OPEN RP POST

[snowbadgerdontcare]

Yep. Just, uh. For whenever. Whatever. Dumbass kids.

Comments

Third year

[scaledravenwings]

[It wasn't hard to find Hiccup when he was trying to hide. Really, it was less hiding and just going where other people didn't want or weren't allowed to go. Namely the area where they kept the Thestral herds. For the people who couldn't see them, it was uncomfortable to be around animals they couldn't see. For the people who did...well, most people didn't like the way they looked or the rumors about them. And then most were chased away if they were seen loitering around them, but the Care of Magical Creatures teacher knew better. Hiccup wouldn't let a panic happened, so he was allowed to stay.]

[For Hiccup, it was a place he felt the most at peace. He wasn't frightened by their appearance even though he could see them. And they were familiar to him, in a way. He had always been more comfortable around animals than humans anyway, so it was only natural to come here.]

[Though he wondered if that was the best idea. The reason they comforted him was also the reason for him feeling uncomfortable now.]

Stupid....really just...stupid... [He sighed, gently petting the snout of one of the creatures.]

and then I apparently forgot to tag hur dur

[snowbadgerdontcare]

Man, you have got to find better hiding places.

[Was that Jack sneaking up on you, Hiccup? Why yes it was. Because Jack is sneaky like a sneaky thing.

Jack's not exactly the king of dealing with things or talking about the workings of his mind, but he is more than a little baffled by Hiccup right now and is going to find out what the heck's going on.]

So, uh, what was that back on the field? I don't think I've even seen professionals fly like that.

*Pats*

[scaledravenwings]

[Hiccup jumped a bit at the new voice, turning around quickly to see who it was. One of the Thestrals nipped lightly at his hair, checking to see if he was all right.] Ah, Jack...hey.

[Looking away awkwardly, reaching up a hand to reassure the creature.] Most people...don't come here. So it usually works.

[He shrugs, moving over to one of the smaller thestrals.] Just beginners luck. [He knows it's a weak lie, but there's no real way to explain it without...well, explaining it.]

[snowbadgerdontcare]

[Jack snorts a little, and jumps up a little to pull himself onto a low branch so he can drape over it and watch Hiccup pet the Thestrals. They creep Jack out, not least because he's not entirely sure why he can see them.] Yeah, well, most people aren't your best friends who are the ones most likely to come looking for you.

Yeah. Beginner's luck. And 'Punz doesn't have a giant man-eating snake pet hidden under the school. Why don't you pull the other one, get it over with.

[scaledravenwings]

Thestrals creep you out, Merida will have tryouts still or get dragged to the Hospital Wing, and Rapunzel...I could probably distract her with the Thestrals if I tried hard enough, to be honest. [He shrugs. And, of course, Astrid knew why. She would also know he needed a bit of time and she had to deal with Camicazi.]

Pull the other what?

[snowbadgerdontcare]

And yet here I am. So I say again - you gotta find better hiding places if you actually want to hide.

[SIIIIIGH] Wow, sometimes I forget how weird you are. "Pull the other leg", "pulling my leg"... it's a saying. It means I know you're bloody well having me on and to maybe try a more believable lie. Or the truth.

[scaledravenwings]

I'll keep that in mind. Maybe the giant spiders would like company...

Oh, is that what you meant? Maybe I would have gotten it if I was lying. [Which he did. Being evasive though...]

[But his petting is a bit...stiffer than it was.]

[snowbadgerdontcare]

Bleh, you can have 'em, mate, I'm not going anywhere near those things. I'll send Merida or something.

[ew ew giant spiders ew]

Except you were. You don't get on a broom and pull off a stunt like that without practice. I'm the best flyer our year and I don't think I could pull that off, if I even had the guts to try.

[scaledravenwings]

They're rather nice when you get them to not want to eat you. [The Basilisk scent helps with that.]

What, you not have the guts? Some of the tricks you pull could give anyone with good self preservation sense a heart attack.

[snowbadgerdontcare]

Yeah, and you came like an inch away from being smeared on the pitch, and I thought you would be when you started the dive. I honestly don't think I could've made that, and I... well, I mean, I probably would've tried it to save them, but I don't think I would've succeeded.

[He's watching Hiccup very intently right now]

I'm good, but I'm not that good.

[scaledravenwings]

[Hiccup...knew that. While most of the time his face was buried in a book, when gasps would ring out in the stadium, he'd look up. Even if he didn't see all of Jack's flying, he saw his best tricks, his most daring stunts. While Jack was good, there was also a kind chaos to his movements, like a leaf on the wind. Sometimes there was a downside to being so smart. Knowing the numbers, making the calculations. Whatever would happen would be too close.]

[No, not a downside, Because then he could have lost two friends if he hadn't. There hadn't been enough time to hesitate or doubt.]

[His hands stilled on the Thestral as he got lost in his thoughts. Jack knew the air well though. Of course he'd figure it out.]

...it's...how I discovered I had magic.

[snowbadgerdontcare]

[Jack is generally pretty devil-may-care about things (at least on the surface) and snarky, but never ever let it be said that he can't be empathetic and serious when its called for.

Usually that's when his friends are upset, hurt, or in trouble that doesn't require him to shoot ice daggers at people]

[seriously] What happened?

[scaledravenwings]

It wasn't bad itself. It was great even.

[He sighs, resting his forehead against the top of the snout of the Thestral.]

People didn't react well when they found out. Dad didn't. The wizards who watch the village didn't because people noticed.

[snowbadgerdontcare]

[Jack doesn't say anything at first. That wouldn't have been fun, sure, but--

Wait.]

...Did it have something to do with the dragons?

[scaledravenwings]

[He flinches. He kind of hoped to avoid going into that part at all.]

[But it's really hard to lie when Jack hits the nail on the head.]

[snowbadgerdontcare]

[Yeah, okay, Jack won't push it. That's so very clearly not something happy, and, well, Jack's not one to talk about his childhood (what he remembers of it), so why would he put Hiccup through that?

He's not heartless.]

Well, it was pretty amazing. Hate to tell ya, but it's gonna be all over school by the time we get back up there.

[scaledravenwings]

[Let's out a deep sigh.]

Yeah. That's why I didn't want to get on a broom in the first place. It's easy to resist if I'm on the ground, pretend that I'm afraid of heights or terrible, but actually in the air? I can't.

[Maybe just a hint of longing in his voice.]

[snowbadgerdontcare]

Then why don't you? [Jack's legit curious about this]

I mean... I can't imagine life without flying, now that I've got the chance. It wouldn't be the same, sure, but there's no reason you can't.

[scaledravenwings]

...

Have you ever flown on an animal?

[snowbadgerdontcare]

[shrug] Not that I can remember.

[scaledravenwings]

It's very different.

Yes, there is the rush of flying and that in itself is amazing.

But with a broom, you're in control. It's all you. So long as you have the skill, and a broom in good condition, you'll be fine.

With a creature? It's not just your skill and it's not just their skill. Even if the creature is massive, you're still something affecting how air flows around them. If you don't keep up, you slow down your partner. And if you're really good, you and the creature can just know where one wants to go. Not just follow, but also lead, without need for something like reins.

It's not just flying. It's also about trust, being able to look at something else alive and know that someone knows you won't hinder them and you know you're not going to die going somewhere you normally couldn't reach.

As much as I love the air, I also love that. And even while flying feels amazing on a broom, it's also...

Lonely.