Chapter Text
Grian screamed when the alarms went off. All the lights were shut off, and replaced with flashing red ones. He met eyes with Pearl across the hall, and then all the cell doors went down. Grian wasted no time, rushing to his sister and slamming into her with so much force it sent them both tumbling into the wall. He heard Lizzie’s sob as she finally reached her little brother, and everyone’s confusion.
“You’re okay,” Pearl said, stroking his hair gently. “You’re fine.”
Grian choked on his sobs, hands gripping his sister’s shirt as they hugged, and he could hear Tango’s whispered apologies and words of comfort to Ren. Cleo was sort of just standing by her cell, and Grian met her eyes and extended a hand. An invitation to join them. Cleo didn't hesitate, immediately falling to her knees and letting herself get enveloped into the hug.
Grian gathered himself after a while, left Pearl and Cleo to it and took a step into the hall. Then the door opened.
All of them braced themselves, all knowing the wrath of Clay and his little experiments. But they were met with everything other than that.
“Grian!”
He barely had time to react before a mop of brown hair slammed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground and wrapping its arms around him. Grian inhaled, and nearly broke down when the familiar copper and coal smell filled his nostrils. It was too good to be true, was this real? Was he dreaming?
“Scar?” he half spoke, half chirped, and the man holding him sobbed.
“Gri!” another man, this time with black hair, joined the pile.
“Mumbo!”
Grian barely had a visual of the hall.
“Lizzie!” he heard, seeing the pink haired woman being engulfed in a hug by a taller, brunette man.
“Joel?” Her voice was small and fragile.
Through the reuniting and the alarm blaring, Grian heard a scream. He jumped up, sending Scar and Mumbo in different directions.
“Tommy,” he said.
Pearl’s wings twitched, and Lizzie and Cleo pushed their respective brunette men away. Grian saw Tango break down in Impulse’s arms, a tall ginger man trying to get Jimmy up from the floor, and Ren was being held by Doc.
“Who?” Xisuma asked.
“Is his admin not here?”
“Whose admin?” Scar asked.
“Tommy! He’s with Cl-”
“What the hell are you doing here?” A cold voice sent shivers down Grian’s voice, and he immediately froze, hanging his head and straightening his back. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Pearl, Ren, Jimmy and Lizzie did the same.
“We are taking back our friends.” Xisuma said. The poison in his voice made Grian cower. He’d never seen X so… dangerous.
“They are not yours,” Clay said.
“Oh, really?” The ginger man said. “Prove it.”
“2, 3, 4, 6, 7.” Clay said. “Back to your cells.”
Grian’s brain seemed to go blank, the fear of what Clay could do if he didn't listen, making his hands started to shake, and he wrapped his wings around his body as he slowly backed into his cell. He tried to level his breathing as he watched Ren, Lizzie, Jimmy and Pearl all do the same, all with the same level of terror written on their faces.
“Grian, do-” Scar tried to reach out for him, but Grian batted his hand away and sat down on the cell floor. He couldn't let Scar ruin this for him. He didn't want Scar possibly suffering the same fate he’d suffered.
“See,” Clay said, his voice sweet and sickly as honey. “They answer to me.”
Mumbo stepped into the cell, grabbed Grian by the elbows and dragged him up. “Don’t listen to that man.” he whispered. Grian couldn't help but flinch, and his throat filled with panic. Clay was going to hurt him, he didn't listen, Clay was going to hurt Mumbo, hurt Scar. Was he going to capture and hurt everyone who’d come to save them? Would he hurt X? Gem? Doc? All three of them were also hybrids. Would Clay take that opportunity? Mumbo’s arms around Grian didn't help to comfort him like they had before.
“They are mine, and they will remain as s-”
Clay was cut off by a snarl, and Grian wrenched himself from Mumbo’s arms, darting out of the cell. He needed to see. The group had split, all now standing on either side of the hall, watching as Clay skidded across the floor, with a blonde boy on top of him. Huge brown wings puffed up at his back, his ears matching feathers like Grian himself had. Dried blood covered his back, face and knuckles. Grian’s wings twitched, a sting in his stomach making him nauseous.
