"You say it's a curse, right? Then I'm giving you one more curse. The price you've to pay shall be this then. From this day on, your life will be full of hardships. You will not have peace anymore... But I believe in you. You'll be just fine with it... Go now. Be the angel you've always wanted to be," I whispered in his ears. I felt so tired at that moment, but the pain coursing through my body kept me awake.

My hand, placed right over his back, felt sticky as if I was holding a very viscous liquid moments ago. While still hugging him, I raised my hand to see what it was covered in. The moonlight reflected the dark crimson colour on my hand for a few moments before the moon hid behind clouds. Those few seconds were enough for me to realize that it was blood.

He withdrew from my embrace as he looked in my eyes.

"I don't deserve it, I know I don't. But what choice do I have? It's too late... And his curse..." His lips were trembling as he spoke. He cried out and caresses my face gently. "This curse... I do solemnly accept."

And I woke up.

It gets so annoying when a dream ends before you reach its conclusion. Imagine you are reading an interesting and amazing story at night. A story that could take you to another world. And then there is an abrupt power cut. You don't have a flashlight or even a candle. You can't read even though the story is right in your hands. That's what you feel then. Annoyed!

All you can do is make guesses, but the thing is, you'll never know how correct your guesses are.

With my eyes closed, I thought about that dream. It was the first time I had seen such a dream about that angel. Could this one be true too? But I couldn't imagine the possibilities of why I would even utter word curse and why would he say he accept that curse with a smile on his face. Perhaps my memories were awakening because of that angel?

Angel...

As I thought about him, I realized that I had fallen asleep with him! I was frightened because it was the first time I had shared the bed with a guy! How could I be that stupid? I wondered with my eyes closed. I was afraid to open my eyes, thinking that he'd be present there right beside me on the bed.

That angel fell asleep in my arms last night as if he was a lover of mine! It would be so much embarrassing if he was awake. But then I wondered what if he was still passed out. My thoughts were in disorder. I wished I would never need to open my eyes. But it was so intimidating.

I moved my hands on the bed, only to find that no one was beside me. I crawled a little further to my left and reached the edge of the bed to make sure that the bed was empty. And finally, I opened my eyes.

A corner of my heart felt disappointed that the angel wasn't there. Come to think of it, he fell asleep while tightly hugging me. He shouldn't have been on the other side but in my arms. It was kind of embarrassing, but the last thing I remembered was that I was caressing his silky long hair while wondering what kind of heavenly shampoo he used. All the excitement of being able to see him vanished when I thought that the angel might have left already.

I looked around the room and it felt empty... So did my heart...

I wondered if he just went away from here the same way he came. Maybe he went inside the clouds again, somehow flying with his one wing, or maybe he was magically teleported back to heaven. But then I heard some noise coming from outside.

It must be him!

Who else could it be?

I got up in an instant, even though I was feeling early morning laziness in my bones. I wanted to see that person so badly. My heart was feeling agitated, and I was sure it would not calm down unless he was in front of me.

As I entered the kitchen, I saw him. He was standing right in front of the stove with a pan in his left hand. I was surprised upon knowing that this angel knows cooking. But I was shocked upon realizing that he was shirtless in the kitchen!

I wondered if angels don't feel cold. I'd be shivering to my death if I weren't wearing warm clothes. And this barbarian didn't know manners. You don't run around in someone else's house like that!

"Good morning angel Eve."

"Good morning, Stranger," I snickered. In the end, I chose not to comment on his mannerism. He looked at me as if he was asking me why I called him a stranger, but then he focussed back on his cooking. He must have realized he didn't tell me his name yet.

"It's not like I'm not telling you. It's just that I've nothing to tell," he said and poured some oil in the pan while talking to me. He had got all the ingredients to make an omelette ready at the side. He should have worn an apron at least to prevent any mess. This angel was really an idiot.

"Liar. You told me yesterday that people call you too by a few names," I said this instead of saying the real thing in my head.

"Well, I know you won't use them."

"At least when I grow old I'll at least be able to tell the kids in the neighbourhood about how I met an angel fifty years down the road." He turned towards me and raised his eyebrows. I guess he was wondering how far I've planned for my life.

No words were spoken but I knew exactly what he was thinking. It was a very refreshing feeling. When you don't need any words to express how you feel. He read my mind a few moments ago and I read his mind this time. I felt connected to him deep inside, beyond which even imagination can't comprehend. Too big words. I know. But...

I really felt like I had some unknown relation with him.

"I guess I'm going to call you Stranger from now on if you don't want to tell." He poured that mixture of eggs on the pan and gently swirled the pan around to spread the mixture. His moments had a distinct grace in them. His actions appeared as if he had practised them countless times to perfection.

