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It was poetic, in a way.
Planet never had to leave his home for long. He was always next to him or at least close. It was actually easy this time, Planet could just simply walk into the next room and home was there, lying on a bed sprawled out in a cocoon of bright feathers while the bed sheets would hang off the side. Always in arms reach, never far, never gone.
It's like nothing ever happened, everything seemed to be new this time. It was like a breath of fresh air, honestly, Planet didn't have to go through that again. It was different this time!
All he had done was turn up and suddenly another had grabbed his hand and ran off with Planet. Home never felt so close and real as he intertwined his fingers in Planet's own and took him to the fields. Jumping in and out and weaving through the long wheat, each brush of it that caressed Planet's place as he went by was just another reminder this was real. Home was right there, quite literally in his grasp and neither Planet or him had an intent to let go. They had a chance this time.
Oh, Planet could never have brought himself to care about anything but home. Home was his priority, sure, so what if that guy opposite the road was struggling with their luggage? That didn't matter, what mattered was how home told him it was his turn for checkers and- Okay, fine. Maybe Planet will help the other despite not even knowing over half the people in this town, it'll appease Planet's home and all he could ever ask for was for him to stay around Planet.
Everything went smoothly. Too smoothly. It wasn't a surprise when everything ended with two longing stares.
One day the totem got stolen, out of everything Planet could've predicted it was not that. But that wasn't the issue- the issue was Planet's home. So desperate to scavenge and save the townsfolk, Planet had no other choice but to go with him even though it was much safer simply blending in with the crowd but he guesses he'll indulge this once.
The whole journey was filled with constant bickering, typical. It brought Planet satisfaction in a way, familiarity which he enjoyed. At least that was a consistent factor, Planet didn't know what he'd do if it wasn't. What he did know though was how much he wanted to go back to the town, go somewhere that he knew would be safe as long as they were there. That's how it had been many times beforehand, Planet didn't see any reason for that to change and for it to not be.
But- There was always a greater fear, Planet found.
Death.
He had worked so hard this time to try preserve both of them, especially his home. Why would Planet want to lose something he has so desperately wanted for so long when he now had it in his palms for a change? Fine. If Parrot wanted to go on so be it, Planet had thought. He wasn't one to discard something that was valuable to him but safety was important, that familiarity was important. Not sacrificing everything for something he didn't even care about to begin with! Planet had only went along with it because it had comforted Parrot but what's the point in comfort if the one receiving is simply walking into a deathtrap.
Frankly, Planet didn't care anymore, he'd been through the same loss anyway, multiple times even. Yet...
It felt different this time. It didn't feel like Planet was basically going to go through a rest, no, no, no. It felt like an actual goodbye this time. No 'see you later' or 'see you in the morning' - it seemed final. He didn't like that, he didn't like that thought or feeling. It seemed foreign towards Planet, unpredictable. It was like someone was purposely playing all the wrong cards to throw the opposition off. Nothing felt right without Parrot, the one person who took him inside over and over in every scenario. Planet's home.
The issue was, Planet wasn't even certain if Parrot even saw him as his home, someone he could go to in every timeline and universe. No. No, Parrot didn't. It was obvious throughout the journey that Parrot's home had always been a physical thing, a place. Planet could never, most likely wouldn't ever, understand that. But sometimes it is better to preserve your home, go back and renovate it in a way. Try to mend the holes and leaks, the cracks and snaps. Planet can actually do something, try something this round. Get the hammer and knock on the nails to rebuild and construct till it resembles home once more.
Planet didn't really feel anything when he readied the bow. Pulling the string back while the arrow was held between the tips of his fingers. Planet knew every inch of Parrot, where his wings connected to his back, how long his hair would grow. Planet wasn't particularly familiar with that sorrowful look though, how the others' eyes widened slightly when he saw Planet behind Lux ready the bow.
Maybe Parrot thought Planet would shoot Lux, or whatever his name was. Paralyse them before running down the stairs and stumble through the snow away from that anomaly of a machine back to Parrot's home.
Planet wishes he didn't look away in the end. Wishes he could've took one last glance as a goodbye towards a frozen friend, a goodbye for an indefinite amount of time.
The floor was the one thing that Planet even dared to fill his vision. The white marble was almost sickening in a way, too bland, too plain for the life he had grown to love. But what else could Planet do? The door was shut and Parrot was limp on the stairs, yet Planet swore in his peripheral he saw Parrot look at him the same way Planet viewed him. He didn't get time to dwell before a blinding light erupted around him and the world went white.
In a way, it's nice.
Planet got to choose this time, got to play the game his way. Possibly even peaceful as he was able to break and repair something himself using his own hands this time. Having whatever came next be a result of his own doing. Planet just wishes he knew what came after, that he could get rid of this nagging feeling that he still got despite crumbling the cycle between his fingers... It's difficult, hard to comprehend.
Simply a pawn on a check-board that did an unpredictable play.
It's embarrassing how long it takes for Planet to realise he'd essentially lead himself to his own downfall.
Checkmate.