londoncallingrpg

It had been some time now since his attack, and though he still wore a few faded bruises that stubbornly refused to fade, the streaks of purple and blue across his fair skin were not what was bothering the pixie. Guilt clung to him, weighing him down, waking him in the night, and dampening his mood. It didn't matter how many times his friends and kin insisted he'd just been protecting himself, pain stabbed through his heart any time he let his mind wander to that night.

He'd replayed it over and over in his head, the man's words, the feeling of his fists and the pain that had left him weak and breathless- And the feeling of ice as his power had reached out to protect him. He hadn't meant to harm the man, but there was no undoing what had been done. All Winter could do now was live with the pain of knowing he had taken a life while defending his own.

Not wanting to be fussed over or worried about, he'd taken to going out more during the day. Wandering the city and wasting hours at the library or the shops. Anywhere quiet and calm, really.

Some days he made his way over to a small ballet school near the centre of town. Through large glass windows he'd watch the girls inside learn their positions and practice their jumps. They were so graceful, all smiles and giggles, even when their teacher's voice grew stern and they all rushed to get back into place. Winter found he envied them- But also found comfort in watching them dance.

Usually when the class ended, Winter would leave, but one day the instructor had signalled for him to come inside, and Winter had been curious enough to do just that.

"This is the third time you've watched one of my lessons," she noted. "Do you dance?"

Winter bit his lip, then shook his head. "Not like they dance," he said as the girls shuffled past him and out onto the street. "They're very elegant. I'm not sure I could be that."

The instructor raised a brow, then smiled. "No? Well, I do like a challenge..."

He'd been going daily since, learning at a rate that Miss Fairlite insisted was very impressive. She waxed on about natural grace and ability, but Winter found, for once, he wasn't interested in the praise. He didn't come to be told he was good or talented- He came because it felt good. Because the music made his heart patter in a way most of the music he devoured usually did not. ...Because for nearly an hour a day he felt free of his guilt and worries, his full focus on the dance and Miss Fairlite's instruction.

It was wonderful. Better than ice cream even.

(OTA. Feel free to have seen Winter dancing through the window and either come in to watch, or meet him outside after. :D)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

winter_wisp

Winter beamed, pure joy radiating from the pixie as he leaned over to kiss Phouka's cheek.

"Thank you Phouka. I promise, it will be so much fun."

From:

phouka

"We will have the best of times," he agreed, returning the kiss softly to Winter's cheek as well.

"We should talk about it more when we are home," he said, nodding toward the driver, lest they be caught out.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter glanced at the back of the mortal's head, his smile fading slightly as he settled back into his seat, suddenly very still and quiet. As though attempting to vanish.

From:

phouka

The Phouka kept a protective hand on Winter's leg, guarding him from the clearly disinterested cabbie who was listening to the radio.

"Tell me more of dance," he said, trying to keep Winter from shrinking away entirely.

From:

winter_wisp

"Oh, Phouka, it's- It's wonderful. Miss Fairlite tells me off a lot, but she's very good to me. She's teaching me how to move in ways I hadn't realized I could. Sometimes I dance, and I forget all about the world around me. I become sound. ...Like when I'm busking with one of my favourite songs, but- Better. Because I don't have to be in the moment. I can go where the music leads."

From:

phouka

"You are exquisite when you are busking," he said with a sweet smile. "You are exquisite when you dance, as well. I watch you from the rooftop and you look so very happy..."

From:

winter_wisp

Winter lit up at that, quietly proud that Phouka liked watching him do anything.

"I like that you watch me," Winter admitted, looking almost bashful as he smiled. A rare look on the face of the usually boastful and proud little creature.

From:

phouka

"I likely watch you more than you think. I watch all things you do," he replied. And perhaps it was not all things, but if he was near Winter he was watching him. The Phouka was made for a purpose and he had been charged with watching from the moment of his creation.

From:

winter_wisp

"...Not really all things though, right?" Winter asked, looking a bit worried. "Some things, private things, shouldn't be watched."

He'd never had privacy with Aspid, the Wizard's gaze preventing the pixie from exploring things that other pixies had explored at his age. ...Private things. Things that ere only natural. ...Things winter had taken to exploring quite a bit now that he felt he was safe to do so.

Those were things he didn't really want Phouka watching. Those awkward moments of self discovery and natural curiosity were, he hoped, his alone.

