"How come you don't use magic anymore?"

That question cut through the intense focus Richard had, his fingers slowed to a halt at last. His silver eyes peered to the side onto Jac, yet his face remained glued towards the screen.

"Hmm... Does it look like I have any use for it right now?" Was his answer.

Jac kicked her feet slightly as her thumbs moodily twitched in her pockets.

"After work.. or on days off... You don't suppose you could..?" She trailed off before stopping then and there.

Richard continued to tap away, expertly filling out a paragraph in mere seconds.. before he paused for a second time. He swiveled around to meet her eye to eye, his face nearly brushing against the miniature form situated on his bookshelf.

"Was there... any particular reason why you're so interested all of a sudden?"

Jac glanced at her feet and puckered her face. Her smile grew brighter the more she mused, as her excitement bloomed out in the open with a giddy skip.

"I miss the wind puffs you used to make!"

"Wind... puffs?" Richard's voice remained flat in turn.

"You know!" Jac rested her arms atop his nose. "Back when we were in high school, you used to show me all the neat little tricks you could pull off using wind magic."

"Oh, yeah."

"We used to gather these little weed flowers, and then you twittled your fingers around and then they sprung up in the air, almost like they're dancing with a woooooop! And then they come down with a whooosh!! Puffs everywhere!"

"Mmmm-hm."

Jac sighed, enthralled by such an enchanting memory. "Oh what I would give to see that again! It was.. well, magical!"

"Uh huh."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic right now."

"I got files piling up, Jac." The Wile spoke with a huff. "This is nice and all but, I really do need to get back to work."

Richard pulled back to a more comfortable position on his desk, as he glanced at the high stacks of paper on the side with a slight grimace. "Unless it could get any of my workload done, there's no real reason to do that stuff anymore. I have little energy as is and.. it's hard to expend more than I need to for that sort of thing."

Jac sighed through her nose. She leaned back against the much-too-tall books, as she watched her friend steadily wind up like the cogs in a machine. The mere sight of this seemed pitiful to the woman.

"Where's your sense of whimsy? C'mon! Don't you want to do it for just a few seconds? You know, for old times sake?"

"Jac.." Richard was locked into his files at this point, typing a storm while he spoke. "I guess to you it seems like a big deal, but to us Wiles, what I did there was the wind equivalent of blowing bubbles. We're not kids anymore.."

"You can clap your hands to make a gust of wind! That's a bit more prevalent!"

Richard groaned.

"I don't even see you do basic Wile giant stuff either. It seems... unnatural." Jac looked down again, the concern in her eyes were subtle, but spoke for themselves.

Nothing was said between them for a few moments, as the human began to brood over thoughts that ultimately was not what she needed to linger on. 'The modern zeitgeist of the Beanstalk Society runs deep..'

Eventually, Jac climbed down the built-in steps to reach the second story shelf. She rummaged through a sprout-sized dresser until she found what she was looking for: a clothed knapsack filled with "pixie" dust. She was running a bit low on it, crud sakes, so she had nothing to show for her efforts.

"What are you doing?" Richard finally said.

"Going through my things.." Jac replied in a sing song way.

"Jac, you're not setting off any sparks in the house. That stuff is highly flammab--"

"I know, I know! Yeesh. I ain't gonna say nothin' to set it off!"

"Just checking!"

Jac gave out a nonverbal hiss before returning to her usual self, her curiosity perked more than ever.

"You were the one who taught me how to use this... with the magic energy you gave me through the Link. Does that mean.. you can do spark type powers too? I always thought you were an air elemental.."

Richard then hunched closer to the screen, as if to say now was not the time to hear this. Jac placed the bag away before she began to gaze upon the dresser, and soon beyond, for a moment or two.

"Why did you give me this to me? What was the purpose again?"

Richard took a breath, yet her words were loud and clear despite it's soft utterance.

"I thought maybe you could put it to good use. In case a hostile giant tried to attack you or something, then that would usually be enough to make them back off."

"Well, if it's ok for me, to borrow your magic, then why should it be an issue when you use it?"

"I hate to be cynical... but our size is a contributing factor." Richard steadily slowed his pacing, his fingers barely getting a word in, along with his mouth soon enough.

"Just because I'm small it's deemed okay in society's eyes?" Jac exclaimed. "That doesn't make it right!"

Richard remained silent.

"And here we are just showcasing the double standards this place runs on! Nobody bats an eye when I use magic! Heck, when we first Linked, you gave me my silver eyes through magic!"

"I, still feel bad about that.."

