Sindri lounged on her stomach in a vine-crafted hammock attached to a pair of overgrown shade trees beside a lake in the Fae realm, lazily skimming the grass with her fingertips. Her gossamer wings fluttered in the warm afternoon breeze, reflecting silver against the lowering sun. The smell of pure, rich soil, combined with tolerable humidity, saturated the air, and she inhaled deeply, completely and utterly content.

Her date had been fun. Though her meal of pasta and steamed vegetables had been simple, Storm hadn't complained as Sindri put on a show with her magic, making the dishes hover over the table turning on the tv with a snap of her fingers. They watched one of the games, sizing up potential rivals for the playoffs while Storm explained the rules of hockey. There'd been no kiss at the end because Sindri hadn't been ready, but Storm had immediately texted her an hour later, asking for a second date.

A trio of pixies lay on the ground in a small pile, snoring off a fresh batch of Sindri's alfredo sauce she'd exchanged for an extra jar of pixie dust. Mops of hair in wild shocks of pink, purple, and blue grew atop their heads, curtaining their cherub faces as they giggled in their sleep. They'd have a heck of a hangover later, but no fairy could resist the temptation of Sindri's cooking, especially when cream was involved.

"I hope you saved some for me," a familiar voice said from her right.

She didn't bother to shift in the hammock; Sindri was on Cloud Nine and wanted to enjoy what little time she had left in her second home. Resting her cheek against the vines and keeping her eyes closed, she said, "Hello, Thayer. There's some in my bag next to the tree. Help yourself, but save some for Elvinia."

Fabric rustled near Sindri's head as the lid clinked against the glass mason jar. Then came a click of the fingers and a slight sway of Sindri's hammock. Turning her head, she watched Thayer wiggle himself into his own that he'd conjured, attaching the front to her tree and the back to a second tree at an angle so he could face her.

Instead of lying down, he sank directly in the middle, keeping himself from falling with fluttering wings. He dipped his finger into the sauce and put it in his mouth, reminding Sindri of Winnie the Pooh and his beloved jar of honey. "Oh, this is good. What's the occasion?"

"Do I need one?" she asked, unwilling to reveal how well her date went. Sindri wasn't ready to confront him, and hoped their final parting wouldn't end on sour terms. "Maybe I wanted to come home for a spell."

"Well, I'm always happy to see you," he said jovially, taking another dip from the sauce. "You don't visit enough."

Sindri sat up and gripped the edges of the vines, swinging her feet beneath her. Her chest tightened — she didn't travel to this realm enough because she hadn't wanted to embrace something she'd prepared her entire life to eventually leave behind. But with her ultimate goal within reach, she found herself afraid to say goodbye. "You're right. It's difficult to live in two worlds and never quite fit in. If I remain here, my life would be easier, and I think I could be happy, but if I don't stay in the human realm, I might miss my only opportunity to reclaim my humanity."

Thayer frowned and capped the mason jar before setting it in the hammock. He kept his head low, crossing his legs at the ankles. In a soft voice, he asked, "Would that be so bad? Is being a fae so shameful?"

"No, of course not!" Sindri leapt off her hammock and joined him on his, leaning onto Thayer's shoulder. How could she make him understand she was two sides of the same coin? "I love you all very much, and I'm heartbroken with the knowledge I have to say goodbye. That's why I stay away; it hurts every time I lose someone."

Thayer slipped an arm around her waist and drew her close. When she tilted her head back to meet his gaze, he kissed her forehead. He ended by resting his head against hers. "You don't have to lose us," he whispered with a hitched breath. "Humans think we are petty and evil, snatching babies from young mothers and misleading people to their deaths in the marsh. In truth, we are honest, and when we love, no celestial body could eclipse our devotion."

Oh, Thayer, please stop. Please don't say it. Her heart beat faster than ever, anticipating this moment for so long.

Leaning back, his intense gaze never left hers. His copper brows wrinkled in time with his bobbing throat. They were so close, Sindri could count every freckle dusting his high cheeks. "Those humans waste their short lives with greed and evil in their hearts. They deceive and kill for personal gain. They destroy because they can. Why do you want to go back to that?"

