Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tango was walking.

Sure it was less efficient than flying but he liked the challenge. That and everything always looked so different from the ground.

He was walking past the Winter Woods border. Like most warm fairies, he pays the snowy forest no mind. Everyone knows that it's forbidden for warm fairies to cross the border because of how unsafe it is.

There's no way to fix a broken wing after all.

He wanders up a branch to cross a small stream when he sees something sparkle at the corners of his vision.

He glances behind him, wondering what it was or if it was just a trick of the light. Tango gasps at what he sees.

His wings are glowing.

They glow various shades of blue, shimmering and sparkling in the light. He flutters them, marveling at how the colors swirl like little galaxies along the spiral pattern of his wings.

The glow fades just as fast as it appeared. Tango looks out into the Winter Woods beside him. They seem strangely alluring.

He flies down to the ground, just before where the icy cold of winter meets the warmth of Tango's home.

Tentatively, he reaches out. His hand doesn't quite reach the border when a familiar voice startles him.

"Watcha doing Tango?"

He whips around, coming face to face with Zed. The alchemy fairy stood there, staring at him with a cheeky smile.

"Nothing." he says a bit too quickly.

"You know you're not supposed to be over there. I kinda hoped it'd be the one rule you followed."

Tango snorts, flying over to his friend. "As if you were one to follow rules Mr. Alchemy fairy."

Zed chuckles as they begin to fly away from the border together. "What were you doing so close to the border anyway?"

Tango shrugs. "I thought I saw something so I was getting a closer look. I wasn't going to cross the border."

Thankfully, Zed seems to believe him as he seems content with that response. In reality, Tango doesn't know if he'd have crossed over the border or not. Its probably a good thing that Zed showed up when he did.

He pulls his sleeves down as far as they can go. They are much too thin to be of any use in a frigid place like the Winter Woods. If he is going to go back there he's going to need something warmer.

Regardless he currently has a job to do so he better do it. Zed follows him over to where Impulse wanted him to be.

There's some human things lying about in the area, all of which could be used to make various things that help out Pixie Hollow. Tango's surprised to see Scar's cat, affectionately named Jellie, sitting in the clearing.

Zed follows him down and Impulse looks up when they land. He waves with a smile, beckoning them over to where he was crouched over a coin.

"What do you think we could do with this?"

Tango opens his mouth to respond when a whoosh interrupts him. Its powerful enough to make the grass around them bend and sway. Tango follows the movement with his eyes, gaze landing on a certain fast flying fairy.

"Can you just put it in the cart so we can move onnn. This is soooooo boring!" Grian whines.

"You don't have to be here you know. I'm sure Pearl would love to race you or something." Scar comments with a smile.

Grian groans, landing beside Scar. The scarred fairy leans heavily on his cane and his broken wings flutter behind him as Grian approaches.

"We can't. Xisuma said that we broke things last time and we have to be more careful."

"Why don't you just race farther away from Pixie Hollow? Then you won't break as many very important things."

Grian thinks over Zed's suggestion for a moment as Tango and Impulse get the coin into the cart. "Nah. Scar can't go that far as easily and Mumbo never does anything fun."

"Awww!! Grian!!" Scar pulls Grian into a hug. The fast flying fairy struggled vehemently to get out of it but with no success. Scar has a surprisingly strong grip.

Tango observes Scar and Grian's antics as him, Impulse, and Zed load as many things as they can find into the cart. Its not long before they're off.

Scar sits on Jellie, as he usually does. How he trained to not eat fairies he doesn't know. She's very sweet though and very well behaved. She pulls the cart behind her, moving at a leisurely pace.

Grian sits behind Scar, holding on to him. He's never really liked taking the Jellie express, preferring to fly. He's probably only here for Scar.

Tango sits behind them while Impulse and Zed are on the cart itself, making sure nothing falls out. Unlike Grian, Tango's always liked getting rides from Jellie. Its like walking. Slow, calm, and nice.

Until Jellie decides she wants to climb a tree.

But Scar is probably one of the fairies who knows the most about magic and wings, other than Doc and Cub who aren't here at the moment.

"Sooo. What are your thoughts on glowing wings?"

Grian looks back at him like he's insane while Impulse and Zed don't hear the question over their own conversation. Scar just hums thoughtfully.

"I think that'd be pretty interesting. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Just curious on if they can." He shrugs, trying to look nonchalant.

"Well if you're looking for more information I'd suggest looking at Cub's library. If anyone has anything on it he does."

Tango smiles. He has a plan now.

The conversation lulls into meaningless chatter. When they return to Pixie Hollow, Tango spends most of the day helping Impulse with new inventions.

He goes to bed that night, he runs a hand carefully along his wing. As a billion questions run through Tango's mind, he comes to the conclusion that he won't be getting any sleep.

Chapter Text

Tango was sitting on the bridge between the Winter Woods and the home Tango has always known.

He stares out into the frozen forest, thinking over Cub's words as he fidgets with the cloak in his hands. He's really considering breaking the rules to go explore, especially considering what he learned in the library.

He swings his leg from where it hangs off the bridge.

"Oh hey Tango! Looking for something?"

Cub turns with a smile as Tango wanders into his library. Cub was a strange fairy, having no regular talent.

Instead, he was Pixie Hollow's resident doctor. Sick? You go to Cub. Torn muscle? Go to Cub. Broken wing? Go to Cub.

Allegedly he was a tinker fairy before defecting to be the resident healer and book keep. Cub avoids the topic like the plague though, dancing around it expertly.

Tango shifts his weight nervously as his eyes scan the collection of books and scrolls. Cub waits patiently as he returns books to shelves.

"I uhh... Scar said you'd know things about glowing wings."

Cub turns, staring at him with wide eyes. His expression quickly steels into neutrality as he pushes up his glasses. "Why do you need to know about glowing wings, Tango?"

Cub's tone is curious and inviting but Tango can't help but feel a bit apprehensive and self conscious. Cub thankfully gets the hint that Tango doesn't want to talk about it and sets down the books in his arms on a nearby table.

"Apologies for the question. Follow me Tango."

The blonde nods as the ravenette leads the way through the shelves expertly. His movements seem almost like aimless wandering but Tango knows better. Cub knows this library like the back of his hand. If anyone can find anything in it, it's him.

Tango follows nervously, pulling at his sleeves. He doesn't know what he'll find. For all he knows, glowing wings is a bad thing.

Cub leads the way to the back of the library. Tucked into a corner is a little cove that has additional books and scrolls on topics that fairies don't usually look for, not that Cub's library is a very popular hangout spot to begin with. Typically it's pretty empty.

Cub scans the spines of the books, running a hand across the careful lettering. Eventually he pulls out an elegant looking book that has a blue gemstone embedded in the cover. Its stained red with golden accents and has no title. Cub presses the book into Tango's hands.

"If you have any other questions you know where to find me."

Tango nods as Cub dissapears around the bookshelves.

The book had been an interesting read about wings and soulmates. Tango had only skimmed the pages but he'd learned that wings glowing in the vicinity of another fairy is an indicator of soulmates.

He stares off into the frosty brush. He'd been alone when his wings started to glow.

