Kaz walked slowly back towards Ellie's house, fully expecting to cross paths with her on the way. He had a feeling she was used to things like this with her grandmother, but it was amusing to him as an outsider.

As predicted, he found her rushing back down the path, muttering under her breath with an enraged look on her face. Kaz couldn't help but smile— it was endearing seeing her angry, and he liked the way the sunshine caught her silver hair.

She practically skidded to a stop in front of him, one hand on his shoulder and panting from running.

"Dammit," Ellie sighed between breaths. "I miss all the good stuff. What did she say?"

"She's smart, I'll give her that. Good intuition," he said, adjusting his hat.

"Kaz," Ellie said, eyes narrowing. "What did she say?"

"Oh, this and that. Nothing bad." Kaz shrugged and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets while they walked back towards Ellie's house. He took her hand almost reflexively, pleased when she didn't pull away.

"Granny took me in when my momma passed," Ellie said slowly. "I was real young. Never met my daddy, but Granny said my blood called out to her just like his did, kin to kin. She tracked me down when momma died and brought me back here."

"I like her," Kaz said as soon as the door to Ellie's house closed behind them. "I can see where you get your attitude from."

"How dare you suggest I am anything but a sweet Georgia peach," Ellie said in mock indignation, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"You're a wild mountain rose is what you are," Kaz said with a snort. "Prickly when you want to be, but you can grow and thrive and climb wherever you want."

Ellie stared.

"What?"

"It's just... That was... Sweet."

There was a strange little confused frown on her lips, and the thought crossed his mind that he wanted to kiss it away. That would hardly be practical, though, and instead he shrugged off his jacket to avoid thinking any more about Ellie's mouth, hanging the coat on a hook by the door. As he turned, he noticed the corner of an envelope peeking out of one of the jacket's inside pockets.

"Oh," Kaz said suddenly, glad of the distraction. "This is for you. Granny said she picked it up on her way home." He fished the slightly crumpled letter out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Ellie. She tore the envelope open and plopped down on one of the kitchen chairs to read, elbows resting on the table and an adorable crease of concentration between her brows.

"It's from Miriam," Ellie said softly, eyes scanning over the page. "Should'a guessed. Was due for a letter from her."

"I remember you mentioned her once," Kaz said, taking a seat beside her.

"Mm. She's my pen pal up in Virginia. She's a real sweetie," she said absently, eyes still locked on Miriam's writing. After a long moment of scanning over text, Ellie put the letter down, worrying her lower lip with her teeth as she sighed.

"Bad news?" Kaz raised an eyebrow.

"Her kids are growin' up fine, but there's been a lot of violence towards the Black residents up there. She don't feel safe, and I can't say I blame her." Ellie sighed, folding up the letter. "Don't wanna leave the mountain, though, and I can't say I blame her for that, either. It's home."

"So she's... stuck?"                                                                     

Ellie sighed, shaking her head. "It's hard to find anyone that will sell land to a witch, a woman, or anyone with darker skin, much less someone who's all three at once. I offered for her to move in here, but she's against Council-ordained witch communities, and even if she wasn't... There's a good chance they'd find a reason to deny her application for residency just because of her skin," Ellie spat. "If I had the option, I'd find a place for us all up here, but... I honestly can't afford land right now, even if anybody would sell."

"What about moving North?"

"It's still segregated up there, too. May not be as overt as Jim Crow laws down here, but at least on the mountain she's got a patch of land and some distance between her family and anyone who dares try an' bother 'em." She gazed off into the middle space, staring at nothing in particular. "In a big city, she'd be crowded in with a thousand other folks, ten times as dirty and still not safe."

"Is there... anything I can do to help?" Kaz asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure what they needed, but money was hardly a problem for him.

"I'll talk to Granny about it," she said, folding the letter and tucking it back into the envelope. "I have a little saved up, and I think Miri does, too. If we put our heads together, maybe we can find some land out on the mountain somewhere."

