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CONTENT WARNING: this game contains gore and confused teenagers with confused feelings
[[start->intro]]"But do you have to destroy them?" You ask, desperate to mitigate the damage being done tonight.
Your friend snorts derisively in response.
"What else would I do with them, then?"
1. "[[Give them to your family?->family_keeps]]"
2. "[[Keep them in storage?->store_them]]""Your family would take good care of them," you say. "This is going to be pretty hard on them too."
"Ugh. Absolutely not, they don't need the ammunition"
"What do you mean?"
"Listen." You hear her shift behind you. "If I gave them my wings, they'd pin them up on the wall like weird, nostalgic taxidermy. They'd make our living room a funeral dedicated to their old, perfect child. 'Gone too soon' and all that bullshit."
"Couldn't you ask them to just...I dunno, keep them in storage?"
"God, you don't get it! Giving my family my wings for safekeeping defeats the whole purpose of chopping them off," she snaps. "They're never going to come to terms with who I am if they're stuck obsessing over who I used to be."
You fall silent.
She sighs. "Sorry, that was harsh. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."
"It's fine."
"Can we talk about it later? I kinda want to get this over with."
1. "[[Yeah, sure.->prep]]""You could keep them in storage," you say. "Who knows, maybe you'll be glad you kept them someday."
She scoffs. "Yeah, right. The sooner I never have to see them again the better."
"Do you hate them that much?" You realize how stupid that question is as soon as the words leave your mouth.
She raises an eyebrow at you.
You flush. "Ok, fair. Dumb question. But still, you really don't think they're worth holding on to?"
"No. I don't want anything to do with them. Nothing in this stupid town is worth keeping, not even my wings." You know-- hope-- that she isn't talking about you, but that doesn't lessen the sting.
She notices your silence and softens. "Hey, look. We'll talk about it later, ok? Let's just get this over with."
1. "[[Okay.->prep]]"It's late. You don't believe what you're seeing.
The knife in your friend's hand glints in the moonlight. She holds it awkwardly, struggling to find the right angle for it.
"Please," she says. "You're the only one I can trust to do this right."
1. "[[I don't want to do this.->don't_want]]"
2. "[[Does this have to happen?->talk_out]]"
3. //[[Say nothing.->stare]]//
"No. No. Please don't make me do this to you," you beg.
She smiles bitterly. "Trust me, it'll hurt me more than it hurts you."
"That's not the point!"
She raises an eyebrow and lifts the knife in her hand, clearly about to make a bad pun.
"Don't. Don't fucking joke about this," you snap. "This is serious."
She sobers. "I know. That's why you're the only person I can ask."
1. "[[I don't want to cut your wings off.->cut_off]]""Listen," you begin. "This is //really// drastic. Are you sure that this is what needs to happen? Isn' this too extreme?"
She sets her jaw stubbornly. "This //needs// to happen. I can't take this shit any more. I need them gone."
1. "[[I don't want to cut your wings off.->cut_off]]"You say nothing.
You stare at the blade in her hand. You recognize the knife from your kitchen. She must have grabbed it on her way upstairs. The serrated edge taunts you, the ridges in the metal like jagged teeth against gum.
It's nearly the length of her forearm. Looking at it in proportion to her body makes you dizzy.
"Well?" She prompts.
1. [["I don't want to cut your wings off."->cut_off]]"I don't want to cut your wings off!"
You mean to say it as a firm refusal, but it comes out more as a frantic whisper.
Her wings bristle behind her back, frustrated. You feel your own deflate around your shoulders, in both apology and fear.
"Listen," she starts. "Either you help me with it, or I'll do it myself."
"That's-- that's so much worse! That is so unbelievably unsafe!"
She gives you a pointed look, and you return it with a fearful glare.
You both know she's not bluffing.
But there's some other emotion present in her, too. Beyond her stubborn determination, there's something else.
1. //[[She's scared.->scared]]//
2. //[[She's desperate.->desperate]]//You're left behind in your bathroom with a blood covered knife and feathers littered across the tile floor. Her severed wings continue to slowly ooze blood into the tub.
You stick the knife in the sink and gingerly make your way towards the tub. Turning the faucet on, you stick your hand in the water until it runs lukewarm. You start to slowly starting to wash the blood from your palms.
You rub your hands raw, scrubbing the clotted blood from under your nails. By the time you're done your hands are raw and tender, and the water running has helped dilute the blood pooling in the tub.
