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The wind billows through his hair like a savior. His elytra flutters behind his back, similar to a pair of wings how they catch the wind like an umbrella. He sighs, sweet oxygen filling his lungs with each inhale.
The ocean is vast beneath him; deep and lengthy, the home to the supposed Leviathan. A gust of cool air coils like a snake through his hair.
A small CRT head pokes up from the water, an arm next, with a swift wave in his direction. Wifies smiles, pushing himself against the flow of the air to stop his acceleration, letting air catch in the back of his elytra so he can slowly descend to the tip of the water. When he’s finally below the clouds, he hears that familiar British voice call to him, “Trying out that new elytra?”
“Uh-huh.” He says, moving downwards until he’s hovering a few feet above the water.
“It looks fun,” Hummer tilts his head, “I can’t wait to have one of my own.”
“I could try carrying you.”
He shakes his head instantly, “With all due respect, nightshade, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Wifies chuckles, “I suppose you’re right.”
“I am always right, aren’t I?”
An eye roll, “Have you found anything interesting down there?”
“A few slights of my vision, but otherwise, nothing.” A sigh permeates the air.
“Well, I haven’t seen much either. Not like the Leviathan is gonna just start levitating mid-air.”
Hummer tilts his head at him with a laugh, “Now that would be a sight wouldn’t it?”
Wifies nods, picturing a long creature ascending from the ocean into the clouds and simply stalling there like an unused NPC. His eyes crinkle with a short laugh, “Would be a lot easier to find, though.”
Hummer shrugs, “I suppose. But I like the challenge. Levi is like— a puzzle. Good things don’t come easy, y’know?”
“I do.”
There’s a small pause, and the wind shifts pleasantly, though Hummer shivers.
“I have been thinking recently about flying a lot—“ he pauses, antennae shifting upwards, “Since you got the elytra. It seems… freeing. You look so at peace in the sky.”
“Maybe we could fly together soon.”
Hummer’s screen tints a warmer shade, “I- I think I’d quite like that.”
“Then we should do it. I mean, you are my bird, after all. It’s fitting that you should fly aswell.”
Hummer exhales a laugh, “I suppose there’s logic in that.”
“But— I need to stop by the jungle to get some cocoa beans for cookies before night falls. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
“Alright. I’ll see you later, Wifies.”
Wifies pulls a firework from his pocket, nodding at Hummer as he lights the end of it to send him shooting back into the sky. He narrows his eyes against the wind battering his face while his body soars through it like an arrow, pondering what it would be like to have Hummer at his side while gliding like this.
Hummer, being the man that he is, tinted red while his antennae are pinned behind his head against the current of the air, letting out breathless gasps and giggles, doing spins as his body feels lighter than ever. He smiles at the idea, of his bird seeming so happy, flying over mountain tops and deserts, each biome seeming shorter with the fast travel but so very stunning under their eyes— grass shifting, icebergs jutting out from cold oceans, water murky in moderate oceans and clear in coral reefs— he imagines the way Hummer’s tail would wag, his quick inhales at the scenery.
The mere proposition is pleasant, and their conversations would be as well, about Wifies travels, perhaps he’d ask Hummer about his own, too.
The air gets denser, warmer, as he gets closer to the jungle. The waves become the squawks of parrots and the hum of bugs beneath leaves— and soon he’s hovering over the towering trees, scanning the bark for a familiar brown jutting from their trunks.
The sun crowns then at mid-day, Wifies’ silhouette crossing the orange sphere while he scopes atop the woods.
Finally, his eyes lock on his prize, forcing the wings behind him to catch onto a particular wind to send him downwards. He dodges branches, descends to the trunk, hugging its flank as he opens the satchel he’d slung across his side to pop in the buds, one at a time. There’s only three, but that’d be plenty for a batch of 12 and a half.
He sighs, nods to himself, turning his head upwards so he can launch himself back into the clouds.
By the time he returns, the sun has made its way halfway downwards. Hummer is on the dock, wringing out the metal coil his tail is made out of to expel the water that got trapped within it. His head is faced down, however, and he doesn’t notice Wifies approach until he hears his shoes stamp down on the wood behind him.
He brings a hand through his mussed hair, “I found three out there. We’ll have a batch of seven tomorrow, and then a batch of six the next time we want them.”
Hummer nods, giving his tail one last squeeze, “That’s good. I was looking forward to those cookies— I’m glad you found some cocoa, haha.”
He shrugs one of his shoulders, beginning to make his way inside. Hummer springs up, following behind him like a nosy pet.
The door clicks open, allowing the entry of two.
“Leftover cod today?” Hummer asks, reaching for the freezer handle.
Wifies pauses, “Yeah. Cod and that tomato sauce.”
“Good,” the other murmurs, pulling out the portioned cod along with sundried tomato sauce, lazily placing bits onto plates for both of them. He then pushes them into their microwave for a minute and a half.
They eat sitting on the countertops, barely speaking as they do. The silence is cozy— warm, even, like a blanket fresh after waking.
Soon enough, their mattress is dipping beneath their bodies, Wifies gripping his waist as they settle in like puzzle pieces connecting.
He breathes into Hummer’s neck, inhaling his sea-salt adjacent scent, placing his arms underneath Hummer’s sweater.
The sun rises, their heavy bodies part from their bed, and Wifies is soon preparing the second elytra for Hummer to use.
A needle loops through thick, bouncy fabric, eyes narrowed in concentration before he pulls string through and ties a knot, sighing as he smooths end powder over feathers.
The door to the library squeaks open, a lanky figure with a CRT head waltzing through the entryway. He pauses, looking at the finished set of wings, screen brightening at the realization that it was time.
Wifies holds the pair up, shiny and fresh, fully ready for flight.
