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Taphs wings were in a lot of discomfort, constantly twitching in irritation for the entire round. He hadn’t really had the time to care about them since he arrived in this purgatory. Not like he could really ever properly care for them, as it was a struggle to reach behind his back to fully reach them. His ear wings were much easier to preen, but they required him to take his hood off to reach the ends, and taking it off made him feel too vulnerable. Too easily seen.
So, he just had to live with the discomfort. He couldn’t occupy himself with such trivial matters when his teammates needed him to set traps and help out in distracting the killer. They were already so kind to him, welcoming him into their group so quickly. He couldn’t be any more of a burden to them.
The round was halfway done by now, they weren’t doing too bad against the current killer, Jason. Chance had been the only one to die after his gun had exploded right into his face early on. Taph was currently setting up another tripwire in the mansion, hoping to catch Jason off guard if he came this way.
After finishing tying the wire Taph couldn’t help but feel his wings twitching more noticeably. His brows furrowed as he tried to ignore them as he prepared a mine. So caught up in his effort to disregard the aches he didn’t notice the heavy footsteps that were getting closer.
A voice suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts, “Taph, behind you!” he heard Builderman shout from afar. But the warning was given too late and Taph felt searing pain bloom in his back. Guess Jason had enough of chasing Two Time around finally and decided to go after the clearly distracted demolitionist.
Taph would have screamed in pain, if he could, but all that came out of his mouth was a shocked exhale as he fell forward onto the mine he was preparing. Which blew up in the killer's presence, right in both of their faces. Taph, now blinded by his own mine and now experiencing new pain in his torn back, couldn’t do anything but lay on the ground and writhe. His wings only began to ache more.
Taph looked behind him to see Jason, already recovered, preparing to strike once more. Taph almost thought about just accepting his fate right then and there, already ashamed of letting himself get caught so off guard. He couldn’t help but completely freeze, shutting his eyes tightly and braced for the incoming pain that was sure to come. Nobody was going to save him, not then, not now.
Taph suddenly realized the pain he braced for never came, and he opened his eyes to see Two Time embedding their dagger into the killer's spine. Their signature crazed smile plastered on their face. A hand suddenly grasped Taphs shoulder as he was hoisted up and dragged away from the two.
“What the hell was that Taph?! You want to get killed or something?!” Builderman huffed, an annoyed expression on his face but his voice held obvious concern. Taph watched as Jason turned around to go right back after Two Time.
Taphs ear wings closed closer into his face in embarrassment at having to be saved, how pathetic could he be. Making someone as important as Builderman have to worry about him.
The older man finally stopped when he was satisfied with the distance and lightly dropped Taph onto the grass. Looking down at him for a few moments as if he expected Taph to explain what the hell happened back there, and then Taph realized that’s exactly what he was waiting for and quickly tried to form an apology with his hands, ‘I’m sorry. I was distracted; It’s my fault. I shouldn’t be so-’ he was cut off as Builderman loudly sighed. Did he say something wrong?
Taphs wings were practically shaking by now, both from irritation and anxiety as the older man kneeled down and pulled out a medkit, “Stop apologizing, you did nothing wrong. Just let me patch you up alright?” He opened the kit and looked at Taph expectantly.
When Taph didn’t respond he signed once more and reached out, the movement was far too sudden for Taphs liking and he couldn’t stop the harsh flinch in response. His wings instinctually closing in around him. Builderman quickly pulled back as Taph shakily tried to gesture some form of an apology for being such a mess but was once again cut off.
“I said stop apologizing, Taph, that was on me. I should’ve asked, I’m sorry. It’s just been a rough few rounds. I didn’t mean to get irritated with you.” he leaned back a little, to give Taph a little more space, “But I do need to take your cloak off so I can stop the bleeding. Else you’ll just bleed out. Is that alright?”
Taph was shaking his head before he finished speaking, there was no way he was going to let Builderman see him. Absolutely no way. He could already imagine the look of pure disgust on the man's face, Taph didn’t want to ruin his already fragile relationship with Builderman. Not when he tried so hard to build it. He’d surely stop talking to him completely if he found out how hideous he truly was. ‘No, please. I would not advise that.’
“C’mon Taph, the round is almost over, if you don’t get that healed here then it’ll just be harder to heal when we get back to the cabin.” Builderman inched closer, not too close, but close enough to make Taphs anxiety spike as the younger man desperately searched for any way to get out of this.
‘I’....’I can do it myself. Please.’ His hands were shaking still, and he tried his best to still them, but Builderman seemed to take notice as concern creeped into the man's expression. “You can’t even reach your wings to preen them properly Taph, don’t think we haven’t noticed that. I can see them twitching now. I was waiting for you to ask for help yourself, but I think I see now that you weren’t planning to.”
Taph lowered his head, trying his best to will himself to sink right into the ground. But he was right, he was never planning to ask for help. ‘I didn’t want to trouble anyone with my trivial problems. Everyone has their own baggage to worry about, they don't need to worry about someone like me.’ Taph didn’t mean to sign the last part, but it came out anyway.
