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Parrot’s foot stepped barely one bit into the End portal and he was already exiting the dimension, back into the overworld. All sorts of blues and greens swirled around him, but it only made his head even more nauseous. The shifting of reality and atoms and whatnot perplexing both his mind and how his body should feel. It felt like almost an eternity before he was finally out of the weird, gloppy yet untouchable mess.
It wasn’t fair. Nothing was. Nothing ever is fair. Could you even describe it as an unfair thing, when it was clearly out of free will?
His own best friend. Trapping him, destroying everything they ever built up. All because he was weak. Fragile. Useless. It wasn’t Wifies’ fault. It was his, he was at fault. If he had just been better — if he had just been stronger; not only for himself, but also for Wifies. Maybe Nufuli wouldn’t have died. Maybe Leowook wouldn’t have tried to kill him. Maybe he wouldn’t have gotten Jumper kicked off the B.A.T. Organisation. Maybe Wifies wouldn’t have to had fake his death. Maybe Wifies would be alive.
But, no. He just had to make his own best friend worried for him. He just had to be stubborn.
It all came down to Parrot at the end. It was always, always because of him.
Coming in touch with reality again as a beam of a Wither Head ruthlessly pinned a sharp gap through the person next to him, his body snapped awake — simultaneous to his mind. A quick swipe across the new look for the Unstable Universe’s spawn told him everything he needed to know — this place was obviously wrecked. Not only that but completely dangerous with the obvious amount of Withers spawned.
‘When was spawn like—‘ he didn’t have time to finish his thoughts as he just barely dodged another attack, deciding on thinking later and escaping now. With a soft shove to someone in his way and a quick apology, he made his way down the griefed mountain. Hit upon hit, small yet indescribably annoying wounds covered his arms (that he used to block anything due to a lack of weapons and armour) as well as his feet hurting like they’d been crumpled to being as flat as a pancake. It didn’t help that he had to also jump down from numerous heights.
…He really couldn’t do this.
Despite everything going around him at the moment, all he could think of was his time in Paragon. Wifies being so controlling and unfamiliar. Nothing like the person he’d known. Like the friend he knew would help others given a chance, akin to him.
But now, that was a faded memory. And Parrot knew that soon, he’d completely forget his best friend. One he swore to that they’d always stay together. The one that sacrificed so much, only for Parrot to ruin it.
The thoughts blended into his actions as he straight up kicked some rubble out of his way, giving way for his balance to give up and let him fall.
Much to what an average person would think, the fall was not smooth at all. His skin scraped against the surface of the ground beneath him and Parrot felt like he’d just achieved a two-in-one shampoo, except the ’two’ was a migraine and concussion, and the ‘one’ was his head. Nothing was going well and he just wanted to sit there and cry, even if he knew it wasn’t exactly the best place to at the moment. The moment his body stopped rolling down and he actually got a break for barely two seconds, Parrot instantly pushed himself back up. Nothing but pure annoyance was driving himself to get out.
It was sort of surprising that he was even mad. Particularly, this amount of frustration flaring his body. Remorse, guilt, sadness, grief, self-hatred — it was all stacking up like pebbles. Easy to knock over and lose control of.
Yet, there was almost a sense of determination striding through his bloodstream. He wanted to live. He needed to live.
But that all came crashing down once again as he finally reached the ground, his hands finally having a feel of real grass after so long. Parrot wasn’t even aware he’d already walked extremely far away from spawn by the time he crumpled to the ground, only a set of trees in what seemed to be an untouched forest accompanying him.
And for the first time ever, he just cried.
There wasn’t any hesitation. Of course there wasn’t. Parrot knew he wasn’t the type to control his feelings as easily as a healthy, normal person. Or maybe that’s because now that he was alone and didn’t have any support, he wasn’t able to hold onto the last few strings he was grasping onto for so long. He truly felt everything leave at once as he curled in on himself, clasping his hands as if the other were his best friend’s. As if Wifies was right there, telling him ‘that everything will be okay’—
But it wasn’t.
Nothing was. How was he meant to just, what, get over it? Forget about the moment he’d dropped his spyglass — his cherished spyglass, that he’d trusted Wifies with — onto the pressure plate and walk away? How Wifies stared ahead as if he were regretting everything and wanted to finally apologise? He knew he could’ve talked it out with him at that moment. That very moment, when Wifies had realised he was wrong. Yet, Parrot opted to leave and let his friend die alone. Thinking that Parrot would’ve never forgiven him, when Parrot himself knew he would’ve. Maybe Wifies was going to apologise then. But it was too late. Parrot was already down the spiral stairs that clung to the walls of the middle cylinder as he heard everything collapse with Wifies. It was always too late.
A finger poked at the top of Parrot’s head.
His breath hitched, letting out a pathetically low, choked-out sob as his eyes snapped up to the person in front of him. He didn’t need one glance to tell who it was once he spotted purple on the cuffs of his sleeves. How the hell was he even here of all places?
”No—“ He instantly backed off, the tears streaming down his face even more as they grouped up. “No, go away—“
”Parrot.” The familiar voice, roughened at the edges as usual, called out.
”Wemmbu, just go away. I don’t need you, or him, or anything!” A sob interrupted himself. “Go away.”
”Parrot.” He repeatedly, albeit oddly softly now for someone like him. “Parrot, I don’t… know what exactly happened,” He stated the obvious. “But… please.”
