RP log: Tachibana, Yanagi
Rating: G.. really really G...
Summary: a flashback story, taking place..ahn..I think four years ago, telling the tale of how they met.
Renji tucked long strands of his hair behind his ear as he looked up, searching for the small dark silhouette of his shikigami. The grounds were large and uncomfortable to him but to Nukar it seemed the open sky remained ever the same, even if it was littered occasionally with people on broomsticks. It worried him though, Nukar was small compared to the larger pet birds here, mostly owls. Loneliness and well being were both things that worried the young boy. Or perhaps he was worrying about himself as well. Pulling a small sheet of paper from his pocket he folded it neatly into a little bird. The wind was blowing, tossing his dark hair in wisps against his cheeks. Pressing his lips to the wings of the origami bird he murmured softly, "Let the wind lift your wings." The paper seemed to shift, paper turning into layers of soft feathers while it slowly beat to life, flying up into the air to join Nukar.
The wind felt good blowing across Tachibana Kippei's face as he flew through the sky. He'd taken quite a liking to going on long flights on his broomstick, even if it was a bit more difficult for him than it was for those of pure wizard blood. It gave him a feeling of freedom. Although Laven didn't care for the hobby too much, which was rather ironic and funny. But then Laven wasn't a normal bird by any means. Kippei had raised the dove from the time he was a baby, hand-feeding him and keeping him warm after being abandoned by his mother, so the bird was convinced he was a human, and absolutely detested flying. So as Kippei took to the air himself, Laven hid himself inside the teen's cloak, peeking out every now and then.
The Japanese-Ainu boy looked up, watching as the two birds, now, flew. A broom drifted overhead, casting a shadow on the vibrant green grass. Renji's gaze followed the path of the broom automatically, still not used to the sight. Nukar wasn't either, each time someone flew by she would be struck with curiosity, drifting to hover by the flying person. The enchanted bird followed suit, the two beating their wings while flying around the person's head.
Kippei chuckled as two small birds joined his flight, and he slowed down a bit so they could easily keep up. He was sure one was a Japanese wagtail, if he remembered his birds correctly, but the other was a mystery. It looked...unreal. "Hello there, little ones," he smiled at the two birds. Laven poked his head out, seeing who was being addressed, and when he saw it was actually another pair of birds, he cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Look," Kippei chuckled at his partner. "We have new friends."
Nukar darted around the boy for a moment before suddenly diving and heading back towards Renji. Renji was still staring up at the person that had flown into the space above him, casting a shadow by his feet. Nukar ducked into his hair, ruffling through it for a moment before landing onto Renji's shoulder, slim tail beating at his shoulder as if tapping him. He looked at his familiar then up at the stranger, brows furrowing slightly, "What are you doing, Nukar?" His tone was affectionate, though curious. It was as if Nukar was trying to help him make friends.
Eyes following the path of the small wagtail, Kippei caught sight of a slim boy, obviously the bird's owner. He was taken with just how...cute the boy was. With a smile, he took the mystery-bird into his hand and turned, swooping down to land gently beside the other teen. "Does this belong to you?" he asked as he held out the tiny thing.
"It does," Renji replied softly as he held his hand for the small bird. The little bird hopped obediently onto his hand, bringing the enchanted bird to his lips it pecked his lips lightly before reverting to paper. "I'm sorry for disturbing you," Renji replied politely, bowing slightly. Nukar flew onto the other boy's shoulder, chirping cheerfully.
A magical paper crane? Kippei half-smiled, impressed. This boy was obviously very intelligent as well as polite. "It's no bother," he replied, and then grinned when the little wagtail landed on his shoulder. "Well hello again." Laven came out of his hiding spot, indignant, and climbed up to inspect the other bird. The dove's head cocked to the side so he could bring his eye closer, and he cooed curiously. "I think someone's jealous," Kippei said, then chuckled.
"Aah," Renji reached out to take Nukar back, reaching to pluck her from the other boy's shoulder gently. She chirped brightly as she jumped out of his reach; frown furrowing his features Renji reached for her again only to be dodged again. "Nukar..." His gaze darted to the older boy's face, ducking his head slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, she's not usually like this," he reached for Nukar again, hand brushing against the other boy's cheek.
