othellovonryan

[ It's simple, rhythmic work — find the feather, gently massage away the sheath to let the new feather unfurl. Korone visibly tenses through the first few, but … gradually, she relaxes into it, enough that her other wing droops down. It's not so bad. Just. Weird, and too sensitive to really be called pleasant, even if it is a relief ]

[ All without pausing in her extra thorough brushie brushie brushing ]

So, hey. Place a bet. Do you think my new tail feathers will be the same length, or longer?

[ 'CUZ THOSE SURE ARE MOULTING TOO ]

And let me know if you've got any other spots you want me to reach. [ wiggles her free hand ]

Longer. [Massaging and plucking feathers.]

You were surprised by the noises, so it seems you're developing more into these traits. A longer tail would help your flying.

Under my thighs and knees get pretty bad. [Can't reach with foot so well, basically have to be curled somewhere to get at them.

You are, unfortunately, probably right. At least pigeons don't have long tails ...

[ Hum. ]

Speaking of growing, though. What about you? Do you have much left?

[ She shifts slightly, without dislodging him or pausing her brushing at all, to see if she can scratch under one of his knees for him ]

You'll probably need to let it out more. Or wear only skirts. Bird tails just don't tuck well.

[He'll curl up his legs so it's easier to reach.]

According to Casey Junior? Roughly around a foot. Other than Mikey, the rest of us still have a few growth spurts.

Though Mikey may have been hindered by excessive mystic power usage.

I can tuck 'em after I pluck 'em. [ SHE'S JOKING. ]

[ dual-wielding peel relief!! scritchy-brushie. she's got good enough co-ordination that it's easy to get a rhythm going with it. ]

[ around a foot, though ]

[ please hold ... picturing ... ]

Oooh. Oh.

I might be in danger.

Choco-chan, no. You'll break your feathers that way. [Gonna scratch the base of her wing.]

[There is also a shake to his words, just the rumbly churr undertone.]

Like them tall then?

That's the p- [ SQUEAKS, both get wing and body jolting at the scritch. She makes a face at him. ] ... Point.

[ The scritches under his knee shift up to hit the other spots he mentioned. ]

Tall just sounds. Fun.

A point? You want to break your feathers?

[A deeper churr, toes curling in the blankets.]

Fun, huh?

My tail's a pain in the butt, Dee. But I'm joking, don't worry. No breaking.

[ Oh. That's a churr, and after all those other times she's heard it before, it's hard not to react to it. She blushes lightly, and determinedly does not squirm or anything. ]

All kinds of fun. I demand to be carried. And picked up. Possibly dangled by an ankle. Maybe yeeted.

Good.

It might not be so overwhelming to touch if it wasn't covered up all the time, you know? My shell has definitely gotten more sensitive since I made my battleshell. [And more since the invasion.]

[Pluck pluck pluck.]

The ankle is new. I could pick you up now.

[ Eugh. An actual hard shudder. ]

Maybe, maybe. I just - ugh, I really don't want anyone even thinking about trying to touch it. [ Her wing shivers, drooping just a little further. ] If it does get longer ... I'll think about it. [ It'd be harder to hide anyway, like he said. ]

You can, yeah, and trust me, I like that a lot too. I like you just the way you are. There's just. Something.

About the thought of tall, too. 'specially that tall. You'd be, what, maybe around 6'3?

That's when you start biting people. Or punching them. No one should just be touching you without some kind of permission, let alone so near your gluteus maximus.

Has anyone been grabbing at your wings?

The impression is at least six foot, yes. He did not give numbers because he did not want to specify which twin was taller.

Or yeeting them across the room. Yeah.

No. I've had one person get really, really close, but they did back off when I insisted. [ Talking to Yuzu sure was a thing, and she shudders again, lifting her wings and shifting them back to shake them out before she settles back how she was. ] ... That was a weird conversation. It felt dangerous, but - [ huff,,, ]

[ Sad, she was going to say, but that's absolutely not her business to get into. Not even a little. ]

It was fine.