As you watch the pink water run down the drain, guilt overtakes you.
1. //[[It's because you wanted to hurt her.->hurt_guilt]]//
2. //[[It's because she wanted you to hurt her.->happy_guilt]]//Underneath her bravado, you can see that she's just as anxious about this as you are.
She talks a big game and has a lot of bluster, but you both know that what she wants isn't something that can be undone. You'd be more worried if she //wasn't// scared, really.
As obnoxious as she can be, you know that she wouldn't be asking this of you unless she really meant it. She's not looking forward to the process any more than you are.
You feel the defeat set in.
1. "[[Fine.->fine]]"There's a spark of desperation in her eyes.
It's not new. It's only gotten brighter as you both grew older.
You know that the weight of these wings is a burden she can't bear anymore.
As obnoxious as she can be, you know that she wouldn't be asking this of you unless she really meant it. She's been pushed to the brink by something.
You feel the defeat set in.
1. "[[Fine.->fine]]"She makes herself comfortable on your bed, lying on her stomach with her head propped up on arms crossed in front of her.
You hesitate at the edge of the bed, knife in hand.
"Well? I don't have all night."
"Um, yeah...just...how do you want me to do this?"
"Well, first you take the knife, and you use the sharp part to-" she starts. You cut her off.
"Yes, ok I get //that// part it's more the logistics of this, or whatever. How should I...get...close?"
She snorts. "Oh. Dude, just climb on my back. Don't be a pussy."
You wish you had her nonchalance.
1. //[[You straddle her back.->straddle]]//Cautiously, you lean one knee on the bed before swinging the other over, hovering just above her lower back. You're careful to keep yourself elevated over her, conscious of every moment your skin accidentally brushes hers.
She's tied her hair in a loose ponytail and curled it away from her back. A few wispy strands float above her nape.
Your palms feel clammy.
You distract yourself from the way the moonlight lights her back by taking a moment to look at her wings in their final moments.
They're huge, and gorgeous, and you know exactly how much her family loves them. You know exactly how much she hates them, too.
Looking at them more clinically, you see that they're flatter than you remember. Thinner. Some of her secondary feathers are out of place.
1. //[[Brush her hair back.->hair]]//
2. //[[Straighten her feathers.->feathers]]//Gently, gingerly, you reach your hand up to brush the escaped strands up and away from her nape.
You tell yourself that this is for the sake of ease. You don't want her hair getting caught with her wings. Nevermind the fact that her hair barely touches her shoulders.
You smooth back another strand. Her breath catches as you do.
"Is this ok?" You whisper.
She relaxes minutely.
"...yeah. Yeah. It's ok."
Your gaze wanders down. She's relaxed a bit, but you still see tension in her back. Stress has tied her muscles into mangled knots.
"Is it alright if I..." you trail off, ghosting your thumb over a spot of tension.
She nods jerkily. "Yes, it's-- please."
Carefully, you press your thumbs down and begin to work the taut muscles.
You're doing this because relieving the tension will make it easier to sever the wings from her back. Not because of the pleased sighs she makes or the way her head rolls to the side as you help her relax.
Eventually, there's no more tension to excuse the contact. You retract your hands slowly, flinching when you feel the cool metal of the knife on the comforter.
1. //[[There's no going back.->left_wing_start]]//You set the knife down on the comforter. Without thinking, you reach to her wings with both hands, gently straightening the feathers.
She stiffens. You stop.
"Sorry, I just..." you trail off, unsure how to explain it.
She says nothing, her shoulders rigid with tension.
"Sorry. Should've asked," you say. "Just trying to, uh...straighten them up, before I uh, make the chop."
She relaxes slightly. "...It's ok. I don't mind it, if it's you."
You try not to think too hard about that. Instead, you ask, "Is it ok if I keep going, then?"
A beat of silence. Then, a quiet "yeah" indicates her affirmation.
You smooth the remaining displaced feathers, watching her body language for any signs of discomfort. She's still stiff, but now that she expects your touch she relaxes ever so slightly.
Emboldened, you reach for her tertiary feathers. Gently, with the tips of your fingers, you tease under the edges, stroking the soft down beneath them. She sighs fully at this, melting into the bed.
For a moment, there's nothing to worry about.
The glimmer of the knife's reflection catches your eye.