At least, on his side of the border.

He tugs gently at the cloak in his hands, weighing the pros and cons of crossing the border in his mind.

A pro, it's new and exciting.

A con, it's cold.

A pro, there are fairies on the other side, one of whom could be his soulmate.

A con, it's incredibly against the rules and for good reason. Tango only knows three fairies that are permitted to cross over. He isn't one of them.

But then again, when had he ever been one to follow the rules?

He pulls on the cloak. It rests uncomfortably against his wings, pressing them into his back. He doesn't have a coat. The second best thing is his cloak, something he'd had custom made to keep his wings dry when he goes out on walks in wetter conditions.

Tango isn't a tailor in any sense of the word.

He stands slowly and walks cautiously up to the border. He looks around, expecting an interruption. When he does, he doesn't see anyone else.

Tango turns back to the border. He reaches a hand out tentatively. There's no familiar voice that startles him when he reaches over the border.

It's cold, just like he'd expected. He waves his hand through the air slightly and slowly, pulling it back.

He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and steps forward.

His feet land in the snow on the other side. The cold hugs him uncomfortably from everywhere. He shoots a look behind himself before pulling the cloak tighter and venturing down the bridge, walking away from his home and everything he knows.

He wanders slowly and carefully, feet trudging through the snow. Its cold, although that was to be expected, and wet.

It feels strange.

He pushes a plant's leaf out of the way as he wanders. The snow slides off, barely missing Tango entirely.

Once he reaches the other side of the plant, he's bowled over by something moving fast.

He shrieks as he falls backwards into the snow. The fairy who bowled him over stands and helps him up.

She has long black hair tied up in pigtails. Her dress is made of light purple petals, although Tango can't identify the plant they're from. Her skin is pale and her eyes are a kind dark brown.

She quickly dusts the snow off of Tango. "Oh my goodness I'm so so sorry! Are you ok? You aren't hurt are you?"

Tango takes a moment to find his words. "Uhh yeah I'm fine. Are you ok?"

She looks him in the eyes and smiles before looking over Tango properly. She gasps and takes a step back, eyes wide and hands over her mouth. She grabs his arm and steps closer.

"You're not supposed to be here! How did you even manage to get lost out here! The border is pretty obvious. Let's get you back."

She starts to drag him with her back towards the border with surprising strength.

"Does anyone even know you're here?"

"I didn't get lost."

She stops, turning to look him in the eyes. "What?"

"I didn't get lost. I chose to cross the border."

She's quiet for a moment. Tango can see the gears turning in her mind.

"... Why?"

"Why does anyone do anything? Boredom? Curiosity? A need to break the rules? Why not all three!" He grins at her. "Besides I haven't been here that long. I'll be fine."

She's quiet for a moment before she sighs. "I... I guess that doesn't sound too bad. As long as you don't plan on staying."

She lets go of Tango's wrist to put her hands on her hips. The way she says it, it almost seems like it's something that's happened before.

"I promise. Besides I've prepared so my wings shouldn't be in any danger!"

He gestures to his cloak. She frowns. The fairy grabs the edge of his cloak and tuts.

"No this won't do. It doesn't keep out the cold nearly well enough. Oh I'm Katherine by the way!"

"Tango. And this is the best I have!"

Katherine looks up at him. "Well the best you have isn't good enough. If you are determined to be here you need something more protective. I probably have something better..."

She trails off. Katherine brings a hand up to her mouth and whistles, loud and shrill into the frozen air. She seems to wait for something.

A loud screech sounds out and Tango instinctively ducks. While Scar is good at taming dangerous animals, he has yet to get any bird of prey to be safe.

A large snowy owl lands in the snow in front of Katherine. She flies up, landing on it's back. "You know she's safe. We use owls to transport pretty much everything across the border."

He stands up, face flushing. She extends a hand and Tango accepts her help up onto the bird. "I forgot about that."

She giggles. "That's alright! We don't send many things across the border anyway. Here. Put your arms around my waist and settle your legs like mine."

Tango does as he's told. It feels a bit awkward since he's just met Katherine but she seems fine. "Like this." She adjusts Tango's hold on her before leaning forward to bury her hands into the owl's feathers.

"Hold on!"

That's all the warning Tango gets before the owl spreads it's wings and lifts off. He can't help but scream and hold Katherine tighter.

He's never been on a bird before. Flying without his own wings is an experience he definitely doesn't enjoy.

Katherine pats Tango's hand reassuringly. She says something but it's lost to the wind. He squeezes his eyes shut and buries his face in Katherine's shoulder.

He only relaxes once the bird lands. He opens his eyes finding themselves in a tree. The owl is perched on a branch that's devoid of any snow. The branches around them have various hanging bulbs that look like flowers in various blues and purples. Tango can see doors in some of them.

Katherine hops off the bird easily. She lands on the branch, making it look easy. She gestures for Tango to jump down beside her.

"I'll catch you if you fall don't worry."

He smiles and slides off the bird. He wobbles when he lands but quickly regains his balance. "I think I've got it."

Katherine takes his hand and leads him to a door in the trunk of the tree. She opens it, taking him inside.

He looks around at the clothes shop. Various materials are laying about, ready to be used to create more clothing. Its very cozy.

Katherine let's go of Tango's hand. "Wait here. I think I have something already made."

He nods and she dissapears. It doesn't take her very long to come back, jacket in hand. Its an icy blue, like pretty much everything else. It looks a little big for Tango but he takes it gratefully anyway.

"Put this on. It should keep your wings safer than that." She gestures to Tango cloak. He nods and unclasps it. He hand it to her in order to pull on the jacket properly.

He pauses when he hears her gasp.

"What?"

She points behind him at his wings. "Are they meant to do that?"

He glances back at his wings. They're glowing blue just like how they were before. He can't help but gasp at the sight as well.

"They're so pretty. Do you mind if I..."

"Yeah go ahead."

Carefully, Katherine takes one of Tango's wings in her hand. It flutters at her touch but she cradles it gently, tracing the pattern with her finger. The delicate material shimmers like spider's silk and moves like a soft fabric.

"How?" She looks up to meet Tango's eyes. "I mean your wings are gorgeous but they didn't glow like this before!"

"They uhh... Someone I know gave me a book. It said that if you have a soulmate your wings do this when they're nearby."

Katherine's gaze returns to the wing in her hand. It's thoughtful, calculating.

"We could find your soulmate."

She looks up at Tango, attempting to gauge his response. He doesn't meet her gaze, instead pulling his wing out of Katherine's hand. Carefully he pulls on the coat. Its significantly warmer than his cloak.

"That would be nice. I don't really feel like getting in trouble though. The more unseen I am the better kind of thing."

Katherine nods in understanding. She taps her chin thoughtfully, snapping at an idea. "Oh! I could go and look to see in anyone nearby has glowing wings! That way you won't be seen!"

She doesn't wait for his response before she's running outside. Tango pulls his cloak back on before slowly making his way to the door. He tries to stay out of view though.

He sees Katherine out on the branch. She uses a hand to shield her eyes as she scans the area below. After a while, she looks back up to Tango and frowns, shaking her head.

