Presenting

When all babies are born, they have yet to open their wing slits and expose their delicate feathers. Presenting is held as a very intimate moment for a baby and their parents, and it can happen at anytime and anyplace. For some babies, they present the moment after birth, for others it could take up to 4 weeks after birth. For baby Anthony, it took 5 months.

Howard and Maria had decided to give birth at home, with in home nurses and maids at their disposal, without worrying about the peeping press. The birth was natural and it was smooth. There were no complications for Maria or the baby, and Anthony had come out kicking and screaming and crying, managing to clock a nurse in the face with his tiny foot even.

As soon as he was out of the womb, the room had turned to chaos. Nurses rushed back and forth, passing the baby to one another, making sure Maria was ok. The head nurse had taken baby Anthony out of the room to be cleaned off and by the time she returned the room had been clear of all medical personnel except her.

Howard had grunted at her arrival and stood, maneuvering around the room until he was in front of her, hands stretched out impatiently.  

The nurse handed the bundled baby to his awaiting father and helped him adjust, giving instructions along the way and showing the olderman how to support the baby’s neck. As soon as the nurse was sure he had it, she turned to check once more on Maria.

Howard handled him so the baby was in a belly hold, and before the nurse could stop him, he peeled back the blanket that bundled the baby up and stared dumbfounded. The indents of his slits were still closed, his soft baby back clear as day, despite the little chub he carried.

He was driven speechless. His eyes wide as he began breathing hard. Disappointment filled him which quickly turned to anger. His head snapped to look up at the nurse, “Where are his wings?” He growled, eyebrows pinched together, mouth formed into almost a snarl. “Howard!” Maria called him out, her cheeks red from embarrassment at her husband's outburst.

The nurse turned back and frowned, “Um, well, they’re not developed yet!” she quickly turned up her lips assuringly.

“Well why not?!” He huffed.

Again the nurse frowned, “All babies develop differently, his will probably be coming in soon.”

“Why not now? Can’t we just pull em out? They have procedures for that right?” He tapped impatiently.

“Howard!” Maria gasped, “That’s enough! Leave her alone, he’s fine!”

In a flash, an argument broke out between the two. Something having to do with imperfections and the press. Finally, anger over took him, and he deposited the baby into Maria’s arms. “Call me when he presents. I’ll be in my office.” He muttered coldly.

The nurse watched awkwardly as Howard trudged out of the room, anger written clear as day on his face.

The sound of whining filled the room and the youngest Stark began to fuss. Maria sighed and fixed the blanket so it was bound around the little boy who began crying. She tried to soothe him, gently rocking him and cooing reassurances, but quickly grew annoyed.

She sighed once more, this time tears threatening to spill, and she turned to Jarvis and held him out, “Jarvis, please take him. Take him anywhere, I don’t care, I just can’t listen to him cry right now.” she huffed.

Jarvis had paused uncomfortably before moving forward and, with the help of the nurse, managed to hold the baby against his chest.

The nurse had gone to tend to Maria while Jarvis slipped out of the room, silently obeying Maria’s request.

He stood outside the door for a good five minutes, just rocking the crying baby, trying to decide where to go.

Finally he had decided upon the nursery. The two made the journey across the mansion, little Anthony’s wails echoed throughout the halls.

When they made it to the room Jarvis was sure his ears would ring till the day he died. He adjusted the baby into a shoulder hold, which was a big mistake because now Anthony was screaming right in his ear.

He began swaying his hips, just moving around the room until he decided to sit in the rocking chair in the corner. For the longest time, the two just stayed there. With Jarvis rocking the boy from side to side, until Jarvis began singing, “You are my sunshine…” he paused, “... my only sunshine.”

Surprisingly, the boy quieted down, his screaming stopped and he was now only sobbing.

Jarvis continued on, “You make me happy, when skies are grey.”

Anthony had stopped crying completely, only small whimpers accompanying Jarvis’s voice, “ You’ll never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.” he ended.

He hesitated before starting again, “You are my sunshine…” and so the song began, over, and over, and over again.

It wasn’t until the tenth time around that Jarvis unlatched the boy from his shoulder. With one hand support the baby’s head and neck, and the other supporting Anthony’s bottom, he and Anthony faced each other for the first time.

Jarvis couldn’t help but gaze lovingly at his new master. He was a handsome little boy. Brown eyes and a dark patch of hair on his head. His eyes were half open as he stared up at Jarvis tiredly.

“Oh little Anthony, what a good baby boy you are.” He cooed, using the gentlest voice he could muster. “My little baby Anthony.”

