Love My Wings

Chapter 3

Rory and Lei headed to the apartment carrying the bags of extra essences. "Alright Lei, so here's the plan." Lei looked at Rory confused. 

"Plan?" He nodded.

"Yes, plan. First, we're gonna go home and drop this off. I'm starving, so I'm sure you are too. After we eat we can go to my mom's house. She can help us out with that book you have. She probably has other stuff that can help as well."

Lei felt a bit of relief for the first time in his day and a half of being there. "So... Your mom is into magic and stuff, right?"

Rory smirked. "Yeah. Spells, rituals, shifting, astrology, natural remedies. All of that."

Rory reached for his rattling keys and opened the door. "That's so cool. Not many people know about those things nowadays." Lei replied.

"Yeah. It's not common."

"What would you like to eat, Strawberry boy?" Lei cringed at the mention of his new nickname. 

"Oh, anything is alright. I'm not picky at all." Rory began emptying random items from the fridge as Lei looked questioningly at the pans and pots.

"Say less."

"You can cook?"

"I'll let you be the judge of that," Rory replied daringly.

"May I help?" There was a pause. He wasn't so sure he wanted help. Especially not from Lei.

"Uhhhh... if you can fill that pot up with water for me and heat the stove, that would be helpful." Lei held the glass pot over the tap shakily and filled it nearly to the brim. "Good. Now get me some basil and mushrooms will you?" He searched for the basil and mushrooms which weren't very easy to find while Rory was preparing the sauce.

"Here you go."

"Thanks," Even though they had only known each other for hours, it was already starting to feel like they had grown closer. In such little time, you'd think you would know nothing about a person.

"You know, Rory. I know we still need to figure out what happened to me and everything, but what if I can't go back home?" Rory stopped, his hand frozen at the knife. That thought hadn't crossed his mind at all. He couldn't bring himself to believe everything that had happened since yesterday.

"Then... You can live here with me. Until you want to get a job, get married, and have kids or whatever." They stared at each other blankly as laughter slowly crept up on them and Rory quickly changed the awkward subject.

"Ok, the water is boiling, you can throw the pasta in there now." Lei followed directions despite his growing fear of getting burnt.

"Why are you making that face?" He knitted his eyebrows.

"What face?"

"You're acting like it's going to jump on you, or something. Just throw it in." Lei clenched his teeth with doubt.

"See? Water doesn't bite." Rory teased. Lei squinted, slightly irritated.

"Are we done?"

"Basically. We just have to wait now." Lei grinned at him with sudden realization.

"Thank you, once again. I would probably be dead by now without you." Rory shook his head.

"Oh, it's nothing. With the number of customers you attract, you'll be paid off in a week."

"I'm glad I can help," Lei replied as Rory set the plates of steaming, fragrant pasta on the counter.

"Be my guest!" He cheered. Lei's stomach let out a small growl. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. His last decent meal was yesterday's breakfast.