you.” She sighed and stood away, having placed a bottle of wine on the table they sat at. “Rest, food, and nice ambience. What more can you ask?”

They both were thankful for the attentive service, and were sure to show it with a smile. But they couldn’t avoid saying something else, looking longingly at each other, heads resting on their hands.

“Ask? Right now, the only thing we could ask for, is a temple.”

“Somewhere in which to get together, forever.”

Ayako clasped her hands sharply and looked at the two like Uriel had done not long ago. They were adorable to her.

“Awww…! You want to marry?”

They nodded happily, still looking at each other like if they could melt.

“For a long while now. We left our home, wanting to begin a life together.”

“We have everything. Money, each other and a horse. But we can’t seem to find a shrine anywhere. We saw some ruins, but no priests or big towns in the way here.”

They both looked at Ayako, asking with hopeful eyes.

“This inn has everything.” The woman ended for him, brushing her long hair with expectancy. “You wouldn’t have a small chapel in here, would you?”

Ayako shook her head with a sad frown, sad to admit there was not a shrine in their home.

“I’m really sorry, but we don’t. Even if we had, you would still need a priest, a small offering, and the traditional amulets they usually have in temples, if I’m correct.”

They both glowered, looking down at their hands, which were still clasped together.

Alexis had heard all this, and was now inching away very slowly, out the door. The couple was not the sharpest of guests they had seen… but they still had some memory. He winced when he saw the man perk up, with remembrance in his expression.

“Wait a moment.” The angel sighed tiredly, halting dead on his tracks, hearing the words flow out. “Isn’t he some sort of priest?”

The woman was now looking at his necklace curiously, which he made the mistake of not hiding before. With an unamused expression, he slowly turned, pointing at himself plainly.

“Sorry, but I’m not a priest. Not an authorized one at least. I got this thing by chance, didn’t ask for it. You’re better off searching somewhere else.”

He was asked this same question so many times that he had gotten used to it. Priests had been once servants of angels, in ancient times, and had been trusted with feathers, to represent their vows of loyalty. Nowadays, important priests carried the remains of angels, sometimes, to show their vocation, if high enough in the hierarchy. The beliefs of humans today had nothing to do with angels, it all changed with their absence.

He stayed in the room, feeling honestly sorry. He was technically able to do a service like that… but he shouldn’t. No matter if any angel could serve as a priest for humans, admitting he could do it was not something he wanted to do for strangers. He remembered very little of what he heard from the elders when he was younger, and he did not want to butcher a ceremony like that. He did not even know what humans believed these days.

Ayako luckily offered, leaning to whisper kindly.

“Hey… It’s not the end of the world.” She winked, managing to raise their spirits. “You know, south from here there’s a small village I know. It does not have the best temple ever, just a small old chapel… but it is cozy and welcoming. I’m sure you can find what you need there. You have a lot of time, don’t you think?”

They exchanged looks, and then they grinned, going back again to their cheerful crazy love-struck selves.

“With her, I can wait ages.”

“With him, I will go anywhere.”

Ayako stepped back, seeing that they were not looking at anything but each other. She went to Alexis’ side, and commented with a long sigh.

“Aren’t they adorable? So young and inexperienced.”

“More like sappy and clueless.”

She jabbed his side, teasing.

“Ah, come on. Are you allergic to sweetness?”

“In this quantity, very. I have enough with you chasing Uriel around, and him waking you up with breakfast in bed, very early in the morning. Being honest, you two can be worse than this couple.”

“You angels and your cold hearts~” With that playful singing tone, she continued, walking away to clean a nearby table. “Ah, such a lovely wedding they might have. I can imagine it: flowers, music and hanging silk. The runes shining on the walls, thanks to the light coming from the glassy windows. Oh, and the old smell of a book, written with black ink. The bride, wearing a long reddish dress… The groom, clad in white soft robes. So many details to plan! All the decorations I would put up, made from my hunts!”

Alexis gave her a look, curious.

“Never thought of you liking things like that.”

She twirled, batting her eyelashes comically, holding close a jug like if it was a bundle of roses.

“Never mind that I like jumping into mud puddles, or that I don’t care getting into fights; a girl can still love to see flowers and love around.”

She was joking, but he didn’t laugh or mock this time. With a thoughtful expression, he stayed silent, and then went to help around in the dining hall. Both of them did not talk for some hours, busy carrying plates and jugs back to the kitchen, cleaning and making sure all chairs were set right. While working, he couldn’t avoid thinking, pondering… his own aptitudes and choices.

He was not a priest, not around other angels, not in the eyes of elders. But he was a priest in the presence of any human, beings that angels considered inferior.

Realizing this, the following hour felt very long. Holding a broom in the corridors, he barely was paying attention to the guests and armors that moved around him. It was only when he neared the kitchen again that he got out of it. Entering the room, he spotted Ayako and Uriel there, by the sink. The demon and human were chatting mindlessly, drying plates.

