Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a buzzing in my head, and ringing in my ears. Trying to recall what had just happened. I was just a normal kid, well normal adopted kid. Not normal enough. 

I was raised in an upperclass household, believe it or not. Adopted at the ripe old age of 8. Before that I had been in the orphanage and in and out of foster homes my whole life. Why was i, the most rejected kid adopted by the rich dicks? I was a pity case, perfect to be used to make them look good. Especially since people avoid adopting the inhuman kids. I had wings. Adding to the good sermitian look adopting me gave those fuckers. We were the perfect family in the public eye or around their "friends". I was expected to be... perfect, but as you could probably guess behind closed doors they were shit. I wasnt allowed to even call them "mom" or "dad"; I had to call them "Mister" Or "Mrs", and heaven forbid if some of those fucking feelings I felt or things I did without realized showed themselves infront of guests. 

They would hurt me. Hurt me in the one way no one could see... they'd clip my feathers. Just the tips. Ones that could easily be brushed over. I didnt have a room. They would only let me eat to insure their abuse wasnt seen by the public because I'd get too thin. Rather they'd force me to eat, even if I felt I couldnt, or didnt want to. I'd throw up.. alot, but even with all those things stacked up onto eachother that didnt mean I wanted... This.

One day, on one of those rare days I got to leave the house and enjoy the wonders of the town and outdoors, I saw a man at one of the Food stalls that littered the streets. Though I technically wasnt allowed too, I always preferred to explore the poorer districts. They had so much cool shit you wouldn't see in the rich areas. The man was tall, blonde, and wore green, but the thing that really caught my eye... was the wings on his back. Large black wings, that were definitely way larger than my smaller wings. Apperantly I stared for too long because the man gazed over to me. Looking me up and down before smiling... I had never seen such a genuine smile. The man approched and knelt to my height. I took a hesitant step back, just in case. 
"Hi there mate, how are you?" he asked in a kind and gentle voice. I almost couldnt believe he was an adult. Not when every single one I had ever known had been so... cruel. "Uh, fine just... exploring" I quickly respond, not wanting to seem  like I was staring. "Alone?" he asked, concern dripping from his voice. "Yeah? I'm old enough to do so-" I say, already hating the fact some stranger was concerned for me. I didnt want more pity. "How old are you?"
"Uh 16?" He made some sort of noise that sounded like a bird, but anxious. "Well uh, I should get going" I say, moving on before he could respond. For the rest of the day I felt like I had eyes on me, but brushed it off. I was so close to getting home when... everything ended up going dark.

That's when I woke up here. In a wooden... room, with a single chain on my ankle. dimly lit, and a blanket thrown over me. A camera easily spotted in the corner and a stairway up to a door... so I was likely in a basement. A small heater against the wall, and a single plant to decorate the room. I was on a mattress on the floor... surprisingly clean and with lavish sheets on it and a pillow too, but that did little to comfort my nerves as I shot up from my spot, desperately trying to get this cuff off my leg. That's when I heard the door open. My head shot up to see what was going on. 

There he was... more comfortably dressed but I recognized him immediately. The man from the street corner. "Ah, good morning fledgling. Good to see you're already up," He said as he came down the stairs. I tense up, moving back only to hit the wall. "There's no need to be afraid. The chain is just for both of our safety." He said with that sweet soft voice, but this just made me feel sick. "What do you want from me?!" I exclaim. "You're my fletchling?" he said, as if it was obvious. "f-fletchling?" I ask confusedly, unfamiliar of the term. "Between a hatchling and a full grown avian?" he said, picking up on my lack of knowledge quickly. "Do you not know avian terminology?" "Not really," I say with defensive anger in my voice. "Wasn't raised by any. I had to start school before I even knew my kind was called avians, and my school didnt have a class just to learn avian shit." Once again he made those anxious sounding bird noises. Noises I used to make. Used to. I still watched the man warily causing him to sigh sadly. "I knew it wouldn't be this easy, but there was still the hope that just maybe." He approached and I stood up from the mattress, moving away only to be tripped my the chain. As he watched me is eyes widened in something akin to awe. I was confused as I stared at him. Anger, worry, confusion... dread... all glimmered in my eyes. 

He cleared his throat before speaking again. "If your anything like the other you wont feel comfortable calling me dad just yet so... you may call me Phil, unless you want to call me father, dad, dada, papa, pops, or anything else you'd call your father," he said, and I looked at him like he was insane. His face said he'd seen that look before. "Dinner Is in an hour... I'll leave you to... rejust until them. Just... behave, alright? The sooner I can trust you the sooner the chain comes off fledgling," he said and I quickly spoke, nearly cutting him off. "My name is Tommy!" he didn't even flinch. "Good to know, but you're still my fledgling." He said. Turning and leaving before I could say anything. The moment he left was when panic and dread kicked in. My breathing picked up and tears pricked my eyes, and though I tried to fight them off... they poured down, quickly turning into waterfalls. Had I really been kidnapped? Sure my home was shitty, but I never wanted... this! Someone... anyone... save me.

