"Well, I think I'd better be off."
"Where to?"
"Don't know yet."
"Take me with you?"
"Maybe another time."

A week had passed since Charlie Bradbury had met her guardian angel. Azriel hadn't returned to visit since then, and Charlie began to doubt that she even existed. She might've been a strange hallucination or a dream. But the nonbeliever received sudden confirmation of the winged woman's existence.

Every single morning, the redhead awoke to find a single cup of coffee on her kitchen counter. It was made just how she liked it, with just enough creamer to color it hazel. Charlie knew it could only have come from her.

Each time she awoke, she graciously accepted the mug and went on to her job at Richard Roman Enterprises as an IT expert. This process continued for the next six days with basically no variation. On the seventh, the unexpected appearance of a certain someone disrupted the steady rhythm.

A knock at the door startled Charlie out of her trance. She paused the Star Trek episode that played on her TV and answered it.

There stood the woman with expectant green eyes and the slightest hint of a smile on her lips. Dressed in army green skinny jeans and a black, a white and black checkered flannel, and combat boots fitting her feet, Azriel ambled inside with her hands stuffed in her pockets.

"Well, hey." remarked the nerdy girl. Charlie wore a Harry Potter t-shirt accompanied by a gray hoodie and jeans.

"What's that?" The angel questioned, pointing to her shirt.

Charlie glimpsed down at the loose, blue fabric she donned, with the word "RAVENCLAW" embellished across the top and the crest of the eagle underneath. "Oh, it's my Hogwarts House. It comes from a book series-" she grabbed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone off of her bookshelf and handed it to the woman opposite to her for reference.

Azriel flipped through the pages as one would of a magazine, reading the novel a second a page. Watching intently, Charlie narrowed her eyes and inquired curiously, "Are you reading it that quickly?" Azriel nodded and before long she had finished the story, handing it back to its rightful owner.

"Hm. Interesting." She hummed.

"What?" Charlie interrogated. "You've read the entire first HP book in ten seconds and the only thing you have to say is, 'Interesting.'? You are ridiculous."

Her eyebrows knitting together, the angel was puzzled. "What should I have said?"

With a shrug, she threw out some suggestions. "I don't know, maybe, 'Hey, that was a great book. Revolutionary for its time.' or 'Wow, one of the best accomplishments literature has ever achieved.'"

"But I don't-"

"I don't have time to argue with you, I have to go to work." interrupted the literature enthusiast as she gathered her equipment.

"What am I supposed to do while you're working?"

Brows raising in a state of bemusement, indignation of the absurdity that just occurred ignited within her. She disappears for a week and then shows up as if no time has passed? And then she expects me to drop everything to hang out with her? Is she that self-centered? Shaking her head, the fiery woman delivered the hardback to her acquaintance once more with a simple proposition. "Read."

"But I already-"

"Read it like humans do. Slowly, word by word. Grasp the theme. Pick your favorite character. Realize their development. Enjoy it. When you're done, there are six sequels." elaborated Charlie.

With a slow bob of her head, she agreed. Sprawling across the loveseat, Azriel turned to the first page and commenced her act of perusing.

"Have fun!" Shutting the door, the hacker began her journey to the building of her profession.

☼☼☼

Nearing the end of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Azriel heard the soft shut of the front door. Not bothering to glance up, she assumed Charlie was the one who entered. Beginning to state her opinion on the books, she flipped a page, enthralled at the eloquent writing.

"You know, I'm starting to like this Ron character, but I also like Sirius in a way. I'm starting to think-" Hearing a thump, she raised her eyes to meet solemn ones. Furrowing her eyebrows, she shut the book and sat up. "What's wrong?"

With a sigh, Charlie flopped down onto the couch next to the angel. She didn't respond for a few moments, staring off into space. Azriel grew more and more concerned by the moment, and she was preparing to read the redhead's mind if she didn't speak her thoughts soon. But she did.

"I-" she began, but halted. "It's stupid, never mind." Changing her mind, Charlene rose and started toward her bedroom. Azriel got to her feet as well and made her acquaintance stay and spill, as she had to know.

Finally deciding to reveal what was troubling her, she confessed. "There's this charity benefit for work that's happening a week from now, and I don't have a date, and if I don't show up with someone, It'll seem like I'm... friendless or something, I don't really know, but I definitely don't want to go alone, because there's an opportunity to meet a bunch of business savvy people, might even get a few job offers, and I want to make a good first impression, and-"

"Charlie," Azriel snickered at her babbling friend, attempting to get her attention.

"No, I don't need you berating me for my nonsense. I like my nonsense, thank you very much. I'm allowed to be upset-"

"Yes, you are, but Charlie-"

"No, no buts. I'm just going to play Skyrim in peace, forget I ever said anything." Charlie ended the fairly one-sided conversation and turned on her heel, heading to her room.

"Charlie!" shouted Azriel, sucking in a breath. "I'll go with you."

Everything seemed to freeze. The redhead swung around, her eyes locking with Azriel's. She thought she was joking for a moment, but immediately ruled that out when she saw the serious expression held on the angel's face. The angel with dark, tangled hair dropped her extended arms and they hit her thighs with a slap. She reiterated her statement, "I will go with you."

Charlie's wide eyes remained saucers until she snapped out of her shocked state. "Really?"

Azriel smiled softly. "It's not like I have anything better to do."

A grin broke out on her face as the appreciative Bradbury wordlessly thanked her guardian. Silence lingered in the air. The two regarded each other comfortably. Having not expected for someone she barely knew to offer herself as a date, it was safe to say that Charlie was surprised. Grateful, but surprised.

"So... you said Ron was your favorite?"

☼☼☼

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