"You said they won't sell to a woman or a witch..." Kaz said slowly. "What about an Other who can pass as a white human man? I have the money."

He would gladly go and purchase the land for them if it would make life easier. Kaz wasn't exactly known for his charity towards humans or witches or... anyone, really. However, it had been a long time since someone had gotten close enough to him to make him feel like acting charitable. Ellie was a good soul who deserved to get out of this community without being driven off the mountain. He imagined that, as well as Ellie spoke of her, Miriam was the same.

It enraged him that someone could be driven out of their home just because of their skin color, just because of their biology. It sounded far too familiar to the humans-only cities that forcibly removed or killed Other residents to establish their own little sanctuaries. Even worse, Miriam and her family were as human as the rest of the earth's natural residents. They belonged here. If Kaz could aid in making the place safer for even one person... Well, he thought that was progress.

Odd, how his heart had softened more and more the longer he was around Ellie. It had been frozen in his chest a long time, hidden behind steel walls and layers of ice, but she hadn't wasted any time in melting all that away with her care and warmth.

"No," Ellie said firmly, shaking her head. "They might sell to ya, but I don't want you to do that for me."

"I'm not really doing anything with the money, to be perfectly honest," he said with a shrug.

"You're living off it."

"I have more than I'd ever need to live off. It's a common payment system for bargains, but I don't gain much from it."

"You're sweet," Ellie said with a little half smile. "I can't accept that, though. It's too much. It would feel like a debt I can't repay, and... Honestly, I don't think rich people get how important stuff like that is to people like us mountain folk."

"I was afraid you'd say that," he sighed.

Ellie frowned.

"I come from an agricultural town, remember? And I live off bargaining. I may not be familiar with human money, but one thing I do understand is debts and payments," he explained.

She visibly relaxed at that, slumping back in her chair like she'd been prepping for a fight that was now over before it began. He could guess this wasn't the first time she'd refused financial assistance. In a way, Kaz couldn't blame her. This was an area where people learned to manage on their own, manage with the help of the town, or generally barter with what they had and get by. Pride was important to Ellie, to the whole community, and he knew it was best to respect that.

"Thank you," she said sincerely, placing her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "We'll figure it out."

Ellie drummed her fingers on the table impatiently, eyes fixed on a random spot on the wall as she stewed over the letter.

Kaz, on the other hand, felt the spark of an idea forming. Though he knew it might be a long shot, with a little help, he thought he could manage it. If money was the main issue, he could solve that, but he needed to do it in a way that Ellie wouldn't feel belittled by accepting... It might take a while to work out the details, but he thought it should be possible.

A knock on Ellie's door came before he had the chance to finalize his thoughts, but that was just fine. He'd have time to straighten everything out later.

Ellie tucked the letter into a basket of what appeared to be old mail— postcards, pictures, opened letters, etc— on her countertop before she went to open the door. Considering that the number of people who could possibly be coming to speak to Ellie was very small and that his friend from out of town wouldn't be here until after the incoming snowstorm passed, Kaz was only slightly surprised to see Alice on the other side of the threshold.

"Hey," Alice said with an awkward wave.

"Come on in, Alice. You're in time for supper if you want."

"N— no," she stuttered, shaking her head furiously. "I just needed to stop by real quick. Don't want anybody knowin' I came here, and the storm's gonna blow through any minute. It's cold 'nuff out there to freeze the tit off a frog."

"Cold enough to... what?" Kaz blinked, suddenly mildly horrified for any frogs in the area.

"City slicker?" Alice asked, turning to Ellie.

"Yeah. He'll get used to it," she said with a shrug. "What's happening, Alice?"

"It's just... I heard my momma talkin' to Ida May. She's the oldest sister," she said, turning to Kaz as she explained. "She sounded... mad. Real mad."

"Seems like she's always all tore up about somethin' or other," Ellie muttered.

"Yeah, that ain't far off," Alice admitted. "This time was different, though."

"How so?" Kaz's brow furrowed as he leaned against the wall, fighting not to tap his foot impatiently on the brick floor.

