NOVEL NEXT Wintertrees
Wintertrees
Premise Tags: Fantasy,
Mythological Creatures, Trees,
Journey, Couple Growth.
Content Warnings: n/a.
Verdant was out getting kindling for firewood. No matter how high he stacked sticks, the fire in his home would eventually go out, interrupting his hibernation.
You might ask why he didn’t chop them down, and my answer to that was that he, himself, was part tree. His skin was like chestnut bark, two branches grew out of his head, currently bare. Even if you ignore that trees are living beings that
Verdant bumped into someone while gathering sticks.
“Watch it, will you?”
“Sorry, are you alright?”
It was a man with very pale skin and snow-white hair. He was much better dressed for the weather, with a thick coat, scarf, and boots. He outstretched a hand, offering to pull Verdant up.
Verdant debated with himself if he should. For one, he was a complete stranger, someone he had never seen in the Black Forest before. Yet, he seemed friendly, and it’d be rude to refuse such an earnest offer.
He took his hand, the stranger pulling him up, and he realized how tall he was compared to him
“Do you need any help with anything?”
Verdant noticed how soft the stranger’s skin was.
“As a tree spirit, I need to hibernate every winter, but unlike the trees out here, I can’t just sleep out in the snow. Everyone once in a while, I need to go out to collect firewood to keep myself warm. If it doesn’t inconvenience you, can you deliver a bundle of kindling every day?”
“O-of course! I love helping others.”
“One more thing...you didn’t give me your name.”
“O-oh, right, it’s Jack.”
“My name is Verdant. It’s nice to meet you.”
✿✿✿
Jack arrived at Verdant’s house one morning. Verdant lived in an ancient stump that he claimed to be the descendant of. Jack had learned not to question his eccentricities.
He knocked on the door, a large pile of sticks slung on his back.
Verdant answered the door. “You’re stronger than you look.”
“R...really? Am I? These sticks aren’t heavy at all.” Jack handed the bundle to Verdant.
“They must be, all together like that. Would you like to come in?”
“Y...you’re inviting me in? Wh-why?”
“I just thought I should thank you for all the help you’ve given me with a warm drink and some pleasing company. Of course, if you’re too busy-”
“N-no, I’ll come in.”
The decoration inside was stark and elegant, like a forest in the winter.
Like Verdant… Jack thought.
Verdant patted a spot on the couch, and Jack sat there.
“We haven’t had a lot of time to talk to each other, have we?”
“No, I haven’t even been able to thank you for the peppermint bark you gave me a while ago.”
“You liked that? Glad to hear it.
It was a Yule offering I didn’t particularly like, good that it wasn’t wasted.”
“Yule… My adoptive mother found me on that day…”
“You’re adopted?”
Jack nodded. “I...I don’t have any memory of my previous life, not even my previous name. All I do know is that I had two parents who loved me a lot, and I can’t help but feel guilty that I can’t even recognize their faces anymore.”
Verdant felt pity for Jack, and placed a hand on Jack shoulder. Jack noticed, but he wasn’t bothered.
“Do you know what set it off?”
“Head injury. I can form new memories...but everything before I met Niava is either a blur or nonexistent. Can we talk about you instead?”
“Me? Well, there’s not much to me… I live alone, though my parents are fairly close. I had a happy, normal childhood, and honestly, I’m pretty boring.”
“I’m pretty boring, too.”
Verdant got up and went to the stove to pour Jack a mug of hot chocolate.
“Import from Illuminana. Have you had this before?”
Jack shook his head.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve tried it. Here, drink.”
Cautiously, Jack took it the mug and drank from it.
“Mn...It’s warm and sweet…”
“Good, right?”
Jack nodded, shy. Verdant sat next to him, pulling up a blanket.
“Yes, it is.
You’ve been so nice to me, thank you for that.”
“You’re welcome, Jack.” Verdant, being cheeky, placed his hand over Jack’s. Jack did not take this boundary crossing well.
“Uhm, Verdant? I just realized that I have some things I have to do, and quickly.”
“Really? You can’t stay even a little while longer?”
“No, no, I can’t, I’m sorry!”
