Vows

For the first time in months, morning birds chirped, and young spring flowers swayed in the wind. The street was in its usual filthy state. A balcony on the second floor of an unnamed apartment building was decorated by a row of potted petunias and furnished with a rocking chair, adding a splash of life to the otherwise dull area.

The single-bedroom apartment was empty that morning since the couple living there had gone out to enjoy the sun. They held hands as they ran down the hill leading to the wide river below.

A few weeks had passed idly with no sign of friction between them and their enemies. To celebrate the first signs of spring, Yoli proposed the idea of spending the day in the neighborhood. A date.

She dressed for the occasion in a flowy skirt and tied her hair up with a laced bow. Going as far as to help Masao fix himself up and style his hair, she put a lot of effort into planning a great day for them.

It wasn't just the subdued wind and golden sunlight beaming down on them after an endless period of rain that elicited such perfectionism from his girlfriend. It was their four-month anniversary. Time passed quickly, but Masao felt like he'd known her his whole life.

When they got to the riverbank, they looked out on the water, hands clasped. He adjusted the collar on his plain black shirt, which he'd insisted should be left unbuttoned.

"I didn't realize the river could look this beautiful," he said, breathless.

It shimmered with the colors of coral, clouds above reflected as they drifted by. The dark clouds looming over the city made for a gloomy picture, but from outside it, they gained a greater appreciation for the natural divider—the border between COT's domain and the world, which longed for normalcy.

"This place scares me sometimes, but I'm starting to love it," Yoli said. "A life with you...in this strange world."

They turned to each other at the same time, blushing when their eyes met. He brushed his hair behind his ear, looking away quickly. She was always pretty, but when she put on something special for him, his heart leaped out of his chest. Without asking, she knew exactly what he wanted to see her in—something feminine, light, and breezy like February snow.

"I wonder how Kaho is doing," she quickly made up a new topic.

"Yeah, I hope she's okay. Pregnancy is rough on the body."

There wasn't much to say about Kaho that they hadn't already discussed at length. Yoli called her often, both to check in and to give her an escape from the household of men that drained her sanity daily.

"Hey..."

There was something he'd wanted to ask. Just the thought of it made him sick to his stomach. He felt faint as soon as he spoke, but some extraterrestrial force pushed him forward with his plan.

"What is it?"

Was it too soon? Of course it was. When would be the right time? How long did they have to wait? He was on a time crunch, one that had no scheduled end, but a definitive one. What if they were separated again, and he lost his chance? He couldn't live with himself if that happened.

"Hellooooo? Are you there?"

Sorry. Sorry for keeping you by my side. I don't know why I did it. I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out myself, why I'm so lonely.

In his dreams, the ones that came to him in a sick, foggy haze at times when he couldn't tell left from right, she sat framed by ethereal silver wings. Smooth legs wrapped around him. Cherry lips nibbled his ear, and hummed songs so old that only the two of them could remember the lyrics. Her teeth bit his dark skin and ripped his scars. Since his heart belonged to her, she carefully peeled him open like a fruit, extracting the hunk of shoddy metal melded to resemble a human organ.

It beat relentlessly despite being pulled from inside him. It is artificial, so it doesn't abide by the laws of nature. It would go on forever, helplessly pulsing to the rhythm of her love.

"Sao?"

He snapped out of his fantasies, taking her hands in his.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm great," he smiled. His face was already red, blood pulsing warm, making his head spin. He'd gone back and forth on this decision for too long. He couldn't wait any longer.

Claim what is mine.

"Yoli...I-"

Please, please...

"It's okay for you to say no, I just need to...to ask you...since-"

"Go on, whatever it is, I'll listen," she attempted to soothe him.

"COT could find us at any moment. We aren't safe...we never will be. But I just- I want to make sure that you'll be with me forever, even if they take you from me," he sniffled. "I can't lose you again."

"I kn-"

"Will you marry me?"

Her hands trembled in his, gaze shifting nervously. Not even gang fights or near-death accidents could scare him as much as this. The fear of rejection was heavy. It was irrational, but he worried she might not want to spend her life with someone like him. Dating was different from marriage. They had completely different responsibilities and commitments.

But her tears cut through his doubt and drew water from his own eyes.

"Yes..." she smiled.

Relief and satisfaction allowed his muscles to ease. They wouldn't be able to get officially married. Marriage was something that could only be done by signing paperwork through COT, and since they were both being pursued, there was no way he could pull off something that risky. For now, it was a promise.

Someday, somehow, they would be wed. He didn't have enough money for a ring or a ceremony, but he had no doubt she would be happy without all that. She was humble. She didn't have any desire for worldly possessions. Those qualities made him admire her, a girl who was satisfied as long as she had people to love her.

"Marrying you would make me the happiest woman alive," she cried.

Tenderly, he took her into his arms.

On the day Natsu revealed to them the truth about her father, Yoli caught some groundbreaking information from the newspaper clipping. The meaning behind her name. It was barely anything, a footnote in history.

Your only living innocent.

Her father wasn't the brightest, giving her a name so devoid of life and expecting it to carry weight. He was aware of the disaster he'd caused by denying a young woman the right to experience the world in its full. Perhaps his guilt could be felt through her name. The wish to rectify the damage he'd done by sending her to someone more capable of giving her the life she deserved.

"I'll never be perfect, but I'm going to get better for you," he said.

"What? You don't need to change yourself for me, I love you the way you are," she laughed, wiping her tears.

