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There is an annoying honking sound in Kevin’s dream. The longer it persists, the more annoying it gets, until Kevin realises it is actually his alarm. He reaches out blindly for his phone, fumbling with it. Squinting open his eyes, Kevin glares at his phone screen when the honking fails to cease. There is no alarm currently on his phone. He blearily looks to his side. There is a bird standing right next to his bed. It honks at him.
Kevin does the only reasonable thing his sleep hazy mind can think to do. Which is squawk loudly in alarm and try to escape the menacing figure which has teeth what the fuck.
Nicky finds him almost at the top of the bunk bed ladder, still yelling in alarm. Also maybe a bit of hope the sound will scare off the bird. The bird has tilted its bird head and is watching Kevin. Birds don’t really have expressions, as far as Kevin is aware, but he does feel like he’s being judged.
“Holy shit,” Nicky says. “Why is there a goose in our room? Hey, Aaron, why is- Where’s Aaron?”
“I don’t know,” Kevin says, kicking out a leg at the goose. His foot comes nowhere near it, as it has not moved from where it is standing by the bed. The goose looks at Nicky and honks. Nicky squeals, and Kevin feels better, because at least he didn’t scream like a four year old girl.
“Move, Kevin, move. Let me up.”
Nicky has to text Andrew SOS BIRD EMERGENCY BEDROOM PLS HELP. Andrew finds them both huddling on the bunk bed, staring down at the goose. The goose tilts its head back and looks up at them. It shuffles, feathers puffing up like it is annoyed. Turning, the goose pushes the desk chair back. It jumps up, wings fluttering, sending papers spilling off the desk in a flurry. The goose then hops up on the desk. It stretches its head to look into the bunk bed. Nicky squeals and Kevin squawks and Andrew slowly pushes the door open.
“Why is there a goose in your dorm?” Neil asks. The goose hisses at him in response.
“It’s attacking us. Andrew, get rid of it,” Nicky says, pressing right against Kevin’s side. The goose honks again and hops off the desk. It waddles over to Andrew. Andrew pulls one of his knives from his armband. The goose takes a step back. It hisses. It looks around the room, before tapping its beak against Kevin’s laptop.
“Hey.” He sticks his head over the side of the bed. “Stop that.”
The goose taps more insistently.
“Hey! Andrew, stab it.”
“I’m not going to stab it.”
“Why not? It’s threatening us,” Nicky says.
“I’m not killing a goose in the dorm.”
Giving up on Kevin’s laptop, the goose starts pushing things around the desk with its beak. It finds a pen and fumbles, trying to catch it with its creepy goose teeth. Clearly having some trouble.
“It’s armed,” Kevin says. “If you kill it now it’s self defence.”
“Wait.” From the aerial view of the top bunk, they can see the goose is trying to scribble with the pen. Nicky gasps. “I think it’s trying to write.”
“How did a goose even get in here?” Neil asks. Andrew steps forward across the room. The goose has managed little more than a squiggly arrow. It turns its head to check its work and makes a sad goose noise. With some effort, it scratches a line across what it has already drawn. Maybe Kevin is dreaming after all. Andrew lifts the shape of paper. He rotates it. Neil steps up behind him. “Kind of looks like an A.”
The goose honks, pen falling free from its mouth. Andrew lowers the paper and stares blankly at the goose. The goose makes a low rumbling sound and goes back to pecking at Kevin’s laptop, trying to push it open. Neil, because he is an instigator even when it includes poultry apparently, reaches out and pushes the lid of the laptop open.
“Hey! If it eats any of my keys, you’re replacing them,” Kevin says. The goose stretches up and starts to peck a series of keys. It repeats the pattern over and over.
“Oh shit,” Nicky says. “It’s typing Aaron.”
The goose lifts its - his? - head and honks victoriously.
“No,” Kevin says. The goose - definitely not Aaron, surely - looks at Andrew, then crosses to the other side of the room and pokes at a pile of clothes on the ground. Aaron’s clothes. That they all overlooked with the big bird distraction.
“Oh my god, Aaron’s a goose,” Nicky wails.
“He’s not a goose,” Kevin argues.
“It would be so funny if he were a goose,” Neil says. The goose hisses at him in response. Andrew says nothing.
“Okay, if you are Aaron, honk twice,” Nicky says. The goose does so. “See?”
“That could just be a coincidence,” Kevin says.
“Okay then, honk twice for yes, once for no. Are you Aaron?”
“Honk honk.”
“That doesn't mean anything.”
“Are you just randomly making noise?”
“Honk.”
“You’re just projecting the answer you want to hear,” Kevin says, and suddenly the goose starts flapping his wings and hissing, raising his neck up towards the top bunk. Andrew looks at him evenly. He kneels down. The goose stops flapping. He stares back. Andrew holds a hand out. The goose tilts his head, staring at the hand. He makes a soft whistling sound, taking a step back from Andrew’s hand.
“You have the same eye colour,” Neil says, looking between Andrew and the goose.
“And it does seem to especially not like Neil,” Nicky says. The goose hisses in assent.
“We’re going to have to come up with a rota,” Andrew says, rising to his feet.
*
Being a bird sucks ass. Aaron is used to being overlooked and talked about like he is not there, but usually he can just go about his business by himself. It is very hard to get on with things when he has no arms. He’s currently waddling around the kitchen of the dorm, trying to work out if he can feed himself, since no one else seems to have considered the fact he did not get to eat either breakfast or lunch as a goose.
“No Coach, I am not fucking around,” Nicky says over the phone. “I’m not! Andrew will back me up. Andrew.”
Nicky hands the phone across to Andrew. Andrew lifts it to his ear, looking blankly at Aaron as he answers: “Yeah. He is.”
A beat of silence.
“I’m certain.”
