Chapter Text
it was time. It was finally time, Lloyd had been waiting years for this moment. The endless waiting to finally fly. You'd think that boys commemorate their first shave or when their grew chest hair, not lloyd. No, the end of his puberty process was the ability of flight. He grew up with wings, and he waited a long time for his wings to grow to a length which could fully support his weight. He tried everyday, until he was able to fly without his wings aching. Misako, always scolding him not to wear them out. When he was ready, they drove to mountainous area. Places full of cliffs and edges, an area were the avians shared their first flight. Lloyds father had told Misako of the spot where he took his first flight, and it was his dying wish that his son Lloyd would too.
Misako had set up a picnic. It was rather large too, her boy ate a lot, more than a human would, but today he ate lightly, when she pressed he said
"If I eat too much, I'll be too heavy. I'm not taking any chances!"
She knew it was a moot point, a true one too, so she dropped it.
Lloyd stood of the edge of the cliff, not too high off the ground, but high enough to have a substantial jump. Misako, was beside him, ready with encouragement.
"Okay." Lloyd said pumping himself, flexing his shoulders as an act of warmup, craning his neck.
"Kiss for good luck." Misako said grabbing her boys cheeks.
"Ahh, mom no!" He tried to leaning away, but not lucky enough to escape her lips on his cheek. "We talked about that!" Wiping his cheek on the sleeve of his jacket.
"Don't hurt yourself." She pulled him into a hug. Lloyd was shocked, but gently hugged back.
"Don't worry, I won't." He smiled genuinely to her. He let go of the hug, and returned to the edge. "Now or never."
He jumped off almost like diving. At first it was falling, he panicked slightly, forgetting how to fly. He shook his head and brought himself to his senses. Stretched his wings tall, and gave a giant lurch. He received a giant ache from all the resistance, but was sent up high into the the air, he did so again aiming him higher. Sending him past his mother and up near the clouds. He was finally flying. He was free, and happy. He waited achingly long for this moment, and he was going to make every second.
Misako, spent the day watching her son. She saw a lot of her husband in him. His deep compassion but also his utter recklessness, especially when Lloyd tried to do a flip and nearly snapped his neck. She wondered how her little boy grew so old. He was maturing fast, and she new he soon would be leaving the nest. She chuckled light at the thought.
As the sun started to set, she decided to pack up her picnic, and start to round up Lloyd. As she placed the rug into the boot, she was surprised by a voice
"Misako" A luminous voice urged near her. She gasped and turned, facing a man she wanted to forget.
"Scales." She replied to the man, and his little gang. "It's been a long time."
"Too long don't ya think?" He smiled toothily, "Hows little Lloyd doing?"
"He's fine." She replied dotingly, "And yourself? Still in a gang I see." She peered over his shoulder to the two guarding his side.
"Well you can never be too careful nowadays, what with avians being seen as a minority." He smirked. "It's -ah- very hard to fit into society." Scales peered up into the sky, grinning.
"You better leave him out of this." She warned menacingly, but with a slight fear.
"Misako, he's already in it" He left a uneasy smile, "But that aside, I'm here to congratulate the boy, on finally reaching the ability of flight. Will you please send on my commendations?"
Misako gave a curt nod, before turning her back, and looking up into the skies. When she turned again, she realised that Scales and his gang, had flown away. She let out a relieved breath, she never liked them, even when she was started dating her husband, but she made her very best effort, because they meant so much to him. She leaned on the car clutching her arms. The sun was almost set, and Lloyd finally landed. Puffing and panting, he had fully worn himself out, but amongst the heavy breathing he gave a great toothy smile. She mirrored his joy, not giving way to her previous encounter.
The ride home, was filled with excitement, as Lloyd filled in his mother with all the crazy details he saw while flying. She remembered her husband saying the same thing when he flew, and all the while he spoke, she too could feel almost like she was flying.
As they neared their house, Misako looked towards her son, realising that he had fallen into a deep sleep. She smiled warmly, giving a gentle pat on his head. She loved him, dearly.
As they arrived at their house, in their garage, she gave him a gentle shake. He stirred, giving large blinks, and sharp intake of breath with his nose.
She gave a light giggle, but encouraged him to get upstairs to his bedroom. He slowly made his way upstairs, nearly tripping on the stairs. Night had seeped over their little valley. Softly darkening their little household. Misako heftily unpacked their sedan, leaving everything on the kitchen bench, and heading off to bed herself. As she did, she checked in on Lloyd, who had fallen asleep, whilst taking off his jumper, laying in the bed with it his arms in the air. She smiled fondly, yanking it off his arms, and pulling a blanket up to him. Sending off a light goodnight.
"Night mo-" Lloyd lightly said, falling back asleep.
She closed his door, and headed to her room. She was greeted by an empty bed, it was night like these where she was too tired to notice the empty space where man that used share her bed. She heftily fell on the bed, and almost immediately fell asleep.
***
An unhealthy downside to being a widow was the horrible awakening to yourself. Misako had the habit of waking up in the early morning, to only realise she was alone. She missed her husband. It had been a severe blow to her when he died, and it had taken her many months to even be able to compose herself properly. It still hurt, but now she could cover it up, with a smile and some odd makeup.
