A/N: Um . . . so, this is prolly the craziest thing I've written in a long time. Please be kind, okay?

Some time ago, I thought, you know, Puck used to live in Shakespeare's world, right? And his original story - A Midsummer Night's Dream - was all rhyme and whatever, right? And he spoke real weird and flowery and old and with odd sentence structure, right? Then, suddenly, here he is in Buckley's world, all prepubescent and colloquial and American. Where is that original prankster who wickedly handed out donkey ears and painted the town (as it were) red with nary a slang word nor mention of the crasser bodily functions that so liberally pepper the speech of this fandom's version?

Then Annie (Carter) had this Valentine's Day festival thing and she asked if I'd like to play, and I thought it might be a hoot to do Puckabrina in verse. Let me disclaim right here that this is NOT poetry. Poetry requires talent. Verse does not; you just reel it off and write it down. And sometimes point and guffaw.

So this is the deal: here are 96 verses of P+S. But no thees or thous, thankfully. And I picked an aaab rhyme scheme to keep the pace fast so we don't all fall asleep reading. Please don't expect either P or S to be perfectly in-character, though. They are, after all, 26 years old in this setting, give or take several centuries, and are currently bereaved, besides. Not to mention - in case I hadn't adequately harped on its bizarreness - speaking in rhyme.

Finally - in response to a Guest Reviewer's request: "I almost titled this "Twenty-six" to go with my usual titles of numbered ages, because you asked for older P+S plus a proposal and, well . . . I'll let you read this and see what you think ;)

Enjoy!

~QaS

Once upon a winter's night,

A silhouette in winged flight

Blotted treetops out of sight,

And caused the stars to sing.

#

Sweeping through the crystal air,

Chasing shadows everywhere,

Eyes of green and sunlit hair:

Immortal Faerie King.

#

Dipping to the world below -

A house from seasons long ago,

Warm amid the fallen snow,

Where he had been a child.

#

Descending on the frozen ground,

Swirling eddies all around,

To fold his wings without a sound,

And stand in thought awhile -

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Had it been almost fourteen years,

Since he, bereft, had wandered here,

Where she had found, and drawn him near,

Declaring him her own?

#

Uncaring of his bitter words,

Through his protests, persevered,

Shown him that her heart had heard

The emptiness he'd known.

#

He thought of how she'd made him feel -

Safe and wanted, precious, real -

Shoes and clothes, a home-cooked meal;

A family and a name.

#

Slowly, surely, day by day,

She gave him reason not to stay

In lonely darkness, hid away,

With reticence and shame.

#

Then, in return, his debt repaid

In secret mission, sneaky raid,

Serving justice, lending aid,

He reveled in the chase.

#

And so he found his refuge there,

Though no more prince, nor Faerie's heir,

This house a comfort past compare -

His single happy place.

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Yet of the things she freely shared,

A blue-eyed girl with golden hair,

With angry fists and steely stare -

His muse and his defeat -

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Her grandchild who, though young as he,

Knew loss and grief, how it must be

To want a different life, but see

Their destiny as sweet.

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She he loved, bewitched to care,

Against his will and unaware;

All his years could not prepare

His heart for what would be.

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Though how he raged when first he knew

Of this that he was going through

He swore to her, "I'll punish you

For what you've done to me!"

#

But that was fourteen years before,

"Infatuation; nothing more,"

The others said. "They'll close the door,

Move on to greater things."

#

And move they did, but not apart,

Though motley lovers at the start

With other lips and different hearts

Gave momentary bliss -

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Mere distractions; didn't last,

And each forgave the other's past,

Their intimacy unsurpassed;

No truer depths than this.

#

Through time and season, older grew

In soul and strength, these fated two;

Each year he'd slyly say, "Would you

At last become my queen?"

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She'd snicker then, to match his smile

And play his foolish game awhile;

Lost in friendship, so beguiled,

That she had never seen -

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Behind his jest, his true intent

For everlasting covenant;

She thought she heard what he had meant:

To never let him wed.

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Until the day she realized

The fire swirling in his eyes

Was for her burning, undisguised;

It filled her heart with dread.

#

"Why," she begged him, "would you change

This sweet affection, rearrange

Our bond to something new and strange;

What would we do this for?

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"We are immortal; you and I

Will live forever, never die -

No purpose can I think for why

We'd want this to be more."

#

So flowed her reasons, so profuse

Though each, she knew, a poor excuse;

She simply didn't want to choose

The boy who saw her fail -

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As sister, daughter, leader, friend,

Stranding those she should defend,

Selfish to the bitter end,

Whatever storms assailed.