The volume of Wymack’s voice picks up over the line. Aaron can’t hear what he’s saying, but he can imagine it is plenty colourful. As Nicky takes the phone back and discusses with Wymack that he’ll need Abby to cover Aaron’s absence from classes until they can work out how to “ungoosify” him, Kevin brings his laptop out and sets it on the kitchen island. It had taken him far longer than Nicky to come down from hiding on the top bunk, and even now he looks wary, standing at the far side of the kitchen from Aaron.
“What do you even do with a goose? We can’t keep you in the dorm.” Kevin looks back at his screen. Aaron stretches his neck, waddling closer. Kevin clutches his laptop and steps away with a distressed sound. Aaron pauses. Part of him wants to lunge at Kevin because it’s hilarious, but he fears he is going to have to rely on other people until he gets his hands back again, so probably best not to make an enemy of one of his best allies. Aaron steps back, making a low, unhappy sound. He doesn’t entirely know how his vocalisations work. Half times the noises that escape his throat surprise even him. “Tch. Fine.”
Kevin tilts his laptop towards Aaron, and Aaron can see he is researching geese. He shuffles closer, arching his long neck to get a better view.
“Apparently geese are really social birds. Doesn’t sound like you.” Kevin huffs. Aaron tries to give a stern side eye. He is not sure how effective it is with his bird eyes. It doesn’t feel like he can narrow them, but he can definitely blink. “Bet you didn’t think you could get any shorter.”
Aaron hisses. Kevin frowns severely at him.
“Hey. Stop that.”
Aaron pads closer. Kevin retreats again. Aaron wishes he could roll his eyes as a goose, but instead he takes advantage of Kevin abandoning his laptop to try and type on it. Kevin does not like this either, trying to shoo Aaron by waving a hand at him. Aaron parts his beak and bares his teeth. Kevin swiftly pulls his hand back. Aaron types out: casnj geersee b link n
The result flags up: Including results for can geese b linkedin. Aaron honks in displeasure.
“Good job,” Kevin says sarcastically, and retypes: can geese blink? Aaron is quietly satisfied that Kevin knows what he wanted, even if Google didn’t.
Do geese blink? The answer is yes, but they do so in a way that is quite different from the way humans blink. Geese keep their upper and lower eyelids open and instead draw their third eyelid, called the nictitating membrane. This special membrane sweeps across the eyeball and helps to keep the eye of the bird moist and clean.
“You have a third eyelid. That seems excessive,” Kevin says. Aaron bites his arm. Kevin yelps and pulls away from him, even though Aaron definitely only caught his hoodie sleeve. “Is it safe for us to have him in here? What if we get bird flu?”
“Wouldn’t Aaron have to get bird flu first? He hasn’t been around other birds,” Nicky says.
“It would be pretty funny if he got bird flu,” Josten says, grinning when Andrew sends him an unamused look and Aaron hisses at him. Aaron turns back to Kevin and honks, trying to explain that the chance of getting bird flu even from an infected bird is pretty low. Of course, because he is currently a bird, the message does not really translate.
“Stop making that noise at me,” Kevin says, while typing signs of bird flu in geese. “Sudden death. Helpful.”
“He does not have bird flu,” Andrew says.
“You know, geese apparently only usually live around twenty years,” Kevin says quietly. A hush descends over the room. A heavy moment of realisation of what that might mean if Aaron is stuck as a goose. It’s an entirely unhelpful line of thought. Aaron tells Kevin as much, hoking loudly.
“Don’t be sad, Aaron.” Aaron would like to tell Nicky he is not sad. He is irritated. He thinks that should be clear in his tone of honk. “We’ll get you back before you die.”
“And the oldest goose in captivity was forty nine,” Kevin adds in a voice that suggests he thinks this is helpful information. “So even if you’re stuck as a goose, you could have a good twenty plus years still.”
Aaron moves to bite Kevin again. He squawks in protests and takes off across the room to hide behind Andrew.
*
Kevin opens the door when the knocking that has been persisting for the past three minutes does not stop.
“What?” he snaps, door halfway open, only to freeze when he sees who it is. Katelyn puts her hands on her hips, expression one of fierce annoyance Kevin has never seen on her pretty features.
“Is Aaron here?”
“Uh.” Technically, yes. “No.”
“Honk honk!”
“What was- Do you know where he is? Or if he’s okay?”
“Oh, he’s just not feeling great at the moment. Maybe he’s at Abby’s.”
“He’s not. I already checked with her, and he’s not replying to my messages. Even if he were sick, he’d get back to me.” Her expression softens into concern. “Is he alright?”
“Ah. Yes. Maybe he doesn’t have his phone-”
“Honk!”
Katelyn yells out in surprise as Aaron sticks his goose head past Kevin’s leg. Kevin tries valiantly to push him back. Okay, maybe he kicks him a bit, but come on. How are they supposed to explain this? Surely the less people that know, the better. Aaron seems to disagree, biting Kevin on the soft flesh at the back of his thigh. Kevin makes an undignified sound. Aaron didn’t bite hard, but he’s sensitive there, and even the light nip is enough to have him jumping aside.
“Is that a goose?” Katelyn takes a hesitant step back, but she looks interested in the bird.
“Yes.” Kevin’s teeth are grit. He glares at Aaron, but Aaron is ignoring him, waddling slowly closer to Katelyn, head lowered. Katelyn goes very still as Aaron walks to her side. He leans his head against her waist, looking up at her. Kevin’s unimpressed frown deepens. Oh, so he gets bit, but Aaron is going to be all cute with Katelyn? Double standards. When Kevin was the one that actually looked up what geese eat and made sure Nicky didn’t poison Aaron.
“Why do you have a goose?” Aaron honks softly. Slowly, Katelyn lifts her hand. When Aaron doesn’t move away, she brushes two fingers over his feathered head. Aaron makes some weird, quiet, guttural sounds of contentment, and a brief smile flickers across Katelyn’s face. Her voice softens, low and sweet. “Hello you.”
Kevin folds his arms and looks at Aaron with all the disapproval he can manage.
“Oh, Katelyn. Hello. You told her about Aaron then,” Nicky says as he comes through from the bedroom.
