Chapter Text
“You could stay, y’know.”
Centross turns at the words. Icarus blinks up at him from their nest, heart racing.
“Or not,” they correct themself quickly. “Sorry. You probably want to see Fenris, don’t you?” Their shoulders slump, wings folding around them.
Centross crosses the room without hesitation, dropping down beside them. “Do you want me to stay?”
“I…” Icarus’ voice wavers. “Yeah.”
Centross smiles at them. “Then I’ll stay,” he promises.
“But-” Icarus protests, only to be interrupted by Centross laying a finger on their lips.
“I want to be with you,” he whispers. “Fenris is important to me, but so are you, okay?”
Icarus curls in on themself, pulling their wings in tighter as they wrap their arms around their torso. Centross pulls them into his arms, running a gentle hand down the downy feathers on their back.
“I love you, feather,” he murmurs into their hair.
Their breathing hitches.
Centross pulls back slightly, frowning. “Icarus?” He’s watching, this time, as they press a hand to their mouth, as though muffling a sob. “Hey, hey - Icarus. Look at me, love, please.” They shift, blinking up at him from underneath wet lashes.
“Oh, feather,” he murmurs. “What’s wrong?”
“I- I don’t-” they start, seemingly unable to find the words. Centross waits, stroking their back. “I don’t want to be a burden,” they finally admit.
“Oh Icarus,” Centross breathes. “You could never be a burden, alright? Loving you is a blessing.”
“I don’t deserve it,” Icarus whispers.
Centross draws back, shifting so that he can cup Icarus’ face in his hands, and presses their lips together. “You deserve to be loved, Icarus,” he promises against their lips. “You deserve the world. And I’m sorry if I haven’t told you that enough.”
Icarus pulls him in tighter, open and begging. Centross deepens the kiss for them.
“Please, Centross,” they beg, the words salty with tears. “I need you, please.”
“Anything, love,” he breathes, pushing them down into their nest with just the slightest pressure, and they go easily. He shifts, dropping open-mouthed kisses against their closed eyelids and down the column of their throat, fingers tangling in the sensitive feathers on the underside of their wings. Icarus arches into his touch, a faint trill escaping their lips.
Centross undoes the clasps of their tank top, tugging it off and placing a kiss against the center of the starburst-shaped lightning scars. “I love you,” he breathes into the scar. Icarus whines, tugging impatiently at his waistband, and Centross lets out a breathless huff of a laugh, undoing their belt with practiced motions.
Icarus doesn’t wait for him to finish, pushing their pants over their hips, and Centross’ mouth goes dry, arousal burning in his veins.
“You’re so beautiful, love,” he murmurs. “You’re gorgeous, spread out like this, all for me.” He skims his fingers down their chest, fingertips dipping below their waistband. Icarus arches into the touch, and Centross can’t hold back a moan of his own.
“Fuck me,” Icarus begs, tugging their hips together. Centross presses his forehead against their chest, breath uneven. He removes Icarus’ underwear, not caring where it lands, fingers drifting lightly over the folds of their cloaca. Icarus presses into his hands, gasping.
“Gods,” Centross groans. “You’re so damn perfect, Icarus. I fucking love you, feather.” Icarus trills, but it breaks off into a whine as Centross presses his index against them.
“Centross-!” they gasp, hands tightening against his hips, tight enough to leave bruises. Centross groans at the thought.
“Mark me, Icarus,” he gasps. “Please.”
Icarus’ talons are digging into his hips before he can catch his breath, and he moans, pressing further into them. Icarus shudders in his arms, head dropping back against the edge of their nest.
Centross adds another finger, searching for that place he knows they love. Icarus arches up the moment he hits it, a broken sob shuddering through them as they tip over the edge. Centross gathers them into his arms, holding them until their shaking subsides.
“I love you, Icarus,” he promises as they come back to himself. “I love you.”