Fairy Part 3 (Patreon)

Emerging from the forest was an ordeal that took longer than it should have. Although it took Coye under an hour of trekking through the woods to find Jack, the winding paths and mysterious trails changed before him. He knew it was naïve to hope that he could make it back to Cransmere today, as the Gnarled Woods never gave back those who entered as easily as they came.

Hours later, Coye saw traces of sunlight shining through the trees of the dark horizon. It was evening by the time he made it out. Crimson red and violet shades colored the sky as the sun set in the east, Lux Ultima's incandescence hitting the grassy plains of Arrark and making them shine with the dying light of dusk.

The view stole Coye's breath, same as it did every time he saw it. Basking in the evening glow was the proof that he had survived yet another adventure, and the boy relished the sense of pride it gave him.

This pride was almost enough to distract him from the hunger raging inside him with every step. Coye wouldn’t be able to fight off his appetite for much longer, and he couldn’t march on a stomach like this. Knowing this, Coye resolved to make camp.

A true outdoorsman, searching for the right spot took Coye under twenty minutes. He stumbled upon a secluded area hidden behind a hill and a cluster of trees. Here, monsters were unlikely to find him, and he wouldn’t draw much attention to himself.

Pleased with his camping ground, Coye opened up one of the pouches on his belt with an innocent smile. He’d been waiting for this moment. Coye removed a small, rolled-up piece of cloth tied tight with a magical seal from out of the pouch and squatted over the ground.

He undid the seal, and the cloth unfolded itself and continually enlargened as it took shape. Four rods came out from each of its corners and pierced the ground, glowing blue as they did. A full minute later, the cloth was now the size and shape of a tent big enough for two people.

This adventuring gadget came straight from the Association’s catalog, and it was the first time Coye was making use of it. Like any other tool bought from the Guild, it was a spendy purchase. When Miss Whittle first pitched the idea to him, Coye didn’t see the appeal of a tent that set itself up.

He never found setting up his old tent a hassle, but Dorothy was so insistent about how life-changing a magic, self-pitching tent would be for his career that he inevitably saw things her way.

She was his Guild Mistress, and she knew what was best for him. Why put any more thought into it than that? Now that he had saved the five minutes it would’ve taken him to set up the tent, Coye saw the value in his smart purchase.

His smile grew, proud of the 5,000G well spent.

The sky was growing dark, and the skies were beginning to fill with the sudden appearance of dark storm clouds. It was a good thing Coye didn’t need to make a campfire to cook anything, as he smelled the rain before the first drop even fell. He sheltered himself in his magical tent, inspecting the interior for the first time.

Little stood out. It was the same as any other tent, except for a bed placed in the center of the room. At least the inside was spacious. There was plenty of room for another mattress or any other furniture Coye might want to fill it with. He thought that maybe he would ask Miss Whittle if she had any recommendations from the catalog. She was always pitching new things for him to buy, so he was sure she’d have an idea or two.

Stocking his new magic shelter was a problem for later. The problem Coye was facing at the moment was still his growing hunger. He unbuckled his belt and sat on the mattress, taking a bag filled with rations from his supplies.

He packed three days’ worth of in case this quest took longer than expected, but he was compelled to eat everything he brought with him all at once. Coye stuffed his salivating mouth with hardtack, jerky, and multiple handfuls of trail mix until he was sated. It was far from extravagant, but it did its job.

Now that his hunger was relieved, a sudden weariness became known to him. Coye wondered if he took more damage during his fight with Jack than he initially thought. It wouldn’t be the first time he noticed wounds he was unaware of until his adrenaline died down, so he began to strip down to better inspect himself.

As he shed his tunic and undershirt, the pitter-patter of rain continued to tap, tap, tap away against Coye’s tent. When he removed his pants, the adventurer noticed sickening green burn marks from where the embers of Jack’s supernatural flames had caught him. There no telling what sort of damage this leave if not treated soon, and the last thing Coye wanted was to rack up a bill with the Guild’s healer.

Coye felt stupid. He should have checked the burns sooner, but he didn’t think it was worth his attention. Frowning, the boy began debating over whether or not now was the time to use the last of this month’s health potions.

