May 20
Little meanie
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Little meanie
Steel Sun: Pt 6
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Was kinda nervous to post this one, as it's more emotionally charged, and I kinda thought it was a bit cringey, but hope you enjoy it anyway. 😁
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Content: Avian whumpee, mute whumpee, wing injury/amputation, guilty caretaker, multiple caretakers.
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Vidias sat slumped on the sofa, head tipped back, exhaustion weighing heavy on his shoulders, and his little brother laying across his lap.
Kade had barely left his side, sitting on the other side of the sofa, eyes locked on Virgo as if he would disappear when he looked away.
Fallon sat at the table a few feet away, his hands clasped between his knees, eyes dark with the kind of weariness that settled deep into the bones.
Virgo’s severed wing was laying on the table, ice encasing the blue-gray feathers.
Magic had never been Vidias’s strong suit, but he was grateful for what he knew now. He had done everything he could.
The stitches were secure, the bleeding had stopped, the wound had been cauterized. Perhaps it was overkill, but Virgo was still too pale, too still. His breathing was shallow, and the tears were still drying on his face.
Vidias wanted to believe that once he woke up, once the worst of it was behind him, everything would be fine, but he couldn’t promise that.
He hated it.
He’d promised Virgo he’d try to reattach the wing later, but, now, looking at him, that promise felt like a cruel lie.
He brushed his fingers over his remaining wing. The feathers were soft, unharmed, but stained with blood.
Kade finally broke the silence. “I should’ve done more.”
Vidias turned his head, studying him.
Kade looked wrecked. His hands were clasped together, knuckles white, and his eyes hadn’t left Virgo since they had gotten him stable.
“You kept him awake. You held him when he needed it.” Vidias said quietly. “That’s not nothing.”
Kade shook his head, jaw clenched tight. “It wasn’t enough.”
A heavy silence settled over them again. Vidias understood that feeling all too well.
Fallon finally spoke, his voice quieter than usual. “What now?”
Vidias looked down at Virgo, his little brother’s pale face, his lashes still damp with drying tears.
“He’s going to wake up soon, I can tell.” Vidias muttered. “I–I don’t know what to tell him. I don’t want to reattach his wing until he’s strong enough, but… he won’t want to wait, and I don’t even know if it will work.”
Fallon let out a slow breath, rubbing his hands over his face. “He’s not going to take this well.”
That was an understatement.
Virgo had never known a life without his wings. They were part of him, as much as his hands or his feet, except now, he was missing a piece of himself, leaving him with nothing but an empty space where his wing should be.
“He’s much stronger than we give him credit for.” Kade said.
Fallon hummed in response. “I mean, he did try to break a plate over my head like… two hours ago.”
“You deserved it.” Kade snapped, a smile taking up his face. “You called him dramatic.”
Vidias looked between them, his chest tightening.
He wasn’t used to not having to bear the weight of things alone.
Kade exhaled, finally dragging his gaze away from Virgo to meet Vidias’s. “We’ll figure this out together.”
Vidias nodded, his throat tight. “Yeah. Together.”
A small, weak noise suddenly broke the silence.
Vidias’s head snapped down, his breath catching in his throat.
Virgo was stirring. His fingers twitched against Vidias’s arm, his brows furrowing slightly, his breath hitching.
Then, with a pained, shuddering inhale, his eyes fluttered open.
He whined and shifted, fresh tears springing to his eyes as he fought to adjust to the pain that must still be radiating from his back.
Vidias was already moving, his hand pressing gently against the back of Virgo’s head.
“Easy.” He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”
Virgo’s breaths were shallow, his chest rising and falling in uneven, trembling motions. His eyes darted wildly before landing on Vidias, glassy and unfocused, but filled with something raw.
Kade was already leaning in, his hands hovering as if he wanted to help but didn’t know how.
“Virgo, you’re alright.” He said, voice softer than Vidias had ever heard from him. “You’re with us.”
Virgo’s fingers curled weakly against Vidias’s arm, his brows knitting together. Then, slowly, he tried to lift his hands.
Vidias caught them gently. “Stop. Just rest for a second, okay?”
Virgo blinked, eyes flickering with frustration, but he was still too weak to protest. His hands shook, but he managed one small sign. Hurts.
Vidias swallowed, nodding.
“I know.” His voice cracked. “I know, but you’re going to be okay.”
Virgo’s lips parted, and he tried to move again, his body twisting slightly, until his breathing hitched sharply, his face contorting in agony.
Vidias and Kade moved at the same time.
“Hey—stop, stop—” Kade said quickly, his hands pressing against Virgo’s arms, stilling him.
Virgo gasped, his face scrunching as he squeezed his eyes shut, another whimper escaping. His fingers moved again, weak but insistent. Where did you put my wing?
Vidias hesitated again, his heart aching, but he knew denying him would only make this worse.
He glanced at Fallon, who sighed and ran a hand through his hair before stepping forward.
Carefully, he pulled the ice-encased wing closer to the edge of the table, turning it so Virgo could see.
Virgo barely breathed. His lips parted, a tiny, shaky whine slipping through.
Vidias kept his hand steady against Virgo’s shoulder, waiting, watching.
When he signed again, his movements were frantic, desperate. Put it back. Please.
Vidias’s chest tightened, his grip on Virgo’s shoulder grounding him as much as it was meant to ground his little brother.
He wanted to say yes. Wanted to promise, to make this better, to erase the pain from Virgo’s face and the way his hands trembled with sheer, pleading desperation, but he couldn’t lie to him.
Vidias shook his head slowly. “Not yet.”
Virgo’s breath hitched. His fingers twitched, then curled weakly into the fabric of Vidias’s sleeve.
“You’re not strong enough.” Vidias kept his voice soft, careful, but there was no way to say it that wouldn’t hurt. “If we try now, it won’t take. We have to wait.”
Virgo’s gaze locked onto his severed wing, unmoving, unblinking. His fingers twitched again, and he reached out, but the motion was weak, shaky, uncoordinated. His hand barely lifted before he let it drop back to Vidias’s arm.
Vidias saw the moment it fully hit him.
His face crumpled. His breathing turned erratic, sharp gasps escaping in silent, ragged sobs. His fingers clenched around Vidias’s sleeve, gripping tight, but there was no strength in it, just desperation.
Vidias swallowed hard and leaned down, pressing his forehead lightly to Virgo’s.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, his voice raw. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Virgo didn’t respond. He just shook, his tears slipping silently down his cheeks.
Kade let out a slow, uneven breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark with something unreadable, but his hand stayed steady where it hovered just above Virgo’s arm.
Fallon looked away. His fingers twitched, restless, as if itching for something to do, something to fix, but there was nothing to fix. Not right now.
Vidias felt helpless.
He wanted to promise Virgo that this would be okay. That they would put his wing back, and that he would fly again, but he didn’t know if that was true.
So he just held onto him.
Even as his sobs turned to wails he tried to hide with his remaining wing, shuffling away from Vidias when they seemed to be too much for him.
He shuffled backwards, but a helpless shriek came from behind the shield of feathers as his raw back touched the sofa.
Vidias gently scooped Virgo back into his arms, mindful of the wound. “I know it’s awful, but you’re okay. We’ll try to get it back on soon, okay?”
Virgo nodded against his chest, but his tears didn’t slow.
“You’re alive. Isn’t that what really matters?” Kade asked, placing his hand tentatively on his back, between his remaining wing and the stump hitting out of his back.
Virgo shook his head.
“No?” Vidias asked, concern dripping into his voice.
Vidias separated himself just enough for Virgo to sign, but his brother didn’t. He just tried to burrow back against his chest.
“Talk to me, chickadee. Why ‘no’?” Vidias insisted.
He thought for a moment, sticking his bottom lip out, before he wiped his eyes on his sleeve.
“It doesn’t matter that you’re alive?” Fallon pressed.
He shook his head before he finally signed. Not without my wing.
The words hung heavy between them, stealing what little air was left in the room.
Kade’s and Fallon both looked to Vidias, clearly unsure of what was said
Vidias had to swallow past the lump in his throat before he could speak. “That’s not true, Virgo.”
Virgo didn’t respond, he just collapsed in Vidias’s arms again.
“What’s not true?” Kade questioned, still oblivious.
Well, you wouldn’t be confused if you’d just learn sign language. Vidias thought, but he didn’t say that, that was an argument for another time, so he just shook his head.
He focused back on Virgo, who was still trembling against him, silent sobs shaking his small frame.
His hands clutched weakly at Vidias’s shirt, fingers digging in as if holding on was the only thing keeping him together.
Vidias rested his chin lightly against the top of Virgo’s head, closing his eyes. “It’s okay. We’ll fix it.”
Virgo shook his head against his chest again, his breath stuttering.
Vidias hesitated, then gently pulled back, tilting Virgo’s chin up with careful fingers.
His little brother’s face was blotchy, his lashes clumped with tears, his lips trembling. His hands were too weak to sign again, but his eyes were screaming what he couldn’t say.
I don’t know who I am if I can’t fly.