Once he was out, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The cold and soft snow comforted and made him calm down.
Maybe it was an accident…
What if it wasn’t, though? What if he...likes me?
I hardly know him, he hardly knows me. Am I that charming? Is he really that lonely?
Jack sighed. It’s OK, everything will be OK. I’m sure Verdant has good intentions.
He went to his home in the North Pole to talk with his adoptive mother, Niava.
✿✿✿
Jack came back to Verdant’s house the next day with a bundle of kindling and directions from Niava.
“Show no fear, stay determined, and ask a lot of questions.”
The wait for Verdant to open the door was nerve wracking. Soon, the tree spirit opened the door, his amber eyes looking directly in Jack’s fluorescent orange ones.
“You’re back. I thought I scared you off?”
“It-it wasn’t an accident?”
Verdant tensed.
“No...no, it wasn’t… Sorry about that, Jack. Do you trust me?”
Jack wanted to believe that Verdant was a good person, but he remembered Niava’s earlier words.
“Do you like me?”
“Hm? What do you mean, Jack?”
“Do you like me? Romantically?”
Verdant took a couple of moments to gather his thoughts before speaking.
“Maybe? But my plan was to ease you into it before telling you how I felt.”
“What if I wasn’t gay?”
“That wasn’t factored into my plans,” Verdant admitted.
“I thought everyone knew about your...previous relationship with...him.”
Jack looked at the ground. “Looks like I was mistaken, Verdant.
I thought only Niava knew about it.”
“To be clear, I told others about meeting you, and they told me.
It’s really cold out here, how about you come inside?”
Jack loved the coziness of Jack’s house. Even though he had only visited once, he had fallen in love with the home’s warmth.
Verdant looked to Jack, who was hanging up his overcoat.
“Would you like it if I asked before touching you?”
Jack paused. “I would prefer it if you didn’t touch me right now.”
Verdant looked at his uneven, barky skin. “Is this because of my bark?”
“... Not entirely. Do you need help with the fireplace?”
“If you want to, go ahead.”
Jack looked after the fire for a time while Verdant napped. He slept like a rock, not noticing when Jack dropped one of the prods on the hardwood floor.
When he left, he patted Verdant’s shoulder to tell him he was leaving, but Verdant took his hand instead.
He shifted and woke up.
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yes, I have to make it snow somewhere else.” Jack rubbed Verdant’s palm. Verdant looked longingly into Jack’s eyes.
“You’ll come back soon, yes?”
Jack felt flustered and looked away. “O...of course, Verdant. I’ll always come back.”
✿✿✿
Verdant asked Jack one day if he had any time to spare.
“How much?”
“A night, maybe?”
“We’ll have to do it in secret. Niava won’t like it if I slack off on my job to court a tree man.”
“Do you ever have an off day?”
“Well...in the spring....” Verdant leaned closer “I’ll have to stay at the North Pole until the next winter.”
Verdant wasn’t an evergreen tree, so he didn’t have much chance of even being able to visit!
“What do you do up there?”
“Indulge in my hobbies and stuff.”
“So you’re working for half the year, and have a vacation the other half?”
“It works for me, I guess. Though Niava will have a meeting in Noctaria soon, and she’s left me alone for a few nights. It’s not as if some calamity will happen if I stay one night at your place.”
Verdant was overjoyed.
“I’m so happy I could kiss you, you know that?”
Jack blushed. “That’s nice… If you really can’t resist it, go ahead…”
Verdant leaned in, slowly, he pecked Jack’s cheek.
“How was that, Jack?”
“... It was...it was nice… I… I need to go...”
“I can’t wait until we can spend the night together.”
Jack nodded, nervous.
✿✿✿
It was the coldest night of the year and Jack was welcomed into Verdant’s home once again for the night.
“I got some birch sticks for you. I always like how they sounded while burning.”
Verdant was slightly disturbed. “You-you didn’t cut those trees down, did you?”
“No, but I did saw off some limbs.”
“Don’t...don’t. Just don’t, alright?”
Jack nodded, eyes wide.
Verdant poured them both a mug of hot chocolate.