"It's ok." Kippei took hold of the other's wrist gently. "She can stay if she likes, for a while." He took a moment to look over the boy's face, briefly thinking how nice the soft lines and dark eyelashes were. Then he shook his head, and reached up to pluck Laven from his shoulder and place him on the other's shoulder. "Now we're even." He chuckled again as the grey dove stared at the boy, and then began to groom the long strands of his hair.
Renji opened his eyes to look at the dove and blinked slightly in surprise at the gentle tugging. A hand came up to touch the dove lightly, stroking the smooth feathers. It was just a little bit bigger than Nukar. Nukar perched on the other boy's shoulder sang delightedly. "I'm Renji Yanagi by the way, first year, Ravenclaw," he introduced belatedly, "It's nice to meet you." He wasn't quite used to introducing himself given name first nor was he used to the house attached to him.
"Kippei Tachibana," Kippei extended a hand to shake. "Second year, Gryffindor," he smiled. "And that silly little bird there is Laven." Somehow, he felt at ease around this person. "So you're a first year? How are you enjoying Hogwarts?"
As if responding Laven tugged on a strand of Renji's hair lightly. Renji smiled slightly as he took the hand, shaking once firmly. "I'm not very used to it at all, but it's not unpleasant. I keep staring when people fly above me," he confessed sheepishly. Rather like the way he had stared up stupidly when Kippei had flown above him. "And I'm not very used to speaking English," it made him a little self-conscious, worrying about his accent.
"I think everyone finds the place a bit strange at first," Kippei responded. "You'll get used to it eventually." He thought for a second, then added "Well, I suppose it's not as bad for the pure-bloods as it is for we muggles." There, that was in the open. Kippei generally preferred to be honest about his background, that he wasn't 'true' wizard blood, and especially in a situation like this. He could feel a connection with this Renji, and if a friendship were to happen, honesty was best.
"I think the biggest trouble for me is the cultural difference, pure-bloodedness doesn't seem to help. Western magic is so different from Eastern," Renji had no prejudice against muggles, everyone at this school was there for a reason. "For example, I've never flown on a broom before or even seen people fly on a broom until I came here." Renji smiled amicably, there was no reason for shame for either of their heritage.
Kippei gave a broad smile. Oh yes, he definitely liked this person. "That is difficult. So many different people from so many different places, all thrown together here. It can make it hard to meet people and find friends. But it's also a good experience, I think."
"Yes; where are you from?" he asked curiously, tilting his head slightly. Nukar fluttered back onto Renji's shoulder, landing next to Laven. The dove fluttered to the other side of Renji's head, pulling on another strand of his hair. He blinked slightly, looking at the two birds before Laven hopped back onto Kippei's shoulder.
"From Korea," Kippei answered, then reached up to scratch Laven's head as the dove returned to his usual place on his shoulder. "Land of kimchee." He grinned, then hovered his broom a few feet above the ground and sat on it, using the flying object as a makeshift bench. "And you?"
"Japan," he replied as he watched the way the broom hovered curiously. "I'm third generation Utari," Renji added as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear, mostly to stop himself from pressing a hand against the floating broom. Nukar flew from his shoulder, hopping onto the handle of the broom next to Kippei. No way, he thought to the bird; he wasn't going to sit down randomly next to the other boy.
A Korean and a Japanese....ah, what an interesting turn of events. "Utari?" Kippei questioned, unsure of the term. Korea and Japan historically didn't get along, so there were many things about the other country his public schooling never bothered to cover. And when Renji's little familiar flitted over to perch next to him, he smiled at her, then looked up to the other boy and tilted his head, indicating he could take a seat as well.
"Ainu. I'm part aboriginal," he clarified with a slight smile. He stepped closer, offering his hand for Nukar now that she had her way, before sitting down curiously next to the older boy. He balanced himself carefully on the broom, a little nervous though it didn't feel so different from sitting on something that was solidly grounded since it wasn't moving other than the faint dip when he sat on. "This is the first time I've been on a broom." He noted how much the broom dropped; it was going to be interesting gaining interest of all these new things.
