Under the Whitethorn Tree

5. Wings for both

From there onwards life becomes something to look forward to because there's Off along with his unpredictable shenanigans.
He saunters into Gun's personal space whenever and wherever possible, not intentionally but it's just that Off is friendly. 

Sometimes too friendly.  If not how on earth would he accept a complete stranger like Gun knowing he has secrets that he's unwilling to share? 

Not that Gun complains about this new turn of events but New complains like hell, snarls at him for being this reckless, headstrong and for continuously sneaking out to meet  of all the things that are in the world, a human. But that particular human is the only thought that occupies Gun's mind in his presence and even in his absence.

That's why sprawling on the grass plains so close to a cliff's edge -only god knows how steep- with Off next to him breathing the mischief in the summer air, he feels that this is the best idea he had so far. By the time evening sets in, Gun lets all those complaints directed at him diffuse into nothingness. He fondles the marigolds that Off kept on tucking in his hair, diligent yet playful. 

  ''A flower crown suits you better.''  Off says it with reverence and admiration, like he can never describe anything connected with Gun short of the word beautiful.

It warms Gun's heart because he has never felt openly admired like this. Off's words come out with no amount of pretence or falsity mingled in them. That makes Gun all the more reckless, he wants to take as much as possible of Off's guileless yet simple  praises and bask in them until he can, making up for all the years he had spent alone.

Maybe he wasn't alone in the truest sense of that word but perhaps a little ignored, treated differently because he willingly forgo immortality when it was almost the norm among fairies. Even Tay and New would pat his shoulders and sigh wondering why would a sane fairy give up the boon of immortality! It's just unbearable at times. 

Off gently caresses Gun's hair interrupting his train of thoughts and for a brief second the caress lingers bringing a healthy blush to Gun's milky white cheeks. There's nothing wrong in this, nothing wrong. Gun thinks to himself. 

Serenity of the moment is only broken when Gun realizes he has to leave before his magic wears out. He still feels the guilt of not revealing his identity to Off but he just doesn't want things to be different between them atleast for now. He reluctantly pats the dust off of his shorts and gets ready to leave. 

"I'm starting to think of you as the boy version of Cinderella.'' Off teases trying not to show the disappointment in his voice but it is too much that can not go unnoticeable. 

"Does that make you my prince?'' Gun retaliates. By now he is quite used to Off's tantrums. 

What follows is a brief silence, it shocks him that even Off could be rendered speechless, fumbling for words. Off's gaze flickers here and there trying to fix on to something that looks less dangerous than Gun's questioning eyes. Off looks uncertain. He looks afraid as if he was forced to lay his heart open for everyone to see and analyse. 

Off forces a chuckle out trying to cloak his uneasiness. "Next time remember to leave your glass shoe with me'' 

And with that, Gun has no heart in leaving him. In that moment, he knows he has taken a leap of faith.

 ''how will you know you can fly if you are afraid of the fall?''
Someone has asked him when he was no more than a little fairy afraid of flying lest he'll fall. Then he just fell and his wings magnificently saved him from the fall. 

Now he just wants to fall but he has only two tiny wings. Will they be able to carry him along with Off? 

Whatever that will happen to both of them in the face of this overflowing affection  he feels towards Off, he has no answer. 

Not really. He does have an answer, a very unappealing one. This connection and whatever they both want to have with each other, won't end that well.