“Gwah!” Hinata’s voice carries through the trees as he lands heavily on his butt, the fairy he was attempting to catch twittering with laughter as he stands up from the mud puddle, silk robe all but ruined. He really should have left it at home like his mother advised.
“Darn you!” he calls, shaking his fist towards the air.
More chipper laughter is heard, the flit of her wings disappearing in a wink as she takes off.
“No! Wait! Come back! I can’t wait another year!!”
“Hinata-kun?”
A voice from the dark makes him jump, his balanced lost once more and he falls heavily back into the mud. With a startled yelp, she rushes forward, heedless of her own clothes to help him stand. “Are you ok? What are you doing out here?” Her eyes take in his attire. “And what are you wearing?”
He rubs the back of his head, belatedly realizing the result is merely more mud on his person. Sighing he looks in the direction of his lost cause. “I…I’m a wizard. Well,” he adds quickly, scratching his cheek, “an apprentice at least.”
Silence returns to the forest before she laughs, more in nerves than actually making fun of him. “Oh? And who or what were you yelling at?”
His head whips around, eyes meeting hers. “A fairy, one that would help me fly.”
She tilts her head, covering her mouth to hide her smile. “Hinata-kun, I thought you already could.”
He mimics her motion, head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen you on the court, if anyone can fly,” she pats his shoulder, “it’s you.”
She walks back towards the pathway, leaving him gobsmacked and blushing. He still wants to catch the fairy and he still wants to fly for real, but for now, all he wants to do is catch up to her.
So he does.
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