This moment right here matters. Me and I locked lips on top of a building in the middle of a downpour. Call it a corny romantic movie scene; I don't give a rat's ass. And I don't mean Leo's dad.

Lee's not wrong, though. Without contacting my aunt, my time as Merrill Ramirez will run out. I don't have much time left before my eighteenth birthday. But I wasn't lying to Leo when I said I see us having a future together. Even growing old together.

Yeah. I did not go that far.

My biggest issue is cutting off my strings. I just need to find a pair of scissors sharp enough to cut it—a very strong and very sharp pair of scissors. I don't want to leave this life.

Tonight... I won't think about the consequences or the what-ifs. The night's still young, and I spend every last moment with my turtle boyfriend.

That's right, fuckers. Don't like it, then piss off!

We separated to catch our breaths. Damn, that was... that was...

Fuck. It was so damn good I couldn't put it into words.

"I know, right?" my eyes focused on Leo, who smiled sweetly. "It's hard to put it into words. Actually, it feels like all your anxieties melted away and were replaced with -"

"A shitload of fireworks blasting off in your stomach?" I finished.

"Exactly! Without the shitload part."

I chuckled, and Lee followed with his own. It was a harmonic symphony in my ears. Once we settled down, he asked me, "What now?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're dating," I said like it was a simple math problem. Our status changed to relationship, and you know what? I'm okay with that."

"I mean, what are we going to do now?" Lee rephrased. "Our date was cut short 'cuz of Hypno and Meat Sweats. Are we gonna call it a night or what?"

I tilted my head with a cheeky smirk. "Didn't you say you wanted to go to Run of the Mill?"

Lee blinked. "Yeah...? But now? We just ate."

I just gave him a shrug. "Eh. I'm sure there's enough room for a few slices. Don't tell me you're saying no to pizza."

My boyfriend (I love saying that) pulled away, playfully smacking my chest. "As if! I think your brain short-circuited if you thought I would say no to pizza." He turned to look over the city. His expression softened as he watched the bright lights. "I still can't believe this is real..."

The dark clouds parted revealing a clear night sky. The moon was up in the sky; the moonlight gave Leo's appearance a radiance, especially with his wig. I huffed softly. "Believe, mi amorcito. You're not getting rid of me anytime soon."

I noticed how his posture shifted. Shit. I said something stupid again. I should've been more gentler. "Let's make a bet..." I blinked. Okay... not the response or reaction I was expecting. His mood shifted. I couldn't get a good reading. Maybe it was something I said. I know I tend to say rude ass remarks, but the remark I just said wasn't even rude. Out of nowhere, Lee wanted to make a bet. Now? "We race from here to Run of the Mill. Winner gets a favor from the loser." Interesting. So if I lose, Leo can ask whatever he wants from me. But if I win... "Within reason", he finished, acknowledging where my mind was heading. Fuck. I wanted him to cosplay as Yor from Spy x Family. Oh well. Maybe next time.

I shrugged. "Why not? I could use a little run to build up my appetite."

Leo flexed his wings, sending me a cocky smirk. "Now, Merrill. You and I both know I wasn't talking about running there." My smirk grew like his as he took a stance. "Last one there is a rotten shell!" After he said those challenging words, Lee spread his golden wings and flew to the sky with a blast. It took me a dragging minute until I realized the little shit took a running start.

"Hijo de raton! You fucking cheater!" I yelled before transforming into my shadow wolf form. I slinked through the shadows like smoke drifting in the wind. I managed to keep up with Leo who was up in the clouds while I was traveling via darkness. He had the height advantage. I popped out, running and jumping from building to building. I

"Is that all you got?" Leo called from above. "At this rate, you won't catch up!" He laughed before going higher in the night sky. If it were anyone else, I would've been irritated; I hate losing no matter what game or challenge I was given.

But this was a race between us: me and Leo. Even if I did lose, I would be okay about it. It wasn't one of those life-or-death races. It was a fun challenge that I won't dare turn down. I jumped back into the shadows slithering through the surface. It gave me some leverage, but my speed wasn't enough to catch up.

An idea shocked my mind. I never experimented with it, but now's the best time to use it. Instead of jumping to the next building, I leaped off the building. I fell. My feet landed on a surface; it wasn't on the ground; I was standing on thin air. A layer of darkness was beneath my paws, acting as a makeshift ground.

That's new. I felt a grin spreading across my muzzle. Now we're getting somewhere. I ran above the busy nightlife. Vehicles are either running or stuck in traffic, and people are walking to their destinations. Either way, no one didn't notice a large, black wolf running above their heads.

"Hey! You never told me you can run on air!" Leo proclaimed, circling around me.

