Work Text:
Parrot had been trapped by Wifies—though Parrot sometimes called him Evilfies—and he had completely lost track of how long he'd been there.
Days?
Weeks?
Maybe months?
He couldn't tell anymore.
There were no windows in the room, no clocks, and no way to know what time it was. The only things that marked the passing of time were the meals Wifies brought him and the sound of footsteps approaching his room. And every time Parrot heard those footsteps, he knew exactly who it was.
Wifies.
The person who had once been his friend. The person who now kept him locked inside an actual birdcage. It was almost funny, in a twisted way. Wifies had always called him "his birdie." Back when they were friends, Parrot had secretly liked the nickname.
He'd never admitted it, though. Now, hearing it made his stomach twist. Because the words didn't sound affectionate anymore. They sounded possessive. Like a reminder. You belong to me. The thick collar around Parrot's neck didn't exactly help. A metal chain was attached to it and connected to the bars of the cage. It gave him enough room to move around, but not enough to escape.
He had tried. Of course he had tried. Every single attempt had failed. And every time Parrot disobeyed, Wifies took something away.
At first, the cage was almost comfortable. There had been books. Games. Blankets. Even a few things Parrot actually liked. But slowly, Wifies had taken everything away.Now there was almost nothing.
Just Parrot.
The cage.
And his thoughts.
---
One morning, Parrot slowly opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before sighing.
"Another day..."
He rolled over and pulled the blanket closer.
"I wonder if I'm ever getting out of here."
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Footsteps.
Parrot froze. The footsteps became louder.
Closer.
His expression immediately changed.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me..."
The door opened. Wifies stepped inside. He looked completely relaxed.Almost cheerful.
He glanced toward the cage.
"Oh?"
Parrot stared at him.
Wifies smiled.
"Well, isn't my birdie awake?"
Parrot immediately looked away.
"Don't call me that."
Wifies walked closer.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't like it anymore."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Huh."
Wifies crouched in front of the cage.
"I remember you liking it."
"That was before."
"Before what?"
"Before you locked me in a fucking cage."
Wifies raised an eyebrow.
"Language."
Parrot stared at him.
"Seriously?"
Wifies smiled.
"Seriously."
"You kidnapped me."
"I prefer the term 'relocated.'"
"You locked me in a birdcage."
"Technically, yes."
"You put a collar on me."
"Yes."
"You took away basically everything I had."
Wifies nodded.
"Also yes."
Parrot stared at him in disbelief.
"And you're correcting my language?"
"Someone has to."
Parrot groaned and buried his face in his hands.
"I hate you."
Wifies' smile grew slightly.
"No, you don't."
Parrot looked up.
"Yes, I do."
"Sure."
"I mean it."
"I know."
Wifies stood.
"Are you hungry?"
"No."
Parrot's stomach immediately growled. Wifies looked down. Then back at Parrot. Neither of them said anything. Parrot's face turned red.Wifies slowly smiled.
"...Interesting."
"Shut up."
"Your stomach disagrees."
"My stomach doesn't speak for me."
"It just did."
"You're annoying."
"And you're hungry."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Wifies walked toward the small table.
"I brought you breakfast."
"I don't want it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Wifies picked up the plate.
"Because I could just leave it here."
"Fine."
Wifies walked toward the cage. Parrot watched him carefully. For a moment, he thought Wifies was actually going to give him the food. Instead, Wifies placed the plate just outside the cage.
Parrot stared.
"Wifies."
"Hm?"
"Move it."
"Why?"
"You know why."
Wifies looked down at the plate.
Then back at Parrot.
"Ask nicely."
Parrot's expression immediately hardened.
"No."
"Then I guess it stays there."
"You seriously can't be this petty."
"I can."
"You are."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it anyway."
Wifies turned toward the door.
"Wait."
He stopped.
Parrot looked at him.
"...You're really leaving it there?"
"Yes."
"You're an asshole."
Wifies smiled.
"I'll see you later, birdie."
"Don't call me that!"
Wifies laughed as he walked out. The door closed.
Click.
Parrot stared at the food.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me."
---
Hours passed. Parrot tried distracting himself. He counted the bars of the cage. Then counted them again. Then stared at the ceiling. Then tried sleeping. Nothing worked. His stomach hurt.
Eventually, he looked at the button attached to the side of the cage. He stared at it.
"No."
He looked away. A few seconds passed. He looked back.
"No."
Another few seconds.
"...Fuck."
Parrot reached toward the button.
"Just this once."
He pressed it.
Beep.
Parrot waited. Five minutes later, the door opened. Wifies walked inside. He immediately looked at Parrot.
"Awww."
Parrot rolled his eyes.
"Don't."
"Is my birdie hungry?"
"I hate that nickname."
"You keep saying that."
"Because you keep calling me it."