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The first two weeks were spent waiting and hiding away from the public. The only people who had access to baby Anthony were Howard, Maria, and Jarvis. Howard was adamant about hiding his son away from the public. He had not presented his wings, and if the press heard of such an imperfection there would surely be repercussions regarding not only Howard’s personal life, but SI as well.

Despite Howard’s words, everyday he would check up on his son. Stopping only for a second to view baby Anthony’s back before growling and hurrying away.

Maria would hush Howard in his frayed states. He would pace back and forth, pulling his hair out, and dousing his throat with the burn of expensive alcohol. She would attempt to assure him that, “Yes, he will present his wings Howard, he just is slower to develop.” To which Howard would snapback, “Starks are not slow!” he emphasized, “There is nothing slow about us! He just needs a push is all! From a physician! They’ll help push those beauties out!”

After the second month, despite Maria and Jarvis’s protests, Howard had Jarvis pack the baby carrier and took little Anthony to the what he thought was the best physician in the country, where he was given the same advice as Maria had given.

“There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with this little one.” The man cooed at a baby Anthony. He was bouncing the boy on his knee and making faces as Anthony giggled with scrunched eyes and a miniature tongue poking out.

Jarvis took in the scene lovingly while Howard scowled, “Surely there must be something wrong!” He insisted. But the doctor assured him, he had a happy, healthy, very giggly, baby boy.

With that, Howard snatched his boy up, passed him off to Jarvis, and marched out of the facility, determined to find out what was wrong with his son.

It went on for two months. Howard would call and make appointments with the best physicians around, only to receive the same answers, “There is nothing wrong with your boy. You have one happy, healthy, very giggly, baby boy.” They would coo the last part to the baby. And everytime, Howard would snatch his boy up, give him to Jarvis, and go back to searching for answers with regards as to why his son had not presented.

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In the time it took for Anthony to present, he had gotten accustomed to his life.

He knew his house well enough, that by the time he was around four months old, he was bottom shuffling and slithering around, which was something Howard had paled at.

As soon as he caught Anthony making his way through the mansion he had shut himself in his office for a week. His son had learned to walk before presenting. What kind of parent produced an offspring that learned to crawl before presenting? A Week later Howard emerged smelling of alcohol and dragging Anthony to another meeting with another physician to determine if his son, as he put it, was retarded.

After Maria had found out she was furious, and the palm of her hand met his cheek. He was not allowed to see Anthony for a week, and once he was allowed to, Maria had him get to his knees, with a purple hand print on his cheek, and apologize to his son, by the request of his wife, even if it was half assed...

In his time, not only had Anthony mapped out his house, but as he ventured, he had taken to introducing himself to almost everyone in the mansion. He had learned everyone's roles, from his father's, to the maids, the cook, and even the gardeners!

Howard was not dad, but just Howard. He was there for the things only he deemed important. Like when Anthony was born, and… well, for things he deemed were important. Young Anthony had associated Howard with power. He was the boy’s father, not his daddy, dad, or dada. And he also seemed to be a character in the background to young Anthony. The only time he was seen, he was either drunk, or brooding or checking for a quick 5 seconds if his son had presented yet. It was hard to tell if Anthony even knew he had a father.

Maria was there on occasion. She tried, that was the thing. She loved her son, just as any good mother would. But she was not exactly a mother. She never knew what to do, so she and Howard passed the hard tasks, like changing, feeding, entertaining, and bathing to Jarvis. Occasionally she would sit with Anthony and breast feed him, but only for an hour, and then he was passed off to Jarvis. It wasn’t that she hated her son, or that she did not love him. It was just she did not know what to do, and did not care to learn. As long as her baby was alive, that was all that mattered, no matter the condition.

Then there was the staff. Like Louisa, Manila, and Ana, who was married to Jarvis. They were the three maids of the mansion. They dusted, vacuumed, sweeped, and washed dishes. Tony had met them after Jarvis had attempted to put him down for a nap in his play area.

The gate was not latched or secured, and with one push, the thing collapsed, and baby Anthony was scooching on his butt from one room to the next.

He had come across the ladies in the Fireplace Room. Which was just a room with a fireplace, three couches, and a bar. It was where the Christmas tree was put up, and also where Howard went when he schmoozed with other big suits.

The three women were dusting and changing the couch cushions when Anthony scooched in. When they noticed each other everyone stopped. The women froze, as did Anthony. And they did nothing… but stare… until… Anthony waved!