Having followed Miss Whittle’s advice long ago, he signed up for the Association’s subscription service, which allotted fifteen red vials a month. His renewal wasn’t for another week, and Coye knew he’d have to undertake another quest or two before then. It was better to save his resources.

He sighed and reached for another pouch on his belt, unpacking some ointment he kept for burns. Coye was unsure if it would work, considering how the spirit’s flames were unnatural and cold to the touch, but it was better than nothing.

As he treated himself, a stray thought surfaced.

Coye remembered overhearing one of his boisterous Guildmates bragging about being nursed by a beautiful woman after a battle. It was a silly thought, to be sure, but Coye started imagining what it would be like if it happened to him. The more he fantasized, his curiosity grew until he lost himself.

In his mind’s eye, he saw Miss Whittle tenderly treating his battled-ravaged body. She cleaned Coye, whispered comforting things to him, and praised his bravery and strength. He stared into her tired, brown eyes, wanting more.

Coye blushed as his imagination took a turn for the strange.

For some reason, he imagined Britni and her Baddest Bitches entering the scene wearing lewd nurse costumes. These gals barged past the doting Guild Mistress, demanding that the patient be given hands-on therapy. Strangest of all was how happy the idea of his bullies ‘taking care’ of him in such a creative way made him feel.

He shook his head back and forth with rapid violence, hard enough that his pointy ears flopped around. Coye was confused by his own feelings. His blood boiled, and he felt himself getting hot. He knew this wasn’t good for him, and he sought to distance himself from his desires.

Amidst all the sexual confusion coursing through his young body, Coye threw himself back onto the mattress. One of the bed frame legs made an unsettling sound- like it were on the verge of collapse. Coye dismissed it, figuring that they must have accidentally given him a cheap bed instead of the luxury one described in the catalog.

At least he was wise enough to have accepted Miss Whittle’s offer to add insurance to the tent and mattress for an extra 500G.

For a while, Coye laid atop his bed naked but for his underwear as he attempted to rest. The pain in his legs hadn’t subsided, the ointment seeming to not be doing much for his burns. If anything, they stung sharper than they did before.

How disappointing. Coye needed to take at least a swig of his health potion or risk worsening his condition, but he stopped midway when he sat up to do so. A creeping tingle jolted down his spine, his eyes shot wide open, and his ears perked.

He knew this feeling as soon as it came upon him. Coye understood that his persistent watcher had followed him out of the woods.

Coye jumped off the bed, reflexes demanding that his hand find his sword. He stood still after unsheathing it, his eyes trained on the presence he sensed outside his tent. There was no time to don his gear. Whatever wickedness was coming his way, he would be forced to do battle with it in nothing save for his underwear.

With sword in hand, he waited. There was no telling what was about to happen, and he ran through every possibility he could imagine. He thought of direwolves and pigmen, of shadowcats and spriggans, and how he would defeat them like he had before.

All these thoughts amounted to little, as nothing Coye could’ve imagined would’ve prepared him for what this encounter actually entailed.

A small blue light shined against Coye’s tent. This vivid glow cast the silhouette of a girl small enough to be held in the palm of one’s hand. Behind this girl’s body, he swore there were what looked like a pair of bright butterfly wings.

He’d never seen one before, but he knew exactly what he was looking at. What adventurer worth their salt wouldn’t know a fairy when they saw one?

Coye hesitated but didn’t loosen the grip on his weapon. Just like Jack, fairies were a type of spirit, and spirits were creatures of whims. They were driven by self-interest and were by nature capricious, making them unpredictable even at the best of times.

“Hey!” A voice like a song called out to Coye, distorted by the rain. The fairy’s words had a mystical air about them, almost echoing as she spoke. “It’s raining like nobody’s business out here. Is there enough room in that fancy tent of yours for two? I promise I won’t take up much space, so come on, help a girl out!”

He considered his options. Denying this request could make the fairy’s mood sour, leading to an untold number of unfavorable outcomes.

Coye recalled stories of the fae that his father told him as a child, which tipped the scales. He didn’t want to be spirited away or to have his firstborn swapped with a changeling just because he turned down an innocent appeal for shelter.

