Closing Time

21.

The rest of the evening was spent more or less the same way for me- in a partial state of confusion. The two geniuses in front of me had been nice enough, for once, to clear up some of it but it hadn't gone further than 'wait and watch'. Considering I dealt with a gloomy angel and a more annoyed than usual demon— it was more than enough.

I walked home slowly after my shift. Much to my surprise, Onoda was a lot more talkative than usual. I was stayed outside to talk to him for a while about his day. He eventually tipped his hat good night to me. Or rather, good morning. The receptionist had watched me talk to Onoda— she waved at me. I almost thought she waved me over for a chat too, but as her head fell back down to stare at the magazine in her lap. I corrected my course towards the lift.

I'd forgotten to mention the fact that I hibernated through my holiday to those two. How would that be related to all of this? Was my body making up for being dead or something? Because if this kept happening, I'd be out of a job.

I walked into the lift. My back hit the back wall as I sank down to my knees. Complications. I hated complications. One of the oldest beings in existence didn't know what I was, or what was going to happen to me. Even the angels didn't know.

I let my eyes flutter shut for a few seconds. I opened them as the lift dinged open. The door beeped as reading the new passcode and my fingerprints. I relaxed a smidge as I walked into my apartment. It felt good to be home, despite everything that was happening. This was still my-

"Human."

I jumped as I turned the lights on. My body twisted to see a familiar figure standing in my living room. My heart rocketing out of my chest as Mike looked me over indifferently. "Fuck!" I hissed. My hand on my chest as I sagged against the wall.

"I've been wa..." He trailed off as I held up my free hand with the index finger raised in the universal symbol of silence.

Turning away from him, I pressed my forehead to the cool wall as I tried to get my heart back under control. "Goddammit, Mike! You really need to start using the door."

"Another human concept."

"Yeah, well, guess the fuck what!" I snapped as I away from the wall to glare at him. "I'm human! So, please start giving me a call or something! This isn't good for my heart."

"I'm not here for your heart." He replied dryly. "Besides, doors are tedious. I can just come right in and save you the energy."

"I'm sorry if I look like I'm going to waft away with a strong wind, but I'm not going to pass out just because I opened the damn door!" I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. Mike watched me try to calm myself down in silence before I headed towards my bedroom.

Mike stayed in the living room as I shrugged off my backpack and my jacket. I took a few extra minutes to kick off my shoes as well and freshen up. Mike was being creepy as usual as he stayed in the same position I'd just left him in.

"What?" I snapped, an arm across my chest as I glared at him. "What is it today?"

Mike looked down. I followed his sightline to see a black duffel bag by his foot. I stared at it blankly before it clicked. A jolt passed through my body and I took an involuntary step back. "Why did you bring that here?"

"Angels have no use for guns." Mike looked back at me. "We've checked them all and confiscated the ammo so they're nothing more than glorified metal bats. But just in case we need them later, we need a place to store them."

"And my apartment is the only place you could think of?" I raised an eyebrow. "I got shot by one of the guns in those bags. What makes you think I'll agree to keep that at home?"