Night Angel

Eve

Nezumi POV
Monday night.  I wouldn’t be able to hide who I was much longer. Tonight we would start rehearsals. Shion's latest, finished play would be brought to life. After threatening Rikiga, how soon before he outed me? I huffed leaning against the dressing room door, I waited for the fallout.
Shion had gone up to talk to Rikiga about last minute changes to the script. I could see their shadows through the curtain. Rikiga was keeping the desk between them. Good boy. I thought.
“Who are you?” a demanding voice cried. I turned only my eyes to look at them. It was a person, I couldn’t tell if it was male or female. They had messy dark hair piled on their head, glasses glittering in the over head lights, lose fitting dress shirt and slacks. I noted the clipboard. Whatever they were they must be the stage manager. I turned away.
With a sigh I pushed off of the wall. “I’m new, names Nezumi.” I said turning slowly to face them. They fixed their glasses then scanned the paper on the clipboard. That was when I saw it. Rikiga didn’t put me down as my given name. He used my stage name. Ass. I growled to myself. Reaching out I tapped the paper.
“Looks like boss man used my stage name. I'm Eve.” I stated. There was a loud thud behind me as if something heavy fell. I turned. There was Shion. A box was at his feet, well on his feet. I arched an eyebrow. He still held his hands as if the box was in it. When I glanced at the open box I saw all of his writing supplies. I frowned.
“Are you quitting?” I asked. Turning to glare at Rikiga.
“No, Rikiga is moving me to a new office. One where the heat works, sort of.” Shion found his voice.
“Not like up there were it doesn’t work at all.” Rikiga pointed out. I moved to pick up the box.
“This looks to be to heavy for you, allow me…” I said hefting it into my arms. I gestured for him to lead the way. Instead he just stared at me.
“You're really Eve?” he asked. Those ruby eyes still wide from shock. I sighed.
“It's my stage name.” I said.
“And your penname?” he questioned. I so wanted to pinch the bridge of my nose to stave off the headache.
“Yes, Shion. I write under the name as well. Yes, I wrote that review. Yes I came here to work with you. Any more dumb questions?” I demanded. He shook his head slowly. “Then please lead the way to this magnificent new office.” I grouched. He began to move.
I followed. “Nezumi?” Rikiga called. I paused flipping my head around to glare over my shoulder at him.
“Your apartment will be ready this evening.” There was a tiny smirk on his face. He dangled a set of keys before me.
“Is it better than Shion's place?” I asked. His face turned to the color of beets.
“Of course. Only the best for my star!” he shouted.
“Then give it to him. He's the one that deserves all the amenities you can provide.” I turned away. “After all, he is the only reason I came to this dump.” I added before catching up to Shion. He had a wonderful look on his face.
“Of course…” I whispered as I drew near to him. “If it really is better than your place, we can still share it.” I winked. I watched the color spring into his cheeks. A smile touched my lips. Was he thinking about the kiss? I hoped so.
He took me to a small room off of the stage. Inside it was warm. I saw where the piping filtered in. There was a desk and chair, both seemed fairly new. Shion smiled.
“Its like my office.” He was giddy for this little space. Quickly he attempted to take the box from me. I gently butted him out of my way. Placing it on his desk. I turned.
“Why do you like small spaces?” I asked.
“It makes me feel safer. No one can see me.” He whispered. “Mom let me stay in the wine cellar of the bakery. It wasn’t much bigger than this.” He smiled whimsically. I stepped up behind him. One hand reaching out to touch the colorless hair. I stopped myself.
Shoving my hands back into my pockets I hissed. “You deserve the world.” Before marching out the door to allow him to get set up. I ran into the stage manager.
“I want proof!” they demanded poking their pen into my face. “Proof beyond any doubt that you…” their scathing eyes roamed over my body. “… are really the great Eve!” they screeched. “I've seen her sing!” they cried. I smirked. Pushing past I walked to the stage.
One lone mic sat center stage. A light illuminated it. I moved to it. Not really needing the amplification. I was trained to project my voice. I sipped from a cup of water one of the stage hens rushed up to me with. It was room temperature just right.
I cleared my throat, took one last sip, then stepped away from the microphone. In a loud clear voice I sang. It was a song my mother taught me. She had written it herself. It spoke of the beauty of the fields, the sky the colors of spring. To her this was the first stage of love. How everything was new and bright. Then summer came.
Things grew heated. Hot winds blew in, igniting the flames as the colors soared to greater passions. Just when the new lovers thought they had everything they ever wanted, the fall came. Things calmed down. Colors dimmed, dulling the passion. Cold seeped into the harmony of the lovers. Reality reared up in the nest of lust and love. Finally winter came.
A cold dead season. Killing everything around it. A life time of love and memories dying with one of the lovers. The ice freezing the others heart not allowing another spring to come. It ended with a said wailing cry of the lost lover trying to deal with the grief of their love. One hand was reaching out, begging their lover to return to them.