1. //[[You remember why she's here.->left_wing_start]]//"...okay. Fine. I'll help," you acquiesce. "But only so you don't hurt yourself."
She grins triumphantly at this, tension bleeding away to be replaced by relief.
"Thank you. Really, thank you //so much.// This means a lot to me."
You sigh, shaking your head. "Don't thank me yet, I haven't done anything." You have trouble imagining she'd thank you after you hack her limbs off, but you leave that part unsaid.
She sticks the knife out towards you, hilt-first. You take it reluctantly, cradling it in your hands and trying not to look at it.
She grabs the hem of her shirt and starts to lift it over her head.
1. //[[You quickly turn around.->undress]]//You check your phone for the time.
It's getting late.
You'll deal with her wings in the morning.
[[credits]]You whip your head around, blood rushing to your cheeks. She's never been concerned with undressing in front of you, but the idea of her watching you watch her makes your stomach turn.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" You ask tentatively.
"Shoot."
"What are you planning on doing once they're. Um. Off?"
She snorts. "Um, getting the fuck out of here. You know that."
"No, I mean...with the wings."
"Oh." You hear her pause. "Well, honestly I thought I'd just toss them in a dumpster or something. Set 'em on fire, maybe. I dunno!"
1. "[[Do you have to destroy them?->destroy_them]]"
2. "[[I can help, if you want.->destroy_together]]"You had delivered terrible, unimaginable pain to her. At her request.
You don't know what disgusts you more, the fact that it happened at all or the fact that you realize you //wanted// it to happen.
Once you got over your initial shock, you found a rhythm. You found comfort in the consistency of the sawing, the familiar warmth of her blood running under your nails.
You were more intimate with her tonight than you had ever been before, and for the first time-- you controlled how //she// felt. Not the other way around.
It was wonderful and terrifying. You felt more awake tonight than you have in years.
But now, in the aftermath, all you feel is tired.
1. //[[Check the time.->end]]//You made a permanent mark on her. More permanent than any tattoo, more intimate than a second skin. She had said you were the //only// one she could trust. She chose //you.//
She will never be able to remember who she used to be without remembering you. The thought makes satisfaction run through you in a vicious streak, chased down by numbing guilt.
Just as she'll always remember what you did for her, she'll always remember what you did to her.
If she regrets this, who's to say she won't regret you too?
You suddenly feel very, very tired.
1. //[[Check the time.->end]]//"Alright. I've waited long enough."
She takes a deep breath before pushing herself up off the bed. You watch her carefully, ready to catch her if she falls.
She stands up, wobbling slightly.
"Oh-- whoa. I'm not used to //not// being top heavy," she says.
"You alright?" You ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Pretty sure it's gonna be sore for a while, though."
Understatement of the century.
She rolls her shoulders, shaking out her arms. The movement draws your attention to your handiwork on her back.
1. //[[You stare.->stumps]]//You look at your surroundings. Blood doesn't come out of the carpet easy.
"I'm gonna go grab some towels."
You go to the bathroom down the hall and grab some towels from under the sink. You'll need some for the bed, maybe one or two for the floor too. You grab the oldest, rattiest towels you can find and bundle them in your arms.
As you exit the bathroom, you pause.
She'll probably need something to cope with the pain. You could grab her something while you're out here.
1. //[[A belt.->belt]]//
2. //[[Some of your parents' liquor.->liquor]]//She sounds deceptively cheerful for such a heavy topic. You both already know that the process will be painful, but you're not sure that she really considered the aftermath-- or at least the clean up.
"I can help you get rid of them. If you want me to," you offer.
"You would do that for me?"
1. "[[I'm already doing this, aren't I?->least_do]]"
2. "[[Of course I would.->do_anything]]""I'm already cutting them off for you, I might as well see it through. It's the least I could do."
You say this with more confidence than you have, hoping that if you fake it you'll be able to muster up the courage to take a knife to her back.
She laughs. "Fair enough! My ride or die."
"Anyways. I was thinking that I'll lie on my stomach and you cut them off my back one at a time."
You survey your room from the corner of your eye. There's not a lot of floor space, and it'd be easier to cut them off if she were able to let them relax at their full span.
"You'll probably need to get in my bed, then."
You hear her snicker. Your blood rushes to your cheeks "Don't. Don't even say it."
"I wasn't saying anything!"
"You were thinking it!"
"I was thinking //plenty// of things, you'll have to be more specific."
