By Nyassa Kaiba
Chapter 11- Flying Lessons…At that very moment Tyson was hidden under the bridge across the river where Tobias had told him to wait. He listened to the night sounds, frogs mainly, but some birds and even an owl too. Suddenly. "BOOGADA!" Somebody grabbed him around the waist and threw him up in the air. Tyson let out a shriek as he fell into the river.
Tobias stood on the bank, cackling in glee. "You should have seen your face! It was priceless!"
Tyson climbed up onto the bank. "Gee, thanks."
Tobias tossed him a towel and Tyson shook the water from his wings before drying the rest of him. "What did you do that for?"
"Because I can. Now listen." Tobias took a stick and began to draw in the dust near the river bank. "Repeat after me, hot air rises, cold air falls, these are thermodynamic laws."
"Hot air rises, cold air falls, these are thermodynamic laws." Repeated Tyson.
"Wanna know what it means?" Tobias asked, standing back from his diagram. "Here, have a look. This is how we get wind. See? The sun warms the ground, and the hot air rises. So cooler air moves in to take the place of the warm air. The movement of air currents creates winds. That wind is what we need to fly. You're lucky, a vampire's eyes can see heat. So you can see the rising hot air. We call a pillar of hot air a Thermal. Can you repeat that for me?"
"Rising hot air is called a thermal."
"Good, riding a thermal is like getting a free ride up the ski lifts. That's good, because when you're flying, altitude equals speed. Got that?"
"Altitude equals speed, got it." Tyson repeated. "Tobias, is that why you said that the flying isn't very good at night?"
"That's right, because at night the ground cools, which means that there are no thermals and you have to work harder to fly farther. But…" And he tousled Tyson's hair with a chuckle. "It also helps you build wing muscle. Now that I've taught you the basics of flight I'm gonna get into the practical. Take off your jacket and shirt and open your wings. I'm gonna take you on your first…"
"Tyson!" Kai came running, panting. "Hi Tobias, I'm sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to see Tyson's first flight."
Tyson opened his wings and curled them around Kai, pulling his lifemate into a kiss. Kai returned the kiss with fervor and passion. "You nervous?" He whispered.
"Yeah, but I'll have to learn sometime." Tyson replied.
Kai kissed him on the forehead. "That's the spirit. I'll be waiting."
Tobias gave an ahem noise. "Sorry to bust things up for you turtledoves, but we have work to do."
"Right." Tyson turned away from Kai, putting a safe distance so that he didn't risk hitting his boyfriend with his wings.
"Flap your wings, get up some lift, and then jump as high as you can." Tobias instructed. He crouched and began to flap, before launching himself into the air. He turned, hovering in front of them, on a level with the bridge. Tyson repeated what Tobias did and leapt into the air. "Right, let's go. We're going to the Hiwatari construction warehouse and back."
"That's the Blade Sharks' old hangout isn't it?" Tyson asked.
"Yeah, the place with the pile of broken beyblades in it." Tobias agreed. "It's a short flight there and back but it takes about fifteen minutes to reach on the ground from here." Tobias turned to the northwest and Tyson fell into line with him. "So, what do you think of flying Tyson?"
"It's amazing!" Tyson said, amazed. "It's incredible, I never thought it could be this good." Indeed, Tyson was trembling slightly with joy. He only wished that Kai had wings, that way they could fly together. Then he didn't want to think of it that way, because that would mean that Kai would become a vampire, and somehow, Tyson didn't want to put his mate through that. Maybe when he became strong enough he could scoop Kai up, carry him into the air.
"That's the spirit!" Tobias cheered. "Hey, we're almost there." They circled above the Blade Sharks warehouse. Tyson's shadow fell over the courtyard, he saw Carlos sitting on an old cushion with his back to the wall. As Tyson's shadow fell over the blade shark he woke and stared in wonder.
Laughing, Tyson did a barrel roll and flew a corkscrew around Tobias. "That's the spirit!" Tobias cheered.
Down below Tyson saw Carlos' mouth open in a scream. "I think we'd better go, he's screaming and I don't want to be here when the other Sharks come after him." Tyson said as he swung into a cloud.
"Hey wait for me!" Tobias cried as he darted into the cloud behind him. Tyson noticed that every flap of Tobias's wings made a flash of fire, easily visible through the cloud.