“They were adorable. Not every day can you see this kind of affection.”

“I’m somewhat envious.” Uriel laughed, joking with her. “All day dreaming, without knowing where they are headed, just that they are together.”

“Lucky, aren’t they? No worries in their minds.” She changed the subject, knowing they had work to do. “Did you give them a nice room?”

“But of course.” Uriel dried his claws and proceeded to leave the kitchen to head for the basement. “The coziest one we have. I bet they will want to stay more than a day.”

With that the angel and human were left alone in the room. Nothing else was left to do here, the dining hall was clean and empty now. That was why Ayako turned and began to walk out with one last comment for the angel.

“Well, I’m going to check if we need to clear the patio of snow again. You can rest for a while if you want, Alex.”

The angel said nothing for a moment. But then, when she walked out the door, he reached with a doubtful hand.

“Hey, Aya, wait a sec.”

She halted. Turning to look back at him, she leaned her head, waiting for what he wanted to say. She grew confused, because he was opening his mouth and saying nothing, frowning.

“What?”

His amber eyes were not sad. It wasn’t worry either. If she had to describe the emotion in his eyes, she would have said it was doubtful wonder. He was taking his time, and in his doubt, he began to brush his necklace.

“I was thinking… that in fact, I could really carry a ceremony like that.”

She smiled, clapping her hands.

“Oh, so you’ll help those two?”

She was more confused when he winced and shook his head. While brushing his hair nervously, he tried to explain himself, not easily.

“N-no. I would make a fool out of myself. I don’t want to ruin their day. I barely know any of the rituals that partake in such a long ceremony. I could only say a few vows, ask a few silly questions, shake some incense around, and make it final by drawing some runes in two bands or rings. It would be far too simple, and short. I can only offer the symbolism, the practicality. I- I wish I…” He sighed, looking her in the eye. He confessed, unable to keep it inside. “Look, I am an angel; I can be quite oblivious to all these things sometimes. But as well, I am an angel, and so, it is still painfully obvious to me what goes around. I see it, and I feel it, even though I have a hard time understanding it. Not that I don’t understand it, I clearly know what it feels like, but it is strange and-”

“Alex.” She squished his arm a little, now looking gently at him. “Get to the point, please.”

“I wish I could. I’m trying real hard here.” He huffed, looking up for a second in frustration. After a moment, he looked her right in the eye and blurted the next words very quickly, with one single breath. “What I wanted to say is that I can marry you two.”

She was taken aback. While she blinked in confusion, he continued, refusing to look at her face while he emoted with his hands, flustered.

“You two are as dorky as those two, if not more. You can’t stop looking at each other, you never want to let the other down, you exchange soft kisses, and you are always eager to be together. Hell, you always tease, and he always melts at the thought of romantic things. What I offer would only be a formality. You’ve been together for a long time now, it is impossible to deny that you want to stay together forever.”

A guest walked by along the corridor. Alexis looked away nervously, while she realized they were not in the most private of places. She dragged him into the kitchen again and closed the door to prevent any guests from spying. That seemed to help him somewhat, because when she asked next he was a little more composed.

“Okay, I get it. You care a lot.” She shook her head, not really disapproving. “What I don’t get is why you ask me, instead of the two of us.”

Alexis laughed silently, shrugging.

“Well, I know already what Uriel would think. He’s always crazy for these things, and more for you. His books are full of sappiness. I’ve known him for a very long time now, and being his angel, I can say very surely that I know what he feels.” He pointed at her with a hand, offering again. “I wanted to ask you first, because the choice is yours. We know he would say yes. We just know. I just never thought you would want a ceremony like that, with all these… fancy things. You’re not even a believer. You’ve never struck me as dreamy as Uriel is. But I know you care too. That’s why I am offering to do it. So I ask again: Wouldn’t you like it?”

She had frowned. That confused him. He leaned closer and asked again, worriedly.

“Wouldn’t you?”

She suddenly began to laugh silently. He raised an eyebrow, becoming self-aware again. Blushing under her stare, he shrunk a little with her amused words.

“Oh, Alex… You are just as dorky as your demon.” She wiped a tear from her eye, grinning. “Of course I would love to.”

He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, she continued. She laid a hand on his shoulder, looking at him honestly.

“But I don’t want to.”

“What?”

His reaction was not one of hurt, but one of bewilderment. She added, being very selective with her words.

“Maybe I would want to, but not in the way you’re offering. I don’t follow any common beliefs, remember? If I did it, I would change the whole thing, to suit my desires. I would throw your angelic book out the window, and draw all over the runes with shiny paint. As well… I don’t think I would like being tied to a single person like that. Your deity has restrictions that I don’t find reasonable.”

He didn’t catch the hint she laid in her last words. He complained, bargaining.

