The Legacy of Dirty Birds

Bonding and How to Ice Skate

Edwin's fingers always seemed to find their way back to Calum's wings. At this moment he was very patiently waiting for his dearly beloved to finish giving him a once over so they could go ice-skating.

"You're not even dressed yet."

"I've got a jacket on."

"Socks?"

"A cowards' garment."

"You won't be saying that when your toes freeze off and you can't stop sneezing. It'll be the really gross sneezes too, wet and full of snot."

"I trust you'd take care of me." Edwin shot him that look, the one where he blinked innocently a few times, the that made Calum's heart beat erratically.

"Sure, but sick welves get no kisses."

His ears flicked back, "You drive a hard bargain, sir."

"Get dressed!"

"But you're so messy! It's been driving me crazy since day one." He switched to combing through Calum's under-feathers, pulling them into their correct positions and realigning all the barbels.

Calum rolled his eyes.

He frowned. "You're missing so many," he said, almost under his breath. "We've got to find you a better solution." 

Calum swallowed, it was as dry as the winter air. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I'm just worried you might get cold."

"I thought wings didn't get cold."

"Sure," his head rested against Calum's. "When they're covered in down. I can't believe I didn't notice earlier."

Calum stared at the ground, and chose not to say anything. It'd be a lie to say he didn't feel the chill. He hated the way the bare patches on his wings looked, but it only fueled the itch his fingers more. Edwin stopped, drew his hand away, and stood up straight.

"I'll get dressed."

Calum only brought his panpipes and Holly's pair of skates. He'd gotten a little better at flying, just good enough make the flight to the frozen lake. He still couldn't get up into the air without Edwin carrying him up or catching him when he needed to land, but each time it was smoother. Each time he was a little more graceful and a little less scared. Ice skating, however, was a different kind of blade than he was used to, and Calum was much less confident about this one.

"Wait a minute," Calum stopped lacing up his shoe. "Cara does not mean friend!"

Edwin snorted, already atop the ice and skating back and forth, "Oh, I had completely forgotten! You were close, I think the English translation is beloved."

Calum's chest suddenly blossomed with warmth. "I was not close at all."

"The sentiment was there."

"What about delikiae?"

Edwin blushed, lighting a match underneath Calum's curiosity.

"What?" Calum grinned, "It's not something dirty, is it?"

"N-no!" Edwin almost slipped. "It's uh...I don't know what it would mean in English. I know humans get into relationships, of course, because one needs love and procreation and whatnot, but they don't always stick together, right?"

Calum frowned, "Sometimes, unless they're married. It's when you get a priest, and swear before him and the law that you'll always be together until death. Unless you're a man, it's impossible to break up without being sent to jail."