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Wemmbu digs down, and opens the trapdoor of the base they’re staying at right now. He drops into the living room (which isn’t really a living room. More of a storage room with a crafting table and an ender chest), and jumps to place the blocks above him back. He closes the trapdoor, too.
A brief glance around, and Egg’s in their room. Good. He’s here.
Except he’s moving. Which he doesn’t– he isn’t usually moving when Wemmbu comes back. It doesn’t seem like pacing either. What is bro doing?
(There’s the faint fear he’s fighting very quietly. Or that someone is kidnapping him. Or that he’s hurt. There’s a lot of faint fears that combine to make Wemmbu run into the room.)
He’s… making a blanket pile?
Egg looks up, hunching as his wings puff but then he relaxes when he recognizes Wemmbu. And that idea doesn’t warm Wemmbu up at all.
He takes in the room. There’s blankets resting on top of each other, some of them are woven over each other. It’s like, not a small heap either, big enough for Wemmbu to starfish and still have a little room. When did they even get this many blankets??
And lowkey, why hasn’t Egg said anything..?
“Hey,” Wemmbu starts, trying to keep his voice smooth, and he closes the door. This is weird. This is odd. Egg hasn’t done this before.
“Uh. Hi.” Egg greets, shifting on his feet. That’s nerves. Okay, gentler.
“Since when do you uh,” Wemmbu blinks, forcing his shoulders to lower, and voice to soften. He was not prepared for this at all. He needs like, a mental restock or something. “What’s the whole blanket pile about?”
Egg’s wings settle. Good.
“I don’t… I just like, got bored, bro. I don’t really know, uh, why.” Egg stares at him. Oh. His pupils are kind of larger than Wemmbu would expect. Maybe it’s just the darkness of the cave. Is he drugged?
“You’re good dude,” Wemmbu nods, relaxing his arms again. It’s a lot of work to not be on edge. “... Are you?”
Which was apparently the wrong thing to say. Egg stiffens, and his wings fluff out. Wemmbu blinks widely.
“No, I mean– are you– you’re good. You’re fine. You’re– yeah. Yeah.” Wemmbu tries to deescalate, bringing his hands up like he’s calming a wild animal. Egg just keeps staring at him, posture a little too tense. Crap. “You’re good. I just like, wanted to know if you were okay, dude. That’s literally all.”
Egg keeps staring, but his wings drop slightly. He’s calming down. Alright. Wemmbu can work with this.
“I– uh. Yeah.” Egg says, and pauses to think. Wemmbu doesn’t say anything, but he lowers his hands. After a few seconds: “I think this counts as like, stress nest. Like– y’know.”
Wemmbu doesn’t, but he nods anyway. He’s pretty sure he can deduct what it means, it’s kinda in the name.
“I should like– leeeeavee…” He guages, taking a half step backwards and carefully waiting for a response. Egg’s eyes widen in alarm, and he (finally) jolts forward, reaching out to grab Wemmbu.
For some reason, he stops short. Wemmbu thinks about giving Egg his hand, but he– the situation is new. And new is delicate.
Egg’s eyes trace all over Wemmbu in silence. Wemmbu holds his tongue. Because this is new.
Does– Wemmbu just noticed– Egg’s wearing his hoodie. Like, Wemmbu’s hoodie. The dark purple one. Oh. oh.
“You should probably stay,” Egg says, a slight humor in his voice. Yeah. Alright. Alright.
“M’kay,” Wemmbu agrees, softly. Stay chill. But also lock in. “Wha– … can I..? Where..? Um..?”
So that wasn’t locking in. Egg mentally debates something– or he’s just thinking. But he has the focused stare, not the spaced out one.
“You can uh, like, just sit. Somewhere.” Egg offers, so Wemmbu looks down for a good spot. Egg always tells him to not wear dirty clothes to bed, so he should like… well, no, cause he has the feeling Egg doesn’t want him leaving. And the vulnerability that comes with changing in front of someone is reserved for wound patching.
He unhooks his cape, and puts his hands– holding the cape– around Egg’s shoulders. He’s wearing the hoodie, he’ll probably appreciate more layers. (And if Wemmbu’s thinking right, Egg’ll appreciate more of his clothes.)
Egg watches his face while he relatches the clasp around Egg’s neck. He pretends not to notice, but the weight of Egg’s gaze is something he genuinely might know better than fighting.
Wemmbu pulls back, and is reminded of when he first got the cape and couldn’t do the clasp. Egg would do it for him, just like this, then make him twirl. Wemmbu grabs Egg’s shoulders and makes him turn. The cape rests a little oddly over his wings and tail, but it looks… nice. He’ll say nice. (right, it looks right. it looks like a statement, a way to say that egg’s not anyone else’s. that egg chose him and keeps choosing him.)
“Do you– should I sit anywhere in particular? Or just lik–” Wemmbu starts, looking around.
“Just sit,” Egg nods, and so Wemmbu sits. It’s nice to be told exactly what to do, honestly. He lowkey trusts Egg to run his life. “I’m going to fix the blankets…”
“You do that,” Wemmbu hums, watching Egg ‘fix’ the blankets. He doesn’t see anything wrong with them, but Egg isn’t uh, entirely himself right now. Wemmbu assumes it has to do with the whole being an angel thing. Or the having wings things. Wemmbu thought Egg didn’t have the bird instincts like nesting, so this whole thing is just– he’s unprepared.