Chapter Text

I was alone. Clawing at this cuff, looking for weak links on the chain, any chance of a way to escape... but I couldn't find any. I refused to give up. Because if I gave up I would spiral again. This was the only hope I had. Even false hope kept me hanging on to small bits of sanity left. C'mon... c'mon...

I immediately stopped however when I heard the door creak. There he was again, coming down the stairs. I moved back again, Terrifed. In his hands was a tray. The smell made it obvious that on it was food. He came down with a gentle smile. Placing the food where I could reach, but staying a decent enough distance away. I looked at the food warily. "Want me to take a small portion to prove it's not drugged or posioned?" He asked kindly. I nodded. He reached to the edges and I spoke up. "Take from the center of the foods." "What?" he asked. "Take from the center. You could of just put some in the middle so you knew the edges would be safe to taste test." He looked at me confusedly, before sighing fondly and taking small bits from the center of the foods. Eating them. Finally I relented and grabbed the tray before backing back away, eating it. God it was good. Apperantly I forgot to hide that fact though because when I glanced to this guy he looked very happy and proud of himself. "Do you like it?" He asked, though I knew he already knew the answer. "Its alright" I downplayed and he sighed fondly again. "I'm sure you have questions" He suddenly said. "You can ask, just try to trust the words I say are truth, alright?"

"Why me?" I ask after a beat of silence. "Because you're my fledgling" He immediately said. "How am I... that?" He hesitated before speaking up. "I know how.. cruel humans tend to be towards avians.. especially if they're young and have no adult to protect them. How they clip feathers before letting them be adopted to prevent flying since the kids wouldnt know how to fix that if not told." "You can fix that?" I asked without thinking. He nods. "Its not... fun per say but, if you pluck the feather a new one can grow in its place. I grimaced. I would have to pluck most my feathers at this point-... I was quickly brought out of that thought when he spoke. "When was the last time you preened your wings?"
"What?"

"Preened? Groomed? Brushed?"

"Oh uh... never properly did... just tidied them to look presentable I guess."

He cooed worriedly again. I swear I wouldn't be surprised of this man had grey hairs with how much everything seemed to worry him. I rolled my eyes and finished the rest of my food before gazing up to him. I knew this might upset him, but he said I could ask questions. "When do I get to go home?" "This is your home now." He said sternly. "It's not." I argued. He glared a stern look at me. Quickly I thought of the only thing I could think of to defend myself. "I've never had a home. Never felt safe enough anywhere to call it home." That's when his stern gaze turned to a look of worry. "I'll make this your home," He said. "Respectfully I was brought here against my will. I don't think I'll see it as a home." He sighed sadly at that. "You'll get used to it... Just... be good and I can take the chain off. The longer your good the more privileges you'll get, but if you misbehave you will have to be punished. The severity of the punishment depends on what you did." He explains. I just scoff and look away. He seemed to be trying an be patient with me, which was new for me. Not something I'd expect from my kidnapper. How was this insane man... so kind to me? Obviously it was an act, but I would never lower my guard. Never.

"What kind of punishments are we talking about here?" I asked to shoo away the thought from my mind. "Nothing too severe at your first few strikes," he said softly, avoidance in his tone. "I meant what would you do?" I insist. "You wont have to know as long as you behave." I sigh frustratedly, knowing I wasnt going to get anything else out of him. "Can I be alone now?"
I ask, trying not to sound desperate. Phil sighed sadly, but nodded, grabbing the tray before leaving me alone in this space.

I brought my knees to my chest. My mind began to race and swirl. He of all people should know how fragile and delicate wings are... would he resort to such measures? Was he like them? He was insane enough to take me against my will after all. My breathing picked up. Would he try and tear them off? chain them? Maybe he just wouldnt help me fix my wings so I could never fly. Oh god would I truly be a flightless avian? tears pricked my eyes, and I hide my face in my knees. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Trying to find some hope to cling onto and ground myself with, but in the moment I couldn't find any.. my heart pounded in my chest, as flashing of my old home's "punishments" flashed in my head. How humans treated my wings my whole life. My mouth felt try and I could feel tingling in my fingers. I was getting light headed... I needed to calm down. I knew I did but I couldnt breathe. I couldnt do it. Would i pass out down here? Alone? What would that man do if he found me unconscious? Theres so many things he could and that thought made it worse. Oh god... I needed to breathe... breathe... Breathe idiot!

Suddenly I felt a hand in my hair.