beauty is your enemy

Bigby showed Mel a small smirk before clearing his throat, resuming his go-to frown. “The truth can be frightening.” In more ways than one. If it was brought to light that he was “The Big Bad Wolf” in some of these fairytale stories he wondered if she would talk to him at all. “Strict supervisor or just a straight up asshole. It is hard to differ between the two. But it shouldn’t take me too long to complete it.” Usually it doesn’t, once he stops procrastinating. “Thanks for the, uh, concern though” He told her quietly, shrugging. 

“Very much so,” she agreed.  “As is much in life,” she added, more to herself.  There was so much to be frightened of in this world, and in the one she came from, but she had learned that fear could only keep you from living for so long.  Her eyes widened slightly at his choice of words, a soft laugh escaping her before she composed herself.  “That is good to hear,” she replied instead, shaking her head slightly.  “Of course.”  That was what friends did after all, and she considered them at least on the way to friends, if they weren’t already there.

Bigby just grunted, a sort of agreement with what she was saying though he wasn’t necessarily going to admit it. To both statements. “Efficiency is not my style nor the police’s don’t you know” He told her, his tone not necessarily gruff, but not overly playful either. “Ah, normally I wouldn’t care if you helped or not. But with my boss, he probably would crack down and lecture me.” And minimal contact with Hunt is preferable. 

While Mel had gained an inkling the first time they met, their conversation so far had made it clear that Bigby was not the chatty type.  She wasn’t either, but it was a bit strange to feel more talkative than another person.  “I was unaware, but that is a frightening truth I am glad to know now,” she replied, pinching her lips together in an attempt to stifle a small chuckle.  “It is never easy having a strict supervisor.  It seems you will have to do the work on your own.  I hope it does not take you too long to complete it all.”

“Pleased to meet you, Princess. Mel,” he added with a smile of his own. Old habits were difficult to drop. “I am Sir Lancelot du Lac. Do you require some assistance?” He might not be officially a knight anymore, but far be it for him to turn down a lady in distress.

It had been a long time since someone had addressed her by her title.  Despite having just said it herself, hearing it had her breath stalling for a moment.  Then he was calling her by the name she was more familiar with, and she exhaled once more.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Sir Lancelot,” she replied.  “I...  If you had the time to spare and would be so willing, I would appreciate an escort home.”

He couldn’t help smiling at the question, though Lancelot wasn’t exactly sparse with his smiles. Even a world away and without a speck of armor, it was still obvious to a complete stranger. “Yes, my lady. In a life before this one, at least.”

She relaxed further when he confirmed her theory, a small smile of her own brushing her lips.  “I was a princess.  Also in a life before this one.  Long before this one,” she added with a heavy breath.  “My name is Melkorka, but you may call me Mel.”

Bigby nodded, nearly chuckling at her comment but refrained at the last minute. Still, he began to walk with Mel, keeping his hands in his pockets. “Relatively” He commented, “It is mostly that I have finally got caught at how much paperwork I was putting off. So I am now being forced to get it all done.” Rather he has his brother now bugging him to make sure he is doing everything in order. But he was never going to show his relation to Hunt. To anyone. 

“Relatively is better than not at all, isn’t it?” she pointed out.  Admittedly, Mel wasn’t always the most optimistic when it came to her own life.  She’d been through a lot from a young age, and it definitely forced her to grow up quicker than she should have.  She rarely daydreamed for herself, but the hope she had for others had never wavered.  “One would think that perhaps doing it regularly to avoid such pile-ups would be a more efficient tactic,” she mused, her tone borderline playful.  “My job is mostly paperwork, so I understand that struggle.  I would offer to help, but I am sure, considering your job, that would be inappropriate.”

Bigby didn’t know about the whole depending on someone, and really, there wasn’t anyone in his life that would be that person. Not really anyways. Still. “You do make good points there, Mel. I hope it has been working out for you and the kid so far.” It seems to be the case based on what she has told him. At her request, he searched her face as she explained and nodded. It would’ve bothered him to no end if they parted ways and something happened to her while he basically went to the Jolly Roger to drink. “Yeah, I can walk you home. My evening was just needing to not be in my own place yet again doing something similar to paperwork or some other shit.” He motioned for her to lead the way, scanning the area around them and nodding a little when he deemed it safe. “We can get going now. You got a kid to get to.” 

“So far, so good,” she stated, the phrase a new addition to her lexicon since coming to Fableton.  She clasped her hands before her as she waited for him to come to a decision, a small smile growing on her lips.  “Well I am more than happy to be a momentarily distraction from that familiarity,” she replied, adjusting the strap of her bag before starting to walk into the direction of her home.  “Is it safe to assume you have a lot of paperwork that you are trying to get through?”

He could tell that he’d frightened her, and he also thought she might be armed by the way she was standing. It wasn’t exactly a fighting stance, but just because she wasn’t experienced didn’t mean she couldn’t hurt him. He kept the distance between them, for both their safety. “Of course not, my lady. I’ll be on my way home.” He hesitated. She probably just wanted him to leave, but the knight’s code was hard to shake. He couldn’t not offer help if she needed it. “Unless there is something I can help you with?”

Her nervousness didn’t necessary leave when he remained at a distance, but she found herself relaxing at the use of ‘my lady’.  It seemed like a lifetime ago since she had been around a knight, her father having plenty before she had been taken, but she could recognize when she met one.  They were noble, honorable, and had strict manners that, even in this world, were probably difficult to shake.  However, she had to verify her theory, so she softly asked, “Are you a knight?”

