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winter_wisp) wrote2023-03-01 08:38 pm
"You're a very good cook," john said after a few bites. "Tomorrow we can eat at the tavern, then come home and eat cake, hmm? We'll have a lovely day."
"Do we not have work to do? I've been away so long, is there nothing to tend to? I've learned a lot about building things and tending to things... I'm much more useful now, I think," he added proudly.
"There's plenty to tend to. There always is. But I promised you cake..."
He speared a mushroom and pointed at him.
"And now I want cake," he smiled.
Winter smiled at that, nodding a little.
"Cake is good," he admitted, eating another bite and swinging his legs under the table.
"Tell me more about all the things you've learned," John asked, then devoured a potato.
Winter chatted away about building little villages, how they needed to flow and have enough green and shade. He talked about the gardens, about learning where to plant things, and how the elves had given him books with pictures to help.
John listened closely, more and more impressed with every revelation.
"You're going to be of more use around here than I am. Perhaps you can get more to grow than just roots."
"Yes, maybe, but we still need seeds. We might need to go to the fae realms to fetch some. They're more likely to grow in a harsher climate, I think, yes?" Winter asked.
"We will need some hardy plants. Ones that thrive amongst stones," he smiled. "It would be nice to have things grow well here."
"And flowers! We need flowers!" Winter peeped.
"And flowers," he nodded.
John thought a moment as he finished his plate.
"And some thorny vines," he decided.
"Thorns? Why?" Winter asked, holding his mug in both hands as he sipped his tea.
"For unwelcome visitors," he replied.
For Bond, primarily.
"I like visitors, they bring gifts," Winter replied innocently.
"Not always," John said. "And I like my privacy. If I want to see people, I go to another land."
"We could have parties though! Birthday parties! When's your birthday?" he asked.
"Close to the spring equinox," he said. "When's yours?"
"It already passed," Winter admitted. "It is the winter solstice. It's what I am named for."
"Huh," John grunted. "I can say I've never thought about why that's your name."
"It's very common for pixies to be named after something related to them or their birth," Winter explained, sipping his tea, then drinking deep to empty his mug.
"I imagine that's a practical way to name someone. I don't know where my name came from. A grandfather, maybe," he replied.
"Humans pass along names a lot, yes? Old names that are gifted down the bloodline. Your son has a weird name though. Just a letter. That's no name," Winter noted.
John shrugged.
"I think that's how they name orphans," he said. Q had never told him any other.
"You should give him a name. You know, after you check and see if he's blood. Lots of names have Q's, right? Like... Um... Quiet. You could call him Quiet," Winter suggested, putting his empty mug down and making his way over to John to curl up with him in the other man's favourite chair.
"He has never once been quiet," John chuckled. "Question would be more fitting."
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