Archive of Our Own

Eons of service to the Universe, and this was what Kristin got: a face full of dirt as she plummeted from the Heavens to the earth. 

Normally she would’ve caught herself in the currents with her wings, but those too were mangled and misshapen from the abuse forced upon her by ungrateful immortals, their hubris warping their minds into thinking they understood what it meant to serve the Universe fully. No one understood except for her-- she had done it since the beginning of time, when the Universe had been young and needed guidance, and when planets and stars commenced themselves, and then life formed-- she was there. She was there when these new immortals were conceived and lived their lives vagrantly. Rather than serving the Universe, they served themselves.

They had ambushed Kristin-- ordered a meeting at the Pantheon despite not having the status to hold one-- it didn’t matter anymore. Status didn’t matter when every immortal that should’ve been serving under her no longer respected her station and chose to rise up under her, exile her to this planet.

It was simply ironic that they exiled her to the planet she had begged the Universe for. 

Kristin picked herself up, dusting off her dark dress of any dirt or bugs that may have crawled onto her when she was low. Her wings were crooked and dragging along the grass, unable to rise or spread without sending a blinding pain through her system. 

She’d never felt pain before-- not like this. This was a mortal attribute-- but when they stripped her of her godhood, they had twisted her strings of fate and turned her into the husk of an immortal. One that could not die of natural causes, but an arrow to the heart or the cutting of a wing would be enough to end her forever. 

Those fools had no idea what they were doing-- what the harm of losing her would do. Why did the Universe continue to function despite the sloth of the immortals? It was Kristin.

It was all Kristin.

They would learn. They would learn in due time. 

She was in some sort of forest, judging by the leaves she had accidentally eaten when she fell from the sky. The oak trees were green and the air was warm, so she could tell it was summer in the middle of the planet. One of the better places to fall, she supposed. 

Hopefully there was a human or hybrid settlement nearby--

The snap of a twig made Kristin freeze. She slowly turned her head, startled to see two winged children with identical faces staring right at her.

More than her, they were staring at her wings, and they appeared just as startled as her. 

The brunette took a step forward, his hand outstretched towards Kristin. He paused when she took a step back, her back hitting the trunk of a tree. She let out a hiss of pain when the rough surface crushed against her poor wings.

“I’m sorry,” the boy said. “I didn’t mean to scare. You just-- you’re like us.” 

No, Kristin was tempted to say, no, I am nothing like any of you mortals, but that wasn’t necessarily true anymore. The whole world knew just by the state of her wings. 

“Where have you been all this time?” the pink-haired one asked. “We thought we were the only ones left.” 

“Only what left, dear?” she asked with a forced smile.

“Avian.” 

How could that be right? When she had last peeked at this planet, say, five or ten thousand years ago, avians were plentiful-- just as many avians as there were humans as there were Inchlings. What could have possibly wiped them out? It wasn’t as if the environment or climate had drastically changed. 

Deep in her thoughts, Kristin didn’t realize the brunette had continued his approach until he slipped his hand into hers and started pulling her away from the tree. “There’s one more like us. His name is Phil. He’s old-- I mean, I guess he’s your age and you’re not old, so--” the brunette always had a word coming out of his mouth, unlike his quieter companion, who spoke in short bursts, usually in the form of a witty dig at the brunette. 

She allowed the children to whisk her away to their camp. She’d get to the bottom of whatever happened to avians and receive shelter and food in the process. 

“What are your names?” she asked. 

“I’m Wilbur, and this is my brother, Technoblade. Techno for short.” 

In turn, she introduced herself. “You may call me Kristin.”

The boys seemed to know their way around the forest. They knew the highs and lows, the names of the plants and where path markers were. More concerningly, they knew how to walk quite silently through it all and how to stay out of sight. It was Techno that had to turn to Kristin every few moments or so to put a finger to his lips because her footsteps made too much noise or she stepped on something loud, as if that wasn’t how they met in the first place. 

Finally, they arrived at a small wooden cabin. It was one story at best with a small triangular shaped attic. There was a porch but no walkway leading to the door, and there was a garden but it was kept in pots and hanging flower beds. 

“Phil’s either still in town or cooking,” said Wilbur. “He’ll be so excited to see you.” 

The inside felt infinitely smaller but it was an intimate kind of claustrophobia. There was a fluffy sofa and loveseat pushed up near a red brick fireplace that was huddled in the corner. The kitchen was just a semi-wall away, hardly any room to walk around there. There was a hallway and some doors that probably led to the living area, and the roof included a hatch to lead to the attic. 

Kristin’s gaze lingered on the hatch. 

“That’s where the nest is. Also doubles as a hiding spot if we ever get raided,” Techno explained. Wilbur pulled Kristin into the kitchen, forcing her to sit down at their small round table. There were only three seats at the table, but Techno came around from the living room with a fourth. 

“Sorry, we don’t usually have company that want to sit.” 

“What have you boys been through?” she murmured. Techno stood by the stove. There was something slow cooking over a fire, and every now and then he stirred it before covering it back up.

“We weren’t supposed to leave but we had run out of wood-- ah! Techno, the wood!” 

