Malik (malikthebear) wrote in brightstar, @ 2019-08-31 17:24:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !thread, character: avery davenport, character: malik anson |
Who: Malik and Avery
What: Showing the new girl around
When: August (backdated a couple of weeks?)
Where: Dragon enclosure
Warning: None
Malik glanced at his watch as he made his way to the Dragon enclosure. He was a little early, but he figured that was better than being late. He was excited anyway. Not only was he meeting a new girl, fresh to Brightstar, he was also getting to go see the Dragons again. He was just enthralled with them. And, again, new girl. There weren’t a whole lot of people his age that worked at the reserve. Just himself and Tabitha that he was aware of, it was nice to have a third. If they all got along together, the three of them, they would have an official group, two others to definitely be able to talk to and lean on when times went bad.
He stopped at the opening of the Dragon enclosure and peered in for a few seconds before taking a look around and rocking back on his heels. When he felt his hair start to move around, he groaned and lifted a hand to feel Lila, the small Snidget, that seemed to find him no matter where he was on the Reserve. “Oh Lila…” he whispered. “Dragons. You don’t want to go in there,” but Lila ignored him and just nested in his afro of hair. Well, this was embarrassing for meeting someone new, he thought.
Wondering if it was possible for him to run back to where Lila was supposed to be, he caught sight of someone he didn’t recognize coming up the path. Nope. Lila won this round for sure.
“Um, Avery?” He asked as the girl neared. “I’m Malik,” he said, pretty sure this was Avery. He knew just about everyone on the Reserve, having pretty much grown up here.
Avery had been nervous all week. There was always a little bit of danger when meeting someone new, she always felt that hesitation and that voice in her head questioning if they were going to be okay. Would he figure it out? If he did, how would he feel about it? Would he still want to be friends? What if he didn't? What if it was worse than that? Meeting new people almost wasn't worth it. She was new to this place though, and he was close to her age. It would be nice to have someone to talk to, someone to hang out with and ease the loneliness she had felt nearly her whole life.
As promised, Avery carefully held two coffees in her hands, one made up the way Malik liked it. As the terrain got more rough, she took to her wand and levitated them along the path so she didn't spill or drop any of it. When she could see someone up ahead, she took the coffees back in her hands.
“Hi! Yes it's me. I hope I got it right.” She said, handing the coffee she thought was his over. Before he could take it, she whipped it back and handed the other one over. “Oh, I mean this one.” Smooth, Avery.
She was only briefly distracted by her own embarrassment when she noticed Malik’s hair seemed to be moving. Ordinarily she wouldn't have said anything, but she remembered the earlier conversation about the less than savory things that lurked in these woods. “Um… I think there's something in your hair.”
Malik gave one of his most charming smiles when Avery handed over the coffee. “You didn’t have to, but you are the most wonderful human being,” he grinned and immediately took a sip of the coffee. “Perfect.”
When she commented on his hair, he chuckled a little shyly. “Yeah…” he said. “That’s Lila, a Snidget. She started nesting in my hair during my first week here and every day she comes to find me. Lila, say hello to Avery,” he said, tilting his eyes upward. Lila let out a small noise and peeked out for a second before burrowing back in. “I don’t mind the company most days, I’m usually alone, just a little embarrassing when meeting new people,” he chuckled.
His beaming smile was matched with one of her own. Avery loved doing things for other people, and seeing his smile over the coffee and that she's got it right actually did make her pretty happy.
When he explained what was moving in his hair, Avery visibly got excited. She knew exactly what a snidget was - she'd played Quidditch for a league team outside of school, and knew the poor bird was what was used before the golden snitch. “Wow, amazing. Hello, Lila.” She said softly to the little bird which promptly went back into hiding. “That's really sweet. Not embarrassing at all.”
Malik chuckled and gave a small shake of his head, gentle enough that he wouldn’t dislodge the Snidget. “As long as she keeps it clean and doesn’t lay eggs or anything, I’m good,” he chuckled. “I don’t think she likes me as much as she just thinks my hair is a really good nesting place. “But, like I said, she’s good company sometimes.” He was glad that Avery didn’t laugh or make fun, it helped him relax and not worry so much about the tiny creature that was resting peacefully in his hair.
“So, ready to go see the dragons?” He asked and wagged his eyebrows. “If you have never seen one in real life, be ready to have your mind blown and just be in awe for the next few hours of your life,” he chuckled.
