Work Text:
Stork twitched fitfully in his sleep, slowly coming to.
“Everything’s fine, Stork, come on back,” Aerrow coaxed the Merb back to consciousness, leaning over the back of the couch.
Stork lurched up with a squeak, almost bumping heads with the red headed leader, not that Aerrrow would have minded.
“Aerrow! What a relief, it was terrible. I had a dream that I was—“
“Hey, watch it—“
Aerrow got an apologetic look on his face when Stork flinched at the sound of the merb kids.
Stork’s shoulders slumped and his expression sank.
“Ah...so uh...it wasn’t a dream.”
Aerrow gently bumped his forehead against Stork’s, the gesture doing little to relieve the merb’s dread.
“Sorry,” Aerrow whispered, nuzzling the merb once more before pulling back.
Stork groaned and looked on in misery as Aerrow introduced the gremlins— er...children whom he was now responsible for.
He only stopped glowering when Aerrow nuzzled him again, his death warrant—er, his orders in one hand, the other touching the underside of his chin, a gentle invitation. Despite being utterly miserable, Stork took the placation, accepting the chaste pecks, one to his lips and one to his nose. Aerrow leaned back, warm expression open and encouraging.
“Come on, how hard can it be?”
Stork growled, snatching the paper from his partner.
It was in that moment, he realized the trio of gremlin—ugh...children were all staring at them from the other side of the table, the rest of the Storm Hawks smirking from behind them.
Stork bristled. “What’re you all looking at?”
The kids squealed and ran off, Stork taking off after them.
“Get back here you little gremlins!”
The Storm Hawks laughed at their helmsman’s reaction, even Aerrow couldn’t help a small amused smile and a chuckle of his own.
Later, when the kids had all been wrangled onto their transport, a breathless Stork leaned heavily on Aerrow’s shoulder, long arms wrapping around the young leader’s waist from behind.
“Got everything?” Aerrow asked, leaning his head against Stork’s when the merb leaned into him.
“Oh yea, everything I could possibly need...for death by gremlins,” Stork huffed.
“...remind me to never have kids.”
Aerrow smirked, rubbing his head against the grumpy merb’s.
“It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
“You sure I can’t convince you to take my place?” Stork peered up at him, big eyes baleful and pleading.
Aerrow hummed, tilting his head to peck Stork’s nose, eyes full of affection.
“You know I’d do anything for you...”
Stork straightened up, hopeful.
Smirking at the reaction, Aerrow pecked him again, causing the merb to wiggle his nose adorably.
“But, I’m afraid this is the exception.”
Stork scowled, unwrapping himself from Aerrow and trudged dejectedly to his ride, grumbling something that sounded suspiciously like “...traitor,” under his breath.
As Stork revved the engine, ready to set out, Aerrow swooped in, invading the merb’s personal space and pulling a surprised squeak from him as he planted a deep, lingering kiss on Stork’s unsuspecting lips, a teasing hint of tongue sucking the air out of the merb’s lungs.
When he pulled back, Aerrow delighted in the flustered pink flush on Stork’s sharp cheeks.
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
As Aerrow walked away, over the rumble of Stork’s engine, he heard the merb grumble without his usual heat.
“...stupid Sky Knight’s gonna be the death of me.”