Archive of Our Own ^beta

Telamon envied many things.

Whether it be a new bird that would visit him with just a slightly more dazzling coloration, a more decorated blade being sported by yet another robloxian opponent who had the gall to challenge him— or even his old friend Builderman, who had begun the construction of robloxia, an idea so genius Telamon despised that he had not come up with it first.

One thing he did not envy was being mortal.

He would lounge in his home, the heights, observing the simple robloxians below. Witnessing every triumph, every failure. Every sin, every virtue. Every fortune, every tragedy. Often Builderman would visit him in his golden home, asking the same question he would every visit.

“I know ye like to stand all high and pretty up here, but seriously, I think you’d enjoy tryin’ out the simple life, even if just for a day or two.” He’d give Telamon that same begging smile, hoping that today would be the day he accepted the offer. However, all Telamon could do was laugh.

“Really, David? Look, I’m able to complete my admin duties just fine up here, what would be the point in grounding myself?”

Builderman would let out a tired sigh, “ Cuz I'm sure the folk down there would like to know who's watching over them, other than me n’ Matt of course.”

Telamon shrugged, “ They’re free to come visit me up here, so long they are accompanied by a blade!”

And he and Builderman would continue quarreling, letting their feet dangle upon the edge and laughing all the way.

Oh what he would do to have gone back, to have accepted Builders offer, perhaps things would have been different, and he wouldn't be in this… complicated situation.

Telamon let out another shuddering breath, his thoughts interrupted by the wailing toddler in his hands. Blood was everywhere, on his hands, his sacred robes, dribblings down his nose and mouth, his wings, and his back-

Telamon released a high pitched whine, the deep red wound on his back making itself known to him once more. The infant hiccupped in response to Telamon, only to continue his wails.
“ Sh-shut up already.” Telamon snapped with gritted teeth, immediately regretting his decision, feeling his throat and stomach clench with nausea. He really didn’t want to throw up again, just another filthy bile to the blood, puke, and piss that was surrounding him. Not to mention… that thing.

He didn’t even know what happened, what he could have possibly done wrong. What kind of power higher and mightier than him did he piss off. It was just a normal morning for him, aside from a slight pain accompanying his back and upper wings. He had recently gotten into a particularly nasty sword fight with another mortal the other day, so he ignored it as simply a phantom ache. However as the day progressed, the pain became greater and more difficult to ignore. Before he could even think about who to call for assistance, IT was born.

A pain sharper and more great than every battle wound in his life struck him, wobbling onto his hands and knees. It felt like something was trying to escape him, and his thoughts were proven correct as he felt the claws burst from his back, scratching his back for purchase as the thing pulled itself out. Ripping apart his robes, lacerating his back, and leaving his beautiful wings hanging on by a mere thread. He could barely recall what happened through the pain, but at some point he tripped and fell from a platform, barrelling him toward the mortal world below. He attempted to fly to at least break his fall, but any requested action from his wings were met with pain and disgruntled whimpering from the thing coming out of him.

Now here he was, broken, bruised, and painfully mortal. Somehow this child had stripped him of his divinity over the course of a couple hours. A deep, selfish part of him wished that the child could have died upon the fall, so he could at least suffer in peace.

Tears rolled down Telamons cheeks, how could he think such a thing? Telamon was not an angry god, even if he was beaten by some nobody in a sword fight, he never felt such resentment and hatred for another being until now. His mind is at war on whether to hate this child or to hold it closer, and attempt to still its cries.

The sound of grass crunching made Telamon snap his head up. He prayed to whatever god out there to not be discovered, half decent, covered in filth, and clutching a bloody newborn. Instinctively he held the child closer to his chest, hoping what was left of his robes were enough to muffle the infant's whimpers. He squeezed his eyes shut, he didn’t want to see the face of whoever was about to discover him. He just wanted to disappear, he just-

“Telamon?”

A familiar, soft voice greeted him instead. Telamon opened his eyes to find Builderman, his expression a mix of horror and grief. Neither said a word, standing still for a brief moment before Builderman got his bearings, immediately rushing towards the side of his injured friend.

“Tel? What happened? Your wings they're terrible, and-” Builder clamped his mouth shut when he heard the soft crying coming from Telamons arms. He stared at the infant, slack jawed, before asking “ What… what is- where did… Telamon?”