He crosses over to her, looking down at all the fairies flying around. Its like Pixie Hollow except they live inside the tree rather than around it. It's fascinating.

"Sorry but I don't think I can see your soulmate."

He shrugs. "That's alright. I'd love to meet them someday but that day doesn't have to be today."

She smiles at him gratefully before climbing back onto her owl. "Let's get you outta here. Don't wanna get in trouble now do we?"

He accepts her hand, being easily pulled up onto the bird once more. He settles, wrapping his arms around Katherine's waist. The bird takes off and it's less terrifying this time.

They fly around for a little while before Katherine brings him back to the border. They land just as he was beginning to enjoy the flight.

"Well. I guess this is goodbye."

He hops off the owl, feet landing in the snow. "Doesn't have to be. I mean, I can't safely ask around about glowing wings in the Winter Woods."

"Do you mean..."

He smiles at her. "Meet here in a week? We don't have to cross the border or anything. You can tell me what you've learned and stuff."

"Only if you tell me about where you're from."

"Deal." Tango grins, knowing full well he can do better. "Welp I should probably be off! Don't really want to worry anyone, y'know."

She nods in understanding. "I'll see you around Tango!"

"Bye Katherine!"

She waves as the owl takes off. He turns and crosses back over the border, making sure to wrap the jacket in his cloak before walking back to Pixie Hollow.

Chapter Text

"Hey is everything ok? You've been acting a bit strange."

Tango looks up into the worried eyes of his fellow tinker, Impulse. They're in the workshop, working on the contraptions that make life easier for the fairies in Pixie Hollow. He doesn't know when Impulse got up and came over to him but now his friend's hand rests on his shoulder.

"Well, stranger than usual."

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean my friend. I'm behaving rather usually."

Impulse rolls his eyes fondly, lightly smacking Tango in the shoulder as the blonde devolves into a fit of giggles.

"Tango." Impulse chides gently. "What's going on. Seriously."

"Nothing. Genuinely nothing don't give me that look."

He attempts to go back to his work and end the conversation right there. Unfortunately, Impulse is having none of it. He reaches over, taking Tango's tools out of his hands, forcing the blonde's attention back to him.

"Tango I know when you're lying. What's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong Impulse."

"Then what is it?"

Tango heasitates for a moment. Should he tell Impulse? How much should he tell Impulse? Would Impulse tattle on him about crossing the border?

Probably. Impulse doesn't need to know that part though.

"I uh... I found out I have a soulmate recently. Been trying to figure out who it is."

Tango turns his attention back to the unfinished contraption on his table as Impulse's eyes go wide. He fidgets with the pieces as Impulse processes the information.

"That's... Wow. I mean good for you! Do you have any idea who it might be?"

Tango scoffs. "No. I'll figure it out though just... Don't tell anyone. Please?"

Impulse nods before handing Tango's tools back. "I promise. Just let me know when you find them."

He smiles and nods as Impulse pats his shoulder. He watches Impulse go back to his own work station, guilt washing over him. He wants to tell him everything. How his wings lit up for the first time right by the border. How he crossed it and met Katherine. How his wings lit up for the second time in her shop, indicating his soulmate was someone he couldn't really be with. Not safely, at least.

He doesn't say anything, though, as he quietly gets back to work. The less people who know the better, after all.

It wasn't hard to sneak away from Pixie Hollow.

Tango had mastered it, really. He was very good at disappearing when he didn't want to be somewhere to go do something else. His friends learned very quickly to not drag him away from projects.

He had no plans to cross the border today so it was significantly easier. Stay on the ground, walk with a purpose. He didn't have to bundle up a coat in his arms or anything which made his life much easier.

Sure the walk was long but it was enjoyable. The weather was nice, no rain or clouds anywhere on the horizon. In all honesty it didn't feel nearly as long as it was.

Tango studied the border, moving carefully along it. The day had arrived for him and Katherine to meet up to discuss her findings.

He climbed easily up onto a rock that sat right in the border, a sizeable space on both sides. Putting his hand above his eyes, he searches for his partner in crime.

Katherine doesn't take very long to show up, landing a bit clumsily on the rock as well.

Tango can't help but smile.

"Sooo. Anything?"

"Nothing! I've talked to everyone! Nobody had glowing wings."

Katherine flops down on the rock dramatically. Tango takes a seat beside her, careful to avoid crossing the border.

"That's weird. It's pretty noticable I'd say."

She nods. "Exactly! But there's nothing! No one's seen anything. It's a pain!"

He hums. It's certainly an issue. Someone could be lying but there's no guarantee Katherine could get them to talk.

Katherine sighs, breaking Tango out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have helped more, Tango. I really wanted to help you find them."

"It's ok Katherine. You did what you could."

"I just wish I could've done more."

"You did plenty. I mean I have a coat now so theoretically we could go looking for them."

She hums. "That makes sense. Their wings would light up if you're nearby. And then nobody could lie about it."

She smiles at him. He returns it easily. Katherine is such a kind person, he really can't let her mope. She giggles.

"I thought you said you wanted to stay unseen?"

"I'm just trying to think of solutions! And if I stay on your owl I can probably hide pretty well."

"Maybe..."

They lapse into silence. The only sounds are the wind and the babbling of the stream that runs along the border. Tango brings a hand up to his chin, resting it there thoughtfully.

"Maybe we could also narrow it down. Make the search a bit easier."

Katherine sits up slowly, looking at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well. They glowed for the first time somewhere over there." He points in the general direction. "If we can narrow down who has a reason to go near the border, we have some leads."

"Oh I see!" Katherine goes silent, thinking for a moment. "With animal migration happening soon I wouldn't be surprised if they were an animal talent scouting the best places to help animals cross."

"Ok. That's definitely a start."

Katherine nods, a smile on her face. Tango can see his own excitement reflected in her eyes.

"So. Who are the animal talents you know?"

Katherine spends some time listing all the ones she knows. As an animal talent herself, if she didn't know at least most of them Tango would probably be concerned. It's a decently sized list, though and it's getting a bit late. Reluctantly, he cuts Katherine off.

She understands, waving goodbye as she dissapears into the snowy woods. They don't want people knowing they broke rules, after all.

Tango does not need a lecture about why you shouldn't cross the border.

He thinks about that as he makes his way back to Pixie Hollow, hopefully before anyone has realized he's missing. His mind drifts to the list of names provided by Katherine.

Which one of them could possibly be his soulmate?

Chapter Text

Sitting by the border has become an almost daily occurrence for Tango.

He's careful about it, of course but no one really goes near the border in the first place. There's only the occasional animal fairy every few days who're only there to do their job. They don't look particularly closely when flying by.

It's worth it, though. The Winter Woods are beautiful with the way the endless snow catches the light and makes everything sparkle like pixie dust. The blanket of cold, untouched white that covers everything looks ethereal and magical and unforgiving. Really it takes all of Tango's willpower to not cross the border into the land that leaves him as a sitting duck for any birds flying overhead.

If only he had a guide...

A flash of gold catches his attention.

Tango doesn't know much about animals. He's a tinker, it's not his business. But when you hang around animal talents you start to pick up on some things.

