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Vortex and Parrot were good friends. Great even. They have been by eachother side since the age of 3, or 5 for Vortex.
Their familys werent very wealthy, far from it actualy. The two of them had been neighbors their whole life. Both living in shitty worn down apartments with their familys. Barely getting by, growing up to hate the rich assholes who let the economy and wellbeing of the citizens go to shit.
______
Super speed.
Vortex's superpower was superspeed. He could run really fucking fast and had lightning fast reflexes.
He used to use his abilitys to pick-pocket the wealthy men standing in stores or chatting on the streets. Looking for any extra cash to help out his family.
Learning to control his abilities wasnt that hard. Ok, maybe at first it was a little dificult to stop when he started running. BUT overall super speed didnt cause much trouble.
Apart from maybe wearing down shoes hell-ishly fast.
______
Parrot didnt neceserily have superpowers. Sure he could fly but that was because he literaly had wings. Winged people werent that uncommon to find. Almost 25% of the population had wings.
I guess you could say his father wasnt feeling very creative when he named him after seeing his wings.
Shit was pretty rough for Parrot growing up. Everything was so expensive, his dad was alone, and nobody seemed to care.
His dads ability was flight, he didnt have wings, he could just float, on his own.
To be fair things were starting to look up once parrot turned 17. But fucking 'course it didnt last long.
His dad had just landed a job as a construction worker. Usualy construction companies hire people with super strenght or some other physical ability. Guess his dad just lucked out.
Luck ran short soon enough.
Construction companys dont pay enough for people to actualy live off the pay. So his dad started taking up extra shifts, working after hours, barely taking rest.
All that caught up to him when he was working on the upper half of a hotel building.
12.Fucking.Storys.High.
His powers failed him. The exhaustion from overworking himself, lack of food, sleep. All adding up in the worst fucking moment.
And he fell. Fell to the fucking ground. But he lived, against all the god forsaken odds he lived. Though to be fair maybe death would have been better at this point.
Parrots father was in the hospital, severely injured and unable to do anything but lay in the hospital bed.
And hospitals were fucking batshit expensive. Hell if Parrot wanted to every pay off that hospital bill he'd have to sell his liver and his tongue. And that may even not be enough.
_______
Parrot was on the roof of vortex's apartment building. A 1 room apartment he barely could afford to rent.
He'd told the other that he was coming over almost 2 hours ago. He arrived at his apartment building an hour ago. Parrot had been sitting on the roof in the cold autumn wind for the past hour.
Its not like he didnt want to go in and hang out with his friend. He just couldnt. He physicaly couldnt move. Help captive by his own thoughts and panic.
All he could think about lately was his father. His only family left. And how hes just letting him die. Die, sit and rot in a hospital bed without even going to visit him. Because he knows if he even went they'd imediatley ask him for overdo hospital fees.
"Parrot?"
A voice rang out from behind him.
Vortex.
What the fuck was he doing up here? He was supposed to be in his apartment playing whatever retro video game he managed to steal recently.
Not up here, with Parrot. Being able to see the state he was in. No, no. Not up here.
"Parrot, you good bro?"
The voice was starting to sound disociated, lost, far away. He was too focused on his own thoughts to understand anything going on around him at the moment.
He could hear a voice talking to him, but at this point it just sounded like someone was whispering nonsense into his ears so he tried to block it out.
He felt hands around him. Warm, welcoming arms wrap around him.
Vortex. That was definetley Vortex.
To Parrot there was just something so distinct about Vortex, that he could tell it was him blindfolded, or in the middle of a panic attack.
He relaxed into the touch, his senses slowly coming back to him. As he started to become more aware of the stuff going on around him he felt something wet on his face.
Tear's. When had he started crying? When had he stopped crying?
"Parrot you feeling better lil bro?"
A little bit, but only because you are here.
"mhmm" was all the avian could get out at the moment tho.
"Im sorry about all that, you didnt have to see me like that. If you want me to leave now i completel-"
"Parrot, chill. Your good. Dont worry, these things happen. Theres nothing wrong with it. Theres nothing wrong with crying either, id never ask you to leave because of something bullshit like this."
Parrot's mind seemed to relax at his words. Yea he didnt know how his head worked either. Bht for now, this was good.
"Hey, maybe wanna head inside? Its a little bit cold out here."
To be honest Parrot liked the cold more. It helped him ground himself. Thats part of the reason he stayed out here and didnt go in as soon as he arrived. But at this moment anywhere Vortex wanted to be, he wanted to be also. He just didnt want to be alone, not anymore.
"Sure"
Vortex visibly lit up at the others answer as he hurried to get both of them to their feet.
_______
The others apartment was really nothing to see. One small room with a matress on the floor (cause fuck bed frames), a desk with a busted up laptop and a small pile of different video games, all presumably stolen or found somewhere.
They were both sat on the matress. Vortex messing around with a new game that he'd 'gotten' and Parrot just enjoying having him there. To be fair it was sweet to watch the other fiddle with the games settings and try to understand it.
The avian resting his head on the others shoulder and wrapping his wings around them. Almost making a type of shield.
He still remembers how Vortex started to almost cry when Parrot first explain how wrapping your wings around someone means you love and trust them.
And he did love and trust him.