Feathers & a Dash of Magic

Chapter 1: People Suck

Content warning: talk about murder at the very end

When Virgil woke up, it felt like it was going to be a good day. He woke up feeling refreshed, which was rare, and the weather was nice. It was bright outside, but not blindingly so. Plus, looking out of the window, the farm looked like it was doing well. Maybe he'll be able to pick the vegetables with his brother Patton today.

However, when he went downstairs to make some breakfast for the two of them, he quickly found they were running low on food. He was only able to find two eggs, hardly enough for the both of them, and barely enough bread and jam. Everything else was eaten, and though the vegetables could be replaced by what they had in their farm it wasn't enough. He would have to go out and buy some more.

Luckily they had enough money to replace it all, they had no competition for what they sold since they were the only ones that grew corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. Neither liked carrots, so they sold all of those, and there were other farmers that sold whatever else they needed.

It was all sold at a village just ten miles away called Matela, that's where the market is at. Fabrics, food, medicine, among other things were sold there. There were homes up there of course, but everyone else mostly had a farm house a few miles from it to grow their crops. Unfortunately, Patton and Virgil can't set up their shop there every day because Patton's legs were too weak.

From what Virgil was told, his legs had always been weak. It wasn't until he was four that he was able to take his proper first steps, even though his arms worked just fine. He could still feel his legs, though he often got pins and needles, and when he stood it was only for a few minutes before they started to ache. The doctors couldn't help him, so he was given a wheelchair. It was quite expensive, but it was worth it. It made Virgil quite protective of him, even though Patton was the older of the two.

Virgil was the one that went to town to buy necessities for the two of them, though sometimes Logan would come over to help them. His family lived in the village, they were alchemists and made medicine. Logan was also Patton's boyfriend, though they were only out to certain people. Virgil couldn't fathom how they were brave enough to be out to anyone at all, but then again it was easier to be out as gay than as a monster.

Okay okay, so technically he wasn't really a monster, he was a fairy with giant feathery wings that he keeps hidden whenever he leaves the house. He also had heightened senses and some magic, though he didn't know how to control it very much so he never used it. The most that he knew about it was that he had elemental magic, control over elements, among a few other tricks.

Virgil calls himself a monster because that's what humans call creatures like him. Patton and Logan hated it since it was derogatory and all that, but Virgil had accepted being seen like that a long time ago before he was adopted by Patton's parents. When your biological parents are taken from you just because they aren't human, well, Virgil learned fast most won't accept him.

The only people that know are Patton, Logan, and the alchemist's parents. Patton's parents knew before they died but they promised to not tell anyone from the village. They were some of the kindest humans in Virgil's eyes. But it's not like everyone else from Matela were rude, sure you had the occasional rude customer but other than that he loved them, he just didn't trust that they would love him if they knew.

So he hid his wings, binding them down whenever he went to town. It hurt but he got used to it. He usually had to bear it for only a few hours, the worst days are when he had to help sell the harvest. Luckily Patton did most of the work there, and sometimes Virgil could find a safe place to take a break. Usually at Logan's shop.

After putting on leather gloves to avoid touching iron, Virgil started to make breakfast for the two of them, cracking the eggs and stirring them as he let the rest of their bread toast on the stove. He was halfway done when he heard the slight squeak of wheels. No one else could hear them, which Virgil couldn't understand, but he knew it was only because of his heightened senses. He was pretty used to it by now.