Winter

[petty_dabbler]

The winter was miserable. John was tired of the cold. He grumbled as he gathered wood and stoked the fire, magic making it blaze to chase away the morning chill as quickly as possible. He made his tea and smoked his pipe and waited for Winter to turn up. Sometimes he slept late, sometimes John never heard him duck out to bother the chickens or gather dawn mushrooms.

John had a thought and smiled to himself. The midwinter preparations would be well underway in the King's Realm. Maybe he could convince the pixie to come to the market with him.

Comments

[petty_dabbler]

The chestnuts were piping hot as the woman filled the bag full. John took one to hold and let Winter warm himself.

"What sorts of shiny things do pixies like to get?" John asked, being just as sly as he thought he needed to be.

[winter_wisp]

"All sorts," Winter said, eating a chestnut. "And we like not shiny stuff too. Furry things, soft things, comfy things. ...We just like stuff. The gift matters less than being gifted," he admitted.

"What sort of things do grumpy old warlocks like, huh?"

[petty_dabbler]

"I like hard to find things," John said.

"Cat skull mushrooms, jeweldrop petals, quality charcoal, things like that."

Things from the fae lands, mostly. John tried very hard to avoid the fae. Tried.

[winter_wisp]

Winter made a mental note of that. He could find those things, he was sure of it.

"I see," he replied. "You have weird taste," he teased, bumping John's shoulder with his own.

[petty_dabbler]

"I'll not take criticism about my taste from a pixie," he snorted softly.

[winter_wisp]

"Shouldn't be rude to pixies, we bite," Winter giggled, snapping his teeth playfully.

[petty_dabbler]

"Bite and scratch," John corrected.

"And pull hair, if I recall."

[winter_wisp]

"Not me though," Winter insisted, not wanting John to think he was dangerous. Not when he was itching to be closer.

"It was cold in my room the other night. Maybe we should share until winter's end," he suggested as they walked.

[petty_dabbler]

"Are you really cold? My hearth is enchanted and my room always warm. You should have told me, Winter," he replied with concern.

[winter_wisp]

'Im telling you now," Winter shrugged. "I thought you'd be mad if I woke you up to tell you."

[petty_dabbler]

"You're always welcome in my chamber," he said kindly. "I hate to think you're uncomfortable. I know the tower isn't terribly welcoming..."

[winter_wisp]

"I like it," Winter said. "I like you," he added quietly.

[petty_dabbler]

John heard him, ndca beat layer, he heard him. It made him stop in his tracks.

"Say that again?" he asked, wanting to be sure hecwasnt having some senile fantasy.

[winter_wisp]

"I said I like the tower- And I like you," Winter replied, shrugging one shoulder and trying not to look embarrassed.

[petty_dabbler]

John smiled at that.

"I like you, too, Winter," he replied.

He didn't understand why Winter would, John thought he was rather unpleasant, but the pixie did many things that surprised him.

[winter_wisp]

Winter lit up at that, grinning and bouncing just a bit as they walked.

[petty_dabbler]

"Is that really why you want to be in my room?" John asked, finally eating the chestnut now that it was a bit cooler.

[winter_wisp]

"I dunno, maybe..." Winter said softly. "It is cold though, I wasn't lying" he added quickly.

[petty_dabbler]

"I wouldn't mind if you joined me," he said, trying to keep it casual even though his heart beat a bit faster.

[winter_wisp]

"Yeah?" Winter smiled. "Sometimes I worry you think about me like a kid, like you do Q, but I'm grown."

[petty_dabbler]

John didn't want to point out that everyone was a child when you got to be as old as he was.

"No, you're different than Q," he nodded, though looking at Winter in the lad's left behind jumper did tug at his heart.

[winter_wisp]

Winter grinned, holding John's arm and leaning into him.

"What should we buy the chickens?" he asked.

For a being that had been on the planet for a solid thirty years, Winter did still have a very youthful attitude.

[petty_dabbler]

"It's midwinter, why don't we get them a treat? Maybe they'd like to peck a winter squash for a change?" John suggested thoughtfully.

Though he wasn't much thinking about chickens with Winter so close.

[winter_wisp]

"Oh! Yes, they would like that. A big squash," Winter nodded. "Oh! Look at those blankets!" he said, slowing to a stop and pointing as a display of thick wool blankets.

[petty_dabbler]

"Do you think you need another blanket? I have so many on my bed," John said. "But if you'd like one of your own, we could get one."