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Stormz at the top of the mountain, eyes downcast at the moment as his eyes darkened. The familiar chestplate practically weighed him down. Guilt and exhaustion tugging at him tiredly. He could feel the way his heart skipped as he took another step closer. His body knew that hardcore mode was on. His mind just didn’t care.
He had done so much to and for the server. It didn’t matter how much he did when it was oh so clear they wouldn’t help him at all. That the longer he tried to do things for them the more it hurt him.
So why stick around? It just seems so bizarre to him, his wings flattened against his back the longer he stared. If he had second thoughts his wings wouldn’t even help him. The wings on his back were so damaged from the last few fights he had been in that he could barely move them. They wouldn’t catch him.
The wind pressed against his body, almost like a cool weight tugging at his bones as he stared at the bottom. It was over. He was done. He was far too tired for this.
“What are you doing?”
The voice was almost worse. Why out of everyone to find him, did it have to be them?
Stormz didn’t turn around, he couldn’t look them in the face. Stormz knows that no matter what, if he turned around he wouldn’t do it. The longer he stayed silent the more it became an uncomfortable silence.
“What do you think I’m doing Dumb?” Stormz didn’t acknowledge the way his voice cracked. The way saying Dumb’s name made guilt swim around him, the way his stomach turned.
The night sent a wave of chill, ruffling Stormz’s wings. His eyes darkened and he took another step forward.
“I know what you’re doing Stormz, I just want to know why.” Dumb said, stepping forward.
Stormz let out a forced laugh ignoring the sting of regret. “Why?”
Dumb said nothing, her gaze simply trained on Stormz.
“It doesn’t matter what I do for this server Dumb, nobody wants me here. So why should I stay?” Stormz said, his voice trembling as he glared at the bottom.
“I want you.”
Dumb said it like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like what she had said didn’t shake Stormz’s world. Stormz had betrayed him, and yet Dumb still wanted him? After everything he had done?
“I betrayed you.” Stormz said, his voice low. He wouldn’t be surprised if Dumb tried to kill him themself once he stepped away from the ledge. Deep down though he knew Dumb would never do something like that.
“Yeah. I know that. You’re my friend Stormz. I mean sure you betrayed me, I’m not very happy about that. I don’t want you to die for it though. Look at yourself, you teamed with Dolphin and you look half dead. When was the last time you slept? Or, better yet, the last time someone preened your wings?” Dumb said, concern leaking through his voice
Stormz trembled slightly. Dumb shouldn’t be concerned about him after everything he had done to the other. Stormz messed with his sleeves, he had no answer for Dumb’s questions.
Dumb waited another moment before sighing. Stepping closer to Stormz, their feet unsteady on the rocky edge. “Come back with me Stormz. I’ll help, we can go back to being teammates."
Stormz didn’t move for a long moment. It took a while but Stormz let out a loud exhale and stepped back, turning and practically collapsing into Dumb.
“It’s okay, Stormz. I promise.”
It was terrible, Stormz couldn’t believe just how much Dumb cared. After everyything Stormz had done Dumb just stood there and held his exhausted body up.
The first few tears he hadn’t noticed until he was practically sobbing into Dumb’s shoulder. It was embarrassing and humiliating but god feeling the weight of someone around him. Someone willingly holding him just made him break.
Dumb let out a noise of surprise but he held Stormz still, letting the other cry himself out. Stormz didn’t even know how much time had passed by himself when he finally stopped. Exhausted and just wanting to go home.
“Why don’t I take you back to base? I can clean your wings and you can sleep.” Dumb said, voice low.
Stormz nodded, too exhausted to say anything else and let Dumb hold him up as they teleported into the base. Stormz let out a small noise at the sensation of being teleported but relaxed when he saw a familiar bed. He breathed out a sigh and curled up on the bed. He was not going to admit just how much he was impacted by this.
“We don’t talk about this.” Stormz’s voice cracked, voice spent from crying
Dumb smiled weakly. “We’ll talk about the cliff some other time. Let’s get these wings cleaned.”
Stormz let himself slowly relax, taking a breath and shutting his eyes. Dumb’s hands moving into his wings made him wince a small whimper coming from him before he bit his lip. He was not going to show weakness. Even if it was with Dumb.
“Relax Stormz.” Dumb’s voice wasn’t exactly demanding, but it was clearly an order. A way of getting Stormz to calm.
Stormz let his face bury into a pillow small whines coming from his lips, unfiltered as he lay there feeling Dumb’s run her fingers through his own wings the sticks and leaves that were there slowly coming out. It relaxed Stormz so much more since had started teaming with Dolphin.
“Jesus Stormz this isn’t good.” Dumb mumbled eyeing the wings.
Stormz just hummed. Too tired to speak. His eyes were half ut.shutDumb shook him slightly and winced as Stormz glared up at him.
“I need you to say I can clean the dirt and blood off.” Dumb said, reaching for a cloth and water bucket
Stormz hummed, rolling over slightly. Stormz nodded, eyes half lidded.
“Hey, verbal yes Stormz.” Dumb said, nudging the others shoulder again.
Stormz whined, eyes opening again. “Yes. You can clean it Dumb.” His voice sounded almost put upon.
Dumb stared down at Stormz, eyeing just how tired the other was, how just running his fingers through the others wings was making him so detached. Dumb let out a breath and began to run the soft cloth through the wings. Cleaning the dirt stains, the grime, and the red away. Carefully picking certain feathers out.’
Stormz half way through the first wing he began to let out small familiar chirps and buried his face into a pillow. Frustrated and Embarrassed.
Dumb knew the other would never have let them see Stormz like this if he wasn’t so tired. Dumb would cherish that Stormz still trusted him enough to clean his wings.
“Stormz, I still need to do your other wing. Help me out here please.” Dumb asked, his voice low
Stormz let out a whine, glaring at Dumb but turned over. Dumb let out a small chuckle and began the same process on the other wing.
It didn’t take long for Stormz to fall asleep after that. His body still relaxed and soft small breaths coming from him. When Dumb finished he ended up trying to sleep on the couch, not wanting to overload Stormz. The fear for Stormz’s safety ended up making Dumb go back to the room. Relaxing minutely beside Stormz and he ended up dozing off himself.
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Stormz was embarrassed as hell. He lay curled against Dumb, wings limp and cleaned beside him. He hadn’t intended on showing as much weakness as he had. It was bad enough that Dumb got to see him on that cliffside.
How did he know he was worthy enough to be Dumb’s teammate again? Stormz breathed slowly, shutting his eyes and pressing his head into Dumb’s shoulder. He needed to not leave him. Not again. Not ever again.
Stormz’s eyes shut before he opened them again, he needed to figure out the threat. Just how high Dolphin had gotten the bar since he had fallen asleep.
A hand on his wings made him let out a sharp inhale, blinking at Dumb.
“Just sleep Stormz. She hasn’t reached her goal yet. You’re fine. Just rest.” Dumb said
Stormz turned over slightly, eyes blinking. Staring at Dumb tiredly.
“Why did you save me?”
Dumb ran his hands through the others wings watching the other calm down. Stormz blinked tiredly and mumbled softly trying to continue talking but his eyes slid shut. The fingers in his wings was too calming and Stormz was out again like a light.
Dumb waited for Stormz to drift off before speaking again.
“Because I love you.”
Dumb continued to hold Stormz until they drifted off too.