He landed in the backyard releasing the pup and sitting on the ground with Ro, feathers mixed in with his hair and dotted his arms. He curled up hugging tight trying to get his panic back under control. Ro still wasn't moving in his arms, blood drying in her hair and on her face. Ash whimpered, barking nervously.
Al only curls his wings around backing away from him. The rain kept hammering down against them, little jets of water jabbing at their skin.
Al was stuck, part of him knew he should go in and get help, but his panic was hazing his mind. Conflicting magics in his body was wreaking havoc on his instincts.
Thankfully, all of Ash's barking was enough to get Iain's attention. The Scot came out, grumbling sleepily. "Come on then, you daft hound. That's what you get for running o..." he spotted Alfred curled up behind his wings and snapped awake instantly. "What happened?"
Al's response was to press Ro to his chest, backing away with a hiss.
"Hey," Iain raised his hands calmly, stepping forward carefully. "I just want to help. I won't hurt her."
His breathing was still a bit ragged, watching.
Iain knelt slowly, offering a hand to the frightened bird. Ash had retreated inside, whimpering in the doorway. Al whines hand tentively reaching.
"Good," the redhead just smiled reassuringly - the downpour didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. "Let's get you both inside where its dry and warm."
Al let himself get pulled inside feeling woozy. Iain sat them in the kitchen, fetching towels to dry off the worst. "Clothes need to come off. Before you both catch your death, preferably."
Al grips his head in pain for a moment, avian features shrinking away. Ro slipped from his grip, soaked through and hard to hold. Iain caught her, easing her down and getting a good look at her injury.
After a minute Al seemed to calm, strange pressure lifting. Iain just busied himself with taking care of Ro, peeling off her sodden clothing and checking for injuries as he dried her off and wrapped her in a fluffy warm towel.
Al shrugs off his own slowly. He felt woozy and tired, still a bit drained from yesterday.
Iain carried Ro through and settled her on the couch by the fire before coming back to help Alfred. The man felt no shame or embarrassment. In his eyes, they both needed attention before they caught hypothermia.
Once Al was settled again his head had cleared slightly. Iain made him a hot drink and got him wrapped up warm. Now they were waiting for Ro to wake up...
Al sat sipping his drink, slowly explaining what happened. Iain took it all in; nodding calmly when he finished. "Faeries live in those trees, it's why the roots are so knotted. They're nasty little bastards so I try to keep people away from there."
Al sighs softly, silent for a moment. "But my morph.." he rubs his chest. "It hurt.. Like something was fighting me.. It's never done that before.."
Iain frowned softly. "Might be something up with your bird then... I can have a look, but you and Mata still baffle me half the time..." and Eagle still made him just a little nervous.
"I don't feel anything when I'm small, why does my normal size feel so draining?" He was mumbling to himself more than asking.
"Logic would argue that shifting out of your true form is tiring... But you're not a bird first."
Al frowns, confused as hell. So was the little harpy thing supposed to be his standard right now?
Before they could really focus on it, Ro groaned weakly beside them. They glanced up looking over. She was waking slowly, grimacing with discomfort at her monster of a headache.
Al shifted closer, still bundled in the blanket. He should really get some clothes on before he shrunk again.. Ro sat up slowly, holding her head. She didn't register her towel slipping, she was too dizzy. Al glanced away. Iain just gently pulled it back up for her.
Ro shivered, covering her mouth. "F'l s'k..."
"What..?"
She paled, hunching over and vomiting in his lap.
Well now he could get that shower...
"Sorry," she groaned weakly, gagging a little at the smell.
"'S fine.." try having his sensitive nose..
She burped and threw up on her own towel this time. Iain just sighed softly. "Give me your towels and go clean yourselves up..."
Al hurried off to the shower and fresh clothes. Ro was still groggy so Iain ended up having to carry her up and clean her himself. It was a relief when she was finally dressed in fluffy pjs and tucked safely in bed.
It wasn't but a second after Al put on pants that he stumbled onto the floor dizzily, world shifting around him again. But now he was trapped in the bathroom with no shirt on.
It was thankfully only a few minutes later than Iain came knocking for him. "You alright in there kiddo?"
Al tried to yell but his tired voice didn't carry far.
"Al?" he tried the door.
Did he lock it? He couldn't think straight at the moment..
Thankfully, he didn't, but it was a pretty sticky door. Iain had complained about it for years but never bothered to fix it.
Al sat shivering on the tile floor, cold and weariness plaguing him. He would have wrapped up in his shirt if it wasn't up on the counter.
Iain looked down at the little creature with a tired sigh. "You're not having the best of luck, are you bud..."
Al whines softly.
"Come on," he just scooped him up, bringing him close so he could warm up.
Al huddled in clinging to his shirt. Iain tidied what was left in the bathroom before heading to a warmer room.
Francis was finally resting easily so there was that at least. It was one thing off his mind and another straight on it.
After getting a banana slice for a snack and warming up a bit Al felt stable again.
"So what do we do with you?" Iain sighed, just watching him eat.
"I don't know.. For some reason things feel.. Different.. Is that weird?"
"Magic is fucked up," he shrugged. "Its constantly changing and growing. All I can think is that part of you right now says that you being small is the best option right now."
Al frowns softly closing his eyes. Eagle did feel a little guarded and agitated, but that could be from the fact they were trapped being small.
He searched deeper into his core trying to find what was different. Every step closer he took to Eagle, the more his spirit animal resisted and tried to push him back.