Vidias felt his heart break all over again. He had no words, no way to ease the ache that had settled deep in Virgo’s bones. There was no reassurance that would make this better.
Please, can you put it back now? I’ll be good. He signed, more tears leaking from his eyes.
“What’s he saying, Vidias?” Fallon demanded before Vidias even got the chance to process what he was seeing.
Vidias exhaled tiredly, his chest tightening as he tried to find the words, but how could he possibly say it? How could he repeat something so devastating aloud?
He swallowed past the lump in his throat, brushing his thumb gently across Virgo’s tear-streaked cheek.
“He—” His voice wavered. He cleared his throat and tried again. “He wants us to put his wing back now. He—” His breath caught. “He said he’ll be good.”
Silence crashed over the room like a wave.
Fallon looked away first, jaw tightening, fingers twitching where they still rested between his knees.
Kade let out a slow breath through his nose, pressing the heel of his palm against his forehead.
Neither of them said anything, but they didn’t have to. The weight of Virgo’s words was already suffocating enough.
Virgo was nodding along, as if there wasn’t anything wrong with what he said, hope filled his eyes as he looked back up at Vidias.
His heart splintered.
Vidias couldn’t give him what he wanted. Not yet. Maybe not ever, and the thought of that made his chest tighten with something unbearable.
Virgo blinked up at him again, waiting, pleading.
“Virgo, it’s not about—” His voice broke, and he had to force himself to keep going. “It’s not about being good.”
Virgo’s brows furrowed, confusion flickering behind his teary gaze.
Vidias curled his fingers gently around Virgo’s trembling hands, giving them a squeeze. “This isn’t a punishment.”
Virgo flinched, his face crumpling again, and for a moment, Vidias hated himself for not being able to fix this.
Virgo wasn’t supposed to be dealing with this.
He was sixteen.
He was supposed to be stealing pastries from the kitchen and dragging Vidias outside to sit in the sun, even when Vidias had no interest in going anywhere.
Not laying in his older brother’s arms, pleading with him like a child who thought he needed to be better to be loved.
This should’ve been Vidias’s problem. Vidias was older. He’s practically raised Virgo since the boy was four. Vidias was all Virgo had, and right now, he was at a loss.
Vidias clenched his jaw, his grip tightening slightly. “We’ll try, Virgo. I promise. As soon as we can, but you have to get stronger first.”
Virgo’s lip trembled. His hands twitched again, but his body had nothing left to give.
He was exhausted. He was broken. And it was all Vidias’s fault.
Vidias hesitated, then exhaled slowly. “Do you trust me?”
Virgo didn’t answer immediately, and for a moment, Vidias was afraid he wouldn’t, but then, after what felt like an eternity, Virgo gave a weak, reluctant nod.
Relief hit Vidias so hard his eyes burned. He pulled Virgo closer, resting his chin lightly against his head. “Then let me take care of you. Like I always have.”
Virgo let out a quiet, broken sound, but he didn’t fight anymore.
Vidias felt him finally relax. Not completely, not in the way he used to, but enough. Enough for Vidias, anyway.
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Taglist:
@neverthelass @oldspruceinn
Steel Sun: Pt 7
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Content: Whumpee pov, Avian Whumpee, Mute whumpee, Fantasy whump, Multiple caretakers, Wing whump aftermath, Brother caretaker
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After the pain dulled to a more manageable throb, Virgo watched from the sofa as Kade, Fallon, and Vidias cleaned his blood off the floor.
The world still felt like it was spinning, but Virgo forced himself to keep his eyes open. His body was too weak to move, his limbs were like dead weight, but he could watch. At least.
The smell of iron lingered in the air, clinging to the fabric of his clothes. His back ached, the stump where his wing used to be burning like an open wound, even though he knew it was closed now. His eyes kept drifting to the table, where his wing was trapped in a thick sheen of ice.
He clenched his jaw, willing himself not to cry again. He couldn’t cry anymore. He was too tired, and honestly annoyed at how much he’d cried in the first place.
“You still doing okay over there, bud?” Vidias asked, pulling him from his thoughts. “Do you want me to come back and sit with you?”
“What? No.” Fallon snapped, dipping his cloth in the pink tinged water. “You’ve gotten your time with Virgo, if anyone is going to sit with him it’s going to be me.”
Kade huffed. “You two are just trying to get out of cleaning. If he wants one of us to sit with him, he’ll tell us. And it’ll probably be me.”
Virgo blinked slowly, watching the three of them bicker. He wanted to tell them it didn’t matter, that none of this mattered, but the words wouldn’t come. Even if he could speak, he wasn’t sure he’d have the energy to say anything at all.
Another shudder ripped through him.
That had been happening a lot since he woke.
It wasn’t shivering either, and it wasn’t just a small, involuntary shift. It was an entire body tremble, violent and forcing his wing to curl uncomfortably inward.
Vidias had noticed it earlier, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it, though he’d tried to get him to sleep it off. It was just another thing for Virgo to deal with.
He squeezed his eyes shut as another tremor ran through him, his remaining wing twitching against his back as if trying to make up for the loss of the other. He wished it could.
His fingers curled weakly into the blanket draped over him, but it didn’t stop the shaking, it didn’t ground him the way he wanted it to. Oh, well, what else was new?
“Another one?” The teasing edge from Vidias’s voice was gone, replaced with something softer. Virgo hated that too. He wasn’t fragile. “You weren’t warm earlier. Are you sure you don’t feel feverish?”
Virgo forced his eyes open again, blinking sluggishly at his brother before shaking his head. He didn’t feel cold, or hot, he just felt tired and sore. And frustrated.
“Are you gonna be okay over there by yourself?” Fallon inquired.
Virgo nodded. He knew he’d need to clean himself up soon enough, but watching the stains disappear from the floor felt like a relief. Although, his relief was quickly dispelled when he noticed the stains on the pale yellow sofa. Those were probably permanent.
Vidias followed his gaze to the couch, frowning as he noticed the dark patches seeping into the fabric.
“We’ll get that cleaned too.” He said simply, turning his attention back to the rag in his hands.
Virgo wasn’t sure if that was possible, but he knew the moment he felt well enough, he’d scrub at it himself for however long it took.
He shifted slightly, wincing as his back protested. The phantom weight of his missing wing was unbearable, like it was still there but just out of reach, twisted and wrong.
Another tremor tore through him.
Kade was the first to notice this time. “You’re shaking like a leaf over there, bud.”
Virgo exhaled sharply through his nose. He knew. He just didn’t know why. His fingers twitched, weak and sluggish, but he managed to sign. Don’t feel cold.
Vidias nodded, though his frown deepened. “Yeah, well, your body thinks otherwise.”
“What?” Fallon asked, finally looking up from the floor.
“He says he doesn’t feel cold.” Vidias muttered, rolling his eyes.
Virgo swallowed hard as he closed his eyes, exhaustion pressing down on him like a weight. He wanted to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes for too long, the pain felt sharper, like it was waiting for him in the dark.
Vidias must’ve noticed the way Virgo’s breathing changed, because he set the rag down and crossed the room without another word.
He knelt next to the sofa, resting a hand lightly on Virgo’s blanket-covered arm. “Hey. You still with me?”
Virgo cracked his eyes open, barely managing a nod. His vision blurred at the edges, but he held onto consciousness with the sheer force of will.
“You’re doing good, okay?” Vidias said softly. “Just keep breathing. That’s all I want from you right now.”
Fallon came to hover nearby, his brow furrowed with concern now instead of irritation. “Should we take him to town? To see a healer?”
Vidias scoffed. “Yeah, because he can do a three hour walk in the desert. Besides, I had to lay low when I went in. Orcen soldiers were there. We just gotta… wait and hope the tremors go away.”
Virgo’s lashes fluttered. He heard the words, but they felt distant, like echoes from across a canyon.
The pain had dulled again, but the tremors hadn’t stopped. His muscles were aching from the constant tension, and his wing didn’t stop twitching, even when he wasn’t shuddering.
Another breath shuddered from his lungs. This one sharper. His throat caught. His body lurched into another tremor and a broken, wordless sound escaped him. A low, pained gasp that made all three boys freeze.
Kade was the first to move. He crossed the room in two strides and crouched beside Vidias, looking Virgo over with sharp eyes. “This isn’t normal.”
Vidias gave him a sharp look. “Really? I thought we did this all the time.”
“He doesn’t even have a fever.” Fallon muttered, completely ignoring the sarcastic bite in Vidias’s tone.
Kade brushed a hand back through Virgo’s sweat-damp hair, and Virgo shot a glare up at him in return. “He’s not getting worse, exactly, but he’s not stabilizing either. He’s just stuck like this.”
Vidias clenched his jaw, staring at Virgo’s trembling form like he could will the tremors to stop through determination. “Maybe it’s not physical. Maybe it’s… shock, or trauma, or—I don’t know. Something deeper.”
Fallon let out a frustrated exhale and stood, pacing a few steps before turning back. “Then what do we do? Just watch him suffer?”
