Archive of Our Own

Usually, Tommy didn't hang around so late in Las Nevadas. Don't get him wrong— distracting the city's core team never grew old, and neither did getting dragged back into Quackity's office with a grin showing he and Tubbo would indeed do it again.

Only Tubbo was not here today.

His best friend was off doing whatever the fuck he and Ranboo did on their solo days out, when they wanted privacy even away from Tommy. And he supposed it was fair for them not to want him to tag along and third-wheel every one of their little dates, but the spring had brought along warmth and confusion and a whole lot of dread.

Phil had explained this well, and Tommy was a big man now so this is normal and he mustn't crawl back into his father's nest just because it's spring. By all means he should be excited for his first season alone, for his very own nest, for this coming of age experience he'd both been teased and endlessly excited for.

He wrapped his wings tightly around himself, the streets of Las Nevadas growing more crowded by the second as the nightfall inched closer. He probably should head home, but he feared neither one of his roommates would find a shirt to wear come morning if he were to right now.

And he… he missed Purpled, dreadfully. Again— having a partner is awesome and cool, but not when his first instinct was to drag them both into his own apartment and keep them in the nest for the next month or two.

What he had with Purpled was fragile, still, and it felt as though any wrong move could scare the other away. It was impressive enough that he'd managed to get them to agree to being in a relationship. Not that he had to convince them, no— Purpled was happy to be with him. Probably. They were here at their own volition, even if they looked like they wanted to crawl out of their skin every time Tommy did pull them into his makeshift nest.

That didn't exactly sound good. He wasn't exactly holding them hostage. He probably was making it sound weird when it was nothing to worry about. Purpled was just like that— it took time to warm up to things, maybe tensing up for a second before melting into hugs.

His partner appreciated their alone time, something that was fine by him, but he was still stuck wandering around the city, restless, because it was spring and he simply wished to be in somebody's arms tonight.

Purpled wouldn't turn him away, would they?

They'd been a little pissy recently, sure— they're just like that sometimes. It doesn't mean they wouldn't want to see their boyfriend. Tommy found his frown deepening, mind scrambling for a way to fix this.

He glanced around for ideas, mind frustratingly useless at such dire times. A couple was idly strolling by, hands intertwined as they laughed and Tommy found his feathers ruffling as the sight. He tore his eyes off them.

He really, really missed Purpled. Usually he'd allow them to set the pace, choosing when their hangouts would be, and sure, he saw them earlier today but— they were at work, then, and they were distant in a way that usually spoke that they wanted to be left alone, even leaving in such a hurry it was a miracle Tommy wasn't at their apartment yet.

Except typically they would have told him not visit after work, if it was really bad. And maybe they assumed they didn't have to communicate that after months of this song and dance. But Tommy's skin itched with odd desperation, and they had both been somewhat busy recently. It had been over a week since they were even in the same room, just the two of them. He couldn't recall the last time they'd managed more than a peck.

Not that Purpled needed to give more than that— that's not what Tommy was saying at all. He just really fucking missed them.

It would be okay for him to show up at their apartment unannounced, right? It wasn't particularly unusual for boyfriends to check up on their partners, surely. Ignoring the part where Purpled practically ran off a few hours ago. All the more reason to check up on them, he reasoned.

Tommy froze in his tracks, realising he'd zoned out and now the staff quarters were looming ahead just a short walk away. There was still much to learn about Purpled, but even then them leaving in such a hurry was concerning. He wouldn't deny the worry festering in the back of his mind, but that wasn't why he was here, was it? He showed up under the guise of care but perhaps he was just being selfish, as he usually was.

Multiple things can be true at once, no? Yes. Yeah. Tommy wasn't imposing. Purpled wouldn't struggle to throw him out if it came down to, but— he's stalling, isn't he? This wasn't the only reason for his hesitation.

Something simply felt wrong. Something was missing. He could see the neon lights of a corner store just at the other end of the block, in his peripheral vision, and he found himself heading there mindlessly.

Food. He should get all of Purpled's favourite snacks before showing up at their door. Tommy must make sure they was well-fed for… for reasons. Else he wouldn't be a good m— boyfriend if he didn't make sure they were.

