Page 42

Chapter twenty

Stillness

R ai’s phone alarm went off at five o’clock the following evening, and he eagerly rose from the tub where he’d been soaking all night and day.

He was flush with water. He had done his Google research into the normal drinking habits of humans, and he had a foolproof plan to maintain hydration, no matter how long he remained at Poppy’s home.

It was time. He was finally ready!

Poppy had texted him regularly, which had been a relief.

He had worried she would cast him aside when he’d chosen to leave so soon the night before.

But thankfully by the time he had finished rejuvenating himself in the rainclouds, she had sent him a most kind and flirtatious inquiry after his safe return and then acknowledged his fervent and extensive reply, with a copious amount of hearts and the emoji she had said indicated “naughty” thoughts.

Rai had been deeply confused by that word choice until he had Googled and found out that naughty had a sexual meaning, one beyond the one used to scold him as a child.

Well, and as an adult as well, as he did so enjoy wreaking havoc.

But Poppy was not scolding him at all. She was complimenting him, desiring him, perhaps even imagining his next visit…

It had made his heart swell like a river in flood. And some other parts of him, as well.

And so that morning he had sent her a selfie of himself in his shirt and tie, as if he were prepared for a day of vigorous sales presentations.

It had taken some work to get the right angle, but he was proud that his phone photography skills were improving swiftly.

He looked quite human and businesslike for the ten minutes it took to take the photo, after which he’d taken it all off again and gotten back in his tub to send Poppy a message with his current favorite inspirational quote: “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”

She had in turn responded with a sweet morning greeting, and then later in the afternoon a photo of herself in a white-splotched smock.

It took the whole bottle of gesso but by the time you get here it should be dry! I can’t wait to see you.

Rai also could not wait. It felt like dying, the waiting. But he forced himself to, refused to rush despite the hot impatience tingling at his skin every second.

He was tired of being at the mercy of the hot day, the whimsical weather patterns that had once been his joy. He needed to be able to be with Poppy every minute, every second. And he was, by all the drops of water in the ocean, going to run the day so that he could.

All he needed now was for his final secret ingredient to arrive, and his plan would be complete.

There was a knock at the motel room door, and Rai hastily dragged on his business slacks, hid his wings, and went to answer.

A thin bearded man on the other side stood there blinking. “Uh, Instacart?” His eyes drifted along Rai’s bare torso.

Rai glared down his nose at him. “You have come with my delivery?”

“Y-yes?” The man indicated a large plastic-wrapped brick of water bottles sitting on the ground. “Did you need me to bring it in for you?”

“No need. I am very strong.”

“Ooo-kay.” The man pulled out his phone and took a quick photo of the water brick, then walked away.

Rai brought the water bottles inside and tore open the plastic binding. Surely sixty bottles would be sufficient? He twisted open the portal to his faerie hoard and started tossing the bottles inside .

It had worked well, using his secret cache to remain hydrated on his walk with Poppy the day before.

She had not seemed to notice any of the times he’d exchanged his empty bottle for a full one, though at the end he had almost ruined everything by dropping the bottles as he was returning them to her sink.

Sadly, even those measures had not truly been enough, as he’d only had time to fill a few bottles before their shopping.

Now, though, he had sixty bottles of his own, and it was already a more pleasant and humid day to begin with.

He should be able to endure throughout the weekend, if the weather app were not a cursed liar.

A cursed liar like himself.

Rai gritted his teeth and closed the portal, keeping the final bottle in his hand.

This was not the time for recriminations and self-doubt.

Poppy was waiting for him, and he had delayed long enough.

He gathered the rest of his business clothing, wrapped himself in cloaking magic, and stepped out the door.

He flew swiftly through the skies, gratefully dipping into the building clouds. It would be a few hours before the rain came, he judged, but it would be fierce when it arrived and last well into the night. That boded well.

There was a spot on the pavement near Poppy’s house where a tall oleander shrub conveniently obscured the view from their windows.

He landed there and donned his guise, smugly congratulating himself when he was able to fasten his necktie without referring to the instructional video.

Humaning was not so difficult after all!

