| As the Hours Pass | (mxmxm)

chapter one

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|✷𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙚✷|

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The same task everyday. Wipe down the countertops, make sure they shine so well he could see his reflection in them.

Clean off the tables, refill the salt and pepper shakers. If he was lucky enough the ketchup bottles and switch out the hot sauces. Fold up some more napkins only for the customers to wad them up and leave them in their glasses or all over the table.

Closing time was his favorite, not just because he was able to go home. More so because he could clean on his own time, no rush and he could listen to music while he did it. His apron loosely hung around his waist as he bunched up the towel as he wiped the tables down.

One spray here and another there, wipe it down then dry it before moving to the next table.

A stale chocolate chip cookie hanging from his mouth, both earbuds in his ears as he twirled around each table. He knew that once his boss came back from Virginia he wouldn't have a job any longer, he didn't mind.

He was just there to pick up the slack from the other workers, funny how everyone else could slack off but the one time he comes in late because his dog got loose he gets all the full force blame.

It didn't matter, he needed a new job anyways. His hours weren't matching up with his online college so it was bound to happen whether he quit or not.

He fixed the last tablecloth and removed his apron, heading into the back to fix up anything else and clock out. Having to grab the keys and close up.

He walked back to his locker, hanging his apron and briefly looked at the picture hanging on the back side of the locker door. One that consisted of him and his kid sister, Tawny. He softly smiled, running his finger along it before gathering his coat and bag.

Retrieving his keys and pulling on his coat before heading out the back door after shutting all the lights off. Locking the door, he looked up at the night sky with a light sigh before turning down the way that led to the alley between Lonnie's and Blue Bird Bookstore.

The old man that owned the store was an old coot who refused any help even for free, dead set on doing everything himself. Though when the whole street got flooded all his books got water damage and he had to go out of business. The old shell of the Bookstore and the dull rusty sign had faint ink lines that ran down the sides.

He pulled his hood up and removed his earbuds, tucking them away and started on his walk back to his apartment. A few good blocks away from Lonnie's though he didn't mind the walk, always being able to take in the fresh midnight air.

The route he took for nearly a whole year... why did that night have to be any different?

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"Hey beautiful, where are you headed?"

Avry immediately froze, as if to make sure he heard correctly. Part of him wanted to turn around and see if whoever it was behind him was in fact talking to him, at the same time he was too afraid to look.

"Yes you, I've seen you around before," the drunkard slurred, the sound of his boots clonking against the pavement came up closer behind the smaller male.

Avry took in a breath and continued walking, that's when the male's feet sped up behind him and he almost felt like his heart jumped out through his chest.

He expected to be grabbed or tackled, because what else would the man have wanted? He probably could have ran at that point, but from how gruff his voice was he definitely could have caught up to him before he even started to think about running.

So instead he stood there, waiting for what came next. Yet nothing happen, then he reopened his eyes.

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At the ripe young age, each teenager gets a guardian specifically assigned to them. A sweet and genuine spirit to guide them on the right path in life.

Whether they choose to listen to them or not, everyone still gets their own official guardian. Ranging from male or female, though never having a choice who he or she looked like or their range in age.

Strictly there to protect and serve their human.

So one could imagine the confusion Avry Harper felt when he turned sixteen and no sign of his guardian. His parents reassuring him that perhaps he just wasn't ready, but who in the world was told that besides him? He seemed to be the only one who wasn't being helped cross the road or being walked home from school.

No perfectly made spirit for him.

The young male silently hoped it was a male, with the exact features as Troy Moore from chemistry.

Though years passed and still no sign, even in college there was no sign of that supposed guardian.

Avry soon wondering if he was just forgotten, or maybe not meant to have one after all.

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Avry sucked in a breath and opened his eyes, looking around and saw the male on the pavement. His eyes looked like a flashlight without the bolts of beaming light, just the shining ghostlike yellow white.

His eyes widened and he went to turn and bumped into a form. A light gasp leaving his mouth as he fell down to the ground.

A pair of hands reached out and grabbed him, now being pulled into a chest.

"My apologies..." the sweetest voice broke the silence and the frazzled mind of Avry's.

"Uh - uh... it's okay..." the smaller male spoke, looking up to see the person who saved him from perishing on the icky alley way ground.

Seeing a tall male in all white, he had long shaggy black hair and beautiful crystallized blue eyes. They were so bright and enchanting that they looked almost like the off toned gray in a mirror. Staring into them he could see himself through his eyes they were so crystal clear.

He was shirtless with a thick white choker, matching wristlets and ones on his ankles. His pants were white too with jagged slits at the very ends and he was barefoot.

How in the hell was he barefoot?

"Could you repeat that?" The crystal eyed dream of a male asked, smiling so bright his eyes squinted up.

"U - Uhm... it's okay... sir?"

The taller male's eyes moved down to his mouth before softly looking up to his eyes.

Then he spoke the words Avry thought he'd never hear.

"Tell me, have you met your dove?"