#oh it's like a peck

[softquietsteadylove]

Gil takes care of Thena very secretly while she still has her bullet wound. Thena learns that he is the strongest guard here and yet the most kindest and gentlest of them all. Plus she can’t resist touching his feathers 🤭

"Thena?"

"Up here!" she called back to him. She could hear him climbing from the branches holding her nest up to the canopy where she was sitting (hiding). "Careful."

Gilgamesh had such large and magnificent wings. She had cleared a path for herself, of course, but she hated the idea of him snagging any of his beautifully dark feathers on his way up.

"Hey," he huffed, finally emerging in the canopy with her. His wings rustled behind him as he settled himself on the same branch. "How did you get up here?"

She smiled. He had been very vigilant about her injury since she had disclosed it to him. He even snuck her extra food in hopes the protein would help her heal faster. "Carefully, rest assured. I've started coming up here to watch the sunrise. And it assures that Druig and Ikaris will leave me be and seek their own food."

Gil chuckled, "did you find food for them when they were fledglings?"

Thena rolled her eyes at it. "I do not know of yourself, but my brothers knew I was the best hunter of us, so they would half-attempt to fish until I assuredly brought back the best yield for us to share."

Gil rolled his eyes as well, although they did share in their laughter. "I guess that shouldn't surprise me."

"Even when Ikaris started hunting in earnest, he's too impatient to skim the water at a reasonable pace, so everything slips from his grasp," she shrugged, picking at a few berries she had in a leaf cup. "But he can crack open shellfish better than I, I must admit."

"You like shellfish?"

"Scallops and shrimp are sweeter than oysters and muscles," she commented freely, barely even noticing as Gil angled himself, running his hands over her wings. She shifted in her position, turning her back to him so he could examine her side.

"Has it opened back up again?" he asked seriously, examining her white dress for signs of blood.

"No, the healing springs are working," she answered honestly. She was still soaking her wound morning and night. "The skin is a little tender, but I do believe it had closed, at least."

"Hm," he grunted, moving on to straightening some of her feathers while he was examining her. "Still soak it for a little longer, though. Until it no longer hurts to poke."

Thena sighed. She poked it regularly to test if she was healed yet. "Indeed."

"Makkari is rushing home after last perimeter checks a lot," Gil commented lightly as he idly combed through her feathers with his fingers. "Are they official now?"

"I do believe I could say they are courting," Thena smiled to herself, watching sun stream through the gaps and crags in the top of the mothernest, and even through some of the crystalline ice structures up there. "I look forward to the day he brings her home to me."

It was quite serious to have one's mate introduced to the family formally. Thena and Makkari had spoken of course, could even be considered to be friends. But if Druig brought Makkari to her nest to meet her, that would be more like bringing Makkari to meet his mother.

"You think he will?" Gil asked, plucking out an errant feather.

"It will take time," she sighed, her wings fluttering faintly at the thought, just for Gil to move them more for his angle. "But I do hope so. I would welcome her to the family."

"You wouldn't feel like you have a," Gil paused, and she heard his clothes rustle as he fidgeted, "I dunno--empty nest, or something?"

Thena looked down at her berries, almost eaten completely. "Perhaps I will mourn the days when Druig was a sweet little hatchling, even when Ikaris was not so...Ikaris."

Gil snorted.

"But they are long grown, and I want for them to stretch their wings," she concluded. She moved her leaf cup, offering up her last windberry. "I brought them all the way here for it, all told."

"Thanks," Gil whispered (awfully close to her ear). He reached for the berry, his thumb brushing against hers as he fished it out.

"I have never seen them so much as show an interest in courting, or preening, or," she shrugged, flapping her wings faintly as she felt Gil pull away.

"Well, preening is pretty, y'know," Gil postulated as she turned around to face him again.

"Oh?" she grinned, automatically moving forward to return the favour of his preening of her wings. She nearly gasped as he allowed her to do the same, brandishing his shimmering black wings in all their glory. They made her want to bury her face in the valley between them.

"W-Well," Gil squirmed, and she could just imagine the sweet, somewhat shy expression on his face. "Preening is pretty, uh, personal."

Intimate might be another word for it. Certainly no acquaintances or even casual friends were going around picking at each other's feathers. It simply required a level of trust and understanding of a fae's most vulnerable feature.

Thena was not ignorant to that. She simply acted like she was.

She moved her fingers over Gil's feathers delicately. They were so stunning, each and every one of them. She nudged a few back into place, examining the most misplaced ones. He had navigated his way up here with care.

"Should I not be...?" she asked quietly, even pausing in her actions. She pursed her lips while he was turned away from her, "if you have a potential mate who is going to come and tear my nest apart, I-"

Gil snorted again. He half turned to peek at her around his wing, "please."

She only felt more dissatisfied with that answer. She plucked a downy feather straight out roughly. "I do not see what is humorous about the question."

"Well, guard life doesn't exactly let you go out and court," he shrugged, not seeming all that bothered by it. "I've been the captain of our patrol for a long time, Thena. I've never so much as been approached."

Thena tilted her head beside/behind him. Her hair swayed around her shoulders faintly and the shadows of her horn and a half were cast over Gil's shoulder. She couldn't imagine Gilgamesh not being a prime candidate for a mate for anyone viable.

"Why?"

She looked up and suddenly he had a completely clear view of her. His eyes were sharp and warm, brown like the undertones of his rich black feathers. Her stomach leapt. "Hm?"

"You worried I have someone I'm preening with in another nest?"

