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Builderman noticed everything, like EVERYTHING. He could notice even the smallest changes in things like expressions. So Builderman had noticed quickly after he arrived in this hellhole how much Elliot squirmed in his seat, or how he always sat farther forward in his seat so his back didn’t touch the couch. Now if Builderman didn’t know any better he would think it was just a normal problem but there was something about it that was too similar to two other survivors for it to be a coincidence.
Said two survivors were Taph and Shedletsky, the way Elliot twitched sometimes reminded him of Taph whenever her wings needed to be preened. And the way Elliot refused to let his back touch the seat was like how Shedletsky didn’t want to accidentally crush his wings when sitting on the couch in the cabin or just any chair in general.
As much as Builderman didn’t want to seem rude by just flat out walking up to Elliot and asking if he had wings, none of the other options seemed any less rude. Some options he thought of were just flat out mean.
So he decided after today's round, he would ask Elliot about his constant little twitches. Builderman just hoped that they would be honest with him. For someone so kind and compassionate Elliot lied, a lot. Builderman just knew he needed to keep himself focused during the round and take his mind off the kid for a while.
And that round had gone, mostly smoothly. Elliot made sure everyone stayed a pretty high health and most of them had actually made it out of the round. With a two casualties! (Chance cuz his gun exploded while he was on low health, and Shedletsky cuz the killer was 1x and she had refused to stop until he was dead).
The first thing Builderman thought to do was go talk to Elliot, but for a solid ten minutes he couldn’t find her? “Where the hell-” Builderman muttered before a voice from above interrupted him making him flinch “Are you looking for me Mr. Builderman?” Builderman looked up to see Elliot sitting of the roof, kicking their feet like him somehow finding her way up on the roof was normal.
“How did you get up there?!?!?!?!” Builderman exclaimed in disbelief. Elliot looked away before smiling down at him “Um… That’s my secret!” Elliot replied crossing one leg over the other, leaning forward. Builderman sighed massaging his nose, “Whatever… Bud can you at least come down please?” Builderman asked, placing a hand on his hip. Elliot nodded standing up and disappearing beyond the part of the roof that could be seen from the ground.
After about three minutes, Elliot came around the corner of the house stopping in front of Builderman. “What do you need to ask me?” Elliot questioned fidgeting with the sleeves of his black undershirt, Builderman sighed crossing his arms. “So Elliot I want to ask you a question and I need you to be completely honest okay?” Builderman spoke evenly trying keep a tone as to not scare Elliot. Elliot responded by nodding cautiously, switching his weight from one foot to the other.
“So bud, I’ve noticed some of your behavior and normally I would brush it off, but it’s been too suspicious for me to strike it off for something else” Builderman explained calmly, pressing his hands together. “And I know, that this is a little rude to ask so up front but I want to know do you have some sort of wings?” Builderman asked, watching as Elliot’s shoulder tensed up. “What? I don’t know what your-” Builderman interrupted her “You can’t lie to me.” Builderman looked up at them with a pleading look.
Elliot sighed, wrapping his hands around herself, gripping their shirt tightly. She nodded hesitantly, clearly not liking the knowledge of them having wings being known. Builderman sensing the distaste, he furrowed his brows “If your uncomfortable I won’t tell anyone” Builderman offered softly in an attempt to make sure Elliot was comfortable.
Elliot nodded shifting the foot his weight was on again. “Okay buddy I just have one last question okay?” Builderman checked to make sure Elliot was okay with answering another question, “Okay.” Elliot answered clasping his hands together in front of their chest, “So with the way you squirm so much I wanted to know if your wings have been preened since you’ve been here?” Builderman questioned reaching up and placing his hand on Elliot’s shoulder, which Elliot responded to by looking away checking for anybody else around them. “I um…. I never actually learned to preen them at all…”
Builderman’s face turned to concern, never preening your wings wasn’t healthy, the kid probably couldn’t even fly! “Kid…” Builderman murmured softly his eyebrows furrowed in concern “I know! I just never got the chance to learn!” Elliot cried digging his nails into her arm. Builderman sighed thinking of an offer he knew Elliot wouldn’t refuse, “How about after everyone goes to bed I preen your wings for you?”
That's how Builderman ended up sitting on the couch waiting for everyone to go to bed, Elliot was sat legs crossed by the fire, watching everyone as they did the usual before bed schedule. Builderman could see the way Elliot wanted to urge everyone to speed up but stayed quiet to avoid suspicion.
It took about 20 minutes but for Builderman it felt so much longer, probably out of worry of what state Elliot’s wings would be in. It just had to be patient telling Dusekkar when he asked that he just wasn’t tired and would sit out here reading a book until he could fall asleep, Shedletsky seemed rather upset that his spot on the sofa was taken but he just went to sleep in one of the upstairs beanbags before Taph could take them. Finally everyone was either upstairs or in one of the outside cabins sleeping, before Builderman could say much Elliot got up walking behind the couch.
“I’ll be right back, I need to change into a tank top so you have access to my wings…” Elliot murmured, which Builderman responded to with a nod turning on the couch so his back was against the right arm of the couch. He waited, grabbing a random book off the side table, opening it up to the summary, skimming through. It seemed to be about the ancient gods, though it didn’t state their names. Builderman would have to read this in full another time. He was distracted. He hadn't heard Elliot walk into the room until he saw black feathers from the corner of his eye, he looked up at Elliot who had just sat down.
Elliot sat on the edge of the couch his wings spread out behind her, they were black with a couple of white feathers at the bottom. The feathers were in clear need of preening so badly it was kind of sad. “I don’t understand why you don’t like your wings…” Builderman mutters running his fingers over the feathers, “Their very pretty” Builderman added gently scratching at a feather to check for any reaction to which there was none. “From what I know, my wings are similar to that of the sun goddess that is one of the worshipped gods on my island” Elliot answers his head low so Builderman couldn’t see his face, and she was fidgeting with her hands in their lap. Builderman nodded with a slight hum, “Seeing a child with wings like mine when my mother was never really in the picture wasn’t a very good idea” Elliot adjusted crossing his legs getting comfortable fidgeting at the feeling of her socks against their legs.
Builderman nodded again as he slid the keratin off each feather, leaving them in a pile he would throw away later, every time he slid off the keratin Elliot tensed up, but after a couple times she got a little more comfortable. “Were the people on your island religious fanatics?” Builderman asked as he continued to work through the black feathers, “Most of them weren’t but there were some who were in religious psychosis" Elliot continued the opposite wing from the one Builderman was working on flapped a little.
“Kind of like Two Time?” Builderman questioned, moving his hands across Elliot’s wings gently. Elliot nodded, “Just don’t let them hear that.” Elliot warned which gained a small chuckle from Builderman, before he nodded. “I won’t tell them” Builderman assured, as he worked his way over to the other wing.
“Are your wings starting to feel better?” Builderman asked as he continued to gently slid off the keratin, and Builderman could see Elliot nod. Builderman slowly pulled his hands away causing Elliot to look back. “Oh um, are you done?” Elliot asked her wings fluttering more freely than before, Builderman just nodded as he watched Elliot stand up fluttering his wings out behind them. A small smile spread on their face, at his new found comfort.
“It feels so…” Elliot struggled to find a word, but Builderman could tell how much more comfortable she was. Builderman chuckled “Glad you feel better bud. Now how about you head to bed, know your tired” Builderman spoke softly as he leaned back into a pillow. Elliot nodded running back to the bathroom to hide his wings so the others wouldn’t see them in the morning.
Builderman sat awake for a while, the kid was kind, and helped everyone. Builderman was glad he could help Elliot.