Egg fiddles with the blankets, rearranging and weaving and whatever for at least ten minutes. Wemmbu tries not to focus on the clothes. His clothes. And he tries not to focus on how Egg wearing them is almost the same as him confessing his undying loyalty to Wemmbu on his knees and gripping Wemmbu’s shirt and– he really… He’s not doing a good job at not thinking about it.
He doesn’t want this to be like with him and Zam. He really– It’s not even a logical fear. It’s entirely different. Zam never helped him like he helps Egg. Zam didn’t stay. Zam was weirdly distant– is Wemmbu too distant? It’s hard not to be when– it’s. Okay. So he’s supposed to not think about this.
It annoyingly pervades anyway. Zam had him wear yellow a lot. Is Wemmbu pushing too much?
God, this is why he hates quiet. Too much thinking. His cape on Egg ruffles with Egg’s feathers. He hopes it isn’t uncomfortable. He might have to die forever if he made Egg uncomfortable when he’s already being like, weird. And hey, speaking of weird, Egg hasn’t started going on about something yet. He also hasn’t sat down, and Wemmbu’s been sitting for like, at least ten minutes. It’s odd for Egg to be standing for so long when Wemmbu’s sitting– it feels like he did something wrong. He feels like Egg’s mad. He feels like it’s not safe. He fe–
Egg whips around, eyes wide. Wemmbu blinks, stiffening in response. The cape flares out after Egg, just for a second.
Then Egg starts walking towards him, and sits down right on his side. Wemmbu relaxes, but he’s still a little thrown by how fast Egg switched. Egg doesn’t do that. Is he actually drugged?
“...Hey Egg, you good?” He asks, forcing his voice to be low. Gentle.
Egg grabs his hand and Wemmbu feels a lot less worried. Alright. Yeah. Egg’s here. yeah.
“Brother, I’m fine. Are you?” Egg returns, and Wemmbu tilts his head in confusion. “There were like… you seemed uh, off. Stressed.”
Wemmbu squints, and twists their hands to bring Egg closer. Egg falls forward like a leaf from a tree– in a daze. But he doesn’t lean on Wemmbu. Doesn’t make any contact. Wemmbu’s gonna puke.
“What seemed ‘off’?” Wemmbu pushes instead of answering. Egg gives him an unsharpened look that says he knows what Wemmbu’s doing. But he doesn’t call him out.
“I can– I haven’t told you this.” Egg starts, and Wemmbu– what? There’s something Egg hasn’t told him??? Which– that actually makes sense but like, still!
Before he can protest further than opening his mouth, Egg continues, squeezing his hand. Involuntarily, Wemmbu relaxes. Egg goes on.
“I haven’t told you, but it’s nothing bad, bro. I can like… when you get hurt, the air just feels a little heavier.” Egg explains, really not clearing anything up. He obviously notices Wemmbu’s look. “I literally cannot explain it better. I know when you’re acting weird. And when you’re hurt. And you got all– you went quiet in a bad way.”
This whole thing is made worse by how far away Eggchan is. They’re holding hands, but Egg’s– he’s holding himself back. He’s trying to not make contact. Maybe it’s true that he usually pulls slightly away at first contact, but he never… He doesn’t hold himself back. There’s no tension in his body, usually. Right now, there is.
“Bro.” Wemmbu says, in response to Egg dropping the mindreader news. Then he yanks Egg closer, and Egg slumps into his front, huffing. “So you can read my mind?”
“No,” Egg shakes his head, and pushes his weight onto Wemmbu. “Lay down.”
Wemmbu leans back, relaxing.
“If you were anyone else, bro,” He tells Egg. Egg laughs, making Wemmbu smile.
“Uh-huh?” Egg prompts, and voluntarily slides off of him.
“Yes, dude,” Wemmbu huffs, because– he still– he still has an image! He’s literally only doing this because Egg is being weird. Actually the only reason.
“Another Eggchan win,” Egg hums, and fluffs his wings out, reshuffling feathers. It’s dark, but Wemmbu still looks away.
There’s a quiet that follows. They don’t chill enough, honestly. That’s what he’s getting from this.
“Hey, that’s my hoodie, right?” Wemmbu asks, and Egg’s breath stutters. Hah.
Egg’s wings twitch, and he huffs into Wemmbu’s side.
“…no?” Egg tries, and Wemmbu starts cackling. He feels Egg’s quiet laughter more than he hears it.
“Alright dude,” He grins, and raises a hand to brush through Egg’s feathers.
It’s sweet the way Egg doesn’t even jolt at the touch, just relaxes immediately. It’s– it’s something. Maybe soothing. Maybe a reminder that Egg actually likes him. Whatever.
“We’re going to bed,” Egg tells him, and exhales. Okay.
“Yeah. Alright.” Wemmbu agrees easily, but doesn’t stop brushing through Egg’s feathers. Not preening– just brushing.
Egg hums, and Wemmbu smiles to himself. It’s just– nice. It’s enough. God.
It’s enough.