Yellow is a bad color for winter animals.

It doesn't blend in with the snow, making them easy targets for anything that wants to eat them. Most animals change color for the winter, shedding the browns he's familiar with for the camouflage of white.

Winter is all cool colors. If you want to survive, you adapt. It's part of the reason why Tango hasn't crossed the border again by himself.

That means it's probably another fairy.

He knows he should probably hide and stay hidden. Other fairies knowing he's there is a bad thing.

He's dyed the coat Katherine gave him though so it matches the rest of the browns and reds he usually wears. It doesn't look super out of place on him anymore so he's started wearing it more. He has his cloak too.

He could cross the border and go investigate.

But the other fairy could be a major stickler for the rules.

There exists a story that's been passed down through the years that acts as a cautionary tale for anyone who decides to not follow the rules.

Years and years ago there was a Queen. She was the ancestor of Xisuma, their current leader and king. Her name was Queen Clarion.

One day, Queen Clarion fell in love with the king of the Winter Woods. He loved her back, crossing over the border so they could be together.

It wasn't long before the king fell incredibly ill, unable to withstand the warmer temperatures of Pixie Hollow. The solution for him was to go back and forth across the border, returning home when he fell ill.

It was an unsustainable venture. Eventually, with nothing to protect them, his wings broke and he permanently lost the ability to fly.

Together they created the mandate that the border will not be crossed for the safety of their people. They never saw each other again.

The story doesn't end there, though. When Tango was younger, there was another fairy who wanted to cross the border while things were still changing. Tango never knew him, too busy being buried in his workshop to pay much attention to what was happening around him.

Apparently, he had a sister on the other side of the border.

He disappeared one day. No one ever saw him again.

According to the rumors, he crossed the border to be with his sister, dying tragically on the other side.

No one dared to think about crossing the border since.

No one but Tango.

Against his better judgement, he decided to call out. It was better than the alternative of crossing the border and investigating himself.

Besides, curiosity killed the cat and all that. Tango's been told he's very cat-like.

"Hello? Is someone over there?"

They could be gone by this point. Tango's definitely spent enough time thinking. The shifting of a leaf in the bush they're hiding in proves him wrong.

He glances at the sky. Screw caution! Long live chaos!

"I'm coming over."

He steps over the border, shivering at the way the temperature immediately drops. His wings are tucked safely away, though, and Katherine is incredibly good at what she does.

He should figure out a way to bring her over the border. She'd like that.

He stops in his tracks when they faceplant into the snow in order to stop him. They stumble to their feet and take Tango's breath away.

This fairy is beautiful.

He's taller than Tango. His hair is messy and short, flopping all over and starkly blonde. His eyes are wood brown and Tango feels he could probably get lost in them. He's really quite adorable, the freckles dotting his face accentuating that.

"No! No no no. It's dangerous and against the rules!" He says as he stumbles through the snow to push Tango back over to the other side. He dodges, a smile on his face.

He's quite clumsy. It probably doesn't help that he's wearing a coat that's clearly Katherine's craftsmanship.

He must be the reason she already had a coat on hand. It also explains why it's a bit big on him.

"Aww don't be like that! I'll be fine, see! I've taken all the necessary precautions."

He does a little spin to show off the outfit he's managed to construct. His cloak fans out a bit as he does so and he barely stops himself from giggling. He probably should cross back to safety but where's the fun in that?

The other fairy sighs. "I can see that. You still shouldn't be here though."

His accent sends a delightful shiver down Tango's spine. His voice sounds nice. He wants to keep talking to him.

"Because of the rules? They don't matter if I don't get caught."

"But I caught you."

"Are you going to tattle on me?"

He grins, staring the fairy down. If he had a tail it'd be swishing behind him like a cat. The fairy stares back. He seems determined to not lose.

"Relax. It's not the first time I've crossed to this side of the border."

He seems startled by this, taking a step back. Playfully, Tango takes a step forward.

"You've crossed the border before? And no one knew about it?"

"Well I did meet someone. She was really nice. Gave me this coat and kept me safe."

The other fairy goes quiet. Tango can see the gears turning in his mind. He turns around to head deeper into the woods. This fairy will probably come after him. It'll also probably distract him from coming to the conclusion that he met Katherine.

"Welp! I'm off to go do a bit of exploring. Nice meeting you stranger!"

He waves as he starts to walk away. The fairy sputters behind him before rushing to catch up.

"Nuh uh! You aren't getting away that easy." He grabs Tango's wrist, pulling him back. "You need to go back across the border. For your own safety."

He's warm. Tango's face feels warm.

"Where's the fun in that? I like to live dangerously."

"Then at least let me come with you. You can't fly in that coat. What if something happens?"

"You can't fly in that coat either." He pokes the other fairy in the chest to accentuate his point.

"I can't fly regardless. You don't have an extra pair of wings."

"What do you-?"

Before he's able to finish his question, the taller fairy whistles similar to the way Katherine did. Tango's eyes immediately go to the sky, only to be startled when a canary flies out of the bush that the winter fairy fell out of.

Tango watches him climb on to the bird's back easily.

"If you're going to insist on being out here it's safer to explore with a pair of wings."

He holds a hand out to help Tango up. He heasitates before taking it, climbing up onto the bird himself.

He barely gets a moment to wrap his arms around the other's waist before the canary shakes itself off before lifting into the air.

They don't go in the direction of the tree where the winter fairies live. They go away from it yet deeper in the woods at the same time.

The Winter Woods will never cease to amaze Tango.

"So uh... What's your name?"

It takes him a moment to process the question. "T- uh- Tango. Of the Tek variety."

He feels the fairy chuckle. "I think you're the first fairy I've ever known to have a last name."

"Yeah well I'm weird. Deal with it."

"You definitely are." He says it in a way that would be fond and affectionate if he hadn't just met Tango. "I'm Jimmy by the way."

"Jimmy." The name sounds familiar. He tests it out. It feels right to say. "Nice to meet you Jimmy."

"So uh... What's your reason for being out here? I mean you've gotta have one, right?"

He hums thoughtfully, gaze going to the forest around them. He can't say his entire reason for crossing the border in the first place, at least in this instance, was entirely to mess with Jimmy. Well he could but that could severely lower Jimmy's opinion on him.

For some reason, he really wants him to like him.

"It's pretty. Do I need another reason?"

"It is pretty. I guess that's reason enough."

Tango sighs. Talking to others is hard sometimes. He's glad it worked out.

They spend the rest of the day flying around the Winter Woods together, exploring and looking at all the beauties it has to offer.

It's dark by the time Tango gets back home undetected. He goes to sleep easily that night, the happiest he's been in a while.

He'll have to find Jimmy again some other day.

Maybe he'll ask Katherine about him when he sees her again.

Chapter Text

When they returned to the border, Jimmy made sure Tango went back across the border. He told Tango to never cross back over again.

Tango was never good at following directions.

Besides, he needs to meet up with Katherine.

The last time they saw each other, they agreed on a date, time, and place. Ironically, the date just happened to be the day after he met Jimmy.

