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Parker sat at the bus stop, tired after a whole day of being the world’s best errand enby. They kind of just wanted to pass out for 16 hours if they were completely honest.
“Is this seat taken?” The most androgynous voice Parker had ever heard spoke up.
They opened their eyes to see a person, a very nice looking person. They had that adventurers look about them. And the look in their eyes, it was one Parker recognized.
Parker blinked, their face turning red from staring a bit too long, “oh— uh, it’s free!” They smiled at them.
“Okay, great!” They plopped down right next to Parker, “good lord, I’m beat…”
“Heh, yeah…it’s been exhausting.”
“You too?”
“Yuup… these swords don’t collect themselves…”
The other person froze before looking at Parker “you collect swords?”
“Yeah, the SFOTH swords.”
“No way! Same!!”
Parker lit up, “NO WAY!!” They smiled, extending their hand “I’m Player, you can call me Parker though.”
“Funny, I also go by Player” they shook their hand
“Crazy coincidence” Parker laughed
A comfortable silence went over the two, their bus taking its sweet time. They could see just from looking at each other the effects the swords had. Though Player hid it better.
Parker stared at Players bandaged arm for a moment before their gaze turned up at Players face. They weren’t going to pry into what’s going on with their arm. after all, everyone’s got their own secrets to keep.
Player on the other hand was more focused on Parker’s little head wings, reaching up and poking at them. “…” they squint, leaning in.
Parker’s face flushed more at the proximity, “uh…?”
“Oh sorry” they pulled back, gently touching Parker’s head wings “I just wanted to ask…how do these work?”
“Oh!! Uh, yeah, they don’t work on me very well… uhm… they help with steering and knowing the wind’s directions when flying!” They explained.
“Oh Cool, Wait— why don’t they work on you anymore?”
“You can’t see it very well but…” they turned to show their back, which was mostly exposed due to them wearing a crop top. Under the reddish brown feathers, two distinct scars were shown.
“…oh.” They reached out before pausing.
“You can touch, It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Player nodded, being gentle as their thumb went over the scar. “Did this happen…”
“It wasn’t recent..” Parker interrupted them, not rudely of course. “It happened when I was like… eleven. I’m okay now. Or you know, as much as one can be” they smiled back at player, turning back forward.
…
More silence went over them before their bus finally arrived, and it was getting dark too. What was the hold up? Well— regardless, it’s here now.
They decided to just sit together, it’s safer that way anyways, they both rationalized.
However, it didn’t take long for Parker to doze off, their head landing on Player’s shoulder.
Player looked down at them as soon as their curly hair landed on their shoulder. Seeing their head-wings over their eyes like a blindfold, they couldn’t help but think it was cute.
Eventually they both got to their stop, Parker groggily following Player into the hotel.
They both got to their rooms, which happened to be adjacent to each other. Another funny coincidence!
“Goodnight, don’t let the bedbugs bite” player waved
“Gnight!” Parker waved.
…..
Player sat at the edge of their bed, unwrapping the bandages of their rotting arm. How disgusting.
They never wanted anyone to see how horrible they’ve gotten, not to them, not to anyone.
Even if Parker had some understanding of what they were going through.
…..
Parker on the other hand, went into the bathroom and stared at themself in the mirror, seeing the red fucker they call hatred mocking them.
They didnt say anything to hatred this time. They just wanted to preen themself and go to bed… but oddly enough they didn’t trust themself to be gentle with themself tonight.
…..
(“This is stupid. We just met why would they want to help me..”) Parker thought to themself, standing outside of Player’s door in their pajamas. They knocked on the door, almost expecting them not to answer.
But they did, kind of in a panicked way too. “I’ll be right there— shit!”
Parker frowned, more worried about Player now. “Uh… everything alright in there?”
“Yep!” They opened the door, their right arm behind their back.
“I.. I see.” They cleared their voice, “sorry if this is like, super forward, but I need help preening.”
“Preening?”
“Yeah, just like brushing through my feathers and pulling out damaged or loose feathers.”
“Ohh gotcha… yeah I just need to wrap something up real quick.” They seemed to want to have privacy as quickly as possible.
Parker put their foot into the door before it closed all the way. “I can help. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. And I won’t. Like. Judge. Yknow?”
“…” they hesitated, the hatred in Player’s heart telling them to slam the door.
“I won’t say anything. Any secrets you have are safe with me.”
“… fine.” after a moment of staring, Player lets them in. If anyone’s going to be understanding about this, it’s going to be another person looking for the swords.
“Alright. You said you need to wrap something up?”
“Yeah. Bandages are in my bag.”
“Alrighttt” they dug around in Players bag for a bit, before finding the roll of bandages they mentioned. Parker stood back up, facing Player.
