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Phil stretched his arms as he got off the spacecraft. "Thank fuck we're finally off this thing" Wilbur snorted, grabbing a box of goods to sell.
"Your old man bones can't handle travel anymore, that's quite sad" Techno nodded in agreement. "Quite depressing" Phil whacked both of his sons upside the head with his wings.
The phantom sputtered, playfully growling at Phil while the piglin shrugged him off. "Come on, let's get these to the seller before he's gets all pissy that we're late again"
It was one time they landed before nightfall, and the seller threatened to never work with them again. Phil rolled his eyes, and grabbed the transportation hoverboard full of goods. Their job was relatively simple, they just picked up goods and brought them half way across galaxies for selling.
It wasn't exactly legal , but considering they had one of the fastest starcrafts up to date that was practically untraceable, it was hard to be caught unless they were asking for it. They were smart though, and dressed up as the Federal Galaxy Delivery. That wasn't exactly legal either, but as long as their sellers got their not so legal products, it was all hush hush.
Delivering the products to the merchant went with little trouble, they were paid accordingly, and they were off to go settle in for the night. Wilbur stretched his boney transparent wings. "I don't know about you lot, but I'm ready to tuck in for the night" it was still midday and Wilbur got cranky if he had to stay awake for longer than needed. Phil patted his back "sleep well mate, I'm gonna go get some groceries. Techno, wanna come?"
The massive piglin shrugged. "Yeah alright. What do we need to get?" Phil pulled up his hologram. "Just some seed for the crows, actually. We look good on all the other fronts" Phil had been absolutely delighted when he found mini bipedal animals of him for sale. The poor little guys were in bad condition when he found him, and he scoured three galaxies to find any information about these black birds.
He found it in a dingy little shop called "Earth's Giftshop" and even though he hadn't heard of "Earth", he bought several books about it. He and Wilbur loved learning about other planets and their geography. They had a decent amount of crow books as well, and he spent the rest of the next cycle learning about them.
Apparently Earths a planet in the milky way galaxy that has been strictly prohibited to visit. No trades going in, and no trades going out. That didn't stop this gift shop though, because there were all sort of trinkets.
Avians like Phil himself were exceedingly rare and hard to find. His home planet died long before Phil was born, and the numbers were thinning out, leaving them few and far between. The crows however gave him a flock that quelled his instincts, and his crew mate, his sons, gave him a family. He was quite alright with what he had now.
That's why it was so surprising and so upsetting to find a half baked avian in the back of a pet shop.
—
"This'll be it for you?" The pet store associate asked, as he rang up his big bag of crow food. It wasn't the stuff the crows would eat naturally, but he found out that crows would eat just about anything and they haven't had any ill effects.
Techno was in the animal portion of the pet shop while Phil made idle chitchat. "C'mon Phil, just one little puppy" Phil rolled his eyes fondly. "No Tech"
Tech tsked, and continued his search. Phil huffed fondly, and paid for his crow food. Techno was standing by a crate that had a blanket over it. "What's in here?" He called the associate. He walked over.
"Some dude walked in one day, fuckin nuts let me tell you. He swore up and down that this was a teacup avian" phils stomach dropped and sped walked over to the cage. "I don't think that's the case though. If you ask me, I think it was a body modification that went wrong"
Phil could hear the tiniest of peeps from behind the curtain. "Why the fuck did you guys take him then?" He glared at the associate. He put his hands up "look dude I just work here. I'm not a fan of selling half dead animals but I gotta make a living too" he growled, his ears flat.
Phil turned his attention towards the crate, pulled it back and-
There was a young avian on his side, curled up in the furthest corner. Avian wasn't the right word for him. He didn't have the right facial structure as avians did, nor did he have the feathers. He was stark naked except for some cloth, a mop of dirty blonde hair, and two very tiny wings that barely covered his shoulder in some sort of comfort. Phil couldn't help the soft cooed coming from his throat.
The avian, the fledgling, cheeped back, but it was a weak sort of thing. "I've been trying to get him to eat," the employee said sadly. "But I think the poor thing is in so much pain I can barely get him to drink. I've been talking to my manager and seeing if we can have him put down"
Phil did not like that. He was already having a hard enough pushing down his instincts, and that just about put him over the edge. His wings puffed to about double his size. He was about to bite this dumb motherfucker when Techno put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll take him"
Phils feathers laid back down somewhat flat as he turned his attention back to the baby. Techno and the associate talked details as Phil watched the fledgling. "Hey mate" he spoke in a soft coo. The little guy didn't acknowledge him, his brilliant blue eyes were hazed over with pain and exhaustion.