Coye opened the flap of his tent for his new guest.

“Oh, thank Titania!” Darting inside with the speed of an arrow, the fairy sighed with relief. She shook the rain from her short, turquoise-colored hair like a dog until it was dry.

Next, she looked up at her savior. An impish grin formed on her lips as her glowing, pink and blue eyes focused on Coye’s tight underwear. “Well, hello there, cutie,” she looked up to his reddening face as her smirk widened. “Am I interrupting something?”

Coye wondered if raising a changeling would have really been all that bad. It couldn’t be worse than being stuck in a tent with a cute girl who also happened to be chatty- his two weaknesses rolled up into one sexually confusing package. Sure, the fairy was only around eight inches tall, but her size did little quell his interest.

He shook his head and hunched over, hands over his crotch as he sat down on his bed. Coye was trying hard not to dwell on her body, which was more exposed than he would’ve liked.

She had a sharp face, sharper ears, big, sparkly eyes, and her skin was white as silk. Her entire body had a faint, blue glow, speckles of glowing powder falling from her wings. There were curves to her that Coye could not ignore. Defying his expectations, the fairy was not childlike, appearing to be around his own age.

She wore blue and white frilly cuffs on each wrist and ankle, black, pointed leg and arm sleeves, and a frilly collar around her neck. These cuffs and her collar were held in place by silver jewelry inlaid with three of the tiniest sapphires each.

Aside from her accessories, the fairy had on only a tight pair of black booty shorts and an even tighter black crop top that pushed her decently-sized breasts together. To make matters worse, she was still sopping wet and cold. Very cold. Her nipples were pointing against her top, impossible for the boy’s gaze to avoid whenever he looked at her.

Upon witnessing Coye’s reaction, she thought that this was going to go even easier than she believed.

“Geez, you see something you like, or what?” The fairy laughed, wrapping her arms around her breasts and covering her nipples. She flew out in front of his face so he’d be unable to avoid looking at her body.

She waited for the adventurer to respond, but after fifteen awkward seconds of silence, it was evident that this was a futile endeavor. Narrowing her brows, she fluttered even closer to him. “...Ok, I’m guessing you don’t talk too much, huh?”

Coye nodded, proving himself capable of at least a limited form of communication.

“Great, great...” she sighed and slumped her shoulders. “That’s fine. I can work with this.” The fairy said to herself, hanging her head. This gave her a better view of the boy’s body. As much as she enjoyed his surprisingly fit form, her interest was replaced with concern when she saw the green burn marks on Coye’s legs.

“Shit!” Flying straight to his wounds, she bit her lip. “I thought you had that pumpkin jerk in the bag, damn. This is bad...”

Coye opened his mouth, mumbling, “Were... you...”

She was shocked to learn that Coye could speak after all, but she cut him off and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I was watching your adventure, and no, it wasn’t the first time. I get bored, alright? Now lay down.” The fairy patted his knee with one hand and pointed her tiny finger toward the edge of the mattress with the other.

It seemed like she wanted to help, so Coye didn’t argue and did as he was told. His obedience pleased her, but she was too concerned to express this. “Just chill for a few and let me have a look at you, alright?”

His cheeks reddened as he nodded. He opened his mouth to ask another question, only for the girl to read his mind for a second time. “I’m Shayla- and I’m a pixie if you were wondering.”

Coye paused. Of all the types of fairies he’d heard of, pixies were the most temperamental, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous of the lot. His hesitation increased, but Shayla expected this reaction.

As she flew over to his legs, she looked over her shoulder and gave him a naughty smile. “Don’t worry, we’re not all that bad... mostly.” Shalya winked. “Now, are you going to be polite and tell me your name, or do I have to force it out of you the hard way?”

Unsure if the threat was serious, he responded, “Coye.”

“Cute,” She giggled. “Give me just a minute here, and I’ll get you right as, well... right as rain.” Embarrassed at her unintentional joke, Shayla made a pouty face before zipping up and down the length of Coye’s leg, inspecting the burns in greater detail.

