Preening
Teo was in bed, despite the sun being high in the sky. He was laying on his stomach, in Sol temple. His wings twitched every once in a while, his feathers rubbing against each other, the keratin covered pin feathers that itched to be released. It was like wearing his binder but only on some of his feathers. Horribly annoying.
His wings twitched again, shaking off molting feathers, and he squirmed on his bed. He’d been watching Youtube, but the pin feathers rubbed against the sensitive edges of his feathers, and not even silly birds singing about Bacon Pancakes could distract him from. He groaned, reaching around his back to try and reach the feathers, but his fingers simply ran through fresh, bright green and blue feathers, no hard casings for him to remove.
He’d tried everything. Rubbing his back against his mattress, a bag scratcher upon Niya’s suggestion (it hadn’t worked and hurt like hell). Usually his mom would do it. He’d sit on the ground, no mirrors around, staring at the ground, as his mother would find and remove the feather casings.
But, now his mom is gone. He could ask someone to help him. Huemac knew how to help remove the keratin casings, which ones were good to pick off, and which ones would bleed if he took the cases off. He could ask the birds, who knew better than anyone how to remove pin feathers.
But his mom always did that. She would pick the keratin off, combing her fingers through his feathers, her nails catching on the feathers already falling out. There’d be a pile of feathers on the ground when she was done, old molted ones that have been removed from his wings, in a fluffy pile, and Teo would braid them into bracelets before throwing them away. His mom had been the only one who had been allowed to preen his feathers, especially when he’d come out as trans, and his wings became his biggest source of dysphoria.
He doesn’t notice he’s crying until he feels the hot tears flowing down his face, reaching up and trying to rub them away. He pulls his sleeve down over his wrist, rubbing his face dry with the old, worn fabric. The polyester scratched his cheeks, but at least it was familiar. He sighed shakily, trying to keep himself from thinking about his mother. Last time that happened he’d cried in his room for an hour and woke up with a headache so bad he questioned if he was hungover. Moreover, there’s still people in Quetzal’s temple, and Huemac walking in on him bawling his eyes out would be a pain in the ass to deal with.
He sat up, the itching returning as soon as his thoughts weren’t occupied by his mother. He should just ask Huemac or one of the birds to help, but it felt like betraying his mother. Like he was forgetting her, replacing her, with someone else. He was about to try the backscratcher again, when there was a knock on the door.
“Teo?” A familiar voice asked. It almost sounded gruff, but it sounded too smooth. Teo looked at the door, standing up, and flapping his wings once to propel himself high up, unfolding his legs and landing in front of the door, his hand on the knob before he could remember that he’d been crying a few seconds ago. “Huemac?” He asked, opening the door.
The man in front of him nodded, before Teo saw that someone was with him. Teo’s eyes traveled up, smiling when he saw his boyfriend, and launching himself at Aurelio, his arms wrapping around his neck, kissing Aurelio, forgetting that Huemac was right there, after going so long (A week and a half) without seeing the son of Lumbre.
Aurelio’s lips opened in an O before he kissed Teo back, his arms wrapping around Teo’s waist. Teo pulled away once he remembered Huemac was there, his ears and cheeks going red as he smiled, embarrassed to have done such a thing in front of the man that was basically his father, before he saw the small, sad smile on the man’s face. “Huemac?”
He asked, letting go of Aurelio, who let go of him, and looking up at Huemac, who chuckled. “Your growing up so fast, Pajarito.” He said, ruffling his hair and turning around. Teo smiled softly, the nickname giving him a taste of home from before the trials, before he turned to Aurelio.
“You–what are you doing here? You said you’d be in San Fuego for the rest of the month!” He said, grinning up at Aurelio, who smiled. “Surprise? I can leave if you want–” He joked, smiling, though Aurelio could see the slight bit of fear in his eyes, the way his fingers were pushing the edge of his sleeve in between his fingernails, as if he was afraid Teo would actually tell him to leave.
Teo rolled his eyes, grabbing Aurelio’s hand. The sudden movement on his arm brought back the itching in his wings, which shuddered uncontrollably. Aurelio frowned, his brows pulling together. “Is everything okay?” He asked immediately. Teo nodded, scowling as he tried to get the pin feather that was irritating him, yet again. And, yet again, it’s the same result.
“Pin feathers.” He explained. Aurelio frowned, and Teo opened his mouth to explain. “My feathers grow in these keratin–” Aurelio nodded, “-casings that you have to remove so the feathers can grow properly.” He finished, before his ears went red. “Sorry. For interrupting you.” He mumbled, but Teo smirked.
“Huh. How do you know that?” He asked, pulling Aurelio into his room, and closing the door behind him. Aurelio seemed to relax a bit, his tense shoulders not dropping but lowering as he sat on Teo’s bed, glancing at the stuffed toucan, Tuki, laying on the bed, smiling. “You told me when you were little. I helped you once, I think.”
Teo smiled softly, his back turned towards Aurelio as he dug through his closet for snacks. He remembered those times. He’d hated his wings as a kid, since people would always pull on the feathers, and he was scared to let Aurelio help, but his mom would be gone for a while, and he knew Huemac was busy.