Builderman stared at him for a moment, trying to think of the right words to say before a new voice pierced the silence “Hey Builderman I was looking for you everywhere! Jason is like, getting totally pissed off right now it’s hilarious.” Shedletsky came from around the corner, his hand firmly grasping his sword sheathed at his side. His smile faltered as he realized Taph was there as well.
Now Taph really wanted to sink into the ground, his body instinctively trying to make itself smaller in Shedletsky's presence. He knows he shouldn’t be afraid of him, not anymore, but it’s hard to forget what happened before. When Shedletsky was someone very different.
“I had to make sure Taph was alright, I was going to come back right after. You don’t have to be so clingy Shed.” Builderman huffed as he turned his attention back to the injured man. Shedletsky dramatically gasped in offense “Clingy?? Wow Builder, I’m hurt.” his brown eyes then switched to stare at Taph. Examining him, “He’s uh, bleeding a lot still, you still haven’t healed him? I would offer to fetch Elliot but he, uh, got taken out a little while ago...”
Builderman winced at the mention of a death of one of his friends, but his gaze was determinedly locked onto Taph. Who has been noticeably quiet, well somehow more quiet than usual. “I was getting to it when you interrupted Shed. And, well, I’ve come across a problem. Taph seems insistent on dying.”
Shedletsky stepped closer, Taph couldn’t stop himself from inching away, this was going horribly, and it felt like the Spectre set all this up just to make him truly suffer. “Oh yeah? I can help out if you need me to, he’s always been- uh, y’know.” Shedletsky suttured out the last words as if realizing he was beginning to say more than he wanted to. Builderman raised a brow at this.
“He’s always been what? I thought you didn’t know him till he came here?” Builderman had always been frustratingly perceptive at the wrong times. Shedletsky rubbed the back of his head “Hah, sorry, slip of the tongue. Anyways, the round is about over. If you don’t heal him now, it’ll just be more of an issue when we get back to the cabin.”
Builderman, clearly annoyed at Shedletsky's clear attempt to dodge the question, looked back to find the area in front of him that previously held a demolitionist was now barren. “Oh, damn it where the hell did he go?!” Builderman quickly got to his feet as he frantically looked around, it was as if Taph had vanished out of thin air.
“Look” Shedletsky pointed to the small droplets of blood that made a trail “Guess he ran off… man what did you say to spook him so much?”
“I think you were the one to spook him, Shed.” Builderman huffed as a chime rang through the area “I’ll deal with him. Please stay back at the cabin, else you scare him again. And don’t think I forgot what you said earlier.”
Shedletsky let out a nervous chuckle as everything faded to black.
Taph was having the worst time since he got here. He couldn’t even tell where the pain was anymore as he curled up into a ball. Luckily, he managed to slip out of the cabin before anyone could notice. He bolted to the farthest spare cabin, the one that nobody used. It was only a matter of time before someone came looking. His wings twitched and it took all his willpower to not reach behind him and tear them out of his back.
A whimper slipped out of his mouth as he heard the door open and he backed himself further into the corner. It was a familiar feeling, hiding from someone with so much more power than himself. He felt small again, vulnerable. His neck began to ache.
He could see a silhouette slowly make its way towards him, moving as if he was a scared animal. And he practically was. “...Taph? I can see you; I need you to cooperate with me. Please. I just want to help you.”
Buildermans voice sounded so soft, it was the first time Taph ever heard the man speak in such a way. But he knew that all that kindness would wash away the moment he saw what Taph hid behind his cloak. The wrongness that he tried so hard to conceal. Builderman suddenly stopped moving and turned around, vanishing into the other room.
Taph’s heart shattered, but it was to be expected. It was only a matter of time before Builderman finally got fed up with him and his problems. He would be so much better not having to worry about him. But Taph couldn’t help the quiet sob that left him as he hugged himself firmly. Searching for any sense of comfort against the pain in his backside. His wings still continued to twitch.
Suddenly a light blinded him, and Taph winced as his eyes adjusted. Builderman was standing in the doorway with a lantern in his grasp. Taph’s soft cries began to slow, he… came back? Why?
Builderman with med kit in hand slowly walked up to the younger man, wordlessly placing the lantern by the nightstand and crouching down to face Taph once again. ...'I thought you left'... Taph slowly signed.
“Really? How heartless do you think I am?” Builderman honestly looked a little offended as he unpacked the kit being careful as to not make any quick movements “Nobody is here but me, Taph. If I don’t get that covered now it will get infected and that will be problematic in future rounds. I’m asking again that you please cooperate with me.”
Taph shook his head firmly ‘I can do it myself I promise. You’....’wouldn’t like what you see’
Builderman huffed with amusement, a questioning look in his eyes “I’ve seen worse injuries, even before I came here. I think I'll be fine. And like I said you definitely can’t do it yourself. Why are you so insistent on refusing help?”
