Hey everybird! What's up!?

So this idea comes from DJPaint, well yes and no, because I decided to modify it, changing it up to make it more interesting, hopefully you aren't upset by it. Also this one is set after the third story, so Jewel's parents are here.

And a quick thank you again to DJPaint for adding another fav! Now onto the story!

Becoming Soft

In the area of the Blue macaw tribe, everything all peaceful and quiet, Tia was at home, eating breakfast with her now even larger family, what with her grandparents on her mother's side having joined the family, the highly energetic female teenager rushing her meal.

"Sweetie, slow down, you're going to choke on your food." Jewel told her daughter.

"I can't mom, I need to hurry to the pit of doom, my friends are probably already there waiting for me." Tia replied, chugging down a huge gulp of food that was in her throat. "You know we always practice today, got to keep our game skills up."

"Your friends can wait." Blu added. "You're already a great player Tia, don't worry."

"I know dad, of course I am, but still, can't be too sure, you and ma-ma told me that." Tia reminded her father.

"So I did." Blu smiled. "But still listen to your mother and slow down." Blu requested.

"Fine…" Tia rolled her eyes and slowed her pace as she finished up her morning meal before freshening up a little, all set for her day. "Bye guys, see you at dinner." Tia said as she took off in a hurry for the pit of doom, feeling the fresh jungle air flow through her feathers as the day was nice and sunny, perfect for practice.

Soon enough Tia eventually arrived at the pit of doom, where most of her friends were there, all waiting for her.

"There you are Tia!" One of Tia's female friends noted. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, came as fast as I could, you all ready for practice?" Tia asked.

"We're more than ready." One of Tia's male friends replied.

And so with Tia and her friends separating into two teams, they practiced as if it was a real game, the teams passing the Brazil nut meant to resemble the soccer ball around, passing between team members and scoring goals. It was all fun of course, but also serious as by lunch time, Tia and her friends were tired and settled down for a break, drinking water and eating some nuts and fruit. As Tia feasted on a Brazil nut, one of her friends came up next to her.

"Hey Tia." The friend, who was a male with dark blue feathers like Tia's father and brothers, said. "So, if you're up for it, I thought after practice, when it's dinner time, you and I could spend some time together, you know just the two of us."

"Oh, I don't think so Jose, I got my own plans." Tia quickly lied as well… She was just going to go back home when practice day was done. "Maybe next time." Tia told her friend, who was just a friend and nothing more…

"Oh okay…" Jose said slowly. "Sure thing." Jose finished as he went to talk with some of their other friends as Tia sighed deeply.

Tia wasn't like most girls, except for her female friends, she wasn't a softie for romance like his brother Brandon who shared a very mushy relationship with Lily, well to Tia it was at least. Tia was a very tough and energetic girl, taking after her father more than her mother, love and dating one of her friends was the last thing on her mind.

Tia shook her head free from any potential thoughts and yet… She had to admit she did like Jose a lot, more than all her other male friends. Jose was really the first male friend she got to know, the two knowing each other pretty much since Tia first came to the Amazon and well he always watches Tia's back during practice or sharing snacks with her…

"No Tia!" Tia mentally smacked herself. "Stop thinking like that, you can't become soft like your brother." Tia refocused on reality as she, along with her friends, finished their lunch and resumed their practice for most of the day before stopping and enjoying their evening. "Good practice everyone, same time in a couple of days alright."

"Yeah, you got it." One of Tia's friends replied as one by one they took off as soon it was only Jose and Tia left.

"You sure you aren't free now?" Jose asked again, taking one last chance.

"I'm good, I'm very tired now." Tia yawned to show her tiredness, but she wasn't that tired to yawn. "I should get going, I'll see you later, goodnight."

"Goodnight." Jose waved his goodbye as Tia took off back home, hanging her head down as thoughts of Jose came flooding into her head.

"What am I going to do…" Tia asked herself as she flew on, arriving back home before it got too dark.

"Hey sweetie, how was practice?" Blu asked as Tia landed down inside the hollow.

