Just read your opportunist x cold fanfic and woah… the angst potential. My eyes have been opened. Would you mind writing more of them pretty pleaseeee ❤️
(I'd love to! I wanted to add some more angst and hurt to my fics and I figured they'd be perfect for it, so enjoy!)
Cold wasn't the most attentive bird around, not unless something had truly caught his attention. He won't notice if one of the others are going through something, not unless he was already studying them to begin with.
He doesn't particularly care what way he comes off as. Cold knew he was who he was, and that was never going to change.
He was aware though, of someone who changed almost constantly-Opportunist.
Opportunist's personality seemed to be entirely different each day, depending on who he spoke to and what he wanted. Cold usually never entertained him much. It seemed like far too much effort to try and dig through all his masks to unveil the true Opportunist, so Cold never played along in his silly games.
But that was, until Cold realised how much he affected Opportunist.
Cold didn't realise it at first, but slowly and surely, during group conversations, Cold became acutely aware of how many times Opportunist sided with him.
He would roll up to him, swing an arm around Cold's shoulders, and would agree with whatever Cold brought to the discussion. Cold never cared to ask why, until he began to sense something.
The conversations were never anything serious-petty and ridiculous at best, but Cold would sometimes feel this sensation grazing against his skin, lingering right up until Cold lifted his head to try and figure out what it was. Then he found out that the culprit was Opportunist.
It was by pure luck that Cold managed to catch him, but during one of these conversations, Cold started to feel that sensation again, and he slowly lifted his gaze around the room, to find Opportunist staring at him.
Once he was caught though, the other swiftly twisted away and pushed himself back into the conversation, but there was no hiding from Cold anymore. He saw that look.
It was a look of pure desperation, of begging for something special, and that was when Cold realised that he felt Opportunist looking at him like that after Cold had spoken.
Was Opportunist looking for approval? Was he expecting Cold to be grateful that Opportunist sided with him?
It was so bizarre that Cold couldn't help but push it further.
One day, he was talking to Contrarian and trying to convince him to prank Stubborn for the fifth time this week. Stubborn was already waiting to snap-and if Contrarian knew that, then it must be bad.
At that moment, Opportunist chose to walk down that hallway, and now that Cold was paying attention, he could plainly see how Opportunist's dark gaze drastically brightened as he took in Cold.
"Ah, hello gentlemen! What are we talking about today?" Opportunist asked, inserting himself into the conversation easily, but for once, Cold didn't mind.
"Could you actually settle something for us?" Cold asked, keeping his voice as monotone as possible, but he was secretly intrigued to see how this would go.
He gestured towards Contrarian, who looked none the wiser, and if Cold had the capacity to care, he'd almost feel sorry for inflicting this upon the other bird. "I was trying to convince Contrarian that Stubborn needed to relax, and that he should help with that."
Understanding dawned on Opportunist's face at what he meant. Everyone knew how Contrarian liked to make others relax and feel better, even if it didn't work most of the time.
Opportunist tilted his head in Cold's direction, giving nothing away on his face when in front of Contrarian, and asked, "You think that would be a good idea?"
All Cold had to do was nod, and then Opportunist was spinning to face Contrarian at a breakneck speed, practically beaming at the other as he said, "Oh, well then I don't see why you shouldn't! I don't think there's anyone more capable of cheering people up than you."
Cold saw the nervous look Contrarian was wearing, still on the fence about whether he should go through with it, and Opportunist casually added with a shrug, "Or you don't have to. Nobody would be surprised if you didn't."
Then Cold had the pleasure of seeing Contrarian's face shift from nervous to determined-the thought of being predictable overpowering his common sense-and he instantly dashed away without even sparing either of them a goodbye.
That was definitely going to cause a ruckus later. But more importantly, now that they were alone, Cold had the chance to nudge Opportunist with a wing and softly say, "Thank you," as if the gesture actually meant a lot to him.
But then Cold got to witness how much Opportunist glowed under his praise, and he even seemed to stand up straighter, a starved look in his eyes that he didn't even try to hide.
Opportunist wanted Cold's attention and praise. That's what this was about.
Something dark and powerful came over Cold in that moment-the fact that he had this effect on Opportunist by doing the bare minimum to him. Part of him wanted to know why, but that would take the fun out of it, so he didn't bother thinking about why too much.
Especially when an hour later, they all saw Hero tending to Contrarian, who had his arm broken by Stubborn. Cold glanced at Opportunist and-try as he might to hide it- he saw a flicker of guilt on the other's face, and Cold knew that this was going to be really fun.
So Cold kept doing it.
He kept asking Opportunist to do little things for him-sometimes to the flock's misfortune-and he would reward Opportunist with either a thank you, a smile, or even a touch on the shoulder, if he wanted to be thoroughly amused that day.
Opportunist ate his attention up like a starved animal, having no shame or self respect in the slightest, it seemed.
The most amusing part of all this though, was whenever the consequences impacted another flockmate, and the result was usually negative.
Opportunist would stare at the results of his actions, his drive to do whatever Cold wanted of him. He would take in how he hurts his flock, whether physically or emotionally, feel guilty, and then come crawling back to Cold for validation.
It was baffling. It was twisted. It was exhilarating.
To think that he had this much power over someone, who let themselves be pulled along like a toy-the idea was almost laughable, but that's what was currently happening.
Opportunist tended to stick to Cold now, thinking that they were closer, and Cold suddenly got the urge to see what Opportunist was like when there was nobody else around to witness them. He wanted to see how far he could push him.
He stopped and looked down at Opportunist, making the other pause and glance up at him in confusion-and Cold gave no warning as he shoved Opportunist against a wall and loomed over him.
"What are you-" Cold shut him up easily by grabbing at his chest feathers, almost pulling him closer.
Cold watched the way Opportunist's eyes widened in both fear and glee, his breath hitching at their close proximity, and Cold could even feel his feathers puffing up beneath his fingers.
Cold pressed their bodies closer, and Opportunist shook in anticipation, gazing up at him in desperation, as if waiting for Cold to finally make a move.
Cold wasn't sure if Opportunist was in love with him, or just wanted to be in Cold's good graces. It didn't really matter in the end-he was still shamelessly begging for attention either way.
Cold leaned his head closer to Opportunist, who's eyes were clouded over now, and Opportunist was probably expecting a reward for all his hard work, to make all the harm he caused the flock worth it.
But when Cold's lips was inches away from the other's, he suddenly paused-and chuckled.
The feeling of Opportunist freezing beneath him was very satisfying, and Cold looked into his eyes, eyes that were usually scheming, but were now just left wanting. Opportunist wanted Cold so badly that it was pathetic.
He held Opportunist gaze, and then he moved his hand to pat the top of his head like a pet, and said in a mockingly loving voice, "Maybe if you keep managing to entertain me, you'll get more than this one day."
Cold didn't give Opportunist even a moment to process what just happened, and quickly straightened up and walked away without another word.
Before he left though, Cold had the absolute pleasure of seeing the devastation on Opportunist's face-along with the knowledge that he was going to keep playing along for Cold.
He truly was the most pathetic bird to ever exist.