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A lone bird opens the door to the shed, pulling it towards it with a large creeeeaaaaakkkkkk... It trudges with soft steps deeper into the small room, flicking a light on once it is in the room entirely. The area is alit with a dull glow, yet it is enough to overpower the calm light radiating off its broken halo. But it doesn't mind that. It's only here for the watering can, which it plucks off a high shelf with a gentle claw.
He steps back out into the backyard just a few moments afterward, soft green grass crunching underneath his talons. He moves forward towards a large hose jutting out the wall of the Flock's home. His claw rests softly on the faucet, and he puts the tip of the hose inside the watering can before turning it on. He gives the can a few moments to fill up almost to the brim before turning off the hose and carefully removing it. He sets it down gently in the grass, then picks up the now-full watering can and walks away.
It only stops its trot once it stands in front of a small section of sunflowers. They all face towards the sun, bright yellow petals almost glowing with the morning light. It's been growing these for the past year, and they're all doing wonderfully out here. It's proud of them for not only surviving this long, but for flourishing this long as well.
...Right. He moves a step closer to one particular stem, then he points the watering can downward to watch the water fall onto the soil like rain.
"Broken." Oh. Broken pulls the can back up, then turns its head slowly to face the shorter bird. Even in 30 degree heat she keeps on her thick trench coat.
"Are you not hot in that, Skeptic?"
Skeptic shakes her head. "No," her gruff voice rings out. "I don't get hot that easily."
"Hm." Broken hums. Then he turns back to his flowers. "Well, make sure to drink plenty of water once you go back inside."
"...I will," she responses. And that was that.
...At least. That's what Broken thought.
"...I'm sorry."
"Hm?" What is there to be sorry for? Skeptic has not done anything to upset it recently. Unless it's for...
...
"What are you apologizing for?" It might know what Skeptic is referring to, but it's best it not make assumptions about this if it is that... Delicate topic shared between the Flock.
"..." Broken turns his head just in time to see Skeptic turn hers away, shoulders pressed against her side and wings folded tight behind her. Something seems to shift in her moments after she closes herself off from the other bird, and slowly, she forces herself to relax as she states: "Our... Time before and with the Missus." She shoves her claws into the pockets of her coat and makes her eyes stare directly into his. "When you and I joined... Him down into the basement that one time..." He remembers that. Chains lined the walls, a deep gaping pit that held a body wrapped in chains and a head stuck in a cage at the bottom. The sight of her in that stage pulled at his heartstrings more than the chains pulled at them. "I brushed aside all of your concerns since I considered them foolish. I thought emotions were pointless for what was going on, that your mutterings about empathy were nothing more than idealistic and hollow. Pointless."
The sunflowers sway gently in the soft breeze. A breeze that almost overpowers Skeptic's hefty sigh. She runs a hand through her feathers. "But then, in that route where we realized that to escape the cycle we had to realize we were more than just pawns to it...... You ended up being right. And I agreed then but never bothered to even apologize to you."
Apologizing, hm...? ... ...Broken's next words are spoken softly, even more soft than the wind. "You do not need to. Eventually you realized I was right, and eventually we got her out of the basement. I'm more concerned about that than an apology."
"But I want to. Because you deserve it. And from more than just me." ...Broken cannot deny that.
"So," Skeptic takes a deep breath in, then out. "Here it is. Broken, I'm sorry. Sorry that I swept your ideas under the rug, and for even when your mentality surpassed my own in regards to saving the Princess, I did not apologize once for my actions."
Another breeze passes by them.
Broken did not expect an apology today. Frankly, it did not expect an apology from anyone within the Flock. It expected that its mistreatment would go unacknowledged, and while that sentiment makes its stomach twist and turn with anger, it refused to let it show. It'd rather move on with its life alongside the Flock, rather than show every bit of its internal resentment towards their treatment of it on its sleeve.
So to actually be apologized l to for their behavior...? It's strange. Unexpected. But...
Not unwelcome.
"Thank you, Skeptic." He really does mean it. An apology is a good first step towards mending their relationship. He and her do not exactly have the best relationship out of the whole Flock... "I accept your apology."
Skeptic nods. "Alright." She then turns her head towards the sunflowers swaying in the breeze. And rather than giving them a brief glance like before, she gets a real good look at them.
She turns the rest of herself slightly toward the towering flowers. "Would you... want help with these at all? I can't say I have a green thumb like you do, but if you give me instructions I'll follow through as best as I can."
The sentiment behind the offer to help... is enough to make Broken smile. "I would appreciate some help. There's a second watering can in the shed, on the second shelf from the top. You can water the sunflowers in the back while I help these ones in the front."
Skeptic gives a curt nod, then swivels on her heel and towards the shed as instructed.
...A good first step, indeed.