”Go away!” He repeated once more, voice already going hoarse from fatigue, annoyance, crying and what else that had built up in his emotions. He didn’t sound like the soft, calm person he usually was. The realisation hit him far sooner than he wished it did.
A pause of silence rang between the two as Parrot’s arms trembled. His fingers tried to grasp onto something, anything, but all he could do was stand in his own misery and shock. Before finally, he spoke up — his voice so quiet that he didn’t even expect Wemmbu to be able to hear it.
”…I’m sorry.”
Everything was starting to ring in his ears. His eyes hurt. They felt simultaneously brittle and full of tears threatening to fall out once more. “I’m sorry.” He repeated once more with another whisper. One after the other as he pressed the bottom of his palms harshly against his eyes with even more uncontrolled apologies. The amount of stress and remorse had finally burst out yet refilled the satiation of his guilt. Again, he couldn’t control his reactions as he finally let go of his hands, instead wrapping them around himself as now silently cried.
He didn’t know how Wemmbu would react. Both of them knew that Parrot had never reacted so strongly before. Heck, it was probably more shocking to Parrot himself. He didn’t feel like he deserved to be upset right now — or like his reasonings were even valid. He always thought of himself as the saviour, the one that helped people. Not one that gets so many people… no, his own friends killed. Their blood stained his, Parrot’s, hands.
The last thing he expected was for the most powerful player on the server to just embrace him.
Wemmbu’s arms wrapped around Parrot — so softly that he wasn’t even aware that the demon hybrid was even capable of it — as his claws, extended from his nails, rested delicately on his ribs. Parrot didn’t move. His breath hitched momentarily as he just stood, frozen like a manual puppet. Neither of them said anything. Wemmbu was giving him time to at least calm down and relax before speaking; that was, if Parrot wanted to. He instantly pulled his arms around the other, giving back the hug as his hands gripping onto the back of his shirt like he was afraid to let go. His body shuddered as he choked momentarily before sobbing into his shoulders, head concealed into the oddly comfortable corner of his neck.
No words were exchanged as Parrot continued to hold onto his friend with seemingly no intention to let go for as long as he could.
“…I really don’t know how you ended up like this,” Wemmbu began after a while, a hand in Parrot’s hair — behind his ear — as he slowly kneaded with his claws. “But…” A moment of hesitation. It was as clear as day that the demon hybrid did not do well with comforting. “I— I’m here, yeah, Parrot?”
Expectantly, Parrot didn’t verbally respond. Only a soft nod against Wemmbu’s shoulder told him Parrot had acknowledged his words.
“…Dead.” Wemmbu echoed as he sat beside Parrot, the avian hybrid completely slumped onto his side. He noticed how Parrot flinched upon the words, nodding sluggishly. Concern rose in his chest, but it was also self-explanatory that he’d obviously be fatigued after sobbing the life out of himself.
Wifies, dead. Just… not in the way he thought he had back during the Mafia days.
When Parrot had remained silent about what happened to Wifies when he came back, they’d already expected Wifies was dead and that’s why he was so down. But… for that to be fake? For it to all be staged? Wemmbu wouldn’t lie, it was impressive in a way. But clearly, rather than protecting his little bird, said bird is emotionally damaged.
“…I don’t think it’s your fault.” Wemmbu began, cautious of his words. He didn’t want Parrot to be in a worse mood than he already was. “I mean— you… were doing it for survival, you know?”
No response. Parrot only shifted slightly closer to him, as if actively seeking comfort. Wemmbu gently put a hand into his hair again, continuing the clawed motion behind his ear he had earlier. The avian hybrid visibly relaxed into the touch, slowly.
”Even if it is your fault, don’t take all of the blame.” He continued. “There was some faults of his, too.” A pause. “Wait— Wait, wait wait. Really random, but can I ask?” Wemmbu snapped his head to Parrot, confusion framing his face.
Parrot shrunk back at the sudden loudness, hesitating. “It’s not about Wifies,” Wemmbu reassured, before a quiet ‘okay’ was whispered.
”…Why are you completely broke? Of like, everything? If you came back from spawn, how the hell did you survive that?!”
Parrot tilted his head, looking around as if observing nature was helping him think.
“Because I wanted… meh…” All his words instantly fell into each other, making a jumbled mess of slurred words.
Okay. Maybe that was the wrong approach, or maybe Parrot was drunk or high, or maybe Parrot was extremely sleep deprived. Wemmbu settled on the concluding option. With a sigh, Wemmbu just continued to play around with Parrot’s hair. The brown was an almost similar yet contrasting colour to his claws, the thickness of it covering most of his fingers as they gently scratched his scalp — especially behind his ears, as it seemed to be the most comfortable for the both of them.
”Just go sleep.” Wemmbu mumbled, noticing how much effort he was putting into staying up despite having no need to. “I’m right here. Strongest player in the Unstable SMP, at your hands.” He flatly half-bragged, half-purposed for unconvincing reassurance. By the time Wemmbu had looked back down at his friend, his eyes had already fluttered close as his breath slowly shifted into more soft, calm huffs through his nose.
For once, Wemmbu felt strangely awake upon the silence that was occasionally filled with noises from wildlife around them and Parrot, for once, feeling safe enough to rely on someone like him.
Sometimes, he wondered if he himself were worth of having friends.
Maybe the universe should’ve dragged away his friends for the sake of Parrot having his.