Though Aeolus had fallen with relatively good mood about his failure, the longer he remained trapped beneath the snow, it was clear he was beginning to panic a little. Kaj's heart responded instinctively to the plaintive cries of his name, rushing for the half-concealed child beneath the snow, words rolling off his tongue in mindless reassurance. "It's okay Aeolus, I'm here, I'll get you out, just hold still," he crooned, speaking louder than normal in case the snow was too thick for the child to hear. Though it was a harmless situation his heart was pounding nonetheless, inspired by the clinging tendrils of fear in the fledgling's voice. He could not stop to take the time to reassure himself, couldn't think beyond getting Aeolus out of the snow, comforting him...

Big eyes peeked out from the snow, and Kaj heaved a sigh of relief, smile warm enough it could have melted the snow away long before his wings could uncover the boy. "There you are," he teased softly, eyes a twinkling reminiscence to the summer skies that would soon overcome the land once more. Aeolus pulled himself from the depths of his snowy prison, half-sitting in the chilled substance that had broken his fall. Kaj laughed freely, deep and pleased, as the cheerful 'I told you so' came tumbling out as if the minor scare had never happened. His heart settled in his chest, as if there'd ever been anything to really fear. "You certainly showed me," he agreed playfully. 

Aeolus pulled himself free in a shower of snow and feathers, and Kaj moved forward, wing lifting and shoulder bracing to catch the fledgling if he needed it. Only, Aeolus was a step ahead of him, stumbling purposefully to his side, little shivers of cold and the dredges of fear vibrating against Kaj's skin. Kaj's wing shuttered down around the fledgling, warding off the chill as well as the recent failure, head turning and tucking to press muzzle instinctively between the youth's ears. They both seemed as surprised by their actions as the others, though Aeolus was the one to spring away as if Kaj's touch had burned him. The Aurelight cautiously lifted his wing to allow the escape, wondering if he'd been the one to overstep some sort of boundary. At least, until Aeolus spoke. 

Kaj's face softened and he turned, wing slipping higher in silent communication that if Aeolus desired, he could find shelter beneath it once more. "It's okay," he assured softly. "You can touch me as much as you want, Aeolus, I promise." His heart ached for it, for Aeolus to perhaps see him as something more than a mentor, a Czar. But Kaj shut down that thought quickly. No, he couldn't push that upon the child. Upon Brisa, gods. But oh how he wanted to erase the abandonment of the fledgling's father, to help raise him, to be involved in his life...

OOC here