"Fair point."
Wifies walked closer.
"You called me."
"Unfortunately."
"Why?"
Parrot pointed toward the plate.
"The food."
Wifies glanced at it.
"Oh."
"Move it."
"You want it?"
"Yes."
"Then ask."
Parrot glared.
"Please."
Wifies smiled.
"Better."
He picked up the plate and placed it inside the cage. Parrot immediately reached for it. Wifies watched him.
"You could've just asked."
Parrot stopped. He looked at him.
"You know what? You're right."
Wifies raised an eyebrow.
Parrot smiled sarcastically.
"I should've asked you to leave me the fuck alone."
Wifies laughed.
"Still angry?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you're pretending."
"About what?"
"About not caring."
Parrot's expression changed.
"What?"
Wifies crouched down.
"You keep acting like you hate me."
"I do."
"No."
"Yes."
Wifies tilted his head.
"If you really hated me, you wouldn't have called me."
Parrot went silent.
"I called you because I was hungry."
"Exactly."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"It means you needed me."
"I needed food."
"Same thing."
"No, it isn't."
Wifies stared into his eyes. Parrot looked away. Wifies' voice became quieter.
"You know, you don't have to fight me all the time."
Parrot laughed bitterly.
"You locked me in a cage."
"I'm keeping you safe."
"From what?"
"Everything."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting."
Parrot shook his head.
"You're fucking insane."
Wifies smiled.
"Maybe."
"Definitely."
"Maybe."
Parrot sighed.
"We're not friends anymore."
Wifies' smile disappeared.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Say it again."
Parrot hesitated.
"We're not friends."
Wifies stared at him. His expression slowly changed.
"Why?"
"Because you're not the person I knew anymore."
"I haven't changed."
"Yes, you have."
"No."
"You kidnapped me."
"I kept you."
"You locked me up."
"Because you kept trying to leave."
"Because I don't want to be here!"
Wifies' eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because this isn't normal!"
"Normal doesn't matter."
"It does to me!"
Wifies stepped closer to the cage.
Parrot instinctively backed away. Wifies noticed. His expression darkened.
"Are you afraid of me?"
Parrot said nothing.
"Parrot."
"...A little."
Wifies' face fell completely blank. Then his eyes narrowed.
"You shouldn't be."
"Then stop giving me reasons to be."
Silence. Wifies stared at him. Parrot's breathing became faster. Finally, Wifies reached for the cage door. Parrot immediately grabbed the bars.
"Wait."
Click.
The lock opened.
Parrot froze.
"Wifies..."
"Come here."
"No."
Wifies reached inside and grabbed the chain attached to Parrot's collar. Parrot pulled back.
"Stop!"
"You're coming with me."
"Where?"
"You wanted to see outside the cage."
"I didn't say that."
"You've been staring at the door for weeks."
"That doesn't mean I want to go with you."
Wifies pulled gently but firmly. Parrot stumbled forward.
"Wifies, stop!"
"You're fine."
"You're fucking dragging me!"
"Because you're refusing to walk."
"Maybe because I don't want to!"
Wifies continued pulling him toward the door. Parrot looked around nervously. It was his first time outside the room. The hallway was dim and strangely quiet. He looked at the walls.
Gray.
Black.
White.
There was almost no color anywhere.
"This is your house?"
"Yes."
"It's... depressing."
Wifies glanced at him.
"You think so?"
"It's like someone removed all the color."
"I like it."
"Of course you do."
Wifies chuckled. They continued down the hallway. Parrot looked at every room they passed.
"What are you even doing with me?"
Wifies didn't answer.
"Seriously."
Nothing.
"Wifies."
Still nothing.
"Are you even listening?"
"Yes."
"Then answer me."
Wifies stopped. Parrot nearly bumped into him. Wifies turned around.
"You're asking too many questions."
"Because you won't tell me anything."
"You'll find out."
"When?"
"Now."
Wifies opened another door. Parrot looked inside. His bedroom. The room was dark and cold-looking.
Gray walls. A large king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, covered with gray sheets and black pillows. To the left was a desk covered in worksheets, notebooks, and loose papers. Parrot slowly stepped inside.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Wifies closed the door behind them.
Click.
Parrot immediately looked back. His heart sank.
"Wifies..."
Wifies turned toward him.
"You wanted to know more about me."
Parrot swallowed.
"I wanted to know why you did this."
Wifies walked closer.
"Then ask."
Parrot stared at him.
"Why did you keep me?"
Wifies smiled faintly.
"Because you're my birdie."
Parrot's expression hardened.
"I'm not yours."
Wifies' smile disappeared.
"We'll see about that."
Parrot took a small step backward.
For the first time, he realized that leaving the cage hadn't actually meant freedom. It had only meant that Wifies had decided to take him somewhere else.