“She’s basically like, daily complimenting how nice your hair is. So that’s a plus.” Avery smiled, laughing at a little at the situation but definitely not at Malik. It was sweet that the tiny Snidget loved to nest in his hair, even if it was a little bizarre. She wasn’t one to question the wants and needs of magical creatures, though. Although she liked care of magical creatures in school, she had never really excelled at anything during her years at West Coast Academy. She’d had a lot of other things on her mind.
When Malik asked if she was ready, Avery grinned and nodded her head in excitement. “I can’t wait. I have never once seen a real dragon up close and personal, so I am very, very ready to be completely amazed. Excuse any potential mouth-hanging-open, wide-eyed stares that may happen in the very near future.”
Malik grinned and then turned to lead the way into the enclosure. In general, he was a guy who always allowed ladies first, but considering Avery didn’t know her way around he thought it best that she follow him. He sipped at his coffee as he walked, feeling good about the day so far. New friend, pretty girl, coffee, dragons...yeah it was a good day.
“Alright,” he said as they got near enough to see one. “I don’t know their names yet, but just look at that, will you?” It was a red dragon with a golden under belly and it seemed to just be hanging out. “I don’t even know how many we have here, I don’t get to the enclosure often. I think I might ask if I can start working with them more,” he nodded.
The second her eyes fell on the large, magnificent creature, Avery’s jaw dropped just as she had predicted it would. It was equal parts terrifying and beautiful. “Wow.” There really wasn’t anything else to say. She was absolutely sure she had never seen anything quite so large in her entire life, in such stark contrast to the very tiny bird nestled in Malik’s hair she had seen just moments prior.
The dragon let out a great rumble and turned slightly, causing Avery to jump back, a little behind Malik and her hand naturally touched his back very lightly as she hid behind him. Almost as quickly as she had moved, her hand dropped again and she took another, somewhat larger step back. “Oops, sorry.” She apologized, red flushing her cheeks.
Malik caught the jaw dropping, which had pretty much been what he had done when he’d seen a dragon up close. How could you not? Dragons were huge magnificent creatures that were very worthy of jaw dropping.
When Avery jumped and moved behind him, her hand brushing across his back, he just let out a chuckle and turned to the side as she took another step back. “It’s okay,” he said with a grin. “Red here,” he waved at the dragon he was now dubbing Red until he learned the name. “Is very much worthy of awe, excitement, and slight fear. “Come on,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him. “There is a place up here where we can sit and watch for awhile, drink our coffee and be awestruck,” he smiled again and started towards a spot where he knew they would be able to see everything if the dragons came out to play.
Avery was sure just about anyone who had seen dragons for the first time reacted similarly to herself, but she was still slightly embarrassed. Having been bullied for most of her life left her unsure if whether or not just about anything she did was okay, or the right thing, or socially acceptable. Malik’s total nonchalance was certainly helping to quiet that voice.
Reassured that it was all okay, she didn’t hesitate to step forward when he gestured to follow him mentioning someplace they could watch in a more relaxed area. “Oh awesome. Is it a place you found or is it like, meant to be an area you can sit and watch the dragons from?” It might have been a silly question, but Avery did need to know everything about the grounds and while she had used the app extensively, seeing it first hand was better for learning.
“It’s a place I found,” Malik answered. “I mean, I’m sure others have been there as well, but most that come to sit and watch are going to sit in another area,” he explained. “Only members of the reserve really can get this far in.” And even then, he wasn’t sure if they were allowed, but no one had stopped him yet and he figured as long as the dragons don’t get antagonized that it was all okay.
“If they take flight, it will take your breath away,” he said as they made it to the spot that sort of overlooked where the dragons roamed. “It seems impossible that something that big can lift off the ground, and each time I see it I’m still left speechless.”
“Ooh, cool. It’s kinda nice to have a little spot no one - or not a lot of people, anyway - knows about.” Avery wondered if, after today, he’d be willing to share the little spot. Although she wasn’t sure how brave she’d be on her own and if she’d make it all the way up here by herself, she thought she might like to come here to think sometimes and watch the dragons.
When they reached the area, Avery still followed Malik closely until he sat. Sitting beside him, she could clearly see the dragons in their enclosure. From this safer distance, she could truly appreciate how glorious they were. “Wow. I know, I can’t even picture it. I mean logically I know they fly, but the process of lifting off… they’re so enormous, it’s mind-boggling.”
