.It's What's Inside That Counts

Tiddly held him tightly under his armpits as she flew to the far display. But firm grips there weren’t as reassuring as firm footing. His feet flailed back and forth in the air. “Good friends stick together,” he moaned.

“I’m not going to drop you,” she replied. “Stop wiggling.”

He concentrated on the view ahead of them to stop looking down. The Spanish shelf was farther away than he’d appreciated. Which meant that the woman of his dreams was bigger than he’d guessed. She loomed ahead, larger with every beat of the fairy’s wings.

Tiddly landed, lowering her passenger to the glass surface. “C’mon,” she said, walking towards Peace Offering. Michael followed slowly. The figurine sat on the ground and had arms raised over her head, releasing a dove. The bird was four times Michael’s height above his feet. At his guess, his love stood about five times as tall as he did.

The fairy smiled encouragingly and waved her wand around the figure. Michael’s breath stopped as he waited.

Peace shivered and took the breath he couldn’t. The dove flapped it’s wings and settled into her hands. She looked around as she brought the bird to her bosom.

“Hello,” she said, smiling at Tiddly. “Did you bring me to life?”

“Yes,” the fairy admitted. “But the person to thank is the Best Man, Michael here.” She pointed a thumb down at him. “He takes some getting used to. He has sort of a speech impediment.“

Peace looked down expectantly. Michael stepped forward, tugging on his bow tie. He swallowed, looked her in the eye and said: “You’re beautiful.”

“He sounds fine to me,” Peace said with a smile. She held a hand out and down. Michael took it.

“He got lucky,” Tiddly said. “He seems to be limited to lines from their catalog.”

“I fall in love with you each day,” Michael said, “happy anniversary.”

“Good example,” the fairy said.

“I see,” Peace said with a nod. Her smile never changed, though. She glanced across the shelf . Taking Michael’s shoulder, she pulled him closer to her side. He stood at her hip, looking up into her eyes.

“My sisters say you are too cute,” she said. “I think you are adorable.” He didn’t know what to say. “So. You have deep love for me? You wished me to come to life for, what? For sex?” She stroked one perfect breast.

“Yield not to temptation,” he protested. “You make my spirit soar.”

“Gotta agree with Best Man,” Tiddly said. They both looked up to see her standing, upside down, on the underside of the shelf above them, waving at the dove. “If it was just lust, I wouldn’t have been sent here.”

Michael placed one hand on her leg and pressed down to get her attention. “A friend is someone who cares.

Peace looked up at Tiddly. The fairy shrugged, an interesting sight from this angle and with her wings. “He says that he wants you happy more than he wants to bump uglies with you."

Uglies? Michael had no idea what the fae was talking about. There was nothing ugly about Peace anywhere on her.

“Happy?” Peace asked. “Well, there is something I’ve wanted to do since I was made.” She launched the dove into the air. It circled the shelf then flew out into the room.

Michael was watching the bird when a hand suddenly appeared before him. Peace was waiting patiently. He nodded and she lifted him up to her shoulder. “Just wait,” she said, tapping his nose gently with a finger.

The dove returned, wagging its tail back and forth. It used this to convey some information. Peace nodded and jogged towards the edge of the shelf, holding her passenger tightly in place with one hand.

“One step at a time!” he shouted.

“Yep,” she agreed. And leapt into the air. He screamed as they fell towards a porcelain figure’s worst toxin: the floor. One drop will kill you.