"Cool, how do you get your wings to do that?" Tyson asked.
"I AM a phoenix demon." Tobias pointed out. "I have power over fire. My wings do that naturally." Then he paused. "Let me see if Carlos is gone, we need to land on the roof and take a rest before I take you back, okay?"
Carlos was inside, and as Tyson landed on the roof he heard Carlos protest. "It's true! I swear it! A dragon and a phoenix were flying around above the warehouse."
Stuart gave a snort. "Right, and Tyson has wings."
Tyson giggled, covering his mouth to stop the sound.
"But it's true! I swear it!" Carlos protested.
"Right, Carlos, I think you've been on watch too long, I can't sleep, I'll take over." Casey volunteered.
After about five minutes Tobias turned to Tyson. "Right." He whispered. "I'm gonna teach you the drop off take off. You fall, and then beat your wings, like this." Tobias demonstrated.
Tyson did as he was shown, and found that this was a much easier way of gaining altitude. Tyson lifted off, saw the changing of the guard, and flew off.
Kai was waiting for them under the bridge, skimming rocks across the river. Tyson came in quietly after Tobias and glomped his boyfriend. "Hey there Kai! Guess where we went?"
"Where?" Kai asked, turning around for Tyson to hold him.
"We flew to the Blade Sharks hide out. And Carlos saw me while he was on watch. And he thought I was a dragon!" Tyson giggled. "I landed on the roof and listened to him freak out. The other Sharks thought that he was seeing things!"
Kai chuckled. "I'll bet you loved that." Kai remarked.
"You're right. I did. Care to come home with me and celebrate?" Tyson asked.
"Next week, same day, same time." Tobias gave Tyson a pat on the shoulder. "Have fun."
"I will." Tyson smirked as he pulled Kai into a kiss. He flopped on the grass and pulled Kai on top of him. "I'm a bit tired love." He smirked as he nipped Kai's ear. "And hungry."
Kai chuckled. "For food or Food?"
"For food. And I want it NOW!" Tyson said cheerfully as Kai stood and handed Tyson his shirt and jacket. "Let's go then, unless you want to fly."
"I don't think I'm strong enough to carry you yet." Tyson replied. "But when I am you wanna go for a fly?"
"I'd love to." Kai smiled warmly, giving his koi a kiss on the cheek.
"Great, hold you to it." Tyson said with a smirk.
They made it home and Kai made cinnamon hot chocolate for them both. It was a favorite of Kai's, the spice adding a sharp flavor to the sugar. Tyson finished his quickly, while Kai savored his cup. But eventually they were both finished. Tyson leaned over from where he was sitting next to Kai and kissed him on the lips.
Kai gasped, returning the kiss. His body felt so still, the way it did when they made out. Neither of them had had sex yet, and Kai had been hoping to save it for a special time, but what could be more special than Tyson's first flight?
"Ty-chan… what we talked about? Is your first flight… special enough for you love?" Kai asked shyly.
Tyson responded with an even more passionate kiss and a hand sliding up Kai's thigh. Now this wouldn't do. Kai thought. I'm gonna be on top in this. Next time I'll let him but… "Mmpph!" Kai let out as he pushed Tyson up against the wall, groping him with one hand, the other running through his mate's nappy black locks.
They parted for air, panting. "Bed?" Kai asked.
"Hell yeah." Tyson moaned.
Kai grabbed Tyson by the hand and ran up the stairs to the corridor with their room. Unfortunatelythey passed Max's room. That was when he heard. "Michael… oh… more more! Faster… Michael… oooooooaaaaahh!"
Kai put a finger over his lips in a signal to be quiet and they tiptoed past the room. "Max is getting laid!" Tyson giggled when the door shut behind them.
"So are we, so don't tease."
"That's true, but gods he needed it. It must have been awful being the only one of us without a mate." Tyson flopped back on the bed, pulling off his shirt and still damp clothes.
Kai was more interested in watching Tyson's muscles ripple beneath his skin. "I'd rather talk more about you." He said as he stripped to his underwear and climbed on top of Tyson. His breath, hissing in Tyson's ear, "Or maybe not talk at all… koibito." And Kai pulled Tyson into a slow, heated kiss.
"Maybe silence is best." Tyson agreed.