brighter than the sun

Bellamy shot up from his sleep, panting, looking around the darkened room. It was morning, the sun was starting to bleed into the room from the cracks of the blackout shades. He winced as, just in the following moment, his clock's alarm blared. Hitting it to stop it, he glares for a moment. Moving to the edge of the bed, he rested his head in his right hand, feeling a bit ill, and not really remembering much of anything from the day before. Standing from bed, he wrapped his blanket around him, yawning, then moved to get ready to start the day. Having the day off.

After starting his morning, Bellamy wandered his way into the garden for the afternoon. Standing inside, he was sorting out some gardening supplies he would need, another moment of lightheadedness hitting him at the moment. He swayed, pushing against the counter in his kitchen. His head dropped. Leaning into his hands as he tried not to let it ruin his day off. Biting his lips tightly together, he turned his head a little, inhaling deeply, eyes closed, “Come on.” Bellamy muttered. 'Why couldn't you just be a cold.' he thought.

Just then, he heard a knock at the door. Moving, he walked toward the front of his house, carrying with him the supplies. Pulling the door open a little, he peeks out from the small opening and darkness of the house around him, recognizing who was standing there, a glimpse of a smile formed on his lips, “Estella, hey. Ah-What…are you doing here?” He asked, glancing back toward his house, not wanting to invite anyone in at the moment. Opening the door a little more, enough for him to squeeze out, he quickly moved out to meet with her, closing the door quickly, “Everything good?” He then asked, turning to make his way across the porch, glancing back at her.

—

She liked visiting people she liked. Of course, Estella liked most everyone, but there was something about Bellamy that clicked with her. Which wasn’t something she was ever going to try and question, because if something was good, what was the point in questioning it? Good things were meant to be, and she wasn’t going to ignore that. Not now, not ever.

So she’d decided to go over to Bellamy’s house tonight because it was a good time to hang out with people she liked. It was fall now, and she absolutely did not love what that meant, even if fall was a pretty beautiful time of year. She’d brought Charming along with her – he was one of the easier animals of hers to bring along, and she hoped it would make Bellamy smile. She liked when he smiled.

Estella knocked on the door and immediately waved at Bellamy once he’d opened the door. “Oh, yeah, stuff’s all good.” At least it mostly was, “I just wanted to come see if you wanted to chill or whatever. If you’ve got the time. I brought Charming with me, too.” Charming usually had a way of making people feel better about a lot of things.

—

Smiling at his friend, he adjusted the items he was carrying, blinking a little as he looked them over, to maybe see if he might be able to read more into it. Though gleaned nothing. Hearing Estella's words, he glanced toward the bearded dragon and smiled wider, “Great to hear!” At the idea of chilling, he nods. It was later, which was good, he had more fun and time at night.

“No. I've got loads of time right now. Been off work for a bit, just doing some maintenance for the garden. Or, finishing it.” He loved Charming, to be honest! Bellamy shifted, excited at seeing the two of them, “Love that.” Reaching over, he gently ran the tip of his index finger over the lizard's head. Then, turning his head toward the garden, he knocked his head that way.

“Help me finish up on a few things, and I'll bring you in on some cookies I made the other day, huh?” He offered, “How's things been for you lately? Hear about that latest blackout? Weird stuff going on, huh?” He turned as he spoke, making his way toward the back, “How's your other friends doing?” Bellamy asked about Estella's other pets.

—

She knew Bellamy. Not especially well, but that didn’t matter, because you didn’t have to know someone too well to be their friend. If someone was kind and you were kind back to them, then Estella pretty much figured that you could be friends. It was perhaps a leap of an assumption, and she knew full well that she did tend to make those leaps more often than perhaps she should have, but with this, it didn’t feel so bad. In fact, it didn’t feel bad at all.

Estella grinned. “Charming is very happy to see you, too.” He was. She could practically feel Charming further relax under Bellamy’s index finger. This was another way that she knew that he was a good friend – he cared for her animals and didn’t overreact or judge her for it. It was nice, easy, and peaceful. 

“That sounds really good to me!” She would have helped him no matter what, but the offer of cookies did sweeten the deal (quite literally, in fact). “It’s very weird.” She didn’t like to think about it too much (or much at all). It wasn’t something she could explain, and she didn’t especially like that, especially since she tended to react to the blackouts in a way that was outside of her control. “How are you doing? My other friends are doing well. Thank you for asking about them.” She grinned. “But how can I help?”

