Kyle’s phone didn’t ring often, so when it did, he got a bit nervous. Especially when it rang early on a summer Sunday morning. Most people who knew him knew that he slept in on weekends, so he was instantly worried that something bad had happened to someone he cared about.
“Hello?” he answered, with no shortage of trepidation. He had been too scared to even check the caller I.D.
“Hey, it’s Adam.”
Kyle allowed himself a quiet sigh of relief. “Hey. What’s up?”
Kinda fucking early for him to sound so fucking cheerful, isn’t it? Ryka grumbled. Kyle thought it was also a bit early to be so cranky, but decided not to say anything, at least not out loud. But Ryka still heard and offered, Fuck you - I’m going back to sleep, in response.
Luckily, he stopped complaining in time for Kyle to actually hear what Adam had to say. “Kate and I are headed to the beach today, and were wondering if you wanted to tag along.”
It was an enticing offer – Kyle hadn’t been to the beach since college, and had only planned on sitting around all day anyhow. But he knew how Kate felt about Ryka, and hesitated. “Uh….”
“Kate says I need to bring someone along to keep me entertained so I don’t bother her while she’s trying to tan.”
Kyle knew that Adam wouldn’t lie to him, not outright anyhow, for fear of unholy retribution. “Can I check with my other half?”
“Of course.”
Muting the phone, Kyle roused the sleeping demon. “Hey, grouchy. Would you like to see the ocean in person?” The answer sounded like an affirmative. Kyle unmuted the call. “Sure, I’ll come along. What time?”
“We can pick you up in an hour or so – around nine - if that works.”
“That should be plenty of time to find my bathing suit.”
Adam laughed. “We’ll see you then. And we’ll stop at the store if we have to. Last time I checked, it wasn’t a nude beach.”
“Sh! He’s sleeping and doesn’t need to know those are really a thing.”
“Sorry,” Adam replied with a chuckle. “See you soon.”
***
An hour was plenty of time for Kyle to dig out his swim trunks and beach towel. They weren’t buried as deep in the dresser as he expected, which left him enough time to throw a few snacks and drinks in a cooler.
Kate was nothing if not prompt, and they picked him up exactly an hour after he had hung up with Adam. “Hi, thanks for asking me to tag along,” he greeted, sliding into the back seat.
“Glad you could join us,” Kate said, sounding genuinely pleased. A fact which certainly surprised Kyle. Either she really couldn’t stand to be alone at the beach with Adam, or she didn’t fear them as much as he thought.
Once upon a time ago, she had liked him enough to want to date him. Now she knew that he would have said ‘no’ regardless of his state of demonic possession. And she had forgiven him for all but sprinting out the library door the day she had asked him out. Kyle was happy to take forgiveness where he could get it.
Unaware of Kyle’s reminiscing, Adam started, “Did you get that letter from Dr. Taylor about the change in-”
“No,” Kate interjected, quite sternly. “It’s the middle of July. No work talk, at least not in front of me. You’re lucky enough to get the summer off – try to enjoy it.”
Adam looked taken aback, but only for a moment. Turning in his seat, he asked, “Did you catch any of the game last night?”
“Right to sports?”
“What are we supposed to talk about?” Almost always cheerful, Adam was fighting back laughter, not anger.
“I don’t know. But he looks like he’d rather take a nap. Kyle, you look exhausted. Are you okay?”
“I was up late watching the game, actually. Those extra innings were brutal. And then I had a hard time getting to sleep.” Ryka disliked baseball as much as Kate seemed to, and had passed out cold during the game. Normally, if Kyle didn’t drift off quickly, Ryka could help him fall asleep, but he had been too busy doing that himself to assist. Not meaning to, he yawned. “Well, maybe a nap wouldn’t hurt.”
“Say no more.” Adam turned back around and switched on the radio on, and Kyle quickly found himself drifting off.
***
Ryka was the one to wake him when they arrived at their destination. Come on, stud, get up.
“I’m up, I’m up.” He caught Kate glancing at him in the rearview mirror, and wondered if she had momentarily forgotten that Ryka was along for the ride, too. Once parked, Kyle helped his friends haul their gear – which seemed like a lot for just the two of them – out to the sand. They set up their spot for the day, and Kyle took in the scenery while the happy couple applied sunscreen to each other.
“Can you even burn?” Kate asked, offering him the bottle once they were through. Hearing her own words, she blanched. Eyes wide, she glanced up at him, mouth now hanging open. “That’s not what I meant. I’m so sorry.”
Kyle shook his head. “Don’t worry.” He suspected his future held a great deal of burning, but not the kind Kate was referring to. “Nope. I can tan a bit, but it’s gone as soon as Ryka comes out again.”
“Oh. Well, I’m going to work on my tan, so you two have fun.” With that, Kate stretched out on her blanket, almost literally burying her head in the sand, eager to put that awkward moment in the past.
