Would you like one?

She gestured for him to join her at the table, to take a seat for himself so he was more comfortable. Instead of moving right along to the next treat, she took another bite of the parfait and let herself just enjoy it.

His question nearly fractured that peace.

How had things been? Horrible. Her beloved princess was trapped far away from her home and loved ones, forced to live in a place barely familiar to her. Clarion tried to tell herself that this was a good opportunity for Atta -- that she would be able to experience the Clumsies' world for herself and learn to understand their ways just as she had when she was a princess, but she knew in her heart it was different. She had left by choice. That choice had been taken from Atta.

But she was sure that that wasn't what Bobby wanted to hear, and she didn't wish to burden him with her fears (he had two daughters of his own, after all), so instead she merely hummed again. "Busy as this season always is. I'm certain everyone is ready for Slumber, and I am no exception."

She motioned for him to sit and he did, readjusting his apron as he did so. He had been in such a flurry that he had forgotten to take it off. It was a comfort to him, though he tried not to think about how unkempt the stains must look. They were part of the process, after all.

Her words had him humming and nodding in return. "Neither am I. I'm very excited for my girls to be getting a break. The adjustment to human school has been a rather difficult one for Millie," he admitted. "At least, much more than I remember for Hattie Rose. I don't know if things are just getting worse, or..."

He quickly shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to rattle on with such trivial concerns."

"And yet, you're working," Gary playfully teased him, as if reading his mind. "And I'm the one trying very hard to distract you from it."

He usually liked to be a little more subtle than that, but Bobby wasn't really indicating he was picking up on Gary's more than polite interest. Maybe he did and was just awkward at this. Or worse, he was already disinterested in him and Gary wasn't Bobby's type!

Whatever "type" meant. Gary didn't have one. He could be into anybody of any gender, any look, any personality. Not that Gary knew much about Bobby yet besides that he was very beautiful...but that's the point of flirting with him, to figure him out.

"I don't think you need to try that hard," he said, a little coyly. It had been some time since he'd had this kind of banter, he was still a bit rusty.

"Oh, I don't think Fairy Michael would lie about something like that. He would choose only the best for his successor, I know it."

"Doesn't it?" Gary said, smiling at him all proud it seemed to be working.

The talk was enough to send the hairs on the back of his neck completely upright, along with other things on the way. While his summer fairy blood always ran hot, only Gary knew how to truly heat him up.

Soon they were kissing and Bobby rested his hands on Gary's waist, where they perfectly belonged. His dirty talk really did have him giggling this time, cheeks and ears flushing red. Just the thought of it was already sending blood rushing downwards.

"Well...how could I possibly deny you that?"

The Grove had been quiet all week. More often than not, Winston figured it was due to the fact the weather had turned and most people, save their regular customers, didn't think their flora could grow in such conditions.

Clearly, most people did not understand the concept of a greenhouse, nor their function, but Winston rarely had anyone around that let him explain it.

During these slow times, Winston kept himself busy by taking Flower's intake, making sure their daily orders were put out and put to rights, that sort of thing. When all of that was done, though? He made his own busy work – typically, that meant going through the houses and pruning, repotting, deadheading, and any other general maintenance Winston could think to do.

Still, he sometimes wished he could just grow flowers on a whim. Oh, the ways he would surprise his Promised with gifts, make crowns for his daughter, and decorate their home beautifully. It was a wistful thought.

The reality, however, was that if Bobby wanted flowers, he'd need to procure them himself. Winter was not the time to be flower picking though, so he found himself at the Garden Grove. It was a beautiful oasis of greenery and warmth in a long and chilly white winter.

He only got to admire them for a moment before finding something else to admire as Winston straightened to greet him. "Oh! Winston, hello! How are you doing?"

Even with the small changes that had been made, Clarion could feel herself begin to unwind bit by bit -- some of the tension that had been clinging to her smoothed away by the nostalgia of the familiar.

"I believe I have heard of suhmores," Clarion said, picking up a parfait and dipping in the provided spoon. "I have not tried them myself, however." They had a few American fairies in the Hollow, but apparently proper graham crackers were hard to find in the UK and hard to make with ingredients from the Hollow. She wished she had been able to try some for herself.

She was able to take a bite of the parfait, and Clarion let out a soft hum of appreciation as the refreshing flavors of the parfait melted on her tongue. The chocolate added a surprising richness and warmth to the treat, and Clarion took a moment to savor it.

His shoulders relaxed slightly at the familiar joyful hum. They'd been working together long enough that he was able to gather some initial intel just from her immediate reaction.

"Of course, let me know any notes," he said, gesturing to the tray. Once upon a time, when Bobby was a much younger fairy, he would hover over his patrons and stare in silence, waiting for responses. He had learned since then that it was not the most appropriate way to go about things.

