Swallow Your Affection

Getting Things Straight

Couldn't.

It felt- sensitive- and forcing it out of him felt insensitive.

"You're still a little gremlin." You smile.

"You're still a dense bitch."

Another smaller laugh from you, "Yeah. I can't really deny that."

The tension grows harsher.

He wants to say something, you want to ask him something- but neither of you knew how to approach it.

How does one take the leap off something they've never had to leap off before?

With Tommy you never really had to question if something would hurt him- he was a tough nut and straight up said what was bothering him- but now...?

Looking so weary? It seemed anything would just... send him reeling into his own head.

What could have made him so... closed off?

Thankfully- it seemed you didn't need to break the silence.

He did it himself, with a low, strangely raw tone of voice.

"...Why didn't you come to my party...?" Always the first one to cast the stone.

The look of confusion that rises to your face must be obvious, as not a moment after he said it the glare gets ten times harsher.

"Party?" You cluelessly say.

"Yes. My beach party. I sent an invite to you."

"I never got an invite-" you say- unsure how to cross the fact that- you genuinely didn't get one.

He didn't seem to believe you, nearly sinking in on himself at his spot on the ladder.

"I'm being serious Tommy." Your voice is soft. Quiet. You feel you might cry if you force it too loud, and you're almost positive he can hear the warble in it, but when your eyes meet his, he flinches away- nearly growling as he climbs down the ladder and blocks the hole up as he goes.

Oh geez.

Your chest ached.

Fucking-

Whatever the fuck-

It hurt-

You just want to know he's happy- but he just-

The tears briefly flood your vision, but you're quick and harsh to rub them away.

You can't just sit here and wallow.

Every second you're not spending trying to help Tommy, he could be suffering ten times more.

So with a steady breath to calm yourself, you mine down and climb the ladder down after him.

The first tentative step you take into the room is quiet. Stone against shoe. There was a bed, put a level down as though to make it part of the floor. Random items were strewn everywhere- all items recognizably Technos.

But aside from items, there were feathers.

Feathers everywhere- mainly centered around the bed- but what concerned you about the feathers wasn't the fact that they were there, but how...

Just-

...

...

Some of them were almost bloody looking. All the smaller ones were dirty and mistreated, and with a start you noticed all the longer ones... weren't.... long....

What the fuck happened.

Your chest sank deep. At what could have happened- at all the possible things that could be wrong.