Kyle and Adam didn’t need any more of a hint than that. They walked the beach, revisiting their attempted conversation topics from the ride in. Kyle frequently found his gaze wandering as Ryka took in the sights, though his focus seemed to be more on the other beach-goers than the ocean itself. Especially on the folks whose physiques were most flattered by their shorts or bikinis. “Ryka, please behave. It’s creepy to stare, and I don’t need someone to get pissed and try to start something.”
This elicited even more angry muttering and an assertion that picking a fight would be the last thing the offending mortal ever did, but Ryka obeyed all the same.
It was coming up on noon by the time they made their way back to where their towels were spread out, and they found Kate had at least remembered to flip over to tan her other side. Adam gently shook her awake. “Hey, sleeping beauty. How about some lunch?”
As thanks for inviting him along, and to rack up some good karma points in case Ryka wound up having a bad day, Kyle treated them to lunch at the snack stand. Afterward, it was back to the blanket to drop off his wallet and then down to the water for a swim. Kyle watched as both Kate and Adam gingerly made their way out past their shins, scrunching up their faces as cold water found sensitive places. Of course, he didn’t feel a thing, and dove right in.
It had been a long time since he had been swimming, and he realized it wasn’t something he had done at all since becoming Ryka’s host. He’d been in a hot tub once, but that hardly counted. He was enjoying diving under the waves or riding them to shore, or just floating on his back, staring up at the sky.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
However, his peaceful reverie was interrupted by Ryka’s low whining. “What’s wrong, dear?” Over the crash of the waves, no one could hear him.
Just jealous. I’ve never been able to get my wings wet.
At home, Ryka would fill the tub and dunk his head under, but his wings barely fit in the bathroom, never mind the tub. He was always left with one hanging onto the floor, and the other folded up against the wall.
“I’m sorry, Ry. But it’s very crowded here.”
I know.
“I’ll try to think of something, okay? I’m sure there’s a lake around that’s much quieter than this. And those kinds of places are easier to sneak into.”
An enthusiastic purr greeted his trespassing suggestion. For the moment, Ryka was happy to live vicariously through his host, and Kyle enjoyed the water a bit longer before rejoining Adam and Kate on the sand. Kate was wrapped in her towel, teeth chattering, and Adam was nearly blue. Though based on the fact that most everyone else was sweating in the sun, Kyle thought they’d warm up quick enough, so didn’t feel too bad about being completely impervious to the chilly water.
Kyle leaned back on his towel, wadding up his shirt to use as a pillow. He closed his eyes, but didn’t realize he was even tired until the dream started.
***
He was asleep long enough to relive that fateful night almost two times, and woke slowly, propping himself up on his elbows. Kate glanced away quickly when Kyle caught her gaze, but Adam smiled and said, “Welcome back.”
“I wasn’t talking in my sleep, was I?”
“No, just mumbling.”
That was par for the course, Kyle supposed. “How long was I out?”
“An hour. But don’t worry, we’ve been keeping ourselves amused.” The idiotic grin on his friend’s face was worrisome. Kyle wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but felt compelled to ask anyhow.
“How?”
Kate finally rejoined the conversation. “By keeping a count of how many people ogled you while you were sleeping.”
“By what? Huh?”
“You got passing glances from pretty much everyone that’s walked by, but were blatantly stared at by fifteen women and five men. And just so you know,” Kate continued, “your bathing suit tends to - how do I say this? - cling a little when it’s wet.”
Unable to stop himself, Kyle grabbed his shirt and covered his lap. Of course, he had been asleep long enough for his suit to dry almost completely, so his efforts were far too late. But he could feel himself blushing, could watch the color spread down his chest. “You really could have woken me to tell me that. Any of you.” He hissed out that last, but Ryka was asleep and missed Kyle’s barb.
“Sorry, it was way too entertaining. We took turns giving them dirty looks when we caught them, and most of them got redder than you are now,” Adam explained.
“Well, glad I provided some entertainment. But why me?”
Kate looked baffled by Kyle’s question. “Aside from the wet shorts? I mean –” she stopped suddenly, now remembering that Kyle wasn’t going to be the only one hearing her reasoning.
Luckily, Adam covered for her. He wasn’t over-confident by any means, but felt he had a good enough rapport with Ryka to be honest with Kyle. “You’ve seen yourself in a mirror right?” There was a brief moment of cringe-inducing discomfort where Kyle thought this conversation was going somewhere very different before Adam continued, “I mean, that’s a lot of abs.”
That didn’t help Kyle’s blushing any, and now his mortification woke Ryka. What’s wrong with you? Kyle supposed that was meant to sound more like “Are you okay?” but the demon often struggled with empathy.
Turning away from Adam and Kate, he whispered “Nothing. Really.” Ryka didn’t seem convinced, but was at least appeased when Kyle assured him it was something funny and would tell him later. In the meantime, Kyle thought going for another swim would provide a good distraction. As jealous as he was, Ryka did enjoy the change of scenery.
Adam and Kate braved the chilly water to join him for a few minutes, but quickly returned to basking in the sun. Still somehow tired from the night before, Kyle joined them, this time sprawling out face down on his blanket.
