reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic

[bb_wolf]

A few days after Snow had babysat Sascha, Bigby came home early from work with company.

Company that Sascha had actually met, briefly. With cascades of blonde curls, soft eyes and what were often called rose petal lips, Beauty was a gem amongst the already improbably beautiful women of the Fable community.

Beauty had a trait that Bigby needed right now.

Beauty loved books. Words, writing, reading, Beauty had a passion for stories.

"Sascha! Up, sun's been down for half an hour and we got company!"

Comments

[pneumo]

On a good day the sound of Bigby closing the door as he gets home is enough to rouse Sascha enough to have him peeking his head up, and although it's early today is no different. He hears the door click into place and Bigby's summons just a moment later, and that's all he needs in order to inhale, curl up into the bedding sporting the wolf's own scent, and then slowly push himself up with a yawn.

He's taken to sleeping in nothing but boxers instead of full clothing over the last few days, so when he yawns and wanders out of the bedroom it's just in that and an oversized shirt.

And then of course the smell of roses and perfume hits him and he perks up, head snapping over towards the door. Bigby of course is there which is cause enough on its own for excitement, but Beauty too? Sascha could beam.

"--It's the gorgeous lady!" He's still working on her name.

[bb_wolf]

As a Fable, Beauty is more or less resigned to the number of people who run around barely dressed. Including her own husband. "Hello, Sascha."

"Beauty, Sash. Beauty loves books and reading, so Cole's agreed to let me hire her as a tutor for you. Beauty's between jobs right now, so she could do with the money and you need someone to teach you. Someone with patience."

Bigby could lie in wait for days for prey. But words? Nope.

[pneumo]

Academics aren't Bigby's strong point to begin with, and when you add teaching someone like Sascha to the mix... Well. A tutor's a good idea.

"You're going to teach me how to read??" Sascha's beginning to like her more and more by the second.

[bb_wolf]

Beauty gave Sascha a small smile. "I am. I like reading and writing and I hope I can help you to like it as well. Stories are wonderful and once you can read, you can learn so much, for yourself."

"That's why I asked her," Bigby cut in. "Now, I'm going to get food for both of us while you and Beauty work out when she can come and work with you. And once we've eaten, I'm going to take you out into the garden."

[pneumo]

"Okay~!" Sascha couldn't sound more excited by either prospect. He's a huge fan of books and being read to, and the notion that he'll be able to do that soon himself? That's exciting. He won't need someone to explain everything anytime he has a question, he can just look it up himself.

That Bigby's bringing home food and has arranged to spend time with him? Is even better.

[bb_wolf]

Bigby heads into the kitchenette. Beauty turns on the spot and realises there's no where to sit.

"Your apartment is very... spartan," she manages.

"Takes a couple of dining room chairs. Had to move the couch. Space is a bit limited in this place."

"Ah... yes. Yes, it is. I didn't realise your apartment was so... compact."

[pneumo]

"Really?? This is almost as big as Abe's place back when I stayed with him..." Sascha remarks, blinking curiously as he wanders over and pushes his shades up his face again once they start to slip, arms stretched above his head.

[bb_wolf]

"Oh." Beauty rocked on her wedged sandals. "Well, we can have lessons in my apartment. I have the space and the books already there. Would that work? You could come down after dinner, Bigby says you're nocturnal?"

Bigby doesn't say anything, just keeps sorting out food.

[pneumo]

"Sure! I mean--that's okay right?" Sascha turns to Bigby working and only barely manages not to wander over and get into his space. They have company and he should be focused on her, at least to a degree. "I promise I won't go anywhere else."

The implication being there that he won't detour and run into Bluebeard again.

[bb_wolf]

"Yeah, that's fine, Sash. Probably a better learning space."

Beauty gave a smile. "Great. Tomorrow, come down around seven thirty? You can bring him down, Sheriff?"

"Yeah."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow. Sheriff. Sascha." She turned and let herself out, striding away faster than maybe would seem warranted.