—

Bellamy was a pretty horrible case to get to know, especially in those first few years since moving to Wicked's Rest. He often still exhibited that behavior when he could not muster the strength to put on the mask that he often did to be able to be social and maintain friendships. The thing that was happening to him lately had made it much harder to do these things. But today was a good day.

“Excellent.” He smiled at Estella's response. Giving a few more light brushes of his finger tip. Though most people didn't often make him the happiest to be around. Not because of them exactly, in most cases. Bellamy just felt a little on edge around strangers and those he had known well enough. Estella was one who fell in line with the sort he knew well enough, and also enjoyed the company of, “He's just so cute!” It often made Bellamy wonder if he should have had a pet.

Though with the latest goings-on, those thoughts were pushed aside, too scared, as he was, to go out and meet with others or invite them over. Thinking that something horrific might happen, no, would happen, if he did. He couldn't invite that onto others, it was absolutely horrible. But here Estella was, and here had had to protect her and play things as if they were any other day, “Great!” He replied, giving a nod when she continued, “Wonder how long that's going to last.”

With the question on how he was doing, he shrugged, moving around to the side of the house with his garden tools, “Same old same old. Found some mold in one of the rooms, again. Always happens during the rains.” He was chipping away at it all, though. “That's good to hear.” Moving toward the backyard, he put the gear down on a patio table he had out there, “Oh, just some trimming and weed pulling, nothing much else needed.”

—

It wasn’t exactly that she was surprised when people liked her, because most people did (unless they were fae, but that was something else entirely), but it still felt nice to be wanted and maybe that Baz person had had a point when they’d compared her to Tinkerbell. Maybe she would die if she didn’t get enough attention, though that was a very negative thing to think about and so, as she did with most negative things, Estella pushed the thought aside to come back to at a later time that would never come. Hopefully. 

She made a face at the mention of mold. “Well, if you need help drying things out faster I… can probably help.” Realizing how confusing that sounded, she stepped back with a, “I just know a lot of things. I mean – that sounds bad, and selfish, but I know a lot of people and I have a lot of connections, and so I can usually get something done if it needs to get done.”

He talked about the garden and that was something that Estella could always find herself on board with. “Do you want me to take over while you rest? I think that’s probably pretty much the least you deserve. Just ‘cause you’re always working, I think, and I like doing the garden thing – do you want your worms to stay here if I run into them?”

—

At the offer of help, he nodded, “Oh. I have it worked out. But I will keep that in mind.” He thought he had it worked out anyway. But he really wasn't much himself a lot these days. On top of that, he was often forgetting, or, well, not knowing things. The inside of the house was a mess, full of stinky, sea-smelling rot. And mold, lots of mold. Bellamy himself could not perceive it, however, like it was. At least, if he did, he quickly would forget it. As if everything were next to normal, for him.

While Estella had continued, he frowned a bit at the reasoning, “It's not selfish to know people, and learn things from them?” He mumbled, glancing from side to side as he thought this over. He was right? Right? Bellamy grinned, “You should learn things from other people. Knowing more is amazing!” Bellamy continued toward the back of the house, “Unless you're saying that, using your connections to help others, is selfish?” He wasn't sure, and he certainly wasn't sure that was true, either, “That's not selfish.”

Bellamy entered the garden with Estella, glancing around before yawning and walking over to some of the tools that were in the back, “Oh. Um. Yeah. If you wanted. I can do some stuff, though.” Nodding at that, he moved, crouching next to the chest outside and opening it, “Here's where the smaller tools are. Bigger ones are in the shed--there-” He pointed. Then paused, thinking, “Worms… Yeah!” Nodding, he smiled at Estella, “You know what you're doing, I trust you.” Standing then, he stepped away, “Some of the mold is part of my collection. You know? I have a mold collection.”

—

“Please do keep it in mind.” She didn’t want it to sound like she was forcing Bellamy into anything, but she also liked any excuse to show off all that she could do. Or at least do all that she could do, even if she didn’t always fully show it off. Because showing it off to the wrong person could and would get her in trouble without a single doubt. Especially now that she’d learned more about how there were literal people in the world who were designed to kill fae. It made her sick, and because it made her sick, Estella did her best to avoid thinking about it as much as she could. Except, of course, never thinking about something was next to impossible, and so she was at quite a conundrum. Bellamy was a good distraction from all of that, though. 

