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"Mithril have you seen my gloves anywhere?"
Mithril startled, and looked up at Anne as she walked through the door. He shook his head, having a glance around the room before he replied, "No, sorry Anne. Where did you leave them last?"
Anne hummed, and searched the kitchen. She opened a cupboard, and started to rummage through the items, objects moved here and there. "I thought I left them in here last night, but I can't seem to find them anywhere."
Mithril let out a gasp, "I think I remember Challe moving them after you both came back. Have you asked him where they are?"
"Challe? Why would he have my gloves?"
"Beats me. Maybe he meant to take them to your room and then forgot."
Anne closed the cupboard she was searching, giving one final scan of the room before she let out a hmm. "Doesn't sound like him, Challe isn't one to forget easily. Well, no harm in asking. Thanks Mithril!"
Turning towards the doorway, she starts walking towards Challe's room, giving a vague wave to Mithril as she goes, though doubting it was seen, as she caught Mithril surging towards a small pile of silver sugar left on the counter. Oh well, she was due making some more anyway, might as well let him enjoy it.
Going up the stairs, she sees Challe leaving his room, closing the door behind him.
"Ah! Challe! Have you seen my gloves, I can't find them anywhere and it's freezing outside." Anne exclaims as she walks towards him, eyes briefly lingering on his otherworldly wing, glistening in the slight sun ray coming from the small window in the hallway.
He turns towards her as she speaks, a small upturn of his lips at her approach. "Idiot. You gave them to me, remember? Or have you already forgotten?" She listened to his harsh words, but his tone was fond. Anne looked away, blushing at her forgetfulness. Oh course, she had started to make more silver sugar, and gave the gloves to him before rushing off to start the process.
"Don't call me an idiot! Where did you put them?" She huffed at him, still feeling a little embarrassed.
"Come in, I'll go get them." Challe replied, once more turning towards his door and opening it. He walked in and towards the closet in the corner of the room. Anne followed him inside, looking around at the small room. It was basic, a bed, dresser, and wardrobe, but it was his space, which she knew he greatly appreciated. Fairies didn't often get rooms from humans. Anne knew that Challe often didn't even have a bed to rest on, so knowing he had this made her glad that the house they were staying at allowed for Challe to have his own room.
Spying something on his dresser, she walked towards it. She saw a book she had lent him, something about human and fairy politics, a topic she had read about to help inspire some of her sugar creations. She had noticed he also took an interest in the book, reading over her shoulder as she read, and so had given the book to him once she had finished with it. She picked the book up, flicking through the pages to briefly see where he was in the book. However, once she had started looking, she heard a soft sound of something hitting the dresser top. Surprised, she looked down to see what it was. It was a small burlap sack, with brown rope attached to either side to make a loop. It was his wing .
What was his wing doing out?
She looked behind her, seeing Challe searching his wardrobe, probably for her gloves. He wasn’t looking at her.
After making sure she hadn’t been spotted, she looked back down at the sack. Anne gently picked up the sack, giving it a tiny stroke. This was his wing, his precious wing. This was what allowed him his freedom, what allowed him to choose to stay with her , by his choice, no one forcing him. Yes, she could use it to control him, but she found that she didn’t want to. She liked him when he was carefree, when he could just be Challe fen Challe. She liked that he chose to stay with her. It made her feel all warm inside.
Anne smiled down at the small bag, giving it another gentle stroke of her finger, before turning around to Challe, only to find him closer to her then before, looking at what she held in her hand. She gave a squeak, turning a faint red at being caught. She thrusted her hand holding his wing out towards him.
“Here, Challe. You should be more careful with your wing.”
He stared at her hand.
“Why?”
“Why what?” Asked Anne.
“Why didn’t you take it?”
Anne looked at him confused. “What do you mean? This is your wing, it doesn’t belong to me, Challe.”
“To have a wing means to have control over a fairy, Why didn’t you use mine?”
“Because I’m your friend. I want to be a good friend, and friends don’t control each other.”
Challe finally moved, walking closer to Anne. He ignored her hand, and leaned in towards her. He cupped her cheek in his hand. “I don’t want to be friends.”
She freezed, gaze stuck on his shoulder. What? Had he gotten fed up with her finally?
“Challe… What?”
He leaned closer to her face, his eyes fixed on hers. He had a faint smirk on his face.
“I said, I don’t want to be friends. Or have you lost the ability to hear too, scarecrow?”
She unfroze at that, and tried to move away from him, “Well, I’m not keeping you here. Go if you want.” His hand on her cheek stayed though. He moved with her, his other arm having snuck around her waist.
“Not what I meant.” He told her, his thumb giving a stroke along her cheek.
“What did you mean?” She looked up at him, looking into his eyes. They looked fondly back down at her.
His beautiful face came towards her, a smile on his lips at her confusion. “I told you I wanted to stay by your side, always.” His lips were almost close enough to touching hers. She gave a shuddering breath at their closeness. His words finally hit her.
Oh.
Oh.
Anne could feel how her face turned red, finally understanding what he said. Her gaze turned down his face, landing on his soft looking lips. She saw how they kept getting closer to hers, his arm tightened around her waist, his hand still gently cupped her warm face. She gave a soft sigh, closing her eyes and tipped her head so it had easier access to him. He stopped before their lips could touch, giving a light chuckle that she could feel against her face.
“Please Challe.” She sighed, hoping he would finally kiss her.
She could practically feel his teasing smirk. “Command it, Anne.”
She shook her head gently. She leant her forehead against his, sighing again against his face. Her hands crept up to grip onto his coat. Something she could grab onto to help ground her, as she felt like she could float away at any moment.
“ Please Challe.”
He surged forward at hearing her pleading, their lips finally connecting after long enough. His lips were warm and gentle on hers, caressing them slowly and sweetly. She was glad he was holding on to her body, feeling as though she would either melt to the floor or float away to the clouds. Warmth grew in her body as their kiss continued, and she gripped tighter to him, one of her hands slowly moved to touch his hair, holding on to it as a means to keep grounded. He sighed against her mouth at the feeling, and pulled her lip between his in retaliation. Softly, they parted, a small pop heard from their lips. She opened her eyes, seeing his loving gaze down at her. She smiled up at him, blushing still present on her face from their kiss.
He leant his forehead onto hers, resting them together. He exhaled slowly, hand coming up to cradle her head, and pulled her towards his chest. He whispered to her, “If you command it, I will stay with you forever.”
She leaned into his chest, her arms coming up around his back, and gripped on tightly, her face hiding in his chest. “No more commands. Stay with me if you wish.”
“I do. I’ll stay with you always, Anne.”
Never had she been happier than when she was by his side, and he was by hers. Gloves forgotten, she smiled into his chest, and embraced him tighter, assured by his promise to stay by her side.