"You're so-- ugh!" Your face is in flames. She laughs at your embarrassment.
1. //[[You refuse to look at her.->prep]]//"Of course I would. I'd do anything for you," you say. It comes out quieter than you intend, and your friend is silent for a moment.
"I know you would. That's why I'm here." She smiles at you, and for a moment it's easy to forget that she isn't planning on leaving as soon as she can. Leaving town. Leaving you.
"Anyways. I was thinking that I'll lie on my stomach and you cut them off my back one at a time."
You survey your room from the corner of your eye. There's not a lot of floor space, and it'd be easier to cut them off if she were able to let them relax at their full span.
"You'll probably need to get in my bed, then."
You hear her snicker. Your blood rushes to your cheeks "Don't. Don't even say it."
"I wasn't saying anything!"
"You were thinking it!"
"I was thinking //plenty// of things, you'll have to be more specific."
"You're so-- ugh!" Your face is in flames. She laughs at your embarrassment.
1. //[[You refuse to look at her.->prep]]//No more delaying the inevitable.
"Ok," you murmur. "I'm going to start now."
She nods silently. It's the least reactive you've seen her all night.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\You're right-handed, so you decide to start with the left wing. You gently grip the underside of the wing with your left hand, elevating it from her back.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You grip the knife tightly.
//[[Inhale.->left_wing2]]//<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<<set $belt to true>>You dig through the laundry basket in the bathroom, assuming your brother probably forgot to take his belt off before he tossed his pants in.
Your assumption proves correct. You make your way back to your bedroom, belt in hand.
She looks at you with a raised brow. "What took so long?"
"I was grabbing a belt for you."
She waggles her eyebrows at you. "Oooh, kinky. Didn't think you were the type."
1. //[[Retaliate.->sass]]//
2. //[[Get flustered.->fluster]]//She'd want to be distracted from the pain more than she'd want to muscle through it. You set the towels down.
You creep slowly down the stairs, carefully avoiding the steps you know to creak louder than others.
Cutting your friend's wings off is one thing, but getting caught drinking is another altogether. You don't want to risk any more than you already are.
You reach the cabinet in the dining room and consider your options. A mixed drink would probably go down easier, but liquor alone would kick in faster. Probably.
1. //[[Straight vodka.->vodka]]//
2. //[[Jack & Ginger.->jack]]//You grab one end of the belt in your hand and pull it taut before releasing. It smacks her lightly on the shoulder. She whines before smirking wide as a comeback hits her.
"Oh, so we're going //full// BDSM, huh? Not how I expected my night to go, but I'm game!"
Your face runs hot. She's impossible.
"See if I do you any favors again."
She pouts, giving you big doe eyes. "But I'm your best friend!"
"Not any more."
"Pleeeeeeease, I was kidding. C'mon, you know you love me," she wheedles.
You groan.
1. "[[Ugh, shut up.->before_bed]]""What-- no! Shut up!!!" You feel your face burst into flames.
She takes one look at your face and bursts out laughing.
"Shhh!! My family is //sleeping// you freak!" You hiss. This only spurs her on further.
She grins wickedly. "Oooh, gotta be extra quiet so we don't get caught."
Your head falls into your hands. "Why am I friends with you."
"'Cause you //loooove// me."
1. "[[Oh my god, shut up already.->before_bed]]"<<set $vodka to true>>You eye the vodka bottle on the top shelf.
It'll be harder to cover your tracks if she drinks the whole bottle. But knowing her, she'd probably prefer it that way.
You sigh and grab the bottle by the neck.
1. //[[You return to your room.->before_bed]]//<<set $jack to true>>You decide to make it fancy. You're surprising her with it, after all. Might as well go out.
You grab the whiskey from the shelf and make your way to the kitchen where you snag a can of ginger ale from the fridge. As quietly as you can, you get a little bit of ice from the freezer for the glass.
You pour the drinks over ice and check the fridge for mint.
No luck. Basil would be a good replacement, right? They're both herbs.
You crush the leaf between your palms and drop it into the glass before making your way back upstairs.
1. //[[You return to your room.->before_bed]]//<<if $belt is true>>She grins as she snatches the belt from you. She examines it for a moment, wrapping it around her hands and examining the thickness. "So, why'd you grab this again?"
"It's for you to bite on. To help with the pain."
She wrinkles her nose. "Ew. I bet it tastes gross."