“Well, what else do you want to do, Oh, Wise Healer Fallon?” Vidias demanded, rare anger seeping into his tone.
“I think we should take him to a healer that knows what they’re doing!” Fallon hissed. “We should take him to Nellie. She’s gotten us out of a few binds before.”
Kade’s brow furrowed. “Nellie’s three towns over. That’s longer than three hours, Fallon.”
“She’s worth it.” Fallon shot back. “You remember what she did for your ribs? For Vid’s fever?”
Vidias didn’t respond immediately. His hand tightened around Virgo’s arm, as if grounding himself in the feel of him.
Virgo didn’t care that it hurt. He cared that they were discussing what to do with him while he was sitting right there. Not that he felt well enough to stop them.
“That’s at least six hours if we hurry.” Vidias murmured, clearly weighing the options.
“Then we start moving now, and we’ll get there just before dusk.” Fallon replied smoothly.
“Dusk is too far.” Vidias said, his voice tight. “He can’t even lay on his back, and you want to lug him around the desert?”
Virgo barely heard them now, his awareness fraying at the edges. The room pulsed with each tremor, light dimming and brightening, shapes blurring. Every part of him screamed for stillness, but his body wouldn’t listen.
“He weighs nothing to me. I’m going to carry him the entire way there.” Fallon said, his tone fierce. “I’m not watching him shake apart. We can bring his wing too, see what Nellie thinks about getting it back on.”
Virgo didn’t move, but if he could’ve, he might’ve nodded. Might’ve agreed. He didn’t know if the wing could be reattached, but sitting there without hope wasn’t helping. He could feel himself slipping.
He must’ve drifted, because the next thing he knew was the pain that flamed through his back as he was rolled over and lifted.
Virgo gasped, or maybe he didn’t, maybe it was just the sensation of air being knocked from his lungs that made him feel like he had. The pain bloomed sharp and bright, and his head fell against Fallon’s shoulder as the motion jarred every raw nerve in his body.
“Sorry.” Fallon whispered, cradling him like he was something breakable, which now, he pretty much was. “I’m so sorry. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
The wind stung Virgo’s skin as they stepped outside, or maybe it was just the sudden exposure, he couldn’t tell anymore. His thoughts were fading faster than he thought them, and he didn’t have the strength to pull them back.
Vidias walked beside them, carrying the frozen wing wrapped in cloth, his expression unreadable. Kade followed closely, his eyes scanning the horizon like he was ready for a fight.
He wanted to sleep. He wanted to sleep so badly, but even the slightest movement sent fresh waves of pain through him, and as gentle as Fallon was being, the sand underfoot made every movement more jolting than it needed to be.
He was supposed to endure this for six hours? How? The shudders weren’t even slowing, and they were just making the pain worse. He didn’t have six hours in him. He wasn’t even sure he had one.
Virgo’s fingers twitched against Fallon’s chest, the only part of him that still seemed to respond, and even that was weak, flickering like the last flame of a dying candle.
“I know, chickadee.” He muttered. “I just need you to hang in there. We’ll do the rest.”
Vidias sighed, and Virgo felt his fingers comb through his hair. “He’s a mess… I wish there was something we could do.”
“We’re doing it, I guess.” Kade said bitterly. “He can do this. We just have to hurry.”
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~Taglist~
@neverthelass
@oldspruceinn
Steel Sun: Pt 5
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Content: Avian whumpee, multiple caretakers, forced wing amputation, mute whumpee, whumpee pov
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Virgo tried to lift his head, tried to turn toward the sound of Vidias’s voice, but his body refused to cooperate.
The momentary relief at hearing Vidias was overshadowed by the burning, tearing sensation still radiating through his back.
Vidias’s footsteps echoed as he stepped inside, his usual easygoing demeanor faltering the second he took in the scene before him. His arms, occupied with bags of supplies, went rigid at his sides as his gaze landed on Virgo, slumped against Kade, trembling, barely holding on.
“...What happened?” The lightness in Vidias’s tone was gone, replaced with sharp-edged urgency.
“H-His wing just tore clean off his back.” Fallon replied, panic more evident in his tone now. “It’s quite literally hanging on by a thread.”
It’s what? Virgo shifted, trying to turn his head to see the damage.
Vidias moved in an instant, dropping the bags with a thud. He crouched beside them, eyes scanning over Virgo with an intensity that made Kade and Fallon tense.
Then his gaze landed on Virgo’s wing…or what was left of it.
“Oh, chickadee. That—” His voice cut off, his throat working as he struggled for words. “That’s not normal. That’s not just an injury.”
Virgo barely registered the words. His entire body was too heavy, his mind slipping between pain and confusion.
“Can we fix it?” Kade asked. His hands, still pressed firmly against Virgo’s trembling fingers, were shaking slightly now.
“We have to stop the bleeding first, or fixing it won’t matter.” His voice was steady now, taking on that rare, serious tone he only used when things were dire.
Fallon pressed harder against the wound, and Virgo let out a weak, shuddering gasp at the pain. He tried to curl inward, away from the pressure, but Kade kept a firm hold on him.
“I know. I know.” Vidias murmured. His hands moved quickly, tearing into one of the bags he’d dropped. “Kade, tip him forward a little, but keep his head up. We can’t let him pass out.”
Kade did as he was told, adjusting Virgo so his weight rested more against him. Virgo let out a weak whimper, his vision flickering.
“I need a needle, thread, and something to clean the wound.” Vidias continued, rifling through his supplies. He pulled out a small bottle and ripped off the cork with his teeth. “Kade, hold him still.”
Kade barely had time to react before Vidias poured the liquid over Virgo’s wound.
A sharp, searing agony exploded across Virgo’s back. His body spasmed violently, a cry tearing from his throat, and his hands jerked, gripping onto Kade’s arms like a lifeline.
Vidias flinched at the reaction but didn’t stop.
“I know. I know it hurts.” His voice was softer now, but his hands remained steady. “Just hang in there.”
Virgo desperately wanted to close his eyes, to let the darkness numb the pain, but even sleep was rejecting him.
Vidias worked quickly, his hands sure and steady despite the urgency crackling through the air.
“Fallon, shift the wing.” Vidias instructed, his voice tight. “It really is hanging on by a thread, so we either have to reattach it, or…”
Virgo’s sluggish mind barely processed the hesitation, but must’ve Kade caught it.
“Or what?” He demanded, his voice sharper now, barely concealing the panic simmering beneath his frustration.
Vidias exhaled sharply through his nose. “Or we remove it completely.”
Virgo’s breath hitched, his fingers twitching weakly against Kade's arm. He couldn’t lose his wing.
Fallon went rigid behind him. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.” Vidias’s voice was grim.
Kade’s grip tightened on Virgo’s hand.
Virgo wanted to beg them not to do it, to scream that he needed his wing, that they couldn’t just take it away, but his body refused to listen, his voice locked away, leaving him helpless in their hands.
The only thing that he managed was an agonized squeal.
Vidias hesitated, his eyes flickering over Virgo’s pale face.
“I know, chickadee.” He murmured. “I know you don’t want this, but we might not have a choice. I’ll try my best, I promise.”
Virgo barely had the strength to nod, not that it would have made a difference. His body was too weak, too drained to do anything but tremble against Kade’s hold.
Vidias moved with urgency, pulling out a curved needle and thick, black thread. His hands were steady, but his jaw was clenched tight, his usual easygoing expression hardened into something unreadable.
“Fallon, I need you to support the base of the wing.” Vidias instructed. “If there’s even a chance we can save it, I need to keep it from tearing more while I stitch.”
Fallon hesitated for only a second before he adjusted his grip, pressing one hand against the mangled remains of Virgo’s wing while the other braced his shoulder.
The touch sent a fresh wave of agony rolling through Virgo’s body, another strangled whimper escaping him.
“I know.” Vidias murmured again, his voice softer this time. “I’m so sorry.”
Then, the needle pierced his skin.
Virgo lurched violently, a muffled scream caught in his throat.
Kade swore under his breath, tightening his hold to keep Virgo from thrashing.
“Vidias, he’s—” Fallon started, his voice sharp with alarm.
“I know.” Vidias interrupted, not looking up from his work. “Just keep him still.”
Virgo couldn’t keep still. His entire body was screaming at him to move, to escape the unbearable pain ripping through his back, but there was nowhere to go.
The needle stabbed through him again, and again, and again, each pull of the thread sending sharp, electric agony radiating through his spine.
Eventually, his body gave up. He went limp, only managing to sob into Kade’s leg while the pain enveloped him.
“Do not let him pass out.” Vidias growled. “If he passes out, he’s dead.”
Kade’s breath hitched, his grip tightening around Virgo’s trembling fingers as if sheer will alone could keep him conscious.
“Virgo, hey, stay with me.” He urged, his voice rough with desperation. His free hand came up, cupping the side of Virgo’s sweat-dampened face. “Don’t you dare close your eyes, you hear me?”
Virgo heard him. He heard everything.
The way Kade’s voice shook, the way Fallon’s breath came in uneven bursts, the way Vidias’s hands worked feverishly, his movements precise but frantic. He heard it all, but he couldn’t respond.
