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Parrot didn't want to let go of Planet. They'd have to rip them from his hands if anything, but it's fine. The hooded figures were gone, lost amidst the snowstorm, it was just them now.
It's relatively silent, bar the sounds of wild animals above them. Creatures that must've been what made Planet so anxious when night fell. It's fine, they're both safe now. Hidden in one of the surface level caves.
Parrot was clutching Planet's body, pressing them closer against his chest. A hand keeping their head next to his, resting it on his own shoulders, close enough to be able to hear Planet's breathing. Just to confirm they are here, they were back in his arms. Safe. Home.
“Parrot?” It's quiet, Planet's voice, that is. Parrot's hit with a wave of every emotion all at once, yet the one thing that overpowers it all is relief. “It's–” They choke up before they can finish.
Parrot doesn't think he's heard them sound so emotional, so regretful. He's endlessly curious to what happened to them while they were separated, how and why everything played out as it did. Why did it have to be the two of them out of everyone in the universe that came victim to such a fate as theirs?
There's no time, though. He shushes Planet earnestly, pulling them even further against his body. Wings unfurling, fluttering for a moment to try to get feeling back into them, only to then envelop them both. Cacooning them from the outside world.
Parrot would be damned if anything broke them apart again.
He has to hold back an embarrassing trill when Planet leans into him. Making themselves comfortable on his lap, nestling so that their ear instead is pressed against Parrot's chest. Parrot makes no move to stop them, he can hear the way their breathing slows down, and that's enough. He's sure his own heartbeat is thudding loudly still.
Parrot's fingers weave their way into Planet's hair, just like old times. Slowly brushing out the frizzy waves of Planet hair that once used to be curls. They'll need to sort that out once they get back somehow.
Which brings another issue to light, one which Parrot once again doesn't want to linger on for too long. Unfortunately, it's unavoidable unlike his last concern. “Planet, how are we supposed to get back?”
No response. Parrot half hazardly panics for a moment. Feathers rousing when he realises how silent their breathing has gotten – only to calm when a light snore comes from below.
It's a bit of a shock, considering it's unreasonably dark in the cave combined with their typical fear of it. Even with a dwindling lantern, and the shine of the moon from above, from the entrance they had first come in through. However, they've done this before when they were little.
It's tempting to sleep as well; but there's two issues at hand with that. One of which being the weird, almost prophetic dreams he keeps having; one of which had led Parrot here in the first place. Who knows if he'll be whisked off away elsewhere again or not. It's also one that should be at the top of Parrot's list of importance, and it is. But the singular predicament that overshadows it in Parrot's eyes is how unsafe they were.
Sure. Their cave is moderately well hidden, considering they're also near the entrance, but there's no telling what, or which wild animal is capable of having a strong sense of smell. All it takes is just one, and everything could come crumbling down. That, plus the potential of familiar figures with elusive hoods finding them. Frankly he doesn't know which is worse.
Subsequently, that's all the more reason for Parrot to justify staying up all night.
The moon eventually disappears from sight over the ledge, and he wonders if that had been what Planet had felt each day they spent camping. On edge, paranoid being belief that all it would take was one fell swoop for everything to be broken into pieces.
His grip tightens once again. Planet's brows furrow for a moment, Parrot holding his breath at the slight movement of the other. A mental sigh of relief leaving him when they relax once again. Subconsciously digging themselves further into his embrace.
In return, Parrot indulges himself by responding with a click from his throat that he doesn't register til later on. Luckily, Planet is too deep in sleep, maybe even responding to them themselves if Parrot convinced himself enough.
Instead he legs his mind blank in that regards. If his body wants to do something harmless, he'll allow it.
However, admittedly Parrot's legs are starting to numb from the position he's in. His wings were already aching trying to keep them tightly packed together this whole time.
He desperately needs to stretch them both. It's a growing itch that he's having, and as much as he really doesn't want to let go of Planet – both out of fear of losing him again, or waking him – but it's needed. Having sore limbs while running isn't going to help.
Parrot risks it, carefully unraveling his wings from the uncomfortable position they curled themselves into. Stretching them wide as he goes to move Planet off his lap, only to be met with a yawn. Hands going up to instively rub at their eyes. Shit.
“You need sleep,” They mumble, barely conscious.
Parrot snorts. Barely awake and they're already demanding, typical. “I'm fine. I don't need it.”
Planet frowns, staring with half-lidded eyes up at him. “Well, I said you do, so you do,” They shuffle off Parrot's lap once they blink one more time, realising what he was trying to do. Parrot's wings twitch. “Please?”
“It's too dangerous, you know that,” Parrot sighs, and he's avoiding looking at Planet in the face. It's so obvious, he can see in the corner of his eyes how their frown deepens as he goes to instead mess with his wings.
He hasn't had the chance to preen them since the beginning of this whole ordeal. Planet, unfortunately, notices. Because of course they do.
Yawning, “Turn around.”
“No, Planet,” Parrot huffs. “I'm not stupid, and I'm also not letting you preen my wings. We can do it when we get home. Drop it.”
Planet, now very much awake and annoyed at Parrot's stubbornness, does not in fact ‘drop it.’
“You’re being stupid,” they protest.
“If keeping us safe is stupid, then sure, you can think of it that way,” Parrot shrugs, doubling down. There's something bittersweet about them arguing over trivial things again, it's reminiscent of how things used to be. “Besides, they'll only get messed up again.” He continues, voice quiet to reduce the echo.
The glare he receives is nothing short of showing off Planet's frustration. In Parrot's greatest opinion, he's allowed to be at least a bit protective. Just a bit.
Parrot turns his head away, only for a moment, and he misses the lightbulb that essentially appears over Planet's head. “Wouldn't it be warmer, though? The newly preened feathers?”
“Well. Technically yes, I guess. Why?”
“I'm cold, Parrot.” And that got his wings twitching. Damn Planet. They always knew how to get under his skin, using it to their advantage.
He takes a deep breath, glares at Planet's barely hidden grin, and gives up. He had little fight left in him anyway. The tiredness was catching up.
Sensing their win, Planet immediately pulled Parrot by the hood down in front of them. Ignoring the way Parrot squawks, instead focusing on taking in the state of the wings.
Parrot, consequently, has to hold back any witty words. His wings were aching.
Fine, Planet's is maybe most definitely right, but he can't help but flap his wings in disapproval when Planet first grabs it. “Slow!” He gets a quickly muttered apology in return.
There's soon fingers winding their way into Parrot's feathers, gently pinching and rolling the pin feathers. Keratin breaks away, the occasional head scratch that Planet gives that has Parrot shivering.
Planet giggles at the next trill that Parrot gives, attempting to mimic the noise by whistling. They can't whistle – Parrot snorts as all he hears is a sputter instead.
“You should sleep.” They say, low and persuading. Parrot does not argue.
He gives a hum of acknowledgement, eyes already dropping. That's enough for Planet to take it as a second win.
The last thing Parrot vaguely remembers is the sun beginning to peek into the cave, and Planet pulling him close to their chest. Warmth, and a heartfelt whisper of:
“I missed you too.”