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But this was not the girl he saw -

Who fought for freedom, won a war;

Brave as none he'd known before,

Had sacrificed, alone -

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Her life for blood and fellowmen,

Stood for justice, did defend,

Even slew his captor when

She claimed him as her own.

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And thus he loved her, slowly fell,

Biding time till he compel

Her heart to cherish him as well,

And love for him profess.

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So once a year, he came to call,

When sleet and snow began to fall,

To find she had not moved at all;

And would not answer yes.

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Then now, once more, this fourteenth year,

Resolved to make his motive clear

Until her summon reached his ear:

"Please come to say farewell."

#

His heart within his body wrenched,

Every sinew tightly clenched;

He knew at once what she had meant -

And whose, this parting knell.

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And thus he came, in frozen rain,

Gazing through the frosty pane:

White in sleep, forever lain

At rest within this place.

#

Gathered round her, bowed and low,

Swathed in black from head to toe,

Sorrow's cruel overflow

On each beloved face.

#

And hers among them, wounded, sore -

It was enough - he'd watch no more;

He stole a breath, and through the door

Walked quietly to her side.

#

Took her hand with not a word,

As, imperceptibly bestirred,

She started, and he thought he heard

His name, and then she sighed.

#

He let her tremble, small and frail,

Collapse against him; one exhale,

Then she was still; he felt her trail

Her fingers into his.

#

"You came," she whispered, barely there

A promise uttered to the air,

He nodded, pressing in her hair

A solitary kiss.

#

They stood together, as they told

The chapters of her life, cajoled

From grateful lips: her courage bold,

Her heart both strong and kind.

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And when, at last, each voice was still,

And every supplication filled,

He stayed, departing not, until

She held him by the wrist -

#

From dirge and earnest epithet,

They stole to shingled parapet,

And stood in coupled silhouette,

Their breaths in mingled mist.

#

For many moments, neither spoke,

Each memory new pain awoke,

Till, deep inside, her sorrow broke;

She cried, "How could she; why?"

#

He whispered sadly, "I don't know -

The how or wherefore, yes or no -

Or where do Everafters go

When they have said goodbye?

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"When you have been a boy," he said,

"You never think upon the dead;

Life and Time, for you, instead

Go on without an end."

#

"But even those who live as we -

Immortal - have no guarantee,

For we, too, die," he paused, "like she -

Our family and our friends.

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My people look at death as such:

A journey homeward, not so much

An ending, but a gentle touch

Of God upon your soul."

#

She marveled, filled with puzzled joy -

Could this have been her graceless boy?

The wisdom that his words employed

Had knit her spirit whole.

#

She held him close and breathed him in -

The scent of summer, sun and skin,

Sweet as family, close as kin,

Unshakable and true.

#

His arms around her tightened, where

They wrapped her heartache and despair -

A sanctuary fashioned, their

One universe from two.

#

Her sadness ebbing as she gazed

Upon his fair and glorious face,

And something stirred within a place

Locked deep inside her mind -

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Roads untaken, love foreclosed,

Left to wait, his comes-and-goes,

Swallowed questions - one of those

The words she tried to find:

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"I hoped you'd heard, that you might care

To come tonight, my sorrow share,

Though you had made it clear that there

Was naught to make you stay."

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His eyebrows lifted at her words,

His face aghast - had he misheard?

"I loved her - everyone concurred -

How could I stay away?

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"You misinterpret what I meant -

I never left - 'twas your intent

For space - or time - and so I went

To give you what you asked.

#

"But growing older? Time defy?

I cannot halt it, though I try.

As long as you do, so will I,

Each year that comes to pass.

#

He took a breath. "The offer stands -

I've long insisted that your hand

Belongs in mine; no other man

Could love you as I do.

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"And though you think it meager jest,

I'll ask you every year from hence,

Until at last you answer yes,

As Fate must move you to.

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"Today would be the fourteenth year,

Since first I spoke them in your ear

Though youth did make my words appear

A blight upon your heart.

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"But not tonight, when barely we

Have said farewell to such as she -

For should once more your answer be

'Not yet,' I'd break apart."

#

She moved to speak, but then he placed

His calloused fingers on her face,

And trailed them to her lips, in case

His augury prove true.

#

"I'll come to you," he promised, "when

we're not so broken; only then

will I profess my love again;

'Tis presently undue.

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"Perhaps next year, I'll finally claim

Our friendship by another name -

And be your soulmate; you the same,

For now, just let me go."