"Momma always compared me to everyone. To you, too. It's... not an excuse," she said awkwardly. "It's just that I didn't think anythin' of it at first, y'know? But then I noticed she's real unhappy with you lately. And Kaz, too. Started sayin' that if Jeannie completes that ritual she's wantin' to do, we'll be on the map and princess Ellie won't be the only special one."

"What the hell ritual was she goin' on about?" Ellie muttered.

"I don't know more'n the man in the moon," Alice said helplessly, throwing her arms up. "Was hopin' you might."

"I got nothin'... but Granny might," she said, drumming her fingers on the table once more. "My guess is Jeannie would want help for anything complicated. She's not patient enough for a lotta calculations. Granny's the best there is for those."

"We can check on that tomorrow," Kaz said. "

"Hey... thanks, Alice. Really," Ellie said.

"I... I'm not gonna lie to ya, I want outta here. Bad," Alice said, taking a deep breath. "I don't think it matters what I do. I can't be good enough for Momma. So... I'd rather be good enough for me."

"I think that's a good plan," Ellie said with a smile.

Meanwhile, the gears in Kaz's mind continued to turn. He wondered just how many decent people there were around here that wanted out of this village besides Ellie. Granny and Alice made two, and then Miriam and her family, if he could swipe the address off the back of one of Ellie's old envelopes and get a letter to her...

This might come together more easily than he thought.

"I... think I'd like to be a veterinarian," Alice continued softly. "Maybe. I like animals. They're nice, and they can tell me what's wrong with 'em. I like farm work, too, though. Anythin' outside."

"Have you thought about the teacher's college? Could take some biology classes, maybe," Ellie suggested. "It would be a start towards workin' with animals, and it'd get ya out of the house."

"D— do I have to cut any of 'em open?" Alice squeaked, looking a little green.

"Well, if you've gotta cut a lil critter open to save his life one day, you wanna know how to do it, right?"

Alice gulped. "Y— yeah."

"Best get used to a little blood in service of a greater good, then."

The sound of the wind howling outside, gusts strong enough to rattle the windowpanes, made them all wince.

"I better get on home," Alice said.

"Be careful. Please." Ellie's voice held genuine concern. It was amazing to him how fluid she was, how she could let herself change opinions on people and work with new information, how much she wanted to see the best in everyone. He wanted to protect that side of her with all he had.

"Hey... I can see you're happier, Ellie," Alice said softly. "I'm glad. I'm guessin' y'all are sticking around for a while, so... Welcome home, Kaz. Officially."

"Thanks," he said softly, but his chest ached as he spoke.

He wanted to give Ellie time, but the uncertainty gnawed at him at night. More and more often he felt like he was standing at the edge of something big, something important, but he didn't want to jump before she was ready.

However, at this rate... neither of them would ever jump at all. Someone had to make a move to break the tension between them, and it seemed like Ellie would let her guilt and grief and confusion hold her back forever if he didn't. If she wasn't ready, that was fine. He could understand. Kaz wouldn't just give up and sit there waiting, though.

As Ellie closed and locked the door behind Alice, he wondered how to broach the subject, but in the end, he simply said the one thing running through his mind over and over, the thing that had been on repeat in the back of his head for days.

"Am I? Sticking around, that is," Kaz asked, moving a little closer to Ellie.

"I was thinkin' about that," she said softly. "And I just... I think if we're gonna do this, if we're gonna... try... Then it can't be halfway."

Kaz waited patiently while she clenched and unclenched her fists, struggling for words.

"I'm still afraid that if I let you in, I'm gonna lose Ben," she admitted. "It's not fair to you to keep wafflin' though, and I... I can't... I don't want to lose you, too."

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"No. I mean, yeah, but... I want to try. You make me want to try again. I'm just scared."

"And that's okay with you?" Kaz asked gently, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair. "I'll gladly have you even if you're scared, but I don't want you to regret this."

