[Meeting Greg's eyes that first time isn't the worst thing that could possibly happen even if the hint of pity feels just like disgust. It takes a moment or two for Gabriel to recover from the fact Greg isn't horrified, that even seeing them so close doesn't make him turn away.
But Greg is one of those good people. Gabriel is actually 100% certain that if Greg was repulsed right now he wouldn't show it. Because he puts other people before himself.
When he first hesitantly touches Gabriel’s feathers there's a tiny shiver. He can't help that, they are still so highly sensitive even in this poor state that he can't resist leaning in a little. Besides as Greg's fingers comb through and the dirt falls away, they feel a little better.
Of course all the dirt and the dead feathers end up on the bedsheets but not for long. Gabriel is careful to glare those into oblivion.
Then his attention can go back to Greg. He can't meet his eye again and explain that last comment - that it's not really funny but his wings, like him are beyond redemption. It'll probably just upset Greg and it wouldn't do Gabe any good either. ]
Thank you. For offering. I shouldn't ever have let them get this bad but... but once they were... like this, there didn't seem any point in doing anything.
[Because it had depressed him. It had depressed him so much he'd started just to pretend the problem wasn't there. Because that was easier.
He relaxes a little more as a warm safe feeling that spreads through his wings. For a moment he confuses it with contentment, but that's not it. And it becomes very obviously not that when one of the larger bald patches, near to Greg's fingers, is suddenly unbelievably itchy.
And then new, fine quills are forming, small at the moment, only around the edges of the bald spot, but they're certainly there. He's unusually silent for a long moment, until the area of patchy wing is almost a third smaller. ]
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Date: 2016-08-05 06:39 am (UTC)But Greg is one of those good people. Gabriel is actually 100% certain that if Greg was repulsed right now he wouldn't show it. Because he puts other people before himself.
When he first hesitantly touches Gabriel’s feathers there's a tiny shiver. He can't help that, they are still so highly sensitive even in this poor state that he can't resist leaning in a little. Besides as Greg's fingers comb through and the dirt falls away, they feel a little better.
Of course all the dirt and the dead feathers end up on the bedsheets but not for long. Gabriel is careful to glare those into oblivion.
Then his attention can go back to Greg. He can't meet his eye again and explain that last comment - that it's not really funny but his wings, like him are beyond redemption. It'll probably just upset Greg and it wouldn't do Gabe any good either. ]
Thank you. For offering. I shouldn't ever have let them get this bad but... but once they were... like this, there didn't seem any point in doing anything.
[Because it had depressed him. It had depressed him so much he'd started just to pretend the problem wasn't there. Because that was easier.
He relaxes a little more as a warm safe feeling that spreads through his wings. For a moment he confuses it with contentment, but that's not it. And it becomes very obviously not that when one of the larger bald patches, near to Greg's fingers, is suddenly unbelievably itchy.
And then new, fine quills are forming, small at the moment, only around the edges of the bald spot, but they're certainly there. He's unusually silent for a long moment, until the area of patchy wing is almost a third smaller. ]
Was that you?