-Hello again to those reading this! This is the second part of Damien and Cory's story, and at this point I'm wondering if I should just turn it into its own separate book.
Let me know what you think. I'll write some stories for other characters soon!-

That familiar sound came again. This time around, it wasn't snowing outside, but it was raining leaves, many much larger than a majority of our kind. Like every other time, I turned the handle to let Damien in. His familiar smile filled my sights when I did. We exchanged our greetings, just the same as we always had, and he came inside. This time, however, he didn't take off his autumn coat and sit down. No, this time, he smiled at me, and proposed an offer.
"The season's festival is about to start. You can join me there, if you'd like." I hadn't been out that far in quite some time. It was fairy territory, and I only needed to leave to gather supplies and food, which were all in the small village that was at the bottom of the hill. Though I had to admit, his offer was quite enticing.
"How long will we be out?" I asked. He thought for a moment, tapping his cheek as he always does.
"The festival ends when the sun is set, but we can leave whenever. Though, I would like to see the festival lights, and it would take us quite a while to get there, but I swear it's worth it." He nervously fiddled with his hands and stared at the floor, awaiting for my response.
"I'll go," I finally decided. "Just let me get some warmer clothing on." Damien looked back up at me, his smile returning once more. As I left the room, I turned back to see him excitedly waiting for my return. I couldn't help but smile.

I stepped onto the unfamiliar territory, following close behind Damien. He seemed more familiar with the place and its people. Being a lumberjack, he spent lots of time with fairies. They helped him and many others of his profession get to the higher trees in order to get to the pieces of the branches that were thin enough for our tools to cut.
"I live around this area, so after the festival we don't have to walk all the way back to yours." The sun was beginning to set off in the distance, and the cold rose as it fell further into the darkness. The sounds of people chattering and the smell of burning wood filled the air. There were fairies flying overhead, some carrying baskets and others carrying gnomes. There was music, games, and many contests to participate in, but Damien insisted on avoiding them and just walking through the festival.
Soon, when we got to the heart of the festival, we saw people adorning themselves in the fallen leaves. A strange, but welcome idea. Many were dancing around with their loved ones, others were performing for a chance to gain money in this densely populated area. I had to move closer to Damien in order to not lose myself to the crowd. As we walked, the sun lowered further into the sky, until everything seemed to light up. There were many blues, with greens and pinks thrown into the mix. Damien looked up at the light above us. A smile grew across his face, and he let out a content sigh.
"I told you it was worth it," he whispered. He placed his arm around my shoulder and dragged me closer to him. His embrace was a surprise, but also a welcome surprise. The sudden warmth sent goosebumps throughout my body. It was quite unfamiliar, but it somehow made the night all that much sweeter.

As the lights began to die down, the people began to disappear into the darkness. Damien began to lead me down the path to his home. Being beside him at night had reminded me of that cold winter night, where I had fallen asleep with company but awoke to nothing more than dust in my room. The night I had since forgotten about. I couldn't help but question his disappearance. As if I were thinking aloud, I asked him.
"Why did you leave after I fell asleep?" It was out of context, and Damien was obviously confused. He tilted his head to one side.
"When?" he asked.
"On that winter night, not too long ago. You had sent me off to rest and left before day broke. Why?" A chortle escaped from his lips, as if the answer to the question to the answer was simple.
"Well, it would have been odd to wake up and see someone in your room. Especially if you've lived alone your whole life." He continued to stare ahead, and the topic soon left our minds. As we approached the small cottage he called home, it was apparent that we were both tired. He unlocked the door, and we went inside.