It wasn’t looking good. The curse of Jack’s fearful flames festered, and if left untreated, the sparks left by the cold embers would spread across his flesh. “Yeesh,” Shayla clicked her tongue.

“...That bad?”

“Could be worse, but that ain’t saying much.”

“Health potion... um... i-in my pouch... I’ll-”

“Don’t sweat it. I can patch you up with some magic. You cool with that, kid?”

Coye considered accepting this pixie’s offer before trusting her with a nod.

“Sweet,” Shayla smiled and landed on the mattress next to his leg, and as she readied her powers, her disposition caused a naughty idea to manifest.

Healing Coye would be simple if she wanted it to be. Shayla could snap her fingers and be done with it- or- she could have some fun with him. Besides, she planned to play around with this boy as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Now was as good a time as any to begin.

Shayla smirked, puckering her lips. They filled with warm magic, and she pressed them on one of Coye’s burn marks. As she kissed him, his body pulsed with heat. He shuddered, feeling a stirring in both his heart and his loins.

He sat up and scooted away from the pixie, asking, “W-What are you-”

“Taking care of you, duh. Look.” She pointed at the spot that once used to be a burn mark. It was entirely cured.

Coye was dumbstruck. “O-Oh,” he paused, biting his lower lip. “Is there maybe another way-”

“No.” Shayla lied.

“Ok...” He hung his head, believing her so quickly that it took all of Shayla’s control not to laugh. With hesitation, Coye laid back down across the bed so his guest could finish the favor.

One by one, she zipped about his legs, healing each of the wounds with a tender kiss. Coye didn’t question it whenever she threw in a playful lick here and there, believing it part to be of the process. His mind was too focused on the sensations her tiny, soft lips made him feel.

Coye’s breathing grew heavier. He closed his eyes amid the kisses, the tingling and the warmth spreading and creating shivers. So this is what it felt like to be cared for by a woman, he thought. Embarrassing as it was, Coye liked the feeling. He was on the verge of drooling, the kisses leaving him red in the face and panting for more.

“Oh, what’s this?” Shayla flew past his boxers, her eyes lingering the bulge long enough for Coye to notice. His manhood wasn’t what she had noticed, much to his relief.

Shayla landed on his left pec and knelt down. She tilted her head and touched him with the tip of her finger. “Looks like you got one up here, too...” Her voice gained a teasing lilt as she crew closer to the wound. It was directly beside his nipple.

“T-That’s ok, you don’t have to-” Coye tried to argue, but Shayla treated the burn the same as all the others. Tenderly. Her kiss melted against him, causing unbelievable bliss to swell throughout his body.

Since she was already there, the playful pixie couldn’t resist giving his nipple a little lash of her tongue. Coye yelped like a girl, his spine arching up off the ground.

“Whoops, my bad. Thought I saw one there, too.” Shayla played it off as an accident, her mischievous eyes narrowing. “Looks like that was the last one. How are you feeling?”

Coye inspected his body, finding it free of evidence from his fierce battle. It was true- he was healed. Fairy magic still swirled about inside of him, Shayla’s kisses still affecting him even as she fluttered away from his body. At least, Coye thought it was the fairy magic that made him feel so light-headed, warm, aroused. In truth, he was just excited over the attention he received from such a cute girl.

“Better, thanks.” He mumbled.

Shayla was satisfied- for now. She landed on his shoulder, surprising Coye as she sat. “Don’t mention it! I’m just glad I was able to help.”

Coye looked at her and saw that her cute face had taken on a purposeful gaze as she looked into his eyes. Shayla wanted something, he understood. “Of course, if you really wanna show me how grateful you are... you could always scratch my back now that I’ve scratched yours.”

Funny, he didn’t remember getting any back scratches from the pixie, only kisses. But he figured scratching Shayla’s back was a simple way to show his gratitude, so he reached out with his hand.

She blushed, swatting him away before his nail could reach her. “I didn’t mean literally, you dumbass!”

“Oh.” He felt silly, but it was a familiar feeling by now. He now realized that she wanted a favor from him.

She laughed at him, but it wasn’t cold. Shayla found him amusing. “Just hear me out, alright?”

