Angel's Ascension: Homecoming (Book Eight)

Chapter 2: Delicate Feelings

The golden gates stood wide open as clouds rolled on by. Buildings and houses floated beyond the gates when Lucy reached the entrance. She soared throughout the city while passing nearby statues and sacred monuments with great speed. Her eyes darted from side to side before stopping at a house. It stood wedged between two large houses with a front yard reaching out to the sidewalks. Angels flew above the area as Lucy strolled up to the cedar door. A deep exhale left her mouth and she knocked firmly on the door. It slowly creaked open when a woman stepped out.

"L-Lucy!? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Hey, Angie." Lucy rubbed her shoulder. "I came to see if Talai was home? If not then could you tell me where he might be?" She gulped. Angie quickly shut the door and shouted from inside. A few thumps followed when the door flung open this time. Talai emerged while he attempted to escape Angie's grasp.

"Ack, mom, let me go! I'm not a kid who needs you hugging me all the time." He broke free and stumbled into Lucy. "Sorry! I wasn't expecting you to be here. What's up?" Talai asked with a small grin.

Lucy's face reddened and she coughed a bit.
"Um, this may seem sudden but-" Her lips trembled. "Will you go out with me!? I want to spend time with you, Tal." She bit her tongue and winced before holding a hand to her mouth. Angie nearly fainted from surprise as Talai grew silent. He soon took a deep breath while his wings twitched and flapped.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Talai chuckled. "Yes, I'll go out with you, Lucy. Where would you like to go?" He asked with a huge grin on his face now.

"You know, why don't you take me somewhere special? I'm sure you had a place in mind for this." Lucy replied. She crossed her arms and spotted Angie leaning on the door. Talai's mother caught her breath and wiped the sweat off her brow. "Don't worry, I'm not pulling a prank, Angie! This is legit."

Angie slowly nodded to her.
"No, no, I believe you. Talai has just told me so much about you and how he fell in love. I only wish you two the best time on your date." She smiled. Talai quickly waved her goodbye and grabbed Lucy's arm. He hurried off to the sidewalk and took flight.

"Ugh, sorry about that. My mom is really bewildered and kinda goes nuts when it comes to this stuff." A sigh emitted from him. "So I know where I want us to go. That old restaurant we always passed on the way a lot as kids. How does that sound?" Talai asked.

"Sure, that could be good! And don't sweat it with your mother." Lucy chuckled. "I'd feel the same if my parents knew about this." She followed after him through the city. Once they traveled by a couple of blocks the two arrived at the restaurant. A giant fountain of an angel stood before them. Crystal clear water poured from its mouth as angels greeted them. An angel in a butler-like suit bowed to the two.

"Welcome to the Magna Cibus. Table for two young angels this fine afternoon?" The angel asked.

Talai pulled a coin out from his shirt.
"Yup, I think this will cover the costs of anything we get." He flipped it toward the waiter. "Dad gave me this in case of a situation like this." Talai whispered to Lucy with a smirk.

The waiter examined the coin before slipping it into his pocket.
"Right this way." He motioned them to enter. "You're lucky I don't take tips." The waiter muttered under his breath and shut the doors. Lucy and Talai approached the dining hall where dozens of tables laid out before them. A red carpet displayed beneath their feet with beautiful stitches of angels and buildings. Music played from angel figures hanging above the ceiling with strings attached. Angel waiters and waitresses zoomed across the room with plates full of food and drinks.

"Woah, this place is fancier than I thought!" Lucy exclaimed. "If only we stopped here sooner." She seated herself at a table near the middle.

Talai pulled a seat up to the table.
"Y-Yeah! I figure this would be the best place for us since you love food. After Spades wiped out the archangels and deities, a lot of modernized stuff came toward the city." He ruffled his hair and rested a leg on the other. I feel way more shaky than usual. I still can't believe this is happening. His hand slowly tapped against the table. A new waiter approached them and bowed.