act eleven: memories for the future
Gentle sounds are carried out through a well-decorated hall, soft sounds of comfort and magic floating through an open door with dim lighting cascading out upon the floor and accompanying the quiet music on its journey from the room. The sounds twinkle like the stars of the night sky, melodies meant to bring relaxation and wonder to the young ears listening in on its performance. Within the room, the source of the sounds. Rotating slowly and gently pulsing faint, colorful lights, a mobile carefully hovers over a child of incredible importance to the two that stand beside it and the child, watching on with soft smiles played across their lips.
"He's beautiful," came the whisper of an angel as she reaches down, touching the soft cheek of the young boy as he rests quietly, the mobile's lullaby performing the soundtrack of the child's dreams, "I just can't believe..."
"... that such a perfect thing could come from the two of us?" came the questioning voice of that angel's own guiding light, and the one whom she herself once had to drag from a dark abyss that threatened to swallow him whole, "I have to say... you probably helped most with that one."
The couple smiles, as the angel gently nudges her guardian and rests her head against his chest, his own arm carefully lifting to wrap around her in an act that now seemed so natural to do, as if without thought to the action itself. Together they sigh, staring down at their own little creation with a love in their eyes that threatened to burst into liquid and escape the confines those eyes kept them under.
"Don't knock yourself, sweety..." the angel whispers back with a soft laugh, her eyes scanning upwards to lock with his own, gazing at him with another kind-of love filling those soft brown eyes of hers, "You had plenty to do with this little guy happening."
A quiet laugh escapes his lips as he held her closer still, her head lifting for a moment before coming to rest against his shoulder, his own head coming to rest upon hers; "I should hope so," he speaks quietly, his own hand reaching down to brush across the small growth of hair upon the child's head, "I don't know anyone else who could give him a forehead like that."
Nuzzling her face into his arm, the angel lightly punches her love with a giggle, speaking, "You leave his little forehead alone, he's not nearly at your level yet."
Two sets of eyes gaze into each other with all the love in the world for one another, and all the love more for the young one they, together, had brought into the world. In their eyes, they'd done nothing in the world that could ever have seen them deserve the other, let alone their newborn child... yet somehow, perhaps through divine intervention or luck, they had found one another, and it had all worked out for the best in the end. A perfect plan for a new kind-of life to enjoy between them, a journey ahead more amazing than anything they'd experienced yet... and with old friends and new to stay at their sides along the way.
"I like Isaac," the angel says spontaneously, lifting her eyes back up once more to lock with his, one set sincere and the other appearing curious, "He's incredibly polite, you guys get along well, Ehno absolutely loved meeting him..."
The man smiles and pulls his angel in close, the last line of her words standing out in his mind. As he kisses the top of her head gently, he cannot help but think how amusing it was to have the approval of his wife and son over his newfound friend, but such was the way of this new life of his... it was beyond his own realm as an individual. From the moment of marriage, to the birth of their first son, and forever forward from there... the individual was bound by the walls of the family, and that family meant more to him than anything else in the world.
The past week had been such a blessing for the man and his family, a break from the hectic lifestyle he'd taken on upon his re-entrance to the world of his career. As carefree as things had been, the travel was intense as he went about for his company. Greeting those who idolized him, looked up to him, or just simply respected him in-general... it was all worth it for the future it would provide his family, and the friendships he'd made on the road were some he knew he'd have for years to come. Still, with an entire week given off to prepare for the return he'd been destined to make to the original way of the company... needless to say, the family had taken advantage of their time together.
"I'm glad he came by," the man sighs softly, staring down at his young boy with admiration in his eyes, "He's really showing that he wants to pursue a friendship through this partnership of ours... honestly, that means something to me. Not many teams these days truly go for that."
The angel chuckles softly and nods her head in agreement to the words of her love, but with a thought is quick to add another positive to the image of his partner; "He liked my cooking."
The smile on the face of the man grew with those words, a surprised but semi-silent laugh escaping his lips as he glanced down at her in amusement, and a warmth in his eyes. The little moments shared between the two were of the most important in their days, a time shared together that wasn't often accomplished due to their own responsibilities away from each other. An angel readjusting to her freelance career while looking after her ever-growing child in the process, all with the help of her warrior love who traveled often for his family but always came straight back home when those travels were at their end. A week of peace was their reward for permitting such a hectic schedule for so long until now... but with the end of that week fast approaching, the beginning of a new schedule would wrench the warrior from the comfort of his home once again.
A regular, proper schedule from now on... less promotional events, more appearances on live television... it was time that the warrior began his career in full stride once again. The responsibilities he was taking on with his partner and their championships, with he himself as a champion, and with his chance at the highest of prizes in his career for a third time... such circumstances demanded a more widespread exposure for the man once more. One on the television screens of his fans, rather than on their cameras and signed photographs.
Still, it was difficult for either to accept that his lengthened stay at home would have to come to such a sudden end, and the angel felt a sadness knowing that soon he'd be on the road yet again. Yet, in the end, there was a comfort there in knowing that the love of her warrior would swiftly bring him back home, where he might stay with her and their son for just a little while longer. On the rare nights that the two had to spend apart, their dreams would be of the following day, where they might see each other once again... and they would wake up with a happiness for the loving future, rather than a disappointment for the lonely present.
"I miss you already," the warrior sighs, resting his forehead upon the top of his angel's own head and breathing in deeply, letting a sigh escape his lips, "Sometimes I wish you could come back out on the road with me again..."
The angel smiles, a hand coming up to tangle fingers in her warrior's hair; "When Ehno's a bit older, I promise we'll be visiting as often as possible."
The warrior smiles, content at the thought of the future. There was still so much execution left to be done in his planning, but as it stood for the moment... the future could not be any more serene. Though challenges did certainly lie before them, and though struggles would still have to be endured... there was such a brightness at the end of their journey that they couldn't help but know its perfect destination in the end. With all the uncertanties that came with the warrior's career, there was a strange way to his planning that let him be certain of how things would go in the end, a way that let him prepare accordingly, and a way that would always see him coming home without injury.
He had worked incredibly hard to reach the point he'd made it to, and with all the careful planning and dreaming that had gone into his present... he knew that the future would be an incredible pay-off. After-all... he had already gotten one of the greatest gifts of all in his newfound family, and so in his own eyes there was nothing that could derail the joy that they brought him on daily basis.
Still, as wonderful as things were for him... he knew the planning that was left to be done.
"Sunday..." the warrior sighed, kissing the top of his angel's head once more, "Sunday should be interesting."
Although for the warrior, every day with his company was an interesting day, his words would nevertheless be true in nature. Sunday would inevitably be just another day in a long line of days with memorable experiences, and he would prepare for it just as he had every day before. A new schedule would be the only change to what had become, for him, an almost monotonous cycle... but a cycle he loved nonetheless thanks to the people he encountered along the way.
New encounters and old... his company would always bring him memories he'd cherish for years yet to come.