A Scripta

The next morning, they had a lavish breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Being pampered like this was something Michael had always wanted.
They had discussed the night before what to get his family for Christmas, and Michael was preparing himself mentally for getting jostled in a mall. "Are you up going to Ghirardelli Square?"


"Where's that?"


"It's on the Wharf. There's a lot of nice wine places there."


"Kal, I wouldn't know a bad wine if it hit me in the head."


He chuckled. "But I do. Besides, I haven't gotten you anything for Christmas."


"I already have it." Michael made puppy-dog eyes at Kevin. Kevin laughed. Michael laughed, too - seeing Kevin like this, human and normal, endeared him even more. "We can go."


Kevin drove him through downtown, showing him some of his old stomping grounds, mostly clubs. Michael's head whipped back to see a magic store tucked away in one of the alleys and Kevin promised him he'd go back. At the parking lot, Kevin drove up to an entrance and looked out among the sea of cars. Kevin looked at Michael. "Can you do anything?"


Michael smiled. "Already memorized something." He got out of the car, walked over to another car that was near the entrance to the stores. Michael uttered something and inconspicuously drew a rune on the fender. Then he went back to the car. "Give five minutes."


Sure enough, within three, a woman laden with packages came trundling to the car. She calmly put everything in the trunk and backed out of the parking spot. Kevin grinned and pulled in. "Nice work."


Michael shrugged. "She might have forgotten a few things, but..."


Kevin only chuckled, and put his arm around Michael's waist and kissed him. Michael stared at Kevin, and then realized this was San Francisco. He relaxed under Kevin's arm and let him lead him to the mall.


Michael hadn't gone to a mall in a long time, and found himself gaping like a tourist. Kevin brought him from store to store and showing him different wares. Michael could see other gay couples in the crowd and relaxed visibly. At a small pastry shop, a lithe black woman stopped in front of them. "Kevin?" she asked, peering at him.


"Tanya!" He smiled and hugged her. "How are you?"


"Long time no see," Tanya said with a smile. "You look good."


"Thanks. This is my boyfriend, Michael."


"Nice to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.


"Oh no, honey, we hug," she laughed, and hugged him. She planted a kiss on his cheek for good measure. Michael blushed, grinning.


"Where's Sioux?" Kevin asked. Then he looked up at Michael and laughed. "You got lipstick on you."


Michael blushed even more and pulled a napkin from a holder on a table. Tanya was talking, "Oh, he's working, like he always is. We live in the Loft on 43rd. You should come by tonight!"


"Why, you're having a party?"


"Of course we are! You'll get to see Sioux, and Bobby - remember him? Hotshot artist in Berkeley, now. And Nanette...I'm sure they'd like to see you finally settled down." She grinned up at Michael. Michael gave her a noncommittal shrug. "You'll see all the old crowd from school."


Kevin looked at Michael. Michael remembered him telling that he didn't want to go to the clubs because he wasn't that person anymore. However, these were old friends of his, so what was the harm? To Michael, any old normal friendship was precious to him, and he didn't want Kevin to forget that. Michael said, "Sure, sounds like fun."


Kevin put an arm around Michael's waist. Tanya giggled. "We'll tell you about the time Kevin tried to sleep in the dryer."


Michael guffawed. "A dryer?!"


Kevin mock glared. "I'm not going if all you're going to do is try to chase my boyfriend away with horror stories."


"Oh, no," Tanya laughed, "we'll tell you all about ours, too." She grabbed napkin and fished out a pen from her purse. "Here's the address. Party starts at 7 and goes 'til whenever." She hugged Kevin and Michael again. "See you there!"


Kevin watched her leave, shaking his head and a soft smile on his face. Michael leaned in and whispered, "Should I have said no?"


"No, it's all right. We don't have anything to do tonight anyway."


"A dryer?"


Kevin pulled away and gave him a mock angry glare. "I was drunk."


"I'll say."


They walked around the mall a little more. Michael stopped in front of a small magic store, that looked more outfitted for the touristy crowd than serious magical practitioners. Of course, he was drawn to it anyway. Kevin followed him inside. Among the ugly green fairies and unicorns, creatures in porcelain on toadstools, and pewter statuettes, Michael searched for something, anything of real magic.


"Merry meet, this solstice holiday," said a woman in a costume of black velvet robes with silver stripes through the material.


"Merry meet," Michael replied.


The woman tilted her head. "The gods say I should tell you something." She looked at Kevin just beyond him. "Both of you."


Michael turned to her, and gave her his undivided attention. "Okay." Kevin looked angry.


