Work Text:
Cale has always been a free spirit, even more so now that he’s acquired his wings. His wings that flutter behind him, sending gusts of wind into the air. But even though he received these pair of wings, he doesn’t actually care much about them.
That’s where the children come in.
The first time it happened was after the war at the Gorge of Death, Cale had been forced to take several days of rest, much to the relief of his friends. That day, he was laying on a blanket under the shades of the trees, belly down and wings unfurled, shaking and stretching every now or then, when the three children came up to him. They looked curiously at the beautiful red feathers that had mud and dirt and dust weaved in them like embroidery on cloth, Hong briefly swatting the wing’s tip before On pushed him away. Sensing the silence between them, Cale opened his drowsy eyes and took a glimpse.
And promptly flinched.
All three of them were staring at a rather large patch of dirt on his primary feathers, eyes large with a gaze that practically screamed We want to touch it!
Cale, as weak as always, sighs and moves his wings closer to the trio, silently giving his permission. He could see the shock in their eyes, before it morphs into joy and they stretch out their chubby paws towards his wing, two of them becoming equally chubby fingers as they dragged their fleshy palms and paws across the patch of dirt.
One of them hooks onto a knot and proceeds to tug and untangle it, another proceeds to massage the tense muscles, and the last pair of paws caressed the primary feathers with mana, each caress revealing the red feathers underneath as the dirt and grime disappeared.
The caring touches lull him to sleep as Cale relished in the clean feeling of his wings, eyes closing with no hesitation as he submitted himself to the hands of his children.
(Later, the entire group joins in when they spot the trio still grooming, Cale falls deeper into the embrace of sleep as familiar hands surround him, contentment filling his heart as he realises that he’s safe.)