“My dad always said it was selfish. Or well, he’s implied that. Loads of times.” She grinned at Bellamy’s comment. “You’re right. You are so right.” He was, and why was she doubting things so much? That wasn’t like her. That wasn’t who she was. It was, in fact, nearly the opposite sort of thing she was. “I just like helping people. So yeah. You’re right. Again.”

She nodded at Bellamy’s words. “I always want. I’ll go grab a bigger tool, maybe, or – wait.” She shook her head. “Actually, I’ll start with just my hands. That way it’s safer.” When she was in control of herself, which she nearly always was. So that wasn’t a problem. “Yes. I remember you saying that. I won’t touch the mold.”

—

He was used to working, even when he was exhausted. It was something he was made to do when in the care of his second parents. The caretakers. As long as he performed as needed, he was able to rest when not. Though there was little of that between a lot of the other stuff they made him do, “Yeah.” He shifted, grabbing at some things in the box, “I'll do that!” Smiling toward Estella, he lifted his head a bit, eyeing her and looking her over. Wondering what was on her mind, something seemed to be, he thought. But then he told himself he might have just been imagining it. Though he could guess that to be the reason why she had come today, or, one reason, anyway.

Bellamy turned his head away, closing his eyes for a moment. It was stupid to think like that. He wasn't a mind reader, and he shouldn't have tried to be. It opened too many cans of worms when someone did that. He told himself to just let it be. Whatever Estella's motives were, they were hers to do with as she pleased. He should just be happy she had come at all! Listening to her speak once more, he looked over, nodding his head lightly as he listened, “Oh. Your dad said that?” It made him wonder what her dad must be like.

“Well, I don't think so, and you're at my house!” He tells her with a bright, beaming grin, “So you can do that here.” Moving to her then, he held out some of the gardening tools he had in hand, nodding more as she spoke. Then, lifting his head a bit, he blinked and looked toward the larger tools, “Well, okay.” Pulling some of the tools back toward himself, he laughed a little, “Your hands it is then. But, don't hurt yourself.” He told her as he moved away, setting some of the tools on a picnic table he had nearby, “The mold! Yesss. It's in a very delicate state lately.” He joked as he moved to put on some gardening gloves, “Alright. Since Winter is right around the corner, I need to take some of the babies inside.” He said, moving toward a lemon tree he had just put out in the Spring.

—

“Sounds good!” She liked his smile in response to what she said. She liked the way that she felt around Bellamy – the way he made her feel important without seeming to put himself down. She liked feeling important – heck, she wasn’t a literal princess, but she could still enjoy acting and feeling like one. She was just a more benevolent leader than most. Estella knew that she wasn’t even technically a leader, other than the inherent leadership that came along with wealth and knowing how at least a lot of things in this town worked, but that wasn’t the point right now. 

For now, the point was to enjoy the flowers and her time with a friend and do some good gardening and talk about whatever it was that they wanted to talk about. “He sure did. It’s whatever.” It wasn’t whatever, but she’d been dealing with it for her whole life and complaining did very little to cause any amount of progress, so she’d stopped, for the most part. (Not internally, never internally, and not to her closest friends or to Mickey, who was both family and a closest friend, but in theory. She hadn’t had a meltdown about her father in at least a fair few years). “He does that, he says things that my kindergarten teacher told me were inside thoughts, but it charms people, so maybe that’s just a rich guy thing.” Her face wrinkled up in disgust, but she pushed the unpleasant thoughts away.

“I’m glad that’s how you think.” Her own smile grew at least twofold at the comment and she nodded. “I won’t hurt myself.” She couldn’t promise that – technically nobody could promise that they’d never get hurt, but the repercussions that she would have to deal with if she did wind up hurt were not something she wanted to deal with. She was mostly honest, most of the time. “I’m happy to make sure these all get safely inside and are kept warm.” Estella nodded. “The lemon tree first? Where… are we moving that? It’s rather stuck in the ground.” 

—

Bringing his hands together, he smiled at her enthusiasm, still. Then, giving a quick few nods of his head, Bellamy moved to look around here and there, about his yard and the back patio of his house, a bit. He had, of course, he had not much a clue about most of the residents of the town's internal affairs and the like. But to him, Estella was good people. That was all that really mattered to him. She had been a wonderful friend. At the thought of this, however, he stilled for a moment. His eyes fluttered slightly as a rush of something came over him. Something that made him feel entirely unlike himself. Though, the moment completely passed seconds later.