She knew it had affected Lloyd horribly as well, but he was better at covering it up, and dismissed his emotions until the point when he was about to blow. He never complained when she hadn't made dinner or came home late. He just went along with it, understanding that she was human too and to that she was grateful.
The morning was starting to awaken and the stars were disappearing. She left her bed, headed downstairs, as she did, she checked in on her child, he was lightly breathing, his wings stretched out, lying across the floor boards. She snorted, and shut the door. When Misako entered the kitchen, she was greeted, with all the stuff from yesterday, she gave it one look and dismissively ignored it. Heading to the kettle, to start making some tea.
She was just about to pour the boiled water, when there was a light knock on the door, she looked down at her pyjamas, wondering who would come at this time. She gave a light sigh, and answered the door.
"Wu, what a pleasant surprise." She greeted warmed.
"Sorry to intrude," His eyes sparkled with a fellow hello
"No, not all, sorry you had to see me in my pyjamas" she joked. "What brings you out here?"
"I came to congratulate my nephew, on his first flight, " He chuckled "and to check on you." Looking up at her eyes with sincerity.
She blushes lightly, inviting him in. He raised his eyebrow at the junk on the table, she replied with a nervous chuckle and an offering of tea. He graciously took it with a polite thank-you.
They sat together on the couch and began to start catching up.
Lloyd's eyelids gently brushed open, waking up to warm shafts of sunlight. Illuminating from his closed blinds. He stretched out his tight limbs, a groan of pleasure exiting his lips. He jumped out of his bed, and started to exit his bedroom, he heard a light murmuring from the lounge room. As he warily crept down the stairs he pleasantly surprised to see who was there.
"Uncle Wu!" He greeted excitedly. Wu was his favourite relative, because he too was like Lloyd. An Avian breed, although a much more purebred than himself.
Wu turned to greet his nephew. "Good-morning Lloyd." He smiled politely, with his own gleam in his eyes. "Congratulations, on your first flight."
Lloyd turned slightly inward on himself, bringing his wings over his shoulders. Blood gushed to his cheeks. "Thank you"
He quickly exited to the kitchen, and the adults turned back into their conversation. His always-hungry appetite had returned, and he was starving. He searched the fridge to find anything to eat, when he found no results he turned his efforts to the cupboard which veiled the same results, only showing out of date cuppa soups and flour. He sighed inwardly, with his last hope, he searched through the stuff on the kitchen table. With incredible luck he found a sandwich, he greedily put it in his mouth to hold. He also made a cup of tea and joined the adults on the couches in the lounge room. He comfortably placed his feet on the coffee table and settled in the chair. Finally starting to eat his sandwich
"Lloyd feet of the table please" His mother sighed tilting her head at him. He slowly lowered them off, and placed them on the ground. "Your talons are massive, you need the clipped." His mother picked out. He self consciously moved his legs cross legged, so that his mother would point out anything else, but it did not stop her. "Your wings are filthy too, have you preened them at all recently?"
"Yes. Of course!" He lied. His mother gave a disapproving look, while Wu was lightly laughing at his dispense. "Can we please stop picking out flaws on me? I'll do them later."
"Yeah, sure." His mother beats back sarcastically. "Can you please go and do that now." She added with a warning tone.
"But mom, Uncle Wu is here!" He argued. "I promise I'll do it later." He looked at his mother pleadingly
"Go.Now!" She pointed to the bathroom.
"Fine." He sighed angrily, getting up from his chair and heading toward the bathroom. Glinting his sharp teeth slightly at her on the way past. Once he shut the door, she immediately turned to Wu.
"I'm sorry about that, but I needed him out of the room. There's something I need to tell you." Wu looked deeply into her eyes with a concerning look, he listened to get intently. She looked all around, as if checking around to see if anyone was intently listening. She grabbed Wu's hand, pulling him lightly to the kitchen. She whispered across to him. "I think, Scales is after Lloyd."
It struck Wu odd, to think that Scales would be after Lloyd, what would his gang have to gain from a 16 year old? He looked up at Misako. He deeply admired her so, the way she looks after everyone all while maintaining her own and sons life. He sometimes even wished her to be his in a romantic sense. He held back, otherwise he knew he would be too attached.
"Why do you think that?" He asked lightly.
"I'm not sure." She placed her hand over her mouth. "They came to me, while we were in the mountains yesterday. Asking about him."
She gently shook her head, knowing fully what Scales was capable of. She had seen his capability, many times in the early days with her husband. He was ruthless, especially with his victims. Those awful times still make have her nightmares.
"They came to you? Did they hurt you?" Misako noticed the protective tone in Wu's voice, it made her heart leap lightly, only in response because it reminded her of her partner, he was fiercely loyal to her and Lloyd. Sometimes even she had to calm him down. She smiled lightly at that.
Calming down she could think more clearly.
"No they didn't. There were talking about being minorities, and congratulating Lloyd."
Wu thought carefully, he had an idea, for the situation, but he was sure whether it was the right decision. Thinking it over, he decided to relay the plan out to Misako, seeing how she would take it.
"Maybe there's something we don't know." She looked over towards the bathroom solemnly.