His feathers uselessly puffed up at the thought, and Tommy found himself uncharacteristically shy as he made the trip to the corner store. He greeted the familiar face at the register with a simple nod, muscle memory carrying him to the right isles. There weren't many lactose free chocolate brands, but he knew Purpled's favourite out of those, noted down which crisps brands to avoid.

All throughout, Tommy kept his eyes fixed at the floor, face hot. What the fuck is wrong with him? He was grown. Buying snacks. But he still was shielding everything he bought from sight, wings protectively wrapped around himself. They didn't know, couldn't judge whether or not he was being a good partner.

Still, he found himself eyeing the fruit section, if only to get something remotely healthy. Not that Purpled needed help with that. They probably did a much better job at keeping themselves well-fed than Tommy could, but they'd appreciate the sentiment, right?

"What even am I doing?" He muttered to himself, sighing a little too loud for comfort. Thankfully nobody was close enough to judge, and he very much could cuss them off if need be. They should mind their fucking business thank you very much. He wasn't going to get all puffed up over hypotheticals, however, as he is indeed a grown adult now. Somehow. In the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of some nectarines, large and vibrant and hopefully juicy enough for satisfaction.

They were perfect. Hopefully. Purpled liked those last he checked, so long as they were ripe and sweet enough. He remembered seeing them snacking on them occasionally back when they used to live with Quackity. Tommy smiled subconsciously at the thought— there was something incredibly endearing about his strong, capable partner having an affinity for sweet things. Shaking his head, Tommy grabbed a plastic bag and got to work.

They must be ripe. But not so ripe they're mushy. Wouldn't want them liquifying in the bag before he managed to get to the apartment. Pretty selective in his choices, Tommy spent the next few minutes examining each and every nectarine in the store until he was left with a perfect four. Even number in case Purpled decided to share. And not too many they would go bad in the fridge. Tommy can always get them more, and he had no clue if Purpled had any other fruit in their apartment.

Maybe next time he'll get them a nice watermelon from the farmers' market and chop it up for them. This store only had precut slices he knew not to trust.

He shifted uncomfortably, glancing down at the basket full of snacks in his hold. This should be okay. He'll just weigh out the the fruit, pay for these, and head straight to the staff quarters. Would Purpled appreciate the gesture? Or would they be peeved that he showed up uninvited?

Tommy went through the motions trying to ignore the festering worry. It would be nice to be let in, but he truly wouldn't mind simply giving these to Purpled and heading straight home. He supposed getting this over with as soon as possible was his best option at this time.

There was no point to waste more of his time wallowing, so he borderline ran back to the staff quarters, head hung low and grocery bag held close to his chest as he made it to the elevator. Before long, Tommy found himself at a familiar door, hand hesitantly hovering over the wood before he breathed deeply and gave a few consecutive knocks.

And then a few other.

He was at the right place, was he not? He glanced at the number at the door just in case, confirming that yes, he was, and strained his ear for any noise from the other side before knocking once more.

It took a few seconds for a single quiet thud, and Tommy knew better than to expect the steady thumping of footsteps from one who had been trained to disappear. He held his breath in, both pairs of wings tucked in protectively, feathers tickling his face.

And then the door swung open, four pairs of eyes slightly turned upwards to meet his. Immediately, Tommy's entire body ran hot, feathers fluffing up for the nth time that day alone as he took the sight of them in. Purpled was in just a baggy t-shirt and shorts, hair messy as though they'd just gotten out of bed and their eyeliner smudged and faded like they didn't even bother to wipe off their makeup before crashing. The sight was… homely, domestic, unguarded in a way he'd never seen in their prior planned hangouts.

Tommy realised with glee the shirt was his own.

"Hey." He greeted breathlessly, lips drawing into an easy, maybe a little smug, grin because holy shit he could call someone so gorgeous his own. "Didn't wake you up, did I?"

Purpled blinked, confused, maybe a little alarmed (why? Was Tommy showing up here truly such a bad idea?), and broke eye contact momentarily to glance down at the bag tucked against his chest. "What are you doing here?"

Tommy shifted from one leg to the other, eyes trailing sidelong as he tried to come up with a proper excuse for his impulsiveness. One that didn't sound especially pathetic or downright creepy. He settled for taking a step closer, lips tracing the shape of a word that promptly died in his throat. Because the moment he stepped forward, Purpled took a single sniff and physically recoiled, pulling backwards.