“What?” Katelyn’s head snaps up. “No, that’s what I’m here to ask about. Where is he?”
“Uh, right beside you.” Nicky points at the goose.
“You’d better come in,” Kevin says, sighing as he puts a hand to his face.
*
“So I’m supposed to believe Aaron turned into a goose.”
Aaron has stuck close to Katelyn’s side since she came into the dorm, protective. When she sits on the couch he positions himself by her feet like a loyal guard dog, or guard goose, eying Nicky and Kevin. Kevin looks incredibly pissed off. If he even thinks of taking his bad mood out on Katelyn, Aaron is going to bite him again.
“Yeah, it’s a bit insane,” Nicky says.
“A bit?”
“But it’s true,” Kevin says, voice sharp. Aaron gives a warning hiss.
“He can type,” Nicky says. “Get your laptop, Kevin.”
“Why does it always have to be mine!”
Aaron explains that it is because none of them have had the good sense to give him access to his laptop, but since this comes out as a series of honks, he goes ignored. Kevin stomps his way through to the bedroom in a huff, but delivers his laptop, opening up a word document. Aaron works very, very hard to purposefully type one key at a time, going slow to try and not overlap others with his beak.
Hio
“Sometimes he hits extra letters. Due to the beak.”
Aaron doesn’t think it’s necessary for Kevin to explain this, but since Kevin is good at correcting his typing, he lets it go. He might need Kevin’s assistance.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” Katelyn says, pointing at the laptop. “You could have just trained a goose to do that.”
It nis mew
Kevin reaches down and corrects Aaron’s typing to it is me. Aaron bobs his goose head in agreement. Katelyn arches one eyebrow, focusing her no nonsense gaze on him. It is a look she knows he always caves beneath. Aaron stares back unfaltering, because he is not lying to her.
“Prove it. Type something only you would know.”
1sr anniversssrt earringvfs
“I think he’s trying to say-”
“I get it,” Katelyn cuts Kevin off. “The earrings he gave me for our first anniversary. Shit. It is you.”
“Honk honk.”
“Two honks mean yes,” Nicky says. “One means no.”
“How did this happen?”
“We don’t know.”
“Oh, Aaron.” Katelyn very gently takes his little head in her hands, smoothing her thumbs over his feathers. “Are you okay?”
Aaron considers this. On one hand, no. He’s very much not fucking okay, because he is a goose. That’s not great. He doesn’t love that. On the other hand, he’s physically fine otherwise, and he doesn’t want to worry Katelyn.
“Honk honk.”
“Being a goose aside?”
She gets him. Even now. Even since they split up six months ago and Aaron turned into a goose, Katelyn still gets him. He adores her for that.
“Honk honk.”
“Can I do anything?”
Aaron nods. He turns back to the laptop. He types clkass noites. Katelyn laughs, a breathy, disbelieving sound. She kneels down beside him on the floor, wrapping her arms around his torso.
“Yeah. Yeah, Aaron. I can get you class notes, but you’d better get back to yourself, okay? We’re supposed to be doing this together, remember?” Katelyn draws back. There are tears in her eyes. Aaron ruffles his wings, wanting desperately to reach out and stroke her cheek, wipe away any of those tears that may fall. All he can do is flap his wings helplessly. “I don’t know that they’ll let a goose into med school.”
Aaron honks softly. He presses his head to her cheek, nuzzling against her. Katelyn sniffs, but she blinks the tears back, smoothing a hand over his back feathers.
“You’re gonna come back, yeah? I’m not giving you a choice.”
“Honk honk.”
“Yes. That’s the attitude I want to see.”
“Do you want to be on the rotation?” Nicky asks. “We have a timetable for taking care of him.”
*
Kevin is afraid at some point someone will check the Fox Tower CCTV and they’re going to get in shit for taking a goose in and out of the building, but, well, they can’t really keep Aaron cooped up all the time. Pun unintended. Kevin carries him downstairs, ignoring Aaron’s initial protests when Kevin scoops him up.
“Fuck off, Aaron. Can you not put your beak near my eyes? Do you really want to try and walk down the stairs with your bird legs?”
Aaron makes a fuss of honking, clearly trying to communicate something, but goose is one language Kevin does not speak, so he ignores him.
“Yeah yeah, honk honk.”
Aaron hisses. Kevin jostles him an unnecessary amount in response for a few stairs, but he is concerned about actually hurting him, so after that he slows down and readjusts Aaron more securely in his arms. Since, you know, he could turn human again at any point, and if he gets injured as a goose, that might carry across to his human form, which would impact his ability to play exy. No other reason.
“What are you doing?” Neil asks when Kevin comes out of the building carrying Aaron, his jacket thrown over him to obscure him.
“Well he can’t walk down the stairs.”
“Elevator,” Andrew says bluntly, and Aaron honks twice in agreement. Ah. So that’s what he was trying to say earlier. “Why have you dressed him? We told Nicky not to do that.”
Nicky had decided it would be hilarious and adorable to try and dress goose Aaron in his human clothes, until Kevin had pointed out he probably needed his wings to balance. Having them pinned inside a t-shirt was putting him at risk. Aaron biting Nicky had also been discouraging. They’re not actually true teeth that Aaron has. Kevin has learned this in his goose research. They are serrated cartilage protrusions on the tongue and beak called tomia, but they function similarly to teeth. Kevin constantly wishes Aaron could have turned into a bird with a less destructive peck. A chicken, for example. He would be much easier to transport as well, and Kevin feels like in general people would ask less questions about a rooster than a fucking goose.
“I was just trying to hide him from the cameras. We’re not supposed to have pets in the dorms.” Kevin sets Aaron down. Aaron steps away from him, ruffling up his feathers, hissing in protest. “Yes, I know you’re not a pet, but other people won’t know that.”
“Why are you talking to the goose?” Neil asks.