“Okay, I don’t like the idea of going against tradition, but I would let you have your way. I just want you two to be happy. There, I said it.”

She patted his shoulder sympathetically, making him stare perplexed. With a smile, she turned, leaving the kitchen with her last affirmation.

“Thank you for offering, Alexis, it means a lot. But I think I will pass on this one. We don’t need a ceremony; we don’t need an outer entity to confirm our feelings. We know already what we feel. Your demon would agree with me, that you would draw the line in pushing your kind’s traditions and customs.”

“But I just said I would! I would tamper with the runes, the book and amulets, if you wanted me to.”

She halted by the door. She spoke, without looking back. Her tone was firm.

“Would you agree to go against your tradition by binding more than two?”

He did not answer. He stood there, not knowing how to retort to what she just said. He did not know how to process it.

With a sweet smile, she shot him a glance, walking away with a caring expression. He kept standing there, holding a hand against his chest.

Not only did he brush his necklace thoughtfully, but he felt the strong pulse of his heartbeat.

—————

She answered him, not without anger.

“I’m sick of it.”

“I know. I need you to be strong.”

“Strong?” She shot Uriel a scolding glare, fed up. “I can’t. You won’t let me be strong for you.”

The demon let out a very long tired sigh, letting down his cup of tea. In the dim light of their private living room, they sat in two separate seats, facing each other bitterly.

He hated to argue with her, but there was not much else he could do.

“I need you to be strong, and push your worries aside. I ask you to be strong, because I know how much it hurts you to be told to keep yourself away from action. I have to ask you, because it is what will bring less sorrow.”

She looked down, clenching her fists. Her eyes could not be more lidded with hurt.

“This makes me sorrowful, Uriel.” She clasped her cowl painfully, pulling at it as she lamented. “It really depresses me, to be told I’m not supposed to help someone I care for. It hurts me to be told to not near, while you can. I’ve listened before, but I just can’t understand.”

Uriel stood up, and then neared her seat gently. Crouching there in front of her, he laid a claw on her lap, looking up at her sadly.

“You do understand why, Ayako.” His eyes narrowed knowingly, wise to her emotions. “I know you care for him, to no end.”

She met his eyes. She kept lamenting, bitter.

“I do. I understand that he still hurts because of his loss. I’m not clueless to his pain; I see it every time. What I don’t understand, is why he must avoid me like death itself.” She grabbed his claw, holding it tightly. “You do not know how much it bothers me, to see his glares, to notice the subconscious hate, to hear the way he speaks to me when this happens to him.”

“I know better than anyone how it hurts you. Trust me, he does not hate you.”

“Well, it feels like it. It really looks like it when he gets like this. His scars open, and his fractured bones throb under his skin. He hates what I was, what my kind did to his. He surely resents me in these moments, and I can’t help but feel hurt.” What she said next made Uriel falter, honestly doubt. “I just can’t understand why he doesn’t resent you as much, when your kind was what clawed his wings off. Why doesn’t he scorn you away like me? What did I do for him to look at me this way? Why does he glance at me with fear and hate?”

Uriel wanted to cry, but he refused to. He spoke, mournfully.

“It is my fault he lost his wings, not yours. It pains me as much that you can’t be by his side now.” He lamented too, wondering as much as she did. “I ask myself repeatedly why he forgives me. Had I been stronger, he wouldn’t be like this.”

Ayako brushed his claw gently, while her other hand brushed his cheek to lift his gaze. She asked again, hoping he would change his mind.

“Please, let me help him, just this once.”

Uriel doubted. He had denied her the chance of checking on Alexis for days, since he had shown the hints of one of those fevers. They had already seen this, and were not surprised to see it develop into one of those painful aches. His scars were red again, and he refused to get out of his room.

He was not sure if he could deny her, just because she did not remember her actions. He did not know if he could push the boundaries of the one he had tortured.

He couldn’t choose. Anything he answered would go against the wishes of one of them. But he knew he couldn’t keep them away from each other either, no matter if one of them faltered. He had tried once, and when they found each other in other circumstances, it was for worse. Their bond was something he cherished, treasured, even if it was volatile and treacherous.

That was why he surrendered, to let her decide, against the coldness of his angel.

“…Try to be careful.”

She smiled, hopefully. With a last quick and strong hug and kiss, she stood and headed straight towards the angel’s room. Uriel stayed there, tail swaying anxiously.

Even though she had headed directly towards the room, she did not manage to knock at first. Diverting her steps, she entered her office and took some cloths, balsams and bandages. She also had a small knife, knowing Uriel had not dared to pull off those hurtful feathers yet.

She halted right in front of his door. She stared at it for a long while, but dared not knock. She found herself leaning a little, laying her head against it. It was deadly silent. A day ago, she could have heard him in there, clawing and turning, cursing. It was the pinnacle of his fever, the worst day. Today however, nothing. She kept listening, hoping to hear if he was awake.

