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“Parrot, where are you going?”
Theo is quick to catch up to him, like always, his wings more trained for quick flights- unlike Parrot’s, whose wings are accustomed for slower but longer ones.
The other just brings his jacket higher, the bouquet of white roses and lilies gripped tightly in his gloved hand.
“Just for a quick trip, I need to visit someone,” Parrot mutters, before adding; “You don't need to tag along Theo”
The taller one shakes his head, shifting his bow over his shoulder, gaze narrowed behind his sunglasses.
“I’m your guard and it's my duty to tag along,” Theo says, “Who important are you visiting anyways?”
Parrot looks down onto his boots, lower lip caught between his teeth as his wings droop forward.
They stay silent for a while, until realization slowly etches itself into Theo’s face.
“Oh…”
“Listen, just this once, I want to go alone” Parrot says, looking up at the taller one.
Theo’s eyes soften behind his sunglasses, reaching one of his hands forward, placing it onto Parrot’s shoulder.
“But Wifies wouldn’t want that-”
“You don't know him, Theo” Parrot snaps, voice eerily calm like always, his dark brown eyes stern but sad. So sad they make Theo take a step back, hand dropping from the other avian’s shoulder.
Parrot’s chest heaves up and down, shoulders tense as his headrest wings flutter nervously.
He slowly takes a step back, then another, until he's far enough to spread his wings and with a quick flap disappear into the air.
Theo immediately rummages through his pockets until he finds an invis potion. After a quick debate with himself he splashes it over himself, setting out to follow the shorter.
Thankfully Parrot can't fly fast, unknowingly giving Theo an opportunity to catch up. He follows close, but far enough for the shorter to not notice him.
They fly over cities and meadows, lone houses and long abandoned villages, until Parrot starts slowly descending near a vast body of water. It shimmers lightly under the afternoon sun- not quite the golden hour but close- waves slowly lapping at the shore.
Near the small wooden house is a grave, surrounded by flowers and green grass, a willow tree shielding it from the light.
The shorter walks into the shed, exiting with a small watering-can, carefully tending to the flowers until he drops in front of the headstone.
Theo shifts behind the willow tree, stomach doing backflips, mind screaming at him to leave, and not interrupt this moment. However the nosy part makes him rooted to the ground as he watches Parrot brush grass from the tombstone.
There's a small gentle smile on the shorter one’s face as he cleans off the moss and weed, before placing the bouquet in front of it.
“It’s been a while” He speaks, voice soft and quiet, laced with that sadness which now radiates off the man.
“I brought you white roses and lilies, they didn't have hyacinths. Shame, no? They always remind me of you” Parrot sighs, reaching up to place his crown next to him, head drooping forward.
Theo swallows, quickly glancing at the timer of his potion, cursing internally as the 3 minutes turn into 2.
“Do you remember the Law? I told you about them during my last visit. We managed to defeat them, together. All of us” Parrot smiles, reaching forward to brush his hands over the petals of the lilies.
“Wemmbu and Flame did carry the fight, if you want me to be honest,” he scoffs, shaking his head.
“Would you believe it if I said they finally confessed to each other? They tried to sneak off before the battle. Something about final restocks, but the marks on Flame’s neck said otherwise as they returned”
The avian giggles, the sound slowly turning into a rough exhale as his lower lip trembles, a tear rolling down his cheek and plopping onto the grass.
“Have I ever told you what I regret the most, Wifies?”
Theo catches his breath, the last particle of invisibility rising into the air before disintegrating, leaving him fully visible again. He crouches behind the tree, hoping to get unnoticed by the other.
A quiet sob forces itself from Parrot’s mouth, hands shaking where they rest in his lap.
“As I watched Flame and Wemmbu being so lively with each other, I couldn’t help but imagine how-” sob “–what could’ve been–” sob “What could’ve been if there was no Director, if- if i had the guts to say i love you too..”
Parrot sobs again, tears rolling down his cheeks in rivulets as he trembles, wings coming up to wrap around him, head hanging between his shoulders.
“Im sorry that I was a coward, I wish this never happened.” he sobs, voice breaking as he drops forward, curling up on the ground, knees to his chest as he cries. Theo bites the inside of his cheek as he watches, his heart breaking little by little.