She knew what he was saying: how could she choose the people who'd held her captive and tortured her? Why would she trade immortality and magic for the opposite?

Sindri considered his question. She had every reason to hate humans, even more than Thayer. Elvinia was the only fae to rival that hatred, having lost her husband in a similar circumstance. But unlike the queen, Sindri kept trying to see the best in them. Meeting Storm had been the proof she'd needed that people could be good, and that chances were worth taking.

Cocking her head to one side, she glanced at him from her peripheral. "Sometimes, I think you forget I was human once. I was selfish and let my family down, and I paid a heavy price for my actions." She paused and wet her lips, searching for a way to articulate all the things she'd internalized and tried to outrun. "My transformation didn't strip away my personality, and I'd like to think I've tried to be good."

"But you're the exception," Thayer replied, removing his arm from Sindri's waist so he could grab her hand and entwine their fingers. "I can't imagine you doing anything you can't come back from. Is it possible Loki did you a favor instead of cursing you? He has been known to help in his own way, even when he uses trickery."

Sindri carefully detached her hand and dropped it into her lap. His touch felt so intimate, yet it made her stomach twist rather than ignite the spark that had never been present between them. If there was anyone in her life she wished she could love romantically, it was Thayer, but she couldn't force herself to reciprocate his feelings.

She sighed and pretended that moment hadn't been awkward. "What makes you think it wasn't a punishment?"

"Would you have been happy if he'd left you alone?" he asked with a shake of the head. "You were born so far ahead of your time, confined by your gender. Here, you're free to reach your fullest potential without petty discrimination. Everyone here loves you. I love you."

The one thing Sindri didn't want to hear because it meant breaking Thayer's heart. Time slowed to a crawl while blood pounded in her ears. The vines dug into her palms as she gripped the edge of the hammock, holding herself up only with the steady movement of her wings.

"Thayer..."

He pushed himself off the hammock and landed on the ground without a sound. Then he pressed his trembling lips together, squeezed his eyes shut, and sniffed before leveling her with the most painful heartbreak Sindri had seen on a living being. "I know you don't share my feelings," he croaked, "but I'd be happy with you anywhere in my life if it meant not saying goodbye." With a shaky breath, he continued, cracking on each word. "Paloma told me about your date. She said it's the happiest you've ever been." He swiped his eyes and whirled around when a sob escaped his throat. "I wish you two had never met."

Dang it, why did Paloma have to blab? Sindri would have told Thayer eventually — she told him everything — but she should have been the one to do it when she was ready.

Unfortunately, she had no time to react or speak when Thayer gave his parting blow. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked her straight in the eye and said, "I've loved you for a thousand years, and I'll love you until I take my final breath. No matter what you decide, I won't try to stop you, but you do have a choice. For all we know, your human boyfriend was the push you needed to take a chance, but that doesn't mean he's worthy of your heart. To be completely honest though, I don't think you know what you want, and I'm afraid you'll regret your decision."

Leaving everything behind, including the still sleeping pixies he usually went out of his way to tease, he took flight and disappeared through the trees.

With a heavy heart, Sindri picked up the jar of alfredo sauce Thayer had left and stuffed it into her bag. Then she looped her bag over her shoulder and spelled the hammocks out of existence before making her way to the queen's grand hall. If anyone could offer sound advice, Sindri had no doubt Elvinia would understand while keeping a clear head.

Later, only after Sindri regathered her wits and reigned in her emotions, she'd have a conversation with Paloma about the consequences of gossiping without permission.

Whatever happened after that was anyone's guess, but she suspected she'd reached the brink of a pivotal moment where she'd indeed be faced with a choice down one path or another: a chance at mortality and an appreciation for the moments that made life worth living, or an eternity with her found family who'd always welcome her home. She couldn't have both any longer, and once she set foot in a direction, there would be no turning back.

WC: 1673
Overall WC: 24378