My Angel -septiplier

Chapter 9

Just want to warn you all, this does have slight discussion of religion. Nothing offensive, just... if you're touchy, read with caution. Obviously, this is a fictional work, and its main topic is ANGELS, so I would be kind of surprised if you weren't expecting this.

The next morning, I wake up curled next to Mark again, though this time, my back is to his bare chest, a quiet calmness enveloping us. I am still wearing his sweatshirt, which is far too big as me, and I nestle deeper into the fabric. My movement must alert him, though, for he shifts as well, hugging me closer to him in his unconscious state.

I roll over in his arms, laying gentle kisses along his neck and jaw. His eyes gradually open, thick eyelashes fluttering apart to reveal molten chocolate irises. A small smile touches the corners of his lips as his tired brain focuses on me.

"Good morning," he rumbles, his voice rough and low from sleep. I press a final kiss to the edge of his mouth, exactly where it curls, and gaze sweetly up at him. "Good morning," I respond. "Did you sleep well?" His smile grows ever so slightly as his eyes remain on me. "I did, but so far I am enjoying being awake much more."

I chuckle along with him, and his eyelids begin to slide shut as he snuggles further into his pillow. "Mm-mmm, come on, get out of bed," I scold, pulling on his arm. Abruptly, he pulls back powerfully, forcing my body closer to his own. I squirm, but he wraps his arms around my chest, trapping me there.

"Stay for a while?" he asks, his voice a low, sultry purr in my ear. I tilt my head back, planting a short kiss just under his cheekbone.

"Where did this burst of tenacity come from?" I ask, wonder tinting my words. "It's not like you." A sudden burst of laughter bubbles up in his throat. "I do not know," he admits. "You must be a bad influence."

I work my way out of his grasp and sit up, pulling him with me. "Do you want to go out for breakfast?" I ask, tossing my feet over the edge of the bed. I stand, smoothing down the covers as Mark does the same on the other side. "If you want to," he agrees.

~

We end up in a quaint little diner in the center of town. Other couples sit around us, enjoying their own meals. As time progresses, I notice him becoming more and more anxious, constantly shifting and sending nervous glances around the spacious area.

I reach across the table, gently placing my hand on his own. He jumps, then shoots a sheepish glance at me as he takes note of his own actions. "Relax," I prompt him. He exhales, releasing a deep breath that neither of us had realized he had been holding.

Hoping to distract him, I throw random questions at him. His birthday, favorite color, dream job, simple, basic things that might get him to focus on me and ease up a bit. (June twenty-eighth, red, engineering.)

Somehow, I end up shifting the topic of conversation back to Mark's former home. "Are you religious?" I ask out of the blue. He frowns, a small crease appearing between his eyebrows. "I believe I was once... Episcopalian, I think?" His expression deepens as he tries to think back to when he still held a practicing faith. "Do those in the afterlife not keep a religion?" I probe, intrigued. The suggestion contradicts everything know about heaven, at least to prominent .

Mark plays with his glass, spinning it around on the table. "Mortals are free to hold any and all religion while walking the face of the earth," he responds. "The afterlife is not bound by a single faith; it is a reality which exists purely after death. Many theologies have their own version, but I believe you are the first mortal to know the full truth." I nod absentmindedly, my mind occupied by the possibilities.

"Is there a deity?" I continue. Mark grimaces, staring out the large plane of glass we are sitting next to. "I suppose in the technical sense, yes..." He trails off, and him silently, waiting for him to continue. "There is an ever-present, omniscient being who holds no , yet every power. It often exists more as a feeling. Due to the lack of understanding about this being, the council of archangels control most of the power."