Chapter Text
Thursday
November 3
2022
“Dodo Three, this is Dodo One, over. We have landed.”
“Oh yay! I’m getting lonely here. How was the lesson?”
“As good as it gets. Orville’s doin’ great out there…he flies like a pro already. Now, we’re coming in, so wait one second.”
“Roger that. I’m all ready.”
Gulliver turns off his walkie-talkie and glances around the desk. The papers he’s been working on are scattered all over the place. He quickly makes an effort to stack them up as neatly as possible, next to the computer. The screen has two tabs open: one with the flight control task Wilbur had assigned him to do, and the other an online snake game which he has moved his focus to. He unpauses the game, mashing the keys to move his snake around and gobble up other players. Wilbur’s gonna kill me if he finds out, he thinks to himself, still completely occupied on making his snake as big as possible. Just when he thinks he’s set a new personal record, a bigger player eats him up.
“Nooo!” he screams, slamming his wing on the desk. “Dang it!”
Just then, he hears footsteps in the hallway. Oh shoot. He quickly closes the game tab and opens the other one full-screen, pretending to concentrate on it.
“Gully, you okay there?” Wilbur asks, coming into view with Orville.
Gulliver looks up from the computer and gives him a cheeky smile. “Oh yeah, it’s all fine…good. I just got…a little frustrated with the paperwork, that’s all.”
“Alright, just checkin’. How much you got done there?”
“Um…about three-quarters of the way.” He knows he’s not lying about that; still, he could have definitely finished it if he had stayed on task.
“Very good, baby. We can finish tomorrow.” Wilbur pauses, looking at the clock on the wall. “Now, it’s getting late and you look a little tired…why don’t ya get ready for bed?”
“Sounds good to me.” Gulliver stands up from the chair, giving his boyfriend a bear hug. “What about the computer?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Orville replies. “Takes only a few seconds to log out, anyway.”
Gulliver thanks the brothers before retreating to the hallway. It is past eleven, after all, and Wilbur was right…he is quite exhausted. He figures, though, from Orville’s appearance tonight, that the younger Dodo brother is exhausted beyond his level. It seems like a whole lot of work to be ground control and a pilot-in-training at the same time. As he enters his room to get changed, he feels a pang of guilt for being off-task earlier. Anything he doesn’t get done puts more of a burden on Orville, and he never wants to burden Orville. The poor fella is already managing so much.
It makes it easier for them all, having a third set of wings to help. Before taking part-time shifts at the beginning of the year, Gulliver hadn’t worked a real job in over ten years. For the times he takes over, while Orville is at a lesson, he gets a portion of Orville’s salary from Tom Nook. He hasn’t been good at saving his Bells; the first paycheck he blew right away on a shopping spree at Able Sisters. He knows he’s getting better, though…Wilbur is helping him get better. Even if that means being forbidden to shop alone with his own money.
He sighs as he climbs into bed, resting his head on the pillow. Before he can begin to doze off, he suddenly notices Wilbur standing right next to him. His boyfriend must have snuck in quietly through the door.
“Goodnight, Gully,” Wilbur whispers. “You did great tonight.”
Well, maybe not ‘great’...but fine, I’ll take it.
“Thanks, baby. Goodnight.”
He can barely keep his eyes open now. Boy, this work thing is so tiring… The last thing he notices is Wilbur gently stroking his head, soothing him to sleep.
…
Friday
November 4
2022
He wakes up to faint sunlight coming through the window, and a certain figure standing by the bed… Wilbur? He’s still here? He groans and slowly rubs his eyes, realizing that his boyfriend is indeed still there. For some reason…
“Good morning, little one.” Wilbur tells him softly. “I was waitin’ for you a while.”
“You…were here all night?”
“No, silly. I went to bed myself. Of course I got up first!”
He lets out a yawn, remaining snuggled under the thick, fluffy blanket. “Well…makes sense. What time is it?”
“Eleven-thirty. It’s just you and me right now…Orville’s still asleep. Out like a light.”
“Oh, okay…” He grins at Wilbur. “Do you have anything planned?”
“Well, actually I do. So, once you’re ready to get up, I want to talk to you. Don’t rush, though; take as long as you need.”
“Alright…give me a few minutes.” Although he is still half-asleep, and a bit out of it, he can’t help but wonder what Wilbur wants to talk about. Maybe it’s about my job? That seems to be the most logical option.
