Night Angel

Nezumi

The smell of frying eggs and sizzling bacon woke me the next morning. I knew I had neither in the house. Nezumi, I had forgotten about him. Quickly I jumped out of bed. Finding my thin slippers I put them on over the socks. Hurrying I rushed out to the kitchen. Nezumi had his back to me as he flipped pancakes. He was wearing the same clothing as yesterday. Only now he had his jacket off. A tight black tee shirt hugged his frame.
“Do you take anything but creamer in your coffee?” he asked. He spun around a loaded plate in his hand. He placed it before me with a glass of orange juice another luxury I didn’t have.
“Uh, no.” I said. Grey eyes lifted to meet mine.
“Is that because you like it that way, or because you can’t afford sugar?” he demanded.
“No, I like it that way.” I said giving him a smile. He eyed me then finished my coffee setting a cup before me. He placed another plate on the counter then his juice and black coffee. Pulling out a seat beside me he began to eat.
I hadn’t touched the food yet. Looking over it. “I didn’t poison it.” He stated.
“Oh, yeah that’s not it…” I picked up a strip of bacon. The delicious flavor sliding down my throat. I nearly moaned at the taste.
“Rikiga pays you well I see.” Nezumi commented blankly.
“He does, really.” I flashed a smile at him. “Its just I owe him money so he takes it out before he pays me.” I said.
“Which leaves you with nothing to live on?”  He wasn’t even looking at me. One elbow was on the counter. His long thin hand dangling over the edge. The other was curved around his cup. He had nice features. A thin nose pointed chin. Handsome, mom would call him. A face for the theater. I giggled at that, tearing my eyes away from his profile.
“How can you be so happy?” he demanded. “I know dogs that live better than this.” He waved a hand indicating the entire apartment.
“Oh, well if you don’t want to stay, I understand. I can call Rikiga. I’m sure some of the other actors wouldn’t mind housing you.” I was disappointed. I liked the idea of having someone in the house with me.
“I will pay you back for the food. Just tell me how much.” I said, sipping the orange juice to savior it for as long as I could. He didn’t say anything. I went about eating my breakfast.
After awhile he startled me by speaking. I nearly fell off of the stool. Catching myself I turned to look at him. “We need to go shopping for a few things.” He had stated he slide a piece of paper to me. “Write down anything else you need.” I picked up the paper. It was nearly filled with barely legible scribbles.
“Oh, well I don’t get paid again until next month…”
“If I’m going to be staying here I can at least buy food.” Near the bottom of the page I saw what looked like scarf written. Maybe he just wanted a new one. I thought. I turned away.
“Oh!” I exclaimed, as I remembered something.  Hopping off of the stool. I rushed over to the bookshelves. Scanning them quickly I found what I was looking for. It was above my head. Pulling a chair over I climbed up to reach it. Just as my hand touched the green binding there was a loud snap.
I screamed in shock as the chair dumped me out of it. Flinging my hands out I tried to catch myself on the bookshelves. Instead they began to tip as well. Arms wrapped around me. The falling sensation stopped. I looked up. Nezumi was leaning his back against the shelves. His arms wrapped around me. He held me tightly. Cold grey eyes focused on mine.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! Are you alright?” I asked reaching up to push a book back that was only being held in place by his head.
“You nearly kill yourself and ask if I’m alright?” he blinked looking at me like I was some kind of freak. Well I knew that look all to well. I squirmed. His arms released me With his help we got the bookshelf to stand once more. he then pulled the book down I was trying to get.
“The complete works of Edgar Allen Poe? You're a horror fan?”
“Not particularly. But Poe does have a way with the dark sides of life.” I took the book from him. My fingers brushing his slightly. I pushed the tingling sensation down. It was no use falling for this guy. He wouldn’t be around for long. I had a knack for knowing which actors were desperate enough to stay with us. He wasn’t.
Turning away I hugged the book to my aching chest. I didn’t like being alone. “Shion?” my name sounded sweeter on his lips. I buried the smile in the book as red blossomed on my checks.
“Yes Nezumi?” I asked carefully placing the book beside my plate.
“What are you going to do with that book?” he asked. My fingers traced over the cover.
“A friend wishes to read it. I will let her borrow it.” I stated. He didn’t say anything more as we finished our breakfast.
“Go get dressed. I would like to get the shopping done before the weather turns. Don’t need you getting sick.” I went to get ready. Changing into my warmest pants, I slipped a turtle neck and sweater on over my head. Brushing my hair, I didn’t bother with a mirror. I hated the way I looked.