So there he was, shirking his duties as a tinker and waiting for Katherine on a rock by the stream that runs along the border. Sure he might be there early but there was just something so... alluring about those snowy woods.

He doesn't have to wait long though before Katherine appears.

She gives him a smile as she approaches the border. She opens her mouth to speak when-

"TANGO!?"

Two pairs of eyes go wide and Tango frantically gestures at Katherine.

"Hide!" he hisses quietly. She's quick to comply after a moment of frantic searching, using her wings to propel her into a nearby clump of various plant life.

She moves just in time as Zed comes into view. He brightens at the sight of Tango, flying over to where he attempts to look like everything is normal.

"There you are! You've been gone so often lately. Are you alright?"

His expression takes on a worried tone as he lands beside Tango, who just waves off the concern, eyes back on the snow beyond.

"Yeah I'm all good. Just thinking... A lot."

Zed hums. "Anything in particular?"

Tango makes a noncommittal noise in response. Zed takes it as the answer that it was meant to be, though, as he turns his attention to the Winter Woods as well.

"Is this where you've been disappearing to?"

"Eh. More or less."

Zed hums again. "It is nice out here."

"Mhm. Quiet."

"Is there any particular reason you picked along the border as your thinking spot or...?"

Tango sighs. Zed probably won't leave without an answer. Tango isn't all that opposed to giving one either. Out of anyone, Zed is probably the most likely to understand the truth.

He doesn't say that, though. The more people who know, the more likely Tango is to get caught.

"Dunno. I just... Feel this kinda pull, y'know? It's fascinating."

"The border?"

"And everything beyond it. Imagine what kind of technology they have and how it differs from ours. We could learn so much!"

It's not the truth. At least, not fully. He's always been curious about the Winter Woods but he hasn't acted on it. Not until recently, that is and for a whole other reason entirely.

Zed doesn't need to know that, though. Not yet, anyway.

Regardless, he nods in understanding. Zed himself has a tendency to do and investigate things that others don't consider normal or practical.

"Well, as long as you don't cross the border, right?"

Tango hums in agreement. It's only to appease his friend but even to himself it sounds half hearted.

Zed chooses to ignore it, patting him on the shoulder. "Well I'll leave you to think in peace. Just don't do anything stupid."

"No promises." he fires back with a smile. Zed chuckles at that.

"See you around, Tango."

"See ya."

He waves at his friend as he leaves. He watches, making sure Zedaph is completely out of sight before jumping up off of the rock.

That was close. Too close.

It's all too easy to parkour across the stream, wings trapped under his coat and cloak preventing him from flying across. It doesn't take long to cross over the border.

He doesn't stop to let the temperature shift wash over him as he usually does. He keeps going, marching over to Katherine's hiding place. When he gets to her, she peers up at him through the plants.

"Is it clear?"

He just nods and helps her out. She's quick to brush herself off before checking to see if Tango's wings are tucked away safely and properly.

"We should probably go somewhere else. Don't really want to risk being caught again. Zed would understand but I don't really need a lecture right now."

Katherine hums in agreement. "Let's go back to my place and talk there."

A quick fly and they're back at Katherine's shop. With it being his fourth time on a bird by this point, he definitely hates the experience less. He's able to climb off the owl all on his own, landing easily on the branch.

The tree is just the same as when Tango was here last. Fairies flit about in the space between branches and the colorful hanging bulbs and the ground. Owls swoop past on silent wings, carrying out deliveries and transporting materials.

It's busy and not all that dissimilar to Pixie Hollow.

Before anyone can spot Tango and question who he is, he follows Katherine into her shop. The reds in his clothes is not the norm here.

Katherine closes the door behind him, flipping a small sign hanging on it as she does so before ushering him into a back room. He takes off his cloak as he enters, folding it up over his arm.

He's safe enough here.

The room itself is rather small and littered with various materials, mannequins, thread. There's a few different articles of clothing in various stages of completion about the room as well.

Overall, it's a pretty messy workspace but cozy nonetheless. Not that Tango has room to judge how messy Katherine's workspace is with the current and perpetual state of his own.

Katherine clears off a chair, gesturing for him to sit before bringing over another for herself.

"So. I thought more about what animal talents were gone, alone, or generally oblivious when you were here last time."

"Mhm. Any leads?"

"WELL! I think I have a few."

She stands, grabbing a list from a nearby table. Several names are scribbled out. She goes down the list, talking animatedly about each fairy who's name hasn't been crossed out and why they're on the list.

"Then there's Jimmy. He's kind but kinda oblivious sometimes... Most of the time."

"Oh! I met him! Didn't know he was an animal talent though." Tango mumbles the last part to himself as Katherine turns her attention to him.

"WHAT."

"Yeah! I met him yesterday. I convinced him to go exploring on this side of the border with me. Then he told me not to come back but I'm not very good at listening to people so." He makes an "it is what it is" gesture.

Katherine sputters for a moment. "Tango!"

"What?!"

"You got caught! You weren't supposed to do that?"

"Did he tell anyone?"

"Not that I'm aware of?"

"Then it's fine!"

"Tango that's not–" She takes a deep breath before putting her hands up in surrender. "Y'know what, nothing we can do about it now."

Tango nods. It's not the first time he's heard that but it definitely won't be the last.

"What did you think about Jimmy? Soulmates are supposed to get along well and generally like each other, romantic feelings or not." She sits down again, list and pencil in hand, prepared to take notes.

He takes a moment to think. They definitely got along pretty well, that's for sure. On top of that he's pretty and interesting and definitely someone Tango wouldn't mind seeing again.

"He's... Something. Bit of a stickler for the rules but he's kind."

Katherine snorts. "He just wants everyone to be safe. Safe and happy."

Tango hums, filing that information away. After a moment, he continues.

"Jimmy is also pretty interesting I'd say. He tried to force me back over the border like you did, actually. But I think he realized making me go back wouldn't stop me from coming back so he took me to go explore. Pretty sweet of him, I'd say."

Katherine nods. "And what happened while you were exploring?"

"Well. He definitely showed me a lot. He seemed really excited to tell me about everything we came across, actually. Eventually we just kinda... lost track of time."

She hums. "I'd say that probably makes him a candidate for being your soulmate, then."

He nods before snapping his fingers. "Oh! I kinda implied I met you when we talked so if he comes to you asking questions then that's why."

"Good to know."

"Now back when we first met I promised to tell you some stories about Pixie Hollow."

She beams, quickly putting the list and pencil aside to listen intently as Tango shares stories. And share stories he does. His own stories, stories he's been told. He talks about Pixie Hollow and what it looks like, the kinds of fairies that live there, how things work there, what it's like to be there.

Katherine happily listens to every word, their original purpose for being there forgotten as time passes around them.

Tango talks until the sun begins to dip below the horizon.

It was definitely a good day.

Chapter Text

Katherine giggled as Tango told her about one of Grian's many pranks.

He was laying on the couch in her shop, sharing stories while she worked. It was nice talking to Katherine.

He was just about to begin going off about some new invention of his when Katherine sighed.

"Y'know... it would be really nice to meet these people some day. Too bad I can't cross the border like you can."

His eyes widen and he sits up as he has an idea. "Who says you can't? Other than the people whose rules we're breaking."

