Pre-AU

[winter_wisp]

 "No, no, no, out!" Winter said, still protesting his little glass prison as he fluttered around in circles. Huffing, he landed hard at the bottom, kicking up a cloud of pixie dust that nearly turned the jam jar into a snow globe.

He had been trapped for days now, only settling down when the blonde man came and offered him bits of fruit. He disliked being trapped, disliked not knowing where he was going. It was rude, in his opinion, to just take pixies without asking if they wanted to come.

Comments

[provocateur_king]

Bond had had the pixie in captivity for a few days, only long as he had to. When they'd moored in the lagoon, Bond had taken the pixie ashore and carried him through the rough land dotted with moss covered stones. There, in the fog, rose an imposing tower of dark stone.

"Wizard!" he called from outside the door before pounding on it.

The door opened and a wizard with unkempt blond hair and a wrinkled robe answered the door.

[winter_wisp]

Winter was buzzing around in the jar like an angry wasp, pinging magic at the lid in little sparks.

"I want out!" he huffed, glaring at the pirate, then looking to the door when the wizard emerged.

[petty_dabbler]

The pirate king and the wizard exchanged words for a moment, then John
stepped back to let Bond inside.

The tower was surprisingly warm on the inside. A fire blazed in the hearth
where a pot was simmering slowly. Dough was rising for bread. It was dusty
and books and scrolls littered every surface.

Bond put the lantern on top of a stack and turned his attention to the task
at hand. He bargained a price and settled on ten gold and the pixie. To
Bond that was a fair deal.

John felt he got the better deal.

Soon enough, Bond had a jet orb in his pocket and John ushered him out
without ceremony.

Bond grinned and set out for his ship, leaving Winter with his new master.

[winter_wisp]

Winter looked around as best he could, looking distressed as he fluttered in circles in his tiny prison. His gaze settled on the wizard, and he pressed his face against the glass to see him better.

"Hey! Hey you! You let me out!" he demanded.

[petty_dabbler]

John sat at the table and picked up a pouch. Slowly, he rolled himself a smoke and lit it with the tip of his finger. Then he took the lantern and put it on the table before him so he could study the tiny creature.

"What do I call you, pixie?" he asked, taking a long drag.

[winter_wisp]

"Winter. Winter Wisp," the small creature replied. "And who are you, wizard? Or should I just call you stinky?" he asked, sticking out his tongue.

[petty_dabbler]

"John," he replied.

"Look, if I let you out, are you going to get everything all dusty? Bite me? Knock things over?" he asked then. "Because if you want to sit and have tea, we can talk about what I'm supposed to do with you now that I've got you."

[winter_wisp]

Winter seemed unsure.

"...Do you have cake?" he asked.

[petty_dabbler]

"I have a bit of cake," he nodded.

"Shall we have tea and cake and chat?"

[winter_wisp]

Winter eyed him cautiously, but eventually offered a little nod.

"Okay. I will speak with you."

[petty_dabbler]

John opened the lantern glass, then got up to go to his cupboard. He had a bit of butter cake with dried fruit, which would do. He also pulled the kettle from the fire.

A pot of tea steeping, he cut the cake and put I slice in front of Winter.

"You were a good trade for a truth stone, but I don't know what to do with you," he finally said.

[winter_wisp]

Winter landed in front of the cake, taking a good chunk in hand and sitting to eat.

"Why'd you want me then? Not that I wanted to stay with that dumb pirate. They all smell like fish."

[petty_dabbler]

"You're what he offered. I need the gold more...but I figured you'd rather not be locked up on a ship. It was a fair trade," he shrugged.

"It's always nice to have guests."

The tower looked like John hadn't entertained guests. Maybe never.

"Tea?"

[winter_wisp]

"Please!" Winter peeped, nodding a little.

"So I live here now? Do I have a bed? Do you have a bed? Do you have pets? Kids? Partners?"

[petty_dabbler]

"I live alone," he grumbled as he poured the tea for Winter.

"I've lived alone for a very long time. I have a raven who visits, and an owl in the rafters..."

[winter_wisp]

"But I live here now, so... Not alone!" the pixie cheered. "We can eat cake and talk about pretty people, and our dreams. It'll be exciting, yes?"

He ate a bit more cake, then took off to fly around and explore a bit. Can my bed be by a window? I want to share your room," he decided. "Do you snore? I bet you do," he grinned.

[petty_dabbler]

"You're not sharing my room," he grumbled more strongly.

He was mostly upset at himself for not thinking through what might happen if the pixie wouldn't leave.

"Look, don't you want to go back to pixie town with your friends?"

[winter_wisp]

"But that's a whole ocean away," Winter said, smile fading as he landed. "I can't fly that far... I would die."

He hadn't wanted to think on it, the fact that home was something he wouldn't see again, but he'd known it the moment he'd been trapped on that boat.

"Please don't kick me out, I will be alone. Something could eat me. ...I wont be a bother. I'm a good pixie."

[petty_dabbler]

John scowled deeply. He was quite content in his lonely tower with his books and spells. People came by far too often, in his opinion.

But he wasn't about to send someone so small to their death. He wasn't a monster.

"Fine," he sighed heavily. "I imagine you'll have to sleep in my window sill."

[winter_wisp]

Winter looked like a wilted lily, aware he wasn't wanted.

"No, I will just go," he said quietly. "Better to be eaten than unwanted," he decided, taking off and fluttering towards one of the windows to escape out into the woods.

[petty_dabbler]

"It's not that I don't want you. I don't want anyone. I'm perfectly happy with the birds," he said.

"Come drink your tea. Let me think. I have a portal to King's realm. Maybe we could find another ship..."

The very thought of leaving his lonely acreage made him sick. Being around people. Noisy, needy people...

But he couldn't let him die. And he could get him home...it was the right thing to do.

[winter_wisp]

"No more ships," Winter said quietly. "I will go alone."

He pushed on the window, trying to open it, then fluttered to the next and tried again. He was starting to get upset, and he let out a little whimper as he fluttered to yet another.

Captured, taken, now unwanted. Pixies were fragile little things, and this was all a lot. He tried one more, then sank to the floor as he started to sob.

[petty_dabbler]

Oh.

Oh, no.

John watched as the little thing positively wilted and began to drown in its own tears.

"Oh...aw, come on now," he said. "You can stay. You won't like it here. No one does, but me."

[winter_wisp]

"I'm a good pixie," Winter said, rubbing his face to rid himself of the tears, but only leaving himself looking even more blotchy. "Why does no one care for me?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Care for you? Love, I just met you. Buy a bloke dinner first," he said.

Comfort was not his strongest skill.

"I just mean...I mean...at least stay the night, hmm? I've got an extra blanket."

He was going to regret this.