She reached for his hand and took it, and looked at his palm. She said stiffly,


"Love is infinite

Meant to encompass many.

Though welcoming to all

His is primary."


Then she walked over to Kevin, and took his hand. In the same tone of voice, she said to him,


"You shall achieve success

With the guidance of others.
Bravery and ease are a lion's strike.
Blame not the love or the lover."


She released his hand, and smiled. "I hope it was good."


"It was just as cryptic as a Delphic prophecy." He kept his anger under tight wraps.


Michael responded, "It's a prophecy, it's supposed to be cryptic. Is this your store?"


"Yes, it is," the woman said.


"Then I know not to give you money directly, so I'll buy something." He walked over to a porcelain white and blue unicorn. "Think Sherry will like this?"


"I think so," Kevin said, obviously pondering the woman's words. Michael had memorized his, and had already figured it out. In fact, he fully understood the beginning which was exactly what Stefan had told him when he first manifested himself as an angel. Michael bought the unicorn and had it gift-wrapped. He turned to Kevin, who was already at the door. He looked at Kevin, who finally snarled, "Damn gods, wanting to ruin things."


"You going to show me the wine place?"


Kevin perked up. "You're trying to make me feel better, aren't you?"


"Part of my job."


Kevin took his hand. "Right this way."


They walked into a place that looked like a combination of liquor store and a bar. He went to the bar section, under the large sign that said "Wines". He stopped in front of the clerk there. "I'm looking for a few bottles of wine, red..."


The clerk listened, and brought out a few bottles. The only thing Michael knew about wine was that if the date was old, it was better. Kevin looked through the wines, smiled when he saw one. "I'll take some from this winery." Lolonis


"A sample pack?"


"Sure."


Kevin easily hefted the case of eight bottles of wine. "We're all set."


Michael nodded. "That was easy." Kevin carried the box with ease toward the car. "Do we have any other kids to buy for?"


"I'm not worried about them. They're a niece and nephew."


"Well, I'll just give this to Sherry tonight and tell her not to tell anybody."


They put the case in the trunk, and Kevin eased out of the parking lot. They went back to the city, and parked in a parking garage. They walked around the city, Kevin pointing out places he'd been, things he'd done. Michael smiled and the more he talked about how normal he'd been, the more he wondered how his life could have been if he hadn't quit school and joined the Circle with his brother. It was enjoyable, relaxing, even.


They found themselves outside the magic store, and Kevin stood outside it. "Go on, I know you want to." Michael grinned and opened the door.


He was immediately assaulted by the smell of incense that he knew of as Queen of Heaven, a mix of rose oil, frankincense and myrrh. He stepped inside, and grinned in happiness - this was an old-fashioned magic store, with stuff everywhere. He could easily spend the day here. A typical grizzled older man stepped out from behind the counter - he looked like a store clerk, with a button down shirt, exposed suspenders and comb-over for hair. He looked over at the two men. "A mage and a warrior. Haven't seen that kind of pairing in a long time."


Kevin immediately went on the defensive. "How do you know?"


"He looks like a kid in a candy store. You keep looking around to see what you can use as a weapon."


Michael chuckled. Kevin glowered.


"Looking for anything in particular?"


"Nothing really."


He looked at Kevin. "Your partner's going to be here for a while. Want a coffee?"


Kevin shrugged. "Sure, why not."


By the time Michael was finished, he only had two books and a pair of gauntlets. Then, he looked down at the display case. The clerk and Kevin came over to see him staring. "See something?" he asked.


In fact, Michael did. Something that literally called out at him, and shined like the brightest diamond. It was a ring, a plain, ordinary silver band, but it wasn't made of silver. The damn thing almost beckoned to him. He put both hands down on the glass case and looked at it.


"What is that?"


"The ring? Oh..." He took it out. "This is from a meteorite. It's very expensive."


Part of him, the part that demanded freedom, the part that always flirted with men, the part that felt unfettered and irresponsible...he knew what that ring meant.


Commitment.


Kevin put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Michael realized he was hyperventilating.


"How much?"


"Five thousand," said the clerk.


"I'll take it." He shoved aside the books and pulled out his wallet.


"Five thousand?!" gasped Kevin.


Michael nodded, and put down his debit card. "Put it in a box."

"I'll put it in a gold-encrusted chest." The clerk took the card and the ring and put the card through the machine.

"What're you doing?" asked Kevin. Michael took the box, signed the receipt, and thanked the clerk. Outside, Michael turned around and gave Kevin a deep kiss. Kevin blinked. Michael only smiled at him and they headed back to the car.