*What? What's the problem?*
The bird just ignored him, hiding in his wings. Al frowns, he never did that..
Iain gave him a curious look when he opened his eyes again. Al curls his wings around his shoulders looking rather lost and lonely.
"I'll help get you sort, bud," Iain promised softly, gently stroking a wing. "You'll be big again before you know it."
He hoped so.. Al felt rather empty at the moment..
"How bout we check up on the others, keep your mind off it, hmm?"
Al nods moving over to him.
He set the little birdman on his shoulder before heading up to check Ro. The girl had cleaned up then passed out without even getting into her bed. She'd crashed on the covers...
What help was he earlier..? She even knew what was going on before he did..
Iain checked her head, making sure he'd properly healed the spot where she'd hit it when she fell. "She'll be okay..."
Al just nods silently. Iain shot him a sad glance before going to check on Francis.
Francis was lying in bed sleepily. Nose pressed to the pillow Iain was using earlier. Iain's chest panged longingly - he'd love to just curl up with him again, but he just felt awkward with Alfred watching. Al frowns softly when he sees him.
He stepped over, gently brushing back damp blond locks to check his forehead. It was still a bit warm but better than earlier. Still, it was mildly concerning...
Francis hums softly leaning towards him. Iain petted his hair gently, just watching for a moment. He seemed alright for now, just a bit clingy. Iain sat with him for a moment, just comforting.
Al sighs to himself slipping away.
Ash padded down the hall, lost without Ro. He whined softly at her door. Al landed on the floor next to him, smiling sadly. The pup lay down, sighing softly. Al pets his ear a bit before walking down the hall. Ash shuffled along behind him, just needing someone to stay with.
Al had never felt so alone before.. Even the first time he shrunk at least Matt was at hand and Eagle didn't ignore him.. Ro was his size even. Now all he had was a needy puppy following him around.
He trudged the long way back to his room, hopping up to the bed where he left his phone. Ash propped his head on the side of the bed, whimpering needily. Al glanced back to him before pushing the phone off the bed onto the carpet and jumping down again. Ash lay with him again, nuzzling close.
They ended up under the bed, it kind of amazed him how roomy it was at this size. It also had that feeling of safeness that came with hiding away.
Al unlocked his phone, slowly tapping out his frustration into a message that probably wouldn't be seen for a good year. But it made him feel better to imagine Matt could get it. He could almost imagine how Matt would respond too, the soft tut and warm smile.
It was awkward to do, his fingers were too small to register so he had to use his palm, arms stretching the length of the phones digital keyboard for the letters he wanted. Once it was done, he had a wall of text staring at him.
He sighs softly leaning back. By the time Matt even got back this would probably just have gotten deleted anyway.. Still, it helped him now...
He hit send then just pulled up Netflix to veg out on. Ash just napped beside him, wanting the company and noise. At least his fur was warm. The duo settled together for the day.
They only left again when the phone died, Al would have to ask Iain to plug it in for him. By that point, he could smell dinner being cooked downstairs. They traverse down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Iain stood over the stove, humming idly as he stirred a pot of soup. Al flutters up onto the table breathing it in.
"I've set a bit to cool for you," Iain muttered without glancing up. "Its in an eggcup."
How the hell does he do that? Al always thought it was cool yet creepy at the same time. The twins always had their senses to rely on but Iain was pure mystery to them still.
Almost like he knew what Alfred was thinking, the Scot simply smirked at his hands as he spooned soup into bowls.
"How are they doing?"
"Alright," he shrugged. "Francis woke up a while ago and said he was hungry."
Al nodded just watching him.
He set a bowl on a tray with a roll and a drink and headed up to Francis with it. Al waited for him to come back.
The Scot sat down with a tired sigh. "He's eating.."
"You ok?"
"Tired..."
"Go to bed tonight then."
"I wanted to check Ro again."
"I could do it?"
He frowned softly, mulling it over. "If she needs anything, even a glass of water, wake me up."
"Sure thing."
He nodded softly, pulling himself up to head upstairs again. Al glanced around the kitchen once more before finding his own bowl. After eating it he headed upstairs.
Just as he landed, Ro rolled over, waking sluggishly. She groaned, frowning softly.
"Hey sunshine."
She sat up, looking around for the voice in confusion. "Who...?"
"Over here Ro."
"Ro...?" she rubbed her head. "My name is Rosie..."
Al's face fell, "Ro look at me."
She turned to him, her eyes a very hazy confused brown...
"...Ro?"
"My name is Rosie," she insisted. "Why do you keep calling me that? Who are you?"
Al choked stepping back.
"Where are you?" she croaked, starting to get upset. "Why are you in my room...?"
She.. she couldn't see him..? How? He's not supposed to be invisible!
She kept glancing around anxiously, like she was still looking for him. Al jumps flying right by her face. ...She didn't even flinch...
His breath hitched wings faltering for a second. Iain didn't even come into his mind, fear and loneliness taking over. Al flew out of the room down the hall to his own, forcing himself to become big and lock his door. He held out long enough to put on a shirt and shove Mana and his phone charger under the bed before shrinking and disappearing under it.
Out of everyone he had left, Ro would never have forgotten him... She loved him almost as much as Matt did! So why... Why would she suddenly stop seeing him...?!
Al huddled into Mana's stuffed tummy sobbing softly. He was alone... So completely alone...