Kwared landed down on Phandrins balcony, having guided the last of the higher quadrants to their dormitories. His back hurt and his tail felt so much heavier than usual as he flopped down on Phandrins couch. He didn't know if the boy was home yet, exhaling what felt like everything as he let his wings fall open. He was too tired to hold them folded on his back, face planted in the couch.
The room was so familiar at this point, he liked it here, but it was always so warm. He sighed, his ears even hurt and his hair and tail were matted from the last month. He still felt relatively ill from Phandrin clearing his system the day before.
"Jesus-," Kwared heard, the door clicking open. Phandrin placed a hand over his heart dramatically as he shut the door behind him, Kwared not moving, he was too tired.
"Maybe you should sleep, or have a bath love," Phandrin hummed, setting down his bag. He'd been talking to the administrator about the new quadrants, and some of their behaviors.
"I'm lazy," Kwared muttered, flopping to his side. His eyes widened when he fell off the couch, letting out an angry yell.
"I can help you wash your hair and stuff if you want, but you need to clean up," Phandrin suggested, sitting down on the couch. Kwareds ears perked up as he looked at Phandrin confused.
"Excuse me, I am not ready for that-," He laughed, his tail flipping around as Phandrin rolled his eyes. "I mean the bath would be filled with suds love, I won't see anything except your shoulders, you don't have to worry about that, And you can wear shorts, but your hair is matted and you're probably sore," Phandrin explained, setting a paper down on the table in front of them.
"We have to go see Kertia today as well, I want you to feel alright physically at the least when you see him," Phandrin shrugged, a hand going to Kwareds hair. He grimanced slightly at how knotted and how much color seemed to have faded.
"Fine, I don't want to do it anyways, and I have to borrow shorts from you cause I dont have any because nobody wears shorts-" Kwared huffed, sitting up on the couch again, glancing at the paper Phandrin set down. Phandrin left to go prepare the water, kwared furrowing his eyebrows at the writing.
"Why does it say Aliskans name?" Kwared called, Phandrin having turned on the water, likely not hearing him. He read through further, a summary of each of them from Phandrins point of view, nothing too abnormal. I was probably just for the administrator, to get a better understanding.
The principal already liked them, having met them late yesterday with Kwared and Phandrin. The principal also seemed happy to see Kwared for whatever reason, a grin on the teachers face. Kwared didn't mind, the man giving Kwared a cool dad vibe, he was harmless.
He sighed again, leaning back. Phandrin had showered and cleaned up this morning and insisted then that Kwared did the same but he didn't have the energy, instead falling asleep on the couch while Phandrin showered. He went to introduce the quadrants to the dorms afterwards and then came back again.
Phandrin soon enough called him to the washroom, leaving to get a brush while Kwared changed and stepped in. Phandrin was right with what he said about suds, Kwared practically buried in it as he grinned slightly. His tail lifted up from the water, splashing water on the floor slightly as his eyes widened, glancing at it before pretending it never happened.
Phandrin knocked, Kwared giving him an ok as Phandrin raised a brow at him. Kwared had put bubbles all over his head, the boy looking like icecream as he grinned innocently at Phandrin.
"What are you grinning about," Phandrin mused, before glancing at the floor, a puddle formed already as he sighed. "That wasn't me, it was there when I got here," Kwared defended, Phandrin nodding sarcastically.
"Anyways, there's bubbles in my ears and I cant hear anything," Kwared half yelled as he let out a puff, blowing away bubbles that fell from his head to his face.
He flapped his ears for a second in an attempt to clear them of the suds, using his hands to wipe them off. Phandrin watched amused, Kwared looking absolutely carefree. He set the towels he held to the side as he leaned down, pushing Kwareds hair back.
"Maybe if you didn't put the suds all over your ears-?" Phandrin grinned, Kwared staring at him blankly. "Well, maybe if you shUt uP," Kwared tried to turn away but only managed to splash water on Phandrin. Kwared let out a sound of surprise, eyeing Phandrins surprised expression. He grinned making Phandrins forced scowl turn into a smile, wiping it his sweater in useless attempt.
"Well that was rude," Phandrin mused, furrowing his eyebrows at the collar still connected to the brace that disappeared under the bubbles.
"Why are you wearing that in the bath-," Phandrin questioned, using his free hand to trace it. It was leather so it grew tighter in the water. His hand stopped where the water started, moving back up to the actual collar as Kwared watched his expression.
"I never take it off, I loosen it was I'm cleaning up and clean under it but I don't take it off," Kwared shrugged, Phandrin nodding as he brought his hand to the back of the clasp.
"Well you need to take it off for now, and you took it off for me the other day, It's just gonna make it hard to clean your hair," Phandrin explained as Kwared reeled back, swatting Phandrins hand.
"No, I never take it off except to change it to a different one, or-," Kwared trailed off as Phandrin raised a brow. He eyed the red that formed under the leather before nodding slowly.
"Alright, but if I tug on it or something by accident, tell me, it looks like its hurting your skin a bit," Phandrin hummed, Kwared nodding as he watched the boy pick up a bottle. He turned back to the bubbles, Phandrin setting the bottle down as he moved behind Kwared.
"I need you to get your hair wet, just duck down," Phandrin urged, setting his hands on Kwared shoulders, careful of the indents and scars. Kwared complied, leaning back and exhaling as he dipped his head under the water. Phandrin spotted his ribs, lines and indents running up before Kwared brought his head back up, almost splashing Phandrin again.
"Jeez-," Kwared gasped, water trickling down his face, suds obscuring his vision. Phandrin snickered, handing him a small towel to wipe off his face. "I can't hear- water-," Kwared said, his ears pressing back as Phandrin took the towel, petting on and around his ears.
"The air is so cold now," Kwared mused, Phandrins hands resting on his shoulders carefully again, Kwared focusing on the bubbles as he picked up his tail again.
Phandrin stayed quiet, not really responding as he set soap in his hand to measure before putting it in Kwareds hair, focusing especially on the ends as the red color seemed to come back more than ever.
"You're hair is so cool," Phandrin hummed, eyeing the color practically fading in in front of his eyes. Kwared nodded slowly, wiping away a drop that fell from his bangs. "My tail used to have the same ombre effect until I stopped caring about it, now I just cover it in bandages and baring," Kwared shrugged, running his hand over the pale white bandages that were now soaked but would dry as they were built for this.
"Can i look after?" Phandrin asked, tilting his head to the side. Kwared turned his head to the side locking eyes with him before shrugging.
"If you want, nothing pretty..." Kwared huffed, Phandrin nodding as he reached for the shower head and flicking it on. He turned the stream to low to rinse his hair. Phandrin watched the soap run down his back, over the burn marks and missing patches in his skin. He convinced Kwared to let him clean up his wings at some point as well.
"You'll feel much better afterwards, no worries,"
