There's a Method to This Madness

Ten short stories about friends and family, written for 42_souls.

Part 03: Beelzebub Wants to Fly

Prompt: Skyward ((troika+beelzebub))

Patti had a perfect riding stance. Her feet were placed at the proper angles, her weight balanced just right. Kid let go of her hips, and stood back. "Are you sure you've never done this before?"

"Nope, never." Patti shifted her weight slightly, making Beelzebub roll back and forth across the ground. "Seen you do it a million times, though. Been with you when you did a million times. Felt you do it a million times."

"...Right. Okay."

"So now what?" Patti asked.

"Push off. Take your back foot, swing it out in front, and- like this," Kid said, demonstrating with his own feet.

Patti laughed at him, likely because he looked stupid miming the action. Then she pushed with her foot, rolled forward for a distance, and managed to stop without falling off. "Can Patti fly now?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Beelzebub trembled impatiently beneath Patti's feet. "Beelzebub wants to fly," Patti pointed out.

Kid could see that well enough. He knew that the poor thing hated rolling on the ground. The ground was dirty and covered in germs, after all. That was why Beelzebub insisted on flying all the time. But Kid knew that Beelzebub preferred a precise, orderly riding style, and he was nervous about the idea of a chaotic soul like Patti's taking the stubborn, persnickety skateboard into the sky. That could end in disaster. "Patti, I still don't think-"

"It's okay. It likes me." Patti smiled down at the skateboard. "Don't you?"

Beelzebub lifted slightly off the ground in response. Patti laughed with delight. "See?"

Kid didn't see. He walked over toward them quickly, suddenly deciding that it would be best to stop Beelzebub before it launched itself too high into the air. He trusted Patti with the skateboard, but he still didn't entirely trust the skateboard with Patti. "Here's a thought," he said. "If you want to fly, let me ride with you." He hopped onto the skateboard, entwining his stance with Patti's, grabbing onto her hips. They both wobbled for a bit, then found their balance. "This will be safer."

"Two people on one skateboard isn't very safe," Patti pointed out. But Kid could hear the amusement in her voice.

Kid wrapped his arms completely around her, holding her close. "It's okay. We've got good balance."

Beelzebub suddenly launched into the air, fast enough to actually startle Patti. She sucked in her breath sharply, then laughed as the wind began to whip at the both of them, threatening to push them off the skateboard. But Kid leaned in close to her and shouted over the wind, "I won't let you fall!"

"I know!" Patti threw her arms out. "Whooooo-hoooooo! I'm an airplane! Zooooooom zooooooom!"

Her shouting earned a momentarily startled look from the sun, who then went back blinking lazily at nothing in particular as it slowly lowered in the sky. Patti laughed and waved at the sun, but it now seemed rather determined to ignore her. She leaned back into Kid and shouted in his ear, "Let's go somewhere!"

"Anywhere you want."

"Penguins!"

"What?"

"Kid likes penguins, right?"

"I feel rather neutral on the subject of penguins," Kid said, "but I have a particular fondness for the south of Argentina."

"Yaaaaaay! Let's go!"

Kid leaned back, pulling Patti with him, turning Beelzebub to point due south. As they sped through the sky, Kid realized that the winds whipping against him didn't feel nearly as cold as they usually did. That must have been because Patti felt so warm, pressed and balanced against him.

Kid rested his head against her shoulder and allowed himself to smile. Flying with her felt good, especially when he felt her laughter rumbling through her body and vibrating against him. He wouldn't mind doing this again someday, he thought. Maybe even often.