Everything was slipping.
Another bout of pain shot through him, worse than the others, but it sent the darkness that had begun to bleed into his vision fleeing.
Another sound tore from his lips, somewhere between a shriek and a sob.
“I know, chickadee, I know.” Vidias murmured, voice thick with something barely restrained. “Just hold on for me. Just a little longer.”
Virgo couldn’t hold on. He wanted to, he really did, but his body was betraying him.
Kade pressed his forehead against Virgo’s, whispering something too soft for him to make out.
Virgo didn’t care. If he was being honest, he was scared.
Fallon suddenly let out a sharp curse. “Vidias, his wing—!”
“I know!” Vidias yelled.
There was a moment of nothing, until he felt Vidias stroking through his hair. “You’re going to hate me, bub, but I’m gonna try to reattach it later, okay? Right now, I just need to keep you alive.”
Virgo couldn’t respond. His body wasn’t his anymore, just a vessel for the unrelenting agony burning through him.
He felt the press of Kade’s forehead against his, grounding him, tethering him to something real when everything else was slipping away.
Fingers carded gently through his sweat-damp hair. Vidias. His touch was careful, deliberate, like he was trying to comfort Virgo despite the brutal reality of what was happening.
Then, he heard the sound of a knife being ripped from its sheath, and all at once, something was sawing at what remained of his wing.
It wasn’t gentle, either, it was more like desperate hacking.
No! He thought desperately. This can’t be happening!
The sound of the blade slicing through what remained of his wing was like a nightmare come to life. It wasn’t even a clean cut, more like ragged desperation, tearing through muscle and bone.
Each stroke felt like a strike against his very soul.
Virgo’s chest heaved with silent sobs, his entire body quaking from the sheer force of the pain.
He tried to pull away, to move, to do anything, but his body didn’t listen. The world around him swam as his consciousness flickered like a dying light. The darkness was creeping in again, calling to him, but the pain wouldn’t let him go.
“This knife is dull!” Vidias exclaimed.
“We don’t have another!” Kade yelled. “Just keep going!”
Virgo’s chest heaved as another wave of pain hit.
His body shook violently, every muscle in him screaming, but his body wouldn’t respond.
His vision flickered in and out, his mind fading between flashes of reality and the consuming darkness that was swallowing him whole.
Kade’s voice was suddenly in his ear, breath warm and shaky. “Don’t you dare fade on me, Virgo. Stay with me.”
His grip was iron around Virgo’s hand, and though the pain had dulled the edges of his thoughts, the sound of Kade’s voice reached him like a lifeline.
“He’s too weak to go anywhere now.” Vidias muttered. “Kade, get the poker hot. We’re going to need to cauterize it as soon as it’s off. Buddy, I promise I’ll try to get your wing back on later, but right now, it’s gotta come off.”
Kade’s grip on his hand tightened, forcing Virgo’s attention back. “I’ll be right back, Virgo. Don’t you dare close your eyes. Please.”
The words reverberated in Virgo’s skull as Kade eased away, but even as his heart fought against the pull of the darkness, he felt his strength waning.
With a final, sickening tear, the remains of his wing were separated from his body.
He screamed, the sound ripping through his throat.
The world around him spun, blurred, and the silence that followed felt wrong, like an absence of everything he had known.
His entire existence felt hollow now, the empty space where his wing had once been an aching, raw wound that went beyond the physical.
Kade returned almost instantly, the sound of the poker heating up like a distant echo in Virgo's ears.
He couldn't focus, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but lie there in the dark, clinging to the faintest traces of reality, desperately trying to hold onto the voice that was still there.
Vidias’s hands were gentle as he worked, his voice softer now as he whispered things that Virgo couldn’t fully understand, too tangled in the haze of pain to focus. “Just a little longer, chickadee, I promise. We’ll make sure you’re okay, just hold on.”
The sound of the poker sizzling as it met the raw wound on his back echoed through Virgo’s consciousness.
The smell of burning flesh followed, thick and bitter.
He tried to scream again, but no sound came out, the last of his strength drained.
“All done.” Vidias murmured as the poker was pulled away. “You did so good. It’s over now.”
Virgo wanted to sleep. He wanted to slip into unconsciousness, but the pain in his back was keeping him tethered to reality. Vidias let out a slow breath, his hand moving to brush sweat-damp hair from Virgo’s forehead.
“You’re going to be okay.” He promised softly. “You’re going to hate me for a while, but you’ll be okay.”
Virgo wanted to believe him.
He really did, but all he could feel was the phantom weight of the wing that was no longer there.
~Taglist~
@neverthelass
Steel Sun, pt. 4
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Content: Avian Whumpee, Wing injury, Past noncon reference (Kinda??? If you squint real hard) Multiple caretakers, Mute whumpee.
-
Hours later, Virgo sat on the sofa while Kade and Fallon chatted away at the table.
Vidias had left, gathering supplies from the town nearby, but Virgo had begun to feel worse the longer he was gone.
He was incredibly terrified of another painful episode, especially one that involved Titan, but he had no way to tell Kade and Fallon that.
Why couldn’t you guys learn sign language? Virgo thought helplessly as he watched them talk.
Virgo clenched his jaw, frustration curling in his chest. He lifted a hand to try to get their attention, but his hand froze as his wing twitched again.
This time, it wasn’t just a twitch.
It jerked hard, like something had pulled it, and a strangled gasp tore from his throat as white-hot pain lanced through his back. His body locked up, every muscle tensing at once.
Fallon and Kade weren’t paying attention, and he couldn’t speak, but the noise that he was planning to make caught in his throat when the blinding pain in his head flashed.
Sharp and unbearable.
Virgo’s vision blurred at the edges, his breaths coming in short, panicked bursts. His hands trembled violently, his fingers clawing at the fabric of his pants as his body refused to obey him.
His wing jerked again, harder this time. It felt like something inside him was tearing at the base, as if trying to wrench it free from his body.
A choked, breathless whimper escaped him.
Still, neither Kade nor Fallon had noticed.
They were too wrapped up in their conversation, their voices an indistinct hum beneath the rushing in Virgo’s ears.
He needed help
Desperately, he tried to move, to wave, to slam his hand against the arm of the couch, but his muscles were locked in place.
His entire body felt frozen, seized by the same agonizing force twisting through his wing
The pain in his wing was quickly drowned out by the pain that shot through his head. It felt like someone was tearing open his skull and sticking a hot poker in his brain.
His body refused to obey him.
His wing gave another violent jerk, and this time, a raw, guttural sound escaped him.
That, at last, got their attention.
Kade's head snapped toward him first, his relaxed posture vanishing as his brows furrowed. “Virgo?”
Fallon turned next, his expression shifting from curiosity to alarm in an instant. “What’s wrong?”
Virgo’s body remained rigid, his breaths coming in uneven, frantic gasps.
His hands twitched, but he still couldn’t sign. Couldn’t do anything except sit there, trapped inside his own body while his wing writhed like it was being torn from his back, and his skull splintered.
He barely registered it when Fallon pulled Virgo into his chest, just as Vidias did before.
“He’s gonna pull his bandages apart.” Fallon told Kade.
“What do you want me to do? Force his wing still?” Kade hissed “The bandages are already ruined, touching them will only make it worse.”
Virgo barely noticed their voices.
His wing gave another violent twitch, and this time, it felt like something inside it tore. The sudden shift was unbearable, a bolt of searing pain ripping through his entire body.
Virgo’s back arched sharply, a breathless cry catching in his throat.
His fingers spasmed, gripping onto Kade’s shirt with what little strength he had left.
Fallon swore under his breath, his grip tightening on Virgo’s shoulders. “Breathe. Virgo, breathe.”
He couldn’t. The pain had stolen every ounce of air from his lungs. His vision swam, the edges darkening, his limbs trembling from the sheer force of whatever was happening to him.
Kade grabbed his hands gently, holding them still.
“I know.” He murmured, voice lower now, steadier. “Just hold on. Vidias will be back soon.”
It was a lie. It would be at least three more hours before Vidias even started his trip back to the cave.
Virgo didn’t have three hours. He barely had three seconds.
His vision pulsed, black spots flickering at the edges. His body trembled violently against the onslaught of pain, muscles seizing beyond his control.
The burning sensation in his wing didn’t stop, it only worsened, spreading like wildfire through his back.
Every small shift sent a fresh wave of agony ripping through him, leaving him gasping for air that never came.
Fallon cursed again, this time louder, his voice sharp with urgency. “We can’t just sit here. He’s not going to make it if this keeps up.”
“What do you want me to do?” Kade snapped, trying to keep his voice steady, but there was an edge of panic beneath it.
Virgo’s body jerked again, his wing spasming so violently it nearly wrenched him from Fallon’s grip.
A pained, breathless sound escaped him, barely more than a whisper. His mind was slipping, dragged beneath the crushing weight of unbearable agony.
Then, abruptly, his wing stopped. Not in relief. Not in peace. It locked into place, stretched halfway outward, frozen in an unnatural, rigid angle.