They showed them their right arm, the arm they use the swords with, the effects of each shown clearly from the frostbite of the ice dagger to the burns of the firebrand.
Player had expected them to recoil back or show any disgust or discomfort. But they just looked at them with a sort of understanding.
“You know…” they started, wrapping up their hand carefully, “I’ve never seen the swords affect someone like this.”
“… they don’t affect you like this?”
“Nah, my scars are all over.” They chuckled.
“Hm.” They looked away from Parker, their heart pounding, their head screaming at them to just have Parker go back to whatever they were doing.
“Bruh” Parker mumbled, “you’re shaking a lot. Something on your mind?”
They looked down at Parker, who was almost done wrapping up their arm, “no.” They lied. They didn’t want them to worry.
“…” Parker’s eyebrow rose in disbelief, but they didn’t pry. “Alright.” They pulled back after they finished, watching Players expression as they looked at their now covered arm.
Player looked at Parker, unsure of what to say. “Thanks.”
“Anytime! You would’ve done the same for me” they smiled.
Player nodded, staring at them for a bit too long before going up to them. “You needed your little head-wings cleaned up?”
“Yeah, if—if that’s okay of course! I totally understand if you’re too tired!”
“No, no it’s okay.” They sat on the bed, patting the spot next to them.
Parker obliged, plopping down next to them.
“So how do you do this?” They asked
“It’s like running your hands through your hair, but with feathers!” They demonstrated the action for them, which Player replicated quite well.
“soft..” they whispered, pulling out loose feathers, feeling it in their fingers of their left hand. They made sure they weren’t being too tough with Parker, still coming down from the anxiety they had earlier.
“I guess I am pretty soft…” they chuckled. They gathered up all the feathers to throw away, getting up after Player was done and walking over to the trash can.
“Wait.”
“Yah?”
“Could I keep one of your feathers? They’re kind of cool.”
Parker blushed “well…I uh… I think it’s best if I give it to you after we know each other for a bit longer.”
“Fair..” they nodded, taking off their beanie and headphones.
Parker yawned, “I’m gonna head back to my room if you need me”
“Alright, sweet dreams!”
After they left, Player got cozy in their own bed after getting ready to sleep.
…..
“You’re only going to hurt them. Leave them alone while you still can.” The hatred haunting their heart whispered.
Player shook awake, nightmares plagued them. “Fuckkk…” they muttered, frustrated. They ran their hands over their face, having just a horrid time.
They got up, putting on their shoes to take a walk up and down the hallway, hopefully to quell the terrible feeling in their chest.
….
Parker, suffering a similar situation, was just in the hallway, getting water.
“Evening player….” They mumbled, hearing them walk past.
Player paused before looking at Parker. “Evening. You couldn’t sleep either?”
They drank some water before answering, “Yuup….” They sighed, looking up at Player, “nightmares?”
Player nodded, confirming that they were both going through the same things. It was almost like they were the same person. Almost.
“Just nightmares and anxiety. It’s nothing” Player deflected quietly, rubbing the bandages on their arm subconsciously.
“Same… something that helps me is having something weighted on my chest.”
“Really? Hm…”
“Yeah, I could…” they turned red, realizing what they were about to offer.
“You could what?”
“I could… help you sleep?” They squeaked, their head-wings hiding their face.
….
“Sure.” Player nodded, “it’ll be worth a shot, right?”
“Yeah!” They fluttered, before quieting down, “sorry.”
It was endearing to Player though, their enthusiasm to help. “No worries.”
“So…your room or mine?” They asked before realizing the connotation behind that question. “To sleep. To snooze. That’s all we’re doing.”
Player chuckled, amused. “Uh-huh.” They teased, watching Parker’s face turn into a tomato.
“You—“ they pout, “just answer the question before I combust and die” they laughed with a sigh.
“Alright. Let’s go to your room. I’m not sure if I can go back to my room right now.”
“Fair.” They nodded “let’s go then.” They led the way.
….
The walk was fairly short and quiet, neither of them wanted to be that asshole who woke their neighbors.
Parker unlocked the door and lets them go in first.
“Make your self at home!” They smiled, shutting the door behind them.
It looked similar to Players own hotel room. This one looked slightly more lived in though.
….
Eventually, the two laid in bed after all the lights are turned off.
Parker stiffly adjusted themself over them. “Is this okay?”
“Mhm…”
“Okay. Good.” They whispered, “tell me if anything happens.” Parker laid their head on their chest, their head-wings going over their eyes as they fell asleep fairly quickly.
It took Player some time to sleep, but they’re could admit Parker’s presence was helping, even if it was only a little bit. Their hand going over Parker’s head, feeling their hair.
It was nice, to be with someone who understood.
And for them? It made things just a little easier.