Anyway, that was a smart move. My bet's on you being taller and Leo-kun being broader.

Some people are quite bad at the personal bubble, but I've found most people here are all right about it. So much so it was actually quite disquieting until Leo showed up.

...how dangerous?

It may be the case. With the battleshell, I'm probably as broad as I get, but Leo being more dedicated in his training could have an effect. [At least training at times that aren't The Middle Of The Night.]

Disquieting...?

[ ... ]

They didn't even try to hurt me, so don't worry about it. It was just -

I caught myself looking around for you guys.

[ Yuzu tweaked her in the prey instincts and Korone DID NOT LIKE IT. ] Which sounds silly in hindsight. And not really fair to that person.

You'll make for a very, very handsome beanpole. [ Scritches up higher. Not indecently high, though. She is behaving and she is HELPING. ]

I am so used to being touched the moment I show even the vaguest hint of being okay with it that I did not know what to do with myself when suddenly I craved touch and could not get it without using objectives as a justifier.

Apparently I am actually somewhat touchy, just not as much as all the rest of my family. And do have days where touch is a nightmare, but when I'm not having sensory issues... [He waves a hand in the air.] It was a surprising thing to realize.

...you can text if someone is making you nervous. You could send a bird emoji, like 'feeling nervous, but probably fine' and I can watch from a distance?

Ah, what a flattering identifier. [Chirps.]

[ Oh.

… Huh. Yeah. That does make sense. ]

You ... actually are one of the more physically affectionate people I know, yeah. [ And he always has been, even when they were just starting to get to know each other. ]

[ The brushing and scritches pause, briefly, at the offer. instruction? either way. ]

I can always teleport out if I have to, but ... Mmm. I'll remember that if there's a next time. Thanks, Dee-kun.

[ scritches and brushies resume ]

Does it help if I add "climbable" as a descriptor?

[In truth, Donnie really does plenty of touching in Rise, he is just the outlier compared to the SPIDER GREMLINS that is every other Hamato.]

That feels so wrong to hear, but I am literally the second most touchy Egg. That is a lot of people to be more touchy than.

Sometimes a situation is a 'need support' versus just 'need to run.' Its good to have an option. And you like giving people chances, so... [He shrugs, working on helping a particularly stubborn feather unfurl.]

Climbable...sure is a thing to hear.

[ Hamatos are SO CUDDLY ]

[ SO.

CUDDLY. ]

I'd say ... you're at least as touchy as I am, if not moreso. [ When he isn't dealing with sensory issues. ] And definitely more forward about it.

... Not as much as I used to, but … [ a SIGH. ] You're not wrong. [ There's a bit of a twitch and a shiver in her wing. ]

Neutral thing, weird thing, bad thing?

There was never a need to be subtle about it back home. If Donnie wants hugs, Donnie gets hugs.

Caution isn't a bad thing, but I'm free to enable you to be nice to a world that wants to be not that.

Hmmm.

Neutral as of yet? I suppose I'll decide when I see how you react to me taller. It should happen in the next few years. I should actually check our heights, we may be taller, the shedding is pretty bad this year.

If Donnie wants to tackle a pigeon into a pillowfort, Donnie tackles a pigeon. [ … Hm. Wow. She really is dropping honorifics more easily now, isn't she.

… That's probably fine. ]

Thanks. [ Leans down, SHE BENDY, to affectionately boop her forehead against his. ]

[ And then she pauses ]

[ Glances him over, head cocked ]

You're taller. About two inches.

That too. Its a real bad day if someone else doesn't want to be touched.

[Bumps her back.]

...you can tell that by sight alone?

Yeah?

[ Tilts her head the other way, nodding decisively to herself. ]

I know what you look like. I know how you feel when I hold you.

....

[BLUSHING]

[A LOT]

[ gently pokes his cheek ]

Cute.

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