"You know what's gross? Needing a root canal. So bite this or clench your jaw and fracture a tooth. Your choice." She sticks her tongue out at you.<<elseif $jack is true>>"Ooooh, look at you! Didn't know we had a bartender in here." She takes a cautious sip before wrinkling her brow and looking closer at the glass. "What is that."
"It's, uh, basil. We didn't have any mint."
She shrugs. "Cool." She attempts to knock it back but the drink splashes her as she tilts the glass. The basil leaf falls on her face.
She flings the leaf at you when you laugh.<<else>>"Ohhhhh //hell// yes, you know me so well." She snags the vodka bottle from you and unscrews it before taking a swig with practiced ease.
You look on in horror. "How do you do that? It tastes like hand sanitizer."
She sniffs. "I have something called 'a refined palate,' thank you very much." You roll your eyes.<</if>>
"Alright, it's go time. Let's do this." She jumps on your bed and rolls onto her stomach.
1. //[[She settles in.->bed]]//You press the blade to the crux of where her left wing connects to her back muscles. You feel her tense beneath you.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\As you exhale, you press the blade deep into her flesh. She flinches. You do not remove the blade.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\You see blood begin to darken the white feathers. You feel the flesh of her wings flinch as you go.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\As you work the knife down the blood leaves trails on her skin where the feathers move. Her knuckles turn white as she grips the comforter beneath her.
You hit bone. You have to work the knife harder against it.
Your stomach churns.
//[[Inhale.->left_wing3]]//<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You muscle past the bone, the knife's serrated edge sawing through.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\You've worked down two thirds of the wing's base. You're almost done.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\As you sever the last of the muscles, her left wing falls slack against the bed. The blood runs freely from the base, slowly pooling on her back.
"I'm going to go put this in the bathtub, okay?" You whisper, touching her back lightly to get her attention.
She nods, choking back a sob.
Carefully, you lift the detached wing and fold it slightly so that the bleeding base is covered by the broader part of the wings. Even if your friend escaped unseen by your parents, it would be hard to explain the bloodstains on your carpet.
You carry the wing over to the bathroom as fast as you can, depositing it in the tub as soon as you're within range. You grab a fresh washcloth while you're there.
1. //[[You return to your room.->wing_break]]//<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\You pad across the carpet and slowly ease yourself back on to the bed.
"Hey. I'm going to wipe some of the blood off your back, ok?" You whisper, not asking for permission so much as giving her a moment to brace for contact.
Gently, tenderly, you use the washcloth to soak up the blood on her back. You dab at the freshly cut stump as delicately as you can, taking extra care not to irritate the wound any further.
"Do you need anything before I do the next one? Water, ice, painkillers...?"
She shakes her head no. "Just get it over with."
You wince slightly.
1. "[[Alright.->right_wing_start]]"You wipe the blade clean on the edge of the towel under her. "Hey, I'm going to fold your wing over to the other side for this one. I need to use my right hand."
She complies, letting her wing relax as you guide it over her back. You grip it with your left hand and place the knife at the base of her right wing.
"Ok. Here we go."
She braces herself.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\You force the blade to slide under her scapular feathers. The downy feathers beneath pinken and grow damp.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You work the knife further down, cutting through stiff feathers and sinew. The blood seeping out is warm and comforting in its familiarity.
//[[Inhale.->right_wing2]]//<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You hit bone and instinctively you know how much pressure to add to it, working through it with a butcher's ease.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\It's almost sickening how much easier this is the second time around.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You watch the muscles in her back flex under her skin as she tries to keep herself from moving.
<<linkreplace "//Inhale.//" t8n>>\You press your left hand to the indent between her shoulder blades. She flinches instinctively.
"Hey. Almost done. You're doing great."
She relaxes infinitesimally. Her grip on the comforter eases.
<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\One last cut should do the trick.
//[[Inhale.->right_wing3]]//<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\You nod again, too drained from the night's events to respond. She looks around the bathroom in slight disgust.
"Do you...need a hand cleaning up?" She asks, hesitating. She clearly doesn't want to, but you appreciate that she even offered at all.
You shake your head. "No, it's fine. I got it. You go home and rest."
She smiles at you gratefully as she turns to leave. She doesn't spare a glance at her discarded wings in the tub.
You hear her descend the stairs. A moment later, you hear the front door swing open and shut. You'll need to lock up behind her.
