Chapter summaries Any Way the Wind Blows Rainbow Rowell

Chapter 20: Simon in Baz's Bed

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After a night of hunting together, Simon Snow lies in Baz Pitch's bed, still processing the emotional and physical intimacy of the past ten hours. He has finally said things he thought would kill him to put into words, yet he remains. Baz showers, gives Simon clean clothes, and lets him eat Bourbon biscuits. When Baz joins him in bed, Simon wraps his arm and wing around him, and Baz rests his head on Simon's shoulder. They talk about Simon's past—how magic drained him thin during summers—and Baz reassures him that he is not fat. Simon apologizes for having ghosted Baz's texts. Baz shares that he bailed his aunt Fiona out of jail and begins to explain the truth about his stepmother and father, promising a story Simon won't like.

Key Events

  • Simon reflects on the surrealness of being in Baz's bed after hunting.
  • Baz comes out of the shower and they settle into bed together.
  • Simon eats Bourbon biscuits directly from a milk bottle; Baz teases him.
  • Simon removes his shirt because his wings make it easier to sleep without one.
  • They cuddle: Simon puts his arm and wing around Baz; Baz lays his head on Simon's shoulder.
  • Simon explains that he used to get very thin over summers because the magic took a lot out of him.
  • Baz tells Simon he is not fat and likes him the way he is.
  • Simon apologizes for ignoring Baz's texts—Baz calls him out for ghosting his boyfriend of eighteen months.
  • Baz updates Simon: he bailed Fiona out of jail after she tried to steal something from Watford.
  • Simon asks about Baz's stepmother and father; Baz says his stepmother is seeing another man.
  • Baz decides to tell Simon the whole story about what's happening.

Character Development

  • Simon: Opens up about his painful history with magic depletion, showing vulnerability. He physically initiates closeness with Baz and apologizes for his recent emotional withdrawal. His willingness to hear Baz's difficult news marks growth in their trust.
  • Baz: Shows care by giving Simon clothes, food, and reassurance. He confronts Simon about ghosting with a mix of hurt and dry humor, revealing he wants the relationship to continue. Finally, he chooses to share the painful details about his family, trusting Simon to hear him out.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Vulnerability and Trust: Both characters expose their weaknesses—Simon's past hunger and anxiety about his body, Baz's family turmoil—deepening their bond.
  • Food and Nourishment: Bourbon biscuits, milk, and the mention of all-you-can-eat scones at Watford tie physical sustenance to emotional comfort and childhood deprivation.
  • The Body as a Site of Struggle: Simon's wings, his thinness from magic use, and his worry about being fat show how his physical form reflects his internal battles.
  • Home and Belonging: Simon finds safety in Baz's bed, a space that contrasts with the cold, impersonal care homes where he starved.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter solidifies the shift in Simon and Baz's relationship from enemies to intimate partners. Simon's willingness to stay and listen after Baz's terrible day shows he is no longer running away. Baz's decision to confide about his family crisis signals that he sees Simon as a true confidant. The chapter also deepens the backstory of Simon's magical exhaustion, which was hinted at in earlier books, and sets up the next chapter for a major revelation about Baz's stepmother and father.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why did Simon get so thin during summers away from Watford?
    Simon believes the magic drained him constantly, even when he wasn't using it. Care homes didn't provide enough food to compensate, so he returned to school starving every year.

  2. How does Baz react when Simon apologizes for ghosting him?
    Baz sarcastically summarizes what Simon did: ignoring texts from “your boyfriend of eighteen months, hoping I’d get the message and silently fade away.” Though he tweaks Simon's nipple in a teasing way, his tone carries genuine hurt.

  3. What does Baz reveal about his aunt Fi?
    Baz says he bailed Fiona out of jail because she had been trying to steal something from Watford. He doesn't yet know what she was after.

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