Virgo’s breath hitched, his whole body suddenly too stiff, too still. His fingers twitched weakly against Kade’s hands, and he felt Fallon go completely still behind him.
“Virgo?” Fallon’s voice was softer now, cautious.
Virgo’s heart pounded, and for a fleeting second, he thought the pain was going to stop. Maybe this was over.
Then he felt it.
A slow, deep, tearing sensation at the base of his wing.
Not like a muscle straining.
Not like a broken bone.
It was tearing itself out of his back.
Virgo choked, his mouth opening in a silent scream. He clawed desperately at Kade’s shirt, at Fallon’s arm, at anything to ground himself, but the pain reached a new level of unbearable.
His head snapped back against Fallon’s shoulder.
He yelped in pain, which was the loudest noise he thought he’d made in years, though most of his nights with Titan were blurry, so perhaps it wasn’t.
Kade flinched at the sound, his grip tightening instinctively around Virgo’s trembling hands.
Fallon, tense as stone behind Virgo, barely breathed.
Virgo gasped soundlessly, his body lurching again, back arching as something inside his wing pulled harder.
His stomach twisted violently, a searing sensation crawling down his spine, spreading out like molten fire beneath his skin.
Then, another tear.
A wet, sickening rip that sent a shudder through his entire frame.
His breath hitched, his fingers clawing at Kade’s arms now, desperate, pleading.
“Something is wrong.” Fallon snapped, his voice sharp with rising panic. “Kade, we have to do something!”
“What do you want me to do?” Kade’s voice cracked.
Then, something burst.
Virgo shrieked, just before the pain subsided, he slumped forward, resting his forehead on Kade’s knees.
The first thing he heard when the ringing stopped was made murmuring: “We gotta stop the bleeding.”
Bleeding? Virgo thought, fresh panic spreading up his body. What’s bleeding?
His thoughts were sluggish, weighed down by the pain still echoing through his body.
His back felt like it had been ripped apart, but the pain had dulled into a throbbing ache, his body too weak to process anything more.
He gasped weakly when Fallon pressed something against his back.
“I know.” Fallon muttered. “I know, just hold still.”
He gripped at Kade’s pants leg, trying to get him to explain what was wrong.
Kade glanced down, seeing Virgo’s weak grip on his leg. His brows furrowed, hesitation flickering in his expression before he reached down and covered Virgo’s hand with his own.
“You’re bleeding.” Kade murmured, voice tense but softer now. “A lot.”
Virgo’s heart pounded, panic creeping into his already muddled thoughts. His body was too weak to move, but his fingers twitched against Kade’s in a desperate attempt to demand answers.
Fallon exhaled sharply behind him, his hands pressing more firmly against Virgo’s back. “Uh, It isn’t good, buddy.”
Kade shot him a glare. “Not helping.”
He tapped at Kade’s legs again. Tell me.
He knew Kade couldn’t understand sign language, but maybe he could still figure out what Virgo wanted... no, needed, to know.
Kade looked back down at Virgo’s trembling fingers against his leg. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through Virgo’s hair. “It’s gonna be okay, bud.”
Another voice sounded through the cave. “I’m back. You guys will never guess what I found at the markets. Virgo, how ya feeling, chickadee?”
Vidias.
~Taglist~
@neverthelass
{Insert super cool caption}
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An actual whump writing this time. 😂 Once I get started on an OC I just can't stop. Sorry not sorry!
-
The desert winds howled outside, kicking up fine grains of sand that slipped through the cracks in the rock like whispers of ghosts.
Inside the cave, the air was cooler, still carrying the dry scent of sunbaked stone and old dust.
Kade sat on the sofa of the main chamber, absently flipping a dagger in his hand.
The firelight flickered against the blade, casting brief flashes of gold against the walls.
The others were tucked away in their rooms, Vidias was probably trying to organize supplies again, Fallon was likely passed out on his pile of stolen blankets, and Virgo…
Kade exhaled, shifting the dagger between his fingers.
Virgo had been off for weeks now.
Even after months of freedom, after the wounds had healed and the nightmares had dulled from sharp daggers to distant aches, he still carried a kind of weight in his bones.
He didn’t flinch as much anymore, didn’t shrink away when any of them got too close, but there was still something fragile about him, something that hadn’t quite settled.
The cave was a strange place to call home, but it was theirs.
Each of them had claimed their own space.
Vidias had claimed the deepest, coolest chamber, where he could keep their medical supplies from spoiling.
Fallon had stolen a corner near the entrance, half-buried in pillows and cloth like some kind of hoarding desert creature.
Kade’s own space was a mess of weapons and maps, half-organized and half-forgotten.
Virgo’s was the smallest, but the coziest.
His bed was suspended by hooks that he flew onto all the time, he had a wardrobe, the enclosure for all his snakes, and his own desk.
He had multiple perches carved into the side of the rock with cushions and blankets instead of any form of chairs.
Vidias had the same, though he prefers to sit on actual chairs, not liking the mess his feathers made anytime he pulled them from his flesh.
A flicker of movement caught his eye.
Fallon entered the main room, stretching his arms with a tired look in his eye.
“Hey.” Fallon greeted, voice rough with sleep, before he flopped onto the sofa beside Kade. “Any trouble?”
Kade’s eyes flickered over to him, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. “Nothing new. Just the usual... you know, desert wind, sandstorms, that sort of thing. All quiet here.”
“Are you sure? You seem distracted.” Fallon said motioning toward the dagger still in his hand.
“Yeah..I just—I’ve been thinking about learning sign language.” Kade ran his thumb over the blade.
Fallon raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
He shrugged. “I know we said it wasn’t necessary, but I feel bad that Virgo always has to wait for Vidias to translate so we can understand what he’s saying.”
Fallon shifted on the sofa, giving Kade a sideways glance. “Yeah, I get it. It’s rough, but maybe we should talk to Virgo about that. I think he likes having secret conversations with his brother.”
Kade let out a soft, thoughtful hum, tossing the dagger between his fingers again. “Maybe. I just don’t want him to feel like we’re leaving him out or trying to make him dependent on someone else to talk to us.”
Fallon tilted his head, studying Kade for a moment. “I get it. But, sometimes, I think we forget that Virgo’s used to being alone. I mean, yeah, he has us now, but for a long time, it was just him and Vidias, right? Maybe he doesn’t mind waiting. Maybe he’s just... used to it.”
Kade’s grip on the dagger tightened slightly.
He hadn’t thought about it that way.
Virgo had always been so quiet, so reserved, and it made sense that he might be comfortable with silence. Still, there was something about the idea of him being alone that nagged at Kade, like a wound that hadn’t fully healed.
“Yeah.” Kade muttered, glancing toward the hallway where Virgo’s room was. “I don’t want him to feel like he’s stuck in the past. He’s free now. He should be able to speak up when he needs to, not wait for someone else to speak for him.”
Fallon opened his mouth to speak, but a loud crash followed by a shriek from Virgo cut him off.
Kade was on his feet before he even had time to think, dagger already in his grip as he bolted toward Virgo’s room.
Fallon was right behind him, curses slipping from his mouth as they skidded to a stop in the doorway.
Virgo was crumpled on the ground, thrashing violently, trying to get his wing free from the stalactite that had impaled it, pinning it to the ground.
“Don’t move!” He ordered, dropping to his knees beside him.
His dagger clattered to the floor as he reached out, hands hovering over Virgo’s trembling form.
His wing was skewered clean through by the jagged rock, dark blood pooling beneath him, soaking into the sand. Virgo’s breath was ragged, his entire body shuddering from pain and shock. His free hand clawed at the ground, fingers spasming like he wanted to sign something but couldn’t focus long enough to do it.
“Vidias!” Fallon bellowed, already kneeling to press a hand to Virgo’s shoulder, steadying him. “We need you, now!”
Virgo jerked again, his wing opening around the rock, and feathers flying everywhere.
“Don’t move!” Kade repeated, trying to hold him still, but it was too late.
His wing wrenched against the jagged stalactite, tearing the wound wider. More blood spilled onto the floor, dark and glistening in the firelight. His face twisted in agony, and pained chirps slipped from his lips.
“Virgo, stop.” Kade growled, gripping his uninjured shoulder to keep him from thrashing.
He thrashed anyway, and this time, he freed himself, the stalactite tearing through his wing, leaving it in two, bloodied pieces.
The moment Virgo’s wing tore free, a ragged gasp escaped him, silent, but the agony on his face was deafening. His body seized, then went limp, slumping against Kade’s grip as more blood pooled beneath him.
Vidias arrived just in time to see the damage.
“Oh, Virgo, no.” He rushed over, gently taking Virgo from Kade's arms. “It’s okay, buddy. I’ll fix it. Promise.”
His hands moved, signing something.
“I know. It’s okay.” Vidias whispered, and in that moment Kade really wished he had considered learning sign-language sooner.
In that moment, he would’ve given anything to understand what Virgo was saying.
Vidias didn’t waste time. He pressed gauze to the wound, his hands steady despite the sheer amount of blood. “Fallon, get the stitching kit. Now.”