Phil was very careful as he opened the crate. The little guy flinched, but didn't give any more of a reaction. "C'mon" he murmured. He gently tugged the little guy closer to him. The closer he got, the more he realized with horror that he was originally human. Humans were notorious for their stubbornness and their ability to endure, but this was sick. His wings were inflamed all to hell, with some of his feathers missing. The baby made a warbling complaint as Phil tucked his shirt up to see his back.
"I know, shh" he murmured. His shoulder blades were red and puffy, heat radiated off of them. The base of his wings stunk of infection. Shit. "Techno we need to go" he stood, cradling the baby close to his chest. The human couldn't have been any older than ten. Techno nodded, wrapping a large hoof around Phils shoulder.
Techno was a protector, and Phil couldn't be more thankful. Especially right now, with such a precious bundle in his arms. Techno would chuff gently to comfort Phil, and would growl at any passersby if they happen to be a little too nosey. Fuck. Whyd they have to park so far away?
The fledgling warbled something in a language foreign to him, but it sounded like a plead. Phil tucked his head in closer, resting his head over his. "It'll be alright" he whispered. Fuck, he hoped it'd be alright. Finally, they reached the starcraft.
"Wilbur!" He shouted. "We need some help in the medbay!" Not waiting for a response, he made long strides to one of the beds. The baby's claws wouldn't let go of his cloak, and it pained Phil to unhook him. Wilbur busted in, looking disheveled. "Infection at the base of the wings" Phil reported.
Wilbur probably had a million questions, but thankfully saved them for later and immediately got to work by cutting the fledglings barely held together shirt off. The fledgling was drifting in and out of consciousness, but clung onto Phils clawed hand with his tiny one for dear life. Phil didn't let go until they were done.
—
After 4 and a half long hours, they were able to cut out a lot of the infection. His wings were thankfully saved, but even if they did grow to full length, which Phil highly doubted, they had to cut a lot of important muscles. He could still use his wings, but they'd never have the strength to fly. They were hesitant to use avian antibiotics, but that was all they had and they didn't want anymore of the infection spreading.
The poor thing was hooked up to an IV, and a couple other monitors. He was splayed on his stomach so as to not disrupt his wings. Fuck, his poor wings. They had to wrap his wings in bandages, and then wrap the wings themselves into cozies so as to not scratch and irritate the infection sight. Phil sat diligently, watching and waiting.
Wil had said there was a decent chance he wasn't going to pull through. There was a lot of nerve damage done to his back, and the infection might have done irreparable damage even if he did pull through. It was a miracle the infection didn't spread to his spine, but that doesn't mean he's going to walk out of this 100% again, if he was going to walk out of it at all.
Phil startled as Techno set a bowl of food down in front of him. "Eat" Phil smiled, but it felt more like a grimace. He wasn't hungry, but he had to keep his strength for the baby. He choked down half of the bowl before putting it off to the side. Techno sat quietly next to him in quiet vigilance.
Keeping his instincts under control was a nightmare. He wanted to so badly bundle up everyone into the nest, but he couldn't leave. He won't leave. That didn't stop the soft chirruping coming from his throat, a sound used for newborns to encourage them. Techno chuffed, bonking heads with Phil. "He'll be alright"
He sure hoped so.
—
Phil wasn't sure when he fell asleep. Somewhere in between Wilbur changing the chicks bandages, and Techno going to bed. He was startled awake though by a large crash!
His eyes snapped open to see the fledglings bed empty, with half of the blankets missing. Immediately his feathers fluffed in alarm. He quickly got from his seat, trying to locate the fledgling. His fledgling.
The IV was still in the room, which meant his chick had ripped it out. His chick was hurt. Phil couldn't contain his instincts anymore. His pupils were blown and his feathers were puffed. He desperately tried calling his fledgling, but he wasn't answering!
He practically flew down the hallway, following a barely there blood trail. It led the cleaning closet. Phil scrambled at the door, but it was obviously blocked by something. He slammed his full body weight into it, not caring about how much it hurt. Finally the door opened.
It was empty, all for a lone vent cover on the floor. Phil was about to claw his way into the tiny vent himself, when arms yanked him back. He hissed at the fucker keeping him from his chick. He pecked and bit at the pink furry arm that was wrapped tightly around his waist.
A phantom was in front of him. The asshole was trying to steal his baby! He went to bite him too, but suddenly he was shrouded in darkness. He fought harder, but the darkness was soothing. It itched a part of his brain that told him it was quiet time.
