OTA

[winter_wisp]

It had been a strange week. It was his season, and so it should have been full of joy- But this year it was different. The winds that sang his name were too cold, too sharp. The trees seemed dead rather than naked, and the chill that usually lit up his magic was heavy and without spark. Everything was slightly wrong, and the longer it lingered, the more uneasy the pixie became.

 

An awakening was approaching, something powerful and dark. Winter could feel it in his bones, tainting the world around him- Something was approaching this realm, though the pixie couldn't sense who or what. He was sensitive to the change though, maybe more sensitive than most, and it was slowly altering him, as things so often could.

 

Walking down the high street he kept one eye on his reflection in the shop windows, noting the way his wings showed occasionally, even though they were hidden- And freezing in place when he saw a familiar figure behind him.

 

Aspid's eyes were dark, and though Winter knew he wasn't in this world with him, he still tensed as the reflection of the dead wizard rested his hand on his shoulder, and leaned in to speak in his ear. The words he whispered were like a low hum, but Winter heard each one, his shoulders shaking as he closed his eyes.

 

"You're lying," the pixie said quietly. "You're a liar!" he shouted, turning his head and opening his eyes- Only to find the shadow of Aspid gone, and a small group of people staring at him as though he'd lost his mind.

 

Looking back in the shop window, Winter saw himself alone again- But changed. Taller still than his new height, with a sunken gaze and painfully thin body. He looked warped and dark, and though he wanted to believe it was an illusion, he couldn't help but fear it was a vision of the future Aspid's warning had painted for him.

Comments

[winter_wisp]

"One day I stopped being afraid though. Something changed, and I was ready," Winter explained, not sure how to say what he meant to say.

[akatawitch]

"There's nothing for it but time," Sunny supposed he meant. Which she'd heard before, and she understood, and she did know that it was terrible to be frustrated. It was still hard, though.

[winter_wisp]

"Maybe be cats first. Cats, then rabbits," Winter said sagely, pretending to clean his face like a cat.

[akatawitch]

"That's a little hard, too," Sunny mumbled, tracing her finger around the rim of her cup. "I don't know how well any, um, rubbing would go over."

[winter_wisp]

"You're thinking rude thoughts," Winter laughed. "I mean like petting. Touching. Cuddles. Everyone likes cuddles. ...Don't they?"

[akatawitch]

"I'm really not," Sunny assured him, though she looked a little uneasy, as though she was trying to figure out if saying this at all was even appropriate. "He's... very shy. I don't know."

[winter_wisp]

Winter hummed, then offered the only solution he had.

"I will cuddle you if you like."

[akatawitch]

Sunny smiled a little. "Maybe," she allowed, not sure but not dismissing the idea either. She cuddled with Anael, and she had no intention of giving that up, but it was a weird, gray area of being intimate that she didn't know how to categorize.

"Though one of these days, I'll just have to ask him if he wants to cuddle and, I dunno, watch The Princess Bride or something."

[winter_wisp]

"You're going to a royal wedding? Why have I not been invited? I should be invited to the wedding's of princesses. I know all about royalty," The pixie huffed.

[akatawitch]

That got her to grin. "It's a movie. One that gets quoted quite a lot."

[winter_wisp]

"I must see it," Winter decided, growing terribly serious. "I'd like to learn more about mortal royalty."

[akatawitch]

Sunny put her hand over her mouth to keep in a giggle, but she couldn't hide how much she was smiling. "I don't think it'll help you with that. It's a fairy tale."

[winter_wisp]

"Oh," Winter replied, frowning a little. "I thought it would be about royalty stabbing one another and getting married. I've been reading a lot of plays lately- That I borrowed from Fin."

Borrowed, in this case, meaning pinched...

[akatawitch]

"Oh, there's plenty of that," Sunny assured him. "Only it's made up royalty from made up countries. There's other things I would recommend if you want to learn about real people stabbing and marrying each other."

[winter_wisp]

"Yes? Like the plays?" Winter asked, perking up a bit.

[akatawitch]

"Shakespeare is a starting point," Sunny agreed. "You might also be interested in Becket and A Lion in Winter. The latter is definitely all about stabbing and marriage."

[winter_wisp]

Winter nodded, listening and hoping he didn't forget these names as soon as he was home.

"I will seek them out," he decided.

[akatawitch]

"Though," Sunny had to point out, "this is still historical fiction. If you want to know what really happened, you're just going to have to seek out documentaries."

[winter_wisp]

"That sounds like school stuff," Winter replied, looking unsure. "...Are they entertaining? I want to be entertained."

[akatawitch]

"If they're done right, they are," Sunny answered with a shrug. But to her, learning was fun. "And like I said, if you want to learn the actual history, that's where to learn it. If you don't... just remember historical fiction is still fiction on some level."

[winter_wisp]

Winter nodded looking thoughtful, then grinning. "I will watch one of each and see which I like most," he decided.

[akatawitch]

"Always good to experiment," Sunny agreed mildly with a nod, like he hadn't just agreed to try learning something. She just drank her coffee.

[winter_wisp]

Winter nodded in agreement, and stabbed his cake gleefully.