Fallon hesitated for half a second before scrambling to his feet, bolting toward Vidias’ supply chamber.
Kade hovered close, feeling utterly useless.
His fingers curled into fists. Virgo was barely conscious now, his breath shallow, his skin too pale. His free hand lifted weakly, signing something again.
“I know.” He murmured, brushing blood-matted hair away from Virgo’s forehead. “You don’t have to say it.”
Kade exhaled sharply, frustration tightening in his chest. “What’s he saying?”
Vidias glanced at him, his lips pressing together. “He’s apologizing.”
Kade’s gut twisted. “Why?”
Before Vidias could answer, Fallon returned, hands full of bandages and stitching supplies. He dropped to his knees beside them, eyes darting between Virgo’s mangled wing and Vidias’ grim expression. “This is bad, isn’t it?”
“No. It’s great.” Vidias grumbled, glaring at him.
Virgo signed something else, tears welling in his eyes.
“No, don’t say that.” Vidias’s tone softened again. “It might be a while, but you’ll fly again, I’ll make sure of it. We’ll take all these stupid stalactites off the ceiling too.”
Virgo’s gaze wavered, doubt flickering behind the pain, but he didn’t argue.
Kade exhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus on what he could do now. He grabbed some of the bandages from Fallon, rolling them tight in his grip. “How do we help?”
Vidias looked up at him, eyes sharp. “Hold him still. I need to clean the wound before I stitch it.”
Kade nodded and took Virgo’s trembling frame back into his arms. He was so light. Too light. His breath was barely there, his body wracked with exhaustion.
Fallon pressed down on the worst of the bleeding while Vidias worked, carefully dabbing at the ragged flesh with antiseptic-soaked cloth.
Virgo twitched, but he didn’t pull away. He just clenched his jaw and let Vidias work, his free hand gripping onto Kade’s wrist so tightly it ached.
It took longer than Kade liked.
The bleeding slowed, but the damage was gruesome, what remained of the wing was in ruins. By the time Vidias finished, Virgo had long since gone limp, unconscious again.
His breathing had steadied, his grip on Kade’s wrist had slackened, but Kade didn’t let go just yet.
Fallon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Well, that was awful.”
Vidias didn’t respond. He just sat there for a moment, staring down at his brother, his hands bloodstained and trembling.
Kade finally spoke. “You think he’ll really fly again?”
Vidias swallowed. His voice was quiet, but firm. “No, but he doesn’t need to know that. Not until I’m certain.”
Kade’s stomach twisted at the words. He looked down at Virgo’s still form, his face slack with unconsciousness, the dried streaks of tears still visible on his cheeks. His ruined wing was wrapped tight in gauze, but the damage was clear even beneath the bandages.
Fallon let out a slow breath. He rubbed at his face before glancing at Vidias. “You don’t think there’s a chance?”
“There’s always a chance, but I… I just don’t know how to tell him that this might not be one of those times.” He exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. “I’ll do everything I can, but… wings don’t just grow back.”
The words settled heavily between them.
Kade shifted slightly, adjusting Virgo’s weight in his arms. His grip was still loose around Kade’s wrist, like even in unconsciousness, he didn’t want to be left alone.
“He loves to fly.” Vidias whispered, though he seemed to just be thinking aloud. “He didn’t mean to tear his wing. He panicked. How can I take that away from him?”
Kade clenched his jaw, his grip tightening around Virgo’s limp hand.
“You’re not taking anything away from him.” He said firmly. “This isn’t your fault.”
Vidias let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
“Yeah? Tell him that when he wakes up.” His hands were still shaking, blood drying in the creases of his fingers. “Tell him that when he realizes—”
He cut himself off, pressing his lips together.
Fallon, unusually quiet, rubbed at his neck before muttering. “Maybe we don’t tell him yet. Not until we know for sure.”
Vidias shot him a look, half-exhausted, half-skeptical. “And when he tries to fly? When he finds out the hard way?”
“We’ll deal with it then.” Fallon said simply. “Right now, he needs rest. You need rest.”
Kade nodded as he motioned to Vidias’ bloodstained hands. “Go wash up. Fallon and I can watch him.”
Vidias hesitated, looking down at Virgo, then at the two of them. He sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Fine, but if anything changes—”
“We’ll get you.” Kade finished.
Vidias gave a small nod before dragging himself toward his chamber, exhaustion evident in every step.
Once he was gone, silence settled between Fallon and Kade, broken only by the crackle of the fire and the faint, uneven rhythm of Virgo’s breathing.
Kade’s eyes lingered on Virgo’s face.
His features were slack, peaceful in a way they rarely were when he was awake. There was always something tense about Virgo, like he was bracing for something, expecting something to go wrong.
Now, after tonight, Kade knew that feeling wasn’t going to go away. If anything, it would be worse.
Steel Sun: Pt 3
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Content: Mute whumpee, multiple caretakers, trauma flashback (??? kinda) Avian whumpee, wing injury, guilty whumpee
-
The moment Virgo’s breathing slowed, deepened into something more peaceful, Vidias allowed himself a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
His heart still ached, but at least his mute little brother was no longer spiraling in the anguish of the moment.
He’d lost his temper, too, something Virgo never did, but he couldn’t blame him for it. Not when it felt like the world was breaking apart and there was nothing he could do to hold it all together.
Slowly, he slid away from the bed, heading back through the tunnel that led to the main chamber.
Vidias’s footsteps were quiet as he made his way through the winding tunnels of their home.
He couldn’t shake the heaviness in his chest, the weight of Virgo’s sorrow pressing on him. It wasn't fair.
The moment he stepped into the main chamber, the atmosphere felt different, colder. Fallon and Kade were already there, their stances tense, as if they were waiting for some sort of direction.
Kade leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed, his gaze downcast, while Fallon paced, his red eyes sharp despite the lingering irritation.
Vidias took a deep breath before speaking, his voice low but firm. “Virgo’s resting.”
“Is he… okay?” Kade asked, his voice quieter than usual, though the concern in his tone was unmistakable.
Vidias paused before answering. “He’s hurt, but he’ll get through it. He needs time.”
Fallon’s posture stiffened at Vidias’s words, though he didn’t speak right away. His eyes flickered to the ground before meeting Vidias’s, the unspoken understanding between them settling like a quiet storm.
“I didn’t mean to push him.” Fallon finally admitted, his usual bravado muted. “I just… wanted to help.”
“I know.” Vidias replied, his voice softening just a fraction. He could see the guilt creeping into Fallon’s expression, but he didn’t want to dwell on it. “He was incredibly upset with himself over that. He started crying.”
Fallon shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided Vidias’s gaze. “He did? Why? I didn’t get hurt.”
“He’s never lost his temper like that before, he was just feeling guilty.” Vidias sighed. “He misses his wing, and he feels bad he almost hurt you.”
Fallon’s expression softened at Vidias’s words, and for the first time, the usual cocky confidence that surrounded him seemed to falter. He stood still for a moment, trying to process the weight of what Vidias had just said.
“I didn’t mean to… make him feel like that.” Fallon muttered, his voice lower now, tinged with genuine remorse. “I didn’t know.”
Vidias watched him, noting the shift in Fallon’s demeanor.
Fallon was usually quick to cover his emotions with jokes or sarcasm, but now, there was a vulnerability in his gaze that Vidias hadn’t expected.
“None of us knew.” Vidias replied quietly, rubbing his eyes, worn by the emotions of the past hours. “It’s not your fault, Fallon. It’s just hard for him to accept all of it. Losing something he’s had his whole life. You can’t really understand what that feels like unless you've been in his shoes, but you were trying to help.”
“I–I thought you said he may still be able to fly.” Kade whispered, sounding softer than Vidias had ever heard him.
It wasn’t like Kade to voice his doubts so openly, and it made Vidias realize just how much the situation had shifted them all.
The room, the atmosphere, it was heavy with the unspoken fear that everything they knew was slipping through their fingers.
“I did say that.” Vidias answered, his voice heavy but steady. “We don’t know anything for sure. The healing process is long, and his wing is… fragile. Even if he regains some movement, it won’t be the same. Not for a long time.”
There was a long pause as the weight of his words sank in. Kade stared down at the ground, his brow furrowed, clearly struggling with what he’d heard.
A quiet whine from the door made them all turn.
Vidias’s gaze snapped toward the entrance, his body instinctively tensing.
The sound was soft but unmistakably distressed.
Fallon and Kade turned with him, their expressions shifting from solemn contemplation to wary anticipation.
Virgo stepped into the stone archway, eyes downcast, bandaged wing dragging on the floor.
I’m sorry, Fallon. He signed, glancing at Vidias to translate for him.
Vidias’s chest tightened at the sight of his brother standing there, looking so small despite the strength he’d always carried.
Fallon, for once, was silent. His red eyes flickered with something uncharacteristically soft, hesitation, guilt, maybe even regret.
Vidias swallowed, then turned back to Fallon and translated. “He said he’s sorry.”