He hoped soon to try his hand at what his resource had called “adventurous” knots—he liked the look of the Eldredge and Trinity knots quite well, and perhaps they would be less restrictive, as a man of adventure would require. But that could wait until Monday.

Poppy opened the door before he could knock, beaming. “How was the rat race today?” She kissed him before he could answer.

He deepened the kiss, desperately trying to think of how to reply. There had been a race of rats? Should he know which rat had won? Perhaps if he kissed her thoroughly enough, she would forget she had asked.

She broke away a moment later, laughing. “My mom’s probably watching us.”

Success! “Does she not approve?”

“No, she likes you.” Poppy took his hands and drew him backward into her home. “But that doesn’t mean she needs to see me ripping that tie off.” She bit her lip. “Though maybe you want to wear it for the painting?”

“Why?” He bent to taste the soft skin of her throat .

She gasped. “You…said you were going to give it to your mom.”

He snorted in mirth, imagining his parents’ faces if they saw him in his current guise. “My mother would—” Wait. “Would a hu—a mother prefer a portrait with business attire?”

Poppy’s expression turned thoughtful. “Probably? But honestly, you’re in charge.

You can wear what you want for the painting.

I don’t mind painting patterns if you want to wear one of your casual shirts.

And you don’t have to decide yet.” She sighed, giving his chest a light pat.

“Anyhow, I’m jumping the gun. I swore to myself I wasn’t going to, well, jump you until we’d put in a little time on the painting.

I was thinking I’d try sketching you in some different poses tonight so you could decide what you want.

” She gave him an earnest look. “I got the studio all set up and everything.”

Rai drank in her sweet smile. “We must do as you think best,” he said. Somehow now that he was here, he felt calmer, the sparks along his nerves less urgent.

She kissed him again and led him down the hall. The immense canvas had been leaned against the far wall. In the middle of the paint-spattered floor was a mound of squareish lumps with fabric draped over them.

“Mom let me use her couch cushions, too,” Poppy said, walking over to the fabric mounds. “I want you to be comfy while I’m painting but my couch won’t fit down the hall.”

“My thanks,” Rai said, peering closely at the mounded fabric. “I am to lie here?”

“If that’s okay. I can get a chair if you don’t want to be all loungey.” Poppy shoved at the pile, shifting the configuration.

He shook his head and seated himself in the center of the cushions.

“I prefer this.” He glanced at the windows—had the clouds dissipated?

And he was beginning to feel dry already.

Best to play it safe. He pointedly set his water bottle off to the side, where he could reach it easily but hopefully not be obvious when he switched it for a full one when depleted. “How should I pose?”

“Like one of my French girls?” Poppy laughed. “Just however you feel comfortable. Try lots of positions. We’ll narrow it down once I have some sketches.”

He lay back. “Like this?” The sparks were back, making his skin itch.

“Perfect.” She sat at her tilted table and started to draw.

Rai lay for what seemed like hours before reaching for his water bottle.

“No, wait!” Poppy squeaked.

He froze. “Have you not drawn me yet? ”

She sighed. “No, it’s my fault. I was getting caught up in… Drink your water and try something different.”

He tried something different, taking a drink of his water whenever he could feel his strength waning.

The clouds had indeed dissipated, or chosen a different direction for their journey—the sky outside the window was a harsh blue, and the air was growing dryer, despite his predictions.

Even reaching his energies into the sky could not call the clouds back.

He soon had to deftly switch for his second full bottle, then his third, using the drapery to hide his hand delving into his hoard.

Poppy continued to sketch at her table, her pencil moving faster and faster each time, until she finally let out a harried laugh when he drank from his fifth bottle. “Give a girl a little more time than that!”

“I am sorry,” he said, trying to resume the position he’d last been in. “I am not good at remaining still.”

She waved a hand in the air. “It’s okay. I’ve met you, remember? I wouldn’t want you to not be you. These are just going to be, um, less detailed than I had hoped. But gesture drawing is good for me. Stretches my artist brain.”

Rai narrowed his eyes. She seemed frustrated. “I will—”