Chapter Text
It’d been… how long, in these damned obsidian walls? Over a month for sure. Possibly nearing two or three now. He'd lost track. Counting days had started to feel like a chore once he’d hit the first month. A reminder of his failures.
The avian was tired. Drained. Plan after plan going poorly. What was the point of getting one step forward if it didn’t change anything? If the second his actions occured, he was caught and back at ground zero, with Wifies there always to mock him, in that kind voice, in a mockery of care.
He was tired of that damn voice. Of Wifies telling him he could be happy here. He was tired of this prison. This gilded cage.
But. He was out of ideas.
He was exhausted.
It’d been creeping up on this whole time, like ice spreading through his veins. A slow feeling of numbness, exhaustion, emptiness. Weighing down every limb until all he wanted to do was let his body fall to the ground, and lay there. It got worse and worse after every failed attempt, and every half hearted idea slowly had become less and less appealing.
And after the last failure, he didnt have any reason to keep fighting it. He didn’t even feel upset that it hadn’t worked. He’d expected it after all.
He just felt… Numb. Tired. Exhausted. Drained. Any other number of adjectives he didn't have the energy to consider.
He knew he should keep acting. Keep hope. Try and be Wifies friend, and maybe he would slip up and Parrot could escape, but…
It felt disgusting, being Wifies’ little pet bird stuck in this gilded cage. He couldn’t find it in himself to even dare play along. Besides, he was tired. He didn’t have the energy anymore... He doubted he could even walk out of the house. He just wanted to sleep.
So he did. Without much elegance, he flopped onto the bed, wings spread haphazardly under him. Normally, he was meant to sleep on his stomach to not hurt them, but... he couldn't bring himself to care. Not that they did much good, clipped as they were.
He would just… take a break. Sleep. Think about it more tomorrow.
Hoping the nothingness he fell into as he closed his eyes would give him a break from his thoughts.
He woke up the first time to the sun shining into his little shack. He closed his eyes again with a groan. Should’ve closed the blinds. He didn’t want to get up. His limbs felt like lead.
And yet his brain raced. Because he was always the smart one. And it was instinct to analyze the situation. Even if the situation was himself.
He was despicable for giving up… what about everyone outside, wondering where he went? What about his friends? What if they were looking for him?
…No. Leo had already shown he wouldn’t go looking. Derapchu was more prioritized in keeping themself alive. If anyone would, it would be Jumper, and if she hadn’t yet, Wifies probably had some sort of leverage over her.
Probably threatening her spies.
So… what was the point? They were safe after all. The bed was warm, and he was tired and besides, it was just… a break.
Right. A break. He wasn’t completely giving up, he just… needed a break. And sleeping hadn’t been enough. So maybe if he just slept for a bit longer, this exhaustion would leave and he would have any sort of motivation for his next plan.
He hadn’t completely lost hope… He hadn’t completely fallen into Wifies’ hands. He was just taking a break.
Yeah.
...A break.
He didnt even bother to close the blinds. He didn’t have enough energy to bother. Instead, he closed his eyes again. It was almost scarily easy to slip back into the oblivion of slumber.
It was a knock on the door that finally got him to leave the haze he'd been in. He'd woken up a few times, even gotten up once when hunger and dehydration had gotten too bad. He barely remembered it though.
He yawned as he awoke again, groggy from the extended slumber. He didn’t know how much time had passed. He wanted to go back to sleep.
“Parrot? Can I come in?” A all-too familiar voice made Parrot flinch, stirring him from his half-asleep haze, sitting up suddenly.
He wanted to protest, but, was there a point trying to say no?
Still, for some level of dignity, he tried to protect. “Bro, I dont want to see you. Why do you think I’ve been staying in my house” He knew his words fell flat, empty, numb, tired, so fucking tired, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“...Parrot, are you okay..?” The question felt so genuine. So heart wrenchingly worried that it hurt. Parrot hated it. Hated how Wifies could say such things, so genuinely, after what he did. Hated how worried he seemed over a problem he caused with his own actions.
“You wonder if I’m okay, dude, I’ve been stuck in a damn prison for months thanks to you. I wonder if I’m alright.” It was meant to be sarcastic. Snarky. The sort of retort he normally would’ve made. It wasn’t. It was resigned. It fell so flat. He wanted so desperately to show that he could still fight, but it was so clear he’d… lost.
He was so tired. He didn’t even want to talk anymore. He just wanted to sleep.