"-there we go Phil" Wilbur murmured. Phil whined. He wanted his chick. "It's alright" Techno chuffed from behind him into his ear. "I think we should go take a little nap in the nest, how does that sound?"
Nest. The nest sounded good. Warm. He didn't have his chick though. He warbled in distraught. "Usually he comes out of his instincts by now" Techno murmured. "Should we give him something to calm down?"
"No, I don't think so. You know how bad instincts can get. we should let him ride it out. He's been suppressing it, huh Phil?" Phil weakly shook his head. "You have, king" Wil said lovingly, bonking heads.
"Let him come down on his own, we'll keep him in the nest for now. In the meantime, we'll do some security checks" Phil whined in protest. He needed to find his chick! Phil began to fight Techno again.
Techno lifted Phil like he was nothing, and dragged him away from the storage closet. He clicked and whined. Techno chuffed to soothe the anxious avian. "Big mother hen" Techno teased gently. "We'll find him, you just relax" Phil slowly gave up the fight.
He knew that logically, his sons would protect him. That they won't do anything to harm the chick, and that they'll help him. Instincts clouded his mind and his judgment. Anxiety gnawed at his belly, and gave a mournful croon.
"I know Phil, it'll be alright" he said as he hoisted Phil up into the nest. The nest was a big room that was soft and warm, the mattress was spongy. Phil began to fiddle with his blindfold, but Techno gently stopped him.
"Keep it on for a bit longer, just until you're speaking coherently okay?" Phil grumbled, but obliged. He sank further in the nest, pulling Techno along with him.
"Phil" Techno groaned. "We've got to do security checks and we need to check the air vents" Phil was having none of this. He blindly searched for his son's mane. Techno growled a warning when Phil nearly poked his eye out, but eventually found his hair.
It wasn't the exact same as preening, but it soothed him at least a little. Techno sighed, and got comfortable within the nest. "Alright you big baby, just for a bit. I need to help Wilbur find the runt, remember?"
Phil ignored him. He was trying to come out of his instincts, not go further by thinking about the fledgling. Techno sighed. "Okay."
–
Techno left the nest a while ago, leaving Phil alone is his instincts. Thankfully, he's not so deep within them, just floating. Wilbur and Techno would find the chick and bring him back to the medbay, and as soon as Phil was fully coherent again, he'd resume his place back at the chicks side.
For now, he was alright quietly lying down with blindfolds on. Apparently earth birds were similar, they'd calm down after being covered, and would drift off to sleep. Phil was half tempted to sleep himself.
He hoped the chick at least found a warm and safe place to hide for the time being. Phil couldn't imagine the fear and pain he was in. He cooed sadly, and leaned back in the nest. What Phil wasn't expecting was a coo back.
The chick must've snuck into the nest while Techno and Wilbur weren't looking.
Phil cooed a soft hello?
The baby cheeped back, it wasn't anything he'd heard before. It was a different type of bird call. It sounded scared though, it sounded fearful. Phil cooed again, relaxing and opening his wings. He tried to be as inviting as possible.
There was a dip in the bed, and a hesitant chirp. Phil chirped soft encouragement. The weight in the bed got closer, and Phil tried his damndest not to move. He tried his best to stay as still as possible. He felt a soft warm weight press into his side, tiny claws clutching at cloak.
Phil just about died. The fledgling chose him. Phil very slowly closed his wing around the baby. The baby chirped anxiously, but he settled against his side. Phil very slowly and very carefully took off his blindfold. He peeked into his wing, where the baby was held into a cocoon of feathers.
Blue eyes met blue. The fledgling curled deeper into his arm. Phil tucked blonde hair behind his funny little ear. "Hi mate" he whispered. The baby said nothing back, but that was okay. Phil watched in quiet awe as the chick fell asleep.
He'd seen stars being born, he'd been across the galaxies, but he hadn't felt this sort of awe since he first found Wilbur and Techno. Phil curled around the fledgling, and fell asleep.
Hours later, Phil stirred awake to two voices talking. "It would've been nice for him to let us know he found him" Wilbur exasperated. Techno snorted, and crawled into the nest. "C'mon Wil. I know you haven't slept since we got the nestling, and I know I could hibernate for the next threw cycles."
Phil drowsily opened his other wing for his other two sons. Techno crawled in, and Wilbur sighed. Wilbur dog piled in between Phil and Techno, spreading his leather wings over the bunch. Phil cooed in content. He still had so many questions for the fledgling, but that was another fight for another day.
For now, he was content sleeping in the arms of his sons.