Once I had my coat on, we headed out. The bus was unusually crowded today. Turning to watch out the window, I clutched the book tightly to my chest. My body stiffened when I heard a cruel voice cry out.
“Oh, look the freak has a book!” The trio of teenagers, only a bit older than me came rushing down the aisle. Nezumi was sitting beside me. When the boys reached us, he didn’t move. His eyes remained fixed on the bus seat before us.
His body was relaxed, hands shoved in his jacket pockets as if he didn’t see nor hear the loud group that had just trounced up beside him. I on the other hand was beginning to sweat. They were going to take my book from me!
“Dude, how can you sit next to the freak? No one ever does.” One of them demanded. Nezumi didn’t look at them. “Hey, I’m talking to you, move it!” he yelled.
“Or what?” His voice was so softly spoken that the boys had to lean in closer to even hear what it was he had uttered.
“Or we will move you!” the one closest to him stated.
“Try it.” Nezumi said only now turning those icy grey eyes to look at them all.
“What did you just say?” the leader screeched.
“I said, try it. Try to move me.” He still appeared so calm.
The leader, a tall boy close to twenty reached out to grasp Nezumi's jacket in his fist. I didn’t even see the dark quiet boy move. One moment the tormentor was leaning forward to engage the man at my side, the next he was face down in the aisle.
“Next?” Nezumi arched a brow. The other two looked at each other. They were trying to decide how best to help. Suddenly one lunged over the seat before me, the other went right for Nezumi.
He didn’t hesitate at all. Standing he dodge the one coming for him, while grabbing a hold of the one before me. He smashed the blond head off of the window as he twisted the others arm tossing him across the aisle into the seats there. His elbow smashed into the guy’s he still had a hold of, face. When he let him go, the teen sank out of sight into the seats in front of us.
Nezumi took his seat back. “Which one has your scarf?” he asked. I looked at him shocked, confused, thrilled but a little scared of him now. He turned to look at me.
“Which one?” he growled. I pointed to the leader.
“He's wearing it.” I whispered. Nezumi made a face.
“Then I will get you a new one. That one has scum on it.” He said nothing for the remainder of the trip into town.
“I’ll pay you back, whatever it takes.” I told him trying to keep my voice strong, brave.
“You don’t have to.” He stated using his longer legs to stride a bit ahead of me.
“Yeah but I will.” I told his stiff back.
“I won’t take any money from you." He didn’t even turn to look at me.
“Then I’ll just….put it in your pocket when your showering!” I cried happy that I thought of something. “or something.” I added a bit lamely when he didn’t respond.
“I would just give it back.” He warned.
“No! I wouldn’t take it back!” I said just as stubbornly. Then a sound reached my ears that halted my feet. It was like music, tinkling glass, or piano keys. Soft, light and happy. I knew my mouth had fallen open at hearing it. Quickly I closed it as this mysteriously handsome boy turned only his head to smile at me. He had laughed. A laugh so beautiful angels would weep at it sound.
“And you don’t think I could find sneaky ways to give it back?” he asked raising that eyebrow. My brain was still fogged over from his laugh. It took me a moment to remember what we were talking about. In that time his face twisted to look at me with horror.
His mouth opened, my name was screamed out of his lips as his body turned toward me. The sound of the horn blasted right beside me. I turned my head to see a large truck rushing straight for me. Oh, I thought, I must have stopped walking in the crosswalk. How silly. The thought was funny in the face of my soon to be death.
But I didn’t die that day. Two things happened that saved me. One was a giant dog appeared from nowhere. Its massive mouth grabbed my coat rushing me toward the safety of the sidewalk. The other thing was, it ran me right to Nezumi's outstretched hand. The boy yanked me forward into his arms. Spinning he turned me away from the squeal of the breaks, the wind of the truck stopping. He held me tight, my face pressed into his chest.
My fingers curled into the material of his scarf and shirt on his chest. His hand pressed into my hair. His arms so strong around me brought tears to my eyes. No one, not even Safu had held me like this since my mother passed away. I felt the droplet hit my hand.
“Nezumi…?” I whispered his name, to afraid to lift my head up. “Are you ok?” that laugh rumbled against my cheek. It was colder now but just as beautiful.
“Are you going to ask me that every time you nearly kill yourself?”
“YOU STUPID SCEAMING, DISGUSTING RAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY BROTHER!”  I blinked I had no family.
“Shut up you filthy mutt, he came to save Shion.” Nezumi growled. I looked down, the large black dog was still holding onto my sleeve.