“If you want more, just ask.
Did you do something different today or is it just the light of the fireplace?”
“What...what do you mean?”
Verdant’s face got close to Jack’s, studying him closely. He eventually pulled back.
“It’s just that you look more handsome than usual.”
Jack froze for a moment.
“Well, you’re just as handsome as ever, Verdant…”
Verdant laughed and put his hand over Jack’s.
“Jack, tell me, have you ever seen spring?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m long gone after the snow has melted at the North Pole.”
“Have you see flowers? Trees with full crowns of leaves?”
Jack’s answer was no to both.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve seen its beauty, Jack.”
Jack pouted. “I haven’t been living at all then.”
“Let me show you.”
“What?”
“Let me show you its beauty, then. Stay with me for the full year.”
Jack played with the hem of his sweater. “I don’t think I can…”
Verdant squeezed his hands. “Yes you can.”
Jack’s eyes darted around. “I’m not sure…”
“You will, or I’ll die trying. Everyone needs to see its brilliance. If you think I’m good-looking now, wait until you see me with my branches full of gorgeous green leaves and chestnuts.”
“I-I like chestnuts…”
“I’ve gotten plenty if you want to have roasted ones.”
Jack stared ahead.
“But...but you’re a chesnut tree spirit-”
“It’s OK to eat fruits, seeds, and nuts. That’s how they reproduce.”
Jack stared ahead, disturbed.
“Do you not want chestnuts anymore?”
“Oh, no, I do. Sorry, I just never thought about it in that way.”
Later, Jack was happily munching on roasted chestnuts.
“These are delicious.”
“I knew you’d like them.” There was a trace of a smile on Verdant’s face.
“Sit with me, won’t you?”
Jack sat with Verdant on the couch.
Verdant brushed his hand against his arm.
“You seem cold. Do you want me to warm you up?”
“How?”
Verdant put his arm around Jack’s shoulder and pulled him into a side embrace.
“Oh-oh. I understand.” He pulled up the blanket and nuzzled into Verdant.
“Remember that kiss I gave to you a while back?”
Jack nodded. “Is-is this a romantic kiss?”
Verdant cupped Jack’s cheek. “Do you want it to be a romantic kiss?”
Jack gazed into his amber eyes and pressed his lips against Verdant’s.
Verdant pulled away, lightly chuckling. “That’s a yes, then?”
Jack gripped Verdant’s shirt. “Is...is it too early to say that I love you?”
Verdant ruffled Jack’s hair. “I don’t think so. It’s obvious that I love you, don’t you think?”
Jack hugged Verdant tightly. “It is…”
✿✿✿
“Are we sharing a bed or sleeping seperately?”
“What would you like?”
“Separate. I’m not totally comfortable with you.”
Verdant was disappointed, but not surprised.
“Very well, then.”
✿✿✿
Jack woke up in the middle of the night and woke up Verdant.
“Uh...Jack? It’s not even sunrise.”
“I...I know...and I know that I’m likely going to sound pathetic...but I can’t sleep…”
Verdant put his hand on Jack’s bare back and found it cold to the touch, despite Jack resting under a heavy blanket for most of the night, close to the fire.
“You feel so cold, do you want me to warm you up?”
Jack tilted his head. “How?”
Verdant embraced Jack. “Like this.”
Jack wasn’t turned off by Verdant’s rough skin, and got to tracing Verdant’s branches on his head. Verdant found the sensation somewhat of a turn-on, but wasn’t able to say it to Jack.
“Huh? You’re looking at me strange...should I stop?”
“Only if you want-”
“Your branches...so beautiful…
Verdant, your temperature rose...what happened?”
“Uhm...you warmed me up instead?
I really like it when someone touches my branches.”
“Oh...that’s good, right?”
Verdant blinked. “I think so…”
“Can we snuggle?”
“Sure, I’ve been looking forward to this.” Jack nuzzled into Verdant as soon as he said those words.
After a while, Jack fell asleep in Verdant’s arms. Verdant tucked him in, thinking that Jack looked cute as he slept.
✿✿✿
They met up more times, but with time, the snow fell less and less. Winter was reaching its end.
