Woodland’s Scarf

     Halcyon’s nerves were fraying. They had just returned to the clouds above from visiting Dove down below. The cherubun had given them some of their own words of advice about courtship, but “just do it silly” didn’t help ease Halcyon’s rumination. They had known Primrose for so long. They’d been together through many trials in the Heavenly Meadow, and now here in Burrowgatory. From falling down to this world, helping establish the Embassy, working, eating, drinking, laughing, truly living… all of it had been done, together. Now, the pair aren’t attached at the hip, but Halcyon hardly spends a day without being in Primrose’s presence. Others may call him haughty, holier-than-thou, but Hal just calls him ‘friend’. Hopefully, maybe someday possibly… more than friend. Though that doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well.

      Woodland the uniqor pokes at Halcyon’s hooves with their horn. The scarf tied around their neck has become unfurled. “Oh.” Halcyon absentmindedly fixes it for them, the imp shaking their head and making a “tut-tut-tut” sound. The uniqor strides ahead, knowing the path to home. Halcyon, lost in thought, stands still just outside of the elevator. It isn’t until Woodland has completely disappeared from view that Halcyon realizes something’s amiss. “Woodland?” Halcyon blinks and looks around, their little imp nowhere to be found. The light of the crystals are ever so slowly waning, the afternoon dragging to evening. Oh, dear. They really should get going…

      Halcyon sighs and starts down towards his room to freshen up before supper with Primrose. Normally he’d never be so nervous, after all, they’re close as can be! Well, not yettechnically. Maybe that was why, his thoughts kept going back to how this would change their relationship no matter what. Either Primrose rejects him, which would be devastating, or… he says yes? Then what happens? Halcyon hadn’t even thought that far ahead. He absentmindedly waves to the doorbun to the Embassy living quarters, and starts down the hallway to his room. Oh Melangel, what would they even be having for supper?! Should Halcyon have brought a side dish or dessert? He wasn’t a particularly skilled chef or baker, but surely he could’ve whipped something up… oh dear, and with how highly Primrose regarded proper manners, this was sure to be a faux pas. Yep, this would be what decided his fate. Forgetting every single courteous thing he learned in the Heavenly Meadow. And then Primrose would see him as so uncouth, and they wouldn’t be friends any longer, or even work together…

      Turning the knob to his room, Halcyon simply walked into the door. They hadn’t even unlocked it. They sigh, what a mess they’re turning into… After opening the door, Halcyon surveys their room. All of their imps are playing peacefully, a few sleeping cuddled up next to each other. Woodland is nowhere to be found. Halcyon raises an eyebrow and shuts the door, looking underneath their desk (where their furdin, loafki, and harpup sleep in a pile), in their closet (where an annoyed-looking chirop, corvat, and avia stare), and even in the covers of their bed (a lone bulbug nestles, blinking their light softly at Halcyon). Nowhere was Halcyon’s main partner, and no sign of their scarf either. Halcyon wasn’t one to panic, but there’s no way that their most well-behaved and well-trained imp would disappear… Maybe they had stumbled off the path somewhere? But no, that didn’t sound like them at all.

      After searching through his room half a dozen times in every nook and cranny, Halcyon exhausts his options. Retracing his steps was the way to go, surely. “Hang on everyone, I’ll be back. Watch for Woodland if they come home, please?” Halcyon says. His ryudra gives a small sound somewhere between a chirp and a bark. Nodding, he shuts and locks the door. Alright, they had simply came home from the elevator. It was an almost straight shot, up the stairs, into the Embassy, third hall on the right, through the lobby, down the right hall, eighth door on the left. Simple! Going back through the halls, Halcyon continually calls out for Woodland, to no avail. When he reaches the doorbun he describes Woodland and the scarf, but alas, the doorbun hasn’t seen the little uniqor through here. That’s not a bad sign though! That means Woodland still must be outside. Halcyon thanks them, and heads back to the main hall of the Embassy.

      Just as Halcyon is about to exit the Embassy, they spot a flash from the corner of their eye. Something golden, white, and shimmering, from down the main hallway past the one they’d just come from. Their scarf! Running back up, Halcyon can’t find the object at first. They swivel around, no other buns or imps in the vicinity. As they decide it was just a trick of the light, there it is again! Further up! Halcyon rushes away, shoving down the instinct to run on all fours (if Primrose saw them, oh boy the lecture they’d get!). At every corner Halcyon comes to, the flash of white and gold barely disappears. Whatever it is, it’s running just faster than they can.