His voice was calm, but his heart was beating out of his chest. It felt like he could hear very little besides the rush of blood in his own veins, feel very little besides Ellie and the vague impression of the ground beneath his feet.

She was so, so strong. Bold and brilliant and hard-headed and absolutely beautiful, Ellie had tangled herself in his heart in a way that few people had ever managed to do before. He wondered for a moment if this was what people meant when they referenced fate, destiny, or true love...

And then he realized he didn't care. This was his life. It was a choice for the two of them to make together, a choice to compromise and grow together, a choice to make this work. Fate and destiny be damned. He wouldn't leave Ellie behind, not as long as she wanted him in her life. She was already far too important to him.

"Yeah," she whispered, nodding. "You make me feel less scared."

Kaz breathed a deep sigh of relief, leaning in close to rest his forehead against hers.

"Please, please tell me this means I can kiss you now," he murmured.

"The devilish part of me wants to tell you no," Ellie admitted as a wide, wicked grin crossed her face. "I'm not quite that cruel, though."

"Mm. Generous of you," Kaz said with a laugh, pulling her towards him till they were pressed flush together. "Benevolent, even."

"Well, you know me—" Ellie began, but Kaz couldn't take the waiting any longer, and she cut off with a slight squeak as he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss.

It felt like he'd waited too long for this, like her touch was the only genuine comfort he'd been blessed with since he'd gotten stuck on this godforsaken plane. A kind of dreamy lightheadedness overtook him as he focused on the feel of her soft lips on his, and for a moment he couldn't tell if it was lack of air or sheer emotion making him dizzy.

Maybe it was both.

Ellie tried and failed to stop thinking about that kiss the rest of the day. She tried and failed to stop thinking that she admitted she really cared for Kaz. She tried and failed to stop herself from acknowledging that they were a good pair, that they made an excellent team, and that she could see them in the future with... a real life. A real life past the investigation.

Even considering the possibility was terrifying to her. Ellie wasn't good at taking things one step at a time— she needed to know how everything would proceed so that she wouldn't get hurt. The problem was, in this case... she could see a feasible future where things proceeded well.

Dressed in a soft nightgown, she pulled back the blankets for bed and tried to ignore her pounding heart, but it was futile. She wanted Kaz to hold her again. That was the best sleep she'd had in months, tucked safely in beside him, and Ellie couldn't help but crave more.

... He was across the room, though, awkwardly loitering next to the bookshelf.

"You stayin' up?" Ellie asked, glancing over her shoulder at him as she slipped under the covers.

"You... still want me in the bed?" The look on his face was oddly close to a wounded puppy, enough that she wanted to laugh and hug him at the same time.

"You got me spoiled now," she said with a shy smile. "I need my heater."

Already dressed in pajamas, Kaz didn't hesitate snuff out the lights and clamber into bed beside Ellie, a toothy grin on his face. She was still getting use to those sharp teeth, but it was endearing when he smiled wide enough to show them. It either meant he had a mischievous plan up his sleeve or he was feeling genuinely happy, both of which made his eyes shine in a way Ellie adored.

"A Christian witch and a demon sharing a bed," Kaz murmured, settling in beside her. "Who would have thought?"

He had a point, unfortunately, and it wasn't one she'd forgotten. Ellie tucked the covers under her chin as though she could use the blankets as armor, fighting not to curl into a little ball as she spoke into the dark room.

"Does it bother you?" Ellie asked, a little self-conscious. "My religion."

"Not particularly, no," Kaz said as he adjusted the blankets. "I admit that I find it a little ironic considering how many people have immediately assumed that I'm irredeemably evil. It doesn't bother me, though. I told you that I have no quarrels with your God, and I meant it, and I haven't seen you trying to step on anyone else's religion. I think we're in the clear."

"Good," Ellie sighed. "I just... I just wanted to check. I mean, I can see spirits and there are Others out there now, and I think there are a lot more things out there than we'll ever know... but I've picked who I want to align with. And I'd like my... um... what do I call you?" she squeaked, suddenly feeling even more nervous.

