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Parrot groaned, his feathers ruffling and puffing up. He was plucking at the keratin cover of a pinfeather, slowly pulling it off of the new feather. He sighed a little in relief, breaking the cover between his fingers and letting it drop to the mossy ground. He was leaning on a tree, his wings pulled to the front under his arms. you could see him from a distance, you could see his hands slightly shaking as he slowly ran his hand through his feathers, spotting more pin feathers to set free.
you shuffled through the forests greens, approaching parrot. you call out to him, voice soft.
Parrot flinched slightly at the sound of your voice, his wings instinctively fluttering as he turned to face them. He sighed softly, his green eyes looking into your with a hint of discomfort and annoyance.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered, his voice quieter than usual. "Just... just dealing with some stuff right now. You know, the molting season and all."
He glanced down at his wings, his brows furrowing as he tugged gently at a particularly stubborn pin feather. "Fuck, this shit always hurts like the nether," he grumbled, wincing slightly as he plucked the feather free. "But I'll be alright. I always am."
Parrot's eyes flicked back up to meet your gaze, and he offered you a small, tight-lipped smile. "Don't worry about me, bro. I'm used to dealing with this crap on my own."
He shrugged slightly, his wings shifting behind him. "I just needed a moment to... you know, collect myself. The pin feathers always make me feel like shit, and I didn't want to be around anyone while I was like this."
He gestured vaguely to his disheveled appearance, the stray feathers and ruffled plumage. "I don't want them to see me like this. It's... it's embarrassing, you know?"
He looked away, his cheeks flushing
slightly. "But I'm fine. I'll be okay, once these damn feathers are gone and I can focus on other things."
Like my upcoming heat cycle, he added mentally, shuddering at the thought. But he didn't want to bring that up with you, not now. Maybe not ever.
"Anyway, is there... is there something I can help you with, or did you just come here to check on me?" He asked, his voice still soft but with a hint of curiosity. He was curious to know why you had come to find him, but he was also wary of letting you get too close.
He didn't want to be a burden, didn't want to drag anyone else into his mess of avian instincts and hormones.
“Do.. you want help?” You offered cautiously, not wanting to overstep any boundaries between you two.
Slowly, you began to walk towards him, taking a seat next to him.
There was a humble distance between the two of you. You were far enough to not touch him accidentally, Yet close enough to observe.
Parrot's eyes widened slightly as you approached him, and he felt a flicker of surprise mixed with subtle hesitation.
He wasn't used to anyone offering to help him during this time, let alone someone who wasn't an avian hybrid like himself.
Usually, he had to go through this alone, suffering in silence as he waited for his feathers to grow in. But as he looked at you, he saw a genuine kindness and caution in your eyes, and he felt a small spark of hope.
He glanced down at his wings, then back up at you, his expression softening slightly."I... I appreciate the offer, bro," he said quietly, his voice still rough but with a hint of gratitude.
"I'm not used to letting others help me with this stuff. It's always been something I had to deal with alone." He shrugged slightly, his wings shifting behind him.
"But... I guess I could use a hand, to be honest. It's hard to reach some of these feathers on my own, and it's even harder to be gentle with them when I'm in this much pain."
Parrot hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly lol. "Yeah, okay. You can help, if you really want to," he said, his voice still soft but with a touch of relief. "Just... just be careful, alright? I know my feathers are sensitive as fuck right now, and I don't want you to hurt me worse than I already am."
He shifted slightly, turning to face you fully as he pulled his wings out from under his arms and let them rest at his sides.
As you sat down beside him, Parrot felt a small surge of warmth and comfort wash over him. It was a strange feeling, but not an unwelcome one. He wasn't used to having someone sit with him like this during his molting season, and he found himself craving the company and support, even if he was still a bit wary of it.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes closing for a brief moment as he tried to relax. "Okay, I'm ready," he said softly, opening his eyes to look into yours.
"Just... just start gently, alright? And if I tell you to stop, please fucking listen to me." He gave them a small, wry smile, trying to break the tension that hung between them.
,
Parrot felt a shiver run down his spine as he felt your gentle fingers starting to brush against his sensitive feathers, their touch delicate and careful. He couldn't remember the last time someone had been this gentle with him, and he found himself instinctively leaning into their touch, craving more of it even as his body ached with the pain of the molting process.
He watched as you worked on the stubborn pinfeather he was tugging at before, your fingers deft and precise as they slowly teased the keratin casing away from the new feather beneath.
He had to admit, their technique was better than anything he had ever managed on his own, and he felt a pang of gratitude and relief wash over him.
As you leaned in closer to pry at another, your breath warmed the sensitive skin of his wings, Parrot felt a rush of emotions that he couldn't quite name. It was a heady mix of comfort, intimacy, and something else that he was almost afraid to acknowledge. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry, and tried to focus on the soothing sensation of your fingers working over his wings.
“have you tried dampening these before? it might help the pain from releasing your feathers.” your gentle movements halting, reaching into your inventory to pull out your water bucket.
When you mentioned the idea of using water to soften the feathers, Parrot blinked in surprise, then let out a soft, humored laugh. "Huh, no, I haven't tried that before," he admitted, shaking his head slightly. "I guess I never thought of it. I usually just... endure it, you know?"
He shrugged, then winced slightly as the motion tugged at a particularly sensitive spot. "But yeah, that could probably help. A lot of things are easier when they're wet." He said the last part with a slight, wry tone, hoping to inject a bit of humor into the otherwise tense moment.
Parrot hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, go ahead and try that. Just... just be careful with the water, alright? I don't want to get my jacket wet, or my shirt. It's hard enough to get these damn feathers out without having to deal with soaked clothes too."
