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)

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From:

winter_wisp

Winter was sitting on the table with a cupcake that was almost as big as he was, picking sprinkles off the top.

He looked up from what he was doing, frowning as he studied Phouka.

"If you can stop being her friend so easily, you were not ever friends at all," he said simply, a small dollop of wisdom from the usually scattered and youthful creature.

"I didn't say you couldn't be her friend, it's not my place to decide who you share your heart or bed with, Phouka. ...I just don't like feeling this way- But..."

He was quiet for a moment, scooping some icing off the cupcake and studying it.

"It isn't a matter of- Of you wanting her, it's a matter of my heart being selfish. That's not something you fix, Phouka. It's something I think I have to take care of myself. ...Like in films, when two people love the same one. The best resolution is never to quarrel, that doesn't fix anyone's heart. All the people have to grow and change, and things eventually work themselves out. ...Well, okay, once I saw it resolved by a zombie eating one of them, but I don't want Fin to eat either of you. ...Or one time they all just got into bed together, but Fin said that wasn't a real movie, it was an adult movie- And that I wasn't to tell him any more about it. ...I didn't know they made films just for adults. Did you?"

From:

phouka

Phouka looked down at a lone sprinkle on the floor and focused on it as Winter spoke. He heard. Felt the truth of it. He could not, even though he offered, simply stop being friends with Sunny. It may well kill him to do so.

Nor could he hurt Winter. He would not be party to that. Even if it wasn't him, even if it was a matter of the little pixie's heart being selfish, he couldn't bring himself to do anything he knew brought up those feelings.

And so he stood, the sprinkle in his vision, not sure what to say or do. Winter's words became noise until the noise was clearly a question. Only then did he look up.

"What did you ask?"

From:

winter_wisp

Winter shook his head a bit, then sighed. "It's not important, Phouka."

He was quiet for a moment, then cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should find another lover also. Then my heart will not ache over yours," he suggested.

"...How do I do that?" he asked after a beat.

From:

phouka

"You find someone you desire and then you court them," he said. "You compliment them and touch them carefully, and when they smell rich and sweet like desire you ask them to bed."

He gave the information because he'd been asked, but he found that perhaps his heart was selfish as well because he didn't much like the thought of Winter having another lover.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter pulled a face at that, his nose scrunching up slightly.

"That sounds hard. Can't I just order pizza and ask them if they want to be naked with me?"

From:

phouka

Phouka's laugh exploded from him, a loud caw of a laugh, then he smacked his hand over his mouth. His smile could not be contained and lit up his dark eyes.

"You could try but I fear you would not be successful," he said.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter huffed, then shrugged.

"Maybe someone will court me instead then. I'd prefer that anyway."

From:

phouka

He thought on that and decided he didn't like that much, either.

"You should be careful of people courting you," he said cautiously. "Some mortals don't like to be told no if you change your mind."

From:

winter_wisp

"Then I wont court mortals," Winter shrugged.

From:

phouka

The Phouka found he had no answer to that. In truth it was the most sensible option. If Winter could find another of his kind, or even simply someone from their realm, he imagined that would be safer. Though no more palatable.

"If you like," he said, then turned away to leave Winter to his sweets. He fetched his clothes to go hang them up.

From:

winter_wisp

The cake was far too big for his small form, and winter ate very little before taking off to return to their room.

"Phouka," he said, fluttering around the other creature, then landing on his shoulder.

"Did you love before the prince brought you here? Did you have other lovers?"

From:

phouka

"I had other lovers, but I loved no one else," he answered, studying his fine new clothes. "My lovers were my kin. Other Phouka. And on one occasion the queen chose me of all my kin to serve at the pleasure of an elf," he said with a note of pride at the fact that he, of all his like kin, had been selected.

From:

winter_wisp

"I only had Aspid. ...And he was not a lover, he just- took what lovers should have," Winter frowned. "Maybe that's why my heart is so selfish. I need to be enjoyed by others. ...Do you think Fae Willy would take me to bed if I asked? He favours me. Not as much as he favours Fin, but maybe enough to share a bed."

From:

phouka

"No!" he barked sharply, so loudly it startled him. To control himself he dug his fingernails into the meat of his hand until it hurt. He knew he should not have said that, nor so forcefully. The prince could do as he pleased, regardless of the Phouka's feelings.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter nearly fell off the Phouka's shoulder, upset and startled as he fluttered off to hide in his little house.

He was an attractive pixie. ...Wasn't he? Why would fae Willy not want him? Did Phouka think he wasn't good enough? That a pixie was unworthy of being wanted by a fae?

Edited Date: 2016-05-24 04:46 am (UTC)

From:

phouka

The Phouka heart the soft flutter of Winter's wings and he turned to watch him. He followed immediately, dropping to his hands and knees to peer in the little house.

"I did not mean to frighten you," he apologized. Then he paused for a moment and worried his bottom lip with his teeth. "...Not the prince. Please not the prince. Court anyone else. Court Finlay. But not the prince. I share your love with him too much already," he added, his voice growing softer and softer as he spoke.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter wandered to the window, but didn't come out. He didn't want to be startled again.

"I don't want to court him. I wish to be wanted. ...And not by Finlay," he added, wrinkling his nose. "He smells of weird herbs."

From:

phouka

He swallowed hard.

"Winter...it is not my place to make demands and if you want to be desired and take lovers...then so be it. But I will beg you, on my knees as I am, beg you please, please not the prince. Please, Winter. Anyone else," he said, his hurt making his voice tremble.

From:

winter_wisp

"You have other lovers!" Winter argued, stomping his foot and looking upset. "You are mean, Phouka. Mean. You make me feel bad for having a selfish heart, but you will not allow me to do as you do."

The pixie stomped his foot again, but it was pain, not anger, that made him do so.

Fluttering out of the doll house, he went to the window, only to find it shut. Frustrated, he started for the door instead, heading out into the hall and then off To Fin and Fae Willy's flat.

Fin was gone, his keys and wallet missing, and so Winter zoomed off to the bedroom, finding one of Fae Willy's discarded shirts and curling up in it to make himself feel better.

From:

phouka

The Phouka followed after him but once inside the prince's flat he saw Winter fly into the bedroom and he stopped. He wasn't sure what to do or what to say. He did not mean to make Winter feel bad. He never wanted him to feel bad. It was his duty to keep Winter safe and happy.

He thought he knew what might make the pixie happy and so he slipped out of his clothes, changed form, and padded his way into the bedroom. He whined softly as he sniffed the air to find where Winter was at.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter peeked out of the nest he'd made, huffing and then hiding again.

"I am not here!" he peeped.

From:

phouka

He had keen ears and a sharp nose and the Phouka found him in the nest and began to sniff him. Hot breath puffed from his nose until he found Winter, then he licked the little pixie with a friendly tongue.

From:

winter_wisp

Winter huffed, wrapping himself up in the shirt and frowning.

"I do not want your kisses," he said. "They are wet and gross, and I don't like them," he lied.

From:

phouka

The Phouka whined and licked him twice more, then backed off enough to lower his front half to the floor and wag his tail playfully. He hoped he could entice Winter to play, though part of him knew the pixie was likely too cross with him.