"Aah," Kippei nodded at the explanation, then shifted a bit as the other sat down. It wasn't the largest of brooms, his family couldn't afford anything too fancy, so they had to sit relatively close to both fit. But it wasn't uncomfortable, at least not for Kippei. And then he gave a surprised look when Renji revealed his lack of broom contact. "Really? So you've never flown before either?" he asked the obvious question with a raised eyebrow. "I love to fly. It's such a rush."
"Flying lessons haven't begun yet, so yeah, this is my first time," he confessed with a slight blush. Inexperience wasn't something that he often dealt with; perhaps it was good that he was suddenly thrown into so many new situations. He settled onto the broom, thigh pressed to Kippei's. "If it's not too much, would you show me?" Renji liked to dive in head first, and he felt comfortable with his new companion.
And Kippei laughed out loud. "I was just about to ask if you'd like a pre-lesson." He winked, and swung his leg around so he was straddling the broom, ready to fly. Laven took the cue and dove into his cloak. "Alright then, position like so."
Renji shifted to imitate the other boy's pose, straddling the broom a little awkwardly. Kind of like riding a bike perhaps. His hands held onto the handle in the space between them. He scooted forward slightly, instinctively, not wanting to be so close to the end of the handle. Though then he had no where to put his hands.
"You might, ah, want to hold on to me. Wouldn't want you to fall off." He felt his new friend adjust, and waited for him to be ready. "For now we'll just fly around, but you'll need to hold on tightly until you know how to stay balanced." He grinned despite himself, keeping it hidden as his back was to Renji. "Let me know when you're ready."
His hands rested lightly on Kippei's waist. He shifted again for a few moments, trying to find a way to balance on the broom properly. "Ready."
"Okay," Kippei replied. "Here we go." He started off semi slowly, levitating up a few feet, and then began moving forward. He'd wanted to go easy on the younger teen, but the familiar thrill of the wind blowing in his face pushed him to go what was probably a bit faster than he had initially planned on going.
Renji held on tight to the other boy, heart jumping slightly at the rising sensation. He wrapped his arms around Kippei's waist, feeling a little insecure as they suddenly flew forward a bit fast. He was pressed to the older boy's back, Nukar had jumped from her perch on his shoulder and was flying by their side. Renji looked down curiously, thinking of the time he'd gone up Tokyo Tower. Slowly he exhaled the breath he'd been holding from lift off, relaxing slightly.
This was actually the first time Kippei had ever flown with a rider. It was nice having another body next to him, arms wrapped around him. Then he shook the thought out of his head. He had just met this person, and they were both guys - it was best not to think strange thoughts. So he remained silent as they flew, simply enjoying the moment and the air.
The wind whipped the hair back from Renji's face as they flew. He couldn't say he loved it, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling, though his stomach felt like it was drifting up too high. If nothing else it offered an excellent view of Hogwarts. The overbearing, large school seemed a little more manageable seen from above.
After a while Kippei commented "If you want to go down at any time, let me know." Though he himself could stay aflight forever, he didn't want to keep the other student longer than he was comfortable with.
"Mm," Renji replied softly, turning his head to the other side to admire the view and to map out the school. Good data. His stomach seemed to slowly settle, or perhaps he became accustomed to the sensation of flying.
The weather was nice and the company was better, making for a wonderful flight. And after a bit Kippei threw in a few dips and wide loops; nothing too dramatic or wild, but enough to add a small thrill. He had a lot of practice at flying, because he enjoyed it so much, and had become quite good at it. But he wasn't showing off, just having a little fun. And he hoped Renji enjoyed it too. What he had said was true - in such a jumble of different peoples, it could be difficult meeting others and making friends. Especially for a muggle, who there was some prejudice against among the pure-bloods. It would be nice to have someone to fly with every now and then.
Renji enjoyed the loops and dips, though the first time his hold around Kippei's waist tightened in surprise. "Do that again," he asked, lips close to the other boy's ear. He'd pressed himself close as they looped in the sky. "And faster," he requested playfully. It wasn't often that he did something like this for fun.
