deercountry | july catch-all (open + closed prompts in comments)

[ confetti’s been working hard as designated errand boy, flitting off with a perfectly oval stone with a sleek black finish. it’s his omni, which he’s finally felt he should return to in case anyone else had been looking for him. not that he knew how he’d use it, but . . . maybe perle can help, to an extent.

into the cave confetti goes. inside, falco seems to be managing the mountain of actual bread rolls the fairy manage to deliver some minutes earlier. he’s still . . . really worried, it forms a knot in a very big stomach. it was so weird feeling to have when he shouldn’t be. he shouldn’t even be in the oversized flight suit for this long, and yet— here he was! scooping up a bucket’s worth of soggy bread to put in both sets of jaws. he tries to chew and barely does. it’s kind of like.

inhaling krill?

yeah.

falco lays on his side and forgets to take the omni confetti gleefully offers him. the titan groans like a grand metal door to a mess hall that hasn’t been opened in ages. he’s tired, funky, bored and worried. also, somehow endlessly hungry. he wishes he could go outside, if not just for a moment to stretch his wings and get a look around.

even then, it felt like he would be drawing unwanted attention to himself. he’s not comfortable enough. in the meantime, falco fills his lungs, and scrapes at a rock in front of his eyes with a single talon, chipping away the flaky covers to expose deeper stone. he has no actual goal, here— just trying to pass the time and find a distraction.

confetti wilts, but holds onto the omni in the meantime. ]

[ Sharon follows after the fairy creature with a flutter of excitement and hears Falco before she sees him. The sound of his groan has her take a step back, stomach twisting with a rush of fear, but she pushes forward and ignores it, peering around the corner of the cave mouth.

The sight is a bit of a shock but she's seen Falco like this before and she doesn't waste a moment, stepping into the cave mouth, his name on her lips. It's such a relief to see him that she doesn't question why he's in this form or where he's been. He's safe. He's here and he's safe. ]

I've been looking everywhere for you! [ The relief is visible in her expression even if her tone takes on something more admonishing. She's just happy to see him. ]

[ falco destroys his bread mound in a startled swipe to jump onto his hands and legs (part of it was a very sharpened sense of fight or flight, and birds almost always choose flight). he was in no danger of being smacked on, that wasn’t it— hearing sharon’s voice echo within the glowing walls of the cave made both his heart shoot to his throat in creeping fear as well as cause it to melt. he didn’t want to turn her away, he wanted to go to her, every inch of him did. every inch of him was also frightened that something may go wrong. something could happen to him. everything was wrong to begin with.

falco seems absolutely torn after he’s made it into a stand, but he soon retreats when she approaches. sadly, he mourns his choice through an upset rumble that veers into a falling whistle. he holds his massive claws up to gesture— a universally understood “stop”. ]

[ It strikes her in the heart as he retreats back from her and when he signals for her to stop, she does, albeit with a flash of hurt. A frown tugs at her lips. ]

I just... [ Her words die on her lips as she takes a look around the cave. The scattered, wet bread and the gashes in the wall where he'd drag his talons. Even Confetti. She looks back at him, the hurt replaced with concern. ] Are you okay? Are you hurt?

[ Her eyes are already searching his massive body for signs of damage or injury. She didn't know how she could help him if he were hurt but she'd find a way. She'd do whatever was necessary to help. ]

[ she will find no damage, no injury— just some sand clinging to his feathers. the way her features twist squeezes his heart and does the same with his own, hidden beneath the bone that forms his beak. the sound he makes conveys it, at the very least: dragged out and saddened. ]

Affffraid, hurt . . . You.

[ he signs the words simultaneously: fearful, hurt, and you. ]

[ He has no visible injuries. There's no blood. No bent or twisted feathers to indicate damage somewhere. The knowledge sends a pulse of relief through her but it doesn't dim her worry. She hadn't been able to get ahold of him and there was a reason he was in this form.

Sharon doesn't need to know sign language to understand and she stubbornly shakes her head, denying his fear. She believed in Falco. He'd saved her in this form once and hadn't hurt her then. ]

Falco, it's okay. I won't let you hurt me, all right? But I'll... [ She knew he wouldn't hurt her now but in an attempt to put him at ease she takes a single step backward. She would do whatever it took to make him feel more comfortable with her here. ] I'll stay back. I won't get close, I just... I just wanna make sure you're all right. When I couldn't get ahold of you... [ There's a waver in her voice. It went beyond worry; it was fear. ]

I looked everywhere. I asked people if they'd seen you and... [ Her eyes unconsciously fall to Confetti and she's never felt so grateful that he's had the fairy-like creature around. ] How long have you guys been out here?