Fallon let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck as he shifted uncomfortably. He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
“Don’t—” His voice came out rougher than he probably intended, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Don’t apologize, alright? I shouldn’t have pushed you. That’s on me.”
Virgo shook his head firmly, signing again. lt wasn’t your fault. I wasn’t mad at you. I was mad at my situation.
Vidias relayed the words, watching as Fallon exhaled sharply, his shoulders losing some of their tension. “It’s okay. I’m not mad, promise.”
Virgo smiled before signing again. Were you talking about me?
Vidias hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. There was no use in lying, Virgo was perceptive enough to see right through it.
“Yeah.” He admitted. “We were just… worried about you.”
The smile didn’t leave his face, even as he picked his own wing off the floor when he moved to sit on one of the stools, before he signed again. It’s rude to talk about people behind their backs.
Vidias huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “You weren’t exactly here to stop us.”
Virgo gave him a pointed look, but there was no real irritation in it. Just something lighter, teasing. It was a relief to see, even if only for a moment.
“You know, Vidias, you gotta get better at translating.” Kade spoke up. “As much as I love hearing the one-sided conversation, I would love to know Virgo’s input.”
Vidias sighed. “It wouldn’t be a problem if you two would take the time to learn sign-language, so I wouldn’t have to be here for you guys to talk to each other.”
Fallon huffed. “We can communicate, mostly. He may be mute, but he can still make those chirps and whines. I’ve gotten pretty good at deciphering them.”
Virgo arched a brow, clearly unimpressed. Don’t believe him. He really hasn’t. I just get tired of trying to get my point across, so I just nod and move on.
Vidias smirked. “He just said your deciphering skills are questionable at best.”
Fallon scoffed. “Alright, rude.”
Kade, meanwhile, exhaled, rubbing his temples. “Look, I’d learn sign-language if I had the time, alright?”
“You’d think communicating with someone who is supposed to be your best friend would be more important than reading maps and sharpening weapons all day.” Vidias shot back.
Kade rolled his eyes. “Yeah, because keeping us from getting lost or killed is so unimportant.”
“Well, what were you doing before the stalactite fell?” Fallon asked. “Sitting on the couch twirling a knife.”
“I can’t have a break?” Kade demanded, brows furrowing.
“Well, not from something that’s apparently so important.” Vidias snapped.
Kade stood up, clearly ready for more than an argument, but he paused, gaze shifting onto Virgo, who had pulled his knees to his chest and used his good wing to wrap around himself.
Vidias knew Virgo hated arguments, mostly because he could never defend himself, but also because he just didn’t like yelling in general. Usually, he’d just interrupt them, reminding them not to yell, but since he was hurt, he was more concerned with protecting himself.
“Sorry, bud.” Fallon stepped closer, gently brushing his fingertips over his feathers.
This would’ve been the moment that Virgo gracefully jumped off the stool and flew to his room, hiding under the covers of his bed until nightfall, but his wing was injured. So, instead of gracefully lifting into the sky, he fell onto his injured wing with a Thud!
A sharp, pained whimper escaped Virgo before he could stop it, his body instinctively curling in on itself as his good wing flared in distress.
Vidias was at his side in an instant, hands hovering over his brother’s trembling form.
“Virgo?” His voice was taut with worry.
Fallon cursed under his breath, crouching beside him. “Are you okay? That was—That looked bad.”
His usual sarcasm was gone, replaced by something uncharacteristically anxious.
Kade had already moved, yanking a folded blanket from a nearby crate and pushing it toward Vidias. “Let’s get him to the sofa.”
Vidias nodded, carefully maneuvering Virgo so he wasn’t pressing onto his bandaged wing any further.
His brother winced but didn’t resist, though his breath was coming in sharp, uneven gasps.
I’m sorry. I forgot that wing was hurt. Virgo signed weakly, his fingers trembling as he pressed them against his chest. I thought Fallon was Titan for a moment.
He exchanged a glance with Fallon and Kade, who were both oblivious to what Virgo signed.
Vidias forced himself to take a slow breath, steadying the sudden rush of emotions that name brought. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up in old wounds.
“You’re okay.” Vidias murmured, keeping his voice even as he scooped him into his arms and carried him toward the sofa.
Virgo didn’t protest, though his hands twitched against Vidias’s sleeve like he wanted to sign something else.
Vidias lowered him onto the worn-out sofa, adjusting the blanket around him while Fallon and Kade hovered nearby, their usual confidence replaced by silent concern.
“What did he say?” Kade asked. “Is he okay? We didn’t mean to scare him.”
Vidias didn’t look back at them, focusing on checking his brother’s bandages. “He said Fallon reminded him of Titan for a moment. He’s okay. Just a moment of panic. We all have those.”
Fallon took a step back. “I did?”
Virgo sat up, beginning to sign frantically. It startled me, that’s all. It’s okay. Vidias, tell him it’s fine.
Vidias exhaled, watching Virgo’s hands move with urgency, his fingers trembling slightly with the aftershock of pain.
He didn’t need to translate for everyone in the room to know that Virgo was desperate to smooth things over.
That was just the way he was, always trying to make sure no one else felt guilty, even when he was the one in pain.
Still, he did as Virgo asked. “He said it just startled him. That’s all.”
Fallon hesitated, his usually confident demeanor slipping even further. He shifted his weight from foot to foot before running a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t trying to—I mean, I didn’t mean to remind him of… you know.”
Virgo’s expression faltered slightly, and he lowered his gaze, fiddling with the edge of the blanket draped over him. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you guys.
Vidias sighed, rubbing his forehead. “We know you didn’t, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re worried about you.”
Virgo huffed softly, then signed something quickly before settling deeper into the cushions. Stop worrying so much. I’ll be fine.
Vidias gave him a flat look. “Yeah, because that fall you just took really screamed ‘fine’.”
Virgo stuck his tongue out at him.
Despite himself, Vidias chuckled, shaking his head.
The tension in the room wasn’t gone, not completely, but at least it had settled into something more bearable.
Kade rolled his eyes but didn’t push further. Instead, he leaned back against the table, crossing his arms. “Well, if your head is fine, you should rest.”
Virgo made a small chirping noise in protest, but even as he did, his eyelids were already growing heavy.
He was exhausted.
Vidias could see it in the way his body slumped against the sofa, his good wing tucked tightly around him for comfort.
Fallon nudged Kade with his elbow. “Look at him. He’s out already.”
Virgo waved him off as he settled deeper into the sofa, truly drifting for the first time since he woke.
Vidias watched as Virgo’s breathing slowed, deep and steady, the pain in his features smoothing into something softer.
None of them spoke.
The only sounds were the faint crackling of the torches lining the chamber walls and the distant echo of dripping water somewhere deeper in the tunnels.
Virgo's wing pt 2:
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Takes place directly after this piece More whump because it's fun! Feedback is more than welcome!
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Content: Found family. Multiple caretakers. Questionable caretaker??? Whumpee lashing out. Mute whumpee. Protective brother. Idk guys I literally wrote this two years ago.
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Virgo drifted on the edge of consciousness, caught between the weight of exhaustion and the sharp, distant pulse of pain that anchored him to wakefulness.
The world was muffled, his body heavy, and the first thing he registered was warmth.
A blanket, tucked around his shoulders. The scent of smoke and desert sand clung to the air, familiar and grounding.
He didn’t open his eyes right away. Instead, he listened.
There were quiet voices around him, hushed but not tense. Kade and Fallon.
The tones were calm, worn, but not panicked. That meant he wasn’t in immediate danger. That meant the worst was over.
He felt someone shift on the bed beside him, and he didn’t need to open his eyes to know it was Vidias.
He also didn’t need to open his eyes to know he was in Vidias’s chamber. His bed was tied to the cave ceiling, so he would’ve needed to fly to get to it, meaning they had tucked him into Vidias’s bed.
He tried to move his wing, but pain flared, sharp and immediate, and he sucked in a breath through his teeth.
The voices around him hushed.
“Virgo?” Vidias’s voice, soft but laced with worry.
Virgo forced his eyes open.
The firelight flickered against the cave walls, casting long shadows across the chamber.
Vidias was sitting beside him on the bed, looking tired but alert, his sharp features drawn tight.
Fallon leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his usual smirk absent.
Kade was perched on the edge of the bed, watching him intently.
Virgo blinked slowly.
His body felt like lead, exhaustion pressing into his bones, but the ache in his wing was worse. A dull, constant throb beneath the fresh pulse of pain from his earlier movement.
Vidias signed slowly at him, giving him time to process the words. How do you feel?
Virgo let out a breath, lifting his hand to sign back. Like I lost a fight with a rock.
“What’s he saying? What’d you say?” Fallon demanded, red eyes glinting as he leaned forward.
“Hush.” Vidias grumbled, waving his hand at him. “We’re having a conversation.”
Kade groaned. “Come on, you know we don’t know sign language.”
Vidias shot them both an unimpressed look but relented, exhaling through his nose as he translated. “He said he feels like he lost a fight with a rock.”
Fallon snorted. “Well, technically, you did.”