He attempted to answer, but all that came out of his mouth was choking sobs, snot and blood oozing out. Builderman attempted to comfort his friend, his hand traveling to his back, but the moment he touched raw angry flesh, he knew he had made a horrible mistake.

Telamon let out a scream of anguish, now full on bawling like a little kid. His wretched spawn responding to its creator's sorrow, its once quiet whimpers now morphing into screaming cries.

“ Oh my lor- Sorry I’m so sorry Tel!” Again with the nickname, something just for him, just the sound of it would make him smile and forget any anguish from the day, but now all he could do was sob harder. It was pitiful, he was pitiful, this child was pitiful.

Builderman resorted to squeezing his hand, “ Hey- hey listen, ‘m gonna go call Dusekkar, they’ll patch you up, can you wait for a little bit?” He nodded vigorously, his own cries ceasing, now only small whimpers of pain escaped him.

“ Alright alright, just try to stay awake, i’ll have Doom take over our duties today, he’ll understand, a-and I’ll bring you over to the office, we have a room there and you can stay for as long as you need-”

In the midst of Buildermans panicked words, his hands had snaked its way toward the child. Sensing this, Telamon clutched his creation closer, fear flashing in his mind.

What? What was that? Why was he so concerned with this things well being?

Builderman pulled his hands back, looking back up at Telamon in confusion, “ I-i just thought it’d be safer if I held onto ‘em for now, until we get you some medical attention at least, but…”

That made sense, of course it did. So why did he react like that earlier? Telamon shakily offered the infant to Builderman, internally cursing himself for having to stain Builder's hoodie to do so. He held the child with careful experienced hands, shushing the infant and cooing at him.

Telamon's mouth twitched at the gentle behavior, but it went unnoticed.

“ I’ll be right back, I promise, please stay safe.”

If he could, Telamon would scoff at the statement, the idea he could possibly be in any less safe of a situation right now was laughable. But the pain forced him to simply nod pitifully, curling in on himself.

Builderman shot one last glance at his broken and bleeding friend, before disappearing over the horizon, leaving Telamon in peace at last. With an exhausted sigh he gazed upward. The sun had already begun to set, and he could see his former home through the orange haze. He shut his eyes, aiming for only a moment, as his still open hands twitched around an object that was no longer there.

Telamon groaned as he cracked his eyes open, surprised to find himself not out in the middle of a field and crater, but inside the guest room of his admin office.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked down at himself. He was clean and covered in bandages and gauze, his old robes were gone and replaced by a pair of large red pajamas, no doubt belonging to Doombringer, he was always the tallest of them.

He let out a content sigh and sunk back down into the bed. The pain was still there, but far tamer than it was before. Before he could close his eyes however, two familiar robloxians entered his suite, Builderman and Dusekkar.

Builderman ran up to him as soon as he noticed his friend was awake, seemingly angry. “ You idiot, you! I thought you were dead out there! What happened to staying awake?” Builder snapped at him, as he gave the weaker man a tight but careful hug.

“ Just wanted to close my eyes for a minute, no harm done,” Telamon slurred out.

Builderman let out a hoarse laugh, “ Well at least you’re actually speaking instead of crying now huh?”

Telamon frowned and pushed Builderman off dramatically, “ Well now you ruined it, great job Dave.”

Builderman gave him a half hearted smile, before turning to Dusekkar and frowning, “ So… should you tell him or me?”

Telamon looked between the two men, “ Tell me what?”

The pumpkin headed robloxian, who had stayed silent for the time being, cocked his head toward Telamon, “ While the damage to your body I could fix with haste, Your wings, too broken, could not be saved.”

Instantly Telamon could feel his blood run cold. His wings, his goddamn wings. He was so pleased that the pain there was gone, he didn't even stop to think why he couldn't feel the wings at all. His hands shot to his back, hoping that this was just a cruel trick that the sorcerer was playing on him, but was met with nothing but emptiness and bandages. As his hands trailed lower, he could feel his small bottom wings still intact, but it wasn't enough. He would never be able to fly again, no matter what, those bottom wings were useless.

“ Tel?”

Telamon turned to face Builderman once more. For some reason that name just felt… wrong. How could he call himself Telamon, the golden god of the heights and blades, if he was just a simple mortal who couldn't even fly.

“ D-dont call me that,” he muttered, his hands leaving his back to play with the hem of his pajama shirt.