"Well, I suppose a fiancé isn't technically accurate," Kaz conceded. "We'll have to think of something, though, because you already nixed 'lover' a long while back."

Ellie just snorted. "I think I would explode from embarrassment if you called me that in public. Or I called you that in public." She paused with a slight sigh. "Anyway. You don't have to have the same loyalties I do, but I at least don't want any major conflicts, ya know?"

"Reasonable, I think," Kaz said.

His hand found hers under the blankets, fingertips tracing over her skin until he finally ran his fingers over the wound from their bargain. In the time since their bargain, he'd been with Ellie almost every second of the day. Kaz had seen that scar slowly form, seen every moment of the healing process. It had scabbed over by now and faded to raised scar tissue, but it was still there. She imagined the wound on his palm had nearly healed by now, too.

"Ellie," he said slowly, threading their fingers together. "You asked me once why I took bargains if I don't like doing it."

"I remember." She gave his hand a little squeeze.

"It's... easier this way," he said slowly. "It's easier to pretend this is temporary. If I go from place to place, I never put down roots. I can pretend my roots are at home, that I can go back at any time, that I'm just on an extended vacation. I can pretend I'm not... stranded."

It made her heart ache to think of it, but it made sense. Homesickness was never something Ellie could handle well. It was part of why she didn't want to leave the mountain. She couldn't imagine being trapped far away from everything she'd ever known and having to start over.

"Where all have you been on vacation, then?" she asked gently, pleased to hear Kaz laugh softly in response.

"I've mostly been drifting. A few years here, a few there. Some Others have a permanent home place, but most of them are twitchy around demons. I've seen the world, on the upside," he sighed. "On the downside, I'm pretty tired of it all."

"I can understand that..." she said slowly.

If it wasn't for Granny taking her in as a child, she probably would have been the same way. When Ellie's mother passed away, no one in the town had been willing to take her in. Instead, she was stuck at the local orphanage, and would have remained there if Granny hadn't come calling. Truth be told, even if Granny hadn't shown proof of their kinship, the ladies there would have let anyone take Ellie. They thought she was a curse on the town as long as she stayed.

"Story for a story," Ellie said. "You wanted to know why my momma named me Rafayelle."

"You don't have to tell me," Kaz said, shaking his head.

"S'okay." She shrugged and snuggled a little deeper under the covers, sliding in close to him.

"My momma thought I was gonna be a boy. She was sure of it," Ellie said softly into the darkness. "She just changed the spelling of the name she picked on the fly when I popped out instead. That's why I'm named like I am."

"It's a nice name. At least, I think it is," Kaz murmured, absently playing with a lock of her long hair.

"Just... imagine for a a second," Ellie said with a sigh. "Imagine you're a little girl with a boy's name. Imagine your hair grows silver from the day you were born—"

"Don't have to imagine that one," he muttered.

Ellie elbowed him in the side, unable to stop her slight laugh, but she sobered quickly.

"Now... imagine your daddy's long gone and your momma doesn't talk about him. Imagine everyone tells you that you're devil spawn. Imagine they chase you home with sticks from school till you just start staying home all day long."

She tried not to lose herself in the swarm of memories, but it was difficult. In the end, Ellie's mother had been her teacher for her early years. Granny sent her to school later on, but by that time she was behind the other children her age and it had been difficult to catch up.

"Imagine your momma was a pastor's daughter who had you all on her own. No marriage, or not one recognized by any humans. Imagine it's some kinda sick irony or apology that got you named like that in the first place," she said even more quietly. "Do you like it now?"

"I do," he said firmly.

Ellie blinked, and he must have felt her tense, because Kaz pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before he spoke again.

"It's your name. I like you," he explained.

The tips of Ellie's ears burned in the darkness.

"I'm nothin' special, but thanks," she muttered, turning onto her side to face away from him.

Kaz sighed, and the mattress shifted just a little behind her until she felt the warm press of his body against hers. He hugged Ellie close from behind in a way that made her relax into him, that made her want to melt into him and never pull away again.

