Chapter Twenty-Six: New Morning:

March 5th, 2010.

Ah, the ideal morning. Tsuzuki didn't have to come into work until that afternoon. Right now, he could just sleep in, enjoy the spring morning, and plus, an angel slept next to him in bed. Tsuzuki felt his cheeks turning cotton candy pink as memories of the other night filled his head. He still felt all of it. The scent of her hair. The sweat on her soft skin. The taste of her in his mouth. Her breasts rubbing against his chest. Him entering her wet and waiting�

Last night sent chills up his spine. The past four nights were heaven. Tsuzuki took it all in again. Three days off was worth it. The clean scent of Anna's hair teased Tsuzuki's nose again. A warm feeling built up in his chest. His arms embraced his love. He took delight in their future. The man already plotted everything out for after the wedding. Tradition and modern danced in his mind.

Anna would make a good housewife. Their apartment stayed organized. Okay, so she wasn't much of a cook, but she could learn or maybe he could cook. The shinigami paused at that thought. Wonder why she won't let me cook. Come to think of it, no one wanted to eat whatever he made. Tsuzuki shrugged it off. So weird, he thought. I don't get it. Anna shifted in the futon as she slept. Tsuzuki took in the warmth of her body. She looked so peaceful at the moment. Tsuzuki pushed some of her bangs from her forehead. He planted a kiss on the skin. His heart stirred in joy. He woke up to heaven again. The man happily closed his eyes.

Can every morning be like this?

He loved how the sheets clung to her shapely body. Women were perfect creatures by nature. Curved in some places and narrow in others. Mind you, most weren't goddesses. Yet, every woman was found attractive by at least one person in their lives. Anna's body excited Tsuzuki's youth to the point of explosion. Plus, she was younger than him too? Almost too perfect. Tsuzuki shuddered at another thought in his head. She's so much younger than me! I could be her dad or grandfather. Or great grandfather� The shinigami shuddered in slight disgust. This is so creepy�

Sure, they looked normal on the outside, but hello May-December! Hell, sometimes when they made love, he still saw that scared defenseless sixteen-year-old girl he met on Halloween in '99. He always felt so dirty afterwards. The shinigami voiced this to her two days ago.

"Why is that?" Anna asked as she got dressed. Tsuzuki leaned forward in bed.

"How old were you when we first met?" he asked.

"Sixteen. Why?"

"How many years have passed since then?"

"It will be eleven this year."

Tsuzuki frowned. "Do you see what I'm getting at?"

Anna turned to him and sat down on the bed with him, smiling. "That doesn't matter."

Tsuzuki gave her a strange look. "Anna-chan�" She put her finger to his lips.

"Do you love me?" she asked in a low voice. Tsuzuki opened his mouth to speak, but Anna lightly shushed him.

"It shouldn't matter," she whispered. "I love you and you love me. That's all that's important."

Tsuzuki stared at her with big eyes. "Anna-chan�" She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Remembering all of that, Tsuzuki pulled his mind away from the subject.

The shinigami thought about his apartment. Lately, it felt more like home: lacy things hanging in the bathroom, two pairs of shoes at the door, women's clothes mixed his in closet, sharing a meal with her at the table. The whole domestic life built up in his brain. His heart raced with excitement. Tsuzuki shut his eyes as he held his sleeping beloved.

Calm down, idiot! Stop thinking so much and enjoy the moment! You only have a few hours before you have to work. Take it all in for now! Tsuzuki felt another rush of excitement in his head. Every morning feels like a new world!