Techno snapped his fingers with regret. “Maybe Phil--?”

“No, Phil has to stay here and help Kristin! Her wings are all fucked! I mean-- sorry, but they are a little, aren’t they?” 

“No offense taken,” Kristin chuckled, glancing at her back. “They’ve been through it, that’s for sure.” 

“Were you alone, Kristin? Were you with another group of avians? We’ve been alone for so long, we were starting to lose hope.” 

“I--” Did it have to be Kristin to break the heart of these boys? That she was completely and utterly alone, and she had no idea if there were any other avians left? 

But lying would be worse. 

“I was alone. I’m sorry.”

Wilbur’s head dropped. “At least you’re alive. That’s good,” he whispered, hands clenching the fabric of his pants so tightly Kristin was concerned he’d rip them. They sat in relative silence, the only music coming from the boiling pot Techno was watching over. 

The boy was fully focused on the pot, only losing it when a single crow landed on their windowsill. It did not caw; it just stood and started pecking at the wood. Kristin stood and reached for the glass. She’d always been fond of the earthly creatures. Had she been a goddess meant for worship, she would’ve picked the crow to represent her. 

Techno came up from behind. “That means Phil’s back. Those stupid crows follow him everywhere.” 

Kristin stood still where she was while Techno slid past her, preemptively heading to the door. Krisitn could see from the kitchen through the front window in the living room. A man in a heavy coat despite the summer heat approaching, his hands full with large paper bags and a satchel across his chest. 

Techno opened the door for him, and greetings were foregone in favor of updates on the status of dinner. “It’s almost done. Just waitin’ on the thyme.” He guffawed at his own pun, and Phil was gracious enough to chuckle. 

“Right, right,” Phil said absent-mindedly, setting the bags down on the kitchen table, not even processing the fact that there was a strange woman in his kitchen. He dug through the bags until he found a small bundle of thyme. 

“Phil, we’ve got something to say,” said Wilbur.

“What is it, Wilbur? Did you get the wood?” 

“No,” lamented Wilbur, “but we found something better. We found--” 

Phil finally looked up. “Why is there a woman in the kitchen?” Then his gaze focused on the wings on her back, battered and bruised. He lost his balance, completely relying on the weight of the table to hold him up. Wilbur was immediately at his side, helping him into a chair. 

The look in Phil’s eyes-- it was hard to keep eye contact with him. He was staring at her, but he wasn’t seeing Kristin. There was an entirely different scene appearing before his eyes. It was something truly violent from the way his whole body began to shake-- even lifting his hand was filled with tremors and quakes. 

“Philza, this is Kristin. We met her out in the forest. She’s alone, like us. Well, not like us. She’s completely alone. Oh, I’m sorry, Kristin, I don’t mean to offend--” 

“None taken.” Though she really did think Wilbur should start watching his tongue. 

“Your wings,” Phil gasped. “Who did that to you?” 

“Hunters?” she said, but it came out more as a question. There was no way she could tell the truth-- and even if she did, they’d think she was lying or hit her head in the attack. 

Phil’s entire demeanor changed. The shakes weren’t gone, but he was on his feet in a fighting stance. “Was it nearby?”

“No, no! I traveled a bit before I ended up here.” 

“You must be in so much pain,” Phil murmured. He approached her, reaching out for her wings. His face passed hers as it glanced over her shoulder. “Do you mind if I--?” 

“No, not at all!” she exclaimed, her face turning an unnaturally bright shade of red. It heated up as Phil got closer to her. She didn’t understand why she was reacting this way-- he was just some mortal. He did have a very pleasing face, and it was obvious he had a nice personality seeing as how doting he was on these children and how caring he seemed toward her, but that was it. 

Kristin was an immortal goddess and he was--

She wasn’t. 

His fingers brushed through her feathers, moving up and down. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her so her back was facing him. Phil grabbed the bone of the wing and began lifting it slowly until she started hissing from the pain. 

“Broken, but they’ll heal. You’ll be flying again in six to eight months.” 

Kristin sighed out of relief. “That’s so quick!” 

Phil cocked his head to the side. “That’s a long time to be grounded--” 

Ah. Right. Time worked differently for mortals. “That’s what I meant. Such a shame.”

Nice save!

“You’re welcome to stay with us. We have plenty of room, tons of food, and you have the three of us to help you through the healing process.” 

Kristin wasn’t too sure on the ‘plenty of room’ but she wouldn’t start being a snob now. Even while in the Heavens, she kept her quarters small and tidy. She had no real reason to keep so much space, so she kept it small with a mid-sized hall for her throne with painted ceilings and marble pillars, a dining room to seat one hundred of the most important divine beings, and a bedroom with a bed big enough for her wings to expand. Oh, and she couldn’t forget her wine cellar. That was the one thing she decidedly splurged on. 

“That’s very kind. I accept.” 

“Food’s ready,” Techno interrupted, shoving past the two adults to set the pot down on the table. Turned out Techno had been making smothered chicken. It smelled positively divine. Nothing like nectar and ambrosia, but Kristin could definitely get used to the boy’s cooking.