“Parrot-” Wifies voice was still so concerned, it made him want to vomit.
“Look man, I’m tired. Just let me sleep.” Parrot huffed, rolling back over in bed. Closing his eyes. Ignoring the silence.
“...Parrot, I’m worried- You sound… bad.” Wifies continued, still from outside of the door. “Look- I’m sorry you didn’t manage to get out yesterday, but isn’t it for the best? We can be happy here. You were so tired of being chased, and now- you don’t need to worry about that anymore! We can be happy. Just please- Talk to me, Parrot-”
The avian ignored them. He didn’t even lift his head. He just. Lay there. What was the point of doing anything else.
“...Parrot, please- if you don’t answer I’m going to need to come in, I- I need to check on you, okay? Please?” Wifies was begging. Pleading. So ironic. Acting like he didn’t have the power.
Parrot just closed his eyes.
The door creaked open. Footsteps approached. Hesitated. A small murmur of “Oh.. Parrot…”
Parrot ignored it. Ignored the stinging shame and pity.
He ignored it because he didn’t want to consider any of it. He didn’t want to think of Wifies seeing him like this.
“... When’s the last time you ate, Parrot?”
He shrugged. He had eaten at one point. He didn't know how long ago it was though - not like he was counting the days anymore, afterall!
Wifies paused, brow even more furrowed. “...Right…” He gently sat down on the edge of the bed. His hand brushed against the Avian’s shoulder, making him flinch. Wifies pulled away like he was burned at Parrot's reaction.
With a soft exhale, he began to speak, words chosen carefully. “Parrot… Look, I’m sorry… Well… I’m not sorry for what I did. I’m sorry it had to be this way. But… Please, don’t destroy yourself for me. Let’s eat something, and we can go fishing?”
His voice was so soft, worried, and nervous. So caring. As he continued, not meeting the avian's cold gaze. “Or if that’s too much, I could help you preen, your feathers cannot be comfortable-”
“No.” Parrot snapped, feathers fluffing up as he shot up, sitting on the edge of the bed, glaring at Wifies, who was sitting next to him. He would never let Wifies touch his feathers again. Never, never again. That was a matter of trust, and Wifies had long since broken that “I can handle it myself. Get the hell out of my house.”
Wifies almost looked relieved, and somewhat self satisfied, even as he sighed. "Suppose I should've expected that... maybe eventually." As if he knew that would be Parrot's response. Had… had he really done that just to get a reaction from Parrot? Had Parrot really just fallen for another one of his tricks?
… He wanted to go back to bed. This was exhausting. Taking to Wifies was exhausting.
“Well, since you haven't eaten anywhere near enough, I guess I'll have to make you something." Wifies stood up, stretching out a hand. Parrot didn't take it. Wifies pulled it back with a sigh, and continued."Come on. Let’s have some food. What do you want? I got golden carrots - although we both know how those taste, some bread, baked potatoes- Oh, I could do mushroom stew! That's quite filling.” Wifies smiled, moving over to the small kitchen area Parrot had made in his house.
“I’m not hungry.” Parrot mumbled, still irritated for falling for Wifies’ trick. He was half tempted to lay back down in the bed, but he didn’t want Wifies to try something else to force him up. Like actually trying to preen him.
He hated that Wifies had so much power over him in this situation.
So he forced himself to stand up, and sit at the table. Wifies smiled at him. Parrot almost wanted to punch him.
… a few months ago, he would’ve actually punched the man for that expression.
How the mighty have fallen, huh?
“Even if you aren’t hungry Parrot, you need to eat something! I didn’t bring you here for you to waste away in bed. Come on, what do you want?” Wifies paused. "Your choice, I can make pretty much anything."
Parrot didn’t respond, so Wifies just walked over to the meager kitchen, and began making something. The scent of mushroom stew soon began to fill the one room house.
Parrot knew he should be thinking. Should be plotting, thinking, have his brain be running a hundred miles an hours, because he was meant to be the smart one.
But, all he could do was stare at the table, waiting for his captor to bring him mushroom stew. Pathetic.
Eventually, Wifies walked back, holding two bowls of the stew, placing one in front of Parrot. It almost felt sickeningly domestic. He was tempted to not eat it out of spite.
Wifies paused, taking a sip of the stew, as if to prove something to Parrot. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do anything to it. Please, eat some.”