“This might be the last time I see you this year, Verdant. But your buds look nice.”
“Last time? You’re kidding, right?”
Jack blinked. “Why would I joke about such serious matters.
Well, there’s always next year, Verdant!”
Jack walked away, on his way to the North Pole, but stopped once he heard light sobbing.
Verdant was crying.
“Verdant! Verdant, are you alright?”
“No, I won’t see you until an entire trip around the sun! I can’t lose you now!”
Jack hugged Verdant. “I know that it’s a long wait, and I’ll miss you, too, but if you love me, you can wait for me. Don’t be sad, Verdant, I’ll come back.”
“I...I’ll meet you at the North Pole…”
Jack was baffled at this statement. “That’s impossible, and you know it!”
Verdant repeated his statement, determined. “I will meet you again at the North Pole.”
Jack was speechless, wondering if Verdant was losing his reason in his grief, but he had no time to ask him.
✿✿✿
Verdant packed up a few essential items in a bag and headed North. After several misadventures, he crossed paths with a woman on her travels.
Her skin was a rich brown, her hair was in a complex set of braids. She wore a dress with floral patterns, expensive-looking jewelry, along with a donkey carrying her bags.
“Where are you going, tree spirit?”
“The North Pole.”
She laughed. “No, where are you really going?”
Verdant groaned.
“I’m not joking, I mean it!”
“Why, then? You’re a tree spirit. It’s summer now, but you’ll die if you get too cold.”
“Is there a way to prevent that, then?”
She shook her head. “Not if you want to remain a tree spirit.”
Verdant was defeated. “Are you saying that I have to be...human to be with Jack?” “Human” was pronounced as if they were lower creatures.
She laughed. “Of course not! No human could ever step foot at the North Pole.
What I mean is, you’d have to go from a tree spirit to a tree god.”
“Isn’t there already a goddess for that?”
“Technically, you’re looking at her right now.”
Verdant bowed apologetically. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t recognize you, please forgive me!”
She laughed. “There’s no need for groveling! My name is Tellulah. Yours is Verdant, yes?”
“It is.”
“What if I told you that you could become a god to be with Jack?”
Verdant scoffed. “There’s no way that’s possible.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Verdant. I’m a god now, yes, but originally I was just a spirit of meadows.” Tellulah handed Verdant a golden fruit. “I ate this, giving me divinity. It only ripens one in a thousand years.”
“You’re just giving me this?”
“I’m allowed to be magnanimous occasionally, aren’t I? Take a bite.”
Verdant took a bite, and felt nauseous.
“Is...is it supposed to taste like that?”
“Yes...how about you try to relax.”
✿✿✿
The gold fruit had knocked out Verdant to make the transformation from spirit to god more efficient. When he awoke, he looked like himself, but different…
From his reflection in the still lake, his eyes were less of an amber and more of a gold, and well as not being a chestnut tree. He looked more like a maple tree, like the ones that surrounded him. It was very much spring, his branches had buds on them.
Tellulah was nowhere to be found, so he kept on his quest to the North Pole.
As he went further north, he went from a maple to a holly, and then a pine. He hitched a ride from a reindeer sled on the way, and “borrowed” some winter clothes.
One morning, while walking through the evergreen forest, Verdant spotted Jack.
“Jack?”
Jack turned to face him. “Is that you, Verdant?”
“Yes!” Verdant hugged Jack. “It’s been so long, Jack…”
“You look different, Verdant, what happened?”
“I’m a god now! I can be with you forever.”
Jack was touched by Verdant’s words.
“Really? Not only did you come all the way to the North Pole, you changed species! I never thought anyone would do so much for love outside of stories.”
Verdant kissed Jack tenderly. “Then those stories are true.”
Jack touched Verdant’s needles.
“Are you really planning on staying here for long?”
“Of course! I can handle the temperature, no worries.”
A reindeer wander over and looked to Jack.
He took the reins, about to mount it. “That’s great-”
“But have you ever been able to go south of here?”
Jack paused. “No...let’s go and see spring.”
✿
Author's Account:
The_Long_Serpent (SH).
