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“Well? You know what to do.”
The godly voice rang in my ears, Blood God standing in void form behind me.
My head throbbed because I just couldn't.
Why?
Out of all the watchers I'd been forced to slaughter, this one seemed…familiar…?
Purple-black wings curled around the figure on one knee before me, wide purple eyes staring up at me from behind messy brown hair.
“ What are you doing!? Strike him!” I unconsciously moved on command, panicking as I jerked down to avoid his wings. Dropping my sword, I instead kicked the boy, causing him to fall backward, wings fluttering in a panic.
I can't hurt him!
The boy let out a gasp as the purple in his gaze flickered out, and along with it the color of his feathers slowly changed. Without wings covering the majority of him I could now clearly see the sickeningly familiar red sweater he wore.
I know him...
…who is he-?
“Tech- please- '' he finally spoke, reaching out a sweaty palm, a familiar scar cutting across it. The delicate feathers on the boy's head pinned back and as the wings fully changed I realized who it was.
Red, yellow, blue.
I'm stupid.
His voice suddenly rang in my ears.
“Tech?”
Only two people have ever called me that.
My mouth went dry.
The presence behind my back started to burn.
Fear hung heavy in the air.
I wanted to throw up.
Grian was one of them.
“No-...” Grian's gaze had never been so dull- so blank as he looked up at me. Yet I could only watch, enduring the fire of the presence at my back as I subconsciously reached for the void, mentally calling out to Kristin beyond.
“I need to protect him.”
My divine power could only part so far from my master behind me, at bare minimum carrying a message I could only pray would make it far enough. But at the grace of Lady Death, I received warmth in reply, fueling me as I stepped away from my master behind me.
“You-!”
You angered your master.
Agony pierced my chest as the Blood God's rage filled me.
It was never often I disobeyed him like this.
Kristen sent me an exit and I lunged for Grian, hand outstretched despite him suddenly flinching away. The void fled from around us as soon as I made contact.
~~~~~
“Grian-” We were back at my place. I had no idea what to do. Grian lay half in my lap, colorful messy wings splayed out awkwardly around him in such a way that made my back itch.
“Tech…” His eyes flickered purple, as I'm sure mine flickered red. My head pounded behind my eyes.
“Techno… you saved me.” Grian seemed to grasp reality a lot quicker than I did, the pain distracting me from the task at hand.
I blinked through the headache, trying to focus on him, dull blue eyes looking up at me worriedly. “Are you okay?” I found myself asking as Grian moved his arms under him in an attempt to sit up.
“You just saved my life, Tech, are you okay?” He grimaced as his gaze flickered purple.
“Yeah, just, headache…” I winced, “-if Kristin sends Phil to check on me, don't be surprised…” I tried not to grit my teeth, gazing blearily down at him looking up at me, wings now folded neatly behind him.
“Okay,” Grian still looked concerned, looking around as if for something as I drifted to the thought of Phil visiting after a rather extended time away, both of us having been busy taking care of our higher roles.
“Could you grab the emerald necklace off the mantle?” My vision was fading into red as I watched Grian nod, slowly standing up and… limping towards the mantle. Why didn't he say he was hurt? I frowned, closing my eyes as the silent voices suddenly sprung back to life.
You were ordered to kill him!
Kill him!
You're a failure
There will be consequences
“Tech…?” Grian was on his knees in front of me, but I kept my gaze down, instead reaching out an open palm. Grian seemed to get the gesture as he let the emerald gem slip into my open hand. I jolted as soon as it hit my palm, gasping as if it was my first breath of fresh air in what felt like way too long. A shudder worked through me as my head cleared, the voices silenced by the enchantment running through me.
“That's a dangerous enchantment, Tech.” I looked up, vision finally clear as I gave Grian a proper look for the first time.
“I'm aware, don't worry, I only use it when I disobey him directly. I'll receive the full of his wrath later.” Grian's eyes widened in slight horror, unflinching as his eyes flickered.
“Tech-...” He watched fearfully as I slipped the chain over my neck, the full enchantment taking effect as the gem rested over my heart.
“It's okay, I'm focusing here and now. You're hurt, yeah? We should take care of that.” The color was returning to Grian's eyes, uncertainty dancing in his blue gaze.
Grian went quiet as I stood up, moving to help him up; Grian pursed his lips but accepted the hand, falling onto me slightly as he kept weight off of one side.
“Come on,” I helped him over to the couch, moving him to sit sideways against the arm to put his legs up.
“Ow-” He hissed as his leg hit the cushion, the feathers on his head pinned back.
“Is it your foot or your leg?” Grian closed his eyes, wings folded tight against his back to the point it must be uncomfortable.
“Leg, it's…broken…” I grimaced, rolling up one of his pant legs to reveal a very rudimentary splint.
“At least it's not out of place, I can work with that…” Grian nodded, eyes still shut as I sighed, moving towards my small supply closet above my storage room.
“Give me a sec.” I quickly found the old crutches Phil gave me when I broke my foot on a particularly nasty day while fighting another Watcher. I grabbed some cloth and medical tape before moving to find a scrap wooden rod to use to make the better splint. “This will do.” With the crutches in one arm and the miscellaneous objects in the other, I used my foot to shut the small door, turning to approach Grian.
~
“I think this is the best I can do.”
“Thanks Tech.”
“No problem, G.”
~~~
“What happened-? How did he-?” I thought out loud as I brought over two cups of water, handing one to Grian and keeping one for myself.
“I was server jumping, spent too long in the void, though, I still have no idea how he got to me.” He looked away, blue eyes dulling as he stared into the cup of water.