With a chuckle, Kippei sped up as requested, adding a few more dips and tightening the loops. But the lips so close to his ear and the voice that brushed against him sent shivers down his spine. He became acutely aware of the arms around his waist, and again tried to shake off the thoughts of closeness. Apparently he was a bit more lonely than he'd realized, for such a small touch to have an effect on him. Or something. He was becoming too comfortable with the contact.
Suddenly he swooped down and came to a halt a few feet above the ground. "Perhaps that's enough for one day. Don't want to overdo it your first time." He tried a smile.
Renji returned the smile brightly, "Thank you, that was perfect." He let go of his hold around Kippei's waist as he pulled himself off the broom. Nukar landed with them, sitting happily on Renji's shoulder as he dismounted. "I can't wait for the flying lessons to begin," he was a little breathless from the ride as his hand reached up to his hair to pull it straight. It was mostly in place despite the long ride, strands falling nice and straight against his face.
Kippei nodded, dark eyes watching the strands of Renji's hair falling into place and wondering if it was really as soft as it looked. "It's very...uplifting," he said, then chuckled at the small pun. But he missed the feel of the other boy's arms around him, and the thought made him take a few steps back. He's a guy, he reminded himself. Despite all appearances.
Renji grinned wryly at the pun, "It certainly was. I should be going, I was supposed to go somewhere today but... I'll be seeing you?" He was quite certain he would actually. "I will be," and for once it wasn't a bad prediction. "It was very nice meeting you, Kippei."
"Absolutely," Kippei smiled, already looking forward to the next time they'd meet. "And I'm very glad to have met you, Renji." And not to be left out, Laven popped his head out of Kippei's cloak and cooed. "This guy too," he scratched the grey dove's head gently.
"Until next time then," Renji replied as he bowed slightly, turning to walk towards the Ravenclaw tower.
He watched the other boy walk away, wondering at this feeling he was having. This...closeness. Laven emerged from his hiding spot and climbed up to Kippei's shoulder, where he received a scratch on the chest. "Well, what do you think?" The dove just cooed. "Yeah, me too."
And then he took flight again, sailing of into the sky.
Summary: a flashback story, taking place..ahn..I think four years ago, telling the tale of how they met.
Renji tucked long strands of his hair behind his ear as he looked up, searching for the small dark silhouette of his shikigami. The grounds were large and uncomfortable to him but to Nukar it seemed the open sky remained ever the same, even if it was littered occasionally with people on broomsticks. It worried him though, Nukar was small compared to the larger pet birds here, mostly owls. Loneliness and well being were both things that worried the young boy. Or perhaps he was worrying about himself as well. Pulling a small sheet of paper from his pocket he folded it neatly into a little bird. The wind was blowing, tossing his dark hair in wisps against his cheeks. Pressing his lips to the wings of the origami bird he murmured softly, "Let the wind lift your wings." The paper seemed to shift, paper turning into layers of soft feathers while it slowly beat to life, flying up into the air to join Nukar.
The wind felt good blowing across Tachibana Kippei's face as he flew through the sky. He'd taken quite a liking to going on long flights on his broomstick, even if it was a bit more difficult for him than it was for those of pure wizard blood. It gave him a feeling of freedom. Although Laven didn't care for the hobby too much, which was rather ironic and funny. But then Laven wasn't a normal bird by any means. Kippei had raised the dove from the time he was a baby, hand-feeding him and keeping him warm after being abandoned by his mother, so the bird was convinced he was a human, and absolutely detested flying. So as Kippei took to the air himself, Laven hid himself inside the teen's cloak, peeking out every now and then.
The Japanese-Ainu boy looked up, watching as the two birds, now, flew. A broom drifted overhead, casting a shadow on the vibrant green grass. Renji's gaze followed the path of the broom automatically, still not used to the sight. Nukar wasn't either, each time someone flew by she would be struck with curiosity, drifting to hover by the flying person. The enchanted bird followed suit, the two beating their wings while flying around the person's head.