      At the next intersection of hallways, Halcyon stumbles and nearly falls flat on his face from tripping over something. His… scarf? It’s definitely his, as he picks up the luxurious white and gold cashmere. It smells faintly of both Woodland and the tea they shared with Dove earlier. But looking around, Woodland isn’t here. Halcyon furrows his brow, where exactly had he ran to? This was the crossroads, with the hallway down to the left being towards the greenhouse. With another peek from the corner of his eye, Halcyon sees the door just close. Sigh, it must be worth a check. If he didn’t have enough time to prepare for supper, Woodland was being disciplined for sure.

      Halcyon approaches the door and peeks inside. The afternoon light dances beautifully on the garden, which is pleasantly quiet. No succubuns learning about cherubun practices, no cherubuns chatting away in nature, and no Woodland — wait, there’s Woodland! Halcyon finally sees the uniqor trotting off towards the winter section. Halcyon sighs, and follows them. Woodland must’ve not been here for long, if they were just now walking to where Halcyon had been before… but how would they have known that?

      The cherubun rounds the corner and to his surprise, there is indeed another cherubun inside. The familiar golden and white bun is standing, holding a delicate watering can in one hoof and a ledger in the other. Woodland reaches him, and brushes against his legs several times, neighing softly. “Woodland, what are you doing here?” Primrose says. Woodland skips and jumps around Primrose a few times, before noticing Halcyon approach behind them. Woodland neighs once more and does a little dance. Primrose chuckles and turns to see Halcyon standing awkwardly away. “Oh! I didn’t expect you to be back here today.” He says. Halcyon’s face softens, as he finally has the courage to approach.

      “I wasn’t planning on it. Woodland headed here all by themselves, and I was scared something happened to them…” Halcyon says. “What are you doing here?”

      Primrose sheepishly turns to the watering can, staring into the distilled dew inside as if it contained the right answer to Halcyon’s question. “I… I wasn’t planning, um… excuse me.” Primrose clears his throat. “I… wanted to clear my thoughts before supper tonight.”

      Halcyon would normally pry further, but the anxiousness they felt helps them understand. “I see.” They say. “Would you mind if I helped you?” Primrose tilts his head curiously. “I - I mean with the watering!”

      Primrose smiles and hands the watering can to Halcyon. “Absolutely, they’re the flowers you planted, anyway.” Halcyon nods. Surveying the ground, it looks like Primrose had barely started at all. But none of the other flowers were watered? Just a few of his own, hmm… Halcyon carefully pours the water over the buds and tiny blooms of the winter’s tears he planted. The plants shake and shimmer only faintly as the water drenches them, then still themselves. Halcyon has done this many times before and would do so many times more. The amount of water, the precise flow of the can, and the patterning of the buds all go into his careful work. As Halcyon waters, Primrose watches him and writes in the ledger, with Woodland happily prancing through the rows of plants. It takes a few minutes for the silence to be broken.

      “What are you writing?” Halcyon asks.

      “It’s… I will show it to you later tonight, at supper.” Primrose turns slightly away from Halcyon, obscuring the page he’s working on. Halcyon raises an eyebrow but doesn’t react otherwise, continuing to focus on the flowers. A little sprinkle of water grazes the fur of his arms occasionally, but it’s an otherwise cathartic experience.

      As the minutes roll past, all of the winter’s tears Halcyon planted are now quenched. Halcyon stands up and wipes their brow. “Is there anything else I can do to help your mind clear?” They say. Primrose shakes his head. “You’ve been more than helpful Hal, thank you.” A faint blush tints Halcyon’s dark cheeks. They had never really been ones for pet names, so this? This was unexpected. “A-alright.” They say. Primrose nods, taking the watering can back. “I’ll finish up here, I’ll meet you in my room for supper whenever you’ve freshened up.” Primrose smiles, waves, and heads to the small shed where the gardening supplies are kept.

      Woodland tugs at Halcyon’s ear, urging them forward. Supper couldn’t come soon enough. The cherubun and uniqor head back to their room, the former’s mind racing with possibilities. If confessing his feelings was going to be difficult before, now it would be… less difficult, but still scary! Halcyon shoots a glare at Woodland. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” Woodland only neighs and trots ahead, still missing the scarf they were wearing earlier.