His heart nearly dropped out of his ass.

"What the— I don't smell that bad, do I?" He chuckled nervously, wings dragging against the floor when Purpled hesitated to answer. Tommy's chest ached, grip tightening on the bag, though careful not to squish the nectarines. How has he already fucked this up? "Look— I just… I got you some things. Thought they'd maybe make you feel better or some shit? I'm a big man— I can take a 'no' if you don't want me in."

He prepared himself for rejection, presenting the bag of goods as some sort of offering. Tommy's face felt impossibly warm, his mind screaming at him to turn away and leave, the embarrassment tripling when his wings foolishly flared out, presenting themselves in hopes Purpled would accept his… whatever this is.

The other only stared, bewildered, the stretch of time (all four seconds of it) treacherous before they finally, finally— broke into a fit of laughter?

"You— you idiot bird." Purpled giggled wholeheartedly, tail swaying easily— good. That was a good sign. "You don't smell. Well, you do— you don't smell bad, I just…" it was Purpled's turn to flush, antennae giving a gentle glow and oh, they looked so adorable Tommy could cry. They grabbed the bag instead of speaking, rummaging through it with the tiniest of smiles. He supposed he could gloss over whatever their words entailed for now. "You shouldn't have."

Tommy only shook his head, too awestruck for words and fighting the urge to attack with affectionate kisses. Until the silence dragged on, neither really initiating anything. Perhaps it were his cue to leave instead of loitering at the door, and he nearly chose to put his trust in Purpled's ability to voice their boundaries. Though the dumbass wasn't particularly known for their ability to communicate properly, so Tommy relented.

"May I come inside, then?"

The silence lingered once more, but Purpled thankfully nodded, taking a step backwards to allow him in. Tommy tried not to give too embarrassing of a reaction, but made sure to smile at his partner. Just to show he was grateful. Which he was.

"It's a bit of a mess." Purpled's voice wavered slightly, and if Tommy had the mind capacity to ponder for longer than a second, he'd have found it odd how readable they were, insecurity evident in the tension of their body. As though they too were worried about impressing him. "I'm feeling a little… ill, I guess."

He immediately stood taller at that, shutting the door behind himself and rushing to grab the poor bag of groceries. His partner was unwell. "You must rest then. I'll put these away." Tommy offered, thankful when the other gave a conceding nod. "Do you wanna eat anything now?"

"I ate like— half the fridge earlier, but… maybe one of them hairless peach thingies?" Purpled said after little thought, hand playing with a strand of hair. He could see it now— their hair wet with sweat, antennae drooping and eyes heavy with exhaustion. Tommy's heart still thumped at the sight of them, though, still glowing in a way so unique to them. "Grab one too. I don't want you staring at me while I eat. It creeps me out."

Tommy could just eat them instead, but he was a good boyfriend, nodding in spite of the amused grin on his face.

"I make no promises." He sang out as he made the familiar trip to the kitchen, his entire body feeling lighter with the knowledge that he was actually allowed in. He hummed to himself, putting away the snacks as he fantasised of all the ways they would spend their night.

Maybe they could have a movie night. That usually helped him when he was feeling particularly down. Purpled would like that too, right? They usually spent their hangouts playing games, but they seemed a bit too exhausted for that at the moment. A glance around the room solidified that— some of the dishes in the sink seemed to be at least two days old, the bin overflowing with rubbish.

Purpled was by no means overly neat, but they weren't one to allow the mess to accumulate. Except for that one time before they started dating, when they were so depressed Quackity sent him their way. And this time with their illness, which must have been worse than he assumed because he could hear them scrambling to clean up the living room.

Cute. Too fucking cute. He was once more smiling like an idiot, taking his sweet time washing two nectarines— if only so that Purpled could prepare a space comfortable enough to share with him.

Maybe if he got them to nap during the movie (cuddled up to him, his head laying on their shoulder and wing stretched around them both. The idea had his heart thumping with excitement, so full it was dizzying), he could sneak off and tidy up the kitchen. Not that his own was any tidier, but Purpled would hopefully appreciate the gesture. As much as Tommy hated cleaning, doing it for someone else was infinitely easier— something about acts of service. His partner deserved to have one less dirty kitchen to worry about in their ailment.