The other rested on my chest. This one held the living lover to earth. Not ready to die to be reunited they stood locked in a shadow of who they once were. As the final notes left my mouth, the room filled with the quiet of twenty bodies, not breathing.
As my hands fell to my side. The applause started. It was shy, soft, but every bit enthusiastic. My eyes found Shion's as he stood half hidden by the curtain. Others began to applaud as well. I gave them a sassy smirk.
“My God, you really are her!”  the stage manager rushed up to me gushing. I stepped back.
“As I said I was.” I looked down at them. For the rest of the night the stage manager couldn’t do enough to keep me happy. All Iwanted was for them to disappear so I could talk to Shion.
It wasn’t until after we read through the play, discussing every twist, turn and detail of it, that we were allowed to leave. I walked over to Shion. The keys to the new place in my hand.
“Do you want to check it out with me?” I asked him. He eyed the dangling keys with a bit of distaste.
“Rikiga's places are not usually….” He paused as those ruby red orbs moved from the keys to my face. “… nice.” He added wincing.
“I will buy you dinner for your trouble of checking it out with me.” I offered. He flashed his brilliant smile.
“Well if that’s all it takes to get dinner out of you, I'm in.” I chuckled. Waited for him to finish up, then we headed out into the night together. Light and darkness. I wonder what others saw as we walked down the street together.
Shion walked on the inside of me. Between the row of business and me. I smirked. He appeared to not like the loud traffic. He didn’t say much, refused to look in the windows. He walked with his hands balled into fists, head down. Just before we reached the last shop I paused to look into the darkened window. A light behind me reflect my appearance.
I was somewhat tall, lean. My body slouched so as to appear less intimidating. My long legs were covered in tan pants, ended in a ragged line where I cut them to fit above my boots. The off green jacket I wore hid my athletic body. My hands buried deep inside the pockets were ways balled into fists. A grey microfiber scarf surrounded my neck. Until recently it was my favorite color.
To play Eve, I had long dark hair. In the florescent lights it gave off a blueish tinge to the black. My eyes were grey, my face small with famine features. It was how I was able to play a female so well.
Right now my hair was in a bun on top of my head. Anyone could look at me and see I was a male. I scowled at that. How I lived such different lives. Shion's small hand reached out to tug on my sleeve.
“I think we go this way.” He pointed away from the shop window. His head turned away from our images. I pulled my hand from my pocket taking his wrist. I dragged him to me. Placing him in front of me, I reached around him. To turn his head to the window.
“Tell me what you see, Shion?” I asked softly. I watched  his reflection.
“A monster, and you.” He said without opening his eyes.
“Shion?” I encouraged. “Look, please, for me.” Slowly, near snail like, he inched his head upwards. Opening his eyes, he gazed at the window.
“Red demon eyes, freaky white hair, scared and hideous.”  There was no emotion in his description of himself. It was as if someone drilled that into his head. Was it his mother? Did she not like having such a thing for a son?
“And me?” I asked. He blinked. His reflected peyes lifted to look at me. I was just a bit taller than him.
“You are …” he paused. “…perfect.” He breathed out. His eyes raking over my face. “Soft skin, pink lips, a nose to cute for those cold eyes. Your chin isn't hard like others, rounder.” He gave a quick of a smile. “I like your hair. How it changes colors in the light.” He was smiling gently by the time he finished. I slapped him, only hard enough to sting a bit, across the face.
“I like your ruby eyes. Like little gems in the snow. Your hair reminds me of angel wings. Always blowing in whatever breeze it can find.” My thumb touched his scar. “This intrigues me. It adds character to your smooth, slim face. A puzzle.” I smiled softly as my hand came down. My fingers tucked under his chin. I traced my thumb across his lips.
“Would you ever like me to kiss you again?” I asked. My mouth hovering above his. I felt his swallow.
“Y, y, yes.” He stammered, wetness gathering in the corner of his eyes.
“Then stop calling yourself a monster!” I growled. An instant before I mashed our lips together. Since I was behind him, he didn’t try to touch me. I kept the contact brief. Pulling back I glared into those eyes..
“I wish I could show you how you looked through my eyes, Shion.” Uncharacteristically I said what I felt. I spun to march off down the street heading for the darkness. Something snagged my elbow. The weight pulled me back. I turned.
He stood there. Grasping my elbow with one hand, he was leaning backward to stop me. I watched, his head was down again. “I wish you could see yourself the way I do. Then you would be happier.” He whispered as the wind blew his hair gently out of his eyes.
They were open. Even with them cast downward I could see the haunted look in them. “Shion.” I whispered his name. A moment later he had launched himself at me. His arms tightened around my waist. The soft white face was buried in my chest.
“You deserve to be happy Nezumi.” He wailed. Just as suddenly he was gone. When I looked up he was nearly a block away. I touched the damp spot where his tears had struck. “So do you, Shion.” I whispered spreading the tear between my thumb and finger. I turned to catch up to him.