Soupy lil' Adventures

"I'm not used to them yet, okay? I've only had them for like, three days." Apo tries to tuck them in further but doesn't quite manage. Small tips of dark mauve peak out of the covers.

"Turn around, I'll fix it." Pearl offers. "I've been fixing up these things myself. They might be smaller but the principle is the same."

To emphasize her point, Pearl flutters the two wings attached to the side of her head. It's odd, flexing a muscle that she didn't have before. She vaguely remembers being a child and knowing a boy who could wiggle his ears. She mimics his odd jaw flexing and finds it works similarly.

Apo sends her a long look, searching her face for some sign of mocking or dishonesty. Finding none, she sighs, sitting up and spreading her wings out to their full size. They're massive, longer across than she is tall and weighing probably 40 pounds on their own. They're coated with layers upon layers of deep dark purple, almost black. From a distance it's hard to make out the distinct shape of her feathers, but up close it's easy to see how much of a mess they are. They sit sideways and twisted in every direction, primaries uncomfortably pinched under secondaries where they overlap, coverts mashed together, scapulars matted with sweat.

"Woah, how does that not itch?" Pearl asks. She settles onto the bed, sitting criss cross behind Apo.

Apo hunches over, crossing her arms over her chest and curling in on herself. Her nails dig into her arms. Having a person behind her back feels wrong. Feels terrifying. How can she trust Pearl? She's seen what Pearl can do, she could kill her. Apo knows she shouldn't be vulnerable with anyone, not anymore. Not after what they did to her. Not after how they turned on her and killed her. But by the muses, Pearl is right.

"They do. They itch pretty badly, actually." She admits. Pearl gives a small dark chuckle. It's a little scary, but Apo's come to realize over the past few days that Pearl just laughs a lot, at most things. It's honestly starting to get a bit comforting, as much as she doesn't want to admit it. At least she knows Pearl is on her side. For now at least.

She's still tensed up when long fingers dip into her plumage. Apo jumps and Pearl puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry. I'm starting now." The apology sits oddly on Pearl's tongue. She's scary on purpose, this is a game of death. But right now she's just trying to help out her ally. She can afford to be a little nicer, just this once.

Pearl gets back to work, starting by running hand through the wings, looking for feathers that are about to fall out. She places them in a careful pile off to the side so Apo can gather them herself. Apo appreciates the gesture. Now that she knows what they can do from Owen, she doesn't want anyone but her allies to get their hands on them. Apo picks one of the bunch and fidgets with it, careful not break it.

Next comes straightening out what she can. Pearl deftly twists and turns them back into place, smoothing out and untangling layers of soft keratin. By the time she's done, they're a shining canvas that reminds her of her beloved night sky during dusk. Apo sighs in relief as the itch subsides now that everything is in its proper place.

"Thank you." She turns to face Pearl, who's grinning widely (though less like a predator animal than she had been earlier).

"Any time, can't have the name sake of the team getting messed up can we?" Pearl holds up her own feather, kept tucked inside one of her bracers for safe keeping. "You might need a bath for the ones closer to your back, just so you know."

"Yeah yeah. I'll go for a swim later. Right now we should probably sleep."

"Right, yeah." Pearl shifts uncomfortably. She really should at least try to sleep so she can set up her bed network. But it just feels so nice to be out in the dark. She doesn't want to miss a second of it. Still, she gets up from Apo's bed and heads back to her own.

"Sweet dreams, Pearl." Apo calls, tucking herself back under her blankets.