Visitors' Bureau
Miguel
“Just a little bit further, Rosie.” I rub my hand gently on the dashboard, hoping to coax a few more miles out of my old clunker of a car. There’s a town a few miles up this road, and it should have a mechanic. As if on cue, Rosie sputters, and the engine makes a weird knocking sound, which cannot be good. I’m able to pull over to the side of the road as she heaves her last breath, rumbling to a halt. “At least it stopped raining,” I mumble to myself as I step out of my car into a puddle. I check under the hood as is required as a car owner, not that I know what I’m looking at. All I know is Rosiemade a weird noise, rattled, sputtered, and stopped. That doesn’t seem great.
Shielding my eyes from the setting sun, I look around. I can’t make out any signs of the town, but I know it's not far away. Taking my chances, I grab what meager supplies I have and make my way up the road.
The town of Ghostlight Falls seems big enough to have what I need, but I’m struggling to find anyone to help me. The lady at the Visitors’ Bureau told me to refer to the map out front, going off about how it’s not her job to show me where things are. I’m not exactly sure what she thinks her job is if it’s not helping out a visitor, but after forty-five seconds of map rant, I decide I’ll just go outside and refer to the map as suggested. Problem is… there’s no map out front. Looking up and down the street, there doesn’t appear to be a map anywhere. There’s not even a stand to display a map. So, I’m not sure what the anti-map lady was going off about, but honestly, I am too tired to deal with that again.
There is a bar next to the Visitors’ Bureau, and I’ve got to assume the bartender, or someone inside, will know where the mechanic is. As I make my way over, I’m distracted by something I see in the alley. At first, I can’t quite make out what it is. It looks like some sort of a bat-man? Markings line his long wings, spread open while he peacefully slumbers. He’s beautiful, well-sculpted, and, oh, fuck, half naked. More than half naked? He’s wearing scraps of clothes, and there is so much of him on display. When my eyes stop between his legs—completely against my will—my skin flushes and my clothes suddenly feel too tight. I really should stop staring at him.
I take another step toward the bar, then decide I should probably help this guy, right? Turning, I head into the alley. Doing my best to ignore his cock—oh fuck,that’s no basic dick—I examine his wings. The markings I noticed aren’t random. In fact, they look exactly like a map. Squinting, I find the Visitors’ Bureau and, sure enough, the bar is right next door. Is this the map the cranky lady was talking about? I get her jealousy.
Crouching down, I prepare to wake him. I’ve dealt with guys that look like him my entire life, and they’re usually assholes. It’s nice to pretend that this guy will be as sweet as he looks while sleeping for a moment or two longer, but then again, I really don’t want anyone finding me in an alley with a passed out, naked man. There’s no way the optics on that are good. Gently, I reach out, grabbing his ridiculously toned shoulder, and shake him. He murmurs a little in his sleep, wings curling around his body protectively, but doesn’t wake. I try again, a little harder this time.
“Um, Mr. Map-Bat-Man, sir?” I try. “It’s time to wake up.”
Slowly, he blinks his dark eyes open, taking me in. A smile spreads across his face at first, before confusion hits.
Chapter three
Rosa's Dulceria
Mappy
“Are you okay?”
Big brown eyes stare back into mine with such concern. I don’t recognize them, but then again, at this moment, I don’t recognize much.
“Um, yeah, I think so.” I move to stand, only to realize that my clothes are shredded, and I’d be giving this guy a view of the entire map, secret treasure included. Can’t be doing that. Covering myself with my wings, I look around for anything to use as makeshift clothing. My mystery man laughs at my modesty and tosses me a sweatshirt that I tie around my waist like an apron. Nowonly my ass is on display, and honestly, most of the town has seen that at some point or another.
“You’re the map?” He reaches out his hand to me and, for a moment, I’m still too confused to respond.
Finally, my brain starts working again, and I clasp his hand. “Yeah, people call me Mappy.”
He smiles, a dimple forming on his cheek. “Miguel. I was just passing through the area, and the lady in the Visitors’ Bureau told me to find the map for directions. I don’t know what I was picturing, but it wasn’t…” he trails off as his eyes roam over my body.
I know what I look like. Perfection. I assume he’s marveling at my impressive wingspan, and I fight the urge to fan my wings out further, now that my other impressive attribute is covered. As amazing as I look, he’s not too bad on the eyes either. He’s huge, but in a way that makes me want to run into his arms. Dark haircut close to his head, deep brown skin, and a mouth that I want to do inappropriate things to.
“Can I ask you something that might be personal?” He shifts uncomfortably as he poses the question.
“Sure, I’m an open book, or map.”
“Why are you half-naked in an alley?”
WhyamI half-naked in an alley? The last thing I remember was that sandwich from Grim’s. Did the green man drug me? No, that doesn’t make any sense. “Um, I’m not sure, actually. Must’ve gone a little too hard at Kyle’s last night.” I laugh, still confused. Best to just move on. “Were you looking for a place in particular?” Spreading out my wings, I gesture to different areas on the map.
“Right. My car broke down right outside of town, and I need a mechanic.”
Gesturing to the spot on the map, I reply, “Well then, Axel & Rodd is the place to go. Eli does great work. I can walk you over there if you’d like.”
Looking down at my legs, he smiles and says, “You’re not wearing pants.”
I shrug. “Nothing they haven’t seen before.” I guide him out of the alley toward the mechanic, showing him some of my favorite spots along the way. When we reach Axel and Rodd, I face him, not quite ready to say goodbye. “You going to be staying in town a while?”
“Maybe? It’ll depend on what the mechanic tells me about my car, I guess. After that, I’m not sure.”
“Well, it was great to meet you, Miguel,” I say with a smile.
