#paradisecitysfinest

[beyondedenton]

Roxanne arrived on Lirim’s doorstep wearing the Christmas sweater he’d gotten her last year, a Santa hat, and a brilliant smile.

“Merry Christmas, cher!” Before he could say a single word, she would set the presents down to give him a hard hug and a kiss to the cheek that would leave a perfect lipstick print.

“Gotcha a lil’ something for you and a lil’ something for your studio and a lil’ something to put in that second something.”

    There were a few people on this earth he’d platonically kiss. Roxanne was on that list of people, and for a half-second he had expected her to, but a kiss print on his cheek was just fine. 

    “First off, we’re gonna open the second lil somethin’ right now. Second... second, I got a little somethin’ for you, but it ain’t in a box.” Lirim pulled out his phone, showing her the screen, and two reservations at the nicest restaurant in all of New Orleans. 

    “Also got us tickets to a symphony orchestra. You’re welcome to get drunk beforehand if it ain’t your thing.”

[anedendarkly]

A few days before Christmas, Q would receive card and a long cardboard tube in the mail. Inside the tube was a large print of Roxanne, painted head to toe in black and gold and glitter, posing with a bottle of champagne.

The card read:

Merry Christmas, cherie!

It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Don’t think we’ve seen or talked to each other since you brought that sexy giant of yours to see me way back when.

How’ve you been? How’s your sexy giant tree been?

I meant to send this along last year but between one thing and another I spaced and forgot. I have an artist friend I model for sometimes and this is just a lil’ bit of his work that I thought you might like.

Be so happy and so good, you deserve it.

Roxanne xoxo

    Jesus, it had been so long. Too damn long. He and Tane needed to take a trip down to New Orleans in the spring. Hell, maybe in a few weeks, if they could spare the time. Just seeing her handwriting was enough to make him nostalgic. They needed an hour-long phone call to catch up. 

    The print was spread over his bed, and immediately he considered where to place it. Maybe trade the boring little abstracts over his couch, but he second-guessed himself. For the sake of his clients, it was best to keep her private. Reluctantly, the print was rolled and returned to the tube. He needed a bigger place; that was all there was to it.

    Just a few days late, but Roxanne would receive a package in the mail from her old friend. A soft green negligee the length of her body, and as soft as humanly possible. The attached note simply said, “Let’s see him paint you like a French girl. Call me when you’re free! Merry Christmas!” 

[beyondedenton]

"About meeting you in the kitchen." She returned everything to its rightful place and went over to see the shots he'd picked out. Only two so far but they looked amazing.

"I love those! Oh, look how pretty that glitter caught the light." Completely worth the fact that she'd find glitter on her skin and hair for days to come. She was used to that anyway.

"Now that I'm lookin' at these I might want copies of more than one," she said with a laugh. "But you can finish going through them later. Let's go back up and do more celebrating and cupcake eating! Maybe we'll even get some actual food in there somewhere."

"I'll water mark my top ten and send them to you." She always made finding the perfect ones difficult, and by no fault than being a perfect model. He smiled at shut the laptop.

"I... am gonna need the gym, or a man after this." One was much more preferrable to the other, if not a challenge in and of itself. Maybe a little easier, now that he'd sworn off romance. He didn't want to think about that right now. Not on this dreaded day.

"You pick the music this time," he called behind her, following up the stairs and back to the kitchen.

[beyondedenton]

“Something festive!” Roxanne called from the top of the stairs, humor in her voice.

Lirim definitely wasn’t bohemian or not on board with being paid for his work but still, she wanted to make sure that if he did get this project, he’d get his due. And then some. If anyone deserved to be absolutely rolling in dough, it was that man.

Sad as she was to see the body paint go, it sure did look pretty swirling down the drain. Having clean skin again wasn’t that bad either. Roxanne slipped back into her clothes and toweled off her hair, then headed back down to the basement again.

“I lied. Wanted to give you the robe and sandals back first.”

    Lirim was still walking around with a dick on his chest, dots and swirls all over his face. He wore them with pride. They'd be a bitch to get off later, but worth it.

    "Hmm? Lied about what?" The camera was still hooked up to the laptop, lingering on his favorite photo of her, watching her blow gold glitter at an angle. She was absolutely stunning.

    "Shit, didn't know I'd been down here that long." He thought he would have isolated a few more favorites before she'd returned.