“Oh yeah. There is a ton of shit you can do around here. It’s kind of… Intense” Bigby agreed with a nod, knowing that he would never be placed in an authoritative position back in his old world. Hell, most people would try to attack on sight. Granted, he now lived in a town were a lot of other beings from other worlds have taken up residency, with weird magic and all, so if there was any place that was going to give him a better opportunity in life it would be Fableton. “Eh” He shrugged, “I honestly have just been real busy at work so I got out of the apartment. I’m in no real rush to head to the Jolly Roger. Or to get a drink.” He probably didn’t really need to be there anyways, possibly making bad choices that- well he wasn’t going to regret them. But it probably wasn’t smart choices and talking to Mel instead of getting drunk seems like the smarter choice. 

“It can be,” she agreed.  “I think if you can prioritize the important things and learn when to continue to pursue something and when to let go, it can be a little easier,” she added.  “Having someone, or more than one someone, to depend on helps too,” she reiterated.  She had let go of being a dancer at the Jolly Roger, but Hook was understanding and gave her another option so she could still support her son.  At the end of the day, as long as she and Olafr were away from Hoskuld, she believed she could handle anything she faced.  Mel looked around at his words, contemplating her options before glancing down at her feet.  “Would you be interested in escorting me home?” she inquired, meeting his eyes again.  “I could use the company and I...  I would feel safer than if I walked home alone.  But I do not want to keep you from your evening, so I assure you, if you are not interested, I will make it there on my own just fine.  And I promise not to take it personally.”

“If you say so, darlin” Bigby remarked dryly, not quite sure if he believed Mel but he would take her word for it. He doesn’t know the owner of the Jolly Roger that well and in truth he never had anyone else that stuck by him the way it sounds like the two of them have. So he just left it at that, not going to argue. “A nursing student that works and has a kid” He let out a low whistle, “I gotta admit there is more to you than I originally thought. You have my respect.” The image of a bunch of young boys running around and could only come up with a lot of mischief. “I feel bad for the poor soul that is willing to host all of them” He shook his head, “I’m keeping ya for getting home, aren’t I?” 

While it was surely hard for most others to believe, Hook did have a sweeter side.  She was one of the very few who had experienced it, but that was okay with her.  She nodded at his summary of her, his impressed whistle causing her to blush slightly as she bowed her head.  “Where I came from, I had very few opportunities.  This world has so many, and I wanted to make sure I made the most of them.  If it were not for the people I have chosen to surround myself with, however, none of it would be possible,” she admitted.  If Hook wasn’t understanding about her schedule, if her neighbors were unwilling to watch her son, if Olafr wasn’t a wonderful kid, her life would probably be much different.  “As do I, at least a little bit,” she agreed with another soft laugh.  “Technically yes, but I am in no rush.  Although, I would not want to keep you from enjoying the rest of your evening,” she added, recalling his interest in going to the Jolly Roger.

“Did not think Hook was that kind of boss but good to know” Bigby shrugged. Granted, he knows Hook only by drinking with him and remarking on basically looking at the other way when it comes to some illegal activities. As well as whatever prank Ariel seemed to be doing to mess with her boss. “Oh. You’re going to school as well?” He had to admit that was kind of impressive. Mel seems to be heavily a part of this world, or maybe that is due to having a child that needs to have a normal life here. “A sleepover huh?” He didn’t really know what that would entail for a kid, “Do you know what they would even do at one of those?” 

“We have been through quite a great deal together since we arrived in Fableton.  There is more to him than he would ever admit,” she stated.  To most other people, Hook could be brash and frustrating, but to Mel, he was a softer and kinder.  “Yes, I am a nursing student,” she replied.  She had learned some basic healing skills before she’d reached Iceland, and when she arrived in Fableton, she thought that learning how to heal with today’s technology would be a good use for those skills.  “I haven’t the slightest idea what it could entail, but as long as it is not my house crammed with a handful of extra children, I do not see the need to find out,” she admitted with a laugh.  “While I know boys can be a handful, I cannot imagine they could get into too much trouble at their age.”

It took Nikos a minute to follow what she was saying at him, but eventually he bent down and retrieved the toy. “Curious thing,” Nikos hummed as he looked over the small red truck. “Is it yours?” He asked as he continued his examination. “Doesn’t look like you’d fit in it.” Nikos concluded as he offered it to her.

Mel was very relieved to have found the toy, knowing that her son would have probably insisted she get him another one if she hadn’t.  “My son’s,” she corrected.  “He cannot fit in it either,” she added, a small smile growing on her lips as she took the toy.  “Thank you.  You just saved me having to purchase another one.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Bigby still could go to the Jolly Roger then if he wished. Looking around, he shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded, “Good for you to be able to do that. It… Probably isn’t easy.” He knows that growing up for him was a little bit different, given that it wasn’t exactly human-like upbringing. Not like around here. But that didn’t mean he didn’t respect the struggle it has to be to take care of a child. “So what’s the verdict? Was the first day shit or are you heading home to find out?” 

“I am fortunate that my boss allows my schedule to be so flexible,” she admitted.  “It is more difficult than where we came from, but our neighbors have been incredibly helpful.  They help out a lot, especially during the school year when I have classes,” she explained.  She was steadily working through nursing school, but with a full-time job and another as a mother, she had to prioritize how much time she could dedicate to school.  “He had a wonderful first day.  He has been making some strong friendships with the other children in his school.  He is already asking if he can go to his first ‘sleepover’.”