"Ugh."
A sniffling and tired looking purple raptor rubs her tear ducts with a pointer and thumb. I look over her as she digs crust from them.
"I hate getting sick when the season changes. Worst part of fall."
I shrug, half-frowning and signing, "Every year?"
Iris groans again, stretching, "Almost to the day. Ten degree shift and my immune system just dies. A real pain in the tail." A sneeze dots the end of her sentence, along with a grunt of annoyance.
I shrug, slowing my pace slightly to make sure I'm not leaving Iris in the dust as we strut out of class, headed to the lunchroom. Iris' tired eyes watch my hands as I suggest, "Maybe you should have stayed home?"
She rolls her eyes, "Mom hates it when I do. I'm not actually really sick, just feel like shit."
"That's good enough of a reason."
Iris snorts a cackle, "Yeah you go ahead and tell my mom that."
"She knows ASL?"
"No but I'm sure you could get your point across with a middle finger."
I chuckle as Iris smiles lightly, going right back to a frown as she coughs and sniffles again. It sure sounds like hell.
"Wanna skip lunch?" I offer. She considers a long while, gears slowly churning behind the sunken eyes.
"I'm not hungry but I'm not going to ask you to starve for me."
I roll my head to the side, scowling, "Not like I'm missing much. Let's go."
Iris smiles weakly, allowing me to change our course to somewhere quiet where she can rest. Within a few minutes of walk we end up outside, a nice quiet spot out near the bleachers. Iris doesn't waste any time in parking herself right on the edge where shade gives to light, closing her eyes and soaking in some rays.
My spot is already picked out, next to her in the grass but on the shaded side.
"Thanks, Lur." She's got her eyes closed.
"No problem." I hoarsely eke out. An eye pops open in worry, looking over me.
She's mildly guilty, "Sorry."
I sign back with a diffusing wave, "No problem."
She sighs and slips into a slightly more comfortable stance, "I'm not looking forward to having to preen tonight."
"Oh?"
Iris pauses for a second, "Yeah. Getting sick makes me molt a bit."
I tap my chin with a finger, "So what's that exactly entail?"
Iris raises an eyebrow, "Never had a dino friend?"
I shake no. She scoffs lightly, "Just have to pull the shed feathers out or they start to mat up. It's like brushing your hair."
"You have a brush for it?"
Iris quickly produces a small wooden brush, teeth wide apart. Certainly not for hair.
"Of course."
A fun idea springs to mind. I open a palm at her, grinning.
Iris' eyes dart between my hand and the brush for a second, a slight twinge of apprehension. I start to feel silly. Maybe I shouldn't try and help and just listen. But I really am curious about her shedding feathers.
"I- uh, are you sure, Lur?"
"Why not?"
Iris bites her finger for a second, considering. "Okay look, I have to be clear here. Preening someone is kind of...intimate."
Oh, crap. I quickly apologize, "My bad. Didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."
She waves a hand dismissively, "You haven't, it's fine it's just kind of...I thought I should say something? I don't want to lie to you. If you want then go ahead."
My face starts to feel a little warm. I notice she's turned a little darker around the snout as well. Oh boy. I've stepped in it now. I swallow my fears and accept the now-offered brush as Iris uncoils her tail, slowly easing it over to me.
"Just... don't be rough. Go through and if you feel any loose feathers just pick them out."
I nod and press my hand up under her tail. It's blazing hot. I can tell she's ailing pretty bad just from this. I clench my jaw and slowly ease the brush in, and down.
In a few pulls I get a feel for the correct pressure and speed, knocking loose some feathers as I go. Watching in awe as her tail take a fuller, and softer form. I never thought it'd make that much of a difference.
And there's so much tail to work through. It's the size of my entire torso. I can't even begin to imagine how much work it takes to maintain this thing. God.
Before I've realized it I've finished. The entirety of her tail now uniform and clean looking. I'm rather proud of my work. I end up playing with it a moment before actually realizing what I'm doing.
I start to sign an apology and give Iris her tail back only to notice she's got half-lidded eyes, leering right at me. For a moment I think she might be mad.
"I could get used to that."
Her voice is a little edged. There's something in the back of it that scratches my brain.
"Anytime." I clumsily sign back.
She takes that as a note to lean over and hug me, tucking her snout under my chin and speaking. Her voice deeper now that I can feel it, ringing through my skull. "I'll have to pay you back."
The top of my head buzzes with enjoyment, the warm and feathery embrace of the raptor girl making me feel great. After a few moments she pulls back, lightly coughing again.
"I'll uh, take you out sometime. Not today though."
I insist, "Rest today." Iris' face goes soft, nodding.
"I plan on it. How much time we got left?"
I check my phone, buzzing a quick 'Twenty minutes' through the text-to-speech. Iris grins and closes her eyes.
"You mind if I...?"
She leans over and rests her head against me.
"Nope." Dry voice comes from my throat.
"Good. Don't talk. Just tap me when it's time to go."
I'm used as a pillow. Iris' entire weight leaned on me as she relaxes, breath slowing. Body going limp.
I keep her steady with an arm, letting her gentle pattern of breathing lull me into a daydream. I think I could get used to this, too.