Collection of Hearts

Twelveth Drabble - Rae

Rae walked along the sidewalk, taking little note of the cracked and worn cement as their eyes shifted from one neon light to the next as the shops still open tried to attract what customers they could this late at night. Thrift stores competed with bars for who could have the most signs in their window, seeming almost like they thought humans to behave like moths and flock to whichever light was the brightest.

Ignoring them, the Fallen one walked with a definitive goal in mind, ignoring the chime as someone left the Quick Mart after Rae had passed by. They almost missed the footsteps of the person turning down the alley nearby, only the cut-off sound of a scream drawing their attention back from the memories that had been turning within their mind like a fish swimming in circles.

Stopping in place for a moment, they turned their head and listened, barely making out the sounds of struggle as someone was being dragged further into the shadows of the narrow path Rae had passed not so long ago. Frowning, they shifted slightly as they noticed the shadows begin to slowly shift about. Within moments they had vanished from the empty streets, leaving nothing behind but a few burning feathers that slowly floated down before turning to ashe upon touching the ground. Moments later, they reappeared behind the male without a sound.

"If you want to be able to walk out of this alley when I am done with you, you'll let the lady go now and run far away from here, little man," they growled at the thug, a firm hand landing upon the male's shoulder as Rae towered over him.

With a shout, the man turned quickly, pushing the female down to the ground as he brought up his fists to throw a punch that never landed.

--------

"And another thing, what kind of idiot goes walking alone this time of night just to buy thread?! Are you mental, lady?! You coulda got killed! Or worse!" Rae shouted at the female, hands on their hips as the two stood several feet apart inside the park they had rushed to after the thug had fallen unconscious after a few good punches.

Noticing the female shivering as she wrapped her arms around herself, they took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. Why did so many people have to do so many foolish things? It wasn't as if the angel didn't have better things to do with their time than rescue people from their own stupidity.

"But I needed more of the Mist Grey thread to finish the skirt..." the female mumbled, still not lifting her eyes from the nearby grass as she stood there.

"Is it really worth your life to get that specific thread? How stupid are you?!" Rae shouted again, feeling angry that someone would be willing to risk so much for so little.

"Why do you care? You don't even know me. What right do you have to call me stupid because I made a mistake? Besides, it's not like this is the first time death missed his chance to get me. I doubt it will be the last," the female's voice shook as she spoke, her eyes finally lifting and meeting Rae's own, darkened with remembered pain as tears slowly trailed down her cheeks.

Silent as they stared into her eyes, they barely noticed the shadows shift around them once more, slowly creeping closer before pulling away again. Something was off and they didn't dare let the female out of sight until they knew she was safe. Blinking slowly, they turned to look at the moon that seemed larger than normal in the sky that night. With yet another soft sigh, they tried to think of something to talk about so the female didn't just walk away and vanish before they knew she would be okay.

"Then how about you tell me about this skirt you need to finish," they began slowly, not realizing how that one sentence would start a change that would affect everything they knew and impact far more than just one angel who had Fallen long before this human was even born.