Chapter Text
Wifies was incredibly calm and stable currently. And was not about to lose it.
He was also incredibly bad at lying to himself. Something something self awareness being a blessing and a curse.
He took a deep breath, sitting next to the bed. Not time for another potion yet. The avian looked worse every day. But, logically, he knew that wasn’t true. He knew Parrot was improving. Both because his vital signs were becoming more stable, and because the avian simply had to. Because if Parrot died, there was nothing, and that’s why they were here in the first place damn it, and Wifies wouldn’t let this all be for NOTHING.
He didn’t do ALL OF THIS for Parrot to die.
He didn’t do all of this to have Derapchu rush over, yelling about how Parrot was bleeding out, and how Jumper was trying to save him.
Didn’t do all of this to push open the door to find a book, the spyglass, and Parrot’s mostly dead body held by a crying Jumper trying desperately to administer potions to the unconscious man.
Now, Wifies wasn’t an idiot. In fact, he prided himself in being quite intelligent.
He’d known suicide attempts were a possibility - Hell, he’d prepared for them.
But he’d… miscalculated. Severely. He should’ve expected that the fiery yelling was an excuse, an act. He should've known that it'd gotten bad.
Should’ve suspected more when Parrot secured his base more, hiding himself from eyes. When he came out, with renewed energy. When his wings were cleanly preened. When his house caught ablaze again.
Should’ve known when he saw Parrot’s eyes were dead and dull, that he shouldn't have left that avian alone at all.
There were so many signs. But Wifies overlooked each and every one of them. Like an idiot, idiot, it was his fault. He put Parrot in danger, and that was what he’d wanted to prevent.
Still not time for another potion. He shifted in the seat next to the bed, running his hand through Parrot’s hair. The avian didn’t react. Wifies kept doing it - Perhaps to soothe himself instead of the avian.
“Something so simple wouldn’t take you down…” Wifies murmured, perhaps to himself, perhaps to whomever would listen. “You didn’t survive everything to die here, Parrot.”
“You have to live, Parrot.” Because Wifies didn’t know what he would do. Because Wifies would rather die than watch Parrot leave. Because Wifies would do ANYTHING DAMN IT.
He’d die time and time again if Parrot could survive, he’d kill anyone, push through torture, find a way to do the impossible-
Anything to keep Parrot safe.
His hand touched the letter Parrot wrote.
‘When you’re reading this, I’m dead. I win. I left.’
A miscalculation, a falsity, obviously, since the avian was still breathing. But… in a way, Wifies knew it was true.
Because Parrot, if nothing changed, was dead.
The reason prisons were so easy to break into and out of was because of a simple principle, Kenadian had explained to Wifies once. To defend a prison, you’re trying to patch everything. Handle every possible corner case, even ones you don’t know about. You need to be perfect, never slip up, not make a single mistake. No exploits unpatched. Everything accounted for.
But, all the people attempting to break in had to do was find the guards slipping up once. Find one mistake the creator made.
The creator had to be perfect. The person breaking in had to get lucky.
Wifies wasn’t perfect. Far from it. He knew this. He knew also that Parrot was annoyingly lucky. It’d saved the two of them plenty of times. If Wifies didn’t know better, he’d say the avian almost had plot armor. But clearly not, considering the state he was in right now.
If this continued, Parrot would die. Parrot would get lucky. Because how could Wifies stop him? Parrot had no reason to continue trying to die. Even if Wifies gave up on being humane, locking the avian in a two by one box of obsidian, Parrot could bash his head into the wall until he died. Parrot could stop eating or drinking. Parrot could smuggle something in. Parrot could claw at himself until he bled out.
There was no real way for Wifies to stop Parrot from attempting suicide again and again, unless he did something to improve Parrot’s mental state.
If things continued, the avian was as good as dead. All Parrot had to do was get lucky.
And all Wifies could do was be perfect.
He dug his nails into his legs, taking a deep breath. Right. Think, Wifies, you’re smart. You can figure something out..
… The guards. Parrot was annoyingly selfless. Wifies could weaponize that, surely. Blackmail worked both ways in this case.
But would Parrot care enough? How far gone was the avian? Wifies wasn’t exactly willing to risk it again. He couldn’t risk Parrot getting lucky.
Be perfect, be perfect, be perfect.
It had to be flawless. And to be flawless he needed more data.
He thought he’d gotten enough. But he hadn’t tested the avian’s breaking point. And now… keeping him here might be more dangerous than the outside.
...Had Wifies failed? Was Paragon now more dangerous than outside? Had he ruined everything?
… should he let Parrot free?
