OTA - Pixie Problems

[winter_wisp]

Winter had taken to sleeping late, curled up on a pile of pillows in the sun room and wishing fall would come a little faster. Summer was so hard sometimes, it wasn't his season, and he missed the cold. He still shared a bed with Phouka most nights, but when sleep failed him in the middle of the night, he crept up to the top floor of the tree house, built a little nest, and sat reading books by the soft glow of fairy lights. Then, when sleep did finally come for him, he just curled up in his nest of glittery and pretty pillows and let it wash over him.

 

It was nearly noon by the time he woke, and the pixie staggered about in a groggy haze as he set about his morning routine. Teeth polished nice and shiny, to keep the tooth fairy well away (What kind of fairy collected teeth after all? Not one you'd want under your pillow, that's for certain), face scrubbed and fresh, even though a moment later there was always, always, glitter on his cheeks again anyway. ...Not applied, simply there. Then it was time to do battle with his hair. Today his hair was shock white, the curls soft and short. Winter never wondered why it was or wasn't this, he simply accepted that his hair would be as it wished to be, and dressed accordingly.  Lately he'd been dressing quite plainly, but today he found himself digging a bit deeper into his closet, emerging in a bright and unusual jumper, along with a pair of colourful trainers.

 

He was just headed down to the kitchen when he heard a strange noise, and he went still on the steps as he tried to work out what it was.

 

"Shh! You're making too much noise!" a voice whispered.

 

"No, you are!" came another. "Besides, we have to make noise or he'll never wake up!"

 

There was a loud clatter, like a wooden spoon hitting the floor, then the sound of laughter, like tinkling bells. "Who won't wake up?" the first voice asked.

 

"Winter! Remember? We're visiting Winter, Soot, that's the whole reason we came!" 

 

Wandering down the last few stairs, Winter peeked around the corner just in time to see two pixies on his counter attempting to open the five-pound bag of gummy bears he'd not yet broken into. Soot, an almost rosy and dusty skinned pixie with short and silky black hair, and eyes like tiny chips of obsidian, was currently attempting to drag the bag across the counter, while Moss, a very pointy looking pixie with wild grey hair and eyes to match, was currently attempting to remove a knife from the butcher's block.

 

"Oh, shit!" Winter gasped, rushing over and removing the other pixie from the knife and putting him down on the table. "You're gonna slice yourself in half, you twit!" he scolded, though that only prompted more giggles from the pair. "Winter!" they squeaked, launching themselves into the air and circling the pixie. "We're here! We're visiting!" they chirped.

 

"I know, I can see that," Winter replied, yelping when Soot pulled his hair.

 

"Make us big! Make us big! Let's play!" the pair chanted.

 

Winter hesitated a moment, then sighed. If his friends were here, there was no point in keeping them tiny. They'd only make more mischief that way. 

 

"Alright, alright, stay right here. I'll be right back," he said, opening the bag of gummies to ensure his energetic house guests didn't wander. Moss swiftly swooped down to steal one, snatching it from the bag and then tumbling down onto the counter with the plump green bear.

 

Suddenly Winter understood all too well why Finlay had, at one point, always looked like he had a headache in the morning. ...He almost felt sorry about it too. ...Almost. Winter hadn't quite mastered guilt yet.

 

He returned a moment later with some of his potion, and he lifted the pair off the counter before offering them each a dose. This, of course, only prompted more excitement and chaos, but eventually, Winter had them settled down and dressed in much more mortal friendly garb. It would have been ideal to keep the pair tucked away in his tree, but his kin were having none of that, and soon they were all settled in at a table outside Starbucks. 

 

"Ow!" Winter yelped, as Soot pulled his hair for the seventh time that morning. "Stop it. You're just trouble!" he scowled.

 

"You're trouble!" the dusty skinned pixie squeaked happily. 

 

"I'm pretty sure Trouble lives in that village near the wizard school," Moss supplied helpfully. "She's pink now you know, wings and all."

 

Winter couldn't help himself, and he smiled a little at the thought. "It would be very nice to be pink, I think," he admitted.

 

"Or lavender," Soot said wistfully. "With pretty pearl wings..."

 

"I like your wings," Winter said, shaking his head. "They're like cobwebs. No one has wings like yours."

 

Soot perked up a bit at that, looking very pleased. "I am very unique."

 

"Hey! I have good wings too!" Moss insisted, forgetting the potion had vanished them temporarily, and trying to show them off. This was enough to send the pixies back into a pile of giggles, and the sound of pure joy filled the air with a hint of magic and sweetness all around them.

