Chapter Text
Joshua groaned as Clive’s back hit their quickly slammed door and he wasted no time shoving their hips together, grinding in desperately while one hand grabbed and twisted in his brother’s hair and the other yanked frustrated at the laces of tight breeches. Fuck the tunic, what he wanted was between his brother’s legs. Clive had been making bedroom eyes at him all afternoon, winking and leering and tapping their toes together anytime he thought their company of the moment distracted. God damned smirking behind his fist whenever his adams apple had bobbed with a harsh needy swallow in reaction.
He jammed a knee between Clive’s legs and his hand squirmed determined down the front of loosened black breeches, promising filthy things with grabbing fingers. Clive moaned low and eager and Joshua trilled an enthusiastic reply while he shoved his other hand down the back of the breeches. God’s fuck the tunic and the damned boots, they could stay on, there was not a need to wrestle them off in order to bend his brother over th-
“Er…”
His blood went cold and they froze in horror staring at each other in denial as a feminine voice cleared its throat and they heard a nervous.
“Well… I ‘ad a feelin’ summat a bit more na brotherly affection wa’ goin’ on in ‘ere. Haf ta admit though, dint expect quite such an um… explicit confirmation er it.”
Their faces drained white and they leapt apart, eyes flying around catching sight of blonde and white and red sitting on one of the highest slats in their hatch. Joshua wheezed his voice useless, and as Clive yanked the laces of his breeches tight again he gasped, “Mid! What are you doing in here!!”
She held up, as if in peace offering, the measuring tape and charcoal stick in her hands. “Well, it were supposed ta be a surprise see, um… a found out by accident, that it seems the canary ‘eres ‘avin sum trouble with the pigeons ogling ‘is pretty feathers in the baths. So, a were gonna make ‘im… ’is own bird bath like. Wa’ expectin’ ya both ta be at dinner, not…” She petered off and gestured towards them.
They were shocked speechless and choked exclamations escaped their throats. Joshua’s heart beat like a manic drum in his chest and his hands trembled panicked where they rested stiff at his sides. This was the worst scenario that could come to pass, how had they been so oblivious.
Mid stiffened a little at their cold gaze and silence and her tone went a little petulant like a child caught stealing desert before dinner. “A… Am not, upset ‘bout it… or owt… Jus’ so ya know… Am smart yeah? Kinda already ‘ad the inkling summat were hapnin’. You two, got summat special ‘ent ya. Always ‘ave dun, ever sin’ ya first dragged ‘im back ‘ere o’er ya shoulder Clive. It dunt matta, A’d love ya… no matta what.” She fidgeted with the measuring tape, glancing up jerkily through lashes with bright apprehensive eyes. “So… ya ain’t… mad at mi… or owt… are ya?”
Clive still tensely standing against the door exhaled a long held breath, and smiled gently at the child-like fears and actions as her gaze flickered between them, landing more on Joshua than him. Though he had been the first of them to befriend her, he wasn’t the closest to her now. She and Joshua acted so much like best-friends and co-conspirator mad scientists, that it was easy to forget that Joshua was nearly twice her age. More a fatherly age than a brotherly one, they probably worked together so well due to the years he had lost to the coma after Phoenix Gate. Preserving just enough of his adolescent mischief and adventurousness to be happily dragged into her escapades, and vice versa of course. The boundaries of friendship and parental respect between the two were truly blurred. He reached out giving Joshua a nudge towards her and relaxed back, he had smoothed this over with Jill, he was the best person to do it. This… this was all Joshua.
Still petrified Joshua glanced at Clive in distress and the dark head nodded encouragingly directing him at their ward. He swallowed harshly several times, and croaked out an in-decipherable, “Mid.” Then frowned angrily at himself and forced a cough. Hesitantly he began, “Mid-… I … I mean WE…” He trailed off, the hands at his sides fisted several times and he sighed then finally loosened up, shoulders slumping, and slowly walked forward to her until he stood beneath her dangling feet. Still a little strained he requested, “May I help you down my lady?”
Mid smiled relieved, and anxiously nodded holding out her hand in acceptance.
He opened wings and flapped a few times bouncing him up and collecting her in his arms dropping softly back to the floor. She held on hiding her face against his chest. “I really dint mean ta snoop, ya know that dunt ya?”
He petted at her head reassuringly, “Of course, but Mid… that which is done, cannot be undone. There is no excuse I can make to explain away what you just witnessed, only the obvious truth of it. So I must ask, what do you see when you look at me now, when you look at us. Can you, continue… to look at us the same knowing what you now know.”
She reared back eyes blazing grabbing the front of his tunic. “Dunt be stupid! Ya look the same as ya always ‘ave, well… always ‘ave sin’ ya wandered back ‘ere wi the wings an’ the tail anyway. Yer… yer mi big brothers, ya protect mi, an’ indulge mi, an’ laugh wen experiments go arse ova tit an’ we get covered in sticky crap! An… an… ya still, love mi… Dunt ya?!” She cried frantic. Her fists twisted in his tunic and she yanked on it shaking him. “A promise! A can bi trusted wi’ a secret, trust me… please.”