“You shut the fuck up.” Tommy snarled, his hands grabbing at Clay’s throat. Clay struggled, trying to push the boy off of him.
“Is that…” Xisuma whispered.
“Lady Death’s son.” The ginger man answered.
“You don’t get to say anything.” Tommy hissed, his hands finally wrapping around Clay’s throat. He squeezed, and Clay choked. Grian stepped forward. He chirped in alarm, and Tommy’s head snapped up. His previously blue eyes were yellow, bloodshot with dark rings. He chirped back. Danger.
Grian trilled. Not me. Friend. Brother.
Tommy faltered. Clay pushed him off. Tommy screamed as he was pushed off, scrambling to get another go at the man, but Grian was quicker. He picked the man up by the collar of his shirt, shoving him up against a wall. Grian was tired, malnourished and starving, but he was strong in the face of danger. He pushed Clay against the wall, knocking his head into the tile.
“You are a fucking disgrace.” Grian spat. “You don’t deserve death.”
A purple glow shone on Clay’s face. Grains arm snaked up and pressed against Dreams throat. “You deserve exactly what you’ve put us through.”
He shoved Clay into his old cell, and stepped back. “Mumbo.” he said, his voice growing distorted and heavy. “Shut the door.”
Mumbo scrambled to his side, wiring the redstone as Grian repeatedly slammed Clay back into the back wall as he tried to escape. Then the cell doors shut, locking Clay in. The blonde man was almost unconscious, bleeding for the back of his head and stumbling around by that time.
Grian looked at him with disgust. “You will rot in here, and nobody will save you.”
“You can’t leave me here!” Clay snarled.
“Yes, I can.” Grian replied.
Grian turned around, and looked at the others, all staring at him in shock and horror. Tommy was still on the floor. He looked like he was having a panic attack. Grian knelt down in front of him and put a hand forward, hovering over Tommy’s shoulder. He chirped softly. Safe.
Tommy looked up at him, sobbed and crashed into the older man. Grian immediately wrapped his arms and wings around the younger boy. Although Tommy was taller than Grian, he disappeared into Grian’s feathers. He chirped over and over, warbled and messed up speech that Grian couldn't understand. But he could practically feel his pupils dilating, his feathers twitching and his instincts screaming FLEDGLING SAFE SAFE KEEP SAFE HOLD SAFE MINE SAFE-
“Grian,” someone put a hand on his shoulder. Grian turned around to meet Scar’s eyes. “Who is this boy?”
“We don’t know.” Pearl answered for him. “He was in here with us, no one knows where he’s come from or who his admin is.”
“Grian,” Xisuma knelt in front of the parrot hybrid. “Will you let me check his personal code? I have to touch him to be able to.”
Grian nodded and carefully lifted a wing, revealing Tommy’s arm. X leaned forward and gently put a hand on Tommy’s elbow, who didn't even notice. Grian chirped, repeating safe.
“Dream SMP,” X mumbled. “Does anyone know what that is?”
“Dream? As in, that anarchy server that was just all over the news for that 16 year old dying?” Lizzie asked.
“The one where the founder blew up the country?” Joel added.
“Tommy’s sixteen!?”
“He’s from a fucking anarchy server!?”
“X, can we keep him?” Grian blurted out. Xisuma looked at him.
“He’s not… I can whitelist him for a bit,” He replied. “Until he recovers, and then we have to send him back.”
“Send him back? To the anarchy server? You’ll be breaking the law, X!” Cleo said.
Xisuma sighed. “Let’s just bring him back to Hermitcraft,” he said. “And we’ll go from there.”
~~
Scar sat by the bed, watching Grian sleep. His wings were so mutilated, they were bandaged up and had to be clipped even more in hopes that the feathers would grow back. His hands and arms were cut up, now bandaged, and his ankle had been broken, then set back wrong.
The door slipped open, and Mumbo stepped in, carrying a plate and a glass of orange juice. “False said to eat something.” he said quietly, setting the stuff on the little table next to Scar.
“How’s your leg?”