"Nono, it's fine! I know it wasn't intentional, but, I like it! It's pretty!"

Jac put on a wide grin that hopefully got the message across. The giant's eyes remained somber however, but at least he was looking directly at her direction again. Seeing his expression only fueled her frustrations.

"It's just... for some reason nobody paid attention to it! Or, at least folks never directly acknowledged it to me. You guys get a lot of flack for something as trivial as having metallic colored eyes."

"Or for even breathing sometimes.."

Richard began to slump a tad. Upon the human's realization that the mood had soured, she quickly ducked her head in a nonverbal apology.

"It's fine.. We needed to vent at some point."

"I didn't mean to... I just, don't enjoy seeing you so restricted all the time. It's doing a number to your health."

"I know..." Richard squeezed the bridge of his nose before he leaned back on his recliner. "I know what you want me to do. Embrace the moments where I can."

"Yeah! And fight the good fight!"

"Where applicable." Richard then growled slightly before continuing. "It's never that simple Jac... but..."

"But?"

"I'll admit, wind magic isn't really something that I take that great of interest in to begin with. Beanstalk Society aside, I find it hard to have any practical use for it outside of the occasional self-defense. And you know how much I value getting some use out of things."

"Yeahhh, I know.."

"And yet..."

"Hm?"

"I... wasn't even aware that you liked it so much."

"I don't just like it Rich, I loved seeing your magic make petals dance all around me. And to make the sparkly dew float gracefully towards the sky... It's, little moments like these that make life special to me. And.."

Jac drew closer to that large face she was so accustomed to, resting a hand against a cheek before the rest of her followed suit. "I know it sounds like I'm only interested in the magic aspect of it, but truth is... I care because you are the one performing it. It's beautiful.. art that you've crafted with your own power. A part of you that should be treasured, and... not locked away entirely." Jac continued. "You care a lot about expending energy and all that, but I think it's good for a person who has magic in their blood to let it out every once in a while. Even if it's just for fun."

Richard was careful with his breath, as he leaned in slightly to the tiny woman who nestled against him. His eyes rolled to the side as the bridge of his mouth perked up. Leading to a purr that was barely audible, yet was clear as the dawn for Jac.

"Well..." The Wile whispered. "I guess I can't say no to that. Those words you spoke worked wonders."

"Does that mean..?"

"Yeah. Sorry I was a bit nippy earlier."

"That's ok. I know where it's coming from." Jac then side-glanced to the paper tower. "Are you sure you don't want to wait? You said magic can wear you out."

"Mmm-hm. Like you said, just a few seconds should be fine. Truth is... the fact that you genuinely cared about it beyond it being just a novelty.. moved me. A little."

"Oh?"

"If it was just me, for my sake I wouldn't bother. But... it goes beyond that now." Richard perked up as he finally looked directly at Jac's increasing smile. "If it really makes you that happy... then, well. What am I to deny you that right to see it? Cause to see you happy.. that's what I want most of all."

"That's what I've been saying all along!" Jac folded her arms in an obviously fake pout.

"Sorry, I was thinking about myself at the moment again."

"You're fiiine. But, I'm just glad you came around. Because you certainly need to not bottle up so much!"

"Y..Yeah.."

"Well? What are we waiting for?"

The gibbous moon glowed bright across the bed of stars- a perfect backdrop for the queerplatonic couple as they made their way towards the balcony. Jac jumped off of the giant's open palm before the latter began to clutch his fingers together. He uttered a soft incantation, short, brief and to the point. He then flipped his hand around and presented a finger tip to his friend.

"Here."

Jac felt it, a small yet very present force. She scooped up the invisible spell from Richard, and it was there where she could feel the telltale sign of the wind between her fingers, all bundled up in a compact form.

"A wind puff..." Jac gasped in delight. "Richard... thank you so much."

"No problem." The side of the Wile's face bore sweat, even such a minor spell did that much. "You were right, I am a bit out of shape."

"I'll treasure it as long as I can.. to make up for it."

"It won't be long before it wears out, but you can do whatever you want with it until then. Have fun!"

As Richard returned to his quarters, no doubt to his remaining papers, Jac began to move the wind ball across her arms. She pulled it along, unwinding the wind like string to pick up every dandelion nearby before setting them up high to greet with the awaiting stars. Jac continued to dance like a ballerina on the porch, nothing else mattered in the entire world at this time. The perfect gift, one of enchantment, fueling her child-like wonder. Grateful to still have it after all these years, even for this brief, yet wondrous moment.