He had to leave the issue unaddressed for the time being, though. He placed the washed nectarines in a plate, to stop them from dripping all over the floor and making more of a mess, and grabbed a knife in case Purpled wasn't in the mood for a fruity mess. Or— another one.

Shaking his head with dismay at his own stale joke, Tommy finally headed back into the living area of the apartment. There, Purpled sat stiffly on the couch, legs tucked close to their chest and toying with the tuft end of their tail.

"Didn't make you wait, did I?" Tommy asked with an innocent smile, as though he hadn't done it deliberately, and sat beside them, with just enough space that he didn't crowd them. It ultimately didn't matter though, because Purpled instantly scooted over and grabbed the fruit, not bothering to pull away afterwards.

A shiver ran down his body, the skin where their shoulders pressed against one another burning and Tommy— he fucking chirped.

Tommy could just fucking die, then and there. Purpled blinked at him for a second, only to then predictably snort at his reaction, amused and oh so smug. They burrowed closer, smirk wide as their slitted eyes bore into his soul, breathing against his face and sinking a hand into his feathers. His wings twitched in response.

"Purp?" His heart was thumping in his ears, fingers hovering over Purpled's side but not yet touching them, never daring to push too far as to scare them off.

Purpled only hummed, pressing a single kiss on his cheek and Tommy could melt with relief, letting out another pathetic noise that was more bird than human when they ran their hand through his feathers. Until their face buried into his neck and they breathed him in. "Pretty birdie."

"I— thanks?" Tommy focused on trying to ensure that the plate didn't fall, fingers trembling against cool porcelain. "Can you please quit sniffing me?"

He could feel the frown against his skin, body screaming at the loss of contact when Purpled pulled away. Tommy needed them close again, yearned for an intimacy he was too ashamed to ask for. It was far too early into the relationship to ask for such commitment, he knew. He wouldn't ask this of anybody, but this was Purpled for fuck's sake, and his heart tightened uselessly in his chest at the mere thought of forever.

"Sorry." Purpled sounded startled, alarmingly, tail wrapping around their knee in what Tommy learned long ago was defensiveness, walls building back up in real time. "I um— I forget you don't have the nose for it sometimes."

"For what?"

"Nothing, it's just—" The moment Purpled began to glow, embarrassed, Tommy knew to relax. He stared at them expectingly, but not so intensely as to make them feel uneasy. Eventually, they pouted, wordlessly flopping back against the couch with their arms crossed. "You wouldn't get it, you just— I guess your scent's a little more intense right now."

How curious.

"I got a scent?"

Purpled only huffed, shaking their head as though it should have been obvious. Perhaps it had been, but Tommy had assumed it was a Purpled thing, always making sure to smell somewhat nice. Although nobody sane would wish to stink around the person they shared much of their personal space with.

"Of course you've got a scent. Everyone does, you just— you're too human to catch it, I guess."

It shouldn't have stung, but Tommy still was shrinking into himself, wings no longer relaxed. Purpled perked up at that and all he could do was curse how readable those stupid appendages of his made him.

"I'm a pigeon, Purp, we're not known for our sense of smell either." Tommy chuckled nervously, staring down at his hands and ignoring Purpled's small remark about him being a dove, actually. As if he didn't know. Conversations like this were inevitable, he reasoned, but insecurity still seeped through the cracks. "I mean— you'd be more on par with a fuckin' dog hybrid, I reckon. Or even fox. They're real good at sniffing things too—"

"What in the fuck are you going on about?" And they sounded genuinely offended, somehow. Tommy only wanted to kiss their frown away, but knew better than to. "I don't need— why would I care about that, are you fucking stupid?"

He was. He was just an idiot fishing for validation. "Just forget about it. You're right— I mean. I can fly real fast. I'd like to see a dog try to do that. Or get things for you when they're too high. You know. 'Cause you're short—"

"I'm like barely two inches shorter than you, what—"

"Or get you awesome, amazing snacks that you should definitely, totally eat before I start to think you don't like them. Your little dove boyfriend is too frail and weak and sensitive, you see, my little heart can't handle rejection."

