John

[winter_wisp]

Winter peeked through the window, then another, before fluttering in through the front door. He was doing his best to be silent, sneaking his way up to the bedroom and beaming as he saw John still in bed. Excitedly, he started to sing as he fluttered around the room. "Wake up! I'm home! Wake up, wake up!" he sang, letting out a little giggle, then landing on one of the bedposts.

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[petty_dabbler]

John opened his eyes, scowling at first with the weight of sleep still clinging to him. But then he realized what was happening and he smiled.

"You're back!" he exclaimed, a bright smile lighting him up in the early morning light.

[winter_wisp]

"I know! I said that!" Winter grinned, fluttering over to land on John's knee.

"I have missed you very much," he confessed softly.

[petty_dabbler]

"Where did you go? What have you done?" John asked, sitting up and scrubbing his hand across his scruffy beard. "I've missed you."

More than he cared to admit.

[winter_wisp]

"I was in the fae realm! There is a sanctuary there for pixies and sprites, and they wanted me to help invite pixies! It's lovely, I nearly stayed. ...I missed you though," he said softly.

[petty_dabbler]

"I'm glad you came back," he smiled softly.

Then he cleared his throat gruffly.

"The goats and chickens missed you, too."

[winter_wisp]

"I missed them too," Winter smiled. "I will take my potion and we will have food, yes? Yes."

He grinned, then fluttered off.

[petty_dabbler]

John nodded in agreement and got up to pull on his robes. Downstairs, he lit the fire an put on the kettle while Winter sorted his potion.

"Eggs alright?" he called.

[winter_wisp]

"Yes!" Winter called back, bouncing down the stairs a moment later and slipping his arms around John from behind.

"John. My John," he peeped happily.

[petty_dabbler]

John covered Winter's hands and pulled him in while leaning back, giving him a strange hug.

"Now, that's what I've been missing."

[winter_wisp]

Winter made a happy sort of sound, squeezing John tight before letting go.

"I was very lonely in my mushroom without you. Nights felt colder," he admitted.

[petty_dabbler]

"As was mine," he nodded. "Everything has been rather dreary since you left."

[winter_wisp]

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see it so bad, and I wanted to help. I'm back now though, and I want to remain here," he added shyly, worried John might be reluctant to let him linger now he'd left.

[petty_dabbler]

"Then welcome home," he said softly, twisting around to kiss him softly.

[winter_wisp]

Winter smiled into the kiss, returning it eagerly.

"Home," he whispered, the word filling him with a warmth he'd thought he might never know.

[petty_dabbler]

John abruptly grabbed him and pulled him into a strong embrace. He thought he might speak, but found his throat choked off as he held Winter and breathed him in.

[winter_wisp]

Winter held on in return, leaning into John and closing his eyes.

"I love you, John," he said softly.

[petty_dabbler]

"I love you, too," John admitted, his voice tight and quiet. "I'm so glad you came back."

He held him a bit longer, then let go.

"Let's go stoke the fire and make some tea and you can tell me all you've done."

[winter_wisp]

Winter peeped a bit in agreement, a little whistle of a sound, nodding enthusiastically.

"Food and tea is good, it was a long trip home."

[petty_dabbler]

"Yes, let's get you fed," he smiled and led the way down to the hearth. A couple pieces of wood and a blast from his palm and the fire was crackling along merrily.

"Tell me all of it while I get this ready. I want to know everything."

[winter_wisp]

"Well... I received word from a cricket that there was a sanctuary being built in the fae realm, and that they needed assistance right away. They were asking any pixies willing to work alongside elves and fae come at once. ...So I did! And it's lovely, it's big and beautiful and safe. It's a dream. I helped encourage small pixie villages to join. I was invited to stay, but decided against it. ...I want to be here. I want to be home. You should come see it some time though," he added.

[petty_dabbler]

As Winter talked, John got the kettle on and began to cook up some eggs.

"That sounds wonderful. I know how preyed upon pixies are. Even when Bond had you..."

He trailed off, not wanting to upset Winter.

"I'd love to go see it. With the old king gone, I can roam the lands. I haven't been there in years, but I went for the holiday."

[winter_wisp]

"You did! Was it fun? I didn't go. I should have gone, we could have spent time," he realized, pouting a bit at having missed the chance.

[petty_dabbler]

"It was...interesting. I met the prince. One of them," he said.

[winter_wisp]

"Fancy," Winter peeped. "Did you eat snails? That's what fancy people do, isn't it?"

[petty_dabbler]

"I did not. But I did get to have dewberry wine for the first time in a long time," he smiled.