"Well it's not like I can bundle up my wings in a coat and walk over."

He hits the side of his hand gently against his palm as he thinks. "I think I have an idea. Bring a block of ice to the border exactly two weeks from now."

"Okay?"

She takes him back to the border after that. He immediately flies to the tinker work shop to rummage through materials and draw up some blueprints.

He's so in the zone he doesn't notice Impulse coming up to his very messy space.

Impulse clears his throat, causing Tango to jump and look up before hiding his plans. "Im– Impulse! Hi Impulse. What are you doing over here? At my table?"

Impulse raises an eyebrow. "I was going to check in on you because you've been mysteriously absent a lot. But now I know you're planning something and I want in."

"Are you sure? We could get in a lot of trouble."

"Absolutely."

"No like... a lot a lot of trouble. Like genuine serious trouble."

Impulse raises an eyebrow. "What are you planning?"

"Well... You know how we aren't supposed to go across the border?"

"Tango."

"I mayyyybbeeee sorta broke that rule?"

"Did you get caught?"

"Perhaps... BUT! She's nice and she's my friend now. And she's been helping me look for my soulmate because they're definitely in the Winter Woods but that's not really important right now."

"Tango–"

"Anyway she miiiiiight've expressed a want to come see this side of the border and I maaaayyyyy have had an idea to get her over here safely. Just as long as you don't tell X about it we're fine!"

Impulse pauses for a moment. "So... you're planning on bringing a winter fairy here?"

"Not into Pixie Hollow but showing her a couple neat places outside of it, yes."

The other tinker is quiet for another moment. "Okay..."

"So are you still in?"

"Yeah. Someone needs to keep you in check." He ruffles Tango's hair with a smile.

"You're the best not brother brother a fairy could ask for. So here's the plan."

He shows Impulse the blueprints. They work on the snow machine together, getting other friends involved to make Katherine's trip interesting.

The two week mark arrives. Tango and Impulse meet Katherine at the border. She seems nervous as her owl drops off the block of ice.

"So. What did you need this for?"

"We made a snow machine!" Tango smiles as Katherine glances at Impulse. "Oh. Right. Introductions. Katherine, this is Impulse, my best friend. Impulse, this is Katherine."

They exchange greetings. Tango retrieves their machine from where they'd hidden it in the meantime.

Katherine takes a step back when she sees it. "Whoa."

"This is what's hopefully going to allow you to cross the border. Fingers crossed."

Impulse smiles. "You might want to step out of the way."

As Katherine does so, Impulse hits a button. The machine turns around, a harpoon firing out to spear the ice. It drags the ice into place before turning back around so the snow it creates is closer to the border.

"Ready Tango?"

"Yup! It probably won't explode."

"WHAT?!" Katherine shrieks.

Impulse activates the machine after a short countdown. It takes a moment before any snow comes out. Impulse and Tango high five at the success before the blonde flies down to offer a hand to Katherine.

"This should allow you to cross over. If not, I had a friend make a coat for you that we can stick some ice in."

She nods and takes his hand. "You really thought of everything."

"I try."

She takes in a deep breath. "Okay. Here goes."

Katherine closes her eyes. With Tango's guidance, she steps over the border. One more step and she's in the artificial snow.

"Does it work?"

Katherine opens her eyes and glances around. She flutters her wings and looks at them. "I think... it works!"

Tango laughs, practically tackling Impulse off of the snow machine in his excitement. "We did it Impy!"

Impulse laughs. "Now, let's start the tour!"

Katherine was amazed by everything they had to show her. Gem, Scar, Grian, Skizz, Zed, Mumbo, Etho, and Pearl all helped to put on an amazing show. It all went perfectly.

Their ice was getting low, though, so they decided to call it and bring Katherine home.

She crossed back to the other side of the border. Tango gave her a hug as everyone else said their goodbyes.

An owl swoops in out of nowhere and knocks the machine into the river below. Before Tango can react, Fwhip pulls Katherine back. The leader of the Winter Woods checks her over for injuries, making sure she's alright.

"Katherine you know crossing the border is dangerous."

"I know... I'm sorry–"

"Don't do it again."

"... Yes Fwhip."

She looks over her shoulder as Fwhip leads her away. She looks sad, like she's losing a friend.

She might as well be. Fwhip didn't look happy.

"Tango."

He stiffens at the sound of Xisuma's voice, turning around slowly. "Yes, X?"

"Step away from the border."

He does as he's told. Xisuma sighs.

"We have rules for your own safety. I can overlook you breaking some of them, but not this one. Not only have you put yourself in danger, but you put all of your friends and a winter fairy in danger."

He can't meet Xisuma's eyes, looking down at his feet "I'm sorry."

"Good. But for your own safety and for the safety of others, I'm confining you to your house and the tinker workshop as punishment. Consider yourself officially grounded."

Tango inhales. It's the worst punishment for someone like him. He exhales. He knew the risks. He did it anyway. The only thing he can do is accept his punishment. "Yes sir."

"I'm disappointed in everyone here. Etho, please escort Tango home."

Etho nods, gently grabbing Tango's hand. He leads him up and Tango follows. They fly slowly, taking their time so that Tango can try to enjoy the nature he won't be seeing for a while.

Etho speaks up after a while of silence. "I'm sorry, Tango."

"It's not your fault. It's mine."

"Still. If you need anything, I'll do my best to help."

"Thanks Etho."

Etho pats him on the shoulder before they land in front of Tango's house.

Tango opens the door. His house is cluttered with various materials and blueprints and overall a mess. He sighs as he looks at his prison for the next however long.

"See you around, Etho."

"See you."

He watches Etho leave before going inside and closing the door. The mess makes him feel claustrophobic.

He lays down on his bed and blinks back tears.

It may be his house, but it isn't his home.

Chapter Text

Jimmy flies along the border atop Norman's back.

Ever since he first spotted the fairy he now knows as Tango, something drew him to the border between winter and fall.

His wings were beautiful. The way they glowed made Jimmy's breath catch in his throat. And his hair was wild and his eyes intelligent and oh how Jimmy wanted to talk to him.

But they couldn't meet. Jimmy made his choice.

He fled when the fairy looked like he was going to cross the border. But he returned over and over, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stranger.

And one day, the stranger found him.

What a lovely day it was too. Jimmy had no idea he could enjoy someone else's presence so much.

Then Katherine got in trouble for crossing the border. And Tango implied knowing her. Jimmy might not be the smartest fairy but he wasn't a complete idiot.

Still, Jimmy flew along the border just in case. What if Tango got off easy? What if King Xisuma was benevolent? What if Tango snuck to the border anyway?

Speaking of the border, something about it is off.

Where the stream flowing between Pixie Hollow and the Winter Woods was the line that separated the two, snow seems to have spread to the other side. It's a little worrying. He isn't a garden fairy so he can't say if the affected plants will be okay but if it continues to spread...

Something is very very wrong.

His grip on the golden feathers under him tightens as he continues to fly along the border. His eyes scan the ground below and the snow on the other side just seems to be getting worse and worse.

Then he spots the source.