1. //[[You sit there.->aftermath]]//<<linkreplace "//Exhale.//" t8n>>\You cut through the last of the muscles still strung together. She lets out a choked gasp as you sever the connection to her remaining wing.
The wing slumps against the bed, blood dripping onto her back. Her grip on the comforter slackens.
Wordlessly, you go to the bathroom to grab some fresh towels.
You return to your room. You hold one of the thicker towels to her back, letting it absorb the flow of blood from both stumps while she breathes deeply to calm herself down.
1. "[[Ok, I think we're done.->all_done]]"<</linkreplace>>\The blood flow has slowed slightly, the blood drying and forming large clots along clumps of feather still on her back.
It's a pretty messy cut job, frankly. She might want to get it trimmed by a professional.
Strands have fallen loose from her ponytail. You see beads of sweat run down her back.
1. //[[You watch her.->dresser]]//"You should get those looked at," you say. "They could get infected. Make sure they're bandaged properly, ok?"
She rolls her eyes dramatically. "Jeez, ok //mom.// I'll run to a clinic sometime soon."
"You should go tomorrow."
She glares. "I'll go when I go."
"Ok."
"Ok.
"Sorry."
"Yeah. 'Night."
She exits the bathroom. You hear her descend the stairs. A moment later, you hear the front door swing open and shut. You'll need to lock up behind her.
1. //[[You sit there.->aftermath]]//She opens one of the drawers of your dresser and digs through it. She finds one of your old sleep shirts and throws it on. It's big and loose enough that it drapes over her wounds at the right angle, though you imagine that it's not comfortable.
She inhales deeply and stretches her arms behind her head, bringing them down as she exhales.
"Alright." She smiles, tired but bright. "We did it. Cut those fuckers off."
All you can do is nod.
You follow her silently to the bathroom. She admires herself in the mirror for a moment before turning back to you.
"I'm gonna head out now. I've got shit to do." Your heart sinks.
She makes for the door.
1. "[[Hey, you should get those looked at.->call_out]]"
2. //[[Watch her leave.->say_nothing]]//"Ok, I think we're done," you murmur.
She doesn't hear you. She passed out from the pain.
You sigh and survey the damage.
The towels under her are soaked from the blood running from her back and down her sides. Slivers of feathers are scattered across the comforter and carpeted floor. Her right wing lays loose across her body.
You decide to let her sleep. You'll clean up a bit while she rests.
1. //[[You grab the wing.->sleep]]//You lift the wing from her prone form, careful not to wake her. You pause, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest as she sleeps.
<<linkreplace "She inhales." t8n>>\You fold the wing as carefully as you can, wrapping the bleeding end in on itself.
<<linkreplace "She exhales." t8n>>\You exit the room, bringing the severed wing to join its counterpart in the bathroom. You grab some painkillers and a cup of water for her when she wakes.
You return to your room. <<linkreplace "She inhales." t8n>>\You set the water and pills down on the bedside table.
<<linkreplace "She exhales." t8n>>\You scoop up some of the feathers that fell off the bed, depositing them on the towels. You grab the washcloth you used earlier.
1. //[[You wipe sweat from her neck.->aftercare]]<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\<</linkreplace>>\You wipe the sweat from her neck absently, examining her back for anything else that needs to be cleaned. You do your best to ignore the gaping wounds where her wings used to be.
There's a fair amount of blood still wet on her back. You wipe it off before can stain.
You don't know how long you stay like this, cleaning her back and keeping an eye on her while she sleeps.
She starts to stir.
1. //[[You withdraw your hand.->wake_up]]//You see her shift, tensing her back before relaxing it slightly.
"You awake?"
She groans.
You laugh quietly, even though there's nothing remotely funny about this situation.
"How're you feeling?" you murmur.
"Like you took a knife to my back."
"I got you some painkillers while you were out." You get up from the bed to grab them and the glass of water from the bedside table. She rolls onto her side to face you, blinking at you blearily.
"Here." You offer the bottle to her. She dumps it open into her hand and pours a cluster of pills into her palm. You hand her the glass in exchange for the bottle. She chugs the water messily, attempting to swallow too many pills at once and looking on the verge of choking.
"Hey, be careful," you chide gently. She waves you off before flopping back on to her stomach. She needs time before the painkillers kick in.
1. //[[You give her space.->get_up]]//all art & writing by me
proofreading, editing, and emotional support by max (@kelpinmywater)