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.

Comments

[winter_wisp]

"Yes!" Winter agreed excitedly. "Mushrooms and potatoes, and maybe a fish if we can catch any."

[petty_dabbler]

"Well, we'll never collect dinner with you comfortable in my lap," he grinned.

He made no move to dislodge him.

[winter_wisp]

Winter wiggled a little, then giggled as he got to his feet and offered John his hand.

"We can bring the big basket!"

[petty_dabbler]

John knew if they took the big basket, he'd be the one carrying it. Looking at Winter, his sweet light and enthusiasm, John decided the basket wasn't a hardship.

"Get it out. I'll put my boots on," he said.

[winter_wisp]

Winter grinned, bouncing off to fetch the basket and his boots. ...Well, Q's old boots, but whatever.

He returned holding an old woven basket that was a bit too large for someone of his petite stature to drag around, though for the meantime he was making the effort.

[petty_dabbler]

John was ready to go by the time Winter returned. He took the basket from him with a smile.

"Maybe when we go to market for cake, we should go to the cobbler and get you some boots of your own," he said thoughtfully.

[winter_wisp]

"But I have these boots. I don't need more. I need very little," Winter assured him cheerfully.

[petty_dabbler]

"Alright. If you like them," John smiled.

Winter was so bright. John had missed that more than anything. Sometimes his tower could be so dreary, and John wasn't given to lightheartedness, but when Winter was around, everything was brighter.

[winter_wisp]

"I like them fine, and when spring comesI'll not need them," Winter pointed out, bouncing just a bit as they walked.

[petty_dabbler]

"I imagine so," he nodded. "Once it's warmer you can go barefoot. But...wouldn't you like your own? Newer?"

[winter_wisp]

"Pixies don't really wear shoes much. I only do when I'm big because flying is harder when I'm people size," Winter admitted with a shrug.

[petty_dabbler]

"Your wings are so delicate," he said, smiling a bit. "I couldn't imagine they'd be strong enough to lift you."

He shifted the basket from one arm to the other.

"Would you rather fly?"

[winter_wisp]

"I always want to fly, but I don't avoid it because my wings are delicate, I'm just not used to flying when I'm big," Winter admitted.

[petty_dabbler]

"Ah, I see. So you should practice," he decided with a nod.

[winter_wisp]

"Yeah, I guess," Winter sighed. "But practice is boring."

[petty_dabbler]

John chuckled warmly at that.

"I thought that way when I was your age," he confessed.

[winter_wisp]

"You don't even know my age," Winter insisted, though he couldn't remember if that was true or not.

[petty_dabbler]

"Old enough and younger than me. That's all I need to know," he said.

He paused.

"Most everyone is younger than me."

[winter_wisp]

"How old are you?" Winter asked, reaching for John's free hand.

[petty_dabbler]

"Old," he replied.

There was a pause.

"Do you know of the queen of your realm? I was a lad with her great grandfather."

Surely that couldn't be true. He'd be ancient.

[winter_wisp]

"But humans don't live that long," Winter replied. "And you are human. ...Aren't you?"

[petty_dabbler]

"The nature of my power keeps me young," he said. "That, and how I use it."

[winter_wisp]

"Ooooh," Winter replied, nodding a little. "I see. That's good, I want for you to live a very long time," he added, squeezing John's hand.

[petty_dabbler]

"Do pixies tend to live for a long time?" he asked.

There was quite a bit he didn't know about the different fae that peopled that realm. He'd been to court and knew many, but he knew there were many more, much wilder fae who lived freely in the land.

John wasn't ashamed to ask.

[winter_wisp]

"Not as long as fae, but much longer than humans," Winter nodded. "Pixies age very slow."