“I’m talking to Aaron.” Kevin pulls his jacket on, frowning at Neil. Just because Aaron can’t talk back in a way Kevin always understands doesn’t mean he should just ignore him. Andrew is watching him with an expression Kevin can’t read, eyes moving over Kevin’s face. It makes Kevin’s skin feel a touch too tight. He clears his throat.
“So, we should probably take him somewhere he can run around and get some fresh air.”
“I don’t particularly want a bird in my car,” Andrew says, and Aaron ruffles his feathers again, wings and neck extended. “You’ll have to go in the trunk.”
Aaron hisses.
“What if I go get a towel to lay over the back seat?” Kevin says. He can see the point of putting a goose in the trunk, but then he thinks of doing the same thing to Aaron, and it feels kind of shitty. Andrew hums thoughtfully, then nods. Kevin sighs, but turns to jog back upstairs again.
*
They take him to a park. It’s late enough there’s no one else there. Aaron feels awkward with them all watching him as he waddles around, but it actually is nice to get out of the dorms for a while. He always has to be so careful. There’s not much room for him to spread his wings without hitting into something. He can properly stretch out here, flapping experimentally.
“Oh my god, Aaron, can you fly?” Nicky asks.
“Yes. Geese can fly long distances. They can also engage in unihemispheric sleep while flying. That’s when one side of their brain rests and the other remains active.”
“You’ve learned an awful lot about geese,” Josten says, narrowing his gaze at Kevin. Kevin huffs and folds his arms defensively.
“It makes sense we should do research.”
Geese cannot smile, which is probably a good thing, because Aaron fears he wouldn’t be able to hide his at that.
“Try flying!” Nicky runs over to him, flapping his hands like wings. Aaron takes a step back. He doesn’t know how to fly. He doesn’t want to fall, and he feels self conscious with all of them watching him. Most birds learn from their parents how to fly; Aaron does not have that generational knowledge. Despite this, a part of him is curious about what it would be like to fly.
“Honk.”
“Aw, come on. Everyone wants to fly. You actually have the chance, you’re not even going to try?”
“Honk.”
“Wasted opportunity.” Nicky throws his hands towards the sky.
“There’s a pond here. Geese are meant to enjoy swimming,” Kevin says, walking to the edge of the water. Aaron looks at him blankly. As if he is going to get in some cold, dirty pond. He doesn’t know what’s been in there.
“Go on, Aaron.” Nicky tries to shepherd him towards the water. Aaron hisses and flaps his wings in warning. He pads off around the edge. It’s the furthest he’s been able to walk on his bird legs, and he does feel a bit unsteady at the increase in speed. He makes his way over to Andrew, if only because he’s certain he won’t try to make him engage in any stupid bird behaviour. Aaron still leaves a safe metre between them, knowing Andrew doesn’t like to be crowded. Andrew observes him levelly.
“Do you even want to be here?”
“Honk.”
“We’re going back,” he says, pulling his key out of his pocket.
“What? But we just got here,” Nicky says.
“Now.” Andrew gets in the car without another word. Josten looks at Aaron like he’s going to say something, but decides against it. Nicky pouts as he makes his way back. Kevin uses the towel he brought to clean any mud off Aaron’s feet, then lifts him into the middle of the back seat.
Aaron settles himself down. He knows from his and Kevin’s research that geese can sleep with their head tucked in behind their wing, but it always feels unnatural to his human mind twisting his neck like that. He’s tried, but he has ended up mostly sleeping with his head resting on one of the beanbags or the arm of the couch. He tries it again now, but once again finds it uncomfortable. Kevin touches his neck, guiding his head to his thigh without saying anything. Aaron is in what would be concerningly close proximity to Kevin’s dick if he were human, but it feels less weird like this.
As they drive back towards the dorms, Kevin draws his fingers along the back of Aaron’s head and down his neck, a surprisingly pleasant sensation. Aaron goes still in the hope Kevin will keep doing it, and is rewarded as he pets him the rest of the way back to the dorms.
*
“Brought your notes from Katelyn,” Kevin says when he comes through the door. “Did Nicky just leave?”
“Honk honk.” Aaron waddles across the room to Kevin, biting the edge of his shirt. Kevin’s no longer afraid when Aaron races towards him, or puts his beak near him. Even though Aaron has bitten him quite a few times. It’s never that hard, usually just Aaron’s way of making a point rather than actually hurting him. The same way Aaron would punch him in the arm sometimes, but never hard enough to bruise. Right now Aaron tugs on his shirt.
“Show me what you want.”
Aaron makes his way to the bathroom. Kevin opens the door for him. Aaron pecks the glass of the shower. Kevin opens it and he hops in.
“Oh. You want a shower? I suppose we don’t have a bath. You do kind of smell.”
Aaron hisses.
“You do! I’m just telling the truth.” Kevin unhooks the shower. He aims it away from Aaron as he turns it on and tests the heat, then crouches down and holds it over Aaron. “Do you know how to clean your feathers out?”
“Honk.” Aaron tries to stretch his wings out, but there’s not enough room in the shower to expand them fully. He ruffles his feathers. He ducks his head up under the flow of the water, then shakes it rapidly, sending water droplets everywhere. Kevin laughs. He turns the water off. Aaron honks in protest.
“One minute.” Kevin strips off. Aaron starts to honk much louder when he reaches to remove his underwear. “Grow up. We’ve used changing room showers together before.”
Aaron hisses, baring his tomia. Kevin doesn’t really believe Aaron would bite his dick, but he thinks it is better not to test that.
“Fine. I’ll keep the underwear on if you’re going to be such a baby about it.”
Kevin gets in the shower, closing the glass door behind him to keep the water from spilling out. He sits cross legged on the floor beside Aaron, water seeping through his briefs. Aaron shuffles around to face him. Kevin turns the water back on and holds the shower head up, running it over Aaron. He uses his fingers to gently part Aaron’s feathers, running water between them. He’s not entirely sure if this is the right thing to do, but he read that geese preen themselves in water with their bills to get clean, so he assumes they must push through their feathers with their beaks.