Phil pulled out Kristin’s chair for her, but Wilbur was quick to slide in it first. Phil gave him an extra hard look but decided not to fight it, pulling out another chair for her while the brothers giggled. 

Dinner conversation was mostly an interrogation of Kristin’s path, for which she smoothly created a backstory for on the fly. 

According to Kristin, she lived with a nomadic group of people that was attacked a couple of weeks ago and she had been wandering around ever since. Considering Kristin still didn’t know the specifics of what happened to… Well, all of avian-kind, she kept her story as vague as possible. Besides, most of it wasn’t even a lie. She really was targeted and attacked by a group of vindictive beings with hatred in their hearts.

None of them pried too much, knowing how much of a sensitive topic it was. She learned that Phil and the boys were part of two different settlements. The twins’ settlement was raided and plundered first, which sent a wave of humans finding all sorts of avian settlements and killing them off. Phil had found them in some cave when he was escaping his own genocide, and they’d been together ever since. 

That was four years ago now. 

After dinner, Phil showed Kristin to one of the bedrooms. It was quite plain, but knowing his story, it wasn’t something she was critiquing so much as observing. There were the essentials-- a twin-sized bed, a dresser and a mirror with some cracks in the corner. The bathroom was further down the hall, something they’d all have to share. 

Kristin rifled through the drawers, surprised to find men’s clothes folded neatly already. “Is this your room?” 

Phil nodded, a sheepish grin on his face. “I can just sleep in the nest. I thought you’d prefer your own space for now.

“You’re very kind.” 

“Everyone deserves a little bit of kindness,” he replied.

“Everyone?” asked Kristin, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Even those that have hurt you?” 

Phil took her place by the drawers, opening the lower left drawer and taking out some bandages and other medical supplies. He dumped them out on the bed and grabbed Kristin’s wing again. 

Instinctively, she took off her outer layer of clothes, wincing as it passed through her wings.

“Hold on, this’ll hurt a little.” He bent her wing close to her back and began to wrap the bandages around her wing and onto her chest. “I used to want to kill every human I came across. I didn’t need a reason when they didn’t need a reason to come after me and our people.”

“I agree.” 

“But, that’s probably how they thought. How else could any group get away with the genocide of an entire people if they didn’t think that way? If they took away the sentience and the mortality and the humanity of a person, it’s quite easy to allow yourself to naturalize the feeling.” He finished tying off her bandages, securing it tightly to her back. 

How strange to hear those words coming from a mouth. A divine immortal didn’t need to think about what another thought, especially a mortal. Her judgment was the most important thing, second only to the will of the Universe. 

If Kristin had the ability, she would’ve ripped those nouveau gods to shreds the first chance she got. 

“You’re better than me, Philza.” 

Phil laughed. “It’s a work-in-progress.” He stopped his work, putting the bandages and tape down. He shrugged off his cloak, laying it down on the bed before turning his back to Kristin, not to show off his marvelous wings, but the stumps of what was once marvelous. “I was full of hatred for a long time. Then I met the boys.” 

Kristin reached out, her hand trailing up his back and tracing a pattern on his back. If she had her powers, it would’ve been a healing rune. Now it was just comfort.

He helped her with her other wounds before bidding her goodnight. Techno and Wilbur stuck their heads in to do the same, promising to make her an excellent breakfast to welcome her in the morning.

Her days with Phil and the boys were peaceful but nice. Despite the daily chores and the work it took watching the boys and keeping them out of trouble, anything was considered a vacation compared to helping run the Universe. 

It wasn’t her problem anymore. 

Two months into the recovery process, Kristin was out picking fruits in the late summer afternoon. Phil, as the one with the least amount of physical weight on his back, went out to the nearest town to pick up necessities, a trip he made every so often. He had managed to pick Kristin up some new clothes, and she was able to burn the garments she came to Earth on. Rather than the dark colors of the cold space she was used to, she dressed in white and pastels. 

The boys were out playing in the water in a nearby pond while Kristin walked around the forest with her wicker basket. Kristin had found a berry bush not far from the house. She plucked a berry off the branch and examined it, wondering if it could be poison. 

“It’s not,” someone said, startling Kristin out of her reverie. She dropped the berry and her basket, turning quickly in hopes to hide her wings.

She almost fell over in shock at the sight of a little boy with soft white wings on his back. He had golden curls and bright blue eyes, almost like a small version of Phil, but Kristin knew better. She could tell a divine presence apart from a mortal one. 

That, and how could she not recognize the face of the dog of her usurper? The god Dream with his silver tongue and false promises had done this to her, and his little pet Theseus had been there standing behind his legs, watching with impassive eyes as she was cast from the Pantheon. 

“What are you doing here?” she barked. “What more could your master possibly want now?” 

Theseus looked down at his hands as he picked at the skin around his fingernails. “He said I have to watch you. He said I’m not allowed to leave until I’m done watching you.” 

Kristin snorted. So the little godling had been cast out too? A master so blaisé with his new status that he started picking at his own supporter base. Kristin could not die of natural causes, so unless someone killed her, the godling would be watching forever. “Why are you speaking to me if you’re only meant to watch? You could have stayed hidden forever.”