The poor guy looked like a fish out of water. Or well— an alien on earth. Either way they blinked at him for a few seconds, too stunned to speak, and released a sigh too dramatic for the little smile on their face.

"You're really stupid. Like impressively dumb at times." Purpled finally took one of the nectarines, carefully inspecting it. Tommy only allowed himself to breathe after they deemed it decent enough, letting out a delighted hum after biting into it. "Mmm. This actually pretty good though. Maybe good enough for me to gloss over the poor sense of smell that's apparently got our relationship on the line."

Tommy only chuckled, a quiet joy vibrating in his ribcage. He wished to exist in this moment til the last of the stars faded into naught, to hold onto this snapshot of time and make it his forever. Purpled took another bite, timid eyes downcast and casting a gentle glow of purple upon them.

"I literally asked you not to stare." Mindlessly, Tommy tucked the overhanging strand of hair behind their ear, away from the danger of a sticky, fruity disaster from the, thankfully, juicy nectarine. Speaking of which… "You should eat yours like a sensible—"

"They're called nectarines, by the way."

Purpled blinked, astonished once more. "What?"

"You called 'em— what was it? Hairless peaches? They're called—"

"I know." Tommy only got a gentle, silencing shove. He supposed he earned it. "I forgot. It doesn't matter."

"Perhaps." It was hard then not to laugh once more, wrapping a wing around Purpled and smiling easily when they didn't pull away. Good. He won't have to take the couch tonight, though he typically lost that privilege before long. "I'm not hungry. Don't worry about me."

To Purpled's dismay, the next few minutes were spent with Tommy not so slyly watching them eat the fruit, only moving to wipe away any juice threatening to make too much of a mess. Something in himself was deeply delighted at the sight, even as he caught more signs of exhaustion in his observation— this was good. Excellent, in fact. Purpled needed the nourishment. He was being a good—

No.

"Can I braid your hair?"

Purpled evidently wasn't in the mood for anything too complicated. They weren't ever in the mood for those, actually, not after Tommy sat them down for a whole two hours that one time, using them as a test subject for a YouTube tutorial.

"I mean—"

"Just the one. A little one. You like those."

After a brief moment of careful consideration, Purpled gave a single nod. Tommy took it as a win.

"Make it quick."

"Yes, sir."

Bliss. Life was absolute bliss like this, even if the question grew heavier on his tongue with each passing moment. It simmered, and grew, a stubborn lump in his throat that refused to go down each time he swallowed. And then the tune began, from deep within his soul and working against his better judgement. Just a hum that echoed against the wall, with not a particular end or beginning, hushing all else.

Until he got a reply. A low, barely audible purr and oh, Tommy's heart could just burst, because even that was timid in the way Purpled always got at moments like this. Because this softness was new to them both, painfully delicate. Something to be protected.

"Can you—" Purpled paused, staring off into the distance as though searching for the proper words. Tommy hummed in acknowledgement, still focused on his work while lending an ear. "I saw this um… this couple? I assumed they were. One of them was some sort of avian but…"

"But?"

"Her girlfriend wore a— she had a small braid like this, right? But with a feather in it. Is that a thing we can do?"

Tommy froze in his tracks, heat dusting his cheeks red and puffing up his wings. He stared at his partner in awe, speechless and stupidly hopeful even though the logical part of himself was well-aware Purpled simply didn't know better.

"Purpled, that's…" He stared sidelong, unable to see whatever Purpled's reaction to this would be. He wanted this so bad. Oh, the mere idea made him want cry because every inch his body screamed for it. But they couldn't. Not yet. They just couldn't. "That's a thing only mates do. To show that— you know."

It only took a moment of silence before Tommy, impatient as he was, glanced back up at them, heart aching at the furrow of their brows.

"Are we not…?"

"It's more complicated than that." He sighed, only now realising they had forgotten to prepare an elastic. "I like you. A lot, actually. But— fuck." He inhaled deeply, bracing himself. "Doves mate for life."

"Oh. Yeah, no. That's fair." Purpled sounded strained, though, wavering despite the obvious effort to feign control. "It's too early to know I'm the one, yeah?"

"I'm sorry, there are things we just can't—"

"I get it."

