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The birdcage was open.
Null held the door as if it were a lifeline, slightly slouching in tiredness and anguish. Despite the searing tornado currently wreaking havoc in his chest, he didn't allow himself to falter. He needed to keep trying.
He wasn't exactly the gentlest person around - his voice too disquieting, his demeanor too abrasive - yet he coaxed the defiant frightened bird pressed against the cold bars of their prison to leave. Null's pleas fell to chagrined ears as they refused the request even though freedom was so glaringly clear. That was not the door The Player wanted and he had closed the exact one they hoped to walk through.
They let out a long, silent sigh escape, the breeze softly brushing against their face. It was the only source of air in that seldom still schoolhouse, where wind was absent unless produced by something. He was not going to relent, was he? Their eyes shifted to the chair floating besides them, waiting to be picked up.
Listen to me, he begged one more time. His gaze made their stomach churn, how words fell out of his lips with this frantic, hair-ripping agony. Even though Null knows their motives to keep this stupid scavenge going, it didn't make it any less frustrating. He said everything he could, pushing to the borders of limit and the possible. The corruption hurt, every flicker of glitching sent a smoldering flare of pain throughout the countless lines of code. He was unable to talk without censure.
And yet, despite the obstacles, the trouble and the hassle – he hasn't given up. Perhaps this could end terribly, disastrously even. Null could only guess while The Player was clueless. But he would continue to be persistent because, between him and them, he chose them over any contingent danger to his integrity. Risk.
Please. Just please, he implored. Null extended his hand as if to prove to the little bird that it was ok, he meant no harm. They were safe. They did not move however. Instead, The Player’s attention fell to the hovering chair and he swore his throat felt dry for a moment. Drudgingly, the chair was picked up and his remaining facial features scrunched in a mix of disappointment and betrayal. Amongst the gap of causality, of the inevitable, he conjured a tacit thought.
Don't do this.
The bird, that defiant frightened bird, widely opened their wings and flew away before Null could grasp them. No, they did not follow the path he was presenting to them, to leave and never return. They turned their back and fled the cafeteria after throwing the chair at him. Idiot, they were an idiot. That bird would have their wings clipped and be locked inside a birdcage once again by someone that was not him. This someone would leave them to starve, to rot. All because it was a desire for eternity.
He couldn't have any of that. Null screamed, shaking and tearing apart the entire building almost to the point of a kaleidoscopic sight. If they wouldn't listen and leave on their own, he would gladly do that for them.
The Player kept running, aware that Null was now actively chasing them. Such a fact made them frown, internal strings entangling with each other into a messy knot. For all of their encounters, he never posed a threat. It was a relief to finally find what wasn't a hindrance, where they didn't have to fear making a wrong movement. But they could never win in such an incongruous world, where things always had to have their downsides. In his case, it was Null's obsessive-like rants of them having to destroy the game.
It grew to be infuriating, vexatious.
They did not spend several hours of their lives reaching into different places, in hope to find something more, something like answers to be forcibly blinded by some guy who didn't speak of anything else other than his broken record speeches. If he's frustrated, then they are disgruntled. Letting those emotions simmer without any regard, The Player grabbed a potted plant and threw it right into Null's face. Deserved, he deserved it.
Because at that moment Null, like everyone else in the schoolhouse, becomes a hindrance.
Listening to his pained groan was like a needle pricked into their heart but he deserved, he deserved it. They continued with the scampering for a few minutes, in search of another object to bludgeon Null with until they felt a harsh grasp in the back of their shirt. Turning around, The Player saw that he was right behind them and in an instinct, eyes widening, they immediately gave Null a hard push.
It made him stumble but he quickly caught balance and advanced again, only to be met with a fist to the stomach by The Player. The punch momentarily stole the air from him, both from impact and incredulity. Null looked at them with a gaze of disbelief, only now noticing they were frowning. Their little eye contact did not last long however as they tried punching him again and failing as he deviated from the hit.
— C-Cut that out!
— Cut that out? You're the one who went after me!
— Yeah, I wonder why!
Gritting their teeth, The Player made a quick jog to the item that was a few steps away from them and flung it towards Null, who groaned after being hit. Zero tolerance at the continuous assault, he tackled them to the floor with a grunt. The two rolled in the ground, caught in a wrestling match of sorts, resorting to punches and kicks from both parts.
— What is wrong with you? Why won't you listen to me?!
— Shut up! I thought you were different from the others but it turns out you're just like them!
With a hard punch, they were able to get Null away from them and sprint down the hallways. He didn't waste time going after them. Undoubtedly, he had underestimated the bird. He should've seen that coming. The Player got ahold of another item and hurled it again at him. The adrenaline encouraged him to run faster and so he did.
— You ungrateful bastard! - he yelled, swinging an invisible limb at The Player, who fell and got pinned to the ground. - All of this time, I've been trying to help you, how can you not understand that?
— Get off of me!
— Listen, just listen for once. Please, please! You need to get out, you need to leave and never come back! - Null could barely finish his sentence before his words became that garbled mess of sounds. - ..at danger you're putting yourself into, you and everyone else.
