Chapter Text
Tord was restless. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't concentrate, he could barely even think.
The only thought coherent in his mind was “itchy ITCHY itchy”
He needed a good preen. That was obvious, the last time he had been preened was a good half month ago by Pat.
His feathers were crossed, crinkled and crusty.
His mood reflected that.
He slouched around the living room, his wings twitching and shedding, leaving discarded feathers everywhere.
He practically hissed at anyone who even looked at him the wrong way.
Edd had tried to figure out what was wrong but he didn't notice the mess on his nestmate’s back,
when he made the unfortunate, but well meaning quip of “What's got your feathers ruffled?'' He was driven off by curses and threats.
Tom, when he asked what was up Tord’s ass that morning, got a book thrown at him and the magpie quickly exited.
Eventually getting sick of their nestmate’s skulkings, Edd and Tom met in the kitchen.
The only real indication of Edd’s distress was the talons on his hand clicking on the counter top.
Tom on the other hand was very vocally upset.
“What the fuck is up with him??”
Edd shrugged, clicking faster, "I'unno. He's normally pissy though, Its not that weird."
“He's not usually such a dick this early!! It's 9am! Did his period start early or some shit? The fucker threw a book at me!”
The down feathers on Tom's face were puffed making his face look round, a clear sign of the magpie’s agitation.
Edd thought for a moment.
“Uh… well since he was so unresponsive to us, should we see if Matt can do anything? If he doesn't help we can always call up Pat ‘n Paul, y’know since they're practically family.”
Tom twitched his wings still looking peeved, “Sure I guess. S’not my fault if Matt gets mauled though.”
As Tom went to fetch Matt from her room where he was doing.. Whatever the egret did in her freetime, Edd peeked in on Tord, finally noticing the puffins' wings.
“Shit.” he breathed,
Edd’s own wings ached.
Edd had to be preened practically every night thanks to his habit of fidgeting with his feathers and they were constantly out of place or tangled.
No wonder Tord was being such an ass. Edd was honestly a little hurt that Tord hadn’t asked him for help but he understood.
Preening was fairly intimate and he had only ever seen Patryck or Paul preen him, some people had a set preening partner and had trouble letting others help. Edd was a bit confused as to why Tord hadn’t gotten Paul or Pat to help him yet.
His wings really looked painful.
Matt came into the kitchen,Tom trotting after her looking much happier, Matt obviously had just been woken up.
He was dressed in a cropped shirt showing her midriff and a pair of Edd’s gray sweats that hung off her frame…too much.
Matt chirped a greeting, bumping her forehead against Edd’s.
Momentarily distracted, Edd’s attention was dragged off of his partner by Tom’s voice.
“-dd. Edd. Dumbass close your fuckin’ mouth! We have a bigger problem than getting you laid. Goddamn horny ass…”
Edd glared at him. “Shut up Thomas.” Tom flipped him off.
Matt rolled her eyes and yawned, stretching her wings slightly.
“Mmmm’kay. So Tord’s being difficult..?” Edd nodded, trying his best not to let his eyes wander down to the ginger's tummy… her pretty, pretty tummy… Matt snapped her fingers
“Eyes up here love.”
Edd flushed, snapping his eyes up.
“I- er- uh yea. Uhm. It's ’cause his wings are a mess. Like. bad.” he stammered.
Tom sniggered behind Matt, a bottle of smirnoff in his hand, why the magpie was drinking at 9 in the morning nobody knew.
Edd lunged at him grabbing the smaller in a headlock and attempted to take the bottle from him. He missed and accidentally smacked his face, with an indignant squeak Tom smacked the larger bird back and the two started to tussle.
Punching, hissing and play nipping was way too much for Matt since he had just gotten out of bed (he had been up late thanks to finally attempting to clean her room. Spoiler alert He did not succeed.).
Ignoring her two partners who were now in a tangle on the floor, Matt made her way to the living room where her third partner was.
“Tord?” he asked, peeking her head around the corner.
Tord gave the egret a death glare.
“What?”
Matt decided to be straight forward. “I'm going to preen you.” he said throwing, the puffin a grin that said ‘I’d like to see you stop me’.