[ his eyes are downcast, his talons extend— but they easily retreat. he didn't want the distance. but distance was the only way he could perceive anything else that could be wrong.

maybe if time shows no ill possibility, as did the others who kept their distance, they can make it smaller. falco allows the silence to help him think as well, before drawing a line in the sand, an "x" on the far left side with the number 7 beneath it, and the number of lines after it representing the days. if anything, he's been missing since the 6th. he doesn't know what day he returned, or what day it is today. he hasn't been able to check his omni.

he replies with a roll of a closed fist over his chest. it's an apology. he spells out, on the sandy floor to make it easier: OMNI, HOME, CAN'T GO HOME. ]

[ With her lips pursed, she nods in understanding. He's been here too long while trapped in a form he's not completely confident in. He's worried he'll hurt people just like he's worried he'll hurt her. It makes her hate this place a little more.

There were plenty of people in Trench that didn't deserve the awful it put them through but Falco sat somewhere high above them in her mind. He was small, even in this giant form he was small. It's hard to not try and cross the distance between them. She just wants to offer him some small bit of comfort but she holds it back. ]

And is that how long you've been in this form? Are you having trouble shifting back? [ She doesn't know how difficult it is for him to switch between his forms but she knows he wouldn't hold himself like this if something weren't up. ]

[ it’s hard for him, too. his height meant nothing when his body language was still of a frightened child that wanted her company was afraid to take it. there had to be something—

it’s better for her to read than to decipher sign, or his deep, unfinished garbling. with the drag of the of back of his scale plated hands, like armor on dangerous weaponry, he nods to her question(s) (all “yes”) and creates a clean sheet to write on.

CAN’T. TRIED. IT HURTS TO. the talons clack together, and after a moment of hesitation, he repeats the cleaning gesture to write: YOUR OMEN? ]

[ Sharon frowns and wrings her hands together in thought. A lot of things have happened in the last week or so and it wouldn't surprise her if Falco's inability to change his form back had been caused by all the recent chaos. The knowledge does little to ease the worry in her gut primarily because she doesn't know how to help him.

At the written question, her brows furrow in thought before she nods. In a flow of shadow, a tiny butterfly takes shape, barely an inch with its wings spread, and flits towards Falco. When it's before him, it bounces in the air up and down and up and down in a silent hello. ]

[ so gentle and fitting— confetti seems to take interest from the back, hovering up to mimick the omen's greeting and waving with his own. falco, visibly beginning to show that he's more at eas (shoulders relaxed, feathers flat), his own pygmy falcon whisps and glides to a rock. she speaks, a calm woman's voice— but it's not exactly her speaking. ]

They can tell, if something bad is going to happen— And I think I can talk this way. Is it working, Miss Sharon?

I've heard they could but... [ Her omen flutters over to Confetti, bouncing around him in the air as if to engage him in play before it speaks. ] She mostly has me watching over Rose. [ Her own omen's voice is bright and high-pitched, neither masculine or feminine, with a certain sharpness that belies it's tiny form. Sharon sticks her tongue out at her omen before looking back at Falco. ]

It's working. Obviously. [ There's clear relief on her features knowing it was Falco speaking to her even though it was through Perle. ]

Can you tell me what happened? I mean, if you're up to it? And what I might be able to do to help? [ More than anything Sharon wants to help. ]

[ falco’s head begins to bob in acknowledgement, but he feels a sting at the corners of his eyes, from the subtle pull at his cheeks and jaw once his lips twitch at their banter. he holds his hands out, loose and hovering, and making sure that most of his belly is to the ground, so his head can be as close to eye level as possible. ]

Can I hug you first?

[ if no one is convinced that falco is this giant assault unit, that should do the trick. he wants something simple and it makes his eyes prick. ]

[ The request stuns Sharon a breath before her a warm, accepting grin breaks out across her face. ] Of course! [ She says it in such a way that makes it clear she'd never deny such a request from him. She knows he worries he might hurt her but she's a tough cookie and she trusts him more than she trusts most others here in Trench. Even if he did hurt her, she'd still never deny him.

She approaches slowly and reaches out to touch one of his massive, weapon-like hands with her much smaller ones, letting him feel the heat from her palms. Knowing he still wants and needs such a simple human comfort makes her feel emotional more than she thought she would. ] You never have to ask for something like that from me. It'll always be a yes, Falco.

Oh, [ he could feel a tightness clenching his throat, swallowing consistently to ease it away as he motioned to move his hands in a cupping motion toward her. warm relief bloats in his chest, feeling the pressure of her hand against black, scaling armor was enough of a reminder that she was still as there as she proclaimed. easy does it— as sharon settles a limb on the open palm he offers, falco's opposite hand hovers close behind her, so careful about bumping her and where was enough, how much was enough. he's being excruciatingly delicate, like trying to maneuver a fragile egg, at times hardly touching her at all. ] I-I don't want to hug too hard—

[ He's so gentle, so careful, that Sharon's heart swells with both adoration and sorrow. In his normal form, it's so easy to wrap him up in her arms and damn near cradle him but now she can't even hold him. His other hand hovers and bumps her and it's hard for her brain to comprehend that this whole being is Falco; that he could hurt her with a flick of the wrist. She wraps her arms around him, where she can, and squeezes.