As she spoke of her father, he glances to one side, then again toward, and across the ground in front of him. The strange feeling lingering again. He could not remember much of his own father. Let alone things the man might have ever said to him. Being as young as he had been the last time he had seen the other. Bellamy tapped a finger to whatever items he had been holding, the faintest of memories of a time very long past now. Of him sitting in the living room of his parents' home. Putting together Legos. A tv flickering feet from him of some show he could not even begin to know, “Ah- Yeah? Maybe it is, I'd think it's highly likely?” He gave a shrug at that, however.

“Hm.” Bellamy blinked, nodding his head gently as she said she wouldn't, “Even so, there are still bandages.” He started walking then, toward the lemon tree. Bellamy paused as Estella remarked on how they would move something in the ground, “Oh! This one is a baby. It's in a pot.” Bellamy informed with a sharp nod, “A pretty heavy one, though. By next year, it's going to be in the ground, though.” He assured, hoping it would survive till then, “But for right now, it might get far too cold for it.” As he continued to walk, he approached the pot and knelt down next to it, showing her what he was talking about, “I think between the pair of us, we can move it.”

—

She knew too much about some people, while simultaneously knowing next to nothing about most people. Which was a side-effect of being who she was. She knew her best friends like the back of her hand (or even better than that, because who spent that much time memorizing their hands) – and she knew Bellamy at least fairly well. He was a good friend and he was someone Estella enjoyed spending time with. He stopped for a moment though, became almost frozen, though then the moment passed as though nothing had happened and she wondered if she’d imagined it (she did, after all, have a very good imagination).

“It seems to especially be a ‘my father rich man’ thing, but that population in general likely lends itself to that, I’d think.” Either way, it wasn’t the most fun of thoughts and that made it a thought that she wanted to get out of her mind as fast as possible.

She shrugged, not out of discontent or disagreement, but instead just to move things along. Now was a time of appreciating and being together. “Right, my bad!” She grinned. “If you need help figuring out ways to keep it warm once it’s in the ground, I can think through some ideas.” That was, she could keep it warm, but she hadn’t revealed that version of herself to Bellamy yet (and she didn’t know if she ever would), but she would go through ideas until he found something he was comfortable with and then she could add just a little bit more of a magic touch. “Just let me know when to lift!”

—

Blinking a little, he stares over at her, nodding a little when she was talking about her father. He didn't really get it. He liked to think he was wealthy. Memories that did survive the trauma suggested maybe even his father was. His parents were. Or maybe it was just the way the memories were framed. How they found themselves inside his mind. Perhaps he was misremembering, he often thought. Bellamy smiled a little, “Ah.” He supposed he did not really think of that, either. Listening to Estella's response.

“That's definitely an interesting way to think about it.” He nodded then. Sure, there could have been more to be said here, but, Estella had moved on quickly from it. So he moved along with her to the next. Perhaps it was for the best, anyway. It would bring up his parents, and that was not really the best for him.

At her shrug, he looked Estella over a bit, before clearing his throat and looking away, “Sure! Yeah.” He moved across his yard and toward the garden where the babies had been, glancing over toward her, “I would love to hear what your ideas are, when the time comes.” He watched her for a moment, trying to pick up anything with the shrug, or the look on her face. A feeling in him said there had been more to it, more to her.

“Alright, here it is. You think I should name them?” He asked her, mostly joking. Bellamy reached out his hands and gestured to her with one, “Now then. We're going to live it now.”

After that was done he moved back to the garden itself, watching her, “Alright, now we can work on the weeds.” He pauses, “How's our little friend doing?” He asked of her pet, pulling on his gardening gloves as he did.

—

“Yes.” She replied, and for a moment the child who had bouts of trying to sound far too proper for her small size returned, and a part of her was surprised that she didn’t curtsey when all was said and done. Thankfully, of all the people to almost curtsey to, Bellamy wasn’t the worst example. He could be a bit odd (Estella used the term ‘odd’ as a form of endearment, and those who knew her knew this, which was all that really mattered to her), but he’d accept her however she presented. Still, not curtseying was probably for the best.