The silence that fell afterwards wasn't awkward, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. Just a quiet understanding that it was a 'maybe later', rather than outright rejection. Tommy sighed, rummaging through his bag for the small sack of elastics.

"Can you?—"

"Yeah." Purpled looked through their options, predictably landing on a small purple elastic. That alone had Tommy laughing once more, breaking some of the remaining tension in the room and eliciting a roll of eyes from the other. "Don't laugh at me."

"I mean— purple? Really?"

"It's my fucking name, genius." Purpled huffed, stilling only until the braid was secure before pouncing on him, face once more a mere couple of centimetres away from his. "And you've been acting strange because?"

"I can ask you the same question, Purp."

Purpled huffed, smacking his side with their tail. They hesitated for a moment, as though considering the offer of a mutual exchange of information, and whether or not understanding Tommy's actions was worth opening up.

"Touche…" they relented, and it felt like a deal made. Quackity was their father alright, no DNA test needed. "Something about my… cycle, or something. Don't make me explain, I'm just— emotional wreck."

Tommy hummed thoughtfully, and he supposed it made sense. They'd known each other long enough for him to notice the pattern, but he hadn't put a label on it. "So you hide it from me?"

A simple nod, sly and a little guilty. It was only natural, in a way. Purpled wasn't the type of person to go around talking about such a thing, even if Tommy thought there was no shame in it. Tommy would have kissed them silly if he weren't pinned down. Instead, he freed himself from their grasp with little struggle and pulled them closer until they were a heap of limbs, the outside world fading as they breathed each other in.

"Is it like a period, then?" He muttered against their head, voice muffled from where his face was buried in their hair.

Purpled shifted slightly at that, trying to find a more comfortable position. "In a way?" They hummed thoughtfully, fingers once more running through his feathers. Only natural, then, to further melt into the embrace, Tommy's hands slipping under their shirt and pulling them impossibly close. Purpled sighed against his collarbone, chasing goosebumps down his body. "Just the whole— nature punishing you for not having babies, you know? Minus the blood bath."

"If it helps, I think it's a load of bullshit," Tommy spoke with all the seriousness in the world, fingers tracing the length of Purpled's spine and drawing out low rumbles that vibrated against his own chest. "Seriously, I think it's fucked up— periods should definitely have an off switch instead of torturing you your whole life."

"And who's gonna invent that, you?" Purpled reached up, twirling a strand of Tommy's hair around their finger, only to then tug at it and smile at his subsequent scoff. "Plus it's not really a period, it's just—"

"It's close enough."

"Is it? All I know is it's some sort of fucking cycle, and it's not like there's anybody on Earth who really understands how my body works." There was frustration in Purpled's subsequent rant, and Tommy knew to keep his mouth shut, only nodding to signal he was still listening. "Like— you can do a blood test, right? I take them routinely to check my levels, but I'm the only reference point. For all we know I'll die in a few years because we assumed some number is just— correct. When it might not be. We can't know that it is."

"Yeah, that's— hopefully not." Stupidly, Tommy's voice cracked, trying to shut down all the stupid scenarios his mind began to conjure up against his will. Of his sweetheart, strong as he'd always known them to be, stronger than he'd dream to be, withering in their nest. Of losing them to an illness nobody on Earth held the cure to. "And we're— we're sure it's some sort of cycle, right? You're not dying on me."

"I'm— yeah." Purpled sounded sure, at least, lifting their head to meet his gaze. Not one of their eyes held an ounce of doubt. Tommy silently cursed himself for forcing them to be strong for the both of them once more. "Ponk's keeping track of everything. They're— you know they're good at what they do."

Exhaling deeply, Tommy took two handfuls of their face, pulling them close until their noses brushed against each other, the air going straight from Purpled's lungs into his own. "That's good— that's true, yeah. Fuckin' sucks that there's nothing I can do about it."

"Does so." Purpled hummed, the words now uttered against his lips. It was all too easy to press them against theirs, a brief chaste kiss. "I'll be fine, just— wish I knew what my normal is meant to be."

"I'm sorry—"

"What about you? Exchange of info and shit. You're acting weird."

Tommy knew better that to push, knew to take change of subject. If Purpled didn't want to talk about it, then they won't.