Tord backed away putting his fists up. “Oh fuck no you are not. There is absolutely no way you're getting near my wings. Nuh uh. Not happening.” Matt just continued smiling.
A few minutes later Tord sat perched on the edge of Matt's bed, his shirt and binder in a pile next to him. He had a blanket held up to his chest tightly, and was fidgeting with positively anything he could get his hands on. He even fidgeted with the webs between his fingers.
Matt noted the puffins' anxiety.
“Hey.” he said ,from where he had been searching through a cluttered drawer. Tord looked up, his feathers fluffed from stress. Matt was concerned.
“You really should take better care of yourself.” he started off.
Tord rolled his eyes looking away and Matt sighed.
“C’mon Red… trust me. Aren’t your ‘lil baby wings just killing you?” Matt said, her voice taunting.
This jab, (or the petname Matt couldn't really tell) snapped the puffin from his silence.
Letting out a sharp noise of irritation Tord threw a pillow at the egret (who batted it away easily).
“They are not tiny. Asshat.”
but he still turned around and presented her with his wings when Matt found what he had been looking for.
“Gosh, why so tense? I'm not gonna stab you.” Tord shifted a bit, clearly still stressed.
“M’just used to Pat. Kinda had a routine or whatever." The puffin sounded bitter.
Matt slowly started running the comb he had grabbed through the pin feathers on Tord’s left wing, un-tangling them from each other and laying them back in place.
“Has he been busy?” Matt asked, trying to be as gentle as possible with a particular ball of down that seemed to be stuck to a pin with.. Cola?
He wrinkled her nose. Gross.
Tord’s wings twitched as the down became unstuck. Matt used her hand to rub a bit of preening oil to the spot to keep it from sticking together again.
“I- Uh yeah… He’s with Paul in fucking Ireland or something. I think Paul has a sister there.” Matt stopped her motions.
“You're sulking because your friends left to see family?” he chirped a laugh.
“Wow and everyone thinks I'm petty!”
Tord shot her a look.
“Sorry, sorry. Hey, do you mind if I touch your back?” Tord thought for a moment, still looking at her.
“Are your hands cold?” Matt shook her head.
“S’fine I guess.” Matt trilled happily, making Tord blush.
“Only because my back hurts. This is free. I don't wanna pay for a back massage.” He said quickly.
“Who said I was doing this for free?” Matt said jokingly.
As soon as the egret started rubbing small circles in Tord’s back, near where his wings attached to his back, the puffin totally relaxed.
He was partially leaned back against Matt and he was making soft churrs and chirps in the back of his throat.
“Awww. See. What were you worried about? I am amazing .”
Tord didn't even contradict her, instead he melted farther into her touch humming contentedly as Matt moved to the secondaries.
The rest of the process went relatively fast. Matt was good at preening (he was the one to preen Edd every night) and her hands were soft and quick.
By the time Matt had gotten to the soft down on the inside of Tord’s wings the puffin had almost fallen asleep and was practically laying down.
He was in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position, folded over his own crossed legs. Matt had to keep herself from laughing. He looked ridiculous.
Finally Matt was finished. He kissed the space between Tord’s wings to alert the smaller he was done. Gently he got up and grabbed one of her own shirts
(Or was it Edds? It was a bit big. Then again Tom did like oversized- Oh whatever. A Shirt.) and handed it to her drowsy boyfriend and turned away out of modesty as Tord pulled it on, sliding his wings through the hole in the back.
“Mmhh. What.. what time is it.?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. Matt checked her phone.
“Only 6 pm love. Hungry?” Tord shook his head. “I’ll eat later. Wanna. Sleep…”
Matt thought for a moment, her eyes did hurt a bit from concentrating for a long time, coming to a decision he pushed Tord over to the wall side of her bed.
“Scooch. I'm tired too.”
Tord chirped, attempting to sound displeased.
Matt spread her large white wing over the puffin like an extra blanket kissing his forehead. Tord pushed her face away with his head and huffed, snuggling into the egret's chest.
“You love me.” Matt replied smugly, but her boyfriend was already asleep.