"Well, if you want to know, some call me One-winged Devil."

"Um... You're not a devil, are you?" I asked. He was actually a lot different from other angels. I had to know to make it certain.

"No, I'm an angel... Well, I believe I count as one."

"Why do they call you a devil then?"

"Because I act like one," He replied. This man who was so cute, friendly, innocent, crybaby and sweet said that he acts like a devil. That was hard to believe. His eyes separated from the pan and looked towards me. And when he did, I just knew he did it again! He read my mind again! "...well, most of the time."

"Wait a minute. Let me finish this one."

The smell of delicious omelette slowly spread in the air as he cooked. He placed fillings on one side of the top surface. The fillings had cheese, onion, tomato and perhaps some other things too, but I couldn't see them all because he folded it soon. It looked just like a taco. He took off the omelette and placed it over the plate places on the dining table. And he finished it by decorating it with mint.

"Go on."

"It's for me?" I foolishly asked.

"Yeah. Who else? I was going to take breakfast in the room before. But you're here now, so dig in." Fuck! I cursed myself for getting up from the bed. A few more moments and I'd have an angel delivering me breakfast in my bed. Why did I have such bad luck?

"Why are you being so sweet?"

"You took my care when all this time. This is the least I can do." He sweetly smiled.

"That was nothing at all." To be honest, I didn't do much but provide him with a place for rest. He healed on his own.

"That was adorable of you." I think this guy didn't know the meaning of adorable.

"You're very kind, Stranger." he smiled again and turned back to cook. I guessed he was going to cook for himself this time.

"My other names include the Demon Reaper, Angel of Death, the Black Swordsman, Inheritance of Eden's cream," he said while pouring the egg mixture in the pan.

"Whoa. Now you're a swordsman and a reaper? What kind of bully are those other angels?" I never expected that bullying would exist in his world too. Wasn't heaven supposed to be the place of happiness?

"They don't call me that without reason. I really have killed demons. A lot of them... I've killed more than anyone else ever did."

"Lies and lies. I don't believe you."

"I too wish that this was a lie," he murmured, but I could hear his whisper.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Morning is not a good time to discuss such stuff, is it?"

"No, it's not."

"So how was the French omelette?" he asked me.

He hadn't looked back. That's why he didn't know I wasn't eating. I was waiting for him to join me on the table. He looked behind for a second when I didn't answer him, but then he continued cooking.

I wonder how long I was lost in the thoughts about what he said about himself. The next thing I know was that he was sitting beside me, exchanging my plate with his.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Because my angel deserves only the best. Now eat it quickly or this one will get colder too."

"You know, you're too much of sweet, Stranger," I said and ate the first bite. It was just exquisite. Even though he hadn't added anything special in the ingredients, it was magical how good it tasted. I couldn't cook like that even in my dreams.

If he exchanged positions, he would make a damn awesome wife one day. I thought while looking at him, and he smiled. I guess my expressions already told him how good the meal was. I still showed him by curling my finger that it was yummy. I couldn't speak because my mouth was full.

My eyes went to the kitchen. It suddenly felt so strange. I realized I hadn't eaten on the dinner table ever since my parents and sister passed away. The dinner table felt empty without them. There was no one to speak while having dinner or breakfast, to crack jokes on me, or to wake up early in the morning and cook for me. I either ate outside or brought food to my bed.

And there I was having a normal time with a stranger who made me forget about those things and look forward to the bright side.

When angels are around you, you feel happy inside. I had heard about it, but I didn't know it was so true.

"You are still going with Stranger?"

"Yeah, I agree with you now. I won't ever use those bad nicknames."

"I have an idea. Why don't you give me a name?"

"Oh no, no. How can I?" I was startled on his strange request.

"If you don't want to use them, you have to give me a new one. I'd be happy if you do so." He was a sweet talker, wasn't he? But he wasn't lying at all. His eyes were firm. He left me in a daze. To name someone is a special thing. If he was really asking sincerely, I wanted to make sure to give him a perfect name. But all those various types of ordinary names surged in my head. None fit him.

"Well... I don't know... There are so many names. I can't choose any in a short moment." I was so horrible. He asked me for one simple task and I couldn't do that.

"Close your eyes," he said.

"Why?"

"Just do it." I followed his command.

"Okay. Now what."

"Now think of me. What comes in your mind when you think of me, angel Eve?"

And I imagined him. The memory of him trying to fly with his one wing while his hand was trying to reach out for me appeared in my head. Those dark black feathers were being plucked by the winds while he was falling down the sky.

"So what comes to your mind?"

"A black wing."

At that moment, I had no idea how lucky I was. Not everyone gets a chance to bestow a name to their lover.