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Lord Shen has a bird.
It is a large white parrot, well, albino parrot. Its whole body is white, with some splashes of red on its beak, chest, and its wings tip.
Shen’s shoulders are where it owes to stay. It likes to nuzzle on his neck, cuddling and digging itself into his silk white hair, showing only its red glowing eyes that shines brightly as a ruby.
It looks similar to Shen. Look alike in both appearance and traits.
Prideful, hubris, arrogance. It looks at others as it was one of the blue blood, thinking its status is higher than anyone to be seen or touched, also likes to screech aloud when someone tried to even touch it.
Maybe only with Shen that it behaved.
Chirping sweetly, singing beautifully, and cuddling playfully just for the young lord would praises it with a belly rub.
Lord Shen really loves this bird. He likes to take it out with him everywhere, even when he has to go and conduct state affairs with his father. Maybe in its point of view, people who prostrate to the young prince should also respect it.
Shen never considered training the bird, since in his opinion, it is a good and silly bird that has caused no problem to him, so he takes no complaints and spoils it even more.
Its only cuteness (for others) might be its sound.
Its voice is loud and clear. Chirping and signing sweetly as it memorizes and mimics the sound around it. Sometimes it likes to repeat after Shen, mimicking his phrases and flaps wings when he smiles to it.
“Stupid dog! Stupid dog!”
Such a catchy phrase that he loves.
But one day, something feels… off…
“My Lord!”
The bird calls for him. Shen looks up from the scroll he is reading, and stares at the talking white fur ball next to him.
“What is it—”
“Beautiful!!!”
Shen raises his eyebrows, surprised.
“Beautiful!! Beautiful!!”
“You are so beautiful!!”
It looks back at him, before laying on its back as it is waiting for him to praise it like usual.
Shen frowns.
He didn’t teach it those kind of words..
At first, he thought it might got them from his subordinates, so he brushes it off.
But then…
“My Lord!”
“You are beautiful!”
“Graceful!!”
“Breathtaking!!”
“I want to hug you!”
“Hug tight!”
“Look at me!”
“Look at me!”
“Love me!!”
“You…”
Shen gently tracing his finger along its feathers. The bird chirps comfortably as it nuzzles its beak toward his hand, silently asking for more.
“Who taught you these phrases?”
It looks at him and tilts its head, confuses. The young prince chuckles a bit as he realizes that he was asking the bird a question and expected it to answer.
“I love you!”
“Yes, yes. I do love you too.”
He then slowly reaches under its body, lifting it high. It steps on his arm, adjusting its positions to its comfort, and chirping as it usually does.
The rhythm sounds light, like when a breeze blows through a pipe. He doesn’t quite familiar with it since he cannot whistle and never has ever whistle to it.
Maybe it mimics the breeze or such…
Shen shrugs, brushes it off again.
.
.
.
.
.
“I love you.”
Deep rough voice squeezes into the similar tone of the palace’s owner. It echoes throughout the dark room softly, while the white bird is busy pecking its “tribute” and listening to the phrases.
It seems like it knows this person, so it doesn’t make a sound or interrupts the lesson.
“I - love - you.”
“I love you! I love you!”
It immediately repeats after him. White wings flap rapidly, as same as when it does to the young lord of Gongmen.
“Great job! What a brilliant.”
“Brilliant! Brilliant!”
“Stupid dog!”
He throws the leftover seeds into the cage, and quietly sneaks out the residence.
The sound of wings flapping follows behind. He glances over for the cage in the dark room, smiling, then shuts the door tight.
Whispering of the whistle could be heard behind the thick door. The sound of fabric rubs against the wooden plank arises and followed by a soft thud as the prince, who somehow conveniently — accidentally — woken up to witness the scene on time, flops on the floor.
Shen covers his heated face and mumbles,
“Stupid dog…”