Eventually, he slowly sits up in bed, with Wilbur smoothing out his feathers. His bed, although pushed up in the corner of the room, has space for two. He scoots over toward the wall so Wilbur can climb in next to him. They keep the fluffy blanket over their legs, and Gulliver’s little stuffed seal– a gift from Wilbur last year– occupies the space between their feet.
“So, Gully, uh…I guess I should tell you this. Now it’s only an offer, and we’re not forcing you to do anything, but…Orville is very overwhelmed. He’s doing two things at once, and you have really been such a big help.”
“Well…thank you, baby,” he replies. “I’m trying my best…”
“I know you are. That’s why I was thinking about you taking over ground control more often. Like, during times when Orville’s not at a lesson…so he gets a break. And maybe one day, you could even start doin’ it full time.”
“Oh…wow. That would be cool. Except full-time seems like a lot.”
“I know, I was thinking you would say that.” Wilbur chuckles slightly. “You can do it as much or as little as you want. Just maybe a little more than what you’re doing currently. Orville and I both think you’re a great Dodo Three. You’re fully capable.”
“Really?” Hmm…I wouldn’t quite say that. “Even when I leave a mess on the desk?”
“Yep, even then.”
“What about when I go off task? Or I don’t know how to use the computer? Or when I fall asleep on the job?”
“Gully…listen.” Wilbur says, putting a wing on his shoulder. “I’m not saying you’re perfect. Far from it, in fact. But think about where you were on day one…you've improved so much. Besides, if you really were a pain, we wouldn’t be letting you do it.”
“Yeah…makes sense.” The thought relieves him, that he isn’t quite the nuisance he thinks he is. “Well, when should I take over? Whenever Orville’s too tired?”
“No, we were thinking an hour or two every day. When he has the lessons, just keep on like usual. On the non-lesson days, we’ll block out a time in the afternoon. That way, Orville can take a nap or go outside or whatever he wants to do. Like I said, ground control is much easier when two fellas are doing it; you have proven that already.”
“Okay…well, that sounds great!” He gives Wilbur a smile. “Better than doin’ nothing all day. When should I start?”
“Well, today is Friday…Orville doesn’t have a lesson. So you can work this afternoon. You know, it’s gonna be a busy day…filling out flight plans for K.K.’s arrival tomorrow, then Daisy Mae’s on Sunday, and Goldie’s planning on a Nook Miles trip with me. Orville shouldn’t be doin’ all that work when he’s so sleep deprived.”
Gulliver’s eyes go wide. Holy crap. That’s a whole lot to do…what if I mess up? Then Wilbur might get mad at him. He hates it when his boyfriend gets mad.
“Wow, baby…I, uh…don’t know if I can do all that.”
“Now now, Gully. I believe in you. And I’ll be a walkie-talkie away from any obstacles you may come across. That’s the good thing about doing this on Orville’s off time; I’m right here and I won’t leave until your shift is over. Okay? Can you at least try?”
“Alright…sure. Just a couple hours, though.”
“Okay, great!” Wilbur gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Ori’s gonna be really glad you’re doing this. It means so much to him.”
Gulliver grabs his little stuffed seal and holds it close to his body, stroking its fluffy fur. You got this, Dodo Three. You can’t let Wilbur down.
“What about the work last night…that I didn’t finish?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll do it for you now. May I ask, though, why you didn’t get it done? You had plenty of time.”
“Well, uh…” Okay, you’re busted. He might as well tell Wilbur the truth. “I was playing a game on the computer. I got bored with the flight plans after a while. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, Gulliver…” Wilbur lets out a long sigh. “What have I told you? No games during your shifts! You can do that in your free time, and may I remind you that you have a lot of it.”
“I know.” Gulliver looks down at his seal. He’s mad at me…he used my full name. “I won’t do it again.”
“Well, good. I won’t tell Orville about this one, but if there’s a next time I will. Tell me, though, was it that snake game?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, I knew it! Did you beat your high score?” Wilbur’s voice sounds less angry now, so Gulliver can look at him again.
“No, I almost did. Until this jerk ate me.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Maybe after your shift today, we can play together. On my computer, of course.”
“Yeah, that sounds great!” His heart skips a beat, and he smiles in excitement. “Thank you so much, baby.”
Wilbur grins back, and the two cuddle into a warm bear hug, the seal included. Gulliver takes a deep breath, relieved that his boyfriend won’t punish him for his off-task behavior. His job will only get harder today, and he needs to be ready.
He just hopes he’ll get paid extra for this.