Scar looked down at his bandaged thigh. They’d had to fight their way out of the facility, and Scar had taken quite a nasty netherite sword to the leg.
“I mean, it’s netherite,” he replied. “And the fire aspect, so…”
“Yeah,” Mumbo said. “How is he? Any sign of waking up?”
“Etho said it might take a day or two.” Scar replied. “I just want to know how they got there.”
“They don’t know,” Mumbo said. “Ren’s finally said something.”
Scar met the other man’s eyes. “He has?”
“Yeah, Doc finally got him to say something. He just said none of them knew how they’d gotten there.”
Scar rubbed his eyes. “I just… I wanna know what happened to them.”
“We all do.”
“I mean, Tango’s got… water burns all over his body, Pearl's wings are barely working, Ren won’t speak, Cleo’s hair is literally almost grey, and who even knows with Jimmy and Lizzie!”
“FWhip won’t let us speak to them until they’re healed. They were pretty bad, by what False said.”
Scar sighed. Mumbo put a hand on his shoulder. “C’mon. Eat, you’ll feel better. I’ll sit with you.”
~~
Lizzie was angry. FWhip was keeping them in that tiny room, and Lizzie was sick of being alone, sick of watching her brother breathe, sick of listening to his nightmares.
“I’m sorry Lizzie, I don’t want to endanger you more,” FWhip said.
“They were in there with us!” Lizzie shouted. “I deserve to see them!”
“It’s not safe,”
“It’s safer than it was in there!”
FWhip sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Gem’s been asking about you,” he said. “Guess we finally found out where she goes when she’s not on Empires.”
Lizzie didn't reply.
A knock on the door broke the awkward silence. FWhip turned around as the door opened, and a tall brunet stepped in.
“Joel,” Lizzie sighed, immediately going to hug her husband. Since they’d left Empires, she’d gone back to her normal size, so Joel tucked her head under his chin and wrapped his arms around her. “Have you seen any of the others?”
FWhip excused himself and left the room as Lizzie spoke.
“No,” Joel answered. “I’m sorry. Xisuma locked himself into a room to find out more about that Tommy kid, and the others are either still unconscious or not allowed visitors.”
“What about Tommy?” Lizzie asked.
“I dunno where they’re keeping him, but I hear he’s in pretty bad shape.”
Lizzie sighed and ran a hand through her dirty, matted hair. Her hand snagged, and she winced.
“I thought your hair didn't do that?” Joel asked, gently taking a piece of her hair in his hands and starting to pick at a tangle.
“It doesn't if I’m regularly in salt water.”
“You… weren't?”
Lizzie looked away.
“Well, I’ve got some news for you,” Joel smiled, and softly laid a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder. “There’s an ocean only a little bit away from here, and that Etho guy showed me a coral reef.”
Lizzie met his eyes. “Really?” she asked. Joel nodded.
“FWhip said I could take you there,” he said. “We do have to go through the nether though.”
“Oh, that’s fine.” Lizzie gritted her teeth, trying not to think about that white room. Joel grinned, and offered his hand to her, and she took it.
-
Lizzie stumbled out of the nether portal, having narrowly avoided a panic attack, and inhaled the warm salty air. She looked upon the ocean, and almost felt ill. She missed the Prisma Palace. She missed her axolotls, she missed all the fish and everyone she knew.
“You alright, babe?” Joel asked, placing a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” Lizzie shook her head, and exhaled sharply. “I’m okay.”
“I got you some clothes, straight from the Ocean Empire itself.” Joel said, pulling some blue dress from his inventory. Lizzie smiled and took the soft fabric in her hands. She’d worn nothing but those horrible white clothes from that other place for months, and was so ready to wear her empire’s attire again.
Her heart raced as she quickly changed, not caring whether or not Joel saw. They were married, after all. Joel smiled fondly at her when she’d put the dress on.
“Oh, that feels so much better.” Lizzie sighed, feeling the gentle breeze on her fins. She longed to enter the ocean, but Joel pulled a bottle out of his inventory and quickly downed it. He then gave Lizzie a night vision potion and a water breathing potion.
“No conduit here,” he explained. “Unless you want to drown?”