Kippei chuckled as two small birds joined his flight, and he slowed down a bit so they could easily keep up. He was sure one was a Japanese wagtail, if he remembered his birds correctly, but the other was a mystery. It looked...unreal. "Hello there, little ones," he smiled at the two birds. Laven poked his head out, seeing who was being addressed, and when he saw it was actually another pair of birds, he cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Look," Kippei chuckled at his partner. "We have new friends."
Nukar darted around the boy for a moment before suddenly diving and heading back towards Renji. Renji was still staring up at the person that had flown into the space above him, casting a shadow by his feet. Nukar ducked into his hair, ruffling through it for a moment before landing onto Renji's shoulder, slim tail beating at his shoulder as if tapping him. He looked at his familiar then up at the stranger, brows furrowing slightly, "What are you doing, Nukar?" His tone was affectionate, though curious. It was as if Nukar was trying to help him make friends.
Eyes following the path of the small wagtail, Kippei caught sight of a slim boy, obviously the bird's owner. He was taken with just how...cute the boy was. With a smile, he took the mystery-bird into his hand and turned, swooping down to land gently beside the other teen. "Does this belong to you?" he asked as he held out the tiny thing.
"It does," Renji replied softly as he held his hand for the small bird. The little bird hopped obediently onto his hand, bringing the enchanted bird to his lips it pecked his lips lightly before reverting to paper. "I'm sorry for disturbing you," Renji replied politely, bowing slightly. Nukar flew onto the other boy's shoulder, chirping cheerfully.
A magical paper crane? Kippei half-smiled, impressed. This boy was obviously very intelligent as well as polite. "It's no bother," he replied, and then grinned when the little wagtail landed on his shoulder. "Well hello again." Laven came out of his hiding spot, indignant, and climbed up to inspect the other bird. The dove's head cocked to the side so he could bring his eye closer, and he cooed curiously. "I think someone's jealous," Kippei said, then chuckled.
"Aah," Renji reached out to take Nukar back, reaching to pluck her from the other boy's shoulder gently. She chirped brightly as she jumped out of his reach; frown furrowing his features Renji reached for her again only to be dodged again. "Nukar..." His gaze darted to the older boy's face, ducking his head slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, she's not usually like this," he reached for Nukar again, hand brushing against the other boy's cheek.
"It's ok." Kippei took hold of the other's wrist gently. "She can stay if she likes, for a while." He took a moment to look over the boy's face, briefly thinking how nice the soft lines and dark eyelashes were. Then he shook his head, and reached up to pluck Laven from his shoulder and place him on the other's shoulder. "Now we're even." He chuckled again as the grey dove stared at the boy, and then began to groom the long strands of his hair.
Renji opened his eyes to look at the dove and blinked slightly in surprise at the gentle tugging. A hand came up to touch the dove lightly, stroking the smooth feathers. It was just a little bit bigger than Nukar. Nukar perched on the other boy's shoulder sang delightedly. "I'm Renji Yanagi by the way, first year, Ravenclaw," he introduced belatedly, "It's nice to meet you." He wasn't quite used to introducing himself given name first nor was he used to the house attached to him.
"Kippei Tachibana," Kippei extended a hand to shake. "Second year, Gryffindor," he smiled. "And that silly little bird there is Laven." Somehow, he felt at ease around this person. "So you're a first year? How are you enjoying Hogwarts?"
As if responding Laven tugged on a strand of Renji's hair lightly. Renji smiled slightly as he took the hand, shaking once firmly. "I'm not very used to it at all, but it's not unpleasant. I keep staring when people fly above me," he confessed sheepishly. Rather like the way he had stared up stupidly when Kippei had flown above him. "And I'm not very used to speaking English," it made him a little self-conscious, worrying about his accent.
"I think everyone finds the place a bit strange at first," Kippei responded. "You'll get used to it eventually." He thought for a second, then added "Well, I suppose it's not as bad for the pure-bloods as it is for we muggles." There, that was in the open. Kippei generally preferred to be honest about his background, that he wasn't 'true' wizard blood, and especially in a situation like this. He could feel a connection with this Renji, and if a friendship were to happen, honesty was best.