"Mating season." He said instead, avoiding eye contact. He ran a hand over the braid in Purpled's hair, in sync with the one that preened his feathers. It was easy to sense the curiosity in the way they shifted so that they could gauge his reactions. "Spring. It just… happens. Nothing particularly dramatic, just more clingy. I guess. Didn't wanna be alone tonight."

"You're always clingy." Purpled sighed dramatically even though they were practically lying on top of him. They pulled that smug, knowing smile as if they just pieced everything together, but somehow, he found it void of judgment. Until their demeanour shifted. "Is that why you pull me to bed whenever I visit?"

"Could be— who knows? Maybe I just want my beauty sleep. And as many cuddles as I can get from you." It was his turn to grin, planting another kiss onto his lover's lips. It lingered this time, a false sense of security followed up by a brief lick.

"Ew, you— why would you do that?"

Purpled's lips tasted sweet, the faint taste of fruit lingering against their skin. He chased the feeling once more, shutting them both up with an indulgent kiss, hand trailing down and grabbing onto the base of their tail, relishing in the way all tension in their body immediately melted into the touch. The hand in his wing only grew rougher, tugging slightly in retaliation. He supposed two can play this game.

"Asshole." Purpled muttered against his lips. Tommy could only chuckle when they lightly nibbled at his bottom lip. "No comfy bed for you. You're taking the couch."

There it was.

"Noooo. Please don't make me; my back's starting to hurt already."

"Hmm, how about…" Purpled pretended to think for a moment, fingers tapping their chin. "No couch for you either. Sleep on the floor for all I care."

Tommy in turn gave his most impressive wide, pleading eyes, followed by a whine that was a little too genuine when Purpled sat up. But in his defence, the motherfucker's arm dug into his ribcage.

"You don't actually mean that."

"Test me, bitch." Purpled challenged, giving that stern look that Tommy knew not to take seriously. If anything, the other was practically enabling him, the slight smile in their eyes and the lack of tension in their body egging him on.

"But— but— I got you that yummy nectarine, didn't I? That's gotta count for something." He made sure to sound as pathetic as possible, cooing softly in a way he knew Purpled couldn't resist.

"Tommy."

"I'm guilt-tripping you." Accompanied by an exaggerated pout, his wings fluttering softly to sell the act.

"Stop." Purpled huffed uselessly, rubbing their eyes like some middle-aged guy at his wit's end. Tommy was going to push his luck one day and end up with a knife between his ribs, though he found the idea wasn't particularly bothersome at the moment.

"Are you guilt-tripped?"

And it miraculously worked, because the moment Purpled's bottom eyes glanced in his direction, their whole body deflated with defeat, tail thumping against the floor.

"You're so fucking annoying."

He probably (definitely) was, but it was still with fondness that Purpled glanced back at him. Only they were unseeing within a second, eyes distant with deep thought. He could see the gears turning in their head as they made a quiet decision, immediately reaching for his hand and tugging him along.

"Come."

Tommy nodded, trying not to grin too aggravatingly as he followed along, a little too pleased that he was being lead into the bedroom, and fantasising of all the ways he could catch them off guard and tackle them into the bed.

Purpled wavered at the door, taking their sweet time psyching themselves up.

It was all too difficult not to be impatient, but he knew better than to test his luck, so he stood back until finally, Purpled took one last deep breath and nudged the door open.

He hadn't much patience left when he finally pushed past it, and truthfully, he hadn't known what to expect. The bedroom was in a similar state to the rest of the apartment; Purpled's work clothes were dumped carelessly on a chair, two empty bottles on their desk and a basket of neglected laundry in the middle of the room.

What caught his attention, though, was the assembly of pillows, clothes, and stuffed animals on their bed, with too distinct of a shape to be anything but a…

"You nest?" Tommy asked after a moment, cautious not to sound at all harsh or judgmental. Out of all revelations to make today, this one simply made sense.

Purpled flinched all the same.

"I guess? I mean—" There it was again, a glow of purple contesting the only light seeping into the room from behind the door, Purpled's grip on their own tail near painful. "I don't know if I'm… supposed to. Q used to— he nested."

"Mhm." Tommy nodded, gently prying their hands off and taking them in his own. Purpled replied with a gentle squeeze.