It had been one of the few times when Aurelio had been allowed to stay over. They were probably 7 or 8, and Teo faintly recalled that Aurelio had been more anxious about removing the pin feathers than he was. He’d been pretty good at it, had found most of the pin feathers and gotten rid of the keratin casing causing him so much discomfort. He’d accidentally pulled off one of the feathers that wasn’t quite ready, and had cried when he saw it bleeding, while Teo tried to assure him he was fine.
It was actually quite funny, now that Teo thought about it. He chuckled, grabbing two pieces of Mazapan from the bulk box he’d bought, and then grabbing a bag of takis. He walked back over to the bed, dropping down and putting the snacks on the bed, grabbing his Mazapan, and pulling his legs up to his chest, sitting with his legs crossed as he looked up at Aurelio, opening the packaging carefully.
Aurelio mumbled something quiet, and Teo looked up, tilting his head to the side. “Hm?” He asked. Aurelio’s ears went slightly red as he looked up. “O-oh, I was asking if you needed help…o-or wanted it.” He said quietly. Teo chuckled. Aurelio really hadn’t changed a bit. He sighing, sitting down on the bed. “You sure you won’t cry again?”
Aurelio scowled, nodding as he sat down on the bed. “I was seven.” He grumbled, leaning against Teo’s side. “...but, do you need help?” He asked, looking up at Teo, who frowned. “Yeah.” He said, but he didn’t move, staying on the bed, his wings folded behind his back. Aurelio seemed to understand there was a bit more to the story, staying silent, while Teo fought with himself on whether to tell Aurelio.
Eventually, he decides to. Relationships don’t work without communication, and also, he needs to get this out of his system. “But..my mom always helped with pin feathers. It kinda feels like I'm betraying her if I let someone else do it, you know?” He said, sighing, and feeling his eyes fill with tears and staying quiet as he blinked back the tears. Aurelio wrapped an arm around his waist, not quite knowing what to say.
But, to Teo, this was enough. Just having someone to listen, was fine. Eventually, once the tears had somewhat dissipated from his eyes, and all that was left of them was a painful burn, he sighed, pulling his legs up to his chest.
“It’s stupid. I literally need those pins gone. I just..” He sighed, drifting off and closing his eyes, resting his head on Aurelio’s bicep. “...It’s fine. I trust you. She’ll be happy if my wings are perfect when she comes back.” He said, sighing and stretching his wings out. Aurelio paused, glancing at Teo, who nodded.
“C’mon, golden boy, I don’t have all day.” He said. He sighed as he felt Aurelio’s fingers crushing the casings around the edges, freeing the brand new feathers. Aurelio was always warm, and it was quite nice to be touched by him when you were sore. His muscles relaxed, specifically the ones in his shoulders, as the itching that had been constant for the past few days faded with each removed casing. Aurelio seems to notice Teo's wings splaying open wider so Aurelio could see the feathers hidden in between his wings.
Aurelio’s fingers were a lot different from his moms. For starters, much warmer. A little less long, and no sharp nails. His hands were the same size, but his nails were short and blunt, and nice and warm. His fingers didn’t catch on feathers like his mother’s, but he seemed to be good at finding them, easily peeling the casings off. “I don’t know if i got them all..” He said. Teo sighed, slumping back against Aurelio. “You got them all. Thank Sol, that feels so much better…” He groans, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.
Aurelio smiled softly, wrapping his arms around Teo’s waist. “No problem.” He said, laying back against the pillows, as Teo closed his eyes. “Oh, yeah, what’re you doing here?” Teo asked, looking up at Aurelio. Now that the pin feathers were gone, Teo could worry about other things. Like if something went wrong and Aurelio was hurt or something.
Aurelio frowned. “Oh. Niya and Auristela had a fight.” He said, petting Teo’s hair. He always seemed to like Teo’s hair, and Teo certainly didn’t mind. He closed his eyes, sighing as he relaxed into Aurelio’s arms. “Again?”
Aurelio nodded, his head resting on top of Teo’s. “Yeah. Auristela forgot Niya’s oreo yogurt at the store.” He said. Teo frowned. “Doesn’t sound like much of a fight to me.” He said. Aurelio frowned, nodding. “And then they kicked me out of the dorm after they made up, because they wanted to make out.” He said, huffing, his breath ruffling Teo’s hair, and blowing some of it into his eyes.
“Seriously–again? Why’re you guys even sharing a dorm if you get kicked out every other week?” He asked, looking up at Aurelio. Aurelio frowned, looking out the window instead of at Teo. “Oh. I mean…you know.” He said quietly. Teo frowned, before he remembered the original reason Aurelio had turned down living with Teo a few months ago.
After Auristela had been captured, it had been the longest Aurelio had gone without seeing his sister. When they’d been reunited, he wasn’t really in a hurry to leave her. So, it was no surprise that they’d stayed in the same dorm long after Aurelio left the academy. Unfortunately, Niya had moved in after she and Auristela got together, and while Teo offered to let Aurelio stay in Quetzal, he’d turned the offer down.
Teo felt guilty for bringing it up, until he saw the red blush on Aurelio’s face and ears. He grinned, looking up at him. “Your considering it?” He teased, watching Aurelio nod. “Maybe. I dunno.” Teo sighed, but he was quite happy with this news.
“Well, you have all the time in the world to decide.” He said. Aurelio sighed, nodding and tightening his grip around Teo’s waist.
“Yeah. All the time in the world.”