His little fist shot up, coated in slobber, and he jerked it around as he squealed in delight, “Teeee! Deeettthhhh!” He communicated, spittle flying, and a gummy smile accentuating his chubby face. The three ladies all giggled and surrounded him with coos and awes, and Anthony fit right in as they introduced themselves. That was how Jarvis found them. All three ladies in a circle around Anthony, pinching his cheeks, and replicating the squeals and grunts he made.

From that moment on, Anthony made it his mission, in his four month life span, to track down the housemaids every day, and steal kisses and tickles from everyone of them. While attempting to complete his daily mission, he had met the cook, Mark, who, when Jarvis located the boy, found the cook had given Anthony a stick of sugar cane, and was allowing the boy to chew under a watchful eye so he wouldn’t swallow the bits. Jarvis had briefly thanked the man for watching Anthony, threw away the sugar cane, and rushed the baby upstairs to brush his teeth. But that didn’t stop Anthony from attempting to see Mark again, and make “convincing” babbles  arguments as to why he should get more of the sweet treat.

Anthony had even gotten to know the gardeners who came around to help tend to the landscape surrounding the mansion. Jarvis had decided to take Anthony out once while Maria and Howard were away at a Gala in Mexico. Together, they came across the Gardeners Marco, Lamar, Kasey, and Mel. Tony had wandered over while Jarvis was setting up an area to sit and he had taken to “helping” them dig up some weeds, which really was him scooping up dirt with both his hands and flinging it over his head. Jarvis had come over and tried to coax the baby away from the workers, but he was having none of it, and insisted he helped the four men. Eventually they gave him the task of throwing away the weeds they pulled, and he was just as happy doing that task as he was flinging dirt.

Above all and everyone baby Anthony came across, no one else mattered to baby Anthony as much as Jarvis did.

Jarvis was there for it all, and stayed through it all, even when Mark had given Anthony blue jello that made his poop turn blue.

Jarvis fed him all the time, and gave him snacks. And sometimes Anthony happened to like the apple sauce and mashed peaches, other times the mashed yams and beets ended up across the room and all over Jarvis and Anthony’s face.

Occasionally the two would run around the house when Howard was out, and they would chase each other around, or play with Anthony’s building blocks.

At night, Jarvis would bathe the boy. Sometimes baths were good. They would play with boats, and shaving cream and Jarvis would teach Anthony how to float on his back. Other times, soap would get in Anthony’s eyes, and Jarvis would get a bath as well.

But in the end, everyday ended the same. Jarvis would wrap Anthony up like a burrito with the softest towel. He would lay the baby on his changing station, and massage lotion into his soft body. The two would sit together in the rocking chair in the corner, Anthony’s head on Jarvis’s chest, and they would go through the books on Anthony’s shelf until Anthony tuckered himself out trying to keep up with the book’s pictures.

Jarvis experienced a lot of Anthony’s firsts. Like the first time he “talked”, which was at first a grunt, but then turned into something like, “mmmmm... oh!”,  after Jarvis was attempting to shovel mashed apples and carrots into the little mouth.

The entire world froze in that moment, and Jarvis began repeating it back, “Oh!” he echoed back, to which Anthony repeated, “Oh!” and the two went back and forth until it evolved into, “Dippy dee, dippy dee, dippy dee!”.

They went on and on, echoing each other until emotions hit Jarvis hard, and he pushed aside the mashed apples and carrots, plucked up an excited baby Anthony, and cradled the boy to his chest, “What a good little boy Anthony! Such a good boy! So smart! What a smart little boy, so clever! I’m so proud of you!” He praised over and over again, blowing kisses along Anthony’s cheeks and tummy.

He had also been the first to witness Anthony crawling. The two were playing, “Gotcha”. Which was when Jarvis had Anthony on his back, and he would circle around the baby, and at random points dive in to wiggle his fingers against the baby’s belly, which he had found to be extremely sensitive to touch. The slightest motion had the baby in a laughing fit!

So one could imagine the man’s surprise when he began circling little Anthony around, “I’m gonna getcha!” he wiggled his fingers teasingly, and all of a sudden Anthony rolled himself onto his belly and began slithering away.

For a good ten seconds Jarvis could do nothing but stare as his baby began rushing away. His little giggles echoing throughout the room.

When Jarvis had gotten his mind back together he grabbed Anthony back, gently flipped him onto his back, and began blowing raspberries on the baby’s tummy. “You think you can get away from me!” He growled playfully. Anthony was in hysterics, his little face red as his little hands clutched Jarvis’s head, and attempted to push him away. “I’m going to eat you now!” Jarvis declared as he attacked the chubby belly once again.