"I usually snuck into his when I was feeling a certain way, but…" They paused, eyes seeking comfort and only proceeding after an encouraging nod. "I don't know if I'm wired to— you know. Or just seeking that comfort again."

Avian hybrids were by no means the only ones to nest, obviously, but Tommy found something oddly endearing about the way Purpled worried about offending him in any way. He could barely hold in the giggle, but he tried, not wanting to make them feel worse.

"You're allowed to nest if it helps, Purp." Instant relief on their end. He laughed once more. "Maybe that's why you get pissy when I pull you into my nest."

"I guess…"

"I'll make sure to give you permission next time, then." He glanced back at the bed. The notion of it all, of Purpled's nervousness, was simply adorable, as many things about them surprisingly were— he fell deeper in love each second they spent together. "Fuckin' hell, it's even better than mine. Am I allowed in or did you just want to show me?"

"Did I just want to?—" And they were instantly back, all four eyes rolling at him for twice the effect and double the sass. "Why would I bring you here if I just wanted you to look at it? Coulda been a fucking email."

One scoff later and Tommy was instantly shoved backwards, stumbling with a yelp and bouncing slightly upon impact. He giggled wholeheartedly, spreading his wings easily and making himself comfortable.

Above him, Purpled looked near breathless at the sight of him in their safe space, the purple of their eyes nearly swallowed by their pupils as they took a tentative step forward.

"You're…" Their voice was choked, scratchy, as they leaned forward, placing a knee on the mattress and both arms around his waist, careful not to put any weight on his wings.

"I'm?"

His question wasn't answered. Tommy couldn't dwell on it anyway, not with the way they buried their face into his neck, holding him so close he was half certain they wanted to bury into his skin. Then a kiss, hesitant, placed right where his neck and shoulder connected, and a hand trailing up his side, trying to memorise the feel of him against them.

Only natural, then, that a trail of kisses went up his neck, then his jaw, his entire body singing with relief when Purpled's lips finally found his again.

Tommy hummed delightfully, wrapping his arms around their shoulders and burying one hand into their hair, careful not to pull at their antennae. And then they went nibbling at his lower lip again, to which he opened up with a laugh— his turn to invite them in.

He tried to remain unfazed when they deepened the kiss, stealing the air from his lungs and wrapping their tail around his knee and— it was awfully intimate, was it not? In such a blissful way the barely contained sob came out as a desperate whimper, his hands trembling where they were when Purpled's hand sunk into his feathers.

Tommy's treacherous brain cried pathetically, face burning at the shameless mantra of mate, mate, mate.

But then it ended. Purpled pulled away, and Tommy couldn't tell whether the rapid rise and fall of their chest was due to desperation for air or the sinking realisation.

"Shit, I'm— I don't know where that came from." They chuckled sheepishly, fixing up the feathers they messed up and climbing into the nest properly. Tommy shook his head, instantly burying himself into their chest when they pulled him in, silently praying that they couldn't feel his heart beating out of his own. "You alright?"

He nodded after a moment, replying with a coo when he felt them purr back. Cute, simply too cute was the way they tried to comfort him, hand running through his hair. If only he could pause time, let everything fade away until it was just them, just this pocket of peace they had managed to make for themselves. He shifted once more, searching for their hand to intertwine in his, breathing deeply to breathe them in. Maybe if he had the nose for it, he'd be able to catch their scent the way they did his.

Maybe others could, maybe that random hypothetical dog hybrid could smell them lingering on his clothes. The thought alone had him giddy— to be so ultimately someone's a piece of them remained in the details of his life, like their clothes in his laundry and their hair in his shower drains. And to be taken in turn, a shirt he'd once forgotten here worn in comfort, or most indulgently — eventually — his feather braided into their hair.

It settled heavy in his heart, just as the tiredness settled heavy in his limbs. It almost felt like forever.

Until some guy honked loudly in a distant, grounding him into the present and ruining the peaceful atmosphere. He groaned halfheartedly, attempting to bury himself into their ribcage. The gentle beat Purpled's heart, the soft rumble of their chest, nearly drowned it all out, a promise of what's to come. If they went steady. If they managed to maintain this tranquility long enough for him to ask the question.

There was always next spring.