“I’m bored,” Theseus confessed. “I wanted to watch those mortals by the pond, but you’re just looking at berries!” 

The godling reminded Kristin of Techno and Wilbur in a way. 

Like a child.

In a way, he sort of was. He couldn’t be more than a few centuries old. It wasn’t his fault he was taken in by a piece of excrement like Dream. He was probably young enough to have his mind still developed in the right path away from Dream-- and Dream probably didn’t care with his newfound power, he didn’t need to rely on a little godling like Theseus anymore. 

Looking at Theseus reminded Kristin of the words Phil spoke on her first night in the cabin. How could she hate the godling when he probably didn’t even know why Kristin was here and why he was here. 

Kristin crouched down and picked up her basket. “How about this? You help me pick berries, and then I’ll take you to the pond to play with Techno and Wilbur.”

Theseus perked up. “Really?”

“Really. But you have to tell me which ones mortals can eat.”

They made quick work of the berry bushes. He was quite forthcoming with any and all information about the Pantheon and Dream. He had only been watching Kristin for a few days, but Theseus had a motor of a mouth. Once given the go-ahead, he’d talk about anything and everything, switching topics on a whim and then circling back mid-thought. 

“Dream, Sapnap, and George sit in the high thrones, which is really cool. I used to sit next to Dream, but he said I couldn’t do that anymore. Then he said I was embarrassing him at Pantheon so I couldn’t go anymore, and that I should think about what I can do to help him out. I thought about it for a long time, Kristin, I really did, so I made him a weapon.”

“Did he like it?”

“He said it was ugly! I used Celestial Gold, too! It didn’t come cheap!”

“I bet.” The kid was alright. 

“Finally, he got really angry-- so angry, a star exploded and knocked out one of those rocky planets nearby this one-- and Dream said, ‘I have an idea! I need you to watch the Goddess of Reality--’ that’s you! And… Yeah, he said don’t come back until the job’s all done.”

“You’re very loyal, Theseus. And you’re quite dedicated.”

Theseus beamed. 

They had finished picking the berries and were on their way to the pond. Kristin began preparing a backstory for Theseus to tell the boys and eventually Phil. Considering Theseus had wings like the rest of them, passing him off as an avian would be no trouble. Getting Theseus to stick to the story would be the harder part. Admittedly, Kristin was a bit worried he’d run his mouth off and spat nonsense about the Heavens and the Pantheon. 

Just before they neared the pond, Kristin stopped Theseus. She picked up some dirt and smeared it all over his pristine white toga and face. She messed up his hair and grabbed a red berry, splattering across his cheek to look like blood. 

“I look mortal,” Theseus said, his face scrunched up in disgust. 

“Good. You’ll be living as one.”

“What? But I’m a god! I have to watch over you and make sure you don’t find your way back to the Heavens--”

“Shush, dear,” Kristin snapped. “No talk of divinity, alright?” 

Despite the loss of her godhood, Kristin could still command the respect of a godling such as Theseus. She still carried the bearings of a divine being-- it wasn’t something lost instantaneously as power-- it came from billions of years of existence and service to the Universe. 

“Sorry.”

“Good. Now what’s your story?”

“My name is Tommy. I’m six centuries--”

“Years. Just years.”

“--Right. My parents died in a fire by… Um… By… What was it again?”

“Hunters.”

“Right! And a nice lady found me in the forest and gave me berries. Her name is Kristin.”

“Good. Okay, now let’s go meet the boys and you can go play.” Without warning, Kristin slid the basket down to her elbow and picked Tommy up with much protest. A pinch to the arm was enough to silence him. She carried him out into the clearing.

Techno and Wilbur looked up as soon as she came by and they exited the pond, their wings shaking water as they moved. “Kristin! You’re here! And-- is that-- is that a nestling?” Wilbur exclaimed. 

Techno was slack-jawed, staring at Tommy in awe. He reached out to touch the boy, sliding his fingers through Tommy’s dirty curls. Tommy instantly batted him away, but his eyes filled with regret soon after.

“I found him while I was picking berries. Poor thing’s been through it.”

“My name is Tommy. I am six years old. My parents died in a fire by hunters,” Tommy repeated automatically. Kristin fought to roll her eyes, but Wilbur seemed to buy it. Techno was still too flabbergasted to say anything, though his actions revealed much more. 

Kristin offered Tommy to Techno, who he took with such delicate care. “Do you think you can wash him off in the pond?”

“Of course!” Wilbur responded for the both of them, grabbing Techno’s free hand and pulling him back into the pond with Tommy in his arms. 

“Wait! Wait! We play now?” asked Tommy, looking at Kristin for permission. Tommy was going to be a work-in-progress with how little awareness he had. It was almost as if he didn’t synthesize the story she gave him at all. 

“Despite everything, he still wants to play! Don’t worry, we’ll be your family now and play with you,” Wilbur cooed, cupping a handful of water and dumping it over Tommy. 

“Family?” 

Kristin sat at the base of a tree, letting the shade cool her down as she kept watch of the boys. Techno slowly warmed up to Tommy, explaining mortal concepts like family and love to him with insightful help from Wilbur. 

