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They had been preparing for weeks now. Everyday, making sure everything in the nesting room was well ready for the event that was about to transpire.
Tommy, the family's youngest, was growing his wings. Tommy has just turned 10 years old, which meant it was time for those wings to sprout from Tommy’s back.
Tommy watched as his family rushed back and forth, patting down the pillows in the nest repeatedly to ensure they were at their softest.
“Do you have the bag of rags? We’ll need it to clean up the blood,” Phil (his father) asked.
Techno laid down a basket full of dry hand towels and rags. “Of course. We’ve had this set up before Tommy even turned 10.”
Phil chirped. “Well, yes! I know that. But we just need to be sure. Tommy’s wings should grow in any day now. We need to be completely ready.”
Wilbur adjusted the same blanket again, stuffing one of Tommy’s stuffed animals in a small crevice.
Techno rolled his eyes. “I grew my wings when we were out in the forest with nothing but pond water and dirt.”
Phil scowled at Tommy’s older brother. “I wouldn’t consider that the optimal environment for such an occasion! That happened by complete accident. But for Tommy we can make sure this one is the best! He’s finally growing his wings.Now go check the medicine cabinet and make sure there’s plenty in there! At least three bottles.”
“Dad, he couldn’t possibly use three bottles by himself.”
“But what if we spill! It’s for backup! Tommy is going to be shaking and trembling and I’ll be shaking and trembling and—“
Techno rolled his eyes, walking off towards the cabinet and opening the doors.
Tommy sighed, curling into himself from the corner of the room. Wilbur suddenly appeared in his face, chirps of concern leaving him. The man grabbed at his shoulder, poking his back.
“Are you feeling movement? Are they ready to start coming out? What’s wrong? Why did you sign?”
Tommy huffed, shrugging Wilbur’s hands off him. The brunet stopped, clicking with curiosity.
“Did I hurt you?”
Tommy pulled at his face, growling under his breath. “I’m just… I’m tired of all this!”
The three all froze, looking at each other. That only served to make Tommy angrier.
“You spend all this time preparing the room and the blankets and the stuffed animals and the medicine but you haven’t stopped to prepare me!” His voice cracked, feeling tears begin to form in his eyes.
The three blinked before crooning sadly. The three crouched in front of him, Phil coming in closer and holding his hands gently between his larger ones.
“I’m sorry, Toms. You’re right. We shouldn’t have been so focused on everything else. We should have been more focused on you.”
Tommy sniffled, letting Wilbur reach forwards and wipe the sticky tears away.
“Are there any questions you have, Tom?” Phil asked, squeezing his hands. “Any concerns?”
Tommy nodded, looking to the floor around Phil’s feet. “I’m… I’m scared. I’m really scared. I don’t understand why we have to go through this or— or how bad it’s gonna hurt or—“ He hiccuped.
Phil gave a soft smile, wings relaxed behind him. “Oh, Tom… It’s okay to be scared. This is a scary time. Your wings develop under the skin, and then they burst out so they can fully grow and expand. This also allows us to hide out wings back into those little slits when we need to.”
“As for hurt…” Techno began. “Yeah, it hurts. I won’t lie to you, kid. It’ll probably be the most painful thing you’ll experience. Hopefully it is the most painful thing you’ll have to go through. But we’ve got medicine that will help ease that pain. You’ve got all of us right here by your side. You’re going to be okay. You’re the biggest man, remember?”
Tommy chuckled wetly, wiping the rest of his tears away. “Y—yeah. Yeah! I’m a big man.”
Wilbur booped him on the nose. “And soon you’ll have big wings!”
Tommy smiled, sitting up from his corner only to wince. He looked behind him, face scrunching up as pain began to radiate from his shoulder blades.
The three looked at each other, Wilbur quickly grabbing Tommy and lifting the boy in his arms.
“It’s happening. You’ll be alright, Toms. You’ve got this,” Wilbur whispered, heading into the pile of blankets and settling down. He laid flat on his back, wings spread out slightly as he laid Tommy on his chest.
The other two shuffled around, grabbing the last of the preparations. Tommy whined, his back aching. Wilbur shushed him gently, running his fingers through the boy’s hair.
Phil appeared in front of him, holding a small spoon full of liquid. “Here you go, mate. Just take this.”
Tommy opened his mouth, letting his father feed him the medicine. He gulped, flinching at the way that pulled his muscles.
“It… It hurts, Wilby.”
Wilbur crooned sadly, pulling his head down and having it rest under his chin. “I know, sunshine. You’re alright. Just be patient and let us take care of everything.”
Tommy nodded, curling into his brother. Techno landed beside them, rags in hand and a frown on his face. He gently ran the rag over Tommy’s back, adding a cream to it to help numb the area the best they could. Tommy cringed at the feeling, everything in that area of his back being 10 times louder than usual. Everything was loud. Everything was too bright.
Tommy whined again, letting out a chirp of distress as sweat began to bead down his neck.
“What is it, Toms? What do you need?” Wilbur asked.
“Hurts. Too bright.”
There was a shuffling next to him, Phil leaving the nest to turn the lights off before plopping right back down next to him. A hand landed in his hair, familiar talons scratching circles into his scalp.
Techno used a rag to dab up the sweat as Tommy’s mind went hazy from the pain. He didn’t know how long he sat there in that dizzying state, mind reeling as his family whispered words of praise into his ears and promises that they were almost out.
Just a little longer.
A little more.
Almost—
Snap!
Tommy screamed, feeling something warm trickle down his back. Praises sounded around him, rags running against his back as kisses were pressed to his sweaty face.
A sense of relief flooded him, letting his entire body relax and fall limp.
“That’s right, mate. Just relax. We’ve got the rest.”
Tommy felt fingers shuffle through his feathers—
Oh. His feathers.
Tommy smiled, eyes falling shut as consciousness began to leave him.
He had wings now. His family’s calm and quiet voices chattered above him, everything slowly drowning out under the haze of sleep and pain. Tommy found every ounce of fear had left him.
He was safe now, protected by the wings of his family. And now, his own too. Tommy smiled, lips quirking upwards as he imagined the four of them soaring through the air. This time, without one of them having to carry him.
He couldn’t wait to go flying with his family.