"No, I do. I can't make you deal with my destructive habits forever. It's not fair..."

This time, he meant it. Imagining a life with her, maybe even a family, meant he'd have to shelve his past self. It would take more than just willpower. Breaking addictions he'd harbored since he was a kid, things introduced to him by irresponsible adults who made him believe they were okay.

He couldn't wait for his future with her, even if it was short. Nothing in his life had gone as he planned. Now, if only he could get rid of Wataru, everything he wanted would be his.

- - -

On the wire again, she entered the hotel more fearfully than on previous visits. This would be her third and final attempt to get information from Ko. Light footsteps echoed through the pitch-black building, the space ahead of her illuminated by a cheap flashlight.

This time, the door to his room was open, orange light spreading into the cold hallway. As if he were expecting her, he stood beside the door to greet her.

"I'm here to speak with you, nothing more," she clicked off her flashlight.

"Business, you say? Whatever happened to greetings? You must be more polite if you're ever to find a boyfriend," he smiled emotionlessly.

"Right. Nice to see you," she shoved her way into his room. This time, she wouldn't allow herself to be taken advantage of. She brought Hajime's gun with her just in case.

She sat down on a plush chair in the corner of the room, and he followed her. The ceiling light was dull, occasionally flickering. Ko stood next to the window, gazing at the raven night thoughtfully.

"You want to know more about me."

She nodded, staying deeply cautious of his behavior. Had she been too obvious about her intent? If he knew why she wanted to speak with him, it might ruin her chances of getting anything out of him.

A chill came over the room, and the lights blinked off abruptly. His face, partially illuminated by rays of moonlight, was otherworldly.

"I don't blame you for digging up things that don't concern you. You're just interested in a paycheck," he said. "I feel sorry for you, clueless woman."

"You're wrong. I'm just curious about your life. I want to know you better," she lied, batting her eyes flirtily.

"Ah, my life...but only the parts about the curse?"

The curse! He knows about it!

"I know all about the curse. She is why I continue to exist in this world. Without her, there would be nothing left for me here."

"Her?"

He smiled, and for the first time since she met him, there was genuine happiness behind it. His eyes flooded with warmth and admiration at the mention of the curse. Clouds covered the moon, and his face was shrouded in darkness. Her breath hitched as he turned to her, eyes glowing white.

"She's made this body immortal, and for that I've given her my eternal devotion. My love for her is deeper than any feeling in this universe," he raved. "I will not let you or your pathetic company do anything to her. Foolish ground-dwelling beings like you think you are worthy of attaining her power, but compared to my goddess, you are lower lifeforms than even the ants under your feet!"

He was a fanatic, shouting about things she couldn't understand. Immortal? The creator? Goddess? What did any of that mean? She could barely follow what he was saying, with his energetic hand movements distracting her.

"You and your hideous man will continue to suffer because you refuse to give up! Unless you destroy the curse, he will never be freed from her grasp—a curse impossible to break with me as its guardian."

"How do you know about Hajime?!" she yelled. She jumped to her feet and backed away from him.

As clouds gradually uncovered the angelite moon, Ko peeled back the curtain so its light could fully hit his face. In the crystalized light, his face took another form, one more human and familiar. His white hair dyed black, facial features softened, but his eyes remained cold.

"Kellen..."

Her coworker stared back at her with a playful smile. "I know everything, Natsu."

She pointed Hajime's gun at him, hands trembling. No way she could make a good shot like this. Even though a gun was pointed at him, he didn't panic. The fake smile stayed plastered on his face, daring her to shoot. It made no sense. None at all.

How could Kellen and Ko be the same person? They looked nothing alike. One lived his life in the sun, while the other hid in the shadows of the night, protecting the curse that hung over the city—the world.

"Why...?" horrified, round eyes gazed into his. Transferring his state of being to her, an overwhelming sense of grief washed over her. The hotel wept in black night, and like it had a will of its own, protected Ko. She felt it. The curse, and its desires.

Destroy. Disassemble.

Rip. Tear. Cut.

Everything must die. Plants wither in scorching sun. Skin decomposes, and water evaporates.

A word spoken into the crevices of time itself, spun tightly around the chord of existence. Tangles so complex they could not be undone. What sort of person would wish such a cruel fate upon the world? She could not imagine someone so evil. That did not remove the fact that it was there, and breathing in the city.

It fed on love. Feelings between others. Ones that weaved and grew. Recognizing their similar nature, it clung to love. It craved, and it devoured. Leeched on every tangible expression of emotion to make up for the lack of its own.

"She is a part of me, so I feel all that she feels. Every person she affects, I see their innermost desires," he bragged. "That includes the crow."

Natsu couldn't come up with a comeback harsh enough to convey the hatred she felt for him. Using her relationship with Hajime against her was going too far.

Crows. Now she understood what it meant—those who lost their ability to love. The globe was aching, but no place hurt more than Central City, or as the curses called it, the City of Crows. The most loveless place of all. How many of them were there? People who might grow black wings and descend into darkness, driven mad by their desire to regain what made them human.

"His thoughts aren't yours to know. These people aren't your playthings, they're real people."

"Oh, I never claimed that they were mine. Doing so would be an insult to the curse."

He closed the curtain, and his face returned to that of Ko. "Leave and never come back. You're making her angry," he warned. Natsu obeyed, leaving his room in a hurry. As she left, she thought she heard him speaking to himself in a hushed tone.

"You'll bloom divinely, El."