Chapter Text
They sat close to the fire, huddled tightly in their jacket as they poked the flames to life. Keeping the fire burning was hard in this weather. The falling snow threatening to smother it out if left unattended. If she was awake Loxia would scold them for sitting so close to the flames, but it was a comforting warmth this far north.
"You're going to singe your hair if you lean any close to that flame." Pari's head reflexively flicked looking for the sound of the noise. Illitran stood nearby leaning against a tree.
"Let it singe, its too cold to sit further away." Their gaze fell back to the flames after finishing a scan of the horizon. The little grove of tree's the party found to camp in wouldn't do much for hiding the light of the flames. It was the reason Pari offered to stay up on watch. Well one of the reasons anyway.
He sighed disappointedly, moving to sit down on the other side of the flames. He left no footprints in the snow, the flakes undisturbed by his movements. Pari tried to imagine it thought, the indents of his feet forming in the snow. Something to pretend to make him a little more real. "If you keep neglecting your appearance like this its going to become more of a hassle. You could at least pretend to care and keep what you haven't murdered of your hair in tact."
"Why? I have no one I care to impress." They poked the flames, eyes watchful darting between the dancing light and the darkness lingering beyond their grove.
"Maybe not now, but you wouldn't want your father knowing his little Em has been neglecting themselves. He is already going to be broken enough until you return, and by the grief in your head he will be broken by your return. You might as well make yourself suitable to be in the face of noble disgrace." His gaze held steady on the mug by the fire. The metal cup warming gently from the heated rocks of the makeshift firepit.
He would give Pari that at least, when they set a fire they did it properly. Stone pit to the degree they could, water skin nearby to stop any accidently spreading flames, not that that was a worry in this kind of weather.
"You make the assumption that I want to go home." Pari attempted to snap at him, but it came out tired and sad.
"I don't need to assume. You keep thinking about Mr. Azor. About when he is going to tell your dad. Its not a matter of assuming you want to go, its a matter of waiting till when you do."
Pari grabbed a handful of snow, mulling silently over Illitrans words as they cooled the handle of the mug, at least till it was touchable. They pulled the warmed cup to their chest, not quite ready to enjoy the scorching liquid yet. "When I do... saying it that way makes it sound like there is no choice."
He stood up, Pari focused on the fire to ignore the snow was unbothered. "There rarely is when it comes to the matters of home. You always end up back where you started in the long term. You always return back home."
Pari nestled the mug more as a chilled breeze blew through the clearing, sending the snow scattering sideways across their vision. When the world returned to proper vision the archfae had vanished, leaving Pari in the silent snow once more.