Top Wing OneShots / Drabbles

Flight [Swift & Penny]

Words: 480

for kodosikucing
I didn't exactly follow your suggestion but I attempted to use the idea ahaha. Hope you like it!

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"What does it feel like to fly?"

Swift shifted his gaze to the penguin in front of him.

"Well, I'm... not sure how to explain it. Sometimes it feels nice, sometimes it's just something that you do," he tried searching for a better explanation, "Flying to me is how swimming is to you,"

"Not sure about that last part. I never expect I could end up this injured when I go swimming,"

Penny dabbed the antiseptic-drenched cotton ball onto the blue jay's wing, tending to his cuts and scrapes. Swift was applying an ice pack wrapped onto his bruised leg.

"Heh, then that's just me I guess,"

"What happened? You've never had trouble flying before. Did something hit you?"

"It's nothing,"

"Or maybe you weren't looking where you were going," Penny continued.

"You could say that,"

"But that was never a problem before. Because I've seen how quick your flying reflexes are when avoiding things in the sky,"

"It's just one of those days,"

"The thing is⁠—there wasn't any thing. You were in an open space area. You really expect me to believe Swift, the team's flying ace, crashed his landing all of a sudden?"

"Hey, even the experts make rookie mistakes sometimes,"

Most of the questions Penny threw had been rhetoric and Swift did realise this. However, he chose to play it off, hoping she wouldn't look too much into the issue.

"Swift. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. Still, I can't help but worry about you."

The academy's infirmary was filled with silence, a deafening one to Swift. A bandage was plastered onto his wounded wing. Then another one. He only felt it being placed though, since he had focused his vision to the corner of the room. 'You worry too much,' is what he would say, but it didn't feel right to dismiss her like that. Especially when she was justified to feel that way.

Why would he say that? His mind began to conjure up questions. To brush off his friend's genuine concern for him? Because he felt he didn't deserve it? Or because he's convinced himself, that it wasn't something to be worried about? The problem wasn't that significant. They're not worth getting other people involved.

It's fine.

He can handle it by himself.

Like he always does.

"Swift?" Penny's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you okay? Your wing, it's trembling,"

The blue jay tensed in response. He could feel his breath unsteady, a nauseous sensation subtly welling up. He felt Penny's flipper placed gently on his wing, and found himself gripping onto her arm tightly, as if to support him from stumbling.

The penguin grew worried about her friend, but she wasn't sure how to help. She sat down beside him on the infirmary bed, Swift's wing still grasping on her flipper.

"It's okay, Swift. You're okay. I'm here,"