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You might think, with all of the jumping around he does on stage, Tsukasa would be more fit, better prepared for mountain hikes.
You would be wrong.
There's something inexplicably difficult about them. He's not sure why he has so much trouble. Perhaps he doesn't get out enough, isn't doing the right kind of exercise for the right activity, and thusly, thinks he should be more prepared than he is.
At the very least, he wasn't expecting Rui to be so much better at it than him.
Tsukasa, of course, is not discounting his work or performance on stage, of course not, he'd never. But, he really isn't doing nearly as expressive movements or high energy dancing. Maybe he exercises in other areas someplace else -- or maybe it's all that running from park authority he used to do so often.
Rui has to turn and pause to wait for Tsukasa every few minutes, until he finally defaults to hanging back and walking beside him. Unless, of course, there were large rocks to jump on. No matter how tired Tsukasa felt, he'd always find the energy to jump from large rock to large rock, if it meant he didn't need to walk normally.
Actually, it got him up a pretty steep hill that would have been rather troublesome without the rocks.
It's a comfortable temperature out - a rarity in the colder months - so he allows his wings to stretch out a bit, enjoying the breeze.
Plus, you never know when you might need the extra little puff of air to make a jump. Not that there's any danger to missing that jump, mind you, but it's the fun about acting that there is that counts.
And that momentary feeling of flight.
That's the only thing about the gift of wings that Tsukasa isn't very happy about, that he gets frustrated about. Isn't the point of having wings in the first place to be able to fly? What possible evolutionary reason could humans have to have wings, but not be able to fly with them? Maybe they just haven't figured out how. Maybe they're just not trying hard enough.
... Who is "they"?
“Tsukasa!”
Tsukasa looks up, snapped out of his thoughts, watching Rui wave his attention towards him.
“The top is just right up here, it's only a little longer.”
Tsukasa smiles, takes a big puff of air, then treks on. “Right.” it's not far now! He dips his head and tries to rush the rest, up to where Rui is waiting for him. He outstretches his hand. Tsukasa takes it.
It's much colder up here. It's not so bad that Tsukasa wants to leave, but he does wish he brought an extra layer, to alleviate the cold a bit. He closes his wings, holding them close to his back.
“Oh, look, Tsukasa!”
Tsukasa's eyes are pulled to Rui, dipping his head to put his glasses on, rather than wherever he's suggesting he look.
He really doesn't get why Rui doesn't wear his glasses more often. Maybe he thinks that he looks silly in them, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Tsukasa loves them, and he thinks Rui looks lovely in them.
“Ah, this is why I love coming up here. The view is so beautiful.”
Tsukasa actually follows his gaze this time.
He's right.
He's so right.
The view makes it all worth it, really.
Typically, Tsukasa has trouble sitting down and enjoying a moment for what it is, but without much else to do up here, he finds it easier to relax and enjoy the scenery.
“Do you want to find a place to sit?” He asks, turning his head towards Rui again. He doesn't need to worry about the chill on his face, with how warm in the face those glasses make him feel.
Rui nods his agreement. “Actually, I know a nice place up here. Nobody else should be there. It's wonderful.” he backs up a bit, tugging Tsukasa along by the hand, making sure he's ready to start walking, then starts making his way across the space. Tsukasa keeps up, following, happy to get out of the public eye, have a private little area just for the two of them.
Yeah, that'd be really nice.
“The path is a bit thin.” Rui says. Tsukasa takes pause.
“How thin..?” he asks, tilting his head, quirking up one corner of his mouth into a sort of smile, to prove that he's not nervous.
“Oh, not very,” Rui specifies, upon realizing that that notion made Tsukasa more nervous than he thought. “It's just enough that they put railings on.” he turns back for a moment.
Tsukasa is distracted, questioning why or how Rui could possibly find a reason not to wear those glasses.
“Ah. O-okay.” he nods.
Rui brings them down a small, subtle rock pathway down the opposite side of the path that brought them up here. It does have railings, little stakes in the ground with rope connecting them by the eyes, like needles and thread. Tsukasa thinks that's hardly necessary, even though he was the one thinking they'd relieve his anxiety. He thinks he could comfortably have his wings open and still be able to walk this path without issue.
Maybe it's a technicality. Perhaps it gets thinner as it goes along.
Rui lets go of his hand, sadly, to take the lead, give him more space to breathe.
Tsukasa looks to his left, at the ascending rock wall while he descends down the path. There are probably centuries of rock and stone in this solid dirt.
Tsukasa looks to his right. Upon not seeing much but sky and the tips of trees, his eyes trail downwards.
It's a very steep drop.
One that physically surprises him, makes him jump.
Maybe the steepness is why they put the rails up, not because of how narrow it is.
…
It's time to stop looking, to catch up to Rui, but he can't seem to rip his eyes away. He slows to a stop.
Maybe… with a drop like that…
It could feel like he's flying.
Really, actually, flying.
Maybe he could.
Maybe he could jump and take a shortcut down back to the bottom, to the parking lot, open his wings and glide through the air.
Tsukasa considers. He really considers it.
His wings open.
Perhaps, with this height, he could fly.
It reminds him of how littler children think they can jump from their garage roof with an umbrella or a pillowcase and float down safely, like in cartoons.
But, that's just fantasy. This is real life.
Humans can't fly because their wings aren't strong enough to get their bodies off the ground, right? So, in the scenario that they could get off the ground, what would happen?
A drop like this would give him ample time.
Plenty.
Even if he wouldn't be able to fly, surely his wings would slow his fall. He wouldn't even get hurt, perhaps he'd walk away with merely a scratch or two. That's more than worth it to experience flight.
Or,
Maybe he would just jump, open his wings, then plummet down onto the hard rock and woods below.
Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.
Even in this worst-case scenario, he would really, truly feel like he's flying, even if just for a short time.
Even if that would spell the end for him.
…
“Tsukasa?”
…
Tsukasa tilts his head, but not his gaze.
Ah, Rui.
Tsukasa acknowledges him, but still, looks down. It feels endless.
He thinks he can feel his stomach plummet, gut squeezing.
If he wanted to, he could change the trajectory of his life right now by a landslide.
If he wanted to, he could push Rui off that edge right now.
If he wanted to, he could follow him down.
If he wanted to, he could grant them both the gift of flight.
…
Tsukasa manages to tear his eyes away. He shakes his head, rattling those weird thoughts out of there.
He twists his body with intent to step away, to follow Rui, follow him to safer grounds, to the spot they'd proclaim theirs. His feet stay planted on the ground.
There's a feeling in his chest that could almost be physical, like one of impending doom, feels like it's dragging him, grabbing him by the ribcage and dragging him, down to hell, to a place where he could spread his wings and fly, really fly.
He feels like he can't move.
He can't move
His legs won't carry him away, like he tells them to.
His eyes flit back down.
He could lean sideways right now. He could lose his balance right now. That would be all it would take.
…
Tsukasa is able to take a step forward, continuing, before his other foot makes a divot in the dirt, has to drag his feet away, to get back on track.
He closes his wings (when had those pesky things opened again?) and follows Rui, nodding his affirmation that he's doing alright. He even has the smile to prove it.
It really is a lovely view.