Cherub.

8

Angelo was gone when Gemini awoke.

The weird night had happened nearly weeks ago and the cherub hadn't been seen since. Gemini found it odd, and the thought of the man just abandoning him didn't feel right. Angelo was not the type to ghost someone.

"So tell me, Gem," Isa interrupted the man who seemed to be spaced out and staring at a boring old catalog. "What ever happened to that one guy?" Since Gemini worked a lot and found himself sleeping most of the time, he never had time for friends. Instead, he chose to grow closer to his coworker, Isa—they hadn't talked in a while due to Isa's recent injury. He'd fallen off a roof—don't ask, he'd respond when asked how he'd manage to do such a thing.

Isa was a junior who'd picked up the job after scrambling in search of a place that would give him his required community service hours. "Who?" Gemini retorted, almost making the teen believe he'd truly forgotten sweet Angelo so soon. After seeing the face Isa made, he chucked lowly. "Oh." He flipped the page a bit more aggressive than needed.

"I'll take that as 'another one bites the dust'." With an obnoxious snicker, Isa responded. Gemini looked up, narrowed eyes and aggravated glare—knowing the boy had been in charge of restocking, he knocked over the large cup of pens. Still leaning on the front desk, he returned the laughter.

"So not funny." He simply responded, watching the boy throw a tantrum. "But yeah, he pretty much ghosted me after I let him stay the night." Gemini felt embarrassed–maybe even ashamed.

He'd let his guard down for this mysterious man, only for him to run off. Angelo could be doing god knows what right now.

The memory of Gemini scrambling through his apartment, in search for anything misplaced or missing made him physically shudder. Angelo had left in such a hurry that he thought the man had stolen from him.

"You didn't..." The teen trailed off, interrupted Gemini's thoughts. "You know...do it...with him, right?" He made a weird hand motion, causing the man to chuckle.

"No, Isa." Gemini replied. The Asian boy threw his hands up as if he were surrendering and cackled obnoxiously. Gemini slewed curse words at his younger coworker. "Let's just change the subject," He pondered for a moment, thinking of anything that would catch their attention next.

"Well," Isa paused, also in thought. "I finally asked Marisa out." His pale face turned into a soft shade of pink as he adjusted the glasses on his face. Gemini 'awed', sending him a smile.

"That's so cute." He expressed, his hands resting on his chest as he soon remembered his high school days.

Gemini was bubbly and social while in school—his passion for arts had gotten him into his elite high school. What began as sketching had soon been painting, pottery, 3D, 2D and everything in between. The man's artistic abilities had long faded if anyone asked. The young, social butterfly imagined something much bigger for his future—an actor, a model, maybe photographer—but never an employee at a museum who was on his 3rd 'what could've been', as he referred to failed relationships/crushes.

His father was proud but Gemini wasn't. He felt he could become more than just a man at a museum. He knew he had potential.

"I think I'm gonna take her out for ice cream," Isa interrupted. The man sighed in response. His mind instantly went to Angelo—the sweet man with an enormous sweet tooth. A jar of honey still rests in Gemini's refrigerator, awaiting the cherub's return.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry."

What could he have possibly done wrong? "Whatever." Gemini said lowly, now back to flipping through the magazine. "Just...fuck him–fuck Angelo. Who cares?"