"I think the biggest trouble for me is the cultural difference, pure-bloodedness doesn't seem to help. Western magic is so different from Eastern," Renji had no prejudice against muggles, everyone at this school was there for a reason. "For example, I've never flown on a broom before or even seen people fly on a broom until I came here." Renji smiled amicably, there was no reason for shame for either of their heritage.
Kippei gave a broad smile. Oh yes, he definitely liked this person. "That is difficult. So many different people from so many different places, all thrown together here. It can make it hard to meet people and find friends. But it's also a good experience, I think."
"Yes; where are you from?" he asked curiously, tilting his head slightly. Nukar fluttered back onto Renji's shoulder, landing next to Laven. The dove fluttered to the other side of Renji's head, pulling on another strand of his hair. He blinked slightly, looking at the two birds before Laven hopped back onto Kippei's shoulder.
"From Korea," Kippei answered, then reached up to scratch Laven's head as the dove returned to his usual place on his shoulder. "Land of kimchee." He grinned, then hovered his broom a few feet above the ground and sat on it, using the flying object as a makeshift bench. "And you?"
"Japan," he replied as he watched the way the broom hovered curiously. "I'm third generation Utari," Renji added as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear, mostly to stop himself from pressing a hand against the floating broom. Nukar flew from his shoulder, hopping onto the handle of the broom next to Kippei. No way, he thought to the bird; he wasn't going to sit down randomly next to the other boy.
A Korean and a Japanese....ah, what an interesting turn of events. "Utari?" Kippei questioned, unsure of the term. Korea and Japan historically didn't get along, so there were many things about the other country his public schooling never bothered to cover. And when Renji's little familiar flitted over to perch next to him, he smiled at her, then looked up to the other boy and tilted his head, indicating he could take a seat as well.
"Ainu. I'm part aboriginal," he clarified with a slight smile. He stepped closer, offering his hand for Nukar now that she had her way, before sitting down curiously next to the older boy. He balanced himself carefully on the broom, a little nervous though it didn't feel so different from sitting on something that was solidly grounded since it wasn't moving other than the faint dip when he sat on. "This is the first time I've been on a broom." He noted how much the broom dropped; it was going to be interesting gaining interest of all these new things.
"Aah," Kippei nodded at the explanation, then shifted a bit as the other sat down. It wasn't the largest of brooms, his family couldn't afford anything too fancy, so they had to sit relatively close to both fit. But it wasn't uncomfortable, at least not for Kippei. And then he gave a surprised look when Renji revealed his lack of broom contact. "Really? So you've never flown before either?" he asked the obvious question with a raised eyebrow. "I love to fly. It's such a rush."
"Flying lessons haven't begun yet, so yeah, this is my first time," he confessed with a slight blush. Inexperience wasn't something that he often dealt with; perhaps it was good that he was suddenly thrown into so many new situations. He settled onto the broom, thigh pressed to Kippei's. "If it's not too much, would you show me?" Renji liked to dive in head first, and he felt comfortable with his new companion.
And Kippei laughed out loud. "I was just about to ask if you'd like a pre-lesson." He winked, and swung his leg around so he was straddling the broom, ready to fly. Laven took the cue and dove into his cloak. "Alright then, position like so."
Renji shifted to imitate the other boy's pose, straddling the broom a little awkwardly. Kind of like riding a bike perhaps. His hands held onto the handle in the space between them. He scooted forward slightly, instinctively, not wanting to be so close to the end of the handle. Though then he had no where to put his hands.
"You might, ah, want to hold on to me. Wouldn't want you to fall off." He felt his new friend adjust, and waited for him to be ready. "For now we'll just fly around, but you'll need to hold on tightly until you know how to stay balanced." He grinned despite himself, keeping it hidden as his back was to Renji. "Let me know when you're ready."
His hands rested lightly on Kippei's waist. He shifted again for a few moments, trying to find a way to balance on the broom properly. "Ready."
"Okay," Kippei replied. "Here we go." He started off semi slowly, levitating up a few feet, and then began moving forward. He'd wanted to go easy on the younger teen, but the familiar thrill of the wind blowing in his face pushed him to go what was probably a bit faster than he had initially planned on going.
