Phouka - A Small Vacation

[winter_wisp]

Winter had spent all morning filling out postcards, using up three whole glitter pens as he wrote them out for everyone they knew. Postcards were important when you went on vacation, and since he couldn't send them from the village, he'd decided to send them now, promising to bring back souvenirs. His hand was sore by the time he was done, but he looked pleased with himself as he placed the final stamp.

"This is exciting Phouka. Are you excited?" he asked, glancing over at the other creature, then looking to his luggage. He'd packed far more than phouka, wanting to show his friends all his cool mortal stuff (specially his light up trainers), but he knew it all needed shrinking down. He'd hoped Finlay or Will might do it for him, but neither had answered his texts. He knew his own magic could likely do the trick, but he was nervous, and he fidgeted a little as he looked at the pile. ...Maybe he should bring a little less.

Wandering over, he began to sort through and wittle everything down to one bag. One bag would be so much easier to shrink.

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[winter_wisp]

"I would never ask," Winter said honestly, drawing away so he could stretch out on the bed.

"Will you lay with me, Phouka?" the pixie asked quietly.

[phouka]

"Of course I will. Do not be silly, Winter," the Phouka said, moving so he could stretch out in the bed next to Winter. He wriggled in close and laid his arm over the pixie. "I will always lay with you."

[winter_wisp]

"Phouka so kind," Winter said softly, wrapping his arms around the other creature once again. "I love you, Phouka. You are the one thing that keeps me from being too grim and too sad," he confessed softly.

"You're the best love and friend a pixie could ever have."

[phouka]

"I am happy you feel that is so," the creature smiled. He nuzzled in close and kissed Winter's cheek. "I have never felt such love. Love from you and love for you. We are so lucky to have found each other."

[winter_wisp]

"Blessed," Winter whispered. "Blessed by the elements and the forests."

[phouka]

The Phouka smiled and kissed him then. He did feel truly blessed. This was a life no other Phouka had known. Freedom. Love. These were things he'd never even dreamed of. He knew his station and was happy in his simple mission. But everything had changed when he'd been charged with protecting Fin and Winter. It seemed so long ago now that he had come to the mortal realm. He still struggled to fit in, but the mortals were, on the whole, dismissive of his eccentricities. He was free from his bond of service and he could travel. Could love Winter. Could enjoy his life as he saw fit.

There were many moments when the truth of that was overwhelming and he clung to Winter for the security he craved.

[winter_wisp]

Winter was content to simply be- A rare thing from the still flighty being. He lay with Phouka in near silence, drifting off for a while and not waking again until well after sundown.

"Phouka," he whispered. "Get up. ...I want to show you something. Get up," he said, prodding the phouka in his side with one bony and pointy little finger.

[phouka]

He grunted and snuffled, then opened his eyes. Only to groan and close them again for a moment.

"But I am sleeping so well," he protested.

[winter_wisp]

"I promise it will be better than sleep, Phouka," Winter insisted, dousing the phouka in pixie dust. "We're going to fly up to the tall tree to see the stars. Come on," he grinned, getting up and trying (and failing) to pull Phouka along.

[phouka]

"I cannot fly," he protested, but floated up thanks to the dust. Losing the feeling of the bed beneath him woke him fully and he looked around. "Or perhaps I can. Show me where we are going," the creature said then, working out how to get about without wings or feet.

[winter_wisp]

Seeming lighter than before, Winter grinned and took off towards the door.

"Come on, I'll show you! It's beautiful, Phouka. The most wonderful sight ever."

[phouka]

The Phouka followed him outside and soon they were up, up, up in the branches of the tallest of trees. They finally burst through the top and the stars shone above them.

"Oh, Winter," he gasped.

[winter_wisp]

"I know," Winter said softly, landing on the branch and looking skyward.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? The most lovely thing in all of anywhere."

[phouka]

"There are so many. So may more than in London," he said, marveling at the glittering sky.

[winter_wisp]

"So many," Winter agreed quietly. "You could see all the stars where Aspid lived. Sometimes he'd set me by the window at night, and it was the best thing ever. I would lay in my cage and count them until I fell asleep."

[phouka]

"How could you count so many?" the Phouka gasped. "The night sky has more stars than there are ants in a field. I could never count so high."

[winter_wisp]

"I never counted them all, I just tried. ...I tried really hard. It was better than laying in silence, listening to Aspid snore," he said softly, wrapping his arms around himself and sighing.

[phouka]

The Phouka didn't let him pull too much into himself. He held the little pixie and kept him close.

"Those were bad times," he said simply.

[winter_wisp]

"The worst," Winter agreed, leaning into Phouka and smiling. Even grown, when Winter smiled it was often all teeth, wide and sharp like the rest of his more pixie-esc features. "But they're over now. Aspid is dead, and I am free. ...We are free, Phouka. Free pixie, free phouka, free."

[phouka]

"I am so happy to be free. I was very scared at first. Unsure of what to do with myself. But now I am comfortable with it. I can do anything I like. I can think anything I want," he replied, smiling back at Winter.

[winter_wisp]

"Phouka so brave," Winter said softly. "I'm so proud of you Phouka. ...I don't think I have told you that before, but I am."

[phouka]

"You are proud of me?" he asked, slightly puzzled. "What have I done to make you proud? I have done nothing of merit."

[winter_wisp]

"You have thrived, Phouka. That has so much merit," Winter insisted softly.

[phouka]

"You are so kind, Winter," the Phouka said softly. "You are always so encouraging. With you I feel as if I can do anything. Anything at all."

[winter_wisp]

"That's because you can, Phouka. With or without me," the pixie assured him, pushing up on his toes and turning to kiss Phouka's cheek.