Jarvis has experienced a lot of Anthony’s firsts. And although he knew he was not the boy’s father, he was honored to experience all of them, and cherish them in his heart. So it was no surprise when it was Jarvis who first noticed.

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From the moment Anthony first woke up he was grumpy. He rolled from one side of his crib to the other, his fists were clenched and they waved in the air as he grunted and whined.

At first Jarvis took his state to mean little Anthony needed a change. But when he laid the baby down and peeled the diaper away to see the damage done, there was nothing. Jarvis just shook his head and went on changing the boy’s diaper. Even going the extra mile to rubbing lotion into the baby’s body, which was a routine only done at night.

As soon as the cool substance met the boy’s body he began to relax, and when he began massaging it into his little back the boy melted into the cushion of the changing station. His whines were reduced to little sighs with each swipe of Jarvis’s hands and he eventually fell into a sort of pliable state.

When the massage was over Anthony was calm for about two hours. Jarvis had gotten him dressed in a onesie, and had taken him to the kitchen where he set up the high chair, and laid out a plate of mashed bananas and a spoon. Jarvis and Anthony had been working on getting Anthony to learn to feed himself. It was a messy road for sure, but every once in a while Anthony would get the hang of it, and he would hit the target (the target being his mouth).

But today, when Jarvis offered the spoon, Anthony would not take it. It wasn’t a violent argument that had both of them struggling with each other. No, this was a matter of Anthony just not taking it. Jarvis would lift Anthony’s hand so he could grasp the spoon, but as soon as Jarvis let go, Anthony’s hand fell to the high chair board, and he would gaze down at it, but not really do anything.

Jarvis almost regretted giving him a massage. There was a reason he gave Anthony massages before bed time, and this was why.

Not wanting to push any further, Jarvis began feeding Anthony himself. The first few bites were ok. Anthony took it with no fuss, but by the fifth spoonful he turned his head, refusing to take another bite. So he was full, babies get full! Jarvis would put the leftover bananas in the fridge and feed the boy later.

Anthony was the same way all day. He began getting fussy a couple hours later. His tired sighs turned back into whines, and he grunted every now and again. Jarvis knew the little sounds he was making. The little one sounded frustrated. But at what? He wasn’t hungry, he didn’t need a diaper change! Jarvis pulled out all the toys and books he could find, but baby Anthony refused to play with all of them! What was he to do? He even took the boy’s temperature, but he was fine, no fever at all.

“Oh, baby boy. Tony baby boy, what is wrong?” He desperately pleaded with the now crying boy.

It was then he noticed how little fists bunched at his onesie. They scratched and pulled at it. His legs kicked, trying to get free, and he wiggled his body as if it would help get the thing off.

“Is this what you wanted? You wanted out of your onesie?” Jarvis sighed. As he turned the boy around his hands met with something wet sticky. “Did you have an accident?” Once again he sighed, only this time in annoyance.

But when he pulled his hand back it was coated dark red.

Jarvis’s heart skipped a beat, his breath hitched, face paled, and his world came crashing.

“Anthony?!” He gasped, turned the baby around a little too forcefully. His fingers ripped the zipper to the onesie apart, and he peeled it off the poor boy.

Blood coated the boy’s back as his slits were progressively opening. His little body shook in pain, and he flailed about, trying to rid himself of it.

“ANA! HE’S PRESENTING!” Jarvis shouted as he scooped the bloody baby up and rushed him to the nearest bathroom, repeatedly shouting, “HE’S PRESENTING! SOMEONE! HELP!”

Anthony was set in the bathtub, Jarvis holding him up with one hand while the other fiddled with knobs to turn the water to a lukewarm temperature. The bath began filling, but Jarvis unplugged it and let the water flow out.

“JARVIS?!” he heard Ana call, her work shoes could be heard clomping against the hardwood floor.

“IN HERE! BRING TOWELS!”

There was a moment of silence before the bathroom door opened, revealing a disheveled looking Ana, with  Louisa and Manila right behind her, holding towels and a first aid kit.

They took in the scene before them. Jarvis with blood splattered along his suit, and baby Anthony screaming in pain with blood slowly pouring from his newly opened slits.

“He’s presenting! Someone get a hold of Howard and Maria!” He gasped.

Louisa dispersed from the group, her footsteps retreating as she rushed to the nearest phone. Ana rushed forward with Manila and they both got to work. Jarvis had them both tend to Anthony while he went to change.