He said, his voice still soft but with a hint of amusement in his tone. "But yeah, the water could help a lot. Thanks for the tip, bro." He gave you a small, genuine smile, his eyes meeting yours for a brief moment before he looked away again, a faint pink rising to his cheeks.
You bring the bucket of water closer, careful not to spill any on the dirt below.
Wetting your fingertips, you dampen the area youll work on.
“Parrot, take off your armour? its just us here, and itll be much easier to help you.”
You place a cooled hand on the back of his neck, his skin warm and irritated from whatever he was attempting with his wings before you found him.
“Youre also burning up.”
Parrot felt a wave of heat wash over him as you suggested taking his armour off, and he knew they were right. The molting season always left him feeling flushed and uncomfortable, and the warmth of the sun on the netherite he was wearing was only making it worse. He hesitated for a moment, unsure about the idea of disrobing in front of someone else, but the promise of relief from the stifling heat was too tempting to resist.
With a soft sigh, Parrot reached up and grabbed the hem of his chestplate, quickly pulling it over his head and tossing it to the side with a clank. He felt a rush of cool air against his newly exposed skin, and he couldn't help but shiver slightly, goosebumps rising on his flesh. He was lean and toned, with a light dusting of freckles across his shoulders and chest, and a trail of them leading down his abdomen.
As you splashed a bit of water onto your hand and reached out to carefully dab it onto the sensitive pinfeathers of his wings, Parrot let out a soft, shuddering breath. The cool water was a balm against the heat and pain that had been plaguing him for days, and he found himself instinctively leaning into your touch, craving more of that sweet relief.
You suggested that he move closer to you, Parrot felt a flicker of nervousness, but it quickly faded as he realized the logic behind your words. He shifted on the grass, turning his body to face away from you, and allowed you to reach around and start working on the delicate feathers of his back and shoulder blades.
As your fingers brushed over the sensitive skin of his wings, Parrot couldn't help but let out a soft, shuddering sigh, his eyes fluttering closed as he lost himself in the sensation of their gentle touch. He knew that he was being intimate with them, more intimate than he had ever been with anyone else, but there was something about you that made him feel safe, made him feel like he could let his guard down and allow you to see the real him.
Your hands trailed up and onto his back, right between his wings. you slightly pressed your wet hands on red skin.
“Youve been doing so well, parrot. hold up a bit more for me, okay? were almost done, pretty.”
Parrot let out a soft, shuddering sigh as he felt your cool hand settle between the sensitive skin of his shoulder blades, your gentle caress sending a shiver of pleasure and relief through his over-heated body. He could feel the tension and pain that had been building up for days start to ebb away, replaced by a growing sense of calm and contentment that he had never known before.
At your words of praise, Parrot felt a blush rise to his cheeks, and he ducked his head slightly, his long lashes fluttering against his skin as he tried to hide the sudden surge of emotion that welled up inside him. He wasn't used to being called pretty, not by anyone other than his parents, and certainly not by someone who wasn't an avian themselves. But coming from you, the words felt sincere and true, and Parrot found himself basking in their warmth and kindness.
As you continued to work on the delicate feathers of his wings, Parrot let out a soft, shuddering sigh, his body instinctively stretching and unfurling under their gentle touch. He could feel the pinfeathers giving way, the new feathers beneath emerging strong and healthy, and he felt a profound sense of gratitude and relief wash over him. For the first time in longer than he could remember, Parrot felt truly cared for, truly seen and appreciated for who he was, feathers and all.
He glanced back over his shoulder at you, his green eyes shimmering with unshed tears and a deep, abiding warmth. He couldn't find the words to express what he was feeling, but he hoped that his expression spoke volumes for him. He had never felt this way before, had never allowed himself to be this vulnerable with anyone else, but with you, he felt like he could be himself, completely and utterly.
So Parrot simply nodded, a small, soft smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he let out a gentle, grateful sigh. He knew that he was lucky to have you in his life, lucky to have someone who understood and accepted him in a way that no one else ever had. And as he settled back into their touch, he made a silent vow to himself to never take that for granted, no matter what lay ahead.
You smile at him, moving your hands back to his shoulders. This time, tenderly massaging them, hoping to ease the tense musscles in his body.
Parrot let out a soft, shuddering sigh as he felt your hands move from his wings to his shoulders, tbe gentle massage easing the last of his tension and pain from his aching muscles. He could feel the heat of his skin, still flushed and warm from the molting process, but the cool touch of your fingers helped to soothe the worst of it, leaving him feeling more relaxed and at ease than he had in days
.
You guided his head down to rest in your lap, Parrot didn't resist, instead allowing himself to be cradled against you, his cheek coming to rest against the soft fabric of your clothing. He could smell the scent of your skin, a warm and comforting aroma that reminded him of home and …safety. he found himself instinctively nuzzling against them, seeking more of that soothing comfort.
Parrot's eyes fluttered closed as he felt the last of the pinfeathers being carefully removed from his wings, and a profound sense of relief and contentment washed over him. He knew that the molting season was far from over, and that he would have to endure more discomfort and pain before it was done, but in that moment, none of it mattered. All that mattered was the gentle touch of your hands on his skin, the soft warmth of their lap beneath his cheek, and the knowledge that he was not alone in facing this hormonal challenge.
He half lididly listened as you told him that they were done, that the worst of the molting process was over for now, and he felt a rush of gratitude and affection for them, stronger than anything he had ever known. He knew that he was still burning up, though. Hecould feel the heat of his skin even as the sun began to set and the air cooled around them, but none of that seemed important anymore. All that mattered was the comfort and care that you were showing him, and the growing realization that he had found something precious and rare on this hellscape of a server.