No, people liked to chat over their treats.

"How have things been otherwise?"

Ah, the what do you like to talk about question. Gary never knew how to answer this. Nothing. Anything. Everything. It just depended who he was talking to.

"Depends, I'll talk about anything if I want to talk to someone." Gary said. He'd probably let bright, beautiful Bobby Wildfern talk forever if he'd let himself.

He wondered if Bobby realized he was flirting with him right now.

He smiled wide. "I've heard--congratulations on the promotion, it's such a huge honor. But I can only imagine how much extra work that's put on you. Must not be easy to have a social life...it's a good thing we have this time set aside for us," he said, gesturing out the festivities in front of them. Though, while everyone else was socializing, he was still here. With his work.

He was going to make him say it, wasn't he? Fine, then.

Gary kissed his nose then the corner of his mouth, then said against his ear, "I was planning to take you to bed."

He stepped back enough to look at him, to watch his face as he continued.

Not to mention, it was pretty enticing. Lately their sex life was defined by their work and family, meaning it had to be quick and quiet. There was never time these days to enjoy one another. At least, not in the way they used to.

He bit back a smile. "Well, that does sound nice..."

"I can't be good at everything, I would be too powerful if I were." Gary, quite pleased with himself, released his hold on Bobby's waist to let him turn around and when he did Gary was back on him.

He slipped his arms back around his waist and stretched up to kiss him.

"I would say so." He shivered a little at the playful tickle near his side. All these years later, Gary knew how to excite him. "What were you hoping to do with this time...?"

Gary tried to follow, he really did, but the truth was he just wasn't interested in baking like that. But he was interested in the way shy Bobby Wildfern's face lit up when he talked about it; like, whatever you say gorgeous, Gary failed at listening but now he wants to keep you talking.

"Absolutely none," Gary confirmed, taking another cookie and smiling warmly, like him not making sense wasn't a bad thing at all. "But I like how much you're smiling right now. Your eyes got all sparkly while you were talking about baking."

The sudden onslaught of compliments had his wings fluttering, despite the way he was standing on the branch.

"O-oh!" He replied, at a loss to say anything else. "W-well I'm sure I could talk your ear off about anything aha! I-I mean, uhm, what do you like to talk about...?"

Winston knew that the fairy didn't really grasp the tenuous situation that Magicks held onto in the States. Most people didn't, here, but that was...alright. Winston worked within their limits, so it made sense he would. But that was besides the point!

Right now, he was trying to talk to a person he considered a friend, and ease his fears.

"Mm yeah, I s'pose it is," he hums, nodding, shifting to lean a wide shoulder into the wall, arms folding over his chest. It wasn't a moce meant to close off; rather it was one of comfort, to make himself smaller and out of the way in case any other customers came into the bakery. "But Evelyn does all the work. We come up with the ideas together, sometimes. Or I do, or she does. Jus' depends."

But he didn't really want to talk about his company. He wasn't here for that. Well, not really.

A kind, understanding smile curves around Winston's mouth and he nods. "I get it. I don't have any, and I still worry about kids I see on the street." Bobby would have a whole cow if he saw the way some parents sent their children to elementary school (as it was called) - walking by themselves, backpacks bigger than they were.

He smiled small at the suggestion. "Oh I always send my girls off with goods to share with their classmates. It's not overworking--you'd be surprised how many leftovers we have at the end of each day. I know they love it, but there's only so much a good cookie can do when buildings are blowing up and fairies are being attacked on the streets..."

He sighed shakily before offering another weak smile. "I'm sorry, this isn't what you came here for. You want me to grab your usual?"

"So what delectable treats have you brought for us to sample today, Bobby?" Clarion asked as she sat down. She liked Bobby -- he was as sweet and warm as the things he baked, and had a relaxed sort of air that made everyone he met feel at home. Or maybe that was the smell of fresh baked pastries that seemed to follow him around the Hollow like a shadow.

It was already permeating through her office, layering over the smell of parchment and the looming snap of winter.

...well, that's what he was here for! Baked goods couldn't solve everything, but they were a good way to bring moments of joy to those times of stress.

Following her lead, he walked in as well, tray in hand. "Ah, a few, actually! We're having trouble narrowing it down. We have the classic marshmallow and mint parfait, the cherry and walnut cake, and the raisin cookies with white chocolate drizzle. But this year I've also been experimenting with candied prunes in the fruit cake and adding graham flour and chocolate to the parfaits--have you ever heard of a "suh-more?" Some humans brought them to the Frosty Moon bonfire, they are a delicacy in America!"

She remembered how close they were in the dream. She needed to just channel that. Think about it from that perspective, not her actual own perspective.