When he came back he was wearing swimming shorts, and he hopped into the tub with Anthony, relieving Manila of holding him up.

Jarvis situated them so he was sitting sideways in the tub, his long legs hanging over the edge of the tub, while Anthony rested in his lap so his little back was facing Manila and Ana, and his front was facing Jarvis.

He hushed the boy as Ana grabbed the shower head and began gently spraying it along Anthony’s back. Anthony screamed and began struggling, and as much as it pained Jarvis, he forced the boy still.

Red dyed water ran in rivulets down Jarvis’s leg, onto the tub’s basin, and flowed down the drain.

This went on for the rest of the night. Jarvis shushing little Anthony as Ana and Manila tended to his back. Eventually Louisa came back, saying she couldn’t get ahold of Howard or Maria, and she joined in with helping the baby.

It went on until Anthony tired himself out and reduced himself to whimpers, as his throat had been screamed dry. His head was hidden in the crook of Jarvis’s neck, while the man whispered assurances into the boy’s ear, about how brave he was, and how proud Jarvis was of him.

In the end Anthony’s wings came out. Jarvis had fallen asleep in the tub with Anthony in his lap. The two exhausted from the events of today. He was mustered from his sleep by Ana’s voice, “Jarvis!” she whispered.

He grunted and shook off her hand. “Jarvis, please wake up!” she tried again. “Ana, tired.” he groaned.

“Jarvis, his wings!”

This surely got him up. His eyes snapped open and he took in the sight before him. Manila and Louisa were in the background, their bodies seemed to be frozen in a trance like state, their faces pale.

Ana wasn't doing much better. Her face was red, her hands shaking and she looked close to breaking down.

Confusion settled in. What was wrong? Why was everyone panicked? “Ana?” He carefully reached out to stroke her cheek, hoping she'd snap out of it, but she could only mutter, “His wings…”

And Jarvis's gaze went from the ladies, to peer over his young masters shoulder. Jarvis choked back tears.

They did not have feathers. That was the first thing Jarvis noted. Second, there was no skin, like a bird's wings had. There was no pink underneath where the feathers should have been. It was all black. Not just black, but a coal black. And the skin; could he even call it skin? It was not skin he decided. It was too leathery to be considered flesh. They had a scaly texture to them. And they were not full of meat or muscle. They were thin. Almost like a cloth mast of a ship. There were bones that frames the wings, that stretched the skin across the wing.

“Wh… what is this?” He gasped out. Ana could only shake her head, “I've never seen anything like this.” She murmured.

Then she gasped, “Jarvis, they're faulty. His wings are faulty!” His head shot up to meet her eyes. “What will Howard do?”

What would Howard do? Howard had waited 5 months for Anthony to present. Well Anthony presented. But what use was presenting his wings if they were faulty! It would have been better if he were born with no wings rather than faulty wings. It wasn't uncommon for babies born with faulty wings to be killed by their own parents, to prevent the spread of such a “disease” and “imperfection”.

Jarvis shook his head, “Never mind him! Just, let's focus on Anthony now. I'll deal with Howard when he gets here.”

Ana had cleaned them already, if the amount of stained towels behind them wasn’t enough evidence. Anthony was a small baby, but his wings could cover his body fully. But because they were not fluffy with feathers and covered in flesh, they provided no warmth, so they pulled him from the tub and wrapped him in a soft clean towel.

The rest of the night was spent pacing the hall in front of the bathroom and trying to calm their rapid hearts.

When Howard and Maria came home that night, Ana had rushed to greet them and stopped them from further entering the house.

Jarvis could hear them talking down the hall. Since Ana had woken him, he and Anthony had moved to sit on the toilet cover. The baby was still bundled in the towel and he was cradled tightly against Jarvis’ chest.

Footsteps continued down the hall, heading towards the bathroom. Jarvis wasn't sure he was breathing. He knew his face was most likely matched the pigment of an egg shell. His hands shook as he clutched Anthony tighter.

There was a slight thump near the doorway, and Jarvis took a shaky breath before he looked up.

Howard and Maria both stood in the doorway. Maria's expression was one of desperation. Her chest heaved and she whimpered out, “Jarvis?”

His gaze lowered to the floor, not able to look her in the eye.

Maria moved forward, her steps were kept light, and she sat on her knees in front of him. “It's not true.” She let out.

Jarvis flinched. “Please… tell me it's not true.”

He chanced a glance down at her. Their eyes met and they held each others gazes.