"It was great dad, had a lot of fun." Tia replied. "Scored most of the goals for my team."

"Good." Blu said. "Oh and by the way your brother's bringing his girlfriend over for dinner today, so remember to be nice to her."

"That's just great…" Tia said in her head.

Soon enough dinner time came and as Blu said, Brandon brought Lily over for dinner, the two holding each others' wing as they entered.

"Hello Lily, nice to see you again." Jewel smiled, coming froward to give her future daughter in law a hug.

"Nice to see you too ma'am." Lily replied.

"Don't you think it's about time for them to move into their own hollow and have their own children?" Valentina brought up.

"Mom!" Jewel snapped at her mother.

"Grandma…" Brandon blushed from embarrassment.

"I'm kidding, you two can take as much time as you need." Valentina chuckled as Sebastian just rolled his eyes at his mate's suggestion.

"Well, we'll get there one day, I am staying with this guy forever." Lily kissed Brandon's cheek, which made it go even redder.

"Alright, lets all sit down and enjoy our dinner." Blu spoke up as everyone sat down and enjoyed their meal as Tia waas sitting right across from his brother and girlfriend, having a full view of the two as they were all "mushy", feeding each other and even eating the same piece of fruit or nut so that their beaks would have to meet each other.

However Tia couldn't help but imagine her and Jose in Brandon and Lily's place and well… It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Tia found herself staring, but realized it after a minute, shaking her head and trying to get the two out of her head as she focused on her food, luckily her brother didn't notice.

"What's wrong with me?" Tia wondered as she felt this warm feeling inside her body and it wasn't from the food she was eating.

Dinner time was soon over as it was time for Lily to head on back home, saying her goodbyes to her future in-laws and Brandon seeing her off as the two lovebirds were standing on the branch just outside the hollow.

"You sure I can't take you home?" Brandon asked. "You know especially after you know what."

"I think I'll be fine, that cockatoo is locked away and as long as I keep going, I'll get home." Lily sure as she came froward for a goodnight's kiss on the beak. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Like I wouldn't." Brandon smiled. "Love you." Brandon said.

"Love you too." Lily replied as the two touched beaks before Lily left, flying off as Brandon stayed, keeping her in his sights until he could no longer see her. "How did I get so lucky?" Brandon asked himself as he turned around to head back inside, but he stopped when he saw who was standing on the hollow entrance. "Oh sis! How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough brother…" Tia said drily. "Listen, can I talk to you… In private?" Tia requested as Brandon lifted an eye, his sister has never talked to him about something in private, so he guessed it was something rather serious.

"Sure…" Brandon said slowly as the two siblings went to another branch of the tree the hollow was in, making sure they were out of hearing range of the rest of the family. "So, what's the matter?" Brandon curious about his sister's behavior.

"First, you have to promise me you wouldn't tell anyone, I don't want anyone else knowing for now." Tia said, looking straight into her brother's eyes.

"I promise sis, don't worry, you know I can keep a promise." Brandon said sincerely as Tia took a deep breath.

"You know Jose, one of my friends, right?" Tia started.

"Yes…" Brandon confirmed.

"Well lately I been having these feelings when around him, you know he's always so nice to me, being the best teammate out there and whenever I think about him, I get this warm feeling inside, I think I…" Tia couldn't quite get the word out herself, but Brandon knew what his sister was going to say.

"Like him, like with me and Lily?" Brandon finished for his sister.

"Yes…" Tia admitted. "But and no offense, I don't want to become a softie like you, I'm tough like dad even if I'm a girl, I just don't know if I can tell him how I feel…"

"Of course you can sis." Brandon smiled to encourage Tia. "You're not soft for having these feelings, just look at dad, he fell in love with mom and you said it yourself, you're tough like him. You just have to let him know how you feel and you'll be happy, trust me, you'll love having someone special in your life. And Jose will like you for who you are and he likes that fiery and tough attitude you have."

"You really think so bro?" Tia feeling encouraged now.

"I know so." Brandon returned.

