#bergen_county

"Oh -Wow-!!" Now he's just revved up. "Yeah? Show me where!" He doesn't exactly pull her along (as if he could!) but he's definitely interested in getting to see that! "Woah......."

A shy smile and a shrug. "Kay." And so she goes - leading him down the moonlit paths to one of the secret spots she'd found.

"Woah....." he repeats. "Sam...." hushed. "This is so cool...."

"Right? These are more what I think fairies ought to be, y'know?" She extends her hand to catch one, letting it rest for a moment before it flits off once more.

"And less like Dirk?" A sheepish smirk.

A chuckle. "Yeah."

"Thanks for, uh, listening, Sam. I was kind of upset there for a while and.... it helped."

He squeezes her hand lightly.

A squeeze back. "Well, you're my friend. And... it's hard, being new. Being different."

Adam watches the fairies, fascinated. "Even for real fae?"

She nods. "Yeah. I spent months being pretty sure this was all... dunno.. some kind of trick? Trying to figure out what everyone's angle was."

"Sometimes I still... like.. worry, I guess. That I'll screw up, and then they won't want me anymore."

A quiet pause. "I, uh..... figure you and kind of... A rough time? Growing up?"

She bites on her lip and shrugs. "Sort of, yeah."

"I was adopted in April, by Jaymes. Before that, I was in the system since I was four."

He nods. "Sound rough. My dad adopted me but I always had mom, you know?:

"Yeah. Your mom seems nice."

"They both are. Your folks too! Uh. Your dad's kind of......."

Grin. "Quiet?"

"Well, and intimidating." Adam agrees.

"Oh. Hunh. I guess that's his job?"

"I thought he worked at that corner store?"

A laugh. "That too."

"Oh, you mean like.... the Dad thing?"

She nods.

A confident grin. "He'll like me."

"Like.. if I wasn't a troll, I wouldn't have any of this. Wouldn't have Jaymes and Tove for sure...."

A smile. "He will."

Adam nods and is quiet for a time, watching the lights.

She watches too, her hand lingering in his.

"One thing I know, Sam.... I want us to be friends."

"Yeah. Me too."

"So.... dating, right? Not as, you know... important. If that stuff gets in the way.... you ok with...?" Still watching lights.

She hesitates. "Was it a bad date?"

Adam grins broadly. "Hell no!"

A small smile back. "Okay."

"Really." He insists. "I had fun. You?"

"Yeah, it was fun." That same shy smile again - a surprisingly delicate expression for a giantess.

"I like your smile."

Blush. "You too." BLUSH. "I mean, I like yours, too."

"So we should smile a lot." He suggests.

"Good plan!"

"What makes you smile?"

"Um. You?" She hazards.

"So more Me. Good, I like that. What else? I mean, I have a big ego but there has to be -more- than just me, right?" He puffs up his chest and gives her a cocky grin.

A soft laugh. "Yeah, other stuff."

"I like my critters - Odin and Two Bit and the rest. Snow and Stormwake, well, they're not mine, but... oh, hey. did I tell you about the new horse? You'll see her this weekend when we train!"

"New horse?"

"Yeah, a fae steed like Stormwake, but a mare."

"Wow! So, like, a whole petting farm up there."