"Oh, that's--" Her stomach did a flip of emotions, from excitment to worry to happiness to stress. "I... I'll have to come by one of those. M-maybe I will."

She wanted that, she wanted that so bad, to just be accepted into this little family, maybe just as like a stranger they met through a dream. Maybe if it was just Bobby and the girls, that could've happened. But she didn't know if Gary would want her getting that close to them. Or if he'd accept just pretending like they were only related in a dream and they chose to have her around.

And that was the part that hurt the most.

Bobby seemed to want her around. He didn't know her, he just knew she was his child in a dream and he loved her there, and he wanted to know her here. He was so willing to accept her as a stranger... she had to imagine he would've been willing to accept her as a daughter at one point.

"The bakery... I... Yeah," she smiled some. "Maybe I'll stop by there sometime between classes or something. I, um... That would be nice. To talk to you, I mean. And, um, thank you. For wanting to? Talk to me?"

But if that's where it would end up, so be it. All he could do was put the options out there.

He smiled wide. "Of course! The dreams are always such a good way to meet and get to know people around town. I'm honored that the town chose to put you with us. I'm quite positive everyone would love to see you again!"

He glanced over her shoulder. "Speaking of the bakery, I probably should head over there. But talk to you sometime soon, hopefully?"

Gary, in theory, was happy for any time with his Promised. But he'd be lying if he wasn't really hoping to get him to their bedroom soon and really take his time with him instead of their usual quickie after they put the girls to bed or before they woke up.

But okay, okay, he could tone down the horny. Act grown, Xiaogang.

"Or we could tell the girls to do it later. They don't really have regular chores besides their room." Their girls were maybe a little spoiled...and with laundry-talents and cleaning-talents in the hollow it wasn't like fairies had many household chores to do anyway. Not like when Gary had lived in the clumsy world and the list was never ending.

But he did loosen his grip on Bobby and stood on his toes to just press a kiss to his cheek.

At the same time, these opportunities were so rare for them.

In the end, he was not hard to convince.

"Well...I suppose it can be gotten to later," he conceded, putting the dish down and going to wipe his hands on his clothes. "As it turns out, you're not very good at not being distracting."

Gary almost forgot to swallow before answering, Bobby's big eager eyes making him want to give him his answer right away. Catching himself before he embarrassed himself he gave a polite smile before swallowing his bite and wiping his mouth with the back of his wrist.

"It's very good. Different in a good way from what I expected. What'd you do differently?"

The other man confirmed as much. He nodded enthusiastically. "Ah, well, you see..." From there, Gary was trapped in a several minute long rambling of complicated baking terminology and list of ingredients that one might not expect. Bobby was animated as he spoke of it all, using his hands to emphasize certain points.

Then it was his turn to seem to remember himself as he trailed off. "I'm sorry, I'm not making any sense, am I?"

Full Moon preparations just weren’t the same without Atta around.

Clarion spent most of her days drifting along, mindlessly completing her tasks. By the time she made it back to her room each night, she could barely recall what she had done during the day. She just knew something was missing.

Someone was missing.

She visited Atta in town frequently, of course; stopping by the apartment usually every other day with food and gossip. They were the only moments in her day she could remember with painful clarity -- watching Atta navigate her Clumsy body, looking adrift. It was torture, and she had no clue how to fix it. No one did. None of the dozens of voices of monarchs of the past knew how to heal this particular wound, and so they kept searching for answers and Atta stayed away from the Hollow.

Life carried on. No matter how wrong it felt.

Clarion was supposed to be double-checking the preparations for the first snow, but she couldn’t focus on the words that swam in front of her. Eventually she gave up, fluttering to the window and perching herself on the bench seat packed with soft pillows. She curled her legs up to her chest like a child, watching life in the Hollow rush on below her.

After a while, there was a knock at the door, and she sighed. “Come in,” she called as she twisted in her seat and set her feet back on the floor. Back in the perfect posture of a queen.

Bobby tried not to think about it, for his own sake. He had two young seedlings in the town, after all. Despite everything, they so desperately wanted to be there and as their father, he would do everything to support them. Including worry every moment of every day. But it's fine! It's fine. Everything is fine.

Life did indeed carry on. As did his duties as a baker.

The next full moon was coming up and Fairy Berry had been in a tizzy trying to figure out the perfect recipe to represent the crisp chill of a coming winter while still warming everyone's bellies and distracting them from the horrors of the world around them. Really, Bobby thought that all might be too much to put on a plate of cookies, but what did he know?

Either way, he had volunteered to bring the taste test batch to the Queen herself. He straightened himself out, carefully balancing the tray, before knocking on the door. With the response, he opened it and poked his head in.

"Ah-- Your Majesty, Queen Clarion? I have the new recipe here for the Yule Moon?"