The Labyrinth

Chapter 9: Testing? Testing? Is This Meta On?

All those thoughts went through his mind in a split second before Mr. Wilson started speaking again.

"Chill out, you're fine, you threw up and freaked out. You like the cage don't you? Well it's time to get back in, it's clean now too." Mr. Wilson said somewhere to the left. Or maybe it was because he was laying on his right side, his right wing was starting to hurt because he was on top of it.

Dick did like the cage, in the cage he didn't get poked and prodded. There were no hands in the cage, they couldn't get to him there. In the cage was safe.

"You have to get up, I'm not carrying you."

Dick grunted, swallowing a few times and for the first time thankful he couldn't taste or smell his puke. He put a hand on the floor and twisted to his knees, pushing himself up unsteadily. He still felt incredibly heavy, but he felt safe. He didn't get hurt when Mr. Wilson was around. That was the only thought that prompted him to crawl forwards.

He was much too vulnerable in this position, with his wings on his back his stomach was kickable, or he could simply be picked up like some pet. But Mr. Wilson wasn't going to carry him, Mr. Wilson wasn't going to touch, and no one else was either. Where did Dr. Joe Kurr go? Dr. Quinn? He didn't care as long as they were away from him.

"Do you know where you're going?"

Dick paused at the words, finding them again somewhere to his left. He was also cold, he thought he couldn't get cold, but he was definitely cold. He was shivering too much not to be.

Or maybe he was in shock.

"You're going the wrong way, if you don't want to look just follow the sound of my voice."

The avian shuffled quietly, turning and starting forward again. Mr. Wilson didn't speak again but he knew he got close because he could feel his heat. Mr. Wilson was big and warm, Dick wanted a hug. The physical was scary, he didn't like all the touching and he threw up again. So scary.

Dick paused just before the heat, sniffling in tears because he was just so tired and scared.

"The cage is to your right, just a step closer." Mr. Wilson informed, but Dick didn't move an inch. Instead the child sat down, criss-crossing his legs and lifted a hand to wipe at his face.

Mr. Wilson sighed in the silence and suddenly the heat was a lot closer. Dick ducked his head but remained in place.

"You're not going to do this on your own are you?"

It was a simple question, he was probably annoyed, but Dick thought of it in a different way.

"Please?" He whispered, voice hitching with emotion as fresh tears pricked at his closed eyes.

He didn't want to do this alone.

"Fine, I'll put you in the cage." Dick sniffed in boogers and exposed himself a little, reaching up almost to be picked up. The hands went under his arm pits and Dick was lifted, but then he was against the man's shoulder and one arm slid under to his rump. Dick was now sitting on the man's forearm, his other hand holding him steady on his side.

Dick pushed his face into Mr. Wilson's shoulder, tucking in close and relishing the comforting heat. His spindly arms latched around the man's shoulder, trying to be as close as possible because he was just so scared and Mr. Wilson was big and warm.