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Notes: I never actually finished the manga. Just so you know.
Recipient: LILY!

"Wind Shear"
by Mina Lightstar


Niwa Daisuke remembered what it was like to fly. He remembered the fall, the rush of wind past his ears, the feeling of apprehension when he thought maybe, maybe, With would appear too late, and he would hit the ground and never feel again. With was never late, though, so the fear always vanished at the feel of With's presence on his back, the feel of black wings stretching out and catching the air, the feel of those wings riding the wind. Then the wind would rush past his ears in a different way; no longer falling, but flying.

The bird chirped and took flight, pulling Daisuke out of his reverie. His sketch pencil was still in hand, pad still resting on his lap. Now his bottom was numb from being seated for such a long time, but he didn't really care. He looked up, watched the bird circle, and followed it with his eyes until it disappeared back into the trees.

Birds made him remember flying -- made him remember Dark.

Too many things reminded him of Dark. It hurt, though he wouldn't have ever wanted to forget.

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice asked -- quietly, as though hesitant to disturb the scene.

Daisuke should have known Hiwatari-kun was there (they'd come together, after all) but was startled, anyway. "Hiwatari-kun!" He twisted around as much as he could without upsetting his art supplies, and gave the other boy an exasperated look. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I didn't." Hiwatari Satoshi didn't look impressed, gave Daisuke a look that spoke of disappointment in someone who had been trained better,
surely. "I was here the whole time."

"No," Daisuke argued, "you went for a walk to clear your head." Suddenly remembering the reason for Hiwatari-kun's departure in the first place, Daisuke ventured, "Is your headache gone? Feeling better?"

"Yes, it's gone," Hiwatari-kun replied, and if Daisuke didn't know better, he would have said the other had faltered before answering, as though caught off-guard. Daisuke knew better, though; it was Hiwatari. "What are you drawing?"

"Huh? Oh, the clouds," Daisuke said absently.

He heard Hiwatari-kun's footsteps as the other boy came up behind him and looked down over his shoulder. "A most interesting cloud, Niwa." He sounded bemused.

Daisuke glanced down and blinked at his paper. He'd drawn the bird of the branch instead. "... Oh. I must have gotten distracted."

Hiwatari-kun was silent for a moment, reached up with one hand to adjust his glasses. "You're talented, if you can produce such a sketch while you're distracted."

Daisuke chuckled, both flattered and amused at the formality. "Thanks, Hiwatari-kun. And for keeping me company."

"I didn't really do anything," the other boy protested.

"No, you did." Daisuke's tone forestalled any protests. He was glad Hiwatari-kun had come with him. Given how the other boy always seemed to pop up where Daisuke was to begin with, and how their tentative friendship was blossoming, it had seemed natural for Daisuke to invite him along. Daisuke was as glad for their friendship for himself as he was for Hiwatari-kun. Hiwatari-kun... needed a good friend, Daisuke thought, and who better? Tamers... that's what they both were: Lonely Tamers.

Daisuke missed Dark. He wondered if Hiwatari-kun missed Krad, even just a little bit.

"We used to fly just for fun sometimes," Daisuke spoke up, "on days like this."

"... Oh?" Hiwatari-kun sounded uncertain, like he was expecting questions and was unwilling to answer them.

"Un. Dark loved it. He'd wheedle until With and I agreed -- well, until I agreed, since With enjoyed it, too -- and then we'd sneak off somewhere or wait until nightfall and just--"

"It must have been difficult," Hiwatari-kun spoke up. "Flying with this kind of wind."

"I know, that's what I thought, too." Daisuke rubbed his wrist and started shading in some of the bird's feathers. "But Dark said sometimes it was fun, when you didn't have to worry about anything. You just ride the wind, let it take you wherever it wants, instead of fighting with it to go wherever you want."

"Even when it sharply changes direction?" Hiwatari-kun sounded doubtful.

"A wind shear, you mean?" Daisuke looked up again and winced. "Sit down? I'm craning my neck."

Seemingly taken aback by the sudden plea, Hiwatari-kun hesitated a moment before settling himself on the grass beside Daisuke. "Yes, wind shear."

Daisuke thought about it, and then shrugged again. "It's the same, I suppose. Dark loved it, loved letting the wind take him for a ride." He smiled. "He teased me once, and then said that maybe if you let it, the wind would take you where you needed to go."

"Does it?" Hiwatari-kun's was soft, contemplative.

"Yeah.... I miss flying." And Dark.

But when Daisuke glanced over at Hiwatari-kun, he didn't feel lonely at all.

+end+