#bergen_county

"Yule? Like the tree?"

"Well, Yule is older than Christmas. A lot of Christmas stuff comes from it?"

"Yeah, sure."

"So we do Yule stuff with the Lodge, yeah."

"What others?" They move from the forest to the lake-front.

"Imbolc - so, that's about the return of light, and new fires, and rebirth. Also, crafting, because of this irish goddess lady..."

"Beltaine I said - I think Beltaine's when I became Seelie the first time, and I'm not sure when it stuck."

"Did it hurt?" He's honestly curious.

She shakes her head.

"It felt... weird. Like... like, I dunno. Different inside."

"Some things made sense, that hadn't."

"Huh. I can see how that would.... help."

"Well, everybody here being nice, without... wanting something? Protecting me, even though they didn't have to?"

"It didn't make sense. I thought there was... some kind of hidden catch. A price for it. People aren't just nice for no reason, y'know?"

"Everybody wants something. Except... I guess.. I guess sometimes they don't? It was hard for me to just accept it."

She chews on a hangnail. "I'm sorry stuff hasn't been easy for you. But they're also not being false-nice?"

"Hey...." He grins and steps closer. "-You're- nice."

Blush!

"I mean, I'm trying?"

"You're doing great. An'.... I get it, about you know... your background and stuff and I know it can't be easy. That makes it more special, to me. You know?"

Her mouth tugs downwards briefly. "Well, I don't want... I... it's stuff that happened. It's not who I am."

"Damn straight."

"Anyhow!"

"Yeah. Ok." He lets her off that hook and looks around the empty lake front. "So is what Siv told me true about this place?:

"What did Siv say?"

"People come up here to make out."

BLUSH. "Um. Some do."

"Huh." He observes, grinning. The unasked question hangs in the air.

"...is that what you want to do?"

"Only if you do." He softens. "Sorry. I just.... I'm excited, you know? But.... like I said. Can't be easy for you and I don't want to make it harder."

"You sure you don't want somebody... y'know... better? We could still be friends. I like being friends."

"I'm sure that, right now, I'm happy being with you." He says simply. "Sam, I can't promise that'll never change, you know, or you might want someone else. I'm not -perfect-."

"Y'know, that may have been sarcasm." Gentle teasing.

"Huh? About being friends?"

"Not being perfect."

A cocky grin. "Well, I'm -close-....."

Okay, she laughs.

That makes him laugh. "Listen, we've talked about this. I'm ok with what we have, and I like you. You feel the same?"

A small nod. "I like you too."

"So, ok, then."

"Want to sit for a bit?"

"Yeah." He finds them a spot, settles in next to her.

She sits on the ground, her head now a bit closer to level with his.

"So. Busy day, but good. All your days like that?"

"Not all of them. But plenty."

"Cool. You want to catch that movie this weekend?"

"Yeah!"

"Cool!" He picks up a stick and fiddles with it in his hands.

He looks at her and grins. "Bean Buns."

She snorts. "What?" Grin.