In The Next Life

Meeting

Anthony paced around his living room, a duster in one hand and a spray bottle in the other. Every surface was cleaned spotless, yet he couldn't help but spot imaginary specks of dust. His wings fluttered anxiously as he rearranged a vase of flowers for the fourth time.

"Toni, you've cleaned that corner over twenty times already.." Molly, Anthony's twin sister, said from the couch. She lounged comfortably, her four legs draped over one armrest, watching her brother with a worried expression.

"Molls, you don't understand." Anthony replied, not looking up from his task of straightening the pillows for the seventeenth time. "Husk's coming over, and everything has to be perfect." Molly sighed, shaking her head. "Toni, I don't think he's gonna care much about a small dirty spot. His place isn't even as neat as yours, he leaves his place a little dirty all the time.."

Anthony didn't seem to hear her, his eyes darting around the room to scan for any other flaws. "Do you think the flowers are too much? I got his favorite kind. That's not weird right? Maybe I should change them. And what if he doesn't like the way I puffed out the pillows? Maybe I should just fluff them out more.." His two pair of arms fidgeted with one another as he ranted, eyeing every possible mistake there is in the room.

"Toni, it's fine.." Molly said gently. "Husk wouldn't walk out that door even if the house was a mess. He's been here tons of times.." Molly frowned. Anthony always gets like this when it's got something to do with Husk. It's something that he's been doing ever since he met him a couple years ago. Anthony would always somehow bring him up in any given topic, anything small would remind him of Husk, and he would frantically worry about the house being perfect even though he's been here before.

Plus their constant adventures together they spent once a year, flying down to Hell and slaughtering the hideous creatures below together side by side. But that's something Molly doesn't need to know about.

Things like this aren't something someone should worry about. They shouldn't worry at all! It's heaven! But each time she asked, it was always met with the same wave of all four hands and a nervous Anthony. It wasn't any of her business, and she wouldn't ever want to pry, so she shrugged it off. They're just really close friends, and it's something that Anthony really needed, especially after his time alive. He's just nervous, maybe because he's never had anyone that truly stuck around.

Anthony paused for a moment, but then continued fussing over the arrangement on the coffee table. "I just want everything to be perfect Molls.. I know it doesn't have to be, but I want it to be." Molly watched him with concern, trying again to comfort him. "Husk doesn't mind the mess Toni. You don't have to prove anything to him-"

"It's not about the mess Molls! I just-" Angel let out a frustrated sigh as he held his head in his hand. "I want things to go smoothly.. That's all.."Angel recovered his small tantrum quickly and placed the cleaning supplies down with his bottom set of arms, letting out a small huff as he plopped down onto the couch.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Angel's wings fluttered in excitement and anxiety as he jumped up to answer it. Molly watched with a soft smile as Anthony opened the door to reveal Husk, looking as if he too was just in a clean up crisis as his arms reached backwards to keep a strand of hair with the rest of his hair that was currently slicked back.

"Hey Whiskers!" Angel greeted, his voice cracking halfway as he tried to keep his voice steady

"Hey Anthony." Husk replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. Anthony moved to the side for Husk to enter. He looked around, taking in every detail even though he's been here multiple times and memorized every part of the house. Despite it looking the same, he still decided to comment on the tidy place that somehow got cleaner than last time. "Place looks great."