Builder shot a worried glance at him but stayed gentle, “ Alright well, what do you want to be called then? Maybe Shedletsky?”

Shedletsky, his admin name. Back when he had first signed up with Buildermans insistence, he hadn't even put that much thought into it, just put a random string of words together to get it over with. But at this moment, the name felt right, it didn't suit a god before, but it suited him now. Shedletsky nodded vigorously, “ Yeah, yeah that's perfect actually.”

He glanced up at Builderman and cracked a smile, “ Told ya that name wasn't stupid.”

All of Buildermans empathy toward his friend vanished instantly, “ Ugh don’t you start this up again, you know that form was supposed to be taken seriously!”

“ Whaaat I was the first one! It wasn't gonna hurt anybody and you know it!”

Builderman groaned out of frustration, “ Good to know ye didn't lose your stubbornness.”

Shedletsky laughed at his friend's growing resentment, shifting his focus to Dusekkar when he noticed a small tray in his hands, “ Is that for me?”

Dusekkar offered the tray to Shed, containing a can of bloxy cola and a hamburger. That’s when Shedletsky noticed just how starved he was. While he was still able to eat as Telamon, he never really experienced hunger or fatigue. But he wasn't Telamon anymore, and his stomach was yearning for food.

Without even sparing a thanks for Matt, Shedletsky snatched the burger straight from the tray, taking large unceremonious bites, drool dripping down from his gaping mouth.

“ Calm down Shed, yer gonna choke if you keep that up!” Builder said, grimacing at the dirty crumbs falling onto Shedletsky’s pajama shirt.

Shedletsky licked his fingers of any remnants of the meal before grabbing the bloxy cola can to crack open, “ I’m in pain, I have an excuse.”

“ Just cuz you're in pain doesn't mean you can forget having manners!”

This felt nice, the both of them laughing together, just like the old days. Shedletsky took a swig from the bloxy can, relishing in the ice cold liquids refreshing taste. For a second he believed he could be okay, even without his wings and holiness. However there was still one thing he was forgetting.

Dusekkar took it upon himself to be the reminder, “ I apologize for interrupting, but there is still the matter of the infant sleeping.”

Shedletsky froze, the now empty can dropping to the floor. Right. The child. He had almost forgotten about it, a small part of him thinking it was just some kind of hallucination his brain had formed due to the pain. But it was real, the infant that came out of his– Telamons– back was real.

“ O-oh right, well uhm Shed do you want to see ‘em?” Builder asked, squeezing his hand.

Telamon would have said no, wanting to drag out this inevitable confrontation for as long as possible, but Telamon wasn't here now, and Shedletsky knew his struggle would be in vain.

“ Sure, why not.”

The walk to Buildermans room was tense. No one said a word, and for a minute Shedletsky was worried they could hear his own rapid heartbeat in his chest. Builderman held his hand the entire time, only releasing it to unlock his own door.

“ He’s a feisty little guy, I'll give him that,” Builderman offered, hoping to alleviate the tension in the room, “ took me forever to get him down for a nap.”

The door creaked open, and Shedletsky followed Builderman inside, while Dusekarr paused just outside the door. Near the foot of Builders bed was a small bassinet, it was old and beaten up, but still functional. Shedletsky gulped and shakily kneeled down to get a better view.

Earlier he didn't really have the time to get a good look at the child, being in pain and bleeding out, and for a second he wished he hadn't. It– he looked so much like Telamon, his curly grey hair, the feathers sticking out of him, his small wings twitching slightly as he slept. His delusions were proven correct, this child had sucked everything from him. His godhood, his wings, his home, and it couldn't be reversed.

He hadn't noticed Builderman stepping beside him, lowering himself to gently caress his hand.
“ Look, i’m not entirely sure what happened back there,” he whispered as to not alert Dusekkar, “ I understand if ye don't want to talk about it or go in depth, but just know no matter what happens, i’ll help you with this little one, you're not alone.”

Of course, Builder always had a heart the size of Robloxia itself, offering his help for a child he didn't even know existed several hours earlier. Shedletsky said nothing but leaned his head against Buildermans chest, muttering a tired thank you.

The two stayed like that for a while, Builderman gently massaging Shedletsky's open hand for comfort, both watching this new child sleeping peacefully. Then Builder broke the silence,

“ So, y’got any name ideas for him?”