Vidias glared at him. “If you don’t leave him alone, I'll bury you in the dunes.”
Kade’s mouth quirked slightly, but it didn’t last. His eyes flickered toward Virgo’s wing, his expression darkening.
Virgo followed his gaze.
His stomach twisted at the sight of the thick bandages wrapped around what remained of his wing.
His fingers lifted to sign again, slow and deliberate. How bad?
Vidias hesitated, his jaw tightening.
He looked away for half a second before his hands moved again. We stopped the bleeding. It’ll take time, but… you’re alive.
That wasn’t an answer.
Virgo’s breath shallowed. He turned his head slightly, his eyes locking onto Vidias’s. Will I fly?
Silence.
Vidias glanced around. Fallon and Kade’s expressions darkened with understanding.
With time. Vidias signed back, but there was doubt in his features.
Vidias was many things, blunt, sharp, stubborn, but he wasn’t a liar. If there had been real certainty in his answer, Virgo would have seen it.
His stomach curled in on itself.
His fingers twitched against the blanket before moving again, slower this time. That’s not an answer.
Vidias exhaled sharply.
He ran a hand through his dark blue hair, fingers gripping tight at the strands for a second before letting them fall.
He didn’t sign anything back immediately, and the hesitation was enough to make Virgo’s pulse hammer against his ribs.
“Vidias.” Kade said, his voice quiet. A warning, maybe.
Vidias’s jaw tensed before his hands finally moved. You need to rest. We can talk about this later.
Later?
There was no later.
Virgo’s whole life had been spent relying on his wings, on the sky. It wasn’t just something he wanted back, it was something he needed.
Ignoring the pain, he forced himself to sit up and stretched his good wing.
“Virgo.” Kade started, but Virgo paid him no mind.
He ran his fingers over his bandaged wing, hoping to feel it twitch like it used to when it was touched.
Nothing.
The bandages shifted beneath his fingertips, rough against his skin, but there was no response. No twitch, no faint movement like before, just stillness.
Virgo’s chest tightened.
His throat felt thick, and his breaths came too fast, uneven.
The weight of exhaustion was still heavy in his bones, but the cold, creeping realization was heavier.
Vidias reached for him, but Virgo jerked his arm away, his hands trembling as he lifted them. I need to know.
Vidias shook his head. “Not now.”
Virgo didn’t care about now or later. He didn’t care about the exhaustion pressing into him, or the way his body ached from injury.
He tried to flap them.
His good wing snapped through the air, a few feathers falling loose, but the bandaged one merely twitched at his side, drooping at an awkward angle.
Virgo clenched his jaw, frustration twisting inside him, tangled with something worse. Something he refused to name.
He tried again, ignoring the way his muscles protested.
The same result. A pathetic twitch. A useless weight at his side.
He gritted his teeth, fists tightening in the blankets. His breath came sharp and shallow, his vision blurring at the edges.
Vidias moved first. He caught Virgo’s wrist gently but firmly, his grip grounding.
Enough. His hands moved with quiet finality, fingers steady despite the storm brewing behind his eyes.
Virgo wrenched his arm away. It’s not enough.
Vidias exhaled, slow and deliberate. His hands remained still for a moment before he signed again. I know.
That was the worst part.
Vidias did know, and still, there was nothing either of them could do.
The fire crackled softly, filling the silence that stretched between them.
Kade shifted from where he sat on the edge of the bed, watching carefully. Fallon, for once, stayed quiet.
“It’s fresh.” Kade whispered. “It could come back. Don’t panic just yet.”
Virgo didn’t look at him. He couldn’t.
The words were meant to be comforting, but they felt hollow.
His fingers twitched against the blanket.
He knew Kade meant well, but Kade didn’t understand. Neither did Fallon. Even Vidias, who understood the sky better than most, had never known what it was like to lose it.
“Come on, bubba.” Vidias murmured, stroking through Virgo’s hair. “Don’t be like that. You’re probably just hangry. Let’s get you out to the main chamber, and I’ll cook you something. The feeling in your wing may come back. It’ll just take a while.”
Virgo shook his head, turning away and scooting back against the headboard, using his good wing to shield himself.
“Oh, V.” Vidias crooned. He felt his hands running over his feathers. “I know. I’m sorry. Please, come eat.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the weight of their stares, the dull ache in his wing, the gnawing hollowness in his chest.
Vidias’s fingers were still carding gently through his feathers, a grounding touch, but it only made the ache in his throat worse.
“Come on, Virgo. Moping isn’t going to give your wing back.” Fallon said, taking a step closer. “Come eat. You’ll feel better.”
If Virgo wasn’t mute, he would’ve screamed at him, told him and Kade to get out, that he just wanted his brother, but he was mute, so he just tightened his wing around himself.
Vidias let out a slow breath, his fingers stilling in Virgo’s feathers for a moment before he pulled back.
“Fallon, stop. He’s allowed to be sad.” Kade mumbled.
“He’s not being sad, he’s being overdramatic.” Fallon sighed. “If it were me—”
Virgo moved before he could think.
He was so tired of everything. He knew it was his own fault his wing was hurt, but none of them had any right to judge how he processed his loss.
He snatched a plate off Vidias’s bedside table and whipped it at Fallon’s head, watching as it zipped by him and shattered off the rock wall.
He wanted to have handled it a different way, but he couldn’t speak, and Fallon and Kade didn’t know sign-language, so they never listened.
Fallon froze, red eyes wide as the shards of broken ceramic scattered across the cave floor.
For a second, no one moved. No one spoke.
Then Fallon let out a slow breath, dragging a hand down his face.
“Alright. Message received.” He spun on his heel and left.
Kade sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Virgo—”
Vidias cut him off with a sharp look. “Don’t.”
Virgo’s breathing was still uneven, his good wing trembling where it curled around him.
His hands clenched the blanket in his lap, fingers twitching as if he wanted to sign something, but he didn’t bother.
“I’m gonna go before something gets thrown at me.” Kade muttered before he stepped out too.
The moment he and Vidias were alone, Virgo couldn’t help the tears that began to stream from his eyes.
He was a terrible friend.
Fallon had been right. He had been moping, and Fallon was only trying to help and Virgo nearly broke a plate over his head.
Vidias didn’t say anything.
He didn’t scold Virgo or tell him he’d overreacted. He just let him sit there, breathing unevenly, tears slipping silently down his face.
Virgo curled into a ball, burying his face in his arms and sobbing, letting his one good wing wrap around him.
“I know it’s crappy right now, bubba, but you’re gonna be okay.” Vidias murmured. “We’ll lower your bed, and make you some alcoves lower to the ground.”
He felt like he was unraveling, and there was nothing he could do to hold himself together.
The loss of his wing was more than just physical. It was a piece of himself, a piece of the sky he could never get back.
Vidias didn’t press him to stop. He didn’t ask him to be strong or try to fix anything. He just stayed there, the steady presence that Virgo had always known.
Vidias’s voice was soft, as if speaking too loudly might break the fragile air between them. “I’m not going anywhere, okay?”
His fingers threaded through Virgo’s hair again, slow and deliberate, as if to offer some semblance of comfort.
Virgo could feel Vidias’s warmth, his constant support, but it didn’t change the hollowness inside him. No one could change that.
I don’t want to stay like this. Virgo finally signed.
The words felt heavy, even more so because he couldn’t say them aloud, but he needed to say them, needed Vidias to hear them.
He unfurled enough to make his signs more clear. I don’t want to be broken.
Vidias didn’t pull away. His thumb brushed over Virgo’s temple, a silent reassurance.
“You’re not broken, bubba.” He said quietly. “You’re just… you’re just going through something hard right now, but you’ll heal. We’ll make sure of that.”
Please go tell Fallon I’m sorry. He begged. I didn’t want to throw the plate. I just wanted him to listen.
His signs were clumsy, his hands trembling too hard to keep them clear.
Vidias reached out slowly, gently placing his hand on top of Virgo’s trembling one.
“Hey.” He murmured, his voice steady and warm. “I’ll talk to Fallon. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Virgo nodded slightly, though his tears still fell silently, his body curled into itself.
The air between them was thick with unspoken things, the weight of loss, the grief that hung around them like a storm waiting to break.
Vidias stayed quiet for a moment, letting the silence settle between them before speaking again.
“You’re not broken, V.” He repeated, his voice a little firmer this time. “You’re hurt. You’re hurting, and that’s okay. You’re still my brother, and I’m not going anywhere. No matter how hard it gets.”
Virgo’s chest rose and fell with each shaky breath. He wanted to believe it, wanted to feel like everything would be okay again, but the doubt clung to him.
Vidias seemed to sense his spiraling thoughts.
His thumb continued to trace small, soothing circles against Virgo’s temple, grounding him, steadying him.
He pressed a kiss to his forehead, and muttered something against him.
Virgo didn’t need to hear it to know what it was.
A sleep spell.
The exhaustion he’d been ignoring tripled, and he lost control over his limbs.
“Just rest. It's okay.” Was the last thing Virgo heard as he slid into unconsciousness.