[PRP] Running into Trouble (Nasir/Kaleb)

[azuredreams]

"Um ... did you see a business name or anything? I can try it anyway if not ..." Nasir just wasn't sure if that was specific enough to do what he was trying to do. "A lot of books just ... don't understand magic at all. There's several courses offered locally that you can't find at another school."

His fingers were being flexed in and out, stretching them to prepare for what he was about to do. "I think I saw a thing somewhere online that said you could go your entire life in somewhere like New York City and not run into someone magical but if you come to Ashdown? Odds are, you've already met someone that's got magic and don't know it."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb shook his head regretfully. "It looked like a whole street with stores, big windows across the front of them, with some boarded up doors." He perked up a little as he remembered some other little details. "Next to it might have been a bakery of some sort, it had one of those glass counters with the racks, and some small tables and chairs."

He eagerly watched Nasir's stretching. "There's a way to attend magic courses without openly being magical? Or... are they awful like the books too? It's been pretty amazing how many people here are magic, it's more of a community than I thought."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"That should be good enough ..." Nasir pressed his hands together then, rubbing them, before he started pressing the fingertips together. In the next moment he was doing a rather intricate looking set of hand motions.

"... and they're pretty good from what I hear? They're taught locally at Rider-Waite. I apparently took a few. Not that I have any of that knowledge," he chuckled, "but I've got the books laying around the house still." Looking up at Kaleb from his hands he smiled. "The fact this place is a community is kind of why I stuck around and decided to live here."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

It was strange, Kaleb could feel the magic accumulating ever so gently around Nasir, shifting with the intricate gestures. It seemed to be taking shape bit by bit with every motion.

"I would love to know what those books are," he replied quickly, still watching Nasir's hands. "If they were from an actual course, they have to be better than the stuff that's usually floating around."

He glanced up in time to catch Nasir's eyes. "You're not from Ashdown either?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Kaleb would notice it at the edge of his senses, a feeling of something approaching. Eventually it was a faint, sparkly golden trail that lead right up to Nasir. "I can show them to you later, if you want. I know you can sign up for courses too, if you wanted."

His hands fell to his lap, eyes glancing to the sparkles that appeared around them both before they went back to Kaleb's face. "No, I moved here when I was eighteen- well, technically I was still seventeen. Either way, I came here with my family and stayed behind when they moved." A pause. "They always moved, never stayed longer than a year in most places, and we were here a few months ..." Nasir smiled. "Someone helped me decide this was a good place to stay."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb automatically turned towards the source of the approaching sensation, and broke out into a grin as the sparkling trail wound towards them. Rather than creating the magic and letting it loose to find the destination, it looked more like Nasir had called magic from the destination to meet him.

"This would really take us to the creepy mannequin store? That's really amazing!" His eyes were bright and enthusiastic when he turned back to Nasir. Every demonstration was showing him more and more of what was possible, and Kaleb was all too eager to see it all.

"I... always thought I would go back to the city after college, but I'm not sure I could, knowing what I know now."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Yes," Nasir said with a smile, "we can follow it and we should be at the place you mentioned." A chuckle escaped. "At least, that's how it's worked for me in the past."

He started to push himself up to stand, fingers wriggling for Trouble who scooted and climbed up his leg.

"It'd be pretty hard to leave Ashdown, to be honest, if only because this place is probably better for someone with magic. People still kind of freak out about magic a little but they're not as bothered as other places because it's the norm." A pause. "Well kind of the norm."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb scrambled to his feet. He wasn't sure he wanted to follow the path back to the creepy department store, the glittery trail was enough proof of concept to satisfy him.

"I guess it would be kinda scary, knowing you were probably the only one around who could experience stuff like this. And if something really bad happened, you would be on your own..." He paused, but then broke out into a smile once more as he shook off the abstract fears. "There's a lot more of nature here anyway, it's so much more peaceful. It's not all sharp edges and concrete buildings like the city."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir, out of friendly habit, offered a hand to Kaleb to use to pull himself up and not have to scramble so much. "Yeah, even if I was with my family - even in this new world - they're not really magical so they wouldn't understand."

He was smiling himself at the mention of nature and nodded in agreement. "It takes some getting used to but it's actually nice out here. Especially if you find the right places. There's even this ... garden place? It had wrought-iron gates that were overgrown with vines but it was really pretty. Seemed really peaceful, you know?" Nasir fidgeted with a hair clip. "I know there's things here that are cause for worry but there's just as many good things."

Grey Dragon

omg!!! i never saw this ping >__<;;; i am so sorry grey! feel free to nudge me if i don't tag something after three days, okay?

 

[Grey Dragon]

"It definitely needs getting used to," Kaleb agreed with a lopsided grin. "But it feels less like... everything's breaking down and abandoned, and more like it's all just being covered with new growth. Kinda like it's occupied in a different way."

He glanced down at his hands in the midst of timid introspection. "I like feeling the magic over here too. It's... really beautiful sometimes. Like your bond with Trouble, it's really incredible."

azuredreams

Ahaha, I thought it was just meta focus time! XD

 

[azuredreams]

"It's easier to be here," admitted Nasir. "Like taking breaths isn't so hard to do. I could go on forever, run forever, and not worry about losing my energy or stamina."

He shook his head before smiling at Kaleb. "I think everything is broken here because it's a bit of everything, you know? All the stuff that's existed across all these cycles people talk about and maybe even other worlds. That's why it's all weird."

Not that his face did not heat a little bit about the bond being incredible.

"Was there anything else you wanted to do? I can help you get back over if you want."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb wasn't so sure he could understand THAT feeling, but then again, he couldn't run from one end of his apartment building to the other without getting winded. He was most certainly not the athletic sort.

"Like too many possibilities all in one place I guess." He smiled gently as he thought it over. Just like magic itself. Far too many possibilities for one such as himself to consider. "I think... I'm okay, I can't feel any portals nearby but I'm sure I'll find one if I wander a bit. Thank you, again, for showing me your magic, it was really wonderful to experience."

When Kaleb glanced up to meet Nasir's eyes, there was just pure admiration on his face. It was all incredible, the magic was incredible, the bond was incredible, Nasir was incredible... The older man would have to get used to being admired sooner or later.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Nasir did not know what to do with that kind of look from anyone, let alone Kaleb, so instead his face just darkened with a faint blush. "Well if you're staying here a bit longer, I'll stay too. I've been working on studying magic some and I need to practice more of the hand movements I work with."

His fingers crooked and scratched at Trouble who had made his way to Nasir's shoulder. "If that's alright with you?"

Grey Dragon

fade away with your post?

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb nodded, smiling shyly. "I don't mind at all, it really is nicer out here with company." With that he settled down onto the grass and eased back into his own practicing, still brimming with inner delight.

azuredreams

Done! ^o^