“This will be our last night camping out before we reach Falties.” Hayden informs from his place sitting among the pine needles.

Rosco is still trying to get his fire going. It’s windy tonight so starting his campfire, even with the aid of his magic lamp, has been difficult. Tansy seems to enjoy his suffering, snickering every time the fire winks out and he must start all over again.

“How long do you think we will stay in the city?” Rosco wonders as he tries to shield his budding flame.

“That will depend on what we find, but I would venture to guess a few days at the least,” he muses, leaning back to rest on his arms, “Her temple is not actually in the city as mine was, but at the foot of the mountains. She would only allow her human followers to visit on special occasions or observances in order to preserve the natural atmosphere of her home, though many of her most loyal spirts could often be seen roaming her halls.”

Holding out his hand for the wildflower, “Tansy, when did you last visit her temple?” the god questions. Having lost interest in Rosco’s battle with the wind, Tansy flies over, sitting cross legged on Hayden’s palm, holding their ankles while they answered his question. “So, it has been some time.” Hayden hums, raising an eyebrow, “I imagine you will be glad to see it again.”

Peaking over his shoulder, Rosco watches Tansy’s animated response, their tiny arms waving as they speak. Hayden’s expression gradually softens as he listens. He chuckles lightly at something Tansy says. His white eyes warming, promise of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

The two speak at some length, easily chatting about times long passed, or the spirit realm, which Rosco had never even heard of before. Most of what they said to one another just confuses Rosco further. Only being able to understand half the conversation made eaves dropping basically pointless. Curiosity chewed at his tongue, begging Rosco to unleash his plethora of questions. But for once in his life, he kept quiet. Not because he’d magically learned self-control, no it was thanks to the sick feelings sitting heavily in his stomach. Hayden spoke so freely with the little spirit. Tansy understood the world in ways he’d never even considered, had seen a realm he’d never heard of, remembered things from long before he was born. When Hayden spoke to him it mostly consisted of the god attempting to fill the many gaps in his knowledge. Rosco was already aware he and Hayden were far from equals. And while he wasn’t fond of his inadequacies being so plainly thrown in his face, it was more than that, some ugly feeling he didn’t quite know how to name. The boy found himself chewing his nails more than the food he was meant to be eating.

Sighing with resignation the boy abandons the endeavor, wrapping the last of the food he’d brought back in its cloth to stow it away. It’s a good thing they’d be reaching the city before long, even with as little as Rosco remembered to eat, he would soon run out of rations. He wasn’t at all sure what he was going to do after that. He couldn’t stay quiet long enough to hunt effectively and trying to forage on his limited attention span was just asking to get lost in the woods, but finding ways to get fed in a city was something he was quite used to.

Quietly, not to disturb the conversation of the others, the boy settles into his bed, squeezing his eyes shut. Almost immediately a rough tug on his hair pulls a yelp from his throat.

“What was that for?!” Rosco demands, squinting indignantly at the little wildflower responsible.

Tansy has the audacity to look like the insulted party. They let out a tiny huff, crossing their arms and dramatically turning away from him. Little voice tinkling as they explain themself.

“Tansy is quite offended you attempted to go to sleep without them.” Hayden translates. “Wildflower spirits sleep close together, they were expecting to sleep beside you.”

“Oh,” Blinking back his surprise, “I’m sorry Tansy,” The boy sputters, feeling terrible now, “I-I didn’t know. You see H-Hayden doesn’t sleep, and I don’t know you all that well,” allowing his voice to trail off as the guilt gets too heavy to speak.

Tansy flashes him a demure glance over their shoulder, muttering in their bell-like voice.

“Don’t tease him, Tansy,” Hayden sighs, sounding exasperated with the tiny spirit yet again, “The boy is human, they have different ideas of intimacy than you do.”

Rosco’s eyes snap wide, “What!? I-in-intimacy?” growing meeker with every syllable.

Tansy giggles, fluttering forward to pat the boy’s cheek reassuringly and offer him a tiny apologetic smile.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Hayden attempts to explain, “Wildflowers do not believe physical closeness requires the same level of relationship as humans do. The wildflowers are a very close-knit group and have all known each other since their creation. They are very comfortable with touch; you do not have to be just because Tansy wants it. Tansy can be a troublemaker, but they really don’t mean to pressure you into anything you do not want, speak up if you feel uncomfortable. Tansy wont truly be offended.”