A new experience for me, too, mi amor. I snickered, seeing Leo's face flushed.

"It doesn't matter! I'm gonna beat you!" he flapped harder, gaining more speed. I ran as fast as my lungs pumping. Feeling more confident, I ran up above.

As soon as I was high enough (close enough to touch the moon), I morphed out of my wolf form, yet my feet lay firm in the air. Leo finally caught up. "Okay. Since when you can fly?" he huffed, crossing his arms with a frown.

I laid my hands on my hips. "Technically, I'm floating. Also, since a few seconds ago. Why? You jealous?" I asked, towering my frame over his small frame.

He gave me a look over before answering. "No. I was wondering if there's anything else you can do other than control shadows." my eye twitched.

Pendejo! You know damn well my powers go beyond that!

"I know. At least now you're up to my level." his level? His level?! Perro! You know what? "What? What are you gonna do, papi?" Oh, my!

...well then. He did ask...

I tugged his arm and drew him close. The slider's eyes widened at my action. I raised my hand, clasping on it tightly as my other hand snaked around his waist. He smirked knowingly. Without another word, we started to dance across the sky and over the bright city. Our eyes never leave the other. Despite no music present, we danced to our own tune.

Mentally, the tempo quickened. Our hips swayed. I lifted my boyfriend up as he wrapped an arm around my neck. We spun around with laughter filling the night sky.

This is life. This is my life to hold and cherish, to protect. I lowered Leo down. I gave him a soft kiss, which he accepted wholeheartedly. When we departed, I whispered near his ear, "I'm going to win." Before he responded, I returned to my wolf form and ran off.

"You cheater!" Leo hollered.

Taxes bitch! I mentally called back. It only gave him enough motivation to pick up speed. We were neck-to-neck. Each step we took was ahead of the other. We raced throughout uptown until we reached our destination.

We landed in a familiar alleyway with familiar graffiti, but the one who made it first...

"I win", Leo declared proudly yet relieved. His wings spread out as he twirled to face me; his arms pulled behind his back and smiled my way.

I returned to my original form. Even though I was known as a shitty loser, this loss wasn't as bad as any other. "Alright, alright. I concede. Your speed is faster than mine. So what, pray to tell, is this favor?" without answering, Leo walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my neck, which I retaliated by wrapping my arms around his waist.

The slider rested his forehead against mine. 'Before you disappeared...' he requested, mentally. 'I want you to promise to give me a heads up. A clue or whatever before you leave me.' His request made me tighten my grip. The fear of leaving a life I've grown to enjoy gave me an icy cold feeling in my stomach; it's nauseating and dreadful, like eating a bad meal, but you're unable to regurgitate the bitter taste. I don't want to leave him. I don't know if I can promise you, Lee. 'Please... I know how smart you are... a little clue to show me you're going to leave... it's better than thinking you alienated me.'

"Alright..." I spoke aloud. "I promise. If I disappear without telling you, I'll find my way to you."

"Or I'll hunt you down myself."

I snorted. "That too."

Leo gave me a peck on the cheek, but the greedy bastard that I am, I kissed him straight on the mouth, which the slider was happy to oblige. My hands raised from his waist to his upper shell as his arms removed from my neck to my shoulders, gripping a stronghold. I don't know how long we stayed there kissing in an alleyway. We didn't care.

It was just us.

We parted, gasping for breath. "You're right," he breathed, causing me to tilt my head and give him a questionable stare. You are a greedy bastard."

I smirked. "Correction. I'm 'your' greedy bastard."

Leo responded with a similar smirk. "And don't you forget it", he said with a wink pulling me to the mystical graffiti.

I may not have been here in a while, but I knew the secret gesture. I gave the flaming skull the Italian gesture before granting us access to the strange restaurant with the stranger creatures, which I assume were yokai.

"Shall we?" I asked, presenting my arm to my date.

The red-eared slider gladly took my arm as we head through the opening path. "Hell yeah! I want a Hawaiian Style pizza pie with my name on it with pineapple!"

"...if this your intention was killing me with your love, then, sweetheart, you need to do a better job."

"Oh, right. You're pineapple intolerant. But, side note, you want me to kill you with my love."

"What can I say? I picture my love like Gomez and Morticia Addams. If I wanted you to kill me, I would rather you rib my chest open and tear out my heart so you would have my heart in your hands."

Instead of being repulsive, Leo tilted his head up in thought. "How would I want you to kill me?" he hummed. "I want you to slit my throat while I stab you in the heart. That way, we both die together."

"Huh. And here I thought you wanted me to poison you."

"No, no. I don't want the Romeo-and-Juliet experience. I want our own tragedy."

