Username: viscidogg
Name: Maia
Gender: female/cis woman
Friend:
Maia has a best friend, her one true companion in life, somebody she knows she can always, ALWAYS, rely on: her pet parrot! His name is Franklin, but she has lots of nicknames for him like Frankie, Franks, Fran, Fluffy Boy... A lot of nicknames. He knows a lot of words, probably more than any other parrot of his breed (Eclectus) and talks to her about many things! They go everywhere together, and anywhere he can't go she leaves him with a friend to make sure he never has to be alone.
Maia saved him, when he was young he was abandonded by his parents for one reason or another, and she took him in. She originally was going to give him to a parrot rescue, but she looked in his eyes, and knew she couldn't give him to anybody else. She knew nothing about birds, especially not about parrots, but she learned. She studied through nights, days, nights, days, over and over until she memorized everything. Maia took Franklin to the vet to get him checked over, and luckily he was healthy, and asked the vet what specific breed he was. She learned he was a Eclectus, who are known for being gentle, sweet, and caring birds who bond with their owners a lot and grow very loyal and loving to them. The breed is also known to be very intellegent, capable of learning language and speaking, though they don't squawk as often as other breeds.
Maia took all this in stride, learning as she went, setting up a room for him in her house, giving him tons of attention and love, and began teaching him to speak. He wasn't the fastest learner though, and for a long while didn't speak at all. She took Franklin back to the vet, and the vet suggested because he was abandoned at such a young age he might be a bit delayed with growth marks and learning checkpoints.
Maia never gave up on him though, and Franklin began to catch on eventually. It took 4 years, but after his 4th birthday, he really began to hit his stride with learning to speak. He picked up words, finally, from everyday conversations, and began to ask Maia questions, and engage with her. She was so happy about this, telling all of her friends how well he was starting to do, and she kept telling Franklin how proud of him she was. He started telling Maia he was proud of her when she was struggling to get through her work for her job, editing author's writing from home, and how well she was doing. He began telling her that she can do it, she's doing enough, she's good and she's doing very well and she can take a break if she needs it.
After that, the pair truly became inseperable. Anywhere Maia was, Franklin was sure to be nearby. He keeps an eye on her, making sure she's safe, and the two often go on long walks together through forests, or to the park. Franklin often flies a bit above and in front of her, leading the way and being able to see what's ahead of them.
Franklin is her absolute best friend in the whole world, she wouldn't give him up for anything at all. The pair's bond in unbreakable and nothing could come between them.
-
"Franklin, Franklin, Franklin, can you say, 'Today is Sunday, today is a good day', Maia asked, gently but firmly.
"Today is Sunday, tomorrow will be better," Frankin replies, head cocked and wings fluttering a bit.
"Today is Sunday, today is a good day," Maia repeats.
"Today is Sunday, tomorrow will be the best day," Frankin says, hopping onto Maia's shoulder.
"Tomorrow will be better." He says again, moving up to Maia's head, perching there, looking at her computer's screen, the words all a blur to him but frustrating and hard for Maia.
He knows Maia's been having a hard time with this, her energy is darker, more... Sad, is the word he knows for this mood. She's been groaning and typing, deleting, typing, deleting, a repetitious cycle that leaves her mood getting deeper and darker every time.
"You're good! Keep going! Keep going! You're doing good! Maia does a good job, Maia does a good job," He says, knowing that this is similar to what she might say to him when he struggles with his words.
Maia giggles, sighs, looks back at the screen with tired eyes, types, deletes... Types, deletes.
"Maia takes a break! Maia takes a break! Maia takes Franklin for a walk!"
"No walks, I'm really busy... This is due in a week, I can't let this author down, they're a big name in the industry, this could be my big chance to make it as an editor! I can't take any breaks, I have to push through..."
Maia sighs again, the continuous cycle of monotony and headbanging amounts of editing to come makes her... Exhausted. Sapped of any energy she might have had earlier. She wants to take a break, but she can't. She has to keep working!
"Maia takes a break with Franklin! Maia takes Franklin for a walk!" Franklin squawks, trying to get this point across. He feels her energy, KNOWS she needs a break now.
"I can't..."
Franklin decides desperate measures are needed. He hops to the desk, uses his foot to hit save, the jumps on the top of the laptop, forces it closed with his body weight and wings to push him forward until it clicks shut. He pops on top of it, facing Maia.
"Maia! Takes a break! Maia takes Frankin! For a walk!"
"Oh, so this is how it is? Held hostage by my own best friend?"
"Yes! Yes! Maia takes a break!"
"I see, I see... Weeeeell, since I have to..." Maia smiles, heart already feeling lighter and fuller, Franklin really is her best friend.
"Let's go, let's go lesbians!"
"HA! I still don't know where you learned that, but let's go lesbians! LET'S GO LESBIANS!" She gets up from her desk, giggling again and ducking her head so Franklin can clamber onto her.
"LET'S GO LESBIANS!" Frankin squawks, feeling justified that Maia finally listened to him, and loving that she's making the happy noise again.
She takes him to the door, still giggling, and moves Franklin to her shoulder, so she can put on her favorite headband.
She opens the door, thinking back to before her best friend came into her life, and her heart expands 3 sizes in that moment, and she says,
"I love you, Franklin."
And the happy, nearly-yelled reply is,
"I love you too!"
1113/2000
Extra: n/a
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