    "This one, and this one," he pulled up one of her kissing the bottle of champagne, "I think these are the ones. I'm not finished lookin' through em."

[beyondedenton]

God, she loved hearing him spout off ideas. He was at his most artistic when he did and it was just about the nicest thing ever to listen to.

“Whatever you do will end up looking’ amazing and I hope you know that if you did paint some of the dancers, it wouldn’t be for free. Harper’d pay a pretty penny to have them hung up in the club and if she does you’re gonna take all of it.”

Roxanne slipped into the robe and flip flops, grinning at him as she collected her clothes. “It’s the least you deserve.” She kissed his cheek. “All rightie, gonna go wash this off. Meet you in the kitchen?”

    "What am I, bohemian? Of course I'll take money." He'd take the press, too. There was someone in New Orleans bound to raise complaints at his choice of models. Wouldn't be the first time. The old saying was true; even bad press was good press. The lifestyle he led spoke of that fame.

    "Wiiiith another bottle of... somethin'?" he laughed. He doubted he'd be the first in the kitchen. He wanted to look over the photos on his laptop, clean up the space - at least marginally.

[beyondedenton]

"I feel stunning!" she laughed. That happiness of hers was wrapped up in too many other emotions for her to even begin to describe but chief among them? Love.

Love for this man who was one of her very best friends, love for their time together, and love for his work. How could that not make her happy?

"Little ol' me? You're flattering me, cher. And because you are I'm gonna go ahead and say yes because I have the time of my life when you paint me. Kinda series do you wanna make?"

    "A color story. Down the rainbow with different backgrounds, creatures, and scenarios. Maybe not creatures, but abstract? Maybe both. We can brainstorm later, if you're serious about it. Could even do - oh! What if I did a piece for each of the dancers at the club? You know, the veterans. Could blow em up life size."  

    Just throwing out each scattered thought as they came to him. He couldn't help his excitement, nor the will to shut himself up. He knew she didn't mind.

    "Alright. We've hit fifty."

    Black flip-flops were pulled from under the stairs, and a paint-covered robe from the stool.

    "Special soap's still in the cabinet next to the washer."

[beyondedenton]

"What it makes me feel, huh?" Roxanne mused as she shuffled back over to the mirror and took a long look at herself, head tilted.

Lirim had done beautiful work. The colors were striking, the design was somehow both dreamy and bold. And seeing the gold knowing what she'd drawn on Lirim's chest just tickled her. It all did really...

"Hmm." She walked back over and smiled. "Happy. It makes me feel happy, because it's beautiful and we had ourselves a good giggle while you worked." So, that meant her pose would be happy, with arms outstretched in utter delight and a winning smile that reached all the way to her eyes into the camera.

    Normally, he would have encouraged beyond a singular emotion. If she felt empowered; did she feel like a creature, or a memory? Her emotions were shared and reciprocated in kind. This afternoon, all he wanted was for her to understand and appreciate herself wholesale.

    "Stunning!" he enunciated and laughed. Her smile was incredibly attractive. Anyone would have to be blind not to notice. Beyond that; her smile effortlessly reached her voice.

    "I should make a series about you."

[beyondedenton]

"Yes, come join me!" Roxanne said brightly, holding a hand out to Lirim. While he'd worked she'd decided on some pin-up girl inspired poses for her photos but for this one--or two or three--with the two of them, she didn't think about it too much.

They were commemorating his birthday, after all! That called for fun and affection and just a little bit of silliness. A full photo of her own handiwork was especially important.

After that they could get down to business. They'd done this before, so Roxanne was perfectly comfortable being directed. She'd pose with whatever props he handed her and blow as much gold at the camera as it took to get the perfect shot.

"Whatcha think so, Mr. Artiste? Wanna get a few more?"

     As much as he despised his birthday, Roxanne made the day tolerable. He didn't want to think about her one day matches his age in appearance. Nor anything else that would have her questioning his existence. For now, they were all smiles as multiple shutter clicks filled the room, kissing each other's cheeks.

    Lirim was so grateful to have invested in a better camera. And then there were the others of various sizes and qualities, gifted by friends and fans over the years. A collection piled in one of the drawers of the cabinet. Two of the finest had been left out on their respective tripods. One eventually held in hand as he moved around her. She was and always would be one of his favorite models.

    "We have over thirty," said behind his camera. "Just a few more. Try... Try somethin' that..." He paused to consider. "Go look at yourself in the mirror and come back. Show me what it makes you feel."