Kristin had been alive for so long, and with all the beings she had met, she’d never met as many wise ones as she did in their little group. Phil was truly a role model. 

After the pond, they went back to the cabin. The windows were open and the smell of meatloaf wafted through the air, exciting the four hungry avians. 

“Phil! Phil!” Wilbur shouted, throwing the door open and running to the kitchen. “Look what Kristin found!”

“Enough berries for a pie?” Phil laughed at his own joke without looking up. 

“A nestling!”

Phil stopped what he was doing. He turned around and looked at the four of them, his eyes narrowing in on Tommy, who was sitting on Techno’s shoulders and resting his chin on Techno’s head. His wings straightened out, showing off his clean and fluffy wings. 

With tears in his eyes, Phil rushed over, grabbing Tommy roughly from Techno’s shoulders and pulling him close. “I’m Tommy. I’m six years old. My parents died in a fire by hunters.”

Enough, Kristin shot a glare at Tommy, scolding him through her eyes. 

“We’ve truly been blessed,” Phil said through choked back tears, “to find you and Kristin in the span of two months. It gives me great hope that more of us are still out there.”

It was a sudden pang, but her chest tightened at Phil’s words. She couldn’t pinpoint the sensation. It was as if Phil’s heartfelt words had the opposite effect on her-- rather than filling her with that same joy and hope, she felt pained. 

It wasn’t true.

None of it was real. 

Neither she nor Tommy were real avians, they were immortals cast down from the Heavens. 

They just happened to have wings.

The likelihood of more of Phil’s race being out there weren’t high, especially if the genocide was as bad as Phil detailed it to be, and he had no reason to lie. On her entire time on Earth, not once had Kristin or the boys left the forest or even encountered a human. Phil was adamant about their protection, and Kristin would’ve trusted Phil with the powers of the Universe if she could hand them over.

Phil held onto Tommy the entirety of dinner, and Tommy seemed content to just let it happen. Wilbur and Techno spent the entire time convincing Phil for them all to spend the night up in the nest so Tommy could imprint on them all. It was something nestlings were encouraged to do with family-- again, a concept quite unfamiliar to Tommy, and admittedly, Kristin. 

Before then, Kristin had never even gone up to the attic to see the nest. It was something she stayed far away from. There was something terrifying about giving three pieces of herself away to these mortals. Something genuine, something she didn’t seem to have before she was stripped of her powers. She’d felt affection before, and she felt it strongly with Phil, Wilbur, and Techno, but after these short few months, it was building into something stronger. 

“Kristin, will you come to the nest tonight?” asked Phil as they did the dishes while Techno and Wilbur taught Tommy a game in the other room. 

“I--” Something about the fact that it was Phil asking caused Kristin to hesitate. It wasn’t because his question was unappealing or him being the asker made it unpleasant, but rather it made the offer all the more enticing. But was it really smart for Kristin to play around with their feelings like this? Was that what she was even doing?

All she knew was that she felt a horrid guilt every time she looked at Phil’s back and he looked at hers and she was reminded of the lies she told to be there with them.

“Not tonight.”

“I understand,” Phil smiled. “You still need time to acclimate to us.”

“It’s not that--”

Phil covered her hand with his sopping wet one, his smile turning cheeky. “Kristin, time heals most wounds. So it’s okay if you need it.”

He finished washing the dishes and left Kristin to dry them and put them away, her face entirely red. That man had such a strange effect on her. 

Still, she ended up closing the door to Phil’s bedroom and getting into bed alone, her ears tuned to the sound of the squeaky floorboards in the attic as the four boys piled into the nest. She heard chirps, surprised to hear Tommy imitating the noise to such surprising accuracy, she could’ve been fooled into thinking they were genuine. 

Four months after Tommy began his stay with them all, Kristin’s wings were all healed up. There was a strange tenseness in the air between all of them except for Kristin and Tommy. The moment Phil took the bandages off her wings, he ran his fingers through her feathers with a forlorn look.

“Why the long face?” she asked. 

They were outside on the porch, watching the leaves change color as the sun set behind the newly barren trees. It occurred to her that perhaps he was jealous that her wings healed and his were gone completely, but she had a feeling it was something completely different. Phil wasn’t the sort to be jealous. 

“Do you miss the sky?” she asked, flexing her wings, the movement feeling good on the sore appendages. 

“Everyday. Sometimes I feel like a part of my soul is missing,” said Phil. 

“I’m sorry,” Kristin replied. “I’d give you my own wings if I could, you know.”

“Don’t say that, Kristin. I wouldn’t wish that for you. I want you to be able to fly in the sky with the boys. Teach Tommy how to fly, maybe. I just… The remainder of my soul would vanish if you were to… If you were to go too far, Kristin.”

Eons of existence could not have prepared Kristin for Phil’s sentiments. Even an ancient goddess such as herself let out a little gasp as he took her hand in his. “Why would I go far?” she all but whispered. 

“You’re healed. You can go anywhere you’d like.”

