#sbw

Khima’s beak fell open for a split second, then te snapped it shut with an audible clack. “I’m fine,” te said lowly, looking down at the bundle held against ter chest. “Ae isn’t a distraction.”

“Give me the chick,” Oseri repeated, making it clear that this wasn’t up for debate.

For a moment, Khima looked like te would like to argue, but to ter credit, the expression quickly vanished with a soft ruffle of feathers. Gently, with obvious reluctance, te unwrapped the chick held against ter chest and held aer up to Oseri.

Oseri took aer, long-forgotten instincts kicking in to support the chick’s head as ae settled in Oseri’s arms.

Khima offered the wrappings to Oseri. “If ae needs anything,” te started hesitantly.

“I can handle a chick,” Oseri said firmly. “You are to focus on your training.”

Khima’s feathers ruffled almost unnoticeably, but all te said was, “Of course.”

Satisfied with ter acquiescence, Oseri turned and headed back for the door. The number of stares had increased in both quantity and curiosity, both due to aer interaction with Khima and the fact that ae was now holding Khima’s chick. And aer own chick, though Oseri was confident that most didn’t know that particular fact.

The door closed behind Oseri with a solid thud, and only then did ae relax slightly and look down at the chick in aer arms.

Kizali had taken the entire transition surprisingly well, not uttering a single peep throughout the entire exchange. Even now, ae blinked up at Oseri with startlingly orange eyes that Oseri hadn’t seen on another in centuries.

“Well then,” Oseri said lowly. “While I appreciate Khima’s desire to begin your training early, there will be enough time for you to learn to fight when you’re older.”

Kizali chirped, sounding almost offended.

Oseri couldn’t help the huff of laughter that escaped aer. “Walking and flying first, little one,” ae said. “Then we’ll discuss the matter further.”

Oseri made aer way back up to aer room, but before ae settled down, ae stepped out on the balcony overlooking the courtyard.

The courtyard’s normal activity had resumed in aer absence, the space filling with noise and the flurry of a rainbow of feathers. Oseri quickly picked out Khima’s dark iridescence among them all, and as if sensing aer scrutiny, Khima glanced up to meet Oseri’s eye. Ter gaze briefly shifted to the chick still nestled in Oseri’s arms, then te looked away to focus on ter training.

Satisfied, Oseri turned back to aer room and settled in a chair just out of sight of the courtyard, but still well within earshot of its commotion.

Kizali chirruped to get Oseri’s attention, reaching up with short little arms.

“Yes little one?” Oseri asked, inclining aer head towards the chick.

Kizali grabbed at Oseri’s beak, causing an unfamiliar feeling to flash through aer chest. The feeling, ae realized a few moments too late, was panic.

Kizali yelped and jerked away, and Oseri caught sight of blood welling up between the tiny feathers coating aer hand.

“Shh,” ae soothed the chick, even as Kizali began to cry. “It’s alright.” Oseri took aer little hand in aer own and ran a thumb over the downy feathers, healing the thankfully shallow cut beneath.

“You couldn’t have known,” ae continued softly. “Mine was never constructed for love and comfort like you must be used to.”

Kizali whimpered, aer tantrum forestalled by the healing even though tears still shone like stars in those sunset eyes. Oseri hesitated, but those big teary eyes soon won aer over.

Ae sighed and shifted the chick in aer lap to support aer with one arm. With aer free hand, ae reached up and undid the clasps hiding amongst the feathers at the back of aer head. Once undone, ae carefully removed aer mask and set it aside, wiping away the tiny beads of blood Kizali had left on the beak.

“There,” ae said softly. “All safe for you now.”

Kizali blinked up at aer, looking utterly baffled. Oseri couldn’t blame the chick though. After all, aer entire short life so far had been spent amongst the [birbs], and Oseri knew that even compared to the other races of this world, ae was unique.

“All safe,” Oseri repeated, leaning down to press aer nose (too short, too soft, too close) to the tip of Kizali’s beak. Ae felt exposed without aer mask, but the look on Kizali’s face as the chick reached up to grab aer nose was almost worth it.

Kizali giggled, aer previous distress already forgotten as ae poked at Oseri’s bare face.

Oseri huffed, lifting aer head slightly. “That’s enough little one, that tickles.”

Kizali was undeterred and continued reaching for aer, chirping nonsense all the while.

Despite aer best attempts, Oseri found it difficult to resist Kizali for long. “Very well.” Ae reluctantly acquiesced to the chick’s wordless demands and leaned down to press a kiss to Kizali’s head. The feeling of feathers against aer lips was strange, something long forgotten but familiar, reeking of a past that ae had left behind in another world and locked beneath metal feathers and a sharp beaked mask.

“Just for now,” ae murmured against the tiny feathers. “While you’re still young.”