I've Embraced The Grain Between My Wings

"Having those grains between his feathers, the pinprick spots of pain that fill them, it's familiar. It feels grounding, he feels like he shouldn't just forget everything that happened in 3rd life like everybody else seems to have. Or at least is pretending to have. He knows it isn't healthy, but he doesn't really care anymore."

Or,
Providence is stuck in my HEAD 24/7 and inspired a fic this (title from that). Basically: Grian refuses to bathe or preen for almost two months after season 8 starts, because the feeling of dirt and sand in his feathers reminds him of 3rd Life and he isn't ready to let go, to move on.

-=-
07-19-23 - 2,971wc