[ WP ] Most outdoor cats bring their owners mice or birds as presents . Yours just dropped a pixie at your feet .

She dusted itself off quickly, leaving a little drift of sparkling dust on the top of my kitchen table. 
 
 I finished the rest of my coffee, as my tabby looked up at me expectantly, and *miaoued* for my attention. I scratched it behind the ears, and it let out a low *thrumm* of appreciation. 
 
 We did n't speak for a few minutes. She stared at me sullenly, still slightly damp, and obviously embarrassed. As far as pixies go, she was pretty, but they all are, with a spunky blond head of hair, cropped short, in the eponymous style, and eyes like pale sapphire. She was wearing that leaf-leather armor that clung like wet cloth, and of course there were her iridescent dragonfly wings, buzzing into and out of visibility as she fluttered, out of aggravation. Pixies have very bad poker faces. 
 
 Her cheeks puffed up, and looked away from me. 
 
... They're also very stubborn. 
 
 I set down my cup, and sighed. Fine. 
 
 `` NO. No, I wo n't go back.'' 
 
 She looked like she'd been struck. `` What?! I... I have n't even *asked you ye-*'' 
 
 I used my'oh, please' face. `` There's only one reason a *pixie* would be watching my house. You want me for something.'' 
 
 Her posture deflated, and then straightened. She pulled a scroll from her belt, which was written on the rolled slip from a fortune cookie. `` Ser Nicholas, as the only mortal to best Oberon in the Great Game, the realm requests your presence as-'' 
 
 `` -I already said NO. My terms were clear. I owe you NOTHING.'' 
 
 `` But... we could *remove* the last traces of the-'' 
 
 `` I'm not stepping back into that world for *whatever* this is. I would n't care if Oberon was here himself-'' 
 
 `` -Actually, this request is from Titania.'' 
 
... That got me. But I could n't show it. `` Then I *really* do n't care.'' I snorted to hide the hitch in my voice, trying to only let the scorn in the snarl of emotions in my chest show on my face. `` What is this, some fey version of a booty call?! That ship *sailed*.... Sailed and *sank. * `` 
 
 The fairy must have felt miserable, because she looked it. Her wings drooped like a wilted flower. `` But you're the only one-'' 
 
 `` I **said-! **'' 
 
 Her perfume hit me first. It was like a spring flower garden, after a cool rain. And then, something warm and hot. Honey, and cinnamon. Musk. 
 
 And then she was there. She was a vision. Clothes like silver moss, and cobweb, cut by an artist as depraved as he was brilliant. Hers was a body made to drive men mad, and her face was cruelly beautiful. Imperious. Heartless. 
 
 I had no idea how much I'd missed it. 
 
 There was no mein of control now, though. She'd been crying, crying hard. And it made her, at least for that second, look disturbingly... human. Like she had a heart. 
 
 `` -Nick, Nick, *please-*'' Her voice still sounded like glass bells, but, perhaps, they were cracked? I wanted to forgive her everything in that moment. And that made me *infuriated* with myself. 
 
 `` *You have a *lot of nerve* to come here-!'' 
 
 `` -Oberon's *gone! *'' 
 
 I stood there, thunderstruck. You could knock me over with a *feather*. 
 
 ``... What are you saying, Tani?'' I said carefully. Too late, I noticed I'd spoke the pet-name. I could just *kick* myself for that. 
 
 `` Gone! *Kidnapped! *'' She burst out. 
 
 My blood ran cold again. My rancor flowed back. `` Oh. *Ok.* Could n't have happened to a *nicer guy. *'' 
 
 It was her turn to look shocked. `` You- Why would you *say something*-'' 
 
 I'm an idiot. Such an idiot. Of course she does n't understand. `` You have no idea, *none*, what your coming here does to me, do you?!'' 
 
 `` But, but said you do n't care who had come!''... Shit. Damn fucking fairies. Say the wrong thing... `` -You're the only one *who can save him*!'' 
 
 `` Get. Out.'' My face was set in stone. She stood there, clearly uncomprehending, eyes still fogged with tears. Sapphires, under clear water. 
 
 I do n't know if I've ever been so mad... I could barely breathe. No. No, I've been madder than this. Once. And it was her fault then, too. Wait. My eyes? Wet? *Tears?! * 
 
 `` I revoke your welcome, Titania, queen of the fairies. Effective *immediately*.'' 
 
 She only had time to blink once, before the air wavered like the breeze from a funace, and with an almighty *CRACK! *, like the snap of a whip, she was gone. 
 
... 
 
 It was sometime in the afternoon that I'd finally managed to stop shaking. I was sitting on the couch, my striped tabby curled up on my lap. 
 
 I became dimly aware of a buzzing sound. I looked up. It was the pixie. And she looked... pissed. And not adorable at all. 
 
 ``... You're an *ass*, Nick Bottom.'' 
 
 I let one of my long, tufted ears flick in acknowledgement. My tail twitched in agitation, and I felt my lips draw back over my human teeth.... And then I thought better of it. 
 
 ``... I know.'' 
 
 `` She needed your help! Wh-why were you so *cruel*-'' She stopped, and looked at me. `` -You *know*?!'' There was something like hope in her curious look. 
 
 `` Well, partially one. I'm working on it. It can be hard to meet an ex.'' 
 
 I sighed. I was going to regret this. 
 
 `` Ok. Tell me about... Oberon.'' 
 