Her distress pierced him as much as her easy acceptance endeared him, and he gathered her back up tightening his arms around her clutching her close in relief. Mid wrapped him up back and her voice trembled slightly. “Ya hearts beating so hard, A can feel it against mi face. Ya dunt need ta bi scared of mi blabbin’ ta anyone. A meant it wen a said, you two got summat special, A suppose it’s so special most people wunt understand it yeah? But, ya dunt need ta be worried ‘bout mi. Ya kept this, be’ind a closed door fer a reason dint ya, an a went an’ blundered inta it like a drunken bighorn.” She sniffed embarrassed, “It were my fault …Sorry.”
Joshua laughed quietly and muttered a hoarse, “Less a drunken bighorn, and more like a sneaky hunting aevis, but thank you Mid, I know I can trust you.” Then feeling he owed her some small token explanation for her unconditional understanding he offered hesitantly. “I… Clive and I know this is… unconventional, un-natural even. But we’d been separated from each other for so long, and it hurt us so much more than we can describe. And so, after Ultima’s defeat we chose not to be separated again. It’s hard… It is not my wish to -deceive- anyone, but on this matter, as you can theorise, discretion is the only possible option for us.”
She nodded and was taken by a surge of pity. “Must be ‘ard, only been able ta be ‘appy, be’ind a closed door.”
Joshua thought a moment, “And why should that be? He is still my brother, can one not be happy in the company of their family as well as the one they love?”
She hummed and shrugged her shoulders under his arm. “Me-bey, still… bit eager ta get back be’ind that door anyway, weren’t ya?”
Joshua smirked, and his wings did a little happy shimmy. Well, if she wanted to be cheeky. “Would you not be if he was yours? Clive has the most squeezable-”
By their door a quietly watching Clive choked a scandalised, “JOSHUA!” and a suddenly struggling Mid blurted, “Oy-oy! No thanks! Saw enuff jus’ now.” Joshua giggled and held on till she humphed and glared witheringly up at him.
He smiled down charmed at his firecracker partner. “Truly though Mid, Thank you, for accepting us. You are an exceptional young lady.”
She pouted and mumbled. “Course a wud ya mad canary, ya mi favourite person ain’t ya. A’d do owt fer ya. An’ Clive too, a suppose.”
She took a deep shaky breath and drew away pushing a nervous hand through her hair and brashly muttered. “That’s enough er that then, dunt get too soppy on mi now.”
Joshua grinned at her. “Of course, my lady.”
Her gaze swerved for the first time in minutes towards Clive and she marched forwards till she stood before him. Clive watched indulgently as she fidgeted uncertainly before huffing and throwing herself against him. He wrapped her up eagerly in his arms, his almost little sister, almost daughter. Cid’s precious kid whom he loved. Only to have the little brat whisper tauntingly, “You, scored yerself the most handsome thoughtful intelligent boyfriend on Great Greagors holy green carpet. Better not fuckup Clive, or ya’ll answer ta me.”
His chest hitched with a short laugh, Great Founder, he’d just had the ‘warning’ from the best-friend. Over Mid’s shoulder Joshua’s cheeks bulged with restrained laughter hidden badly behind his palm. ‘Two bloody brats to deal with. I am a blessed man.’ He thought and smiled squeezing her tight until she squeaked a protest. “Understood, my lady.”
He released her when she began to wriggle and she stood back nodding to herself and rubbing her hands together. Clive took a few steps away from their door towards Joshua, the relief and stress waring for dominance on his brothers features apparent, with the wavering smile Joshua turned towards him. Mid twirled towards them and clapped her hands together, “Right then, got things ta do.” She grabbed the measuring tape from her belt and waved it at them. “Fair warnin’, might be in an’ outta ‘ere fer a couple a days. Lovebirds best lock up their nest if they dunt wan’ ta be singing their pretty song ‘round an audience, yeah?”
Clive chuckled, finishing walking to Joshua and ruffling the blonde head, “I thought he was a canary?”
Joshua’s tail bristled at the continued teasing and he swiped at Clive’s arm chuntering, “I am neither, just so we are clear.”
She waved her hand dismissively and drawled, “My canary, your lovebird. I’m off.”
When Mid left they let out a collective heavy breath and even though she had joked with them Clive spent a moment gathering himself and allowing the lingering tension to trickle from the room. Then turned to Joshua grabbing his shoulder and slowly pushing him back against the wall, before lifting the other fist displaying it burning with livid flames.
“Clive? What-”
“Tell me, Who do I need to maim Joshua?”
“What? What are you talking about Clive?” He whined, he’d truly had enough drama for one evening.
“Which -pigeon- has been ogling your pretty feathers in the baths…and,” he complained confused, “WHY did Mid know about it before your… boyfriend did.”
Joshua’s eyes went wide and he crumpled over, bursting out laughing.