Title: Rushmore Romance
Prompt: #32, Sunset
Word Count: 404
Summary: Balthazar takes Dave on a visit to Mt. Rushmore
Author's Notes: I don't own Sorcerer's Apprentice. If I did, Balthazar and Dave would have fallen in love and had hot...'tea'... at the end of the movie. Oh! And I'm not making any money off the writing of this. It's all for fun.
"You know, I'm really not the most comfortable being up here," Dave muttered, glancing over the edge of the rock facing with a wince. Airplanes, he could handle. Tall buildings, he was completely comfortable with. Hell, even that damn iron eagle that Balthazar was so fond of traveling on didn't bother him. But all those things had one, very important, thing in common. Safety.
Airplanes had their seat-belts, buildings had their balcony railings, and at least the eagle could be relied on not to make any moves to jar you and send you tumbling to your death. Up here, however, there was nothing to prevent such a thing, and it made Dave rather nervous.
"Balthazar, please," he started, trailing off into a yelp as he lost his footing on the smooth rock beneath his feet. Only a second passed before his ass collided painfully with the offending surface, during which he felt a surge panic, believing he would begin sliding down the side of the mountain. When he finally opened his eyes after a moment, however, he found himself sitting where he had landed, with Balthazar standing over him, watching him in amusement.
The sorcerer extended his hand, and Dave took it shyly, keeping his eyes focused on his shoes. "They made the rocks too smooth," he mumbled, kicking at a loose pebble as he shoved his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. Balthazar chuckled slightly as he placed one arm around the younger man.
"You can blame Borglum for that. He was a bit of a perfectionist." Waving off Dave's confused expression, Balthazar led him closer to the edge of the mountain's face. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder when he glanced nervously around again, drawing his attention. "I won't let you fall, Dave," he said, receiving a nod in reply. Dave followed suit as he sat down, keeping as close to him as possible as he did.
"So, why'd you bring me up here, anyway?" Dave asked, his voice sounding somewhat strained with his discomfort at their location.
"Because," Balthazar replied, wrapping his arm protectively around Dave's waist and holding him to his side, "The view is one-of-a-kind, don't you think?"
"I suppose," Dave murmured, receiving another chuckle from his companion.
"Alright, well, how many other people can say they've watched a sunset from the top of Roosevelt's head?"