“I just want to hold you again” Parrot wails, choking on his own spit and tears as confessions tumble from his lips.
“I should’ve listened to you, I should’ve been more selfish, just- just like you told me to” he chokes out, pulling the edge of his sleeve up.
“I should've been more selfish and held you properly, kissed you properly, loved you properly, all the things I didn't reciprocate"
Theo bites down on his tongue to prevent himself from interrupting and taking the other into his arms, hoping to protect him.
Parrot reveals his slender wrist, a dark purple bandana wrapped tight around it. With a small tug the knot lessens, slipping off the pale skin as the avian presses it against his nose.
Theo sharply inhales.
There are unmistakable scars on the places the bandana used to cover. Methodical and precisely placed, almost perfectly straight. Some are newer, some angry purple but healed.
Parrot continues sobbing, his mumbling now almost too quiet for Theo to decipher. However he can still make out a few repeating words like a prayer.
“I'm sorry Wifies, please come back. I'm sorry, Wifies, do you still love me?”
Theo sharply stands up, taking quick steps towards the shorter, who doesn't register him, caught up in his head.
The taller drops beside Parrot, hands shaking as he scoops him into his arms. Parrot freezes, taking a shallow inhale.
“Wifies?” he whispers, clearly too tired and desperate to notice who is actually holding him.
Theo swallows thickly before nodding, pressing his face into the younger's hair.
“Yes, it's me” he says, voice cracking at the end as Parrot starts crying again, fingers digging into the fabric of Theo's jacket.
“Oh Wifies, my Wifies, my dear, my Wifies.. did you come back for me? Are we going somewhere where it's just us two? Wifies? Oh Wifies..” Parrot shuddered pressing himself further into the other avian’s chest, sobs still racking his too thin frame.
“I’m here Parrot” Theo choked out, cringing at how different his voice sounded from the man Parrot was calling for. A gentle breeze brushed past both of them, making the shorter exhale slowly.
His worst scenario was fulfilled when Parrot started calming down and spoke.
“You sound a bit- off-”
Theo swallowed and shut his eyes tightly as he felt the shorter move in his arms, pulling away. He wiped the purple strip of fabric over his cheeks, before looking up. Parrot’s brown eyes widened as he literally threw himself back, scooting away from Theo on all fours.
“You-”
“Listen I-”
“Shut up!” Parrot raised his voice, picking his crown as he stood up, eyes glossed over with tears once more. His lips trembled, bandana tightly clutched in his fist. He looked heartbroken- like that day he came crashing into Theo’s arms, panting and shaking as he revealed Wifies was gone.
“Parrot I didn't mean to follow you I swear-”
The avian scoffed, roughly wiping his tears away, smoothing down his blazer as he swallowed harshly.
“Oh, and you didn't mean to impersonate him?! That was also an accident?” Parrot lashes out, the topic clearly still raw and sensitive.
“I just could watch you break again” Theo replied, making Parrot shake his head.
“If you think that this was me hurting, you were pretty blind”
The taller one sharply inhales, fingers twisting in his jacket as he averts the other's gaze. All the words died out on his tongue, his eyes suddenly starting to burn.
“Im going back, I expect you to be back at the outpost for the evening shift” Parrot says, eyes distant– that warm brown turning dull and cold.
Parrot leaves in a blur or turquoise and green, disappearing over the treeline.
Theo is left on the edge of tears, one hand outstretched slightly forward, standing beside Wifies’s grave.
The gust of cold wind returns again, this time almost wrapping around the avian. He looks over his shoulder, the feeling of being watched making his stomach flip.
Theo quickly spreads his wings, choosing to rather head back to the castle as well.
-~♤bonus♤~-
Wifies’ fingers brush over the petals of the flowers, a small smile turning his lips upwards. They were definitely picked for a reason, ‘they didn't have hyacinths’ Wifies’ ass.
‘Forgiveness and longing, huh?’ the spirit mumbles, voice a whistle of the evening winds.
His feet head towards the place the pair argued, a grin splitting his face in two as he sees a bright coloured feather tangled in the grass.
Wifies picks it up, thankful for the fact it's so light he can tend to it even in the afterlife. There’s still a faint scent of the avian clinging to it, making the other's head spin.
‘Oh Parrot, your devotion should’ve come sooner, but it’s not unwelcomed’