“No, I prefer breathing,” Lizzie chuckled, and quickly drank the potion. Joel put down a chest and put all his items and armour in it, then he offered his hand to Lizzie. She took it, and together they waded into the water. Her hands shook as her feet hit the wet sand, but Joel gave a comforting squeeze of her hand, and she looked at him, meeting his eyes. He smiled gently and let go of her hand.
The water was warm, splashing gently against her ankles, and Lizzie realised just how dehydrated she was. She took a deep breath and dove into the water. As the water enveloped her, she thought for a brief second it was getting colder, but then her hands hit a red coral, and she was home. She laughed as a blue fish nudged her knee, and she reached down and gently stroked its scales. She met eyes with Joel as he swam towards her, and she batted her tail at him, sending bubbles into his face. He spluttered and frowned. Lizzie grinned.
She dove, using her tail to propel herself forward, down towards the sea floor. Brushing her fingers along the coral fans, and the fish swimming past her, oblivious to her presence, she felt at home. She saw Joel hover further up, having settled on top of a blue coral block, and swam back up to him. Given that Joel was only under the influence of a water breathing potion, he couldn't swim as far down as she could because of the pressure. Lizzie was born of the ocean, so she had no limitations, regardless if she was under the influence of a conduit, water breathing potion or neither.
“We should take Jim here,” Joel said once she reached him. Lizzie nodded. His speech was warped and confusing but she could understand him just fine.
“He’d love it,” she replied. As she did a little spin of excitement, her mind practically buzzing with how free she felt, Joel came forward with yet another surprise.
“I dunno if you remember,” he started. “But you were at mine when you… you know.”
Lizzie nodded slowly. Now that he mentioned it, she actually did vaguely remember flying over to his empire for a quick visit.
“Well, what happened basically is you just… died. As if an admin did the /kill command on you.” Joel said. “So all your stuff dropped. I expected you to come back and get your stuff so I put it all in a chest for you, but you didn't.”
Lizzie sat down on a coral block next to him, curious to where this was going. A yellow fish circled around her feet a few times.
“So before we came here…” Joel pulled out a bucket. “I brought you something.” He tipped the bucket and out came a white axolotl, which upon hitting the water nearly crashed into Lizzie.
She gasped, nearly inhaling water into the wrong place when the axolotl chirped loudly.
“Lady Marceline!” she gasped as the Axolotl excitedly smothered her face.
Ocean Queen! Oh how we have missed you, everyone has been asking for you!
“Oh, I’m so happy you’re here!” Lizzie felt like she could cry at any moment, overwhelmed by the happiness and the fondness she felt for Joel at that moment. The fact that he’d brought her so much from her empire to make her feel at home on this new server.
Where have you been, we’ve been so worried! Lady Marceline settled down slightly, enough for Lizzie to start gently stroking her back.
“I am so sorry,” she replied. “I promise I will explain when we return to The Ocean Empire.”
Lady Marceline chirped and Lizzie met Joel’s eyes. “Thank you, Joel.”
Joel smiled fondly. “Anything for my Queen.”
~~
The wings protruded from his back like bony, feathery growths.
Tommy perched atop a factory looking building, made out of blackstone. He looked out upon the landscape, on the weird looking pole made out of beds, and the beautiful but absolutely gigantic buildings atop the mountains surrounding the village. Tommy didn't understand how these things weren't destroyed.
He swayed as a gust of wind hit him, his newly acquired wings having thrown his balance completely out of the window. He had barely managed to stumble out of the small house in front of the bed pole, grab some dirt and climb up this building, and refused to acknowledge the seven times he’d fallen over. Not only were the wings heavy, annoying and in the way, but they were sore. Who would've thought that a pair of wings splitting your back open and reshaping your anatomy would hurt that badly?
Anything other than having them hang limply from his back, weighing at him and pulling him backwards hurt more than most of the physical pain Tommy had gone through. And every time he caught a feather in his peripheral vision, he was reminded of Clay, his crooked grin and crazed expression every time Tommy would struggle for breath.
