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]

John had pocketed away the shiny bauble he'd picked for Winter's gift and smiled at the pixie when he returned.

"Even? If I'd have known he was willing to give me a goat, we could have already had a goat," he chuckled. "Should we take her home? We can stop and get some pies to take home."

He smiled fondly at Winter.

"And cake."

[winter_wisp]

The pixie's eyes lit up at the mention of cake, and he nodded excitedly. "Yes, let's."

The goat was on a little lead, and Winter held tight as they walked.

"What should we name her?" he asked.

[petty_dabbler]

"A sensible name," John said thoughtfully, leading them to a stall with all sorts of pies, meat and veg and sweet, too. There were pastries and cakes, and grilled meat on a stick.

John ordered dinner and thought a moment.

"What about Agnes?"

[winter_wisp]

"I was thinking princess fluffy bum, but your name is good too," Winter replied, distracted now that food was about.

"I'm sure she'll like whatever we call her, so long as it's never dinner."

[petty_dabbler]

"Princess Agnes Fluffy Bum," John said as he handed the money over.

"We're going to need to find her a prince in the spring. Then we can have milk. And I'll show you how to make cheese," he said as he finally allowed himself to picture a future with Winter.

[winter_wisp]

"Do you want a prince?" Winter asked the goat.

Thankfully, the goat did not answer.

[petty_dabbler]

John chuckled and collected the bundle to take home.

"Let's get home. We can get her settled in the barnyard and eat. Did you have a good day?" he asked, rather pleased that he'd distracted Winter long enough to get him a surprise.

If he could keep it hidden...

[winter_wisp]

"Yeah, I like when we go places. It feels special," Winter admitted. "We should go places more often."

[petty_dabbler]

"What sorts of places do you want to go to?" He asked.

Because gods knew the places he went alone would be no fun at all for Winter.

[winter_wisp]

"I dunno," Winter admitted, shrugging one shoulder and taking some of the food from John to help carry it home. "Fun places. Pretty places."

[petty_dabbler]

"I haven't been to anywhere fun in quite some time," John said. "In the spring there will be more to do."

He opened the portal and stepped through to the tower. THe weather was much colder and a soaking mist was hanging in the air.

"Put the goat in the pen and I'll set up our feast," he said, giving Winter's shoulder a squeeze.

[winter_wisp]

Winter nodded a little, taking the goat to the pen and making sure there was plenty of hay and bedding.

He eventually joined John, lingering so close he had to be in the way.

[petty_dabbler]

John was just finishing a pot of cocoa for them both. Once oured, he produced a paper packet and opened it to reveal two peppermint sticks. He dropped Winter's in his cup and handed it to him.

"Sit down, sit down," he scolded, taking his own cup.

And a meat pie in his fist.

He settled into his favourite chair before the fire.

[winter_wisp]

"I like this," Winter said as he sat, happily sipping his drink. "It's delicious."

[petty_dabbler]

"I like it on a night when snow is on the wind. We'll be covered by morning," he said. "It'll be a cold night."

He took a sip.

"A good night to not sleep alone."

[winter_wisp]

Winter blushed, but looked giddy.

"We will be terribly warm tonight. The most cozy we have ever been," he decided.

[petty_dabbler]

"You're excited about this, hmm? How long have you been keeping quiet about this?" he asked curiously.

[winter_wisp]

"I don't know, some time... Don't pick on me, I didn't know how you'd react. I thought you might think it was gross," Winter shrugged.

[petty_dabbler]

"No, I don't think it's gross," John chuckled softly.

"I think you're lovely, Winter. I have for some time now."

[winter_wisp]

"You could have said so," Winter replied. "I'd like to hear it."

[petty_dabbler]

"I didn't want you to feel obligated to...oh, nevermind," he said, frowning a moment before taking another sip of his cocoa.

[winter_wisp]

Winter giggled a little, sipping his drink and wiggling his toes inside his thick socks.

"You are funny when you're cross."

[petty_dabbler]

"I like being cross," he argued, stirring his cocoa with his candy stick.

He tried very hard to keep up the frown, but Winter's brightness chased away all the sourness that clung to him.

[winter_wisp]

Winter just giggled again, drinking deep from his cup.

[petty_dabbler]

"Stop giggling and eat your dinner," he said.

He'd laid it all out, even the cake. It would all get eaten, he reasoned. He never cared if the cake was eaten first.