From:

phouka

"No, not all things," he conceded. "But when you are with me my eyes could be nowhere else. Not only because you are beautiful, but because I must also keep care of you," the Phouka explained.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter let out a small sound of relief, then sighed.

"You don't need to take care of me though, Phouka. I'm grown. ...And stronger now then when Willy first brought me home."

From:

phouka

For the longest moment the Phouka did not react at all. He did not blink nor did he dare to breathe. To hear that was like a knife to he heart and he had to decide if Winter meant what he said.

He decided to simply ask.

"You do not need me?"

From:

winter_wisp

"Of course I need you, you're my best friend. I love you, Phouka. ...But I don't need to be guarded. I'm not a child," the pixie insisted, puffing up slightly. "I am strong."

From:

phouka

The Phouka wanted to counter that if Winter did not need to be guarded then the prince would send him back to the palace. Such a thought filled him with fear. Of course he was at the prince's command, but he found that in his time in London he had come to realize he had desires. Wants of his own.

And he did not want to be banished from his family here.

"I am glad you are not a child," he said quietly as his fears ate at him.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter smiled, oblivious to Phouka's fears as he slumped against him and nuzzled at him.

"Phouka, Phouka, Phouka," the pixie happily chanted, not stopping until they arrived at the flat.

From:

phouka

The driver got out and helped load down the Phouka with all his shopping bags and the garment bag heavy with his new clothes once the fare had been paid.

"You will have to open the door for me," he said, happy to carry everything himself.

From:

winter_wisp

"I can carry some too," Winter insisted, taking a few light bags and then rushing off to get the doors, helping Phouka all the way up to the flat.

"Is there food?" the pixie asked, starting to peek into the bags.

From:

phouka

"There are cakes and chocolate and crisps in the blue bag," he replied as he put the rest of the things down. He knew Winter did not want to hear of fruits and vegetables and hummus. Those were the prince's delights.

"Do you want to see my new clothes?" he asked, opening the garment bag so he could put his new finery away. The colours were the rich jewel tones he favored, fancy embroidery and brocade accenting lapels and cuffs. One, though, one was simply a fine wool suit with a crisp white shirt and a dark violet tie. It was the sort of suit in the magazines he liked to look at so much. The suits that cost thousands of pounds.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter found a cake and perched himself on the table, nodding eagerly as he nibbled away.

"Oh, Phouka, you will look handsome in that. ...And that. Oh, and that," the pixie said between bites, nodding and smiling at every piece the phouka showed.

"You wear such posh things, Phouka. You always look so handsome."

He paused a beat, then looked unsure before speaking. "Do you like how I dress?" he asked softly.

From:

phouka

"I like how you dress very much," he nodded. "I bought this suit to try to fit in among the mortals as easily as you do. I envy that about you."

From:

winter_wisp

"I don't think I fit in always," Winter admitted. "I like what I like, but- Fin says some of it is too young for me, or too loud. ...Too attention grabbing. Like I should be hiding. ...Phouka, I don't want to hide."

From:

phouka

"I would not ask you to hide. I think Finlay does not understand how lustrous pixie are," he said. Not that he knew any other pixie, but from what Winter had told him from his village and what the Phouka had seen in the palace it only stood to reason that Winter would dress with a certain exuberance.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter bit his bottom lip, then looked a bit sheepish.

"Actually, back in the village, most of my kin only wear simple togas or leaves," the pixie admitted. "But... I like things that I like. I like things that are made of joy. ...They make it easier not to fall into the darkness that creeps up on me sometimes. If I have something pretty, I can ignore the ugly."

From:

phouka

The Phouka abandoned his trove of new clothes to come to Winter. He pinched a bit of cake and popped it into his mouth and sucked his thumb and finger clean.

"Then you should have all the beautiful things made of joy. You should feel good every day, for you deserve only happiness, my little one. And in those dark moments I want you to think of sparkles and of cakes with sugar icing and of me with long fur for you to grab and hold onto until that darkness passes," he said softly.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter watched Phouka suck his thumb clean, momentarily distracted by the image and the odd way it made his body hum. ...He'd have to file that image away to consider and contemplate later.

Alone.

"Hmm? Oh, yes.Icing, cakes, happy things," Winter nodded.