There's a machine if some kind stuck in the water on some rocks. It grinds the bits of ice that flow down the stream up into tiny shards, almost like snow.

Snow that drifts across the border. Snow that spreads winter.

That thing needs to go.

Jimmy urges Norman into a dive. The canary follows his lead, perching on the machine. He doesn't seem happy with the cold water but Jimmy will give him snacks later.

Norman's wings flap frantically as he tries to pull the machine from the water with no success.

Carefully, Jimmy slides off of the canary's back and onto the slippery rocks below. He takes a moment to balance properly before taking a look at the issue.

Gently, he nudges one of Norman's feet into a place with a better hold. His eyes linger on the letters carved into the machine's side, though. Like a maker's mark.

"TT + Imp"

TT. Tango Tek.

Jimmy shakes his head. Now is not the time.

He climbs back onto Norman's back and gives him the signal to fly. His wings beat furiously against the air with no success. Jimmy sighs. He needs a bigger bird.

Any of the owls will probably do. But he knows one fairy that likely won't be using hers for a while.

Katherine.

And she knows Tango so two birds with one stone.

Norman lands on the branch connected to Katherine's shop. He slides off the bird and onto the branch easily, something he's done a thousand times. Norman stays put as he runs over to the door, waving to Joel, who's currently keeping guard, as he ducks inside.

Katherine isn't anywhere to bee seen but he knows she's here. The store is open, for one. For two, Joel is there making sure she doesn't leave to go cross the border again.

He's not very happy to be put on fairysitting duty but he's not going to tell Fwhip no.

The door to Katherine's workshop is open slightly. He can't hear any voices so she must not have any clients.

Perfect.

Jimmy pushes open the door and immediately feels bad for Katherine.

She's hunched over her desk looking like she cried recently. Her hair isn't as neat as it usually is and she looks very sad. Understandable considering a close friend was just ripped away from her.

"Heyyyyy... Katherine" Jimmy starts. "Is uh... Can I borrow your owl?"

"What?" Katherine looks up from the work she'd been halfheartedly doing. "Why do you need my owl?"

"Well... I was flying along the border–"

"Jimmy..."

"Y'know, as you do when there's a pretty fairy that lives on the other side." Katherine raises an eyebrow, interest suddenly piqued but Jimmy keeps going. "But I saw that there was snow... where there shouldn't be snow."

"What do you mean?"

"On the other side of the border. The Pixie Hollow side. I think it's because of this... thing stuck in the water that's shredding the ice."

Katherine inhales sharply, recognition flashing in her eyes. "Oh no!"

"I tried to pull it out with Norman but... Clearly that didn't go according to plan..."

"So... you want to use my owl to pull out the Snowificator?"

"The what?"

Katherine turns her attention back to the fabric she was sewing. "That's what Tango called it. Went on and on about how he made it too. He seemed so proud. Of both his creation and his home."

Jimmy fidgets with his finger. So Tango did make the thing in the stream. The Snowificator. He smiles at the thought of Tango proudly introducing Jimmy to this creation. He can almost hear exactly what Tango would say.

The thought makes Jimmy feel strangely warm.

"Anyway, if it's causing a problem you're more than welcome to use my owl to pull it out. She should be up in the nest."

"Right!" Jimmy blinks, having completely forgotten why he came to Katherine in the first place. "Right. I'll go get her. Thanks for your help, Katherine!"

Katherine smiles. It's small but genuine. "Of course! Oh! If you see Shelby, tell her I have her hat ready."

"Will do! See you around!"

"See you!"

Katherine's owl isn't that hard to find. Despite a lot of the owls looking incredibly similar, Jimmy has learned to tell the difference.

Polly is right where Jimmy expected. Just like Katherine, her owl doesn't like being cooped up for very long. She's waiting by the exit hole, watching for Katherine, listening for her call.

Jimmy slides off of Norman's back, watching the canary hop deeper into the nest to warm up. He doesn't blame him in the slightest.

Polly's head turns around to look at Jimmy as he approaches. He knows she won't lunge at him or try to eat him. She's been well trained and any potentially dangerous owls aren't kept in the nest.

He pats her wing. "Wanna help me pull something out of the stream?"

Polly flaps her wings before lowering herself down for Jimmy to climb on. He does as she requests, fingers sinking into thick warm feathers. It makes him glad he's been training an owl.

Being on an owl is different from being on Norman, though, so it takes Jimmy a moment to get settled. Once he is, she dives out of the nest without warning, wings silently snapping open to catch the cold air.

Jimmy directs Polly to the border. The spread of snow on the other side seems to have gotten worse in the time he's been gone.

Polly swoops down, confidently and easily snatching up the Snowificator. He directs her into dropping it just beside the border for now.

The owl lands nearby and Jimmy jumps down, boots crunching in the snow. He runs over to the machine, in awe now that it isn't causing a disaster.

The mechanisms are complex like nothing he's ever seen, yet simple all at the same time. He'd love to listen to Tango explain it.

While lost in thought, Jimmy's eyes drift up to where the snow still lingers on the other side of the border. He should probably tell someone about that. Someone who can do something about it.

And he really doesn't want to just leave the Snowificator here. Surely a tinker would be able to find use in its parts.

Katherine won't mind if he borrows Polly for a little while longer, right?

Chapter Text

It took an embarrassingly long time to even find Tango's house.

It's not like Jimmy could just waltz into Pixie Hollow and ask the first person he saw about Tango's whereabouts. He's not supposed to be in Pixie Hollow in the first place.

And yet here he is, on Norman's back because Polly would draw too much attention, scanning for anywhere that looked like it might belong to the eccentric tinker. He stealthily checks several homes and it's getting dark before he finds what he's looking for.

He doesn't know why he didn't check it first. From the way the home is built to the decor, it screams someone who has little to no regard for the rules. The house is located on the ground, of all things! And off by itself.

Not that Jimmy can really say he's that much better.

This needs some planning, though. If he gets spotted, he'll get in trouble too. He's been in enough of that for a lifetime. Which means he probably needs to get his hands dirty.

He sheds his coat, tying it around his waist by the sleeves. Pixie Hollow was a lot warmer than he remembered. Or maybe he just got used to the cold.

After an hour or so of debating and thinking and planning, Jimmy came up with a plan.

He doesn't trust Polly's ability to deliver the Snowificator silently. But he also doesn't want Tango to miss it entirely. To counter that, he'll knock on the door, run, and that would give Polly the cute to deposit it on Tango's doorstep.

It's a flawless plan. Totally.

Definitely not an excuse to stare at Tango.

Norman lands as close as he can without potentially waking Tango up. He isn't quiet like an owl. Jimmy hops down, stumbling a bit on the uneven ground, and makes his way to Tango's front door.

A blue glow stops him in his tracks.

It's coming from behind him. He glances back to see if he was maybe spotted when his breath catches in his throat.

His wings, his broken and useless wings, are glowing.

It's a soft, glittery blue that follows the remaining pattern of the thin, damaged membranes. It reminds him of Tango's wings the first time he saw him, how they caught the light with the same blue. He's so entranced by the sight that he almost forgets he's supposed to be stealthy.

Almost.