“And they make it look super easy,” Malik said as they both got situated and he looked down into the enclosure and watched the red dragon moved about. “I wonder where the others are,” he said curiously. There were a few more, he knew. Some of them had their little hiding spots that they stayed in and only came out every once in awhile to sun.
“So tell me about yourself, Avery,” he said, glancing over at her. “Where are you from, what do you like to do, things like that.”
“How many are there?” She remembered reading something, but she couldn’t remember exactly how many dragons they had at the Reserve. Just another piece of information she was going to have to memorize. Avery was pretty sure her first few tours, she’d have to have little note cards with facts about each place she needed to know.
Taking a sip of her coffee as Malik asked her about herself, she hesitated. Avery had never been particularly comfortable talking about herself, but it would be rude not to answer and instead, she thought carefully for a few moments before responding. “Well, I’m originally from Texas. We moved to California just before high school. Then, I spent a year traveling before I ended up here.” She started, and through it you could hear just the slightest hint of a southern accent. “As for things I like to do, well, I don’t know. I like to read, I like sports, you know, even no-maj ones like soccer and whatnot. I played Quidditch in High School, and some Quadpot though I liked Quidditch more. Um, what else… I guess apart from sports, mostly just reading. I didn’t do much else growin’ up.” It’s not like she ever went to parties or had friends to hang out with. The typical sort of social things teens would do, Avery had not participated in. “What about you?”
“We have quite a few,” Malik said, picking at a blade of grass where they sat. “But I don’t know exact numbers,” he answered her. “The reserve works only with a newly discovered breed, Laurentian Redbone,” he added. “They are a smaller breed, of course, but still impressive.”
“Texas, huh?” He smiled. “I thought I heard a bit of some sort of twang in there,” he said with a small teasing gleam in his eyes. Most of Avery’s answers were pretty much surface ones. The type of ones you get from everyone. Reading, sports, that sort of thing. “Okay,” he said when she asked the same of him. “I lived in Washington until I was ten and then my sister and I moved here,” he started. “Which was fine, because even though I’d moved from everyone I still got to go to the same school since it was pretty much the closest one,” he continued. “I love both Quodpot and Quidditch, and I played Quodpot in high school. You are looking at MVP several times over,” he grinned. “I was also awarded class clown every year as well,” he chuckled. “I don’t read a lot, I like being outside when I’m not going to melt, I listen to all sorts of music, Um…” he trailed off and shot her another grin. “It’s just me and my sister Ash, who works security...and I guess that is pretty much it.”
“Smaller? Jesus…” She had already thought they were incredibly large, she could only imagine what it would be like had she seen one of the larger breeds on her first encounter with a dragon. “Definitely still impressive.”
At the mention of her Texas twang, Avery blushed and laughed a little. While where she grew up didn’t have the heaviest of Texas accents, she still had a bit of a twang which was noticeable the more she spoke. “What was Washington like?” She asked, curious. She’d been to several places in her travels, but it was mostly in California - she’d made her way here on a tip from someone she met in California, and had skipped the rest of the west coast. “Nice. I was Captain of the Quidditch team. MVP once or twice. I played Keeper. What positions did you play?” Anyone who liked sports was good in Avery’s book, and it was nice to have someone to talk to about the things she actually enjoyed. She didn’t get that very often, at least not before here. “It’s nice you have your sister here. It’s just me. I’m not close with my family.” Although the Davenport family name was quite well-known in Texas and California, she was glad that outside of those areas her father wasn’t nearly as known.
“Washington was like…” Malik trailed off and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess just like anywhere else? Most places I was at were pretty busy, not spread out like here,” he said. “But it was nice, had its perks. He had to say he was impressed with her Quidditch resume. “Beater,” he said. “Got nicknamed Bear because of it, which I still don’t get,” he laughed. “I’m sorry you aren’t close to your family,” he said. “Ash is all I have, and she’s pretty cool when she isn’t so damn awkward,” he chuckled. “She’s ten years older than me and I was giving her dating advice not long ago. She’s been a great guardian though, raised me right I guess,” he chuckled. He settled back on his elbows, stretching out his legs in front of him and crossing one ankle over the other. "Yeah," he said. "Pretty sure I'll be working with dragons one day."