Movement at the house he’d emerged from caught Tommy’s attention. A figure with pure white hair came running out of the house. They stood out there for a second before Tommy assumed they spotted him. The person turned around and reentered the house. After a few minutes, a shorter, blonde person stepped out alongside the white haired one. Very recognisable by his vibrant red, yellow and blue wings, Grian seemed to manage to meet Tommy’s eyes regardless of the distance between them.
Tommy watched warily as the pair approached, and when they were in range, he heard them talk nonchalantly about something called the ‘boatem hole’. Grian paused, and then started placing scaffolding next to Tommy’s dirt tower. The white haired man remained on the ground as Grian started his climb up. When he reached the top, the blonde avian placed a dirt block and crouched next to Tommy.
“Hey,” he said softly. Tommy didn't reply. “You gave Etho there quite a scare when you disappeared.”
When Tommy didn't reply again, Grian kept talking. “Your wings look surprisingly healthy,” he said. “Looks like they need some preening, but I can help with that. Also, we really should look into treating those wounds. You can’t walk around with that.”
“Why do you care so much?” Tommy asked abruptly. Grian raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Well,” he said. “Firstly because I’ve been trapped and tortured in the same way as you've been for three months with you.”
Tommy looked away. “But also because my instincts tell me that I need to protect you.”
Panic rose up Tommy’s throat faster than anything he’d ever felt, and it only got worse as Grian kept talking.
“Since we’re both avians, it’s natural for the older’s instincts to go a little haywire when meeting a younger one.”
No, no, no, nope, not again, never again, Tommy had swore to himself to never let another avian fixate on him like that ever again, this was not happening, he wouldn't let it happen. His dad was enough, he remembered how avian instincts could ruin moments, ruin lives. Tommy stood up, but quickly realised his mistake as his heavy wings pulled him backwards. A gust of wind caught him as he lost his balance, and Tommy plummeted. He saw Grian’s momentary panic before diving after him.
They both fell and Tommy closed his eyes. He knew the end was coming, that if Dream murdering him in the prison hadn't taken his last life, this would. A moment with such importance cut short by death seemed only fitting. Tommy was at peace with it. He’d been through so much, he was ready. He welcomed death with open arms, happy to be visiting his mother yet again.
Tommyinnit fell from a high place.
Grian fell from a high place.
Tommy fully expected to see his mother’s face when he opened his eyes. But he saw the ceiling that he’d woken up to not that long ago. Bewildered, he sat up, head spinning from the sensation that he was still falling. The dirt and water bucket he had was gone from his inventory. He winced as his wings rubbed against the comforter on the bed and stood up. Footsteps bounded up the stairs and the door slammed open.
Grian stood there, out of breath and sweaty.
“I am so sorry,” he gasped, heaving for breath. “I forgot to.. To tell you this isn't a… a permadeath server…”
“What?” Tommy said, his voice barely above a whisper.
He met Grian’s purple eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn't mean to freak you out.”
As he watched Grian curl up on himself, tucking his wings close to his body and looking genuinely apologetic, Tommy realised he cared . And Tommy was not having any of it. He took three steps towards Grian, then pushed past him. He bounded down the stairs and yet again, ran out of the house as fast as he could. This time, he didn't ignore the nether portal, and with a bitter taste in his mouth, he dove into the purple veil.
He emerged into the Nether, nearly choking on the sweltering heat, and looked around. He followed a tunnel to the right, no idea where he was going. He didn't care, as long as it took him as far away as humanly possible. He finally reached another portal and stepped into it. He inhaled the warm, salty air and his palms hit sand as he fell out of the portal. He coughed, and looked around. He saw the ocean, a coral reef, and one lone double chest. Tommy creeped towards the chest, warily looking around in case anyone was around.
The chest creaked loudly when he opened it, and Tommy’s mouth fell open as his eyes fell on the items inside. A full set of netherite armour, a sword, axe and a stack of golden carrots, alongside three stacks of firework rockets, an elytra and weirdly enough, a golden crown. Tommy carefully put the golden carrots in his inventory, along with the axe, and picked up the heavy armour set. It was enchanted, with the best enchantments Tommy had ever seen. He didn't even know Protection 4 was a thing. He carefully put the boots on, reminded of just how light they felt once they were on, regardless of how heavy they were to pick up.
