Ocean Kisses

Horns and Feathers

Zedaph pov

As I shook out the majority of the feathers from my hair, I couldn't help but notice the strange lightness that came with them being gone. But, for some odd reason, I decided to keep a few. They weren't that bad, and honestly, they kind of grew on me. They had a softness to them that made me feel... oddly calm.

I went over to where my things were and found a small string, something that would work as a tie. Carefully, I tied the remaining feathers together and then secured them to my horn, just behind my ear. It felt strange at first, the unfamiliar sensation of the feathers brushing against my ear every time it flicked. But somehow, it wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it might be. The feeling of the soft plumes hanging there felt oddly comforting, like a part of something bigger than just me.

I could feel my ear twitch a little, the unfamiliar weight making me more aware of the subtle movement. But there was something oddly right about it, like it was meant to be there, even if I didn't completely understand why.

As I turned back toward the others, I noticed their eyes on me-Tango and Impulse both raised eyebrows, but there was something in their gazes that seemed... approving? It was a bit difficult to read, but the soft smiles on their faces made me feel a little more at ease.

"You actually look kinda cool with them in your hair," Impulse said, his voice warm and amused. "I think they suit you."

Tango gave me a thumbs-up, clearly trying not to laugh. "You've got style, Zed."

I shrugged, still feeling the unfamiliar weight on my horn, but I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "I don't know about style, but it's definitely... different," I said, glancing at the feathers again.

"Well, different works," Tango said, his voice light. "And I think it suits you better than you realize."

I chuckled softly, my hand grazing the feathers that were now tied securely to my horn. "Guess I'm just adapting to the surface world, one feather at a time."

Impulse nudged my shoulder lightly, his grin still in place. "You're doing great, Zed. You'll be a pro in no time."

I smiled back, feeling a little more at ease than before, my anxiety about fitting in slowly dissipating as I adjusted to this new normal. It was strange, but it didn't feel so bad anymore. I had a weird little crew who accepted me for who I was-even with feathers in my hair. And somehow, that felt like enough.

Skizz's wings twitched in irritation as he woke up to the commotion, clearly confused by the sudden fussing over his feathers. His eyes flicked around the room, and his wings instinctively wrapped up tightly against his back, pulling in to shield him from the attention. But, in his half-asleep state, he didn't realize just how much room he was taking up.

In one swift movement, Skizz stretched out, trapping Impulse right next to him in a tight cuddle. Impulse let out a surprised squeak, and his eyes went wide as he tried to wriggle free, but the position was too cozy for him to escape.

Tango, ever the observer, just shook his head with a chuckle. "Better him than me," he muttered, clearly amused by the whole situation.

But then, as if to confirm his words, Tango was pulled into the mess of limbs and feathers when Skizz's wings shifted to give him a more secure cuddle spot. There was no escaping it. The cuddle pile had expanded.

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing, watching the chaotic mess unfold. Skizz's sleep-fogged brain clearly didn't realize how tangled up they were getting. "You're all stuck now!" I said between fits of laughter, enjoying the chaos.

Impulse squirmed but was effectively trapped between Skizz's wings and body, while Tango was sandwiched in too. "I think we need an emergency extraction team," Impulse muttered, his face red with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment.

Skizz, still mostly asleep and now thoroughly confused, mumbled something about being too warm and just wanting to sleep. His wings fluffed up a little, as if to make himself more comfortable in the accidental cuddle pile.

"Maybe next time you should wake up before trying to trap everyone in a cuddle, Skizz," Tango teased, his voice light but clearly enjoying the moment.

I leaned back, still chuckling as I watched the three of them all tangled up together. "It's kind of cute, though."

Impulse sighed dramatically, but there was a small smile on his face. "Only you would think this was cute, Zed."

And I honestly couldn't help it. The whole situation was chaotic, but it felt oddly comforting to see them all wrapped up in the confusion-like we were all just part of the same tangled mess of friendship.

Impulse's puppy dog eyes were absolutely impossible to resist. His big, wide eyes stared at me with that adorable, pleading look, his brows furrowing just slightly like he was trying to work his magic. I could tell he was either trying to get my help with some mischief or... trying to pull me into his surface dweller trap, but honestly, in that moment, I couldn't be sure which.

I hesitated for a second, but his eyes were so sincere, and I was already melting a little. Maybe it was just how soft and warm everything felt in that cuddle pile, or maybe it was the fact that his puppy dog eyes were working overtime, but I couldn't stop myself from offering my hand to him.

As soon as my hand was in his reach, Impulse gave me that triumphant little grin, and before I knew it, he tugged me closer, pulling me right into the pile with him. I was helpless to resist, and I couldn't deny how comforting it was to be wrapped up in all their warmth.

Of course, that meant I was now part of the mess-completely surrounded by Impulse, Skizz, and Tango, all of us tangled up together. I couldn't help but chuckle softly, realizing how easily I fell for that puppy dog look.

Impulse grinned, his face lighting up with that mischievous glint in his eyes. "I knew you'd fall for it," he said, a playful tone in his voice as he pulled me in just a bit tighter.

I could only shake my head, laughing quietly. "You know, I really don't think you're as innocent as you act."

Impulse just chuckled, his head resting against mine as we all settled in again. "Guilty as charged," he said with a grin.

There we all were, a pile of warmth and tangled limbs, and despite the initial chaos, I couldn't help but feel content in the moment. Maybe surface dweller relationships were confusing, but right now, being wrapped up in all of them felt like the best place to be.