“No…” Dread settled into my stomach; knowing all the people I knew who void-walked often, and well knowing Kristen and Phil could only protect so many of them.
“I'll have to talk to Phil about it, he'll keep an eye on you from now on though.” I set my water on the rough coffee table Phil helped me build a while back.
“Thanks…? What's his higher role?” Grian's voice was quieter than usual as he curled into the blanket I'd given him to borrow.
“Well, Kristin, his wife, is the Goddess of Death, and he's her Angel Of Death.” His eyes widened, nodding slowly.
“So-? Are they the only ones who can protect people from… him?” Something about that sentence dulled his gaze further, probably having thought about his other friends.
“She and Phil, yeah, when things come to me usually it's usually game over. I only endure the pain of resisting for those I deem worth saving.” Grian stiffened, and I realized the weight of my words.
“I-I'm honored-…” There was a waver in his voice, something akin to uncertainty or fear sparkling in his gaze.
“Usually with the people I meet, we don't exactly leave on good terms. You were always different from them, thankfully… I- I guess….- thanks for not being one of them.” My gaze dropped, years worth of hurt welling in my gut as the two of us fell into silence.
“Thank you Tech.” Avian eyes looked down at me and I was all too aware of them at that moment.
Chirp. Grian flinched, slapping a hand over his mouth as my gaze snapped up to meet his. “Sorry-” His voice shook, feathers ruffled behind him.
“Don't worry about it-...” I looked down to hide my cringe.
“Tech…?” Grian bit his lip, turning away slightly.
I kept my gaze down, a sudden tension hanging in the air between us. “Yeah…?”
“Why don't you ever take out your wings?” The question caught me off guard, Grian moving to hide behind his wing.
“What-?” I stiffened, confused by the sudden subject change, but gosh, my heart ached at the thought of them.
“Your wings...” I felt them shift behind me from where they rested, pressed against my back.
I never told him about my wings….? “H-how do you know about them?” My cloak was suddenly heavy over the fragile things, they itched.
“I see the way Phil looks at you, like only an Avian would. You're his chick are you not?” A chirp caught in my throat. Phil and I hadn't been able to acknowledge that bond in some time now.
“I guess… yeah…” My chest hurt, because of course only another avian would notice the wordless bond held between flock members.
“Can I-…?” Grian flinched back at his own words, not bothering to finish the question as he hid himself, face turned away and hidden behind bright feathers.
“I-” My cloak fell from my shoulders before I fully registered what I was doing, messy, unkempt wings spreading out behind me.
It was painful, they ached, they itched, all the lack of movement and out of place feathers had them shuddering in a weak attempt to shake out loose feathers.
Chirp.
It was weak, but it was enough to make him look up suddenly, wing falling from over his face, expression morphing from shock to sadness.
“They’re too vulnerable to leave uncovered…and Phil is the only one able to fly in the void...”
“You couldn't upkeep them?” His voice was barely more than a whisper, only staring in horror at what otherwise would be an avian's pride and joy.
“Ever since I’ve been forced to take out watchers…it’s just been so draining…Phil and I haven’t spoken in weeks because I’ve spent most of my time in the void.” I flexed my wings, grimacing as the painful ache forced them to drop, pink and black feathers brushing the floor.
“Tech-...” Now Grian looked ready to cry, sadness and a distant conflict weighing his gaze.
The two of us fell quiet
The silence lingered too long. As if on cue, someone knocked.
Phil.
For a second I considered putting my cloak back on to answer. It's okay, Phil knows to let himself in, my wings are fine, Phil is no danger. The door opened and as soon as the door clicked shut I didn't have to look to know he was at my side in an instant.
“Techno-... your wings-...!??” Phil was stunned for a moment, a heartbroken look crossing his face as he looked down at me, causing my stomach to drop.
A fearful chirp escaped me as I ducked my head. “Sorry-” A lump lodged in my throat as my face burned with shame, unable to meet his gaze.
“No, no, no, it's okay, we- can we help you?” Grian stopped his nervous preening at the word ‘we ’, looking over at Phil.
“You're welcome, mate, if you're one of which he'll take the wrath of the Blood God for, you're family.” And gods, that meant so much more in a room full of Avians; a kind so close knit any outsider would immediately end up being driven away one way or another.
“T-Thank you-” He shifted, eye glossy as he grimaced, trying to move his leg slightly.
“Of course, mate. I think we could all use it, honestly.” There was no questioning the eldest bird as the slow process began.
“Should we make a nest?”
Grian's eyes dilated slightly, as did Phil's. I could only glance at the two nervously, not used to tapping into my instincts like they did. Grian handed over his blanket and the pillows around him while Phil grabbed my discarded cloak off the floor.
I was about to question if this really was the best place to build such a fragile thing, but then Phil chirped . My warm pink and black wings puffed up at the sound, and subconsciously I chirped back, Grian quietly whistling a shy, yet pleased trill.
Then the three Avians, all carefully indulgent in their instincts, built a nest. Grian directed Phil to a few spots along the edge that needed more support, and just Techno did his best to help out.
Despite Grian's pained chirp as they moved him, content reassurances of safe, safe, safe were piled over him as he settled.
The three Avians sat together, moving to start preening. Techno's wings shuddered at the contact, making Phil let out a low coo and Grian hesitated until Phil gave him the okay.
Phil and Grian's wings were done much before Techno's, Techno shifting so they could both simultaneously work on his wings. Black, red, yellow, blue, and warm pink feathers scattered throughout the nest, but in the end Techno was the only one to melt into the comfort of his own feathers. They were far from pristine, but they felt world's better after Phil and Grian were finished.
Distantly Techno knew he'd have to face the consequences, but in his aching heart he knew Grian was one of the few worth it.