Thena felt herself flush, although she did her best to look annoyed with the question. He wasn't in a teasing mood often. "I wouldn't take you for that kind of fae, Gilgamesh."

He laughed fully, having had his fun. He turned again, crossing his arms around himself. His wings shook with his laughter as well. "Well, that's good. And listen, even if I had ever liked someone, I've never been able to approach anyone. I'm used to doing my own preening, really."

She could tell, by the general state of his back-most feathers. Clearly he took good care of them, but every fae had those spots they simply couldn't reach on their own. "Well, good you have me."

"Yeah, it is."

Thena lowered her hands from his wings. She had let herself enjoy their secrecy too much, perhaps. "You need not, of course. If you didn't wish it."

Gil, sensing that she had pulled away from him, turning back to her. He lifted his wings to they could sit close despite the appendages of theirs which naturally demanded distance. "Do you?--wish it?"

Thena sighed, looking at the wonderful border guard she had met a full turn around the sun past, now. She leaned forward carefully, giving him time to refuse if he wanted to. In which case she would take off and leave these seas, perhaps forever.

Gil leaned in as well, their lips meeting gently. It was not necessarily as intimate as preening - especially in secret - but a kiss was still a kiss. He raised his hand to her cheek, tilting her head to kiss her deeper.

Thena sighed, their fangs meeting somewhat as their mouths opened more. He tasted of the morning stew the guards ate before first takeoff. It mixed with the taste of her berries.

Gil pulled away, tucking her hair behind the point of her ear in the morning air currents.

Thena just stared at him, her breath coming in soft sighs. She had never thought of finding a mate for her own.

Gil looked up, seeing a few fae beginning to fly around the dome of the mothernest as a warmup. He sighed, "I have to go."

"Go," she sent him off with a smile, her whole body tingling with warmth. "You are needed."

Gilgamesh let his hand drift off her cheek and to her shoulder as he stood on the branch. He lifted his wings, shielding them from witnesses. "I'll come and check on you tonight."

"Very well," she smiled. She waited the entirety of the day for him to do so eagerly. Her heart sang for him. "I shall wait for you."

"Okay," he whispered, their hands leaving each other the most slowly. He slipped something into her hand, "see you later, then."

Thena waved as he took off, launching straight from the treetops into the air to join the day's first shift of patrol. She could hear his voice, already directing his team and guiding them with the largest and strongest wings of them all.

Her hand tightened around the feather of his he had left her. It was a step past preening, and she would have to make sure Ikaris and Druig didn't find it--this gesture of exclusivity between fae. It wasn't necessarily a courting trinket, bus she felt a certain lightheaded giddiness as she tucked it into the layers of her white dress, over her heart.

[noxious-fennec]

3 years and I'm STILL IN THE FUCKING BUILDING... unbelievable... anyway happy re-bday to my pathetic cringefail politician

Alt ver. under the cut

***Massive disclaimer: i do not support the cc this is strictly about the fictional character

[catgirlsp0ck]

one last kiss :(

[butterflieswhisper]

looping echidna beastlife gif from trying to figure out toonboom

[facedock]

[goofyjelly]

so youre tellin me that the internet goes wild for actor men ALL THE TIME, but when I go on wattpad I can't find ONE Ethan Peck fanfiction-

[sysig]

How is skeleton shaped (Patreon)

[chiosblog]

This whole scene deserves an oscar

The A-Team 4x21 'The trouble with Harry'

[beevean]

I went to a birthday party yesterday partly to "change environment" and spend time with people, but I came home antsier than ever and with even less desire to socialize

I guess part of therapy is learning how to see the line between "stepping outside of the comfort zone to improve" and "harming yourself"

[tinderbox210]

This is just too cute to not share here 😊

source

[demadogs]

feel like i am the only person who doesnt want byler to have a full on desperate sloppy makeout session

[watermeloncatsstuff]

I need them to kiss rn actually

[thresholdbb]

Fight me

[bewilderedbunny]

.

[huxleaf]

i HATE writing kisses.

[byanyan]

ㅤseated alone at a table with a cup of coffee that has yet to be touched, byan's gaze is unfocused, staring off into the distance without really seeing anything. they look rather unlike themeself today — their face is bare, their hair down, and they're lacking in their usual excess of accessories. it's hard, keeping up appearances when you simply haven't got the energy. even their clothes are more simplistic than usual: a large and comfortable hoodie — bright pink, as most everything they own is — and the first pair of pants they'd lain eyes on this morning.

in truth, they're almost surprised that they even managed to will themself out of bed this morning. —glad for it, of course, because they'd hate to feel more pathetic and powerless than they already do, but surprised nonetheless. the weight of the world, of everything, has been crushing as of late, and really... the only reason they've managed to overcome it today is so they can get their hands on something to help numb themself to it all. (they've run out. used everything in excess and spent the last handful of nights too drunk or high to do anything, least of all think.)

it's almost their birthday. the thought earns a wry quirk at the corner of their mouth and a humourless breath is pushed through their nose. maybe that's why they want to stay so perpetually fucked up. the anniversary of the day they were brought into a world that never wanted them. a day full of reminders of past disappointments and how much nothing they're worth. joy.

expression souring, a hand swipes for the backpack which rests at their feet and begins a hurried search for their last remaining joint. gotta turn the brain off again. gotta dull the throbbing ache that's buried somewhere deep inside their chest. gotta do something since they can't just rip it all out.

maybe it's not the smartest thing, to light up in such a public space, but that certainly doesn't stop them from raising a lighter to the end of the joint once they find it. at least it's only something as mild as weed this time, right?