He put on the rest of the armour and looked at himself in the reflection of the water. He looked…
Like him.
He stumbled backwards as a flash of green caught his eye. His brain went on autopilot and he threw all the armour and the golden carrots on the floor. He tried to keep himself upright, but failed when the man stepped out of the water. For a moment, Tommy was sure, he was sure, that Dream had come back for him.
But this man was brown haired. He was shorter, and he was…
Spluttering for breath. He heaved himself onto the sand, coughing up bouts of water. When he saw the armour set on the ground, he looked up and met Tommy’s eyes. His eyes were brown. Not green. They were brown.
The two stared at each other for far too long. Fear made Tommy freeze completely, fighting against himself to run, to fight, to do something. The brunette seemed to be having the same issue.
“Tommy?” he finally croaked out, voice strained.
Tommy snapped out. “How the fuck do you know who I am?” he spat, quickly getting up on his feet. He was taller than the brunette.
“I- I was there,” the man said. “I helped rescue you.”
“Tommy, what are you doing here?”
A familiar voice came from behind the man. Lizzie stepped out of the water, skin glistening and hair dripping, but finally out of the horrific white shirt and shorts they all shared in that place. She was wearing a long, flowy blue dress which hugged her figure perfectly. She looked almost royal.
“Lizzie,” Tommy breathed, relaxing slightly. He was still on guard from the man, but felt safer now that Lizzie was there.
“What are you doing here?” Lizzie asked, stepping forward. Her hands were outstretched slightly, and Tommy resisted the urge to just collapse into her arms. She reminded him so much of his mother, so much of the woman he missed more than anyone in his life.
“I..” Tommy started, realising just what he was doing. He was running away. Again. “I don't-”
Lizzie took another step forward, and Tommy caved, letting himself melt into her waiting arms. She held him gently, but applied pressure in just the right places. He didn't even realise he was crying until Lizzie pulled away momentarily to wipe the tears from his face.
“C’mon,” Lizzie said, smiling softly at him. “Let’s go back to Boatem, hm?”
Tommy nodded, and let the taller woman lead him back into the nether. The three of them walked silently through the nether, and when they passed an opening in one of the tunnels, Tommy grabbed Lizzie’s hand. Her skin was soft and slightly wet, but it didn't matter. The touch was comforting, and they entered the Boatem portal still holding hands. They stepped out and were immediately bombarded.
A whole bunch of people, at least twenty of them, all decked out in netherite armour, all spun around to look at the three of them.
“Tommy!” a colourful figure rushed forward and engulfed Tommy in a hug, and Tommy stood there, stiff as panicked chirps escaped Grian’s lips. He realised, by the looks of all the people around, that these people actually wanted what was best for him. They cared, and it wasn't fake. It wasn't like Dream, it wasn't just a ruse to get close to him, to hurt him. It was real.
And Tommy started crying. Grian pulled away, panicked, but cupped Tommy’s face and warbled, chirping out safe, okay, safe. Tommy sobbed and let himself get embraced again, and quickly Lizzie joined the hug. Tommy chirped back to Grian, causing the older avian to hug him tighter.
Thank you.
~~
Lizzie entered the small room, worn out and tired, clutching Lady Marceline’s bucket close to her chest. She sighed as she entered. The room made her claustrophobic, and she was too far away from the ocean to feel comfortable. Her skin itched, dry and uncomfortable.
“Liz?”
Lizzie froze. She’d had her back turned to her brother’s bed since she entered the room. She didn't like looking at his unconscious face. Usually she loved watching him sleep, but after seeing his pale and dehydrated face, contorted with pain and something else she didn't quite understand, she’d avoided it.
She slowly turned around, and met eyes with her younger brother. His brown eyes looked sad. He had bags under his eyes, his face was hollow and pale. They just looked at each other. Lizzie remembered when he’d hatched, that small egg creating such a beautiful small creature. She remembered leaving.
“Jim,” she said, her voice nearly failing her.