“But you’re here, Phil,” Kristin said, hastily adding on: “and the boys. The boys too.”

“Right. The boys.”

Phil insisted she take a test flight, so she flexed her wings and shot up through the air. Kristin flew over the forest and over a grassy plain, spotting the town that Phil always visited to conduct his business. She didn’t dip too close in fear that the villagers would spot her and cause trouble for Phil and the boys. It wasn’t as if she could properly protect them without her powers.

True to her word, Kristin didn’t go too far, returning promptly when the sun truly disappeared.

They went back inside. Kristin left for her bedroom while Phil and the boys went up to the attic. She slept peacefully until she was abruptly woken up by the incessant shaking of her shoulders. Tommy clutched her tightly, whisper-screaming about mortals with pitchforks and torches outside their door. 

Kristen instantly rolled out of bed and pulled Tommy close to her chest as she pressed them both up against the wall under the window. 

“Where is Phil?” she asked.

“Asleep!” 

“Go wake him. Be careful not to wake Techno or Wilbur, alright?” Tommy nodded and popped back up to the attic using magic. It was times like these Kristin missed her own magic and envied the godling, who was banished with all of his powers intact. Well, it wasn’t as if he was a threat in the first place, meanwhile Kristin’s powers had kept the entire Universe running. 

Kristin crawled out of the bedroom and made her way into the hallway, stopping when she heard the sound of a body slamming into the front door. She covered her mouth with her hand when she saw a rock launch through the front window, landing right in front of their couch. The glass shattered all over the floor and coffee table. 

Hands crawled through the space, eyes peering in and making eye contact with Kristin. 

“There’s one in here! The one that flew over town! It’s in here!”

Tears pricked Kristin’s eyes as she realized why the humans were here once more. 

Her test flight had revealed that there were avians in the area and traced it back to this house. She had ruined Phil’s idyllic safe house; she had endangered Wilbur and Techno’s lives; it was all her-- she was the danger--

A hand clamped down on the back of her nightgown, pulling her up the hatch of the attic. She rolled backwards into the nest, the hatch slamming shut. “Kris, are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Phil asked, checking her out for any injuries.

“I’m fine! I’m fine! I just-- Phil, it’s my fault. They saw me flying. I ruined it-- I ruined all of it. I’m so sorry--”

“Kristin, calm down. I need you to calm down for me, can you do that?” What was going on with her? Why couldn’t she breathe properly? She never used to have to do that. She never needed to breathe, much less have it regulated. Phil placed his hand over her heart, feeling it drum, and then he placed her hand over his, a different rhythm playing, but it was more comforting than what she was feeling. “Match me.”

Her breathing slowed to match the pace of Phil’s heart. 

“I’m alright,” she swallowed. She looked around at the nest. It was filled with blankets, pillows, toys, and other trinkets. Wilbur and Techno were laying low, clearly spooked but trying not to show it. Techno covered Wilbur and Tommy under his wings as if he were shielding them. Tommy made a point to snuggle extra close to the two of them as if he wasn’t capable of breaking some necks out there. “How are we getting out of here?”

“I’m going down to confront them,” Phil revealed. “You need to fly with the boys out of here.”

“Phil, no!” Techno protested. “We’re not leavin’ without you! Don’t even think about it!”

“I can’t fly, Tech. I’ll only drag you all down.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Techno’s right, Phil. We can’t go without you. I-- I can’t go without you,” said Kristin. 

“We’ll carry you, and you hold Tommy,” Wilbur suggested. 

“I can fly!” Tommy grumbled. 

“Not now,” Techno shushed him. 

“You’re forgetting,” said Phil, pointing at the only window in the attic. “That the only way out for now is down. Someone needs to clear a path for the rest of you to get out.”

A loud crashing noise from downstairs made the five of them huddle closer together. Phil’s mind was already made up, releasing them from his hold and jumping down from the hatch. There were some screams, a guttural cry, and then a clang of metal. 

“I’m goin’ down too,” Techno said, pushing himself to his feet. Kristin grabbed his ankle and pushed him back down.

“You’re staying behind me, Techno. We’re all going down, grabbing Phil, and getting out of here. Understand?” The three boys nodded ferociously. “Tommy, keep Wilbur and Techno safe, got it?”

“Yes!” Tommy saluted. Techno frowned at the order, perhaps thinking it was a joke (with poor timing) even though Tommy had enough power to protect them. She didn’t know how substantive it was against a mob of humans-- Tommy had a divine presence, but it was weak since she had met him. 

She jumped down from the hatch, someone standing directly below. They caught her fall, and Kristin made sure to stomp on them extra hard before signaling for the boys to follow after her.

She had no weapon, no armor, and no guarantee of survival-- a completely new experience for someone that was there mere moments after the inception of the Universe. 

In a way, it was quite exhilarating, but she couldn’t focus on that when she was far too worried about Phil’s well-being. A fire had been started in the kitchen, already burning the corner of their beautiful home. There were four people inside and at least a dozen more outside. Phil had gone straight for the yard, a sword in his hand as he kept the rest of the group at bay. Techno himself had gotten his hands on a dagger and jumped in front of Kristin as soon as someone leaped at her. 