Tansy makes a ‘yeah, what he said’ gesture.

Rosco hates offending anyone, but he’s also not good at not speaking up so it happens a lot more than he’d like. And he’s only just met Tansy, he really would hate to ruin his chance at a friend so quickly, “I-I’m not uncomfortable,” he starts, trying to tread carefully, “at home we don’t have much space and sleep rather close to one another,” Biting at his nails, “It’s just, well, would that even be safe? You’re so small, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Looking entirely offended, Tansy rolls their eyes, giving an annoyed little scoff.

“Do not worry Rosco,” Hayden chuckles, “Tansy maybe small. but they are still a spirit. The only threat you pose would be to their feelings.”

Neither Rosco nor Tansy found that as funny as Hayden had. Rosco panics a little harder and Tansy sends the god a glare that only serves to make Hayden laugh a little harder,

“Come over here, Tansy,” Hayden waves as the last of his laughter dies down, “If Rosco doesn’t want you sleeping with him, you can sleep beside me.”

Tansy huffs in a ‘yeah right, who’d want to sleep next to you’ sort of way.

Hayden’s eyes darken and the night gets noticeably colder.

“If it’s really safe,” Rosco injects before a fight gets started, “you can sleep right here, Tansy,” patting his pillow, “just no more pulling on my hair, okay?”

Tansy claps, chittering something Rosco assumes is an agreement before curling themself into the boy’s curls.

Rosco peaks over at Hayden one more time, just to make sure he’s not really angry. The god’s eye color had cleared and he seemed to be studying them with a sort of thoughtful expression on his face. Rosco has to duck his head and squeeze his eyes shut least he start to blush.

Tansy is in no way as reluctant to wake Rosco from his slumber as Hayden had been. Ripping his blankets from his sleeping form mere moments after the first rays of sunlight fell on his face. The shock of cool morning air coupled with him now being used to sleeping in, jolt him instantly awake. Adrenaline pulsing through him with a thundering force. In a sheer panic he darts up, franticly searching for the source of his misery.

Tansy, who is immensely pleased with themself, doubles over with laughter. Even as understanding slowly settles over him, Rosco finds it impossible to be angry at a creature who produces such a pleasant little sound. So instead, he contents himself by leaning forward, resting his head on the ground between his feet, waiting for the pounding in his heart to subside.

“Somehow still not as bad as Sam kicking me awake.” He mutters into the dirt.

Tansy drops down on the base of his spine, slowly walking up the curved length of it, making a small sound of astonishment.

Chuckling, Rosco holds still as he can, very tickled, but afraid sitting up would throw his small friend off into the surrounding trees.

Plucking the winged spirit off Rosco’s back Hayden affectively saves him. “Only just morning and you’re already tormenting the poor boy,” The god scolds in his deep voice, “This is why everyone calls you a fiend.”

“It’s alright, Hayden,” The boy dismisses as he goes about his stretching, fully curving his back the other direction, “I could have asked them to stop if it really bothered me, like you told me to.”

Hayden reluctantly releases Tansy who huffs and settles indignantly on Rosco’s shoulder.

Hayden rolls his eyes, “Suit yourself.”

Rosco quickly found Tansy to be a delightful traveling partner. Most of the time the wildflower sat on Rosco’s shoulders and listened to him ramble on about any thought that crossed his mind. Though Rosco couldn’t understand Tansy’s words, his tiny companion did their best to be understood. The very animated way the wildflower spoke helped a lot and where that failed, they made gestures and sounds to get their thoughts across. It was a very simple means of communication, but it was working. Tansy would eagerly tug him in a variety of directions, showing off different flowers to the boy, proudly boasting of their work. Together they gushed about the beauty of the landscape, the way the sun rose over the hills, the light filtered down through the needles of the trees, and the wind danced among the tall grass.

Several times Hayden was forced to regather the pair’s attention and set them back towards the direction of the city, or they never would have made any progress.