“Apparently, you’ve got an oil gland around here.” Kevin touches the base of Aaron’s tail. Aaron puffs up his damp feathers. “And you’re supposed to spread that over your feathers to stay dry and keep parasites away.”
Aaron honks.
“Well, you’re probably safe from parasites. Considering you live in a dorm.”
When they get out of the shower, Kevin towels himself down first. Aaron ruffles his feathers and shakes off in the shower, but Kevin gives him a pat down when he gets out as well. He’s got the afternoon shift with Aaron while everyone else is in classes. He flicks through the TV channels until Aaron honks for him to stop. Kevin leaves the TV on for him and stretches out on the couch to read part of his book. Aaron flaps his wings, jumping up on the couch over Kevin’s legs. Kevin lowers his book, looking at Aaron.
“Did you just fly?”
Aaron puffs out his wings and honks.
“I think you did. Have you done that before?”
“Honk.”
“Do you think you could fly across the dorm?”
Aaron’s head turns, surveying the space. He shakes his head.
“I guess it is quite small. You would probably have enough room at the court. Don’t look at me like that. You would. Do you want to try? Wouldn’t be anyone else there at this time of day.”
Aaron is quiet for a long moment, before he honks twice. Kevin smiles.
“Right. Just have to smuggle you to the court.” This is easier said than done without a car. Kevin puts Aaron in his duffle bag, his head still sticking out. He drapes his jacket over him, hushing Aaron’s honking protests, and hauls him across campus. His shoulder does not love the increased weight, but Kevin has experienced worse pain. He manages. Once they’re in the court, he lets Aaron out. Aaron shuffles around for a few moments, stretching out after being trapped in the confined space of the bag.
“Okay. I think you need a running start for take off.” Kevin jogs along beside Aaron as he waddles down the court, expanding his wings experimentally. Aaron flaps them, catching small periods of air, but always landing back on his webbed feet. He stumbles the first few times, then seems to get the hang of landing after his airborne bouts. They make it to the away side of the court without Aaron flying any real distance. “Are you scared?”
“Honk!”
“Then stay in the air longer.” Aaron hisses and snaps at Kevin, but Kevin is used to the pattern of this by now. He steps back, a smile cutting across his face. “Come on, Aaron. You got this.”
*
Aaron tilts his head, observing Kevin curiously. It is not often Kevin is so encouraging, and he seems practically giddy in his support of Aaron’s flying endeavours. It makes him feel less nervous about it. Aaron turns himself around, fluffing his feathers up. He knows how to get into the air now, is familiar with the feel of his wings, but he lied to Kevin. He is scared. He’s afraid he’s going to get to a certain height in the air and then forget what to do, or have his wings give out, or not know how to stop. He doesn’t want to plummet down. His legs are not particularly sturdy. He’s not sure how they will cope with him crash landing from any height.
Aaron steadies himself, then takes off running. He stretches his wings out, honking as he flaps them, pushing off the court floor with his feet. This time he tucks his legs closer to body and flaps his wings hard, a bit unstable, but definitely flying. Kevin cheers, running alongside Aaron until Aaron outpaces him. He quickly remembers he’s in a court surrounded by plexiglass though, and he soon runs out of room. Aaron tries to turn, but he’s not used to navigating in the air. His body slams into the plexiglass, and he flaps his wings helplessly to try and slow his descent as he falls down.
He hears Kevin hit the ground, and he also slams into the plexiglass, having slid on his knees across the court to get below Aaron in time. He doesn’t so much catch Aaron as Aaron falls on top of him, but it breaks his fall all the same. Aaron honks weakly. Kevin groans. He shifts to lean his back against the plexiglass, gently adjusting Aaron until he’s upright in his lap.
“You okay?”
“Honk honk.”
“Should have known that wouldn’t be far enough. Geese can fly up to forty miles an hour, you know. Seventy if they catch a strong tailwind.”
Aaron is torn between affection and exasperation. On one hand, he really does not want to hear about this after he almost concussed himself. On the other, it is touching that Kevin is the only one in their group that has bothered to research geese for him. Well, the only one that admits to it. Aaron has a feeling Andrew also has.
“Do you want to play some exy?”
“Honk.”
“I know you can’t hold a racquet, but you could push a ball around with your beak. Could be good exercise. Ow, okay, okay! Stop biting me. We can go back to the dorms.” Kevin pushes himself to his feet, brushing off his clothes. He looks down at Aaron and smiles; a softer, warmer smile than Aaron is used to seeing from him. Aaron ducks his head. “You did fly though. Even if it wasn’t for very long. That’s pretty cool.”
Aaron bobs his head and honks softly. That is pretty cool.
*
“Mmm.” Kevin burrows further into his pillow, ignoring the soft, nasally, barely audible honks by his ear, and the cold sensation on his neck. For a wild moment he thinks it is Aaron, his fingers always so, so cold, before he remembers Aaron doesn’t have fingers anymore. The cold brush of contact turns into a bite, and Kevin shifts away. “Hey.”
He squints his eyes open angrily, rubbing the side of his neck. As usual, it is not a hard bite, but he doesn’t want to explain if he gets a bruise on his neck. Oh, sure, no big deal, just a hickey from my goose teammate. Don’t worry about it.
“What?”
Aaron pecks at Kevin’s blanket. Kevin tries to bat him away. Aaron bites and pulls the duvet down.
“Aaron, stop.”
Aaron honks softly, waddling back from the bed, bobbing his head. His white body is illuminated by the streak of light coming through the dorm curtains. He looks like a ghost. A goose ghost. Kevin rubs his hands over his eyes.
“Do you need the bathroom?”
“Honk.”
“Then what?” Kevin’s voice is whiny, but he does roll out of bed, pulling on a hoodie over the shorts he’s sleeping in. Aaron shuffles excitedly at the sight of Kevin getting up, waddling out to the living room. Kevin trails after him blearily, still barely managing to keep his eyes open. Aaron points his beak at the door. “You want to go outside?”
“Honk honk.”