“Techno!” she cried, glancing at Tommy with urgency. She yanked his hair and pulled him back as Tommy’s hands glowed a dim gold as the floor of the attic gave out and fell over the living room, trapping those under it in the rubble. 

“What the heck? How--”

“Outside! Now! We’re taking off now!” Kristin ordered, pushing Wilbur and Techno in front of her. She grabbed Tommy by the bicep and pulled him into her embrace. Her wings itched as they prepared to take flight once more.

Phil had disarmed but not killed four men and still had more to go, but that didn’t matter. The house was burning and it didn’t matter to Kristin because she needed Phil to survive. Yes, the house was lovely and the food was nice but she was starting to think survival would be impossible without Phil by her side. 

“Wilbur, Techno! Grab Phil! Let’s go!” she screamed. They were already on it, pulling Phil back by his shirt and shooting off into the sky. Kristin threw Tommy into the air and took off herself. Their pitchforks flew past her in the air, their hatred skimming her calf but ultimately falling back to the ground. 

When they were high in the air, passing through the clouds and getting their night clothes all wet, did Phil begin to laugh. His head hung as he cackled, watching their house burn to the ground from above. 

It was infectious. Everyone followed after him, letting their laughter loose in the sky-- a moral victory over the hatred of the humans. It was something she still couldn’t fully conceptualize, but she was starting to understand its opposite more and more each time she looked at her companions-- each time she looked at Phil. 

They landed when the sun began to rise. Kristin had spotted a valley surrounded by mountains, a large river running through the land and into a lake. It was perfectly hidden and untouched.

It was the perfect place for Phil and the boys.

The boys ran down to the water to go drink, and Kristin stayed with Phil as she examined him for any injuries. He wasn’t seriously hurt, just some bruises and nicks here and there, but Phil was especially concerned for her bleeding leg. 

“I’m fine. Just a shallow cut,” she laughed. 

“Still-- Kristin, you should’ve listened to me. I would’ve--”

“You would’ve killed yourself protecting us, Phil. I couldn’t let you do that. It’s us against the world, right?”

Phil stared at Kristin, his blue eyes luring her in.

This unfamiliar feeling, something stronger than just simple affection, she knew what it was. 

She dove in quickly, pressing her lips against his before quickly drawing away. 

“Kristin--?”

She plucked a feather off her left wing and planted it in his palm, curling his fingers over the gift. Phil glanced down in awe, then back up at Kristin. 

“I can’t return the gesture,” he started, and she felt her heart sink, “but know that I love you. And I wish I had the wings to give you a feather and to protect you-- gods, Kristin, I wish I could--”

“Shush, Phil. You don’t need all those things. This is enough.”

“It is?”

“Of course it is. You don’t know how much you do, do you?”

The boys returned with water cupped in their hands, splashing it over Kristin’s leg and waterboarding Phil with it so he’d take a drink. The five of them huddled together in a makeshift nest of just their presences, falling asleep as the sun rose over the mountain.

In the morning they’d plan to build a new house.

Something permanent, and something theirs. Not a house they squatted, but a house with every touch belonging to the five of them. 

They worked through the winter and into spring, and everything was perfect. She and Phil finally found each other and they were in the right spot with each other. They were in love. 

The boys, all three of them, were family. Phil was her family too, but in a different way. 

They spent their days with each other, living life in the small moments. One day, Phil took Wilbur and Techno to the mines to get some metal, and she and Tommy decided to start a garden. Their hands were deep in the dirt, and they mused aloud to each other how strange it was to be gods and working on a garden. 

Then it happened. 

It was subtle. 

Kristin almost thought it was a trick of the sunlight, but then Tommy screeched, “Did that flower just disappear?” And Kristin knew she wasn’t losing it. 

One moment, her flower was there, and then it was gone. It wasn’t magic, it wasn’t death, it had just vanished. It wasn’t Tommy’s doing-- she would’ve sensed that. It wasn’t her own magic; she would’ve felt that too. 

“Tommy, when you left the Pantheon, were things alright?” Kristin asked, hoping that her fervent wishes from when she first crash landed on Earth weren’t coming true. 

Kristin hoped that the Universe was not ripped apart due to the incompetence of the nouveau gods. 

“Yeah!” Tommy said. “I mean, the pillars were a little cracked, but I don’t know.”

Her heart dropped. Tommy glanced up at Kristin. He probably saw the way her eyes glazed over, paralyzed with fear at being ripped apart from her new family, their existences shredded away when the Universe collapsed in on itself.

Tommy wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly, and it was comforting to feel an anchor to Earth. 

“I can fix it. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it, Kristin.” When he let go, Tommy’s entire body was shaking. She grabbed his little hands and stopped him.

“What frightens you?”

“Dream. I’m scared that if I go back, I’ll never return here.”

“Oh godling. Then don’t go. Whatever it is, I trust it’ll be fixed on its own.”

“But-- but you’re scared.”

“I’m supposed to help you with your problems, not the other way around, nestling.” The term of endearment stuck its way into Kristin’s vocabulary, the same way Tommy had gotten used to chirping around the avians. 

