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The snow crunched as the duo walked alongside each other, the cold biting harshly on skin that had been left exposed. The moon gave them very little visibility to work with, yet despite that they had managed to find their way through the thick woods.
Parrot was more affected by the cold than Wifies was. While yes, winter had been something he’d encountered multiple times throughout his life, his body never got used to the sudden temperature drops when facing colder environments.
Parrot shivered, his wings closing around himself, trying to trap at least some heat. His breath dusted his vision with a small cloud that went away as fast as it had appeared.
Wifies had of course noticed that shiver. He noticed everything about Parrot. He always had. Why wouldn’t he? He always made sure to keep Parrot in his line of vision, watching for any subtle movements carefully.
“Are you cold, Parrot?” Wifies asked, his voice cutting through the silence that had enclosed both of them for hours on end. Parrot glanced up at Wifies, meeting his eyes.
“A bit, yeah.” Parrot replied tentatively, glancing away before tying his red scarf tighter around his neck in an attempt to keep himself warmer.
“Do you need me to give you my scarf? My jacket? My hat?” Wifies didn’t hesitate to ask. He was ready to give anything to Parrot, even if it meant possibly getting sick, he’d take off all his warm clothes and strap them onto Parrot without much second thought.
“Wifies- are you crazy? No! Keep it for yourself. Do you want to get sick?” Parrot scolded Wifies, who didn’t even blink.
“I’m just trying to keep you safe, Parrot. You’re important to me.” Wifies replied nonchalantly. Despite being denied after offering help, he still took off his scarf and wrapped it around Parrot’s neck. He looked quite silly, wearing two scarves at the same time.
“Wifies-” Parrot tried to interject, before getting swiftly cut off.
“Don’t. I’ll be fine.” Wifies interrupted, albeit a bit harshly his voice still carried that same worry it always did when referring to Parrot. It was almost mocking to Parrot at times, how gently Wifies treated him. Yet he knew it was because Wifies cared. That’s what Wifies always said, anyway.
Parrot didn’t argue, despite still not agreeing with Wifies’ choice. He decided to stay silent, and Wifies seemed satisfied, both of them returning to the silence. Though this time it was more strained than the comforting quiet of two best friends walking alongside each other that had been taking place just a few moments ago.
While the two were arguing, the sun had begun to rise. It was peeking out of the horizon, and Parrot squinted once the light had reached his eyes. He blinked, turning his head away from the direct sunlight. While he was a person who liked the sun, it wasn’t exactly enjoyable when he spent the whole night travelling on foot, and his eyes already hurt.
Wifies had no reaction as the sunlight hit him, simply pushing through the layers of snow that blocked his path with little care. He still kept his eye on Parrot, watching the man closely. He never quite stopped staring, and it made Parrot feel slightly creeped out at times, how perceptive Wifies was. Specifically when it came to him, too.
The sun’s path across the sky had been long, painting the skies into a gentle blue once it settled in its place, removing any trace of the sunrise that had lit the above up in a mix of yellow and orange just moments ago.
Parrot relaxed slightly as his eyes got used to the brightness of the day once more. The two moved through the thick woods, until they came across an opening. Parrot felt subtly… warm, as the sunlight embraced him. He knew that his mind was just playing tricks on him, registering the familiar sight of daylight as warmth, even as he kept traversing the cold terrains. Despite that, it still did feel comfortable. Better than keeping his mind on the little argument he and Wifies had prior to that.
“So.. Do you feel that, too?” Parrot decided to speak up, trying to break down the tension even a little by initiating some small talk.
“Feel what?” Wifies turned to face Parrot directly, tilting his head. He, in fact, did not feel the same faux warmth that Parrot did as his mind messed with him subtly.
“How warm it got when the sun came up. I mean, it isn’t that much warmer, but… Do you also feel it?” Parrot attempted to explain himself, fumbling with his words slightly. Wifies gave him a weird look.
“No, I don’t. Are you sure you don’t have a fever or something of that sort? You’re not making much sense.” Wifies inquired, that protectiveness flaring up again. He was about to reach out to touch Parrot’s shoulder, before he got interrupted by the hybrid.
“Wifies, don’t start this.. Please. I’m okay, you already gave me your scarf.” Parrot’s hand came up to rest his fingers gently on the fabric of Wifies’ scarf. “It’s more than enough.” Parrot tried to reassure Wifies, his voice softening just a bit.
“Parrot, just let me help.” Wifies insisted. “Please, I care about you.” Those words made Parrot falter slightly, yet he stood his ground.
“I know you do, I really do know. And I care about you, too. But you have to trust me when I say I’m fine.” Parrot explained, and Wifies paused. He stood silently for a moment before finally speaking up.
“Alright. I trust you. Just please don’t lie to me. Don’t keep things from me. Please.” Wifies begged, that cold exterior breaking for a second.
“I’m not keeping anything from you, Wifies. Just… let’s keep going.” Parrot sped up his pace, and Wifies followed closely behind, although the man stayed silent now.
The snow around them pressed into the ground as both of them walked forward. It was only a few hundred blocks, and they’d be back on warmer lands. The apricity of the sun calmed Parrot, and actively kept his attention away from the figure following suit behind him. Now that Parrot felt calmer, he could finally enjoy the sunlight as he always did. Wifies didn’t pay attention to the sun, his focus solely on Parrot and his wellbeing.
The two were very different people, after all.