Taph looked to the ground, his ear wings covering his eyes. ‘I’....’always had to do everything myself. So, asking for help just feels’....’too new.’ he signed, looking back up. “Well, you don’t have to do everything by yourself anymore Taph. We have to take care of each other, that’s what teams do.” the older man inched closer and this time Taph wasn’t compelled to back away. Instead watching as the man cautiously held out a hand, stopping before he could come in contact with Taphs shoulder.
“It’s always ok to ask for help. Your problems don’t have any less worth than ours, you matter Taph. You do.” Taph felt his eyes starting to water again as he lowered his head, “Now, I ask again that you let me help you. But I want you to tell me exactly what you want. Ok? If you really, truly, want to do this on your own… then I can’t stop you. But I want you to know that nothing hiding under that cloak could ever make me think differently of you.”
Taph relaxed his shoulders as he let out a weak sob, quickly wiping away the tears that slipped from his eyes and quickly began to sign ‘Sorry I’, Builderman raised a hand to silence him “I said stop apologizing didn’t I.”
Taph quietly sighed and contemplated his next move deeply, before bringing a talon to his hood. ‘I just want you to know that’... ‘I’m not very pleasant on the eyes.’ he gestured and before Builderman could argue Taph quickly lowered his hood. As if pulling a band aid off. His ear wings covered his eyes; he was terrified to witness whatever expression Buildermans face contorted into.
“Well… I need the whole thing off. Not just the hood” ......Taph sat there confused. Builderman didn’t… sound upset. He sounded pretty casual actually. Taph slowly pulled back his ear wings to take a glance at Buildermans face and only saw a soft frown. Not a bad frown, not a disgusted frown either… just a normal one.
‘Are you’... ‘not grossed out?’ He signed. “Grossed out? Taph, really how horrible do you imagine me? You look normal Taph, well as normal as a hybrid can look that is.” Builderman smiled at him, actually smiled. Taph felt his face heat up and quickly shielded himself with his ear wings once again. ‘You don’t have to be nice... He always said differently.’
“He was an asshole. Whoever he was. You’re not some hideous monster Taph,” Builderman reached both hands out as if to cup Taphs face but hesitated. Taph quickly leaned into his touch to the shock of the older man. He felt calloused fingers against his feathered cheeks, and his whole body was screaming at him to run. Run away from the touch, touch is always bad, touch always hurts you. But a part of him knew Builderman would never hurt him, and that was enough to calm his thoughts.
“You’re beautiful, Taph.”
And with those words Taph felt his breath leave him. His ear wings pulling back in shock, he didn’t realize how close Builderman was until now. He could feel the older man's breath against his face. He pulled back, instantly missing the warmth but he needed to make space before he gave into his thoughts.
Builderman cleared his throat awkwardly, “Well, uhm. How about you move onto the bed so I can get you all patched up?” He got to his feet and held a hand out to Taph. The demolitionist grasped his hand and was pulled up to sit onto the nearby bed. He slowly took off the rest of his cloak and pulled up his shirt as Builderman prepared all the supplies he needed.
“I’m uh, kind of rusty when it comes to first aid. But I think I still remember the basics.” He took a piece of fabric and dabbed it onto the wound, Taph flinched but willed himself to stay put as the other cleaned out the injury. Taph began to fidget with his bandana, this whole thing starting to be a bit painfully awkward.
Finally, Builderman was finished wrapping his torso, “And done! See that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
‘Yes’... ‘Thank you very much.’ Builderman waved him off as he packed the kit back up “It was nothing, like I said, it’s what teammates do.” His soft smile faltered as he looked at Taphs wings “Say, since we're kind of on the subject. How about I help you out with those?”
Taph felt his wings twitch yet again, the irritation creeping its way back in. ‘Oh, you don’t have to’
But Builderman was already making his way to sit beside Taph, “C’mon, I preen Sheds wings all the time. I know what I’m doing. Could you sit on the floor? It’s easier to do it that way.”
Taph knew it was useless at this point to protest any further and gave into the demands. Placing himself on the floor as Builderman grazed his dirtied feathers. He flinched forward as if the touch had burned him and was about to sign an apology but knew that Builderman would just tell him to stop apologizing yet again.
It was a reflex he never could get rid of. One of the many remnants of his time with... him.
Builderman went slowly this time, picking out grime and dirt between feathers and tugging out the loose ones. “Damn, when was the last time you took care of these?” Builderman asked, shocked by the amount of buildup he’s seeing. ‘Well, I had time to try to preen them myself before I came here’... ‘After arriving though I haven’t had that time.’
“That long? Shed would be goin crazy if he went that long without getting his wings preened. I swear he begs me every day.” Builderman chuckled as he continued to work. The two were there for a good few hours, before the next round would start again. Taph thanked Builderman for his kindness, and Builderman simply waved him off and told him to come straight to him if he needed help again.
And Taph would.