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The sun was starting to set, bathing his mother’s temple in a soft amber glow. Teo sat on one of the stone ledges, feet dangling as he looked over Quetzlan. Ever since the trials had ended, and the apocalypse had been dealt with, Teo found himself with a new appreciation for his city. The colourful buildings covered with vines were nothing like the tall, stern ones he saw in the Gold cities.
He watched over Quetzlan, wings brushing against the floor. While normally they were bright and shiny, his jade wings were dull and tangled. He had been so busy recently, helping the Quetzlan citizens recover from the apocalypse, that he scarcely had the time or energy to care for himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Aurelio behind him.
“You look like shit,” he said, which drew a chuckle from Teo. The Gold sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed. His gaze shifted to the Jade’s wings, and he carefully reached out, brushing the small feathers where they sprouted from his back. Teo shivered at the touch but leaned into it.
“Your wings are a mess,” Aurelio muttered, shuffling behind Teo and beginning to card his fingers through the feathers. Teo’s eyes fluttered closed as gentle hands worked through the tangled knots. The Gold worked in silence, movements careful and deliberate, smoothing out each feather with such care that it made Teo’s heart ache.
“Y’ don’t have to,” Teo murmured, voice thick with emotion. Aurelio’s hands stilled,
“Teo, you’ve done so much for Quetzlan, for Reino del Sol. Let me help you.” His tone left no room for argument, so Teo swallowed the lump in his throat and let himself be taken care of. His mind calmed as the Gold worked out the knots at the base of his wings, releasing tension with each movement.
Teo didn’t know if it had been minutes or hours, but Aurelio eventually finished, settling beside Teo. The Jade felt like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he was more relaxed than he had been in weeks. He craned his neck back to see that his wings had regained their vibrant sheen and that not a feather was out of place. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at the sight. Even though it felt like so long since his wings had transformed, they still brought him great joy. Turning his gaze to Aurelio, he found the boy mirroring his grin.
“Thank you. I really, really needed that,” Teo breathed.
“Of course,” Aurelio knocked their shoulders together, “you just gotta let me help you more often.” Teo chuckled.
“Oh, absolutely. You just signed yourself up for a lifetime of wing grooming”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Ignoring the blush warming his cheeks, Teo let his head rest on Aurelio’s shoulder, and they looked out at Quetzlan together. The sun dipped below the horizon, the city lights coming to life and standing out against the surrounding nature. Teo’s eyes slowly drifted shut, the warmth of Aurelio’s shoulder and the smell of his shampoo lulling him to sleep.