Renji held on tight to the other boy, heart jumping slightly at the rising sensation. He wrapped his arms around Kippei's waist, feeling a little insecure as they suddenly flew forward a bit fast. He was pressed to the older boy's back, Nukar had jumped from her perch on his shoulder and was flying by their side. Renji looked down curiously, thinking of the time he'd gone up Tokyo Tower. Slowly he exhaled the breath he'd been holding from lift off, relaxing slightly.
This was actually the first time Kippei had ever flown with a rider. It was nice having another body next to him, arms wrapped around him. Then he shook the thought out of his head. He had just met this person, and they were both guys - it was best not to think strange thoughts. So he remained silent as they flew, simply enjoying the moment and the air.
The wind whipped the hair back from Renji's face as they flew. He couldn't say he loved it, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling, though his stomach felt like it was drifting up too high. If nothing else it offered an excellent view of Hogwarts. The overbearing, large school seemed a little more manageable seen from above.
After a while Kippei commented "If you want to go down at any time, let me know." Though he himself could stay aflight forever, he didn't want to keep the other student longer than he was comfortable with.
"Mm," Renji replied softly, turning his head to the other side to admire the view and to map out the school. Good data. His stomach seemed to slowly settle, or perhaps he became accustomed to the sensation of flying.
The weather was nice and the company was better, making for a wonderful flight. And after a bit Kippei threw in a few dips and wide loops; nothing too dramatic or wild, but enough to add a small thrill. He had a lot of practice at flying, because he enjoyed it so much, and had become quite good at it. But he wasn't showing off, just having a little fun. And he hoped Renji enjoyed it too. What he had said was true - in such a jumble of different peoples, it could be difficult meeting others and making friends. Especially for a muggle, who there was some prejudice against among the pure-bloods. It would be nice to have someone to fly with every now and then.
Renji enjoyed the loops and dips, though the first time his hold around Kippei's waist tightened in surprise. "Do that again," he asked, lips close to the other boy's ear. He'd pressed himself close as they looped in the sky. "And faster," he requested playfully. It wasn't often that he did something like this for fun.
With a chuckle, Kippei sped up as requested, adding a few more dips and tightening the loops. But the lips so close to his ear and the voice that brushed against him sent shivers down his spine. He became acutely aware of the arms around his waist, and again tried to shake off the thoughts of closeness. Apparently he was a bit more lonely than he'd realized, for such a small touch to have an effect on him. Or something. He was becoming too comfortable with the contact.
Suddenly he swooped down and came to a halt a few feet above the ground. "Perhaps that's enough for one day. Don't want to overdo it your first time." He tried a smile.
Renji returned the smile brightly, "Thank you, that was perfect." He let go of his hold around Kippei's waist as he pulled himself off the broom. Nukar landed with them, sitting happily on Renji's shoulder as he dismounted. "I can't wait for the flying lessons to begin," he was a little breathless from the ride as his hand reached up to his hair to pull it straight. It was mostly in place despite the long ride, strands falling nice and straight against his face.
Kippei nodded, dark eyes watching the strands of Renji's hair falling into place and wondering if it was really as soft as it looked. "It's very...uplifting," he said, then chuckled at the small pun. But he missed the feel of the other boy's arms around him, and the thought made him take a few steps back. He's a guy, he reminded himself. Despite all appearances.
Renji grinned wryly at the pun, "It certainly was. I should be going, I was supposed to go somewhere today but... I'll be seeing you?" He was quite certain he would actually. "I will be," and for once it wasn't a bad prediction. "It was very nice meeting you, Kippei."
"Absolutely," Kippei smiled, already looking forward to the next time they'd meet. "And I'm very glad to have met you, Renji." And not to be left out, Laven popped his head out of Kippei's cloak and cooed. "This guy too," he scratched the grey dove's head gently.
"Until next time then," Renji replied as he bowed slightly, turning to walk towards the Ravenclaw tower.
He watched the other boy walk away, wondering at this feeling he was having. This...closeness. Laven emerged from his hiding spot and climbed up to Kippei's shoulder, where he received a scratch on the chest. "Well, what do you think?" The dove just cooed. "Yeah, me too."
And then he took flight again, sailing of into the sky.