#

She didn't miss the heavy sigh,

His lowered gaze, 'neath lidded eye,

As wings unfurled toward the sky

And glistened in the snow.

#

And then he smiled, a crooked grin

That, as a boy, had drawn her in

To crime and mischief, sport and sin,

And made her courage quake.

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But now against the glinting night

He stood before her, pure and bright:

Her closest friend and shining knight,

She'd loved for love's own sake.

#

She knew it then, although he chose

That very year to not disclose

His clear intent, her own arose

Within her, as he turned.

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"I do." She whispered to his back.

He hesitated in his tracks,

Then slowly spun, expression slack,

His eyes a steady burn.

#

"What did you say?" He breathed aloud,

His shoulders shaking, posture bowed.

"If you are teasing me . . ." he vowed,

His desperation clear.

#

She laughed and purred, "I've always said,

Some day it would be you instead

Who'd have to watch where'er you tread;

How does it feel to fear?"

#

And as he gaped, she threw her fist

Toward his jaw - he ducked; she missed.

He drew her body close to his

And brought her to the ground.

#

Hurt within his emerald eyes,

Stunned to silence in surprise;

Was their flirtation merely lies

And he but run around?

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But no - she smiled, and touched his cheek,

"You passed," She murmured. "That technique -

None else could block it; you're unique,

And so I answered, 'Yes'."

#

Then slowly, as her meaning dawned,

She drew him closer, blonde on blonde;

He shifted, trembling, to respond

In passionate caress.

#

And through the night, upon the roof

Her lips to him provided proof:

Not parody nor cruel spoof;

He felt his spirit soar.

#

Then, warm against the winter's chill

As, from each other took their fill

Of love so long denied, until

They broke apart once more.

#

But unbelief with joy combined -

He asked, "What made you change your mind?"

She said, "You left the child behind,

Surrendered everything -

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"To stay with me; you knew you could

Have chosen different, someone good,

One with power, one who would

Be worthy of a King.

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"And thus I thought to let you go,

Not keep you back, not bring you low.

I hoped that, therefore, you might know

That we could never be.

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"And yet this evening, it was you

I wanted with me, holding to

Her memory; love overdue

Has caused my eyes to see."

#

She blushed, and cursed that she could not

Conceal her fervor; overwrought,

Until her shifting gaze he caught,

And turned her face to his.

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Then she beheld the wonder there,

Relief, and triumph, like a prayer

Beseeched, but now at last declared

In answer and in bliss.

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"That I'm astounding, you were right,"

He boasted loudly to the night.

"But wrong that I would find delight

In someone else's smile.

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"For who on earth would understand

As you, to hold inside your hand

The fate of all within a land

When you were but a child?

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"So surely even fools could tell

It would be you - I chose you well,

Besides, I knew too late I fell

The day when first we met.

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"But 'tis enough, this mad charade

Is ended with our love conveyed,

And I content - for you have made

Me truly joyful; yet -"

#

He stood, and from his pocket drew

A perfect diamond, bright and new -

"In hope this be the year that you

Would wear it on your hand.

#

"I cheer that I am finally rid

Of that vile thing; I kept it hid -

A cruel weight each time that it

Had failed me in my plan."

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He rolled his eyes, "It now remains

To see if you are worth the pain

Of all my loss; for what I've gained

From this psychotic stunt.

#

"For we had better now attend

To grieving kin and weeping friends,

Lest in their worry, recommend

An accidental hunt.

#

"No doubt they think we've snuck away

In bitter feud till light of day,

So used to altercation, they

Could not see otherwise."

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She sighed, "It does seem out of taste

Tonight, with sorrow in this place,

For so much joy upon our face

Or pleasure in our eyes."

#

He stopped her words. "I disagree -

I think, of anyone, that she

Would be the first to gloat that we

Are this: 'I told you so'.

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"Since 'tis her honor here tonight

We elevate, I feel it right -

This celebration; that she might

Become the first to know."

#

He raised his voice toward the stars,

And said, "Now, see, where'er you are:

This wish fulfillment so bizarre

The ending Fate foretold -

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"Convinced ourselves we hadn't heard -

The expectations so absurd;

But faithful to its every word:

That ending, now behold!

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"And so, Old Lady, here we stand,

A human girl and boy-turned-man,

To pledge forever, hand-in-hand,

As starlight silver gleams:

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"A prophecy in us fulfilled,

We'll love through seasons unknown still;

Like fairytales, our future will

Exceed our wildest dreams."