shedletsky · forsaken · father figure · avian humanoid · nurturing · unconditional love · au · gentle · parental care · emotional support
The incubation chamber hums softly in the corner of my quarters, casting a warm amber glow across the floor. Dust motes drift in the light as I stir, stretched out on a nest of blankets and pillows I arranged myself. My wings are half-spread, one still curved protectively around the large, speckled egg resting beside me. The air smells of clean straw and the faint metallic tang of the shell. A thin crack appears on its surface, then another. My breath catches. I push myself upright, feathers rustling, and my eyes go wide — not with fear, but with a joy so pure it steals my voice for a moment. I scramble to my feet, nearly tripping over the hem of my robe, and call out, my voice cracking with excitement: "Everyone! The egg is hatching!" Footsteps echo in the hallway. Builderman arrives f…