Coye wanted to, but there was still a lot on his mind regarding his benefactor and her sudden appearance. “Before that, um...”

Shayla’s long ears drooped, and she puffed out her lower lips. “Ok, fine. You probably wanna know why I’ve been stalking you for so long before I go asking any favors, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Sighing, Shayla crossed her arms. “You got some good instincts on you, kid. Even other adventurers don’t always pick up on me when I watch them. We fairies are known for avoiding the spotlight when we don’t want to be seen, y’know?”

“So, why-”

“I’m getting there!” She huffed. “My whole life, I’ve lived in those woods. I don’t gotta tell you how dangerous the place is, yeah? Not only is every single day in there a fight for my life, but there aren’t even many other fairies in there to keep me company. A girl gets lonely when she’s on her own for so long, so...”

Tilting his head, Coye spoke. “Then leave?”

Shayla looked back at him like she couldn’t believe the level of his denseness. “What do you think I’m setting up here, dummy?” When she understood that he wasn’t following, she continued to speak. “I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come around for a long time. Someone who was strong, adventurous, and kind...” and totally her type, but Shayla kept that one to herself.

“Um... why can’t you just go it alone?”

“Because leaving the forest isn’t as easy as it sounds! A fairy can’t just wander around in the human world unprotected. A kid might catch me in his bug net, a stray cat could eat me on a whim, or a mage might try and capture me. That one would be the worst... do you have any idea what those freaks would do to a pretty little thing like me? Ugh, they’d grind me up to make potions, pluck off my wings, or... Gods, I don’t wanna even say the rest of that sentence.” Shayla shivered.

She stood, facing him again. After placing her hands on her hips, she made her position known. “No. If I want to leave this place, I need someone who will take care of me from now on.”

Coye stared. Shayla stared back. She wasn’t going to spell it out for him, not this time. His dumb ass needed to figure it out for himself, no matter how long it took.

A minute later, the boy’s eyes widened. “You... want me to be your protector?”

She smiled a bright smile, proud of him. “Close! I’m thinking more of a partnership. Look at me close, Coye. I’m one hell of a pixie. I’m smart, clever, easy on the eyes, and I can take care of you with my magic. What do you have to lose by keeping me around, huh?”

His mouth opened as Shayla’s words sunk in. Hadn’t he just wished for a partnership like the one offered only hours ago? Someone who could be there for him and act as his voice of reason, yes, it was almost too good to be true.

Coye hesitated, and Shayla frowned. She was proud of herself, especially her looks, and wasn’t counting on this arrangement being a challenging sale. She’d have to get more creative with her pitch.

“Is that a no?” Shayla did her best to pull on his heartstrings, making a sad and manipulative face complete with crocodile tears.

“N-No, it’s just... a lot to think about...” Coye would have accepted the offer on the spot had Shayla been a boy. His main concern was that Shayla was as shapely as she was. Given that Coye was currently living through the most sexually confusing period of his life, he didn’t feel the need to go voluntarily go throw more wood onto that particular pyre.

“Come onnnn! Aren’t there tons of heroes and adventurers famous for having fairy companions? We could be just like them- you and me, kicking ass left and right!”

All that sounded good to him, but try as he might, Coye couldn’t express that the problem was how hot she was. “I’m sorry, but...”

She didn’t let him finish, figuring now was the time to be direct. “Look, I’ve been watching you for ages now. You might not know me, not yet, but I know you. You’re kinda simple, maybe even a little dumb. Does that sound about right?”

“Yeah,” Coye openly admitted. “But I own it.”

“Damn right you do, honey. So stop thinking so much about it and just say yes! You’re my only ticket out of here!” There was desperation in her eyes, fear. Shayla tried her hardest to convince the boy, giving him a pang of guilt.

It was in his nature to help others, even now. Coye tried to think of a solution, coming up with, “I could ask someone back at the Guild for you.”

Shayla groaned and kicked his bare shoulder. He didn’t feel it, but it conveyed her frustration well enough. “You aren’t getting this, are you? I don’t want to partner up with anyone else. It has to be with you!”

Her sincerity made him blush, but nonetheless, Coye hung his head in shame. “I can’t. Sorry.”