“Why?” Kevin shakes his head, since obviously Aaron can’t tell him. He lifts Aaron, hiding his body inside his unzipped hoodie, pulling it around him as best he can. A half assed effort to hide him, but Kevin is too tired to care. He puts Aaron down when they get outside, and Aaron takes off with as much speed as his goose feet can manage. Kevin jogs after him. “Where are we going?”
Kevin doesn’t get his answer until nearly ten minutes later, when they arrive at the football field. Aaron runs ahead. He takes off into the air, and Kevin understands now. He wanted to try flying in the open air. Somewhere he wouldn’t hurt himself. Kevin tucks his hands into his hoodie pockets and watches as Aaron lifts into the air. He doesn’t go too high, not much higher than Kevin’s head, but he clears the length of the football field in little time. There’s a few moments where he disappears from Kevin’s view, and Kevin’s heart rate picks up. What if the longer Aaron is a goose, the more bird-like his brain gets? What if he instinctively starts to migrate now he is in the air, and Kevin has to explain to Andrew that he lost him?
While Kevin is worrying about this, the pale shape of Aaron’s goose form cuts through the night air, making his way back down the field. He tilts his body up and flaps his wings more as he approaches Kevin’s side, trying to slow down and land. He does not manage this with much grace, landing hard on his legs and tumbling over. Kevin can’t help but laugh. Aaron hisses at him.
“That was cool. Was it fun?”
“Honk honk.”
“I always wanted to fly. Used to imagine getting out of the Nest and just flying away.”
Aaron struggles back to his feet and comes over to Kevin’s side. He lingers, hesitant for a moment, before pressing his body to the side of Kevin’s leg.
“But the Master made sure to keep his Ravens’ wings clipped.”
Aaron gives a low, sombre honk.
“It’s okay. Over now. You want to try again before we go back?”
“Honk honk.”
“Go on then. I’ll race you,” Kevin says, knowing he has no chance against the swift power of Aaron’s wings.
*
Aaron is getting very bored of his goose diet. According to Kevin’s research, they mostly eat plant matter, and thus he has taken to cutting up raw vegetables for Aaron. To be fair to Kevin, he does make an effort to vary it. Putting chunks of carrot in with Aaron’s leafy greens, holding a banana for him to eat as a treat, he’s even scrambling eggs for him this morning.
“I mean, you’re supposed to scramble them so the geese don’t associate their own eggs with food and go cannibal,” Kevin says to Nicky. “Which isn’t an issue with Aaron, but I thought he’d rather have them cooked.”
“Honk honk!”
“It’s cute how serious you take your goose sitting duties,” Nicky says. Aaron hisses at him. He personally thinks Nicky could stand to take his goose sitting duties more seriously, rather than constantly trying to put Aaron in funny outfits and take cute photos of him. At least Andrew treats him largely the same as he did when they were human; which is barely taking much notice of him at all, but Aaron takes less offence from their silences when he can’t talk anyway.
“Aaron would do his best by us,” Kevin says quietly. Aaron’s not entirely sure if he would, but it’s nice of Kevin to defend his character. He shuffles over and presses against his leg. Kevin smiles down at him. “I’ll get some strawberries today. They’re supposed to be a good treat.”
“Honk honk.”
“Yes, I know you like strawberries. That’s why I’ll get some.”
“I think you just pretend to talk to him,” Nicky says, leaning down so his face is closer to Aaron’s. “There’s no way you know what he means.”
Aaron snaps at Nicky’s nose. Nicky almost falls backwards.
“He’s quite good at letting me know.” Kevin tilts the pan down so Aaron can see it. Kevin is a disaster in the kitchen. The eggs are just barely a step away from liquid. “Does this look okay?”
“Honk.”
“Longer?”
“Honk honk.”
“Okay.” Kevin sighs, putting the saucepan back over the heat. Aaron moves back to stand by his leg again. Prime position for his sous chef duties, after all. No other reason.
*
“So, we found out what happened,” Neil says. His eyes are far too bright. Kevin doesn’t like it. It is the kind of expression Neil has when he’s enjoying something other people very much will not enjoy.
“What?”
“It was never meant to be Aaron,” Andrew grits out. He is the opposite of Neil. His expression is pure darkness. It doesn’t look much different from Andrew’s usual expression, but Kevin can sense the sheer anger beneath the surface. Aaron pads over to Andrew, his goose feet smacking on the ground. He looks up at him, honking inquisitively.
“Basically, Andrew offended this girl in his class-”
“I kindly informed her that her boyfriend was cheating. Which, as she later discovered, he was. I was being helpful.”
“And it turns out she’s like a witch-”
“Witches don’t exist,” Kevin says.
“Kevin.” Neil looks purposefully at Aaron. Aaron hisses at him.
“Yes, okay.” Kevin sighs and rubs his hand over his eyes. He would have argued people don’t get turned into geese a week ago. His knowledge of what are acceptable truths in the world is obviously no longer up to date.
“Anyway, she was trying to curse Andrew and got Aaron instead.”
Aaron starts honking loud and angry. Andrew looks at him flatly. Neil rolls his eyes. Nicky gasps, hand to his mouth.
“Stop that,” Kevin says. “That’s not solving anything.”
Aaron hisses at him. Kevin hisses back. Aaron tilts his head, baffled by that.
“So, what, he’s stuck as a goose forever now?” Nicky asks.
“We know how to break the curse,” Andrew says.
“Yeah, she so kindly told us with some… gentle encouragement.” Neil grins, a sharp and vicious thing. Kevin purses his lips.
“So?”
“True love’s kiss,” Andrew says grandly. He leaves it to hover in the air between them all for a few moments for extra impact. “Cliche.”
“But Aaron and Katelyn broke up!” Nicky looks at Aaron with big, wide eyes. Aaron shuffles backward, drawing his head closer to his body, looking between them all. He bumps against Kevin’s legs, looking at him upside down. “It would have been better if she’d got you, Andrew. At least you have Neil.”