Estella also appreciated that Bellamy moved along with her when she didn’t want to focus too much on all of this. Bellamy moved along easily and she was so grateful for that. Though it did make her pause and think for a moment about how she knew very little about his parents, but maybe that was intentional on his part – and she respected that, though it didn’t mean she wouldn’t prod and poke at a later date.

She beamed. “You’ve got it. We’ll talk and coordinate when the time comes.” 

That was enough of that. She reveled in living in the present and so that was what they would do now. “I think everything deserves a name, but I am not certain if everyone agrees with me. Still – yes. I think you should name them, if they have a name that calls to you.”

The two of them moved the tree without too much difficulty and they returned back to the garden in no time. “On it – the weeds will be cared for in no time!” She turned back to Charming. “He’s doing well. Likes to observe the world as though he’s king of everything.” Estella looked back to Bellamy. “He says thank you for asking, and that when we’re done, he’d love to have some leafy greens and bugs and maybe even fruit, if you’d be so kind.”

—

Bellamy nods a few times, then his attention wandered a bit to the yard, and other such thoughts. He had wondered very little of what other people had thought of him. But lately, it seemed like he was being made to do more interacting with others. To step out of that isolated comfort zone. Into a world he had never really felt like he had belonged. His experience with others up till then had not been the greatest. It was not that he didn't want friends, or such like that. It was that he was unsure of what others were to do, or to say.

Though, something commanded him to have some presence on the internet. Despite this. Even if it wasn't fully exposing his identity. He would come out of this fugue in the middle of such conversations. Days missing, but little else to tell him much was too wrong. Easily, he chalked it down to being tired and that he just forgot conversations and days because of it. Yes. That was surely it.

As Estella spoke he looked to her beaming face, offering a shy smile in return, momentary, gone almost as quickly as it barely spread over his lips, “Yeah. I guess that I do.” He said, encouraged.

“Right. It's like a pet, isn't it? I'll hope to be keeping it around for some years, won't I?” Bellamy reasoned, not thinking this was odd. He had no actual pets, no animals to say were his. Even though, living out in the woods as he did, he saw many of the sort. Once the cold began, that would become less frequent, and he would have just the plants inside.

Reaching out, as they had placed the plant in the room with the growth specific lights, he gently grasped the lemon tree, “Maybe …Zelda.” He mumbled then, before they moved on to do more.

Standing near the garden, he nodded as Estella replied. Bringing his hands together, then, the weeding gloves muffling the clapping noise, he hummed under his breath, “Excellent. It shall be a great garden haul, I believe it!” As she had answered his next question, Bellamy listened, before giving another acknowledging nod to her reply, “Aww, Charming. You know I can't say no.” Bellamy turned his head to Charming, “Of course I have some leafy greens and bugs. Oh! My bugs.” He paused, thinking there were certainly plenty, “I believe I still have a bit of mango from the store I haven't finished. Yes!” Looking to Estella then, he laughed lightly, shortly.

—

Even a shy smile was a win. Especially with people like Bellamy. It wasn’t her intention to analyze her friend’s temperament, even though there were a few things that she had questions about. But they were not something that she needed answers to right now. Not if there was a chance that he’d be uncomfortable during a time where they both wanted to have a pleasant time. She liked pleasant things most of all, even if she liked the original less soft-edged fairytales. Even in the worst moment, they often had happy endings. Not every one, of course, but many did and she liked when things were soft-edged, even if they held sharp spikes within.

She doubted Bellamy had anything even close to resembling sharp spikes, all the same.

“It is something like that, though the term ‘pet’ always feels a bit off to me, because I am my animals’ companion just as much as they are mine, and I do not wish for anyone to think of them as anything lesser just because they are not –” well, she couldn’t say human, “bipedal with oral language other humans understand.” Of course, that had the air of not being human herself, but she’d take the risk. Estella had talked like that (or even more fae-like on occasion) for as long as she could remember.

“Zelda is a noble name. I think she looks like that. Or even if it isn’t pitch perfect, it’s something she could grow into very well.” After all, names were a powerful thing, both in fairytales and, at times, to actual fae. She didn’t know how much actual fae practiced magic having to do with names, but it stood to be thought about regardless.

