marothius | ( life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass )

Little does he know but Vincent has nothing to worry about there. Losing the person protecting his book won't be as easy as that. Not so long as Rai doesn't want to be lost.

Rubbing Vincent's back just a bit longer, Rai gives it a few gentle pats and then waits for his companion to straighten. Once he's upright, Rai shoves the blanket bundle in his arms to take with him over to the chosen, empty table. One of very few left, it seems. This place has become a safe haven from the rain. It's almost a shame that the owners of this establishment (and all others near the beach, really) don't know that the storm that's rolling in is his doing. He could negotiate his way into a decent cut of their profits from all of the business he gets them on rainy days. Unfortunately, humans don't often take kindly to learning that one of their own is not, in fact, one of their own. They don't take kindly to finding out that one of the men in the midst is actually a bird.

Once his hands are free, he runs his fingers back through his hair to shake out some of the rain water and nods toward the blanket with the book inside. "Alright. Check it see how your book is doing and I'll be right back."

Humans, generally, don't take well to whatever they don't understand. Disbelief and fear take hold and, well, that doesn't bode well for whatever triggers those feelings. Vincent knows that academically. He's a student of literature, after all, and so many stories revolve around just such a conceit.

Of course, that's so far from his mind as Rai pushes the beach blanket into his arms and he toddles quickly to the table to unwrap his book. Sliding into the seat, he unwraps the book gingerly, almost fearful to see the damage it sustained before Rai's quick thinking. He sags in relief to see that the already worn paperback isn't completely ruined. The front and back covers are a little worse for wear and the edges of the pages a little damp, but the in didn't soak through or smear. They may crinkle a little when they dry, but that's better than ruined!

It's probably obvious that the book's okay from the bright smile that pulls across his face as he looks up to find Rai.

Rai has heard tales of at least one bird like him coming up against the fear and disbelief that humans have of things they don't understand. He's never seen it himself but word travels. Especially the negative kind. The kind that could serve as a warning to others. Some choose to believe it, some don't. Some choose to believe that the humans they find themselves around will be the more understanding kinds. 'I've gotten close enough to these humans to know that they're different!'

Sure.

Once he's acquired some drinks, he turns away from the counter to see that bright, beaming smile. Like a beacon among the other patrons. It's cute. He's cute. He makes his way back to the table and sets down three drinks: a water and two iced coffees. The water is for Vincent, of course, and at least one of the iced coffees is for himself. The second is for Vincent should he decide he'd like something more than water. Or for himself if Vincent doesn't.

"Soo the smile tells me it's good news?"

"It's not ruined," he chirps with a series of eager nods. Not ruined is the best he could hope for. A little more damaged than before, sure, but not ruined! Not ruined is all Vincent wanted. He's so happy he actually doesn't realize he's clutching the poor old paperback against his chest with a white-knuckled grip. It takes a full beat after he's declared it's state before he notices and gingerly sets it on the table so Rai can read the title: To the Lighthouse.

"Thank you," he gushes softly. "It's your quick thinking that saved it."

Rai tips his head to the side in a very bird-like fashion that could just as easily be mistaken for perfectly human curiosity. He reaches across the table to put his hand on top of the book once it finally touches the table. The whole time, he keeps his eyes on Vincent, to see how he might react, to see if it's okay to be touching the human's book. But without any further waiting, he pulls it toward himself, spinning it around to better look at the cover. He's looking at the title, committing the cover to memory. If he sees a copy just like this out in the wild, maybe he'll pick it up to replace the one that's not ruined, but a little more damaged than before.

"It's my defence against the rain. I have terrible luck and get myself caught out in it a lot."

"Is it bad luck? The rain isn't so bad..." Even if it did threaten a beloved book. It's an older book, very worn. Older than Vincent in fact. It's his mom's favorite book and she's read it to and with him hundreds of times, it seems like. She gave him that copy which was hers when she was younger.

"I kind of like it when I don't have a book to protect."

"It's not great luck when you're not a big fan of the rain." Says the bird who caused the rain. Though to be fair, causing the rain is a lot more enjoyable than being caught in it. Even if he's well equipped to more than handle the weather that he causes, his body still tingles in a way that he's never really liked when he's too wet for too long. It could certainly be much worse, though, for a bird made mostly of lightning. "Well, it's more like I have mixed feelings about the rain." Rai leans back and runs his fingers through his hair to shake out some of the water without getting too much of it on the table. "I don't really like getting caught in so much of it."

Rai turns the book back around and slides it across the table toward Vincent. "Hmm yeah I can see how a threatened book could really sour any good experience."

Vincent hums, nodding in thoughtful agreement. From the way everyone took off running at the first drop of rain, he can imagine a lot of people don't like. He's not ever pleased to be caught in it, but it's just water. He can always go home and change his close if he gets too wet. It's not the end of the world.

Looking down at the book, he takes it gently in his hands, a fond smile pulling across his face. "It's a special book to me."

( life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass )

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