A Mockingbird In The Crows Nest

Under The Rubble

Content Warning: Panic, dissociation, as well as descriptions and depictions of blood, gore, injuries, burn wounds, and broken bones. Minor claustrophobia warning as well

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"..No.." Wilbur hushes, staring in horror at the rubble of the building- with no Tommy in sight. No head of gold curls poking out of the wreckage. No flash of red wings drifting in the air. Nothing. Not a single sign of life in the settling dust of the rubble.

Which means he's trapped under there, somewhere.

He refuses to think about the other option.

"No..No no no !" He pushes himself away from his dad's grip the moment they hit the pavement, rushing towards the wreckage. His hand flies up to his ear to bring the radio to life- hoping that would work and they'd be able to find him quickly. "Mockingbird?? Mockingbird, can you hear me??"

Static is all that greets him, and tears burn in his eyes behind his skull mask. Then Phil's hand is on his shoulder- and he's being dragged away from where he's digging through the rubble. Instantly, he tries to pull away because doesn't he understand?? Tommy's under there somewhere. And he needs help and Wilbur's just fucking standing there - but Phil drags him into a firm hug. A hand rests on the back of his neck and wings wrap around his back; and Wilbur crumples .

He presses the forehead of his mask into Phil's shoulder, his shoulders shaking as tears drip down his cheeks; catching and gathering at the rim of his mask.

"I know, Wil.." Phil murmurs in his ear, holding him closer. "It'll be alright..He's ok."

"You don't know that.." Wilbur mutters, sniffling and lifting his head just enough so he can look over his dad's shoulder. "You didn't see him in there. He was..He looked desperate. Like he was trying to fix everything at once- like it was his fault the building got attacked." His breath hitched in his throat as a new wave of tears piled up. "He's such a good kid..He- He literally pushed me out of the way of danger. Even if it cost him his-" Wilbur cuts himself off, breaking into another sob as he holds his dad closer.

Phil makes a pained warble, and holds him impossibly closer. "I'm sure he's ok..We've got a search party on the way. He's alive down there. I know it."

"How?" He demanded, pulling away just enough to give his dad a slightly angry look- but they both know there's no real heat behind it.

Phil just smiled and looked across the rubble, keeping his wing wrapped firmly around Wilbur's shoulders. "If there's anything I've learned about that kid; it's that he's stubborn."

When the boy starts to return to the world, it takes him a moment to remember what's going on.

He's sore, is his first realization.

He's in pain is his second one.