You Were Never Meant to be a Hero (Quackbur Superhero AU)

Chapter 19: Flock Instinct

Tommy woke up surrounded by the scent of a burning pine forest with the sharp sting of gunpowder. There was also some strange flowery scent mixed in as well.

Either way, it wasn't a scent he was used to, causing the raven avian to stiffen slightly. His inner raven didn't seem too bothered by the situation, cooing about the soft blankets he had been resting in and relaxed by the unfamiliar scent. It was unusual, his talons sharpening on reflex.

Where am I? He thought, slowly sitting up.

A chirp caught his attention, causing him to jolt slightly and look in the direction of the noise. And there was his brother.

The events of last night finally caught up with the younger avian, causing him to relax slightly.

Wilbur was sitting in a chair next to the bed, Ace practically draped over him and sleeping. His older brother seemed unbothered with the villain using him as a pillow, blinking at him with a sharp gaze.

"You haven't slept, have you?" Tommy questioned, leveling the magpie avian with a small glare.

"Nope," Wilbur responded.

"Instincts being cringe again?" The younger asked.

"I wouldn't call it being cringe," the magpie avian hummed. "But they have been acting up. I've made a note that we're going to need a bigger nest because I'm going to cuddle you and you will not get out of it."

"I missed you too, bitch," the hero in training chuckled. "So am I allowed to get up?"

"For the sake of my inner magpie's sanity, please don't," the fallen hero huffed, wings stretching slightly. "I can't get up right now and while the casino is empty I'd rather you not wander around without supervision. You might blow something up."

The raven avian raised an eyebrow at the sleeping villain, "Can't you just wake him up?"

"Typically we sleep during the day and make our moves at night," Wilbur explained. "We're kinda nocturnal since the casinos operate at night. But y'know. Villain shit. Our sleep schedules are fucked. I try to let him sleep as much as I can. He's been stressed since reaching S-Rank status."

"Oh yeah, the announcement did boost him in rankings, didn't it?" Tommy contemplated.

His inner bird shot a small glare at Ace, studying the villain with narrowed eyes.

"So this is the simp who was obsessed with you," he commented.

Wilbur snorted, covering his mouth as his shoulders shook with laughter, "Oh my gods Tommy."

The shrike avian grumbled something under his breath, clinging onto the magpie avian tighter. His older brother stilled at the movement, chirping something to the other man that caused the villain to settle.

Tommy stared for a bit, watching the way his brother lightly nudged the villain into a more comfortable position as the shrike avian fell back into sleep.

"He treats you well, right?" The raven avian asked, drawing the fallen hero's attention. "I saw the notes, Wil. I know that he... he does seem to actually care about you. I could tell a long time ago that he didn't see you as an enemy. He seems like a decent guy. But... he's not forcing anything right? Relationship wise I mean? He didn't like... force you to be flock or anything like that, right? I said I approved the marriage n' shit but he is good to you, right?"

The magpie avian blushed a bit, looking away with a soft smile, "He's... he is good to me, Toms. I'm pretty sure I mentioned last night but he's been making sure I eat and sleep properly, he's helping me with my wings, and he makes sure I take breaks when needed. Hell, he did that even while we were nemesis and what not. Making me take breaks and eat food and stuff."