out of the Ordinary (boyxboy)

There's Something About Meru

"But mum, what if I don't make any friends?" Meru clung to the soft material of his mother's tunic as she tried to push him into the play centre.

"You will have fun here. I promise. Remember you already have a friend coming. Darko will be here today too. You can play with him, okay?" She coaxed him as she pried his fingers off her clothing. He started hopping in place with a smile.

"Really? Darky is here? You promise?" He asked. She nodded and pointed to another parent just landing with the black haired boy.

"See, there he is. Why don't you go inside together?" She sighed in relief as her son took off across the platform to hug the other boy and drag him into the play centre.

"Thank you. He was complaining the whole way here that he wanted to stay home and play with Meru. Those two are joined at the hip aren't they?" The father said to her with a grin. He was a powerful protector fairy, so she bowed her head in respect.

"Yes. I wonder if they might be mates one day." She mused. He shook his head with a frown.

"No, those pairings are very rare for high born fairies. I doubt a son of mine will be anything less than a protector." He sniffed and took off, his bird wings stretched wide as he floated on an updraft. She sighed and frowned, fluttering her butterfly wings as she left for work.

*

"Are you nervous?" He whispered. Meru looked over at him and shook his head no, flinging his white-blond hair about. He was fine with anything really. His mother was a butterfly worker and his father was a lower level bird protector fairy. They had fallen in love and against all odds had stayed together to have him. They taught him that it wasn't what was on the outside that counted, it was what was in your heart.

"Are you?" He asked, already knowing the answer. Darko would have good reason to be nervous. Both of his parents were high level bird protectors, and stuck up if they were being honest about it. They never liked how the two of them hung out together all the time. They thought Meru was beneath their son's notice, with his butterfly mother. Darko never cared though. He stuck by him through everything. Now they were about to cocoon and get their fairy wings.

"Yeah. If I am not at least a bird I think my parents might abandon me." He said sadly. Meru hugged him tightly.

"Don't worry Darko. If that happens you can come and live with me." They broke apart and smiled at each other. Then they got in line with the other children, followed them into the great garden and stepped into their cocooning flowers. Meru watched until he couldn't see Darko anymore before closing his eyes and letting the sleep come upon him.

He hoped he would never be parted from his best friend, but these things could go either way. He could wake up as a bug, a bird, or even a fabled dragon! He fell deep asleep and didn't feel the time pass or his wings growing on his back. As the flower peeled open again, he blinked his eyes as though no time had passed at all. His mother stood there, looking up with tears in her eyes. Her baby was growing up now. He stepped out and tested his wings, flapping them experimentally.

"How do I look mum?" He asked in a deeper voice. He gave her a hug and felt strange suddenly being taller than her.

"Oh baby, you look beautiful. Looks like you will be going to work with your papa." She reached out and patted his snowy white bird's wings. He looked around and noticed that Darko's flower was not yet opened. He sighed and went to see him anyways.

"I missed you Darko. Hurry up and come play with me. I want to fly with you!" Meru whispered to him. He had to leave the garden now that he was done his transformation. He looked over his shoulder as he went, hoping his friend would join him soon.