She had no clue that inside, Alexis was listening too, sitting still like a bird of prey, having heard her near. His amber eyes were glaring at the door in the dark, while he tried to steady his breaths. No matter how much he tried to fake being asleep, she decided to knock in the end.

He remained silent. His glare only intensified when she called.

“Alexis… Let me come in.”

He shook his head and closed his eyes angrily, like if she could see him do that. While shifting deeper into his bed, he fought another wave of discomfort running through his veins, shooting up to his skull.

She tried to turn the handle of the door. It was locked.

“Alex, please.”

“Fuck off.”

He didn’t mean to be so harsh, but the sound of the door being pushed and the beating of his head were like a cacophony to him. He couldn’t control his temper, not now.

That only made her more adamant. He always was caring even if snarky, never disrespectful with tones like this one.

“No, you better open now. I’m not standing here while you bad mouth me.”

“Then turn around, go back through where you came from, and go sort your damn herbs. It’s simple; leave me alone if you don’t want me to yell. It is really not going to help me any, I have a sore throat.”

“Your throat would hurt less if you had taken the tea Uriel brought you.”

“It tasted like shit. And it would have done nothing anyway. This is not a sickness.”

“Then let me in. I can’t catch it.”

“Don’t you know how to take no for an answer, you deaf maniac?”

“No.”

Alexis paled, because the door swung open with that last word. He had failed to realize that while they bickered, she had been busy. She twirled a lock pick in her hand, raising an eyebrow at him, triumphal.

He overcame his shock. Quickly, he held the only thing he had laying near his lap. Ayako yelped, because he threw the key of his room at her, angrily.

“Would you just fucking leave me alone?!”

She yelled back, having dodged the wooden key.

“No! You shouldn’t be left alone, dammit! You are hurting. I can help you!”

“And what do you know?! How can you help?!” Stumbling, he stood up from bed, walking towards her aggressively. “You have no fucking clue what this feels like! How would you feel if someone cut off your arms, tell me!”

“I don’t know how much it hurts! But I want to make it hurt less!” She grabbed his arms, and tried to drag him back to bed. “Sit there and take off your shirt! I don’t even know why you put it back on with how bad your wounds get.”

He hit her hands down, growing angrier with every second she stood near, bossing him around.

“No, you walk out my room. Now.” She didn’t. He gave her a push, a weak furious one. “Listen for once, dammit!”

He stopped, huffing. Ayako looked at him with hurt, even though his push did not manage to do more than make her stumble a little backwards.

Alexis did not notice the glint of red eyes outside, watching him closely. He honestly felt bad about pushing her. He groaned in pain and then held his head, wincing while bending a little. He asked rhetorically, with a softer raspy tone.

“Why do you always have to disregard my privacy?”

She whispered, serious.

“It shouldn’t be considered privacy, not if you’re broken.” She retorted with a question of her own, eyes narrowed. “Why do you hate me? Do you see me as a monster? Something that could creep in the night and tear you apart? You make me feel like that, by how you react near me.”

“I. Don’t. Hate you.” He pierced her with a glare, still angry. The pounding in his head was getting worse. “I can’t hate you. I tried, Aya. But I just can’t do it. You don’t know how much I tried…”

“I don’t understand. Help me understand, Alexis, because you are contradicting yourself, and it tears me apart. For what reason do you look at me this way? Why do you avoid me? What did I ever do to you? Why-?”

Her desperate questions only made him despair. Not knowing how to answer or solve this without telling her the truth, he just acted. Angels were not good voicing what they felt.

She flinched at first, shocked by his sudden grip and lunge. He kissed her, angrily. He soon let go, huffing, still glaring, but with obvious hints of constraint. He whispered tiredly, avoiding looking up from the floor.

“Aya, I don’t hate you. I just can’t bear the thought of you seeing me like this. I don’t want to lash out at you like this, I fucking don’t. I have hit you, now more than once. I still remember the day you saw my scars for the first time, right by that damn waterfall. I can’t keep myself from hurting you, so I need to keep you far.”

He expected her to question him. He imagined her being angry enough to bolt out of his room already. He did not expect her to lunge at him more furiously than he did. He almost fell to the ground with the force and grip her arms applied onto his neck. He soon resigned, holding her as angrily as she held him. He did not know if this was a delusion caused by his horrible fever, but right now he did not give a fuck. As an angel, he did not know what this feeling was, yet he welcomed it with open arms.

Out in the corridor, a demon had walked by to check on them, worried by their yells. Said demon blushed, as soon as he spotted them there, crushing each other in an exasperated heartfelt grasp. It was a sight that did not bother him, but eased his dread.

He slowly tiptoed away with multiple sheepish glances, not wanting to interrupt yet their disclosure.