Work Text:
Keigo groaned as he stretched out his wings one wing at a time. He had been so busy he hadn’t had any time to properly take care of his wings. (Nor himself in general, but he never really did. He prioritized taking care of his wings.) Keigo sighed before he rolled on his shirt.
They had paperwork to do, so there wasn’t any time to go through a care routine.
“Looking a little rough there, Birdie.” A voice called out from the door of Keigo’s bedroom. Keigo looked over with a scowl. Dabi liked to show up whenever he pleased. It was like he forgot he was a villain. Or was just cocky enough for it to not matter.
“Fuck off, I’m working.” Keigo waved away Dabi, walking out of the bedroom and towards their desk. Dabi didn’t respond but followed Keigo. Keigo had been hoping that they could do some mindless stretching while working, but Dabi would point out how stiff their wings were. Really, why couldn’t Dabi just text them?
Keigo didn’t even get to sit down before Dabi interrupted once more.
“Is paperwork really more important than your wings?” Dabi asked nonchalantly as he leaned against a wall. Keigo grumbled and looked over one of the papers that was labeled as important. Dabi was right, in a way. Keigo, if the choice was his, would focus more on his own health. However, it wasn’t his choice. Never had been. “C’mere.” Dabi pulled Keigo to the couch in the living room. He sat them both down on it. Keigo was tempted to let Dabi preen him. Really, he was. If the Commission questioned him, he could just say the League asked him to do something and they would probably take that. Or at least take it enough to lessen any punishment.
Plus, Dabi would press Keigo on why they were saying no if they did. Because Dabi knew Keigo hated their feathers being all over the place and stiffness in general. Keigo’s wings were very sensitive so they didn’t let many people touch them for all that long, but Dabi already knew Keigo trusted him. (Something that was now being used as blackmail which was rude.)
“Let me help, pretty bird.” Dabi’s cold fingers trailed down Keigo’s back causing him to shiver. Dabi’s hands being so cold worked magic on Keigo’s back, wings included. Keigo had always been very temperature sensitive and while the heat of flames was suffocating, the coolness of his skin was a godsend. Keigo didn’t do so well with ice on his wings, but cold was so nice.
“Make it quick," Keigo grumbled with no real intent to cut Dabi off if the grooming went on too long. Dabi manhandled Keigo until they were lounging over the arm of the couch. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but it did give Dabi access to their wings without sitting on them. Not that they would’ve minded if Dabi did.
Dabi pressed his hands on Keigo’s shoulder blades under his wings. Firm, but not too firm to cause any sort of discomfort. Keigo let out a sigh of relief, his wings folding out without Keigo doing it on purpose. Dabi hummed like the smug bastard he was before massaging the tense muscles. Keigo melted against the couch, wings lightly spasming. Dabi was the only one Keigo would ever let touch his back for a long period of time, let alone massage it.
Keigo’s back had always been stupid sensitive. Sometimes sensitive in a nice way, (though that was rare because they weren’t exactly close to many people,) sometimes in a very bad way. Luckily, most people realized that they shouldn’t touch their wings or back without permission, but most was not all. Some people did not understand why Keigo would shy away from pats on the back. (Not that Keigo was calling out specific heroes. Not at all.)
Keigo’s wings moved on their own, fluttering as all his soreness melted away. While Keigo could technically reign them in if needed, Dabi already knew that his wings liked to move on their own. The man was stupid preceptive. Especially with things relating to quirks. It also did genuinely feel good and he didn’t want it to stop.
Dabi’s hands eventually moved away, but not before he dragged a cold fingertip underneath Keigo’s shoulder blades. Keigo trembled, not expecting the sensation.
“Easy, Birdie.” Dabi gently moved one of their wings so that he could preen it. The wing Dabi moved rested on Keigo’s back while Keigo draped the other over the back of the couch. Dabi brushed his fingers gently through the feathers, straightening them out. Dabi clicked his tongue as he continued to brush through the feathers. “Your feathers are dirty.”
“Haven’t had time to wash them specifically,” Keigo mumbled. To fit in the honestly kind of small shower, Keigo removed his feathers beforehand and would wash them separately when he had time. The problem was he often didn’t have time. Dabi didn’t respond instantly, instead moving on to the other wing.
Keigo wasn’t sure if their feathers would be more or less fucked up if they didn’t use them in battle. Being a hero didn’t help them, often that’s what made them so dirty and messed up, but using them may have made it a bit better or worse. With the constant de and re-attaching. They hadn’t ever been in a position where they didn’t use their feathers for something. Even when they were younger.
It made certain things easier and there was also the training.
Dabi was gentle as he fixed Keigo’s feathers. Just as he always was with Keigo’s wings. It was always the most gentle moments he ever saw from the man. Dabi was not a gentle person in general, he was honestly the opposite, and the fact that he would go against that nature to take care of Keigo? It made his bones jelly.
Keigo let themself relax into the repetitiveness of Dabi’s touch while the final feathers were fixed. They expected that to be the end, but Dabi was always full of surprises.
“Hold on,” Dabi muttered, standing up from the couch. Keigo whined, but Dabi made no effort to soothe their displeasure. Dabi came back a minute later with a washcloth. Keigo perked up a bit, but Dabi pushed them back down. “Don’t worry, it’s only damp," Dabi said before lifting up one wing and began to wash the feathers one at a time. Keigo quietly chirped, pleased with the sensation. Keigo didn’t often let their bird noises out, but they were too comfortable to give a shit.
While wet wings made it harder to fly, the act of cleaning was soothing enough for Keigo not to worry about it. Plus, it wasn’t like Dabi was drenching them. He was only using a damp cloth which wouldn’t affect his flying all that much.
Dabi was always very careful with mutant quirks, Keigo noted. He always made sure that needs were met. Probably because of his own quirk. Keigo didn’t technically know that Dabi’s quirk hurt him, but there were enough clues for them to be pretty sure. Maybe it was understanding. Though, Dabi was a weird man, so it could mean nothing.
Keigo didn’t pretend to know Dabi all that well. They were… close, but that didn’t mean much. Dabi took care of Keigo when he needed it and maybe that was enough. Especially when it meant his wings would be all shiny and pretty.
“There.” Dabi eventually said, tossing the cloth on the coffee table beside them. Keigo hummed, not moving from where they were. They were comfortable. Plus, wing care always made them sleepy. “Tired?” Keigo nodded, slipping back onto the cushions of the couch instead of resting on the arm. Dabi’s fingers made their way to Keigo’s hair, threading through it. Keigo hummed appreciatively. Their wings fluttered slightly, also happy with the development. “Go to bed, pretty bird.”
“‘Kay,” Keigo mumbled before his eyes closed and his consciousness faded into sleep.