Chapter Text
I hear a familiar bing on my comm and look down. Grian's message flashes across the screen, a simple but urgent request: "Hey, can you come over?" Last I had heard was that he had quite the nasty run in with Iskalls Mega tree. My curiosity is piqued, and I can't help but wonder what Grian needs. I quickly gather my things, ready to head out and see what awaits.
I get to his door and knock. He fumbles around for a second, and as he opens the door I see why. His right arm is in a sling, and his wings are ruffled and feathers are sticking out every which way.
"Pearl ran out of healing potions" Grian grumbles as I look quizzically at his injured arm. Its pretty rare that anyone has any major injuries like this.
As Grian explains what had happened, I survey the damage to his wings. The impact left twigs and leaves embedded in his delicate feathers, and he was cradling his right arm.
"what do you need me to do? How do I help?" There is a long pause and a warbled sigh (its adorable the little bird-like sounds he makes).
"need help preening..." He mumbles softly. I hum in understanding and let him lead me to the bed. He sits on his knees and spreads his wings out. I run my hands through his feathers not realizing just how soft they were. I start picking out loose feathers and set them in a small pile along with the twigs and leaves.
“Please be careful, Mumbo,” he whines, wincing as I struggle with a particularly stubborn twig. His delicate feathers are a mess of leaves and debris, and each tug sends a wave of what I assume is discomfort through him.
I try to be as gentle as possible. “I know, Gri, I’m trying, but you really did a number on yourself,” I murmur, carefully maneuvering the twig free. His eyes squeeze shut with each careful pull, and I can see how much pain he's in. It's clear that this was no minor accident, and my heart goes out to him as I work.
“It didn’t render in…” he complains, his voice tinged with frustration. “It’s not my fault.”
“Gri, no one said it was your fault,” I say softly, trying to reassure him.
He shifts slightly, wincing as he moves. “Can you be extra careful at the base of my wing…? It’s erm… rather sensitive there.”
“I understand,” I reply gently, focusing on the delicate task at hand. With utmost care, I maneuver around the sensitive area, ensuring that I don't cause him any additional pain. I pause after hearing a couple soft whimpers. "You ok Gri?" He nods his head and I notice that the tips of his ears are bright pink. That's odd... "yeah~ F-fine~" He rocks a bit and his breathing gets heavier. As my fingers make contact with the base of his wings again he lets out what I can only describe as a pornstar moan. I feel my pants getting uncomfortably tight and chastise myself. For all I know that could have been a noise of pain!
“Thanks, Mumbo! Bye!” Grian practically shoves me out of the door and slams it shut behind me as soon as I get the last twig out of his feathers. His cheeks are flushed, and he seems visibly uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact as he hurriedly closes the door.
“You’re um, you’re welcome, I guess,” I mutter, standing confused outside the door. The abruptness of his actions leaves me bewildered. Perhaps he needed to use the washroom. I can't help but chuckle at the sheer speed of the shove and slam. Grian's behavior is as puzzling as ever, but that's part of his charm. With a shake of my head and a smile, I turn and start heading back, hoping he'll be alright on his own. It's never a dull moment with Grian, that's for sure.