No. No he couldn’t. It was too far now, too far into his plans, too far to give up. If Parrot left, Wifies would surely be alone, and couldn’t protect him.
Parrot had to stay here. But Parrot had to become mentally stable again.
Wifies could drug the avian. But no, most of the medications he’d have to use to keep Parrot from hurting himself would cause long term damages. And something in him revolted at that idea. Made him feel sick.
He didn’t know why, but either way, it simply wasn’t feasible.
Wifies stood from the chair and paced by Parrot’s bedside, pushing aside the emotions that threatened to bubble up, because he had to save Parrot from himself.
Had to be perfect.
“Wifies..?” A quiet, female voice came from behind the door. JumperWho, the spymaster. Easiest of the group to blackmail. Lowest threat of the guards. “I know we’re not meant to interact but… may I check on Parrot?”
Wifies sighed. What was the harm. JumperWho’s loyalty was almost cemented perfectly. For one, she wouldn't hurt Parrot. She’d proven herself loyal to the avian. Also, she was fiercely protective of her spies, and she knew all too well that if Wifies wanted, all of their identities could be leaked, thus putting their lives in critical danger.
“Come in.” He spoke evenly. Jumper had been the one to treat Parrot at the site after all, and she was little if not no threat. She might even be able to assist.
The door creaked open, and Jumper, wearing the netherite armor with the flow trim, though notably visible, walked in. Wifies supposed it was of no consequence - he was planning on leaking the identities of the guards to Parrot as a method to at least delay the next attempt.
Wifies sat back down in the chair, opening a book to pretend to give Jumper some modicum of privacy. Sure, he might be overprotective, but he wasn’t enough of a prick to stare at someone talking to their friend that had almost died.
… of course he still listened, because he had to protect Parrot.
“Parrot… why…” Jumper murmured from where she was crouched next to the bed. Wifies heard a sniffle. Was she crying? “Why would you try that, you idiot! You’re ParrotX2! You’re never meant to give up. You- you’ve never rolled over and died. You always fight back. Why- what happened to make you just-” Another sniffle, and a sharp breath. “... Parrot, please, just don’t do it again. Please. Please. If not for me, for the spies. Please.”
Of course, there was no response. Wifies gave a soft cough from where he was sitting, continuing to pretend to read the random book he’d grabbed, a reminder to Jumper of who else was in the room.
“...Wifies, is… Will he survive?” Jumper asked quietly. Fear for her friend and fear for her spies mixing in equal measure.
“...He should. I’m treating the wound perfectly.” He had to be perfect. Parrot just had to get lucky. Wifies sighed, placing the book aside. “We have all the supplies we could need. It’s just a matter of time.”
“Right… Good.” Jumper looked like she wanted to say something else, but didn’t continue. Ever the cautious one, the spymaster. Wifies gave a smile. In a way, the two of them were all too similar. Fiercely loyal, manipulative, adapt in the social politics.
Perhaps in a different time they could’ve been friends. Wifies sighed.
“... Wifies, what even happened?” Jumper asked quietly. “I- It’s parrot, I never would’ve thought he of all people would’ve just…”
Wifies sighed. He of all people knew it was pointless trying to hide it. Jumper knew, she just didn’t want to admit it. “He gave up. Rather die than stay in here. It’s fine though, I’ll stop him.”
“...Wifies… He’s going to die. If not physically, you’re going to break him.” Jumper met Wifies’ eyes, voice soft but firm. “Why can’t you just trust him to keep himself safe?”
“Keep himself safe? Jumper, you’re not an idiot. You know Parrot. He’ll get himself hurt time and time again, and he’ll push me away if I let him out so I won’t be able to protect him at all- He’s an idiot, putting everyone above him no matter what they even did. I can’t stand by as he KILLS HIMSELF!” Wifies yelled, hands trembling. He couldn’t let Parrot out of paragon, he couldn’t, not at all. Because if he did, then Parrot was dead.
“Wifies, he’s dead either way.” Jumper murmured, not flinching as the man yelled at her. “Look at him. He’s not going to survive like this, and you know it. You’re killing him, plain and simple.”
‘When you’re reading this, I’m dead. I win. I left.’
“...You’ve checked on Parrot. You can go now.” Wifies glared at Jumper, spitting out the words as his chest felt like a hole was being burnt deep within it.
Jumper met his glare, even. “... Do the right thing, Wifies, if you even can.” With that, she turned on her heel, shooting a worried glance at the still unconscious form of Parrot, before walking out of the room.
As Jumper left, Wifies leaned back, covering his eyes in the heels of his hands, fingers curling around his hair. “Fuck. Parrot, why…”