ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS: EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE (pt. 1)

ONE YEAR LATER

SIMON

Lady Ruth has been calling me since morning, trying to pursue me to spend the Christmas week at home.

I mean it's not that I don't wanna be with Jamie and Lady Ruth for the holidays but it's still so much for me. It still feels like I'm having something I'm not allowed to take. It still feels like this home, this family, this care, this love is something too good for me to take. It still feels like a fluke.

In my mind, I'm still waiting for the day when this will blow up in my face. When I will lose this. Like I lost my magic. Like I lost Watford.

I exhale trying to push out all the air in my lungs and drop myself back on my bed. My wings spread on the mattress behind me as my tail slithers on the sheets unconsciously. I put my arms on my eyes.

I couldn't go through the operation even though my best of senses told me to get rid of the wings and the tail. Maybe Baz's love for them was a major reason.

I love holding him to me with more than two arms. I love how he gets warm wrapped around my wings. I love when he casually runs his fingers along my wings while we lay on the bed talking. And even though I don't plan to tell him this ever, I love when he tugs me close holding my tail twisting it around his arm- it's a whole show.

But also, there's a part of me that doesn't wanna let go of the wings and my tail. You could say it's inconvenient for me to try living the Normal's life when I look anything but a Normal. But I'm starting to accept that my wings are a part of who I am. Of who I was.

They are the last straw to my sanity. They are proof of who I was. They are proof I was a mage.

And even though wearing hoodies and coats in summer is indeed exhausting (more exhausting with the looks I get when I walk through the streets) but I'm making peace with it.

My therapist says that I need to accept myself as I am without valuing myself low. That I need to stop questioning the happiness I get. Baz is helping me in that area.

I hear the bathroom door open and then footsteps approaching me.

"Snow, you haven't packed yet?"

I hear Baz crossing our bedroom to stand on the other side of the room and then some ruffling of clothes.

Then some bag zips getting close. I don't bother to open my eyes. He must be packing my bags.

Over this year, ever since Baz moved in, my flat started to look more organized. As much organized that I and Penny could never have achieved. We both are a pair of messy roommates.

But apparently, vampires love cleanliness. On any day when I leave for uni after him and the flat looks as if a tornado has hit our place with my clothes on the floor and takeout packets everywhere, I always come back to a more habitable surrounding with everything to its destined place. I'm sure he just spells "A place for everything, and everything in its place!" behind my back but I never object.

We also had gone to Ikea so many times that my living room looks straight out of some catalog. Penny says my flat has become less like a college student's and more like a home you see on Pinterest.

I blame all these on Baz.

"Snow?" I hear him call out again "do you even want to go?"

"I don't know." I really don't know.

Even almost after a year, it feels too much for me.

The mattress beside me sinks as I feel Baz settling down.

BAZ

He has been acting like this since we decided to spend Christmas at Salisburys.

I take his arm away from his face to look at him. He looks tired and confused.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to."

I watched him shaking his head, more like clearing his thoughts than answering me.

"No," He reaches up to tuck a loose (still wet) hair strand behind my ear "Lady Ruth wants me to be there. She says it's our first holiday together."

I take his hand to place a kiss on his palm. "Will you be okay, Snow?" I know it's still too much for you.

He hums, pulling me on top of him. I lay my head on his chest as the wings wrap around us like a habit.

"You wanna come with me to Oxford? Daphne would love to have you over for the dinner." I make imaginary lines on his shoulder. It's my favorite hobby.

"I'm sure your dad and Fiona won't."

"Fiona hardly ever comes to visit us after she became Mrs. Nicodemus Petty you know that. And dad kind of hates you less since you saved Daphne from Smith-Richards. So it isn't that bad." But it's still bad. Dad won't murder Simon but there is a possibility that dad will make him sleep in the barn.

"No. I think I should stay with Lady Ruth and Jamie this year. You plan to leave for Oxford on Christmas Eve?"

I nod. "I'll miss you"

I don't wanna celebrate Christmas without Simon around. We planned I'll stay at Salisburys till Christmas Eve before I leave for Oxford. I can't skip our Christmas dinner there. My dad would set me on fire if he gets to know I didn't come home because I was busy with my boyfriend and his new family.

I guess Simon could also use some bonding time with his family alone without his boyfriend hanging around.

"I'll miss you too, babe"

Urgh! This is gonna be so difficult!