He was a bona fide avian at that point. 

Over the course of the next week, strange things happened all over the place. Techno’s sword vanished, which caused a massive fight between the three boys, the flowers inexplicably changed colors from blue to red, and finally, the point where no one could ignore it anymore-- 

The mountain split in half. 

The scariest part was how quick it happened, cementing it as an act of unrealism. One second it was whole, the next there was a clean cut in the middle of the mountain.

Kristin had run off into the forest beneath the mountain, hoping to see the source. She didn’t find it, but she found someone with an explanation. 

An old friend, and an impassive bystander at her exile. “Puffy,” Kristin greeted. 

“Your wings healed,” Puffy said with a smile. “We miss you up in Pantheon.”

“I didn’t have to be missed.”

“I know. But I couldn’t say no to Dream either. I’m sorry.”

Kristin examined Puffy and found herself completely devoid of any anger. She truly thought the next time she saw a god-- a real god, not like Tommy-- that she’d tear their throats like she knew she could. But her feelings were completely vacant-- just a calm pool of water within her. “Why’re you here?”

“It’s the Universe. It’s falling apart. Dream is… He’s ill-equipped to handle it.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

Puffy nodded. “I’m here to offer everything back. Your powers, your status. Never again will anything like this happen again--”

“I don’t want it all back,” Kristin denied. “I’m… I’m happy here. I’m happy being mortal.”

“Kristin,” Puffy admonished lightly, “That’s not your life. You’re the Goddess of Reality. You-- you protect the Universe. Please don’t be petty and cost us all existence.”

“How little do you think of me?” Kristin snorted. “I just-- if I go back, I have to go back to how it was before. I can’t do that anymore, Puffy, I have Phil now. I have my boys.”

“If you don’t go back, they won’t exist to enjoy your sacrifice, Kristin. I know this sounds harsh, but wouldn’t you rather have them alive than anything else?”

Of course she did. Of course. 

This was the cruelest part of her exile. 

The fact that it could not last.

“You can at least keep Theseus,” Puffy laughed, “Dream said he’d give him up to you in exchange for your help.”

Kristin crossed her arms. “What makes him think Tommy is his to give away? He’s been mine since the moment he came to Earth.” She glanced back in the direction of her house, of her family, her loves. 

The Universe was falling apart without her. It was catching up now. There really was no other way around it. Her arguments were just stallings.

“One more night,” Kristin stated, holding out her hand and awaiting her divinity. Puffy slid her hand into Kristin’s, a bright light emitting from their hands and exploding. The trees blew over, and sound didn’t exist for a few moments, and then it all turned perfectly still and Puffy was gone. 

Kristin returned at dinnertime. 

She could tell Tommy sensed the return of her divinity. 

While Phil, Wilbur, and Techno cleaned the kitchen, she pulled Tommy aside. “I have to go tonight. I won’t return.”

“Is it Dream? I’ll kill him! He won’t bother us again!” Tommy threatened, hands shaking. Kristin held his hands tightly in her own, sending a flood of her magic into him. 

“I’m going to make everything right again. I need you to protect them all, okay? Protect them for me?”

Tommy held back tears as he nodded. “I will. Until you come back, I’ll protect them.”

“Good,” she praised, pulling him into a hug and kissing his temple. “Thank you, Tommy. Thank you so much.”

They all went to bed in their nest. Kristin waited for the three boys to fall asleep, and hoped Phil would too, but he seemed to sense something was off. She tangled her fingers into his, bringing his knuckles up to her lips. 

“You’ve been so melancholic since you returned from the forest. What happened at the split?” he murmured. 

“I haven’t been truthful to you, Philza.”

“What?”

“Phil, I’m not an avian,” she confessed. “I’m not even human.” She braced herself for some sort of explosion of a reaction, but it never came. He continued to look at her for the explanation. “I’m a goddess. I protect reality. I… I watch over the Universe. The mountain split, the flower colors… The Universe has been falling apart because I’ve been with you. I’ve been selfish, and I need to go back to duty.”

“Kristin.”

She released his hands, placing her hand on his forehead and pushing him down so his head was resting sandwiched between Wilbur and Techno. “When you wake I will be gone. I’m sorry for doing this. I’m sorry for showing up at all, but I loved every moment with you, Phil. I-- I--” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. 

Phil lifted his arm, a breath away from wiping them clean off her face, but she moved her hand down from his forehead to his eyes, putting him to sleep instantly. She rolled him onto his stomach, tracing the same rune she had on his back when she first met him.

A healing rune. 

Kristin smiled through the tears as she watched his wings grow and grow and grow, her own magically fading from her body and falling over the boys and blanketing them with his protection. 

She pressed a kiss to each boy’s head, sitting by their heads while they slept cozily.

In the morning, she was gone, and the Universe returned to how everything was. 

Though they lost one, the valley’s population steadily began to climb as more hybrids outside of avians started finding solace in the protection of the mountain. Phil and his family welcomed them all with open arms.

Every time a new resident joined them, Phil would ask how they found their way to the valley. Without fail, they’d always chuckle and say, “I just followed a crow.”