“Can- Can you help me get them on?” Hummer asks, rocking back on the balls of his heels and then forwards onto his toes in anticipation.
“Of course.”
Feathers splay as soon as the harness is attached to the other’s mostly-metal middle, lined with the waxy gel, shining in the sunlight.
“It feels so.. natural,” Hummer laughs, “do you wanna fly with me?”
“Of course, wasn’t that the plan?” He laces his own around his shoulders and torso, eyes sharp, “Where do you want to go?”
“Just.. around. I want… to see the world from above.”
His screen is bright, practically shining while his antennae twitch. Odd, Wifies thinks, I have never seen them twitch like that before. Except…
It had been cold out on the northern front, wood creaking beneath their boots as they prepared to sail further out into the warm portion of the ocean. Hummer’s screen was twinkling with light, casting lengthy beams across both the sea and the boat. His right hand gripping the wheel like he had been doing this for the entire span of his life. Wifies, meanwhile, peered over the edge, shivering every time the icy wind would batter his face, observing the inky stretch of water that rippled as the boat pushed against it. The other had been in particularly good spirits that day, and taking a night ride had somehow made it that much better. Wifies dragged his eyes from the sea, and noticed the little balls at the ends of his antennae quietly twitching.
He’d smiled, and said nothing of it when the inevitable query had escaped Hummer’s mouth.
His chest warmed at the memory, “That sounds good to me. We should head east, there’s some nice mountain ranges over there.”
“Anywhere you want to go.”
Hummer’s tail sways behind him as he follows Wifies to the dock by their home, nervousness tightening like a ball in his stomach.
When he’s handed a bundle of fireworks, he rolls them over in his palm, pocketing the lighter.
“Whenever you lose momentum, just flick the flame against the wire, and hold the firework beneath your body so it doesn’t accidentally hit you.”
He tilts his head, nodding.
“Let me demonstrate.”
Wifies climbs up a ladder to the top of the diving board, promptly jumping off. His screen flickers in anxiety, though the elytra catches the wind, keeping him hovering just a few feet below where he had jumped. He lights a firework, arms hanging beneath his chest, quickly jutting forwards at a much faster pace than before.
He makes a small beckoning gesture to him from the sky, and he nods, hurling himself onto the ladder. His mechanical heart pounds for many moments as he stares at the drop below him, palms shaking rapidly. Was he really about to jump? What if Wifies made it wrong? What if there hadn’t been enough end powder—
Trust him.
Hummer takes a slow inhale, and leaps.
Wind catches the feathers at his back, and he laughs, the feeling of flying so much more freeing than he could have imagined. He pulls the lighter out, whisking the firework into action, and he springs forwards, catching up with Wifies in no time.
He giggles, doing a small rotation around the other, and he swears that all of the weight of his body has depleted.
“You’ve been gatekeeping me from this all along?” Hummer sighs, “It’s incredible.”
“I mean, I’ve been flying my whole life. It’s not very remarkable to me.”
“It’s amazing!”
He scans the terrain below them, how the ocean sparkles and winks at him from below, stretching on and on seemingly forever. A light, breathy laugh permeates the air, antennae curled around each other and twitching at the ends.
Beside him, Wifies smiles, carefully guiding his companion to the east side of the world.
“I— I’ve never felt so… free.”
“Just wait until you see the mountains from up here.”
The ocean is soon interrupted by jutting land, like pyramids, rocky hills are quickly within his sight. Each jagged edge looks sculpted by the gods, each patch of moss near the sand looking hand-placed. Hummer gasps again, watching as the sea seems to breathe with how it moves up and down on the shore.
The mountains get higher and higher, and soon the two of them have to light another firework to get above the tallest. He shudders at the temperature this high up, but it’s certainly worth it, with how the world shines below his sight. He turns his head to Wifies, as if baffled he hasn’t made one comment on this view.
Wifies is looking at him. Not at the stunning terrain beneath him, but instead right at his screen, as if transfixed.
His screen flushes a few shades warmer, swiftly looking away. He hears a shuffle of feathers before his hand is being grabbed, and Hummer can’t help but look back, just to see that his nightshade is looking forwards again. He watches his hair ruffle from the wind blowing against their faces, butterflies filling his stomach.
He looks back down, and the two fly together quietly, taking in scenery that surrounds them. When they’re done seeing the mountains, the sun is beginning to dip below its highest point, and Wifies suggests they head back.
When they both land down back at the dock, Hummer groans at the feeling of land beneath his feet once more.
“Oh my days, I didn’t know I could miss standing this much.”
Wifies gives a small laugh, their hands finally parting. Hummer clenches his palm around nothing, missing the contact but not pushing.
“How do cookies sound tonight?”
Hummer quickly interjects in a small, almost pleading tone, “And raspberry oatmeal bowls for dinner?”
His nightshade gives a small smile, “And raspberry oatmeal bowls for dinner.”
Hummer cheers, heading inside their home quite joyfully.
He pops some oats in bowls, adding almond milk and honey before he heats it up for a small amount of time. Once the oats have soaked up a large amount of the liquid, he takes out the two bowls from their microwave, placing in a few raspberries and even more honey— just to be sure.
Wifies, meanwhile, has spent the time taking out the pre-made batter ingredients. He had prepared the cocoa the night before, and before long, he’s placing the cookie dough into the oven.
Hummer holds out a bowl to him, hearing the small sigh of hunger Wifies gives just before he thanks him.
The dinner is subpar— not bad, but not exceptional, considering the typical dinner Hummer would prepare for the two.
The cookies, however, end up fresh and sweet, warm beyond all else, melting on their tongues swiftly.
“Augh— Wifies, these are so good— I could kiss you.”
“It was only with your help.”
Chocolate melts on their tongues, and so do their hearts, captivated in the warmth of their cabin by the sea.