Once the awe over something he didn't even know was possible subsides, panic takes its place.

He's glowing. At night.

He is royally screwed.

Jimmy fumbles with the knot tied around his waist. In his panic, he at least had the thought of covering his wings so that he'd be able to hide in case anyone came to check out the strange glow. He manages to pull his coat on haphazardly, scrunching the remains of his wings up in a way that is incredibly uncomfortable.

Just in time, too. He can hear Tango's door start to open.

Jimmy dives into the nearby plant life, trying his best to hide among the greenery.

He has to stifle a gasp when Tango finally steps outside.

He is wearing what looks like comfortable sleep clothes, hair disheveled in a way that suggests he was abruptly woken up. He rubs at his eyes as he scans the surroundings, confused. Behind him, his wings are glowing too.

"Hello?"

Thankfully, Polly is a very smart bird. She swoops in with the Snowificator in her talons, landing right in front of Tango. He blinks up at her in surprise, turning his head as though he's looking for someone on her back.

"Oh... Thanks?"

He turns his attention to the Snowificator, pulling it properly upright. He examines it for a moment, likely to assess the damage, before turning his attention back to the surrounding area.

He knows that Jimmy is here.

How does he know that Jimmy is here?!

Polly fluffs up, taking a moment to shake out her feathers before taking off. Her sudden action distracts and startles Tango. Jimmy takes the opportunity to make a run for it.

He sprints back to where Norman is waiting, jumping onto his back. His panic is enough for the canary and in a blink they're in the air.

He turns back, looking at Tango as he leaves. His wings stop glowing. Tango seems almost as perplexed by this phenomenon as Jimmy is, looking back at his wings confusedly before scanning the area one last time.

The last Jimmy sees of him, he starts attempting to get the Snowificator inside.

Jimmy shakes his head, grip on Norman's feathers tightening as he looks forward. Tango seemed confused by the glowing the first time Jimmy saw him, too.

He sighs as Norman tilts to head back towards the Winter Woods.

He has some research he needs to do.

Chapter Text

Norman lands on the branch that leads to Jimmy's home. It's built into the tree rather than being one of the hanging bulbs. The inability to fly, and all that.

Norman flies off once Jimmy dismounts. Understandable, really. The Winter Woods can get very cold at night. He doesn't blame the canary for wanting to find somewhere warm to rest.

When he opens the door, warm air washes over him. It wraps around him like a hug as he steps inside, the numbness of his hands and face and the tips of his ears slowly begining to fade.

His coat gets shrugged off and hung up in the closest by the door. His home is the only place in the Winter Woods he doesn't have to wear it. It's necessary, but that doesn't always mean it's the most comfortable.

It takes him an embarrassingly long time to realize he isn't alone.

Lizzie is sitting on his bed. She looks positively miserable, the heat of his home causing it to be avoided by most winter fairies. Her arms are crossed and she looks like she's somewhere between melting and choking him out.

"What are you doing in my house...?"

Jimmy's acknowledgement of her existence snaps Lizzie out of whatever she was in. She stands, waving her arms as she paces angrily back and forth.

"I've been waiting for you! You've been missing for HOURS Jimmy! Nobody had any clue where you were! What if you got picked off by a bird? Or a cat! What if something happened to Norman and you couldn't get home? What if we couldn't find you? What if you froze somewhere, alone? What if.... What if..."

He wraps his arms around Lizzie. That seems to calm her somewhat. Her hands grab onto the back of his shirt like he'll vanish if she doesn't hold him tight.

Jimmy isn't good with words. He doesn't know what to say to make everything okay, to apologize for worrying her.

He holds her just as tight, hoping that the warmth of his body and the beating of his heart were enough to soothe her.

"I thought... I was worried I lost you..."

"I know."

And Jimmy holds her impossibly closer.

After a minute, he pats her back gently. "Let's get you outside."

She mumbles an "okay" into his shoulder. Jimmy puts his coat back on, taking care to make sure his wings don't get squished uncomfortably.

They sit together on the branch by Jimmy's door for a while. Lizzie's legs dangle over the edge while Jimmy sits with his knees pulled up to his chest. Neither of them say anything.

He starts thinking in the silence. Lizzie did research on weird wing stuff. Back when they first met, she was the one that went looking to see what the matching patterns meant. Maybe she stumbled across other strange occurrences in her research too.

"Lizzie, what do you know about glowing wings?"

She tilts her head with a hum, thinking for a moment. "If I remember correctly, that means your soulmate is nearby."

"Soulmate?"

"Yeah! Like... the person you're destined to be with. And it doesn't have to be romantic. That's just the person you're going to get along with the best, I guess. Why?"

Jimmy doesn't respond. His mind is racing with this new information.

Jimmy's wings were glowing. Tango's wings were glowing. He's fairly certain nobody else was around when he dropped off the Snowificator. His wings only started glowing when he got close to Tango's house. And Tango's stopped glowing when Jimmy got far away.

The first time it happened, Jimmy left when he spotted someone flying over to Tango.

Eavesdropping is bad manners, after all.

Lizzie's eyes widen as she puts the pieces together. "Jimmy..."

He swallows nervously. "Yeah?"

She scoots closer. "Where were you when your wings started to glow?"

What Lizzie is actually asking is "are they in Pixie Hollow".

The only place he does that is when he's in his home or at Katherine's to get a new one. Those are the only two places in all of the Winter Woods that Jimmy takes off his coat. The coat would have had to be off in order for Jimmy to see that his wings were glowing.

If his soulmate was a winter fairy, they would already know.

"In most instances the wings don't start glowing until later in life." Lizzie rattles off more information from whatever book she read. "Jimmy, where did you come from?"

The way she's staring him down makes him squirm.

"Promise you won't tell on me?"

"Jimmy."

"Y'know how Katherine crossed the border?"

"Jimmy."

"Yeah well the machine might have been making winter spread to the other side and I might have gone to deliver it back to the fairy that made it–"

"You're supposed to be dead to them, Jimmy."

"and I might've taken off my coat because it's warmer there than I remember and when I went up to his house my wings may or may not have started glowing."

"Jimmy!" Lizzie just sighs, burying her face in her hands.

Neither of them say anything for a long moment.

"And... And you're sure he's your soulmate?"

"Nobody else was around so..."

"You're supposed to... Nobody over there is supposed to know you're alive. Not after..."

She trails off. She doesn't have to finish her sentence. When she lifts her head out of her hands, Lizzie looks at him with a war of emotions in her eyes.

On one hand, she wants to keep everyone safe. Being allowed to cross the border willy nilly results in fairies losing their wings or getting sick, dying because of it at worst.

On the other hand, she doesn't want to keep Jimmy from his soulmate. It wouldn't be fair to force him to abandon his soulmate. It wouldn't be fair to his soulmate either.

But she also wants to be selfish. She doesn't want to let Jimmy leave. She doesn't want to lose her brother to the border again, not after everything they've gone through. Not after they've fought every step of the way to be together like this.

He reaches over, placing his hand over hers. Jimmy gives it a gentle squeeze.

"We'll figure this out, together."

Lizzie squeezes his hand back. "Always."