Chapter Text
Parrot was in the kitchen when it started.
At first, it was just raised voices drifting in through the open window. He tried to ignore it, carefully cutting fruit, focusing on the small, steady motions of the knife.
Then something slammed outside.
Hard.
Parrot paused.
His grip tightened-but only for a moment. He forced his hand to relax, placing the knife down neatly like nothing had happened.
“…not today,” he murmured under his breath.
The back door burst open.
“Parrot-!”
Spoke ran in, breath shaky, eyes wide.
“They’re fighting-outside-they’re not stopping!”
Parrot closed his eyes for a split second.
The anger spiked-sharp, immediate, loud in his chest. It pushed up his throat, begging to come out as shouting.
He swallowed it down.
Opened his eyes again.
Calm.
“Okay,” he said, steady but quiet. “Spoke, listen to me.”
Spoke nodded quickly.
“I need you to go find me something. Anything. Just-something to play with.”
Spoke blinked. “…what?”
“A book. That game you like. I don’t care,” Parrot said, already moving toward the door. “Just go.”
Spoke nodded and ran off.
The second he was gone-
Parrot stepped outside.
Flame and Wemmbu were already in it.
Not just arguing.
Fighting.
They were too close, too fast-pushing, swinging, not thinking. Dust kicked up under their feet, something broken near the fence.
And both of them already looked hurt.
Not badly-but enough.
Enough to make Parrot’s stomach twist.
“Flame Frags.”
His voice cut through the air.
Low.
Controlled.
Sharp enough to stop them mid-motion.
“Wemmbu.”
They froze.
Slowly turned.
And the second they saw his face-
They knew.
Parrot walked toward them, each step measured.
No rushing. No sudden movements.
But his eyes stayed locked on them.
“Step away,” he said, voice steady.
They did.
Immediately.
“Opposite sides. Now.”
No hesitation.
Flame moved back. Wemmbu followed, breathing hard, both avoiding his gaze.
Parrot stood between them for a moment, just looking.
Taking it in.
The bruises starting to form. The cuts. The way their hands were still clenched.
He exhaled slowly.
Still holding everything in.
“Stay there,” he said.
Then he turned and went back inside.
Spoke was halfway through grabbing random things when Parrot came in-arms full of whatever he could find.
“Parrot-?”
“You’re okay,” Parrot said gently, taking one quick glance over him. “You did good.”
Spoke nodded, still nervous.
“…are they-”
“They’re fine,” Parrot said. “Stay inside.”
Then he grabbed the medical supplies and headed back out.
Flame and Wemmbu hadn’t moved.
Good.
Parrot set the supplies down carefully, kneeling between them.
Up close, it looked worse than he’d thought.
His chest tightened.
But his hands-
His hands stayed steady.
“Sit,” he said.
They sat.
Parrot reached for Flame first, gently tilting his chin to clean a cut.
“This is going to sting,” he said quietly.
His voice was controlled.
But firm.
Flame didn’t respond-just flinched slightly.
“What were you thinking?” Parrot asked, still focused on cleaning the wound.
No yelling.
But every word landed heavier because of it.
Flame stayed silent.
So Parrot continued.
“You don’t swing at someone like that,” he said. “Especially not each other.”
He shifted to Wemmbu next, just as careful.
Checking the bruise, adjusting his grip slightly so it wouldn’t hurt more.
Even now, every movement was controlled.
Protective.
“You could have seriously hurt him,” Parrot said, glancing up briefly.
Then, just as quickly:
“You could have seriously hurt yourself.”
Wemmbu swallowed.
“…he started-”
“I don’t care who started it,” Parrot said, cutting him off-not louder, but sharper.
“You both continued it.”
He cleaned another cut, slower this time.
Deliberate.
Measured.
“I was inside,” he added. “Making lunch.”
That made them both look down.
“I shouldn’t have to come out here and pull you apart like that,” Parrot continued.
His tone wasn’t raised.
But it held something tight underneath.
Controlled anger.
Disappointment.
“You’re thirteen,” he said. “Not five.”
Behind him, the door creaked open again.
Spoke stood there, hovering nervously.
Parrot glanced back immediately, his expression softening just a fraction.
“You okay?” he asked.
Spoke nodded.
Parrot gave a small nod. “Stay there.”
Then his attention returned to Flame and Wemmbu.
And the softness disappeared again.
“I am very mad right now,” he said.
Still calm.
Still quiet.
“And you can tell, can’t you?”
Neither of them answered.
They didn’t need to.
Parrot leaned back slightly, looking between them.
“If either of you thinks this is happening again-”
He stopped.
Left it hanging.
The silence that followed pressed down on all of them.
Flame’s shoulders dropped.
“…sorry,” he said quietly.
Wemmbu nodded quickly. “…yeah. We’re sorry.”
Parrot didn’t respond right away.
He just looked at them.
Let it sit.
Then, finally-
“Inside,” he said.
They stood immediately.
This time slower. Careful.
Not looking at each other.
Parrot stayed kneeling for a second after they passed him.
Hands resting against his knees.
Breathing out slowly.
Letting the anger settle without letting it spill.
Spoke stepped a little closer.
“…you didn’t yell,” he said quietly.
Parrot let out a small, tired breath.
“…didn’t need to.”
Spoke nodded.
“…it’s kinda worse.”
Parrot glanced at him briefly.
“…yeah,” he admitted.
Then he stood up.
Because inside-
There was still food to finish.
Still brothers to keep in one piece.
And no matter how angry he was-
He was still careful with them.
Always careful.