— What are you even talking about?! - they roared, landing a hit on Null's shoulder. - Every time you speak of the same thing over and over!
— Because I can't say it, I already told you.
More punches, kicks and even scratches were shared by both parts, now overcome by anger and frustration. Frustration, that's what it was. Frustration that was harboring, accumulating, overflowing and forthwith, they spilled on each other, tainting. Every strike landed with bitterness because they were slowly realizing that none of this should be happening. Why did they start fighting? Null wanted everything to end. The Player wished to continue with their little adventure, no matter how exhausting it was sometimes. They were the pebble in one another’s feet.
Why are they so stubborn?
Why is he so frazzled about this?
Why won't they listen to me?
I just want to find out more.
I am trying to help you.
Let me unveil this sheet of mystery.
There is nothing here.
Liar.
On the verge of striking another collective hit, the two stopped with fists hanging in the air while hazardly panting like dogs. The anger had long vanished, leaving behind the aftertaste of regret. The Player would open their mouth to speak of something before feeling something wet in their face. Focusing their dazed sight, they saw droplets of tears fall from Null's eyes.
Feeling his grip relaxing, they took this as the opportunity to finally get Null off them, shoving him aside. The nearest object - a chair - was just a few centimeters away from them so they stood up on their legs and grabbed it. With the chair in hands, The Player faced Null, who was kneeling on the ground, making no effort whatsoever to move an inch from his spot.
Ok, this was easy and made things smoother.
Rather than attacking him right away, they raised the chair on top of their head and… And observed the man on the floor. Null sighed in a disillusioned manner, lethargically meeting their gaze with eyes full of agony. In that lacuna between one event and another, they faltered and read the delitescent thought.
Do it.
Ultimately, Null was aware of the possibility of failure, of not being capable of changing The Player's mind. It was not like he could erase and rewrite this tale, praying it went his way. He opened the birdcage, yes, but those wings were not his. He wasn't in a position of choosing because when he was, he chose them. He did not regret it, for sure. He wouldn't allow his intentions to go down the drain.
— I'm tired. - they spoke in a tormented tone. - I'm so tired, Null.
Letting the chair slip from their fingers, it unceremoniously fell with a wooden clank. As if losing strength, they kneeled in front of Null, who watched the scene with surprise.
— …The truth is, I don't want to fight you. When we met each other, I was so enthusiastic to find someone who isn't out for my blood. It felt nice.
A shaky puff left their lips, a tight discomfort wrapped around their throat, making it hard to speak without a fragile waver. The Player’s shoulders slumped and sagged, adrenaline turned enervation, muscles sore. The brief white pillars of respite gave them time to at least process half of what just happened. In the end, it all diluted to stupidity. Why were they even doing this? What was the purpose?
Defiant frightened bird flew too close to the sun and before the blazes could incinerate their feathers to the ugliest of ashes, closed their wings and went for a free fall. Lucky as they were, Null never stopped chasing after them and was able to catch them before the floor became stained with disgusting red.
They would close their eyes and carelessly ragdoll onto the ground if the faintest touch came into contact with their hand. The Player looked down and saw nothing but they knew what it was nonetheless. Null tactfully cradled the bird in his hands, phantasmagoric fingers tracing a path in their forearm in languid pace, from wrist to palm to intertwining hands together. Eyes directed back to Null's face and they retributed the gest in a silent mutual statement of
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
— I guess… We're both idiots.
— We are.
A curtain of quietude was about to be bestowed upon them before Null sent it away.
— And for me? Same. I don't want to fight you either. But it's so annoying to - The Player's eardrums were not pleased with the egregious sounds of his corruption. - …again and again and again. And why do I keep doing it every time? Because I care about you.
— Care?
— I wish I could hate you, I wish but I can't. I've never been more than glad to be found by you. You have to believe me, you have to trust me. This game is… is… Just please.
The Player had to hold back a tiny yelp after Null strengthened his grip on their hand, bordering on crushing bones into dust. It translated his despair more than well.
— Alright, alright. I understand. I am pushing things too far. You… You have warned me enough.
And they had to pretend they didn't sigh in relief after Null's bone-crushing grip alleviated, even if it was in the slightest. His eyes now held a glimmer never seen by them.
— This game is not what it seems. Got it. I will leave.
— And destroy it.
— Yeah, destroy the game.
The exchange was awkward, jarring even. Both didn't know what to say no longer, what to even think. The Player briefly thought about asking Null what would happen to him if the game got destroyed but preferred to keep their mouth shut. There was no need to transform the ordeal into something more complicated than it already was. They didn't want to overthink the possibilities.
However, Null tugged them down at the attempt of standing up.
— Before you go, I… Uhm…
Not a single inquiry could be made as The Player got encased in a hug by Null. Arms wrapped around their frame and pulled them close, the fabric of his red shirt brushing against their cheek. As the shock faded away, they wrapped their arms around him too. Wings open once more, the bird made their flight through that window he hoped they flew from, leaving the birdcage behind, who melted into a morose puddle with a meaty screech.
— Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you.
The halls of the schoolhouse were typically devoid of any thermal sensation but it was feasible to feel the merest of warmths.