"You are extraordinary," he whispered, his breath against her ear sending shivers down her spine.

She wanted to cry and scream and rail against the feeling of her heart slowly softening towards him. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, like she couldn't stand to lose him. It hurt like she wanted to jump off a cliff.

It hurt like she wanted him to catch her.

God help her, she wanted him to catch her more than anything in the world.

His kiss from mere hours ago replayed in her mind on a loop, and she wanted more and wanted to run all at once. Ellie knew, logically, that it was okay for her to be a little afraid of this. Running for the hills and far away from a relationship wouldn't get her anywhere, and she... she liked him. She liked him so much that it felt dangerous.

It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity before she let go of his hand and turned over to face him.

"Kaz?"

"Mm?"

"I think it hurts like antiseptic," she said slowly. "I think it hurts because it's tryin' to heal."

Ellie inched forward in the darkness, fingertips threading through Kaz's white hair, her thumb gently stroking his cheek. Slowly and carefully, she leaned forward in the darkness and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Kaz's response was immediate. He shifted his hold to pull her closer, a soft moan sneaking past his lips as he kissed her back. She wanted to lose herself in the feeling of that gentle heat, her fingers tangling in his hair and breath coming in soft sighs. He shifted his hold to kiss her jaw, gentle touches trailing down her neck and arms over her nightgown. Ellie's fingers found the hem of his shirt, her thumb stroking the soft skin underneath more from instinct than conscious thought. When Kaz's hand moved across her torso, the edge of his fingertips barely brushing the side of her breast—

Ellie flinched.

Kaz stopped immediately, resting his forehead against hers instead. A wash of guilt and shame settled deep in her chest, and she couldn't seem to brush it away. It was just... she wasn't ready. She couldn't do this yet. Not this fast.

She needed to get used to the idea of letting herself really love someone new before pushing herself— or him— towards anything else.

"That's far enough for now, then," Kaz murmured, kissing her cheek gently.

"Sorry," Ellie whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

"You have nothing to apologize for," he insisted. "Besides, it's... probably best for us both to take our time. Though, if it's alright, I'd be more comfortable without..." he trailed off, picking at the fabric of his loose linen shirt.

"Overheating?" Ellie murmured. "I'm sorry I didn't notice before."

"A little, yes. That and... I feel more comfortable in less clothing. I've gotten used to it, but human clothing conventions are still a little odd to me," he admitted. "You cover yourselves entirely even when you don't need to for protection."

Her throat felt a little dry at the thought, but... Thinking back, she'd been around him shirtless before. It shouldn't be that much of an issue.

"... Be comfy," Ellie finally said.

It only took a moment for him to strip off his shirt and toss it to the floor, and though Ellie couldn't see much in the shadows, she felt the shuffling when he settled back in under the covers. However, she wasn't expecting him to decide they needed to be even closer now that there was even slightly less chance for him to overheat.

Reaching out to grasp her arm, Kaz pulled Ellie half on top of him in a way that was far warmer and much more comfortable than it should have been, her head tucked just under his jaw and one leg slung across his hips. He was still wearing his pants, but it felt like every contour of her body pressed against him. She wasn't shy, necessarily. But it was... it almost felt like a wave of guilt washed over her for feeling this comfortable.

And then a wave of peace as she let out a breath.

"You said 'be comfy.' You're comfy," Kaz murmured.

"Flirt," she huffed, but she settled against him and wrapped her arm around his waist, fingertips trailing across the bare skin of his abdomen. Even though his body still felt a little off from true human flesh, his skin was softer than she expected.

"You like it." The smile on his lips was practically audible.

"I tolerate it," Ellie said, yawning. "I do like you, though. Bad jokes and terrible flirting included."

"I'll consider myself lucky, then. Sleep well, rosebud."

As snow began to fall outside, coating the mountains in frozen white flakes, Kaz's comforting presence lulled her into a deep, deep slumber.