just the dust keeper guy

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ "you needn't pretend simply because my sister introduced us. though i'm not such a matchmaker myself." sidelong glance, watching her friend tinkerbell across the dance floor. "she is quite pretty, is she not ? rather than being here, perhaps going over and talking to her might work out in your favor." / bridgerton au starter & @dustkeeperguy.

terence follows the princess's gaze, his cheeks warming instantly as he realizes who she's referring to. "no, i can't. i mean, yes, of course, she's very pretty," his gaze, longing, lingers for a second before he refocuses his attention back to the redhead. "but she wouldn't, not with... i believe her dance card's full." not to mention it seems her sights were set on the gentleman in green. "not that i would go if it wasn't. i'm happy to keep you company."

The Tinkerbell Challenge | [02/10] Fairies | → Terence in Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure (2009) ;; “I was wrong. I wish you were here. I am here! I know you are. But, I mean, really here, with me. I am with you. I’m standing behind you.”

 ❛❛ DIFFERENT ? ❜❜ the tinker fairy repeated, raising a curious eyebrow as she regarded terence. it certainly wasn't a question she'd expected to be asked but its intention was to make her think and that's exactly what she started to do. she'd paused in her work but resumed after a moment, if only to keep her hands busy and distract from her racing thoughts.  ❛❛ different how ? ❜❜ tink was almost certain she knew but wanted to avoid any awkwardness if she turned out to be wrong.

terence rubs the back of his neck as his wings flit nervously, a clear tell that he was teeming with unease. it was typically very easy to speak to tink — they were best friends, after all. but now, as he attempts to breach the cheese in the room, he finds himself losing the right words to say. "uh, i guess, different as in... well," terence clears his throat. "what if we weren't best friends?"

"after the fire and losing so many friends, i didn't want to return to neverland ever. if it wasn't for queen clarion i would have stayed in the kensington gardens forever. i'm still scared of fires and i'm even more scared of losing anyone i care about. i can't even imagine losing you—or any of our friends."

terence considered himself one of the lucky ones; majority of his friends had made it to safety before the fire swept everything away. learning his best friend didn't have the same experience upset him to no end, and to see her heavy with grief that he couldn't bear for her made his heart sink. "i'm glad queen clarion convinced you to come back." terence responds softly. he'd missed her, but he'd never fault her for leaving in the first place. if tink needed to leave to be happy, then he'd learn to be happy for her. "i get it. i mean, a lot of us weren't the same after it happened. it's a lot of leaning on each other to help fill each other's cups when our own rations are low." he explains. terence offers tink a smile — one he hoped offered the tinker some reassurance. "you won't lose me. i'm harder to get rid of than you think."

" hm? " the little garden fairy had been lost in her thoughts. " oh, why yes — everything's fine. " she replied, though the flower she was supposed to be painting remained untouched.

terence flits closer, not entirely convinced that everything was fine. he'd never seen a garden fairy look so glum. "are you sure?" he presses, stashing the packaged pixie dust back into his satchel. deliveries could wait a little longer. "you know, everyone says i'm a really good listener." he trails off, his eyes darting to the unpainted petals, and he attempts a jest, "i'm not known to be a very good painter, though."