"I'm tired," Idony announced.
"Finally," Puck teased and Idony gave an annoyed smile. Puck was like a brother to her, ever since she came to the Eastern Corner. He was like family. He was her best friend.
"How are we doing these sleeping arrangements?" Jareth asked.
"You two have fun," Idony smiled "I sleep, away."
"Idony," Puck sighed "it's cold."
"I know," she agreed "it is sort of cool isn't it?"
"Your going to have to stay around," he said "or we're going to freeze." She gave an annoyed glance but nodded and went over by the fire and started braiding her hair.
"Why does she do that?" Jareth asked Puck finally.
"I'm not sure;" he said "she does it every night, and takes them out every morning." Jareth kept watching her and Puck did too, but Idony wasn't aware of the pair watching. "You like her, don't you?" Puck asked.
"What?" Jareth asked.
"You seem to be fond of her," Puck pointed out "tis all."
"She perplexes me," Jareth said "that's all."
"Yeah," Puck said sarcastically "I'm sure that's why you look at her in such a way." Jareth gave a hard look and Puck smiled. Idony came over and kissed Puck on the forehead and he kissed her on hers.
"Night," she called and laid down next to the fire. Jareth looked at Puck and then at Idony.
"Are you?" he asked looking from one to the other.
"NO!" Puck laughed "it's a ritual for friends that Idony came up with. If someone close to you may be leaving, or is going to bed, or is doing something dangerous then she will kiss them on the forehead."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because that is her way," Puck said "it is her way of showing care for someone and that if she wakes up in the morning and they're not there, she'll miss them. Or if they die doing something dangerous, she'll morn for them. Or if they leave. I just do it back because she's my best friend; we've been doing it since she turned eight."
"She's so," Jareth paused "different."
"She's always been different," Puck smiled "even from the Fae. She so unique, in anything she does." Jareth couldn't understand, a young lady should wear dresses and be insecure about her body and paint her nails. Idony, she climbed trees and talked to all sorts of creatures. She hunted and fought. She wasn't only a dreamer, but a realist too. She was a tom boy with grace. She was boyish in all the right spots, but still graceful and kind and feminine looking too. She captivated him. He wanted to figure her out, every detail, slowly uncovering bits and pieces of her. She was still childish. She didn't like responsibility, and she forgot things she's supposed to do.
She had a knack for healing and for plants. Jareth hadn't seen any of her magickal skills yet but he was sure they were simple nature spells. He hadn't heard her musically either. Jareth wanted to figure her out so badly that he had to stop himself from going over to her and asking her questions. He hadn't felt this intrigued since Sarah. He was interested in Sarah, true, but she didn't have any interest in him whatsoever.
She'd broken his heart, and after that he'd just forgotten about her. He wasn't going to thrive on someone that didn't care about him. But then, what made him think that Idony cared about him at all? She hadn't said anything to imply that she cared of him, either as a companion or a lover. Jareth shrugged it off, he'd find out soon enough. He had all tomorrow and who knows how long after that.
"Tired?" Puck asked finally and Jareth nodded. They both went over to the fire and laid down on either side of Idony. She rolled her eyes and gave a sleepy smile and dozed off again. Sometime in the night the fire went out. Both Idony and Puck shivered like mad. Puck went and got a large leaf and covered himself. Idony looked annoyed and sat up. She started up so she could start another fire but Jareth put his cape over her shoulders.
"I'm fine," she protested.
"No," he said "your freezing, there's a difference."
"But then you'll be cold," she pointed out and Jareth shrugged. She draped half of his cape over him and half over her so that they'd both be warm. She looked at his shocked expression and gave a half smile, she wasn't going to let him be completely chivalrous. But then, wasn't sharing his cape just as bad? She soon fell asleep, but she watched as Jareth's shocked expression became a happily amused smile.