Comments

[sauntereddownward]

Cowley watched him go with a devilish grin. Then he took a deep drag and let the smoke roll out as he spoke.

"And what shall I do with the two of you?" he asked. "You don't quite fit in, you know. I could help with that."

[winter_wisp]

"Your face doesn't fit in," Soot scowled, kicking the stranger beneath the table.

Moss smirked a little, leaning forward a touch. "It needs more glitter."

Soot perked up at the mention of glitter, nodding enthusiastically. "YES! GLITTER! GLITTER ON YOUR FACE, PICKLES!"

[sauntereddownward]

"Surely you're joking," Crowley said dryly, but in his heart he knew he was in for pain and humiliation galore. And he was sure Winter would only join in the torture when he came back with coffee.

[winter_wisp]

"We never joke about glitter," Soot huffed.

"Glitter's serious, Mr. Pickles," Moss added.

"Glitter face!" Soot squeeked, leaning over and putting both hands on Crowley's face.

[sauntereddownward]

"Oh, dear...stop!" he huffed in annoyance. He jerked his head back and glitter dusted his fine black suit jacket. "Oh, bugger."

[winter_wisp]

Winter returned with their coffees, grinning brightly at the sight of Crowley's glitter coated cheeks.

"Oh, Mr. Pickles! You fit right in now," he laughed as he passed out the coffees- And then paused to dust a bit more sparkle in the demon's hair.

[sauntereddownward]

"Oh, for pity's sake," he grumbled, trying to brush away the glitter. "You're all ridiculous."

[winter_wisp]

"Your face is ridiculous," Soot countered, prompting Winter to giggle even more.

[sauntereddownward]

"What a witty comeback. I'm sure you think 'your face' is all encompassing," he replied, trying to brush the glitter away still.

[winter_wisp]

"Your face is all encompassing!" Soot huffed.

"Oooh, big words," Moss said approvingly.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley huffed again, brushing more glitter off his shoulder. Then he took up his coffee and drank it as petulantly as possible.

[winter_wisp]

"Is Mr Pickles a family name?" Soot asked. "Are you the first or third Pickle? How many pickles are there?"

"It's Pickles all the way down," Winter grinned.

"A whole family tree of Pickles?" Moss asked, looking impressed.

[sauntereddownward]

"Oh, shut your gob, Winter," Crowley said. "My name is Crowley, not Mr. Pickles. You shouldn't lie to your little friends. It could get them into very big trouble," he added, then lowered his glasses just enough that the pixies could see his demon eyes.

[winter_wisp]

Gasping, Moss shrank back slightly, though Soot didn't seem terribly afraid.

"So rude, Mr Pickles," Winter tutted. "You shouldn't scare pixies, it's bad luck."

"Worst luck," Soot agreed.

"That is true," Moss agreed, relaxing a little.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley righted his glasses and picked up his cup.

"Bad luck," he repeated. "And what will happen? Is it akin to breaking a mirror? Walking under a ladder?"

[winter_wisp]

"I don't think there are rules to it," Moss said, shaking his head.

"It just follows you a bit," Winter shrugged.

"Then gets you when you least expect," Soot added, looking positively impish.

[sauntereddownward]

"How very ominous," Crowley said dryly. "Well, you've struck fear right into the heart of me. I can only promise to be on my best behaviour from now on, I sssuppose."

[winter_wisp]

Soot stuck their tongue out, while Winter moved his seat closer to Crowley and leaned lightly against him.

[sauntereddownward]

"Oh my devil, what do you think you're doing?" he huffed, moving a little, for show, but not remotely enough to dislodge Winter.

[winter_wisp]

"Being nice," Winter peeped.

"I want to be nice too!" Soot squeaked, scooting closer.

[sauntereddownward]

"Ugh. Nice," he grumbled. But he was resigned to his fate as the pixies closed in, glitter and all.

[winter_wisp]

"Nice!" Moss chirped, joining in since his kin seemed safe enough.

[sauntereddownward]

"You're all ridiculous," Crowley said, tensing as the third one settled in. People were staring and for once he was at a loss for what to do. Being piled upon was the worst his luck had ever been.

[winter_wisp]

"We love you, Mr. Pickles," Winter cooed.

"YES! We love your face!" Soot chirped.

"Well, we like you okay," Moss shrugged.

[sauntereddownward]

"Ok, alright, get off...get off," he said, shrugging them off. They were making a spectacle of it all, and he couldn't even lift his cigarette for a drag. "Just...drink your coffee and stop being, you know, that."