Neil looks at Andrew with a barely repressed smile. Andrew purposefully does not look back at Neil.
“So what do we do?” Kevin asks.
“We should get Katelyn to kiss him anyway,” Nicky says. “Just in case. Maybe she’s still his true love, and this will show their breakup was a mistake, and they can get back together! I’ll go call her.”
Andrew exhales a long sigh out of his nose. He and Neil have some conversation with their eyes. Neil nods.
“We’re going to go talk to the girl again. See if there are any other potential fixes. She said she couldn’t lift the curse, but maybe we just weren’t persuasive enough.”
Aaron has gone very quiet at Kevin’s shins. Andrew looks back at him once when he’s at the door, before he and Neil leave. Nicky is talking to Katelyn on the phone in the kitchen. Kevin runs his fingers over the back of Aaron’s head. Aaron starts, looking up at him.
“We’ll work something out,” he says, with a confidence he absolutely does not possess. Aaron makes no noise. He shuffles to the living room and tucks himself small against the side of the couch until there’s a knock at the door.
“I don’t know that this is going to work,” Katelyn says, twisting her braid around her fingers. She looks at Aaron, her mouth pressed into a thin, grim line. “I hope it does, but-”
Aaron gives a small, sad honk of understanding. Kevin’s chest hurts. He really, really wants Aaron to not be a goose anymore, but there is a small, twisted part of him that will also be quite bitter if Katelyn’s kiss is what brings him back. Kevin knows how Aaron was in the wake of that breakup. He is still not entirely happy with Katelyn after that, even if she and Aaron seem to have moved past it.
“Come back for me?” Katelyn kneels down on the floor beside Aaron, taking his head in her palms. She leans in and presses a kiss to his head, leaving a pink lip gloss kiss mark on his white feathers. They all wait with baited breath. Nothing happens. “Maybe it has to be on your beak?”
Katelyn kisses him again, but it doesn’t work. She dots more kisses over his head and bill with increasing urgency, until Aaron pulls away from her with a protesting honk. Katelyn sniffs, closing her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she says, voice thick. Aaron presses his head to her cheek, nuzzling against her, murmuring small, comforting sounds.
“Aw, boo, there goes my rom com ending,” Nicky says.
“So what do we do now? We can’t just get random women to kiss him in the hopes one of them undoes the curse. How will that work? Just kiss our goose. It’s not weird, we promise. Tch.” Kevin folds his arms, expression sour.
“Kevin,” Nicky says, looking between him and Aaron, who has gone quiet and still in Katelyn’s arms. Kevin frowns. Aaron slowly draws himself back. He presses the side of his head to Katelyn’s cheek once more, then looks at her for a long moment, before shuffling off to the bedroom. Katelyn nods, getting to her feet.
“I’m sorry,” she says, voice quiet. “I really wanted that to work.”
“It’s okay.” Nicky walks her to the door. “It’s not your fault.”
Kevin feels horrible for the curling satisfaction in his gut, but guilt does not cancel out the fact the feeling is very much still there.
*
Aaron is hiding, which is not really a very mature way to deal with things, but he doesn’t get a lot of privacy anymore. The only time he really gets left alone is when everyone is at practice, or the very few occasions they all have class at the same time. He’s tucked himself under Kevin’s bed and is trying to read some of his class notes by the light leaking in from the room, but he can’t really focus. He’s too busy thinking about the fact that he’s probably going to be stuck as a goose forever, forever being his now limited goose lifespan, and that it’s a huge waste of his time to even be trying to keep up with his class notes, as geese can’t go to med school.
Despite his poultry melancholy, a part of Aaron is relieved. It shattered him when he and Katelyn separated, and it has taken a long time to piece back together the broken shards of them in a way where they are no longer cutting themselves against the sharp edges. Had Katelyn’s kiss worked, Aaron is not sure where they would have gone from there. He has processed their breakup. He has moved on. He is grateful to have Katelyn in his life as his friend now.
It’s just a shame best friend’s kiss can’t undo curses. No, it always has to be true love. Aaron is not sure true love exists for him. He’s half convinced he’s fundamentally unlovable, really, at the core of himself. Too much damage from his childhood.
“Aaron?” Kevin lies down on the floor, looking under the bed, and Aaron realises he’s been making soft rumbling cooing sounds without realising it. “What are you doing in there? Hiding?”
“Honk honk.”
“We’ll find a way to fix this.”
“Honk.”
“We will. We have to. I need my best backliner back. The freshmen can’t carry us.”
Aaron hisses. Kevin smiles; but it is a tight, unhappy kind of smile. He reaches his hand under the bed. Aaron stretches his neck out and rests his head on Kevin’s skin.
*
“Still no luck,” Kevin says when he comes in from class. Aaron is nesting in one of the beanbags. His head perks up when Kevin comes through the door. It feels strange to Kevin now that he was scared of him once. He finds Aaron’s goose form adorable now, automatically smiles at the sight of him. Usually. He doesn’t smile now, with the news he’s bearing. “Can’t find her again at all.”
Kevin drops his backpack by the couch and flops onto it, putting his palms over his eyes. He sighs, long and drawn out. He hears a fluttering of wings, then feels the warm weight of Aaron landing on his shins. Aaron fluffs up his feathers and settles between Kevin and the back of the couch. Kevin goes still at the close contact. The main weight of Aaron’s body is tucked in beside his thigh, but his neck is so long his head is resting on Kevin’s chest. It’s a bit of an awkward position. If Aaron would just move his weight to Kevin’s hip instead…
“Here.” Kevin pushes his thigh against Aaron until he’s forced to shuffle on top of it, then bends his leg to push Aaron further up. “Just- Here.”
When Aaron lies down again, his head is resting in the dip of Kevin’s collarbone, his feathers grazing Kevin’s jaw when he turns to try and look at him.
