I'm lying here, in my bedroom, on my bed, with my parrot.

It's told me Shinigami rules fifteen times this morning, and called me idiot four.

It carefully picks my braid up off the bedspread, it's rough, blistery little tongue poking the hairs as it rolls it experimentally in it's beak.

Walking in his jerky fashion to the edge of the bed, he sticks his neck out and drops my hair over the side, watching it swing back and forth. He watches my hand out of one eye cocking his head to one side as I pick up my hair and place it back on the covers. Deathscythe wanders over again. He picks it up in one foot, looking at it carefully, he puts it in his beak, and stalks to the edge to drop it again.

I sigh, and sigh again.

I don't want to hop up. I don't want to get up. I don't even want to roll off the bed so my feet just happen to be supporting me.

How did it get to be morning so quickly.

I eventually manage to convince my feet to dig their way out from underneath the covers and the cool air that hits the soles of my feet makes the rest of me feel too damn hot.

I make the roll attempt and my parrot attacks my braid with his claws and beak simultaneously. I take my time getting vertical so the silly thing doesn't fall off and look around for my school clothes. I can feel the extra weight on my hair, and the tugging as he grapples his way upwards. He digs his nose into the back of my neck amongst my hair as he waits for me to get my shirt off and find a new one to put on.

Then he's nipping my back, digging in his claws and moving to sit on my left shoulder.

I can see him rocking back and forth as he tries to keep his balance while I put my trousers on then hops obediently onto his perch when I bend down to pick up his seed tin.

I fill up his little bowl, change his water during my visit to the bathroom and scratch his head before heading off to the kitchen to feed myself.

Surprisingly enough, it actually took me a while to figure out why I was feeling so down. But never fear, Heero, or Relena, or both of them shoved it in my face as soon as I walked through the school gate.

How nice of them.

Ok I was going to have to do a bit of acting, pretend I didn't notice that they were sitting apart from everyone else, talking, Heero was looking at her intently while she explained something.

I headed over to Quatre and the others trying to ignore the little scene that the rest of my head wanted to pay full attention to. I was hoping they wouldn't notice me, but Relena spotted me and called out. She sounded so bloody happy.

I forced a grin onto my face and gave a big wave, I could see Heero glance up from beneath the hair hanging in his face then turn away fidgeting with the edge of his shorts.

Well, hah. At least he had the decency to feel bad about what he'd done.

I saw Relena prodding his knee and resisted the temptation to keep torturing myself, turning to greet the rest of the guys with my normal, over enthusiastic tirade.

At lunchtime I didn't have to worry about avoiding Heero, he was doing a good enough job of avoiding me. Hilde told me about this party I just *had* to go to. Someone's parents were away and it was going to be an absolute blast. We all ended up agreeing to go.

I think Quatre noticed that Heero and I hadn't spoken all day. He kept looking at me, then over at Heero and Relena. He didn't even notice Trowa pinching the tomato out of his salad.

With Hilde on my left and Wu fei and Sally playing battle of the sexes on my right, I discovered I really didn't have to say much at all to keep up the appearance of normal.

By the time lunch was halfway finished I was feeling a lot happier. Hilde always was good at cheering me up. When I laughed properly for the first time that hour, she surprised me by poking me in the ribs and asking if I felt better now. She'd known something was up.

I looked at her for a second, then smiled and nodded. I was feeling better. So what if Heero was an arsehole, if he...wanted to go out with Relena, and hadn't told me. I mean, I was still disappointed, I guess, but it wasn't as if she was a total witch or some girl that was unworthy of his attention. Besides, she was one of my friends too. If she made him smile, laugh, it's not like I wouldn't be around to see it. So what if I wasn't the one to cause it.

Ok, now I sound like he's totally ditched me for her. How weird is that. And totally not the case. He's still my best friend, having a girlfriend might change things a little, maybe a lot, but he's not about to ignore me completely all of a sudden.

Heero proved this by walking with me to English, he waved to Relena who was looking at him adoringly, I swear, for a second there she looked like a mother hen saying goodbye to her little chicken.

I hope their relationship doesn't develop to the point where they pash before parting too quickly, I don't think I could stomach it.

For lack of better things to talk about I continued Hilde's raving about how cool the party would be. He asked me if I wanted to crash at his place afterwards as it was a bit of a hike to mine and I quickly agreed. The way I was feeling, who knows what state I'd be in afterwards.

We ended up having a relatively normal afternoon, walking our usual route to the T-intersection where we part ways after school.

When I turned to say goodbye though he stopped me. He was looking nervous and unsure of himself.

'Would you...I mean, do you think?....' he paused, uncharacteristically fiddling with his bag straps and tugged his fringe, he looked up for a second then must've decided the footpath was more interesting. 'Relena said...would you...?' he was trying to ask if I minded if he was going out with Relena.

I thought I'd save him the torture. I punched him lightly on the shoulder.

'Nah buddy, I don't mind' I gave him a reassuring smile then turned and headed off home.

I couldn't figure out why it just made me feel worse.