[pneumo]

It escapes Sascha's notice as she leaves because all he can focus on is the way her rosy scent fills the room and how her hair bounces in nice, fine curls. She's fairly-well mesmerizing, and it's not until she's taken her leave that Sascha finally turns back to Bigby, expression bright.

"She's even prettier than last time..."

[bb_wolf]

"She has that effect."

Not on Bigby, but on most people. Even Bigby thought she was beautiful, though in a more distant way. "Most Fables women are beautiful. Beauty... she's one of the most. Come on, I got you a couple of leg joints for dinner."

[pneumo]

"Looking at her is like eating a whole steak," Sascha sighs dreamily, happily coming up alongside the wolf disguised as a man and leaning into his side. It's a brief gesture of affection since he knows Bigby's hands are busy, but he wanted to give that to him when he first woke up. So♥

[bb_wolf]

"She smells too much like flowers for me." And Beast. Other males don't set off Bigby's hackles. But Beasts unpredictable nature doesn't settle Bigby, either. They're both that bit too dumb for him to ever feel safe about them.

"Briar's better. She smells like old wood and... silk and blood. She doesn't live in New York, you won't meet her any time soon. Flycatcher, you'll pick him easily. Insects, deep dark earth." He bumps Sascha lightly and shoves a plate of bones and meat at him.

"Got you a treat, too." He slaps an entire lung on the plate.

[pneumo]

"Is that--is it really...?" Sascha gasps, eyes going wide at the same time his nostrils flare to take in the scent of the fresh meat. It of course leaves no doubt as to what the meat actually is, but Sascha holds for Bigby's confirmation as he looks up at him with an awed expression; touched that he's spending what little money he makes to treat him like this.

It makes him want to be able to contribute even more.

[bb_wolf]

Bigby's not spending money. He's taking things people don't want anyway. Which... is basically his life in this place. The apartment no one wanted. The job no one wanted. The wolf no one really wanted.

"Fresh carcasses today. There's more in the freezer, but if you eat it now, there's no more until next week."

[pneumo]

'Wanted' being of the utmost importance, because there's sure as heck someone who wants him now. Sascha makes that much obvious as he wraps his arms around Bigby's shoulder quickly with a happy sound.

"I'll eat it nice and slow, promise~!"

[bb_wolf]

Bigby doesn't shrug Sascha off, just lets him hug and hang. "If you want. As I say, there's another lung in there and I'm going to try cooking up some tripe and we'll see how you feel about eating that. It's completely bloodless, not sure it'll appeal."

[pneumo]

"Which part is tripe again?" Sascha's so used to just eating whatever's in front of him that he can get his hands on that he never really learned a lot of the specific words for individual parts of a body. But a lack of education's also contributed to that.

[bb_wolf]

"The stomach. Specifically, pig stomach, which is very different."

He carefully held it up from where he was slicing it up. "See? All the honeycombing? Because it's a nature's best omnivore. Pigs can eat basically anything food wise. They were used tog et rid of bodies by gangsters."

[pneumo]

And at this knowledge Sascha actually brightens.

"Ohh, me too! Anytime people got sick or they fought each other in wars and stuff I got to eat all the dead bodies! It was great." And if he didn't get shot at he actually did a fairly good job at clearing those areas up and preventing the spread of disease.

[bb_wolf]

Sheol were carrion eaters, it made sense. "Well, yes, but mobsters used them to get rid of evidence. People went 'missing' and no body was found."

[pneumo]

"I wish they'd give those bodies to me..." he sighs, but it's short-lived at best; his expression brightens a moment later as he perks up. "Oh!! Could I do that for a job now?? I could eat the dead people and they don't have to use pigs~"

[bb_wolf]

"... I don't think we're involved in organised crime. But I'll check around more butchers and see what I can arrange." Not human bodies, but there was also organic waste to get rid of, right?

[pneumo]

Organic waste is more than enough if the way Sascha's expression brightens is any indication, nodding fervently at even the offer to do such a thing. If he could eat for a living and help out? It'd be a dream come true.

"Thank you thank you thank you~!"