"Look at us. Talking about our tragic love death on our first death. How romantic." I wiped away a fake tear.

My date lightly scoffed. "You're so weird. But I love you all the same."

"Right back at ya, Blue."

We walked through until we entered the mystical restaurant: Run of the Mill. It was kind of crowded with different varieties of yokai. The last time we were here, Leo and his brothers got caught up in the Mystic Maze to win the World's Best Pizza... for Leo to prove he's a champion.

'You just can't let it go.'

I'm not Elsa, so I won't let it go because you tricked me into staying and going along.

'Hey! I was grounded during that time! I wanted to be with you longer.' Leo held my arm tightly as he rubbed his head against it like a cuddly cat. I coughed against my fist as I felt my cheeks heated.

You might just ask instead of making a 'flamboyant' display.

'So I exaggerated it a bit. It wasn't a big deal.'

People thought I was going to rape you on a table in front of everyone!

'Like I said. Not a big deal.'

I sighed heavily. Why do I love you again?

'Because I always find a way to brighten your day.'

I looked over at him, and he blinked in my direction. I lightly scoffed, leaning down to his level. "You've done more than brighten my day... you lifted my sorrows with just your presence alone."

My response caused Leo to pull back slightly with a soft gasp. His mouth gaped like a fish as his face flushed to a muddy cherry red. Point, me.

'You're an ass!'

I chuckled. True. But I'm your ass. Wait. No! That's not what I meant!

'Sure~ it wasn't.'

"Ah! If it isn't Pepino! And he brought his carozon!" We looked over to see Senor Hueso greeting us. "If you wait a few minutes, your table will be set up for you."

"Gracias", I thanked. "I enjoyed the pizza we had last time. Can you recreate it again?"

"Feh! It is no problem for me! As long as you keep an eye on Pepino. I feel that without you, he finds himself in more trouble than he's worth."

"Hey!" my date yelled.

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him all night long." I smiled, innocently.

"Good. Good. I must get back to work. Disculpeme." He left us alone and went to attend matters elsewhere.

Leo raised an eye ridge. "You're going to keep an eye on me all night?"

"Well... until I escort take you back home. Until then, you have my undivided attention", I replied.

"Again. You're such a weirdo."

"I prefer the term unique."

"Yeah. I guess that makes two of us."

A waiter escorted us to our table, which was in the center. "Would you like to hear the chef's special?" they asked.

"No, thank you", I answered. "We would like the Heart Pizza with two cups of water with lemon, please."

"Wise choice. Your order will be out momentarily." The waiter left us alone. I looked over to Leo, who was tugging his sleeve.

"You okay?" I asked in concern.

"Are we... together – together?" he asked nervously. "Like couple together." I blinked. Didn't we just have this conversation? "Sorry. I guess my mind is comprehending the information. I mean... I had a crush on you since we met, and two months later, we're going out... like what couples do! It feels too good to be true! Maybe we moved too fast..."

"Lee..." I began. "I promise to keep things slow. I won't rush you into doing anything you're not comfortable with. We'll take things one step at a time. To be honest... I'm just as nervous as you are. I haven't felt this way since my last partner, but I'm willing to fight for this; to fight for us. You are the light of my life, Leo, and I am the darkness of your shadow. Even if we leave this world, I will always find a way to find you because I love you."

'...damn... I hate you.' Leo's voice rang in my mind yet lacked the spitefulness. "It's mutual for me, too, Merr. In life and in death, I will find you, too."

I smirked. "And you said you don't have any rizz."

Leo crossed his arms. "What can I say? Practice makes perfect."

Our waiter brought our beverages and then left again. "By the way, how are we going to break the news to your family?" Leo jolted in his seat. Oof. It's a touchy subject. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

My date shook his head. "No, it's not your fault. My brothers – at this point – are already cool with you, and April is warming up to you, but..."

"Your dad hates my guts."

"More like your entire existence."

"Sounds about right."

Leo reached over the table and grabbed my hand. "Hey. Let me worry about my family. Tonight, I want to focus on us and where we go from here."

I brought his hand up to my lips to kiss his knuckles. "Wise words. I feel like I also heard it from somewhere equally wise."

"Wise as in wiseass, but yeah, you're pretty wise in your own sarcastic way."

Tonight was perfect. Leo and I enjoyed our pizza while wearing our fancy clothes; we hung around the pizzeria, just talking and enjoying each other's company. I should've done this in the first place. I was trying too hard to make a first impression that I didn't ask what Leo wanted, even though I pushed us to be in a relationship.

I wanted us to work!

I'm willing to put in the effort!

Tonight was an example of what we are capable of.

What I didn't expect was how difficult our next obstacle would be and how fast my time was running out.