"Thanks bro." Tia gave her brother a small hug, but quickly broke it. "You keep this up and I'm going to start liking you better as my brother." Tia joked as Brandon chuckled.

"You're welcome sis." Brandon said. "Now come on, lets get back inside." Brandon nodded his head to the hollow as he and his sister returned back inside.

Throughout most of the next day Tia prepared to go meet Jose where he lived with his family, freshening herself up to make her look more presentable since it was going to be a big night for her. And as the sun began to go down, with the moon and stars coming up over the horizon, Tia, after much preparations, constantly repeating what she was going to say, flew on to the hollow Jose and his family lived in. And arriving there, she was met by Jose's mother.

"Oh Tia, so nice to see you, you look different, but in a good way." Jose's mother noted as she came out to greet the teenager.

"Thanks…" Tia said slowly. "I'm here to see Jose, is he here?"

"Yes, I'll go get him." Jose's mother replied and stuck her head inside the hollow. "Jose, Tia is here to see you."

"Wow, really, I'll be right down." Tia heard her friend's voice call back as the teenager came and well just like his mother was surprised to see Tia's appearance. "Tia, you look… Great…" Jose commented.

"Once again, thanks…" Tia repeated. "So remember when you asked if we could spend some time alone together, I was wondering if you're still up for it."

"Sure, just give me a couple minutes." Jose told his friend, going back inside, tidying up his feathers before going back out and joining his friend as the two went to have some privacy, standing on a different branch away from the hollow Jose lived in. "You know I have to admit, I'm surprised you changed your mind so quickly."

"Yeah me too…" Tia replied. "Listen Jose, I need to tell you something very important, I lied when I said I had plans yesterday, because I'm afraid…"

"Afraid of what?" Jose curious.

"Ever since we met when we were kids I been thinking about you and I, having these feelings…" Tia feeling the warmth go up to her cheeks. "And I can't keep bottling it inside any longer…"

Jose didn't say anything, just standing there wide eyed, not quite believing this was his friend he was seeing right now, but for now he just let Tia continue.

"The truth is Jose…" Tia took a deep breath and said the words she never thought she would say… "I love you."

"You do?" Jose feeling like his eyes would burst out.

"Yes, you're just the nicest guy, best teammate, you always watch out for me, always the first to come when I get hurt during practice, bring me snacks and drinks, and…" Tia rambled on until she was stopped by Jose coming froward and pressing his beak straight into her's.

At first Tia had her eyes open, looking down at her beak being joined together with her friend's, a thousand thoughts rushing through her mind as she didn't know whether or not to continue or break it. However Tia eventually let her guard down, with her eyes slowly closing as she melted into the surprise kiss while feeling Jose bring his wings around her and holding her closer to him, Tia feeling their chest feathers brush up against each other. Tia felt soft, having surrendered finally to romance and it felt… Good and right.

"So this is what dad must feel when he kisses mom…" Tia wondered as she began to like this feeling.

Eventually the two had to break apart, having held the lovely kiss for what seemed like hours, but was in fact only a few minutes, their lungs needing to gather fresh air before they could speak properly as their hearts pounded against their chests. Jose was the first to speak up, surprised at himself for such a bold move, but seeing Tia's expression told him the risk was worth it.

"You know you talk too much when you're nervous." Jose commented finally. "And you have no idea how long I been waiting for you to say that."

"Really?" Tia beginning to form a smile.

"Really." Jose confirmed. "I love you too Tia." Jose smiled as he came back in, this time for just a warm hug as Tia felt a single tear roll down from her eye.

"Thanks Jose." Tia sighed happily as they broke the hug. "But don't think just because we're together now doesn't mean I'll change the way I am, I'm not becoming a full softie like my brother."

"I'll be disappointed if you did." Jose chuckled. "But for now, how about we just enjoy the night sky?"

"Sure." Tia smiled fully now as with Jose keeping a wing over her and Tia leaning against her now boyfriend, the two enjoyed the star filled sky above.

And there we go! Hope you enjoyed this story and some growth for Tia!

Once again, if you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to share them and with that…

See everybird later!