***
According to his pricey new watch, he only slept twenty minutes this time. Adam and Kate had both passed out as well, so there was no telling how many people had been gawking at him while he slept. They were stirring awake, and Kyle very suddenly felt like he was intruding. To give them some time alone he walked the beach himself, chatting with Ryka along the way.
The day was passing quickly, and it was close to dinner time when he finally returned to their spot. Kate seemed content to stay longer, so they revisited the snack bar. The beach was clearing out quickly, though; there were only a few scattered groups remaining when they started their meal, and even fewer when they finished.
In fact, one end of the beach was completely empty, and only two couples were left at the farthest end. Kyle wasn’t sure when they’d have another chance like this. “You weren’t ready to pack up quite yet, were you?” he asked Kate.
She shook her head. “In half an hour or so. Why?”
“We’re going for a walk that way.” He motioned to the deserted end of the beach. “We won’t be too long.”
He didn’t hear Kate’s reply, though, because Ryka knew what Kyle’s intentions were, and was ensuring they were carried out as quickly as possible. Which is why Kyle found himself practically sprinting down the beach. Once they were far enough that Kyle was sure the two couples at the opposite end couldn’t see him well, he waded out past his waist, pushed his shorts a little lower on his hips, and reminded Ryka not to drown him by accident.
I won’t!
The transformation was almost instantaneous, and Ryka’s unfurling wings sent water spraying out beside him. He pumped them hard, fighting the waves and creating even more spray, before folding them against his back and diving under.
***
“What’s he doing?” Kate wondered, watching Kyle jog away.
“Uh, I think he’s letting Ryka out.” When Kate didn’t respond, Adam turned to look at her, and found Kate staring down the beach, eyes wide and face ashen. “To swim,” Adam clarified, although he suspected it wouldn’t help much.
“H-here? Now?” Kate leaned into him, reaching for his hands. She had seemed so relaxed all day, he had completely forgotten how terrified she was of the demon.
“It looks that way.” From this distance, it was hard to tell exactly what Ryka was doing, but it was easy to see how much was enjoying himself. He’d disappear under the water for a minute or two, then pop back up, wings stretched and flapping at full force. Which Adam suspected was something else he didn’t get to do a whole lot.
Adam had wanted to start packing up their belongings, but Kate was clinging to him, still unable to tear her gaze from the demon. Like if she looked away for even a moment, he’d suddenly be right behind her. “But ….”
“He’s fine. He’s having fun.”
***
And he wasn’t the only one. Ryka’s delight was contagious. It made Kyle melt seeing him this way - playful and free, splashing around like a kid. He was surprised to find that Ryka was a good swimmer, although his wings created a lot of drag. It was also impressive just how strong the demon’s flight muscles were – Ryka would flap against the breakers without them forcing his wings back, water building up against the front in a wall that quickly crested the tops.
With more than a little nostalgia, Kyle thought back to some of Ryka’s earliest experiences on Earth. He really missed these moments of innocent joy. As if hearing his thoughts – which was very likely the case – Ryka followed Kyle’s earlier example and rode to shore on a wave, using his wings to speed up his ride. As gracefully as he could manage, Ryka clambered back to his feet, turned, and headed toward deeper water.
“Thanks, stud,” he said before taking a deep breath and letting himself sink under the waves.
You’re welcome. I wish we could do this longer, but the beach will be closing soon, and I think Adam and Kate are almost ready to head home.
Ryka didn’t reply right away, but sat on the bottom for another minute before propelling himself back to the surface. “I know. A little longer?”
A little longer.
To Kyle’s astonishment, Ryka didn’t argue when Kyle told him it was time to go. Instead, he waded back to shore, stopping when he was ankle-deep. He shook his wings dry, then receded back to his usual position as passenger.
Kyle managed not to land face-first in the wet sand, but on his hands and knees instead. With Ryka purring at him the whole time, he made his way back to Adam and Kate. Somehow, they were only just finishing packing up, though Kyle had been gone close to forty minutes.
“Thanks for waiting. Sorry if that took too long.”
“You’re fine,” Adam assured him, since Kate suddenly seemed to be unable to look in Kyle’s direction, never mind speak to him. They started toward the parking lot, and Kate hurried ahead to unlock and start the car. “Don’t worry, she’s fine,” Adam started, before Kyle had the chance to apologize. “We’re glad you came today.” Kyle’s skepticism must have shown on his face because Adam quickly told him “Really.”
Kyle hung back while Adam went to help Kate load the car. You should take his advice and not worry so damn much.
“Sorry.”
Stop doing that, too. It’s her problem if she scares herself worrying about nothing.
“You’re not nothing, Ry.”
Although it certainly hadn’t been intended as one, Ryka took that as a compliment, and his mind’s eye could see the demon gloating. You know it. Sensing his host’s intention to scold, Ryka finished with, Thanks for letting me out, stud. I appreciate it.
“You’re welcome. I mean, we may as well try to enjoy our time here as much as we can, right?” Because later, for Kyle at least, there would be nothing of the sort.
I do enjoy it, Master. Every single moment with you.