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Parrot had gotten good at pretending, but sometimes grief has a way of leaking through the seams. Theo had watched the way Parrot's smile faltered just a bit at the mention of Wifies' name. He also noticed how Parrot always vanished every Friday night and never came back to Capital City until the morning. Theo didn't want to jump straight to conclusions, but that pattern kept gnawing at him. The way Parrot would leave just before the sun started to set, eyes distant and shoulders tight. Then him returning every Saturday morning looking almost broken, like the night stole pieces of him he couldn't get back. Theo couldn't figure out what hurt him more - watching it happen or knowing that Parrot didn't trust him enough to explain why. He had tried to get Parrot to tell him what was going on, but he only got a different version of the same answer each time
"Hey Parrot, where are you headed off to?"
"Nowhere, I just have a few errands to run."
Then Parrot would quickly walk out the door, like someone was waiting for him. At first, Theo had believed him. Everyone has to go get supplies, right? But then Theo noticed a few things, like how Parrot never came back with anything, or how the chests were already stocked up with potions and materials. Other times Parrot would just say he had somewhere to be, then would just leave without another word. It didn't anger Theo; it just confused him. Where could he possibly be going?
~~~~~~~~
It was yet another Friday evening, and Theo noticed Parrot getting ready to leave.
"Hey Parrot, are you headed somewhere?"
"Yeah, I just have to go do something really quick."
He knew that was coming. He watched Parrot pack up his stuff, and his eyes had that familiar distant look. Theo was really starting to wonder what was going on with him, and just as Parrot was about to leave, Theo couldn't help but blurt out-
"Hey Parrot, you know you could always talk to me, right?"
For a moment, Theo saw Parrot freeze, like he wasn't expecting Theo to say something like that. He quickly gained back his composure like he never lost it and turned around.
"Yeah, I know. I'll see you later." Then he was gone yet again.
Just as the door shut, Theo made a split-second decision. He waited for a moment, then quietly followed after Parrot. He had only been following him for a block before he opened his wings and shot off. Theo wasn't expecting that, but he didn't waste a second and started flying too.
As they were flying, Theo couldn't help but notice it was starting to get really cold. No wonder Parrot always dressed a little warmer these nights. He brushed off the coldness slowly seeping through him and continued following Parrot. After what felt like hours, Parrot started descending towards the ground. They ended up in a snow biome far away from any civilization Theo knows. The snow was coming down hard, and Theo could barely see 10 feet in front of him. But he still managed to keep up with Parrot. He began walking, and of course Theo followed at a distance.
Eventually, Theo spotted a house in the distance that they seemed to be heading towards. There was a faint glow to the house, as if someone was still living there. Theo watched Parrot enter the house and tried to be as silent as possible as he stood in the doorway.
The house was small, and there was only a little bit of stuff around. There was a small kitchen, a couch, shelves with pictures and dust, and what looked like an old dog bed. Parrot remembered how this house - now cold and hollow - used to be filled with warmth and comfort. He also remembered the creaky floorboards that made Wifies and him laugh for no reason. As Parrot walked through the house, the memories kept hitting him like a train. The way they would laugh together while burning brownies, the late-night talks where Parrot would tell Wifies how scared he was about the future. And of course, the moment Parrot lost Wifies.
That thought brought tears to his eyes, and his hand slowly started shaking from sheer grief. Parrot attempted to open one of the chests in the corner to look at his and Wifies' old stuff, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Parrot just looked around a little, and tears slowly started falling down his face silently.
It was all just too much for him, and he started breaking down, falling to the floor and curling in on himself. He sat against a wall with his head in his hands sobbing uncontrollably.
Theo saw this all happen and without a second thought walked into the house, and right up to Parrot. He had never seen Parrot look so small and broken. He lowered himself to Parrot's level, and Parrot immediately latched onto Theo like he would disappear if he let go.
He sobbed and sobbed into Theo's shoulder while he held Parrot, comforting him quietly. After a while of just sitting there, Parrot's sobs turned into small hiccups, then just sniffles. Then, finally Parrot spoke.
"You weren't supposed to follow me." He said quietly.
"I didn't want you to be alone any longer." Theo responded, still holding Parrot.
"I didn't want you or anyone seeing me like this, I feel pathetic. I haven't really told you the full story of what really happened with me and Wifies, but I feel like you deserve to know." Parrot said, standing up slowly.
"You can do whatever makes you comfortable, but don't hold back if you don't want to." Theo said.
That was when the entire truth came out. Parrot told Theo everything, from the secret to the End Civilization. From the house to the whole Director situation. Everything in between, too. They were there for hours, just Theo listening to Parrot tell Wifies' entire story. Once he finally finished, Theo wrapped Parrot into another hug. Words couldn't help him in this situation, but comfort would. Sometimes words don't need to be said, it's actions that matter.
"I should be angry at him after what he did to me, but I just can't bring myself to. I want to remember him as my friend who was always by my side, not the Director. So that's why I come here. To remember all the good times we had, and to grieve him, not the Director." Parrot stated.
~~~~~~~~
He and Theo talked for a little while longer about everything Parrot had been keeping to himself, the things he thought nobody would ever care about. At that point it was Saturday morning, and Parrot and Theo decided to head back to Capital City
"I have a question." Theo said after a couple of minutes of silence on their way back.
"What's up?" Parrot asked curiously.
"Why weren't you surprised to see me?"
Parrot gave a long, extremely dramatic sigh. Then he said,
"I knew you were flying behind me the entire time. You may have thought you were quiet, but I could hear your teeth chatter from miles away. Also, you were breathing very loud." Parrot said.
Theo stayed silent for a minute, and Parrot thought he might have said something wrong. But then, he heard Theo snicker. Then it was a chuckle. Then Theo completely broke down laughing, which of course caused Parrot to start uncontrollably laughing too. They were laughing for the rest of the trip and talking about the most random things.
And for the first time in a long time, Parrot felt whole once again.