The bottom is a parrot. The first thing he does after turning into a human is repay his kindness. He moves into the shabby house across from the top and waits by the door every day to greet him.
"Hello there!"
The top doesn't even look at him and walks away.
"Hi!"
The top doesn't even look at him and walks away.
One day, the top's awful relative comes around looking for trouble. The bottom springs out, chest puffed up and hands on his hips, and lets loose a wild stream of abuse: @#$%^*&@#&%￥.
He'd already cursed people with those words hundreds of times as a parrot, so he knew them by heart.
The top stops and looks up at him, his expression still cold, his gaze a little strange.
The bottom's cheeks turn faintly red. He looks proud and shy, and instinctively tries to preen his feathers. Then he looks down, realizes he has no feathers anymore, and awkwardly rubs his hands together.
--
The top is cold and world-weary, his arms marked with rows of scars from cigarette burns. One day, he finds a parrot that's nearly frozen to death, looking as though it won't last three days.
Three days later, the parrot is full of life, following him around all day and chirping "tweet, tweet."
When he showers, the parrot chirps as it fetches him a bath towel.
When he sleeps, the parrot chirps as it makes his bed.
When he pees, the parrot practically wants to help him...
Just as he starts getting used to the little bird and feeling a touch of inexplicable warmth, the parrot suddenly disappears...
The top sneers. He knew everyone would abandon him, including this bird.
But the day after the little bird vanishes, a strange new neighbor moves in across the hall.
--
(Draft of the blurb saved on 2026/01/22)
Theme: Sometimes animals are better than people