She nodded, enthusiastic, “I believe it too!” She usually did, she usually believed in things going the optimal way (perhaps to a fault, at least according to some), and so her stomach never (or at least very rarely) hurt when she exclaimed such things. “He does seem to get ‘yeses’ out of nearly everyone he meets. If I didn’t know better I’d say he was magic.” Estella winked. “He’ll appreciate that, I think especially the mango.” She grabbed a few more weeds, yanking them out of the ground. “Let’s finish this quick, and then we can go on inside, yeah?”

—

Thinking about it, he pauses, not really hearing it that way before. Most people he knew that had pets, which was next to none, aside from Estella. Who, while a friend, had not been a friend for the longest of time. For the longest of time he had only heard of people speak of pets. He nodded, “That does sound much better than to call them a pet.” He agreed, simply.

Bellamy continued to listen to her reasoning, nodding his head as he did. Was there something fascinating there? He supposed he couldn't really tell. What was hinted at, just seemed to be a kindness toward animals, or fondness of fairytales. There was no fault he could find in either. Shifting a little, Bellamy glanced to one side before saying, “Right, sometimes you just need to pay attention, and be quiet.”

“I got it from a video game.” Bellamy informed, fluffing the leaves lightly. Then, nodding more, “But you're right. And yeah, she'll definitely be beautiful when she's matured.” The yellow and green just told him the lemons that came from this tree would taste amazing.

Laughing a little, Bellamy was confident that he could do just enough with anything if he put his will into it. Being emotionally numbed to a lot of things also helped. While Estella spoke on Charming, he crouched down in the garden, tugging out some of the weeds, “Well, that is why he's named so, right? Charming many of those he comes across. What a charming fellow, yes.” Bellamy put the weeds to the side, he could do something with them, “I agree. The sun's coming out again, it's very hot.”

—

She liked when people agreed with her regardless, but she liked it even more when they seemed content with it. When it seemed genuine. Though her biology rendered her physically incapable of lying, she’d grown to dislike it as a general rule – unless it was necessary for safety (which was why a number of people didn’t know that she wasn’t human). So even though it didn’t physically make her sick, she didn’t like other people lying about how they felt. Usually. She’d cared far less about it when she was a younger child but she’d grown to care more. Point was, Estella was glad that Bellamy’s actions all seemed genuine. 

“I’m not always the best at being quiet, but I’m a work in progress, much like anyone else.” She grinned. “But yes, sometimes just paying attention to the world around you does a lot more good compared to what some people might think.” She liked “the good”. She liked when people and things and everyone worked toward “the good”, nebulous of an idea as it was. But there was also something beautiful about “the good” being nebulous and not fully defined. It left room for growth and joy from nearly everyone.

“Oh, right, yes – that is a game I have heard of. I can’t wait to see her grow up.” No matter how long it took, she would be there. She hoped that Bellamy would be too, despite being human and therefore having a much shorter lifespan.

She picked Charming up and off her shoulder and gave him a small kiss on his head. “That’s exactly right.” She didn’t mind the sun, but Estella was also fine with an excuse to take a break and take Charming inside to be further doted upon. “Let’s do it. But you have to remember – part of what keeps him so charming is sun exposure.” She winked before placing the bearded dragon back on her shoulder and standing up, brushing loose dirt off of her skirt.

—

Yanking out some more weeds for the time being. Bellamy focused in on what he was doing, pulling out and tossing the weeds to one side in a repetitive motion. Though he could only work sporadically under sunlight, due to his being allergic to the sun, he did try to be diligent when he was out there. Especially when not dressed in full gear to prevent reactions. However, he forwent wearing the entirety of his gear, as it could become quite unmanageable. Leading to more stress on his body. He did already take some preventative remedies for it, but it was not an overall coverall.

Hearing what she said, he thought about it for a moment, then gave a nod. It was true, actually. Not one person he knew was ever really finished. They were always a work in progress, “That's a great way to see it, you know.” He said, tossing a few remaining weeds into a pile on his back patio. Sometimes it was difficult to do that, he found. But he was trying not to care about what other people thought. He was still getting over what he had been through. Even after all this time. How people had failed him time and time again. It, he knew, could make him a little less kind. A little more difficult to deal with for some. But he was trying. Not that he wanted to be good, or bad. He just wanted to be, and some people thought he might be things he was not, “That's right. It's very good, yeah.”

“When I played it for the first time, a couple years ago. It was like, how could I have spent my life without knowing about it!” Laughing quietly, he gave a shrug, “And, yeah, me too. She'll be mature in no time.” With that, he nodded his head.