Jarvis was the one to break it. He extracted the baby from the shoulder and switched him into a belly hold. The towel was peeled back and Maria's hands shot up to cupped her own mouth,

“It's true.”

 A soft whimper made its way out, and she began softly sobbing into her palm. Howard was quick to leave. Most likely going to his office to drink away his sorrows.

Howard's partner, Obadiah, appeared from the hall, and he took in the scene. He frowned, “Oh guys.” He huffed, disappointment and pity clear in his tone.

That night, no one spoke. Louisa and Manila focused on tending to Maria, while Obie went to confront Howard.

But in Jarvis's mind, nothing mattered more than his baby Anthony. Jarvis ran his fingers over them and watched as his baby shivered at the touch. They must have been sensitive. But not a bad sensitive, because when he pulled Anthony back up to his chest and peered at his chubby face, a small gummy smile was at his lips and his eyes were scrunched up as the sensation rolled through his body. A light breathy giggle rose its way from the boy’s lips and he snuggled further into Jarvis’s chest.

Maria had since then removed herself from the bathroom and chased after Howard and Obie. Manila and Louisa carried out the dirty towels and clothes to take them to the laundry room while Ana stayed behind.

When Jarvis looked up Ana had a towel ready for them, and so he handed the baby off to Ana who bundled him up while Jarvis turned the shower back on, reattached the head to the mount, and briskly cleaned himself off. When he was done he turned the nozzle off and hopped out. Ana had another towel waiting and she handed it to him, waiting patiently as he toweled himself off and changed into a pair of sweats and loose t-shirt Manila had brought while Jarvis had fallen asleep in the tub.

“I got him dear.” He murmured to Ana, and ushered her to hand over his baby. She gave a quick kiss to the boy’s head and shifted him into Jarvis’s arms, “Careful now, his wings are a bit sensitive. I’m not sure he’s figured how to fold them on his own yet.” she chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the sight. Jarvis leaned down and pecked her on the lips, “Thank you for helping, I could not have done this without you.” Ana gave him a gentle pat on the cheek, “It’s no worry dear, go put him to bed, he’s tuckered out.”

“Alright, see you tonight?” He offered, even though it was 3 AM. She chuckled again, “Of course, see you tonight.” She waved as he exited the bathroom, into the hall.

The mansion was quiet as he walked to baby Anthony’s room. No one was around to experience this moment but Jarvis. He held the boy to his chest, trying to keep out the cold.

When they made it to the room, Jarvis had Anthony laid out on the changing table once again that day, and he began their normal routine. Only this time he took out two bottles. One was lotion for skin, and the latter being oil for his newly developed wings. He had the oil saved the week after Anthony was born, excited to preen his young master’s wings for the first time. But now, he wasn't sure how his young master's wings would react to the oil.

He used the lotion first. Making sure to warm it up before spreading it around the baby’s body. When he got to Anthony’s tummy the baby shifted a bit before a tiny giggle made its way past those lips. It was a relief to hear his giggles again, compared to the screaming that occured hours ago.

Jarvis teased his little tummy a bit more, drawing quiet giggles from the boy before he rolled the boy over to work on his back.

It was a bit different now with his slits open and his wings out, but Jarvis managed to make it work. He would go look into baby massages with wings later. For now he focused on getting the boy to sleep.

Now it was time for oiling the wings. He once again warmed up this substance before he began running his fingers along the young boy’s wings. He used a light touch, careful not to scrape them with his nails or apply too much pressure. He traced the bend of the wing and the area where boy’s secondaries would be. He then took each joint of the wing between his thumb and forefinger, and lightly stroked each one from root to tip.

Anthony had fallen asleep before he even hit the bed. Jarvis strapped a diaper on him and helped the boy fold his wings back for the night.

For ten minutes, all Jarvis could do was stare at the boy as he slept in his crib. This beautiful baby boy. He had wings now! But faulty wings at that. What was he to do? His mind wouldn't slow down for a second fear consumed him, at the thought of losing his baby. Jarvis never wanted his baby boy to leave. He’d lock him in the basement. Make sure no one or thing could harm his little boy. But he also wanted to watch Anthony explore things on his own! Like going to school, making friends, learning to drive. Of course, nothing would be easy now for him. Anthony, at only 5 months old, was already an outcast to the rest of the world. Would he form a nest? Would anyone accept him enough to take him into their nest? Or would Anthony be alone for the rest of his life?

Jarvis huffed. He would just have to do his best to make life worth living for baby Anthony, even if Howard and the public refused.