“There. That’s more comfortable for both of us.” Kevin pulls Nicky’s throw blanket off the back of the couch because he knows Aaron is always cold - or was always cold as a human, anyway - and he’s not sure if his feathers keep him as warm as he likes. Aaron honks softly, tilting his head up so his beak bumps against Kevin’s neck. Kevin draws careful fingers along the back of his neck, smoothing his hand out over Aaron’s back. He’s got a distinct bird scent, but Kevin’s gotten used to it. It doesn’t bother him anymore. “We’ll look after you. Even if you are stuck as a goose. But I really hope you’re not.”
Aaron pushes his head up, the top of it nuzzling against Kevin’s cheek. Kevin turns his head automatically. Later, Aaron will accuse him of doing it on purpose, but it is without thought that Kevin presses a kiss to Aaron’s feathered head. Just some secret soft desire to express affection making itself known. Aaron honks softly, and then suddenly he starts to feel very warm where he is pressed against Kevin. A bright flash beams in the room, forcing Kevin to shut his eyes against it. Aaron’s body is radiating an unnatural amount of heat, and then he is a heavier presence sprawled across Kevin’s chest, his breath shaky on Kevin’s cheek.
“Shit.” Aaron’s voice is hoarse with disuse. He clears his throat. Kevin’s eyes shoot open.
“Aaron!”
“Uh. Hi.” Aaron’s cheeks are pink, but he’s grinning as he looks at Kevin. “This is awkward.”
It takes Kevin a moment to realise what Aaron means. Of course his clothes fell off him when he turned into a goose, so in reverse… Kevin tightens the throw blanket around his shoulders.
“That doesn’t really change the fact my dick is against your thigh,” Aaron mutters, but he’s still smiling, like he can’t help it. Giddy relief is pouring out of his body language.
“After you wouldn’t even let me in the shower naked with you.”
Aaron tries to press his face against Kevin’s shoulder, but the significance of this has just occurred to Kevin. He catches Aaron’s face in his hands, tipping it up.
“Hey. You’re back. You’re human again.”
“Well noted,” Aaron says dryly. His tone is contradicted by the fact he is rapidly going from pink to bright red, freckles popping against his flush. Kevin can’t help but return his grin.
“You turned back when I kissed you,” he says quietly. Aaron tries to turn away again, but Kevin keeps his face in place. “That means-”
“Shut up.”
“I won’t shut up, because I’m your true love.”
“Oh my god, maybe the bane of my existence also works,” Aaron says, pushing Kevin’s wrists down so he can burrow into the space between him and the couch. Kevin twists them so Aaron ends up trapped between him and the back of the couch.
“Hey!” Aaron grabs at the blanket, fixing his glare on Kevin, but Kevin only sees it for a second because then he is kissing Aaron. On his mouth this time. His very human mouth. Lips warm and soft, tongue tasting of strawberries when Kevin finally gets him to open his mouth for him.
*
Aaron initially resists when Kevin kisses him. For the principle. Though his hand has kind of already been played, considering the whole magical transformation thing. Can’t really keep your cards close to your chest from the person who broke the curse only true love’s kiss can break, can you? Aaron’s still a bit put out that, out of everyone, it is apparently Kevin Day he is stuck with as his true love, but the way Kevin is kissing him with full enthusiasm may be swaying him. By maybe two percent. Kevin’s going to have to keep working hard for a long time if he wants to get that percentage up to one hundred.
“You are so annoying,” Aaron murmurs.
“I’m your true love,” Kevin repeats, sounding way too thrilled about that.
“That means I’m your true love too.”
“Does it? I mean, I broke your curse. You’ve never broken a curse on me.”
Aaron tenses immediately. He presses himself back from Kevin, but there’s nowhere really to go with the couch at his back. He’s very, extremely aware of his nakedness, feeling at a distinct power disadvantage in this situation.
“What?” Kevin’s eyes flick over Aaron’s face, concern creasing his brow. “Aaron.”
Aaron shakes his head. He starts to sit up. He feels like a damsel clutching the blanket to his chest. It is all very demeaning, which is saying something, considering he has been a goose for the better part of the past week.
“Aaron.” Kevin sits up with him, hands on his shoulders through the blanket. “What is it? Do you just want to get dressed? Why have you gone all quiet?”
“Doesn’t matter. This is stupid. Thanks for degoosifying me, I guess. Whatever.” Aaron swings his leg over Kevin and stumbles off the couch. It feels weird to be on human legs again. He staggers on his first step. Kevin jumps up after him, sweeping Aaron into his arms bridal style. Aaron shoves at his chest.
“Put me down.”
“Aaron. Come on. You have your mouth back. Talk to me. Did I do something?”
Aaron looks Kevin directly in the eyes and very purposefully and flatly says: “Honk honk.”
Kevin’s nose scrunches up, and then realisation dawns.
“I was just being a dick. I mean, I don’t know that I believe in true love, but I do… I do love you, Aaron. Obviously. I mean. Do you know how much research I did on geese? I wouldn’t do that for just anyone. And I was kind of happy when Katelyn’s kiss didn’t work, even though I shouldn’t have been, because I didn’t want you to be a goose anymore. Geese don’t make for good backliners.”
“Oh my god.” Aaron turns his head and bites Kevin’s shoulder. He’s glad to have his human teeth back. He can feel the solid meat and bone of Kevin better as he presses them into him.
“Hey.” Kevin laughs, drawing his shoulder back from Aaron. He shifts to hold most of his weight with one arm - Aaron really shouldn’t find that as attractive as he does - and tips Aaron’s jaw up with the other, bumping their noses together. “Some things never change, huh? I’ve missed you.”
“I was right here.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I missed me too.”
“Are you going to say it back?”
“Do I need to? Does you breaking my curse not say enough?”
“I’d like to hear it.” Kevin noses at Aaron’s cheek. Aaron tries his best not to smile. He fails.
“Ugh, I love you, you annoying asshole.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t get dressed,” Kevin says, securing both his arms back around Aaron and shifting him further up in his arms. “Maybe I should just get undressed too.”
Aaron rolls his eyes, but he’s still smiling as he curls his arms around Kevin’s neck and kisses him again.