Now that the overcast had been ending, he moved closer to his house, opening the back door into the kitchen. He looked back at the other, “Don't mind the mess, I've been renovating here.” He walked inside, moving to one of the counters, “I'll grab the stuff and bring it out, so he can enjoy the sunlight.” Bellamy then said to her, holding up a hand, “Might take a moment, I need to put sunscreen on again.” He gestured to his face. With that, he slid the patio door shut and did not come back out for some time. When he did, he emerged with a light wind jacket on and some mango slices for Charming, with a snack for Estella and himself, “Hope you like chocolate chip cookies.” Bellamy said as he placed the container on one of the outside tables.

There was something magnificent about puzzles. Language ones were her favorite sort, of course, but Estella was a fan of any and all sorts she could get her hands on. This particular puzzle case, as she’d realized when a friend came to talk to her, was a bit more ‘life or death’ than most. Not that she thought death was even somewhat of an option, but it did ramp up her nerves like nearly nothing else if there was even the possibility of death (though she’d dealt with that, back with the giant worm and she also knew she would have to come to terms with that in regard to her very human friends but maybe for now she could help figure things out and the town would not all die out or whatever the exact prediction was (she knew, but she couldn’t think about it too much).

She actually had part of an answer. They needed a buggane to make a tunnel and Estella did happen to know one. His name was Frank and she knew that he looked a bit imposing in his true form, all twelve feet of him (over twice her height) but he was kind and had a good sense of humor and was even learning a bit of Arabic with Estella to impress someone else who he wouldn’t name yet (but she’d get it out of him – love was one of her most favorite things and something that did exist for both fae and humans, and Frank deserved this). Well, correction, they needed to make a tunnel but Frank was just the fae for the job. It was the first thing Estella had thought of and Frank was eager to help and he’d been so happy to be invited along.

“I hope –” she shook her head. “This is Frank.” She gestured to her friend, introducing him to whoever else might have been around them. “He’s cool, he likes Blues and Folk music, gummy worms, helping out, and baseball hats.” She grinned. “It’s all good stuff, but like, the helping out is the number one reason why I –” she turned back to him, this time just to him and not for any sort of performance, “well, why I wanted to get your help. Plus, you’re good at digging and we do apparently need that!”

Frank looked at her, quizzical. “What do you need help with, Miss Hartmann?”

She scrunched up her nose. “You really don’t have to call me that. We’re friends and equals. That sounds too formal, unless you really prefer it.” After a few seconds and her throat cleared, she added, “we need tunnels.”

“Tunnels?” Frank’s expression remained quizzical, though with a glint of excitement in his eyes, now.

“Yes, tunnels.” She nodded. Frank seemed pleased with the humans and that delighted Estella as well. If he’d been judgy about all of this they wouldn’t be able to be productive as much as they’d like. But he wasn’t judgy (that wasn’t his nature) (Estella didn’t think moles or mole-adjacent fae really could judge, though then again, there was that mole in Thumbelina… but Frank wasn’t anything like that!). “It might also be a safer place for someone to go.” A place where someone could feel wanted and not be ostracized by the human world. She, personally, was not a fan of living underground, but some people were and she applauded those people. Maybe there were some seed nymphs who needed to live underground. It was something to look into.

“Yes. A home. A home is a safe place to go, usually. When you make it yourself. Or make it into what you need.” Her homes were multiple and not all places. Some of her homes were people. Three of her homes were very specific people, even if one of those homes was a bit more absent recently. But she did her best not to think about that too much.

“I might need some help, if that’s alright with you.” The buggane said, looking down to Estella with a nod of his head. A head that, to many others, might seem more than a little bit terrifying, but he was just not something most people ran into. He wasn’t going to do any harm. 

“Of course. Anything you need.” Estella nodded readily. She’d already asked Frank for so much. Even if he liked digging and things like that, it wasn’t kind to assume that someone – anyone – would just do your bidding without you helping them out at all. It wasn’t right, and though she had to deal with some amount of ‘not right’ in the world, but if she could have any control over any amount of anything, then she would make things more equal. More right. (Of course, she still very much liked getting her way, but that didn’t mean she was going to force everyone to do her bidding – especially not fellow fae and kind folk like Frank – who was, obviously, both.)