She looks him in his eyes, so large and so full of emotion that there's no doubt that it's Falco in there, and smiles at him. ] It's okay, Falco. I know you're scared to hurt me and it's okay. You don't have to be so careful but if you're scared, you don't have to hug me back. I'll just hug you enough for the both of us.

[ —that's better. he can't even oof, she just feels . . . like a little thing. it feels like he should be in her shoes, not the other way around. sharon has by now buried herself in golden plumage by his face, and falco has built the courage to be able to support her with an open hand from behind, covering the entirety of her back like he'd try to cup a butterfly. ]

Just a little bit . . . Like this is good. I-I've got you, this way— [ he doesn't exactly treat it as "a little bit". ] I'm scared I'll stay this way, Miss Sharon.

[ His fear strikes at her and she pulls back only slightly. She shakes her head as if denying it wholly and completely; like it's an impossible thing; like it's not something she would ever let happen. ] I won't let that happen. [ Sharp and full of certainty that she doesn't truly feel. She just doesn't want him to be afraid. She gently presses her hands into the feathers, rubbing them down with a careful force in a way similar to how she would have rubbed his back. ]

We'll find a way to get you back to your normal form. No matter what it takes. I promise.

[ sometimes— it's all he'd need and (or would like) to hear. the circumstances were foreign to him, he couldn't quite get a read on what was possible or more likely at this point. he just didn't want to get absorbed, which was a possible outcome. but not without other things happening first . . .

it's all complicated, and trench has taken that and flipped it on its head. speaking of heads, falco has rested his, on the pressure she makes— like allowing the wind to tickle him. all he had to do was close his eyes and pretend he could fit in her lap. he appreciates her words. every bit of them. ]

Confetti . . . Didn't take anything from you, did he? [ it's something he's reminded of, when the little fairy chirps above them. ] He's been trying to bring me things, but I don't think he trades all the time.

[ he just. forgets. ]

[ Sharon could have stayed like this for hours, just stroking the feathers around Falco’s transformed face. It was clear he needed comfort and she was willing to give all she had to offer.

When Confetti chirrups and she hears Perle’s mature but still distinctly Falco’s voice, she gives a quiet negative hum. Mm-mmm. ]

I think I saw him carrying an omni but I don’t think it was mine. [ She didn’t want to pull away from him to check and truthfully didn’t care if he had. She knew Confetti was just looking out for his distressed carer. She can only imagine all the little things he’s taken in hopes of cheering him up just a little.

But that line of thought strikes her with a sharp realization. She looks around the damp stone cave and a fresh wave of sorrow crashes into her like the waves against the rocks outside. ]

Do you… Do you want me to go out with Confetti later? I’m sure there are things you could use in here, things you might need or even want that I’d have a better chance of getting than him.

You definitely need better food than moist bread.

[ only falco's eyes move in favor of allowing sharon to stay right where she is. the omni was possibly his, but even then— he wouldn't be able to use it. not even the tip of his talons was small enough to pick out something specific on screen. he'll have to use perle, but at least he'll be able to see anything he's missed. ]

H-he, um, did his best . . . [ soggy bread and raw fish. oh, god he's never swallowed so much raw fish in his life. food rations and less weren't new things in falco's life, but he has grown accustomed to better. the first thing he wants to eat when he's out of this is a plate of one single cooked fish. that is it. ] But I'd— like that. How can I help, Miss Sharon?

[ there’s a reason Sharon adores Falco. even now, when he’s stuck in this form, unable to do all the things he’s accustomed to; unable to walk the city and be normal in a place so distinctly abnormal, he wants to help. it makes her hold onto him a little tighter — cling to him like he’s a life raft in dangerous waters. ]

You, you just need to tell me everything you might want. Anything at all. I’ll get it for you, no matter how weird or bulky or silly.

Anything. [ already, Sharon was making a list in her head of little creature comforts she thought would make him feel more at ease; that would bring him a little comfort in this form. ]

[ this is going to become a tug-o-war of who helps who more, isn't it—! ]

Thank you, Miss Sharon . . . [ from the top of her, his head leans in to the hold they both have on each other. he can't reject her. rejecting her help would be rejecting her comfort, her everything that she's giving him. falco relents his thoughts after a moment to give her the smallest of lists: ] Just snacks . . . And maybe a book?

[ perle could read for him, he thinks— ]

Edited 2022-08-04 20:24 (UTC)

[ maybe a book? she’d bring him a whole library if she thought it’d help. ]

It’s no problem at all. I can get you snacks and a book. [ she repeats his tiny request almost sadly to herself. such a short, simple list.

she would get him more than that, so much more. he deserved that much.

truth be told, he deserved more. ]

[ he nods, but— there's something . . . ]

Ah— Miss Sharon, about the book, [ this giant ass bird is keeping his armwing talons close to his chest, and— he's fidgeting? he's puffing up! he's looking this way and that like he's embarrassed! ] Can it be . . .

[ perle mumbles some very inaudible words. P____ a__ P______—? ]

july catch-all (open + closed prompts in comments)

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think we might be at a good place to begin wrapping!

agreed!

:)!

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