What you're looking for.

A gold and purple sunset stained the once aqua sky, reflected in the gentle lapping of a small, glassy lake. He stood, poised, silhouetted against the fading brightness, his head lowered to gaze at the planks of a sturdy dock beneath him. His mind took him away, ages away, to a happier time. Soft, jubilant laughter from his past rang in his ears, the gentle, hazy memory beginning to meld with the giggles of a happy couple passing on the sidewalk behind him. He raised his head quickly to greet them with a nod, his white hair garnering more attention than his gentle expression. The beautiful woman smiled with a false kindness, and held tighter to the arm of a well-built, dark-haired gentleman, who only made eye contact for a brief moment.

The young man lowered his eyes again in deep thought. It had been this way for as long as he could remember. Once he found himself in a new place, others would reject him. Very few times could he recall a kind person who saw him for who he was. His look was ethereal, other-worldly. He gave off an aura of someone ancient, yet looked incredibly young. His physical age he'd lost count of, but his body had only aged a little since.....since he was forced from his home. He looked near eighteen by now. Had it really been that long? He had the appearance of only a fourteen year old when he had faced his tragic mortality...He didn't want to remember anymore. Everything about home, aside from those he cared for, wasn't worth remembering, anyway.

He quickly snapped out of his daydream and started for the grass opposite the lake. A small group of children passed him, headed for home following an afternoon at the playground. He sat down just as the last child passed, and smiled sweetly at her with a small wave. She sheepishly returned the wave and swiftly ran after her chattering group, calling for them to wait for her.

The peaceful quiet of the small lake was soothing. He noticed his eyelids growing heavy and made himself comfortable in the soft grass, his hands behind his head and bright blue eyes fixed on the sunset above him. He slowly felt himself beginning to drift, to dream...and for once, he felt safe enough.

"Hey." A deep voice met his ears, prompting him to sit up. Before him stood the quiet, dark-haired gentleman who had passed by earlier.

"Good afternoon," The young man smiled gently. He was beautiful, but held back sadness, which seemed to break through whenever he smiled.

"Don't tell me you plan to sleep here." The older man was blunt, and his mind was busy, but one could see kindness in his gaze.

"I don't." The young man replied with a cute smile, "Though, I'm rather thirsty. Join me for coffee? It would be nice to have company." He found that he could be just as blunt.

The sunset had turned to merely a purple haze, with a few clouds rolling in. Spring had brought an unusual amount of heat to the city, which dissipated in the evening, though one could still make out the faint flicker of heat lightning illuminating the clouds. The young man raised his head as they crossed the street, careful of cars and more than mindful of other people.

"The woman you were with..." The young man glanced back at his partner, "Your girlfriend, I assume? She's very pretty."

The older man first nodded, then looked away, his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of a leather jacket, "She's cheating on me."

"Now how do you know that?" The young man offered a small laugh.

"She's in love with my brother...Why, again, are you asking about my relationship?"

"I'd assume you'd be alright to talk to me, considering you don't know me. At times there are people who are more comfortable telling someone they don't know their problems because there's less chance that person will see them again."

"And you knew I had problems?"

The young man was silent until they reached the coffee house and thanked a young woman who held the door for him. He took a seat at a table by the window and leaned on his elbows, watching other patrons.

The older man was first to speak again, "How are you so sure I won't see you again?"

"I rarely stay in one place long. It's usually a month at most. Just enough time to get close to people, and then I'm off again, whisked away. It's a great life, really." He gave a facetious smile.

"So, what are you, some sort of spirit?" The older man asked this in sort of a sarcastic, playful manner.

"Close enough." He laughed, "I suppose it depends on your definition of a spirit. Is a spirit dead or someone who is about to die? Can a living person be considered a spirit if they're close to death?"

"You're about to die?" The older gentleman was intrigued, "Some sort of cancer or disease?"

"A fatal disease is a terrible curse, isn't it?" He gave a sad smile, then turned to the waitress to order a drink, which prompted the older man to do the same.

The young man continued, "It's not so much death as it is...rebirth." He laughed, "You wouldn't understand."

"I might," The older man responded.

Once the waitress returned with the coffee, they continued the discussion with small talk. Once or twice, the young man found he could make the older man laugh if he spoke sarcastically with a certain inflection. They seemed like they could get along quite well, and did so until well into the evening, until the young man caught the time on a wall clock and stood.

"I really should be going," He smiled gently, "I'm sure you have much to do, and it's about time for me to move forward. Hopefully the next place I find myself will have a cure for my curse, but I will not soon forget you."

The older gentleman gave a smile, "You're probably the most interesting person I've met in this city."

"Maybe we'll meet again," He took the door handle and proceeded onto the sidewalk and into the cross walk. He could feel himself fading.

"Wait," The older man called him and stopped, "Your name, I never..."

"Jullian," The young man smiled sweetly, a faint blush on his cheeks, "and you?"

"Halion."

"It's my pleasure, Halion. I do hope we meet again." He stepped forward into the road and, where normally a passing car would have struck him, only passed through him, leaving behind a very few number of feathers floating in the breeze.

"So that's that...you're an angel of some sort. I see." Halion smiled, "I hope you find what you're looking for."