Parrot paused, glancing at Wifies. As much as he didn't want to eat, especially something Wifies of all people had made, he knew the stubborn man wouldn’t let him live in peace until he did. Also, he didn't want to starve. And he didn't have any other food on him.
So he took a sip of the stew. It wasn’t… good. But, he was so used to golden carrots, and their bitter metallic taste, that he could eat anything. And it was certainly better than those, he supposed.
Wifies didn’t react at all to the taste or texture of the soup, but neither did he take another sip. Instead, he spent his time watching Parrot eat with an intensity that made him nervous.
His brain would normally be racing, going through possibility and possibility of what Wifies could be planning, but for some reason, he didn’t really.. care. Wifies was going to do it regardless, so what was the point, really…
He felt that numb exhaustion prickling around the corners of his form, threatening to tug him back down.
…It was tempting. It was so tempting… to Just… admit Wifies had won. Not just take a break, but… give up. Try and be happy.
…But, so what? He just had to rest, and then he could get out. The exhaustion wasn’t acceptance of his fate, it was just… Exhaustion from all the attempts. He would get out!
…even if it was probably impossible, and he was doing all of this for nothing an impossible goal and god he just wanted a break please he didn’t want to feel anything anymore he just wanted to sleep and not-
“Parrot?” Wifies’ voice shook him from his thoughts the second he started to spiral again, both helpful and slightly unnerving. “Have you finished? We could go fish, or build or mine-”
“Oh- yeah. Sure.” Parrot muttered, glancing at his half-eaten bowl of stew. He’d eaten more than he expected, but he couldn’t find the appetite to eat more than that.
Oddly, Wifies had eaten even less. Other than that first bite, he’d only eaten one or two spoonfuls. It was odd but, Parrot didn’t bother asking. He had a feeling either he’d be diverted or not like the answer, and… he was too tired to play mind games.
He followed Wifies to the small dock the two had made, back when Parrot was still actively trying to trick him. Two fishing rods still rested on the wood, identical in make. Wifies grabbed one, passing Parrot the identical twin.
The avian took it in his hands, sitting on the edge of the dock. It’d been made tall enough so he could kick his feet off over the edge without his shoes getting wet - A task that was fairly easy due to his short frame.
Wifies cast his line, humming a song to himself softly, looking peaceful, and content. Parrot supposed he should also begin fishing, but he didn’t see the point. Instead, he just… sat on the edge of the dock. Waiting for Wifies to be done with this activity, so he could go back to his house.
“...You know, your tenacity always inspired me. It was stupid, don’t get me wrong. But the way you always refuse to give up was… not something I was used to seeing.” Wifies suddenly spoke, glancing over at the avian.
“And?” His feathers prickled, fluffing up with displeasure and anger. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Parrot snapped back. He… hadn’t given up! He was… Just resting. For a bit.
He deserved rest.
Right?
Right.
“...Parrot. You know you can talk to me, right?” Wifies paused, glancing at him, looking… oddly scared. “You… Don’t have to starve yourself or anything, you can just… Talk to me. Please.”
“I wasn’t starving myself!” Parrot snapped, because it was easier than responding to the desperate plea for connection. “I was just… resting. Sure, I missed a few meals but everyone does sometimes-”
“...Parrot, how long do you think you were lying there.” Wifies’ speech was hesitating, brow now furrowed.
“Like- maybe a day?” Parrot shrugged. “What’s the matter-”
“... 3 days, Parrot. You got up on the second to get some food and water, or I’d have intervened sooner.” Wifies murmured, glancing away. His voice was trembling slightly, as he deliberately inhaled. “You stayed in bed for three days straight.”
Oh.
He knew he’d lied awake for a while, but he hadn’t thought it’d been 3 days…
“Parrot I was afraid you were going to try and- do something stupid.” Wifies admitted, staring at the fishing bobber. “That’s why I was watching you.”
Something stupid? There was no way to escape. Wifies had proven it.
No… Wifies had meant something else… But what else would he be afraid of? If Parrot couldn’t escape, there was no leaving here.
… unless…
… That… he could do that…
…How had he not considered that before? It wasn’t escape, but it would get him out- A last resort maybe. He felt somewhat giddy. A way out, if all else failed! A way out of this prison, a way out from Wifies-
“Parrot, please- promise me you won’t do that again.” Wifies murmured, glancing at him.
Parrot stared back, unaware of how blank and lifeless his eyes looked as he smiled, as his mind turned over this new piece of information. This new possible way of escape. “I can’t promise you anything, Director.”