I didn't have many ideas when I did this, so this chapter is a bit short. Hopefully the next one will be longer. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review :)
William stood at the entrance, gazing at the sun like every other morning. The only difference was that it wasn't morning, but in fact the afternoon. Sunset would be soon, and he had done almost nothing today. There was a reason for it, though. His wings drooped at his sides, he eyes sticking to his talons. His eyes were red from crying earlier, but silent crying. Now, he just felt in the dumps. The macaw finally looked up at the sound of wing beats to find his mate perching by his side. She had a worried look on her face.
"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly, being careful that the kids didn't hear. Whatever it was that had him upset, it probably wasn't something for them to hear. He made no effort to move his beak, and only turned away. "Don't want to talk?" Once again, no answer. And that frustrated her. With a groan, she started to enter the hollow, leaving him outside. "Fine! Not like you've done anything today!" Will wanted to say something, but he just couldn't. Because he was sick, in a way. Thinking of how to fix it, he came up with an idea. Someone that must have felt the same once, and headed in their direction.
It wasn't long before he arrived, but every second more would most likely cause Larissa more worry. He raised a talon and knocked on the wood, startling the blue macaw inside. The macaw jumped and pivoted around, then sighed in relief to see a friend.
"Will! Wait, what are you doing here? It's almost the end of the day" Blu stated questionably. Will gave him a pleading look and sat down, welcoming himself inside. Of course, he was always welcome.
"Blu...I need you help." Blu nodded and sat by him.
"Anything to help a friend. Even though I've almost died a few times doing so." He chuckled lightly, but stopped when he caught William glaring at him. "Right. So, what is it that you need?"
"Advice." Blu made a confused face, trying to figure out what with. He knew it couldn't be about Larissa, because everything seemed fine with them. Maybe it was to do with the kids, but then he noticed that William looked upset. Really upset, like he was missing something.
"What's wrong?" he questioned. Will laid down on his back, and suddenly Blu felt like a psychiatrist. Will had his wings folded across his chest and got himself comfortable with his head against the edge of the nest with his back on the floor.
"I..think I've been homesick." Blu bobbed his head up and down.
"And when did this begin?"
"This morning, after a dream of my old family."
"And how does this make you feel?" There was a long pause as William thought on it.
"It...has made me sad, actually. I miss home, and I don't want to go back, but part of me wants to." Will sighed, then frowned when he heard a page flipping and turned his head to see Blu with a small notebook, writing in it with his talon. "Really?" he asked while he raised a brow in a questioning manner.
"What? It seemed right at the time" Blu reasoned. He slid it away with a nervous laugh, then got back to business. "Well, I don't know how to help." He paused, then smiled when an idea came to him. "Why don't you visit them?" The suggestion made William's eyebrows raise. And then Will smiled.
"I knew you could help" he remarked, running to the exit. "Thanks for everything!" he called back as he flew away to tell Larissa the news. Hopefully she would enjoy it.
"What?! You want to go where?!" Will cringed at his wife's loud voice, glancing to look at his sleeping children to make sure they weren't startled. Once he was sure that they hadn't been stirred, he went back to talking with his mate.
"Please. I miss them, and the last time you met them, they didn't get to know you that well." She tapped a feather to her beak, thinking about it. And her decision was made when he made the 'puppy dog eyes'. She sighed, placing a wing against her forehead. And that usually meant that it was a yes, but only because there was no way for her to win.
"Fine." Will pumped a wing in the air, and received a quirky look from her.
"Sorry. Got caught in the moment."
"So when will we be visiting?" Will's face immediately fell and his head dropped to his talons while he made circles with a talon. He felt so silly. "You didn't think of that, did you?" She tapped her claws against the floor expecting an answer. He didn't answer after some time, a couple of times raising his index feather with a lightened face, then dropping it.
"How about...tomorrow?" he mumbled. She glared at him and then shook her head.
"You're unbelievable."
"Okay. What about next week?" She looked hesitantly at the ceiling, then nodded. Will whooped with joy and threw his wings up in the air, involuntarily waking the children. "Smooth, wonder whooper." He made a bashful look as he dropped his wings, laughing nervously.
"What's going on?" his oldest son asked. That brought a smile back.
"Well, I've got news." All three kids sat down, waiting for good news. "Next week, we are going to visit my parents!" Lucas shrugged as if it was nothing, Lucas nodded his head enthusiastically and Emma rocked back and forth with excitement. "I knew you'd be excited. Now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." That's when they all groaned.
"But you said it's not until next week" Lucas whined. William shook his head.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean that we can't prepare. Now get to bed." They all turned away and slowly dragged their talons across the ground with each step.
"Maybe we can give them a day off tomorrow." William, was about to argue, but when he saw his children pleading eyes, he sighed, then nodded.
"Okay." The kids made a whoop of their own and hugged their parents before going off to bed.
"And that means that we have a day to ourselves" Larissa whispered into Will's ear. He grinned cheekily, and they shared a kiss before going to sleep themselves. All he could think about was how good it would be to see the folks again.