Beach [Monday Evening]

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

After a dinner of spaghetti kindly made by Isabel, Cedric grabbed his broom and took Aiden down to the beach. It was the most open place to do this sort of thing and provided the best view.

Aiden, having not been to the beach in awhile, immediately ran towards the water but stopped just short of diving in head first. He danced along the water's edge until Cedric called him back.

[Open! Cedric will take a weetiny flying, if you'd like. If not, feel free to use the beach.]

Comments

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"We're going flying?" Aiden asked in wonder, looking at the broomstick in Cedric's hand.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"I thought we could," Cedric said. "When's the last time you went?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Awhile ago," Aiden said. "There hasn't been a lot of time for flying. 'Cept in the ship, of course."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Well, then this will be sort of new for you," Cedric said. "You know how to fly?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Yeah yeah," he said. "Hold on tight, keep two hands on the broom and don't let go. You told me, Dad. When you taught me how to catch a snitch."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Amused, Cedric asked, "I taught you that?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Aiden said. "'Cept we didn't have a real snitch so we used some socks that were encased in superglue. You said it wasn't the same but it worked anyway."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Socks?" That was odd. And the fact that he suggested it was even odder. "It worked though. Anyway, here."

He held the broom out to Aiden.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"I get to fly?" Aiden asked in wonder. He hadn't been able to control the broom before, just ride. "Really?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Why not?" Cedric asked. He'd make sure Aiden didn't crash them into the ocean. "You know how. I trust you."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Okay!" He jerked the broom underneath one leg and was about to kick off when Cedric caught him by the waist and held him.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Wait wait wait," Cedric said. "I'm going with you, Aiden. You're just going to be controlling. And you've got to do it slowly. Taking off in a big rush will leave you off balance when you're in the air."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," he said apologetically. "Sorry. I'll do better."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"It's all right," he said, stepping behind Aiden. He covered Aiden's hands with his and said, "All right. We'll kick off together? Ready? One. Two..."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Three!" Aiden kicked up as hard as he could and then they were in the sky and the ground was below them and they were IN THE SKY. "Wheeeeeeeeee!"

He might be the serious one but they were IN THE SKY!

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

That was almost enough for Cedric to shout out too but he settled for smiling and subtly controlling the broom so they didn't do a header into the ocean. Still, it was mostly Aiden flying and he wanted to make sure Aiden knew it.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"We're flying! We're in the sky!" Yes, he was still stuck on the being in the sky bit. It'd been awhile, all right? "Daddy, we're over water!"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"We are," he said, letting up a little and giving Aiden a little more control. "You can take us higher."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden pulled up on the broom slightly, elevating them higher into the sky. "Can we go fast now? Like how you go when you chase the snitch?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric frowned though Aiden couldn't see him. That might be a little too fast. "We can go faster but not that fast. We've no need since we're not chasing a snitch, after all."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Okay," he said. He ducked his head and felt his daddy so the same and the shot off across the sky. The wind blew through his hair and he could feel the chill from the ocean because they were going FAST!

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"You're going well," Cedric said in Aiden's ear. They were flying in a straight line, zipping over the ocean as the moon rose in the distance.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Can I do a trick?" He really wanted to do a trick because he didn't get to fly in the timeship and he had his daddy all to himself and Jake couldn't hog the flying so he really wanted to do a trick.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"What sort of trick?" Cedric asked, looking over Aiden's shoulder. "Nothing too dangerous. Even I don't do tricks."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Spins!" Aiden said, nodding excitedly. "Twisty spins!"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Just a few," Cedric said because he really couldn't resist. "And not too fast."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden pulled the broom up to slow them and then twisted his body. That sent the broom and it's two riders into several tight spins.

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Spin in the SKY! IN THE SKY!

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Take us back up," Cedric said. "Take us high and we'll do it again!"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden sent the broom flying back into the air, higher in the night sky and then stopped. "Daddy?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"What?" Cedric frowned. "Are you all right?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "It's going to be all right."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"It's..." He paused and looked at Aiden again. "Why would you say that now?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"You always say that to dad and me," he answered quietly. He patted one of Cedric's hands lightly and left it there. "So, it's going to be all right. I learned that from you."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He grinned softly. "You're right," he said, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. "It's going to be all right. Thank you for reminding me of that."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden grinned and then sent the broom into more spins, twirling them towards the ocean and laughing the whole way down.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric joined in the laughter until Aiden stopped them just over the ocean. "We should land. We can sit and watch the stars for awhile."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden took them in for a gentle landing on the sand and climbed off the broom.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric dropped the broom to the ground and then sat down beside it. He patted the space next to him and Aiden dropped down beside Cedric.

"Lay back," Cedric said and did so himself.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Aiden lay back and curled against Cedric's side almost automatically. "The stars are far away."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Not the same as traveling through the stars, is it?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"No," he said, yawning and trying to hide it in Cedric's shirt. "Up there, they surround you like a blanket."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric liked that comparison. "While they're up in the sky, they protect you like a shield though."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." He yawned again. "It's going to be all right."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"It's going to be all right," Cedric said. "The stars will protect us. And I'll protect you."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"I know you will," he said and yawned again. "You and Sam and daddy. And I'll watch out for Jake cuz he's little and I'm big and that's the way it goes. And it'll be all right."

He yawned one more time before stilling and falling asleep.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric didn't move for a while, content to lay there and let Aiden sleep. He spent time counting the stars and maybe wishing that the future that Aiden talked about came true.