Jimmy smiled weakly, and Lizzie surged forward. She wrapped her arms around his fragile body and squeezed him tight, as if he’d shatter if she let go. He wrapped his arms tightly around her neck, burrowing his face into the crook between her neck and shoulder. She felt saltwater hit her skin, matching what streamed down her face.
“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m so sorry I couldn't protect you.”
“It’s okay,” Jimmy whispered. “You did everything you could.”
Lizzie pulled away. She cupped his face carefully, using her thumbs to gently dry his tears. He was smiling.
“Has False seen to you?”
Jimmy nodded. “She wants me to go to the sea.”
“I will take you to the sea.” Lizzie promised. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. I will stay by you.”
Jimmy grabbed her wrists, a sturdy but comforting grip. “I’m glad you were there with me.”
“I wish you weren't there.”
“I know.”
Lizzie licked her lips. “Are you okay?”
Jimmy chuckled dryly. “As okay as I could be, I suppose.”
Lizzie smiled. Jimmy smiled, and the sun seemed to shine brighter through the window, because Lizzie was with her brother again. She was able to hold him, comfort him, she was able to be near him. Not across a hall that was just too wide for their fingers to touch, but in the same room. In the same bed, hands holding each other tightly. Fingers brushing through hair. In the same ocean, as their figures zoomed through kelp. Brother and sister, together, and Lizzie would never let anything separate them again.
~~
Adrenaline coursed through Tommy’s veins as he stared over the edge. They stood on one of the arms of Mumbo’s mountain, looking out onto Boatem.
“You okay?” Grian asked. Tommy nodded shakily. It wasn't his first time flying. He kept having to remind himself that Grian had taught him how to take off from the ground, how to hold himself in the air, and he’d even taken off from the top of Grian’s house. But this was the biggest drop he’d done. He was scared shitless.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Grian said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Tommy took a step forward and looked down at the ground. He took a deep breath, flexed his wings and dropped.
He let himself fall, and for a split second he thought he wasn't going to be able to catch himself, but then he spread his wings. The wind caught on the wings and he was almost flung backwards. He glided, then he flapped his wings and shot up, further away from the mountain. He heard Grian’s whoop of joy, and grinned. He flew higher and higher, until he was soaring above the clouds.
For a moment, he was just floating. There was no more momentum upwards, and gravity didn't exist. There was no sound in Tommy’s ears, no rush of air entering his lungs. He was completely and utterly free . Then he was pulled down by gravity, a smile growing bigger and bigger on his face as Tommy let gravity do the work, pulling his weight down naturally so he’s in a nosedive. His wings tucked against his back.
Grian appeared underneath him, followed closely by Pearl, recogniseable by her bright blue wings against the green grass below them, and Tommy spread his wings again, ending up tucked between the two. Grian did a flip around, and Tommy followed his lead, looping around. He nearly lost momentum but a quick flap of his large wings caught him up to the other two. Pearl and Grian split off towards the mountain, Tommy closely following.
Tommy spread his wings out, trying to slow his descent. It… didn’t work quite well.
“Grian…. GRIAN!!!” Tommy shouted as he got closer and closer to the huge rocky cliff he’d just seen Pearl land on.
Grian shot in front of him, landing and holding his arms out to catch him. Tommy rammed into him, sending them crashing to the ground.
Both of them laughed, cheeks hurting from how much they were smiling.
Tommy rolled over onto his back and looked up at the sky. Grian was breathing heavily beside him, and Tommy looked over to see the older avian staring at the clouds, a single tear running from the corner of his eye, tricking into his blonde hair.
“Grian? Are you okay?” Tommy asked. Grian met his eyes.
“You have no idea what it’s like to fly for the first time with your brother. It's- I’m so proud of you.”
Tommy flushed red, chirping out a small thanks.
Grian chuckled wetly, “You’re not making it easier.”
“Good.”
Pearl joined them, laying down on her stomach between the two and wrapping them both up in her wings.
“You two,” she said. “Are amazing.”
Tommy smiled, running a hand along the fragile webbing of her wing. And for a moment, he felt the weight lift off his shoulders. Because he was home.
Where he belonged.