An ogre's jet-black hair swallowed up the night. In the dark, when they were contented, faint fireflies came toward them. Others would surely see it as an infestation but to Pest, it was the sky brought down to earth, each little glowing bug traveling past like gently bobbing stars looking for purchase.

Fanli's human form faded entirely by morning.

Pest slept not a second. Instead, he watched the naked body before him. Now, as an ogre, Fanli's skin no longer burned to the touch. It was tepid and soothing.

Across from a nearly dead fire, Bati's snore accompanied the varying bugs crying in the night.

Most of the moon was gone, and in the distance, the sun stretched and began its trek up from the underworld, affording Pest a clear view of his friend.

A male ogre was famed for its hairy back. Females were said to have something similar but that wasn't the case. Fanli's waving black hair came down in an upside down triangle. A sweep of Pest' hand revealed soft whisps at the base of her neck, much like a human's. Black freckles running down her spine, however, brought the effect that her hair continued. Each freckle was unique in shape as well.

But her skin was smooth otherwise.

The faint points of her ears were sweet as well. Unlike her sister, Fanli now slept like the dead. She did not move, she barely breathe, and she made not a sound. But Pest suspected the human form was to blame because she'd sounded like boulders slamming against a village at first, too. The moment her human form retreated, however, she made not a peep.

When the morning sun reached them, he ran his fingers along her right shoulder.

She was so peaceful that he was tempted to leave her.

He'd made her a promise, however, so he forced himself to give her a tug. She turned over.

The blanket fell away.

For a long time, Pest didn't move. He'd never seen her naked before.

He kept his eyes on the small dimple in her chin at first but his gaze traveled up to her full lips and the minor tusks there. Perhaps in a few years they'd be bigger—he wasn't sure.

They were small now, and the source of her speech impediment which she usually kept under control. There simply was no way to make certain pronunciations like this.

For a long while, he studied her face. His heart pounded as he kept gazing at her and reached down, searching for the blanket which he intended to drag up to cover her once more.

His fingers grazed her hip.

She caught his arm. It was intense but brief as the hold loosened and fell away.

Pest could admit to many things about himself, one being that the rumors of him being strange wasn't at all exaggerated. He observed everything around him, even people. With nothing to base a good home life on, he often watched others to see what he was missing.

But Fanli was shy, and he knew she wouldn't appreciate his scrutiny.

A drop of rain landed on his arm, and he made the mistake of looking down at it.

To the land, rain brought relief and sustenance. To Pest, it brought back a seven-year memory.

Distant voices came to him as he sat in the rain one night, hiding his tears from his father who had little use for human weakness.

Why do you weep so? The rain is lovely. I'd thought you very much like a Fae finally for taking such interest in it.

Never mind how cold it had been.

I'm by myself, he'd admitted. Can I get a brother or a sister? Or a friend?

His father's scoff reached him even now. A brother or sister is unlikely as it is near impossible for fairies to have children. Trust and do not forget, you, human child, were something unintended.

Oh. They'd sat together in that storm, and despite the cold of it, Pest appreciated the man's company. It was rare that his father paid him a compliment by saying his actions Fae-like. Therefore, he forced himself to sit in it longer. Something made him wonder. Then how are fairies born?

Born? Ha! Fairies aren't born. We are conjured. We come as consequences. I, myself, was conjured into being by a spell to punish a lowly farmer who stole a goat. And I did my job well, his father boasted. He died a miserable death by my hand.

Pest gasped. The farmer?

No. The goat. Blue fairies care not for human killings. For that, you'd need a red Fae. Do not embarrass me by mixing us up again.

The second drop of rain now came slowly, and Pest looked up. He'd observed the sky long enough to know when a storm was brewing and how long he'd have. This one would pass, he knew.

A soft breeze danced along his skin and he reached down for the blanket again.

You are turning blue. I know well enough that this is not a good color for humans. Come. We will return home before your breathing stops yet again. It was quite an argument your last brush with death caused.

In the morning, his father surprised him with an invitation to the lake after breakfast. Well, you cannot get another human child from my loins for company, and as much as I despise them, I suppose you must look for companionship, even a human one. Let us find you a bedfellow.

A bedfellow? What is that?

Well, what does it sound like, human child? Someone to share your sleep-space with. A bedfellow is a precious thing to a fairy. And we will catch you one today. For this, we need an offering. A fish should suffice.

It had been a pitiful undertaking after that.

The first thing a fairy must do when thinking of a bedfellow is to imagine a good color. I've told you all the fairy colors. Now, humans are rather dull as they have few colors.

I'd like a fairy then, Pest had suggested, for he'd wanted to make his father happy.

Oh? And what color?

Green.

Ha! A fine color. Green fairies are steadfast and strong. A bit cruel but that is expected from ambition. Very well. Then you must catch a big enough fish, human child. Or your fairy will reject your offer.

At the time, Pest's excitement dulled with each admonishment of his failings. Once he brought the blanket up now, he traced the olive color of Fanli's skin.

The muscles of her arms didn't rival his own, but they certainly weren't those of a fair maiden either, or a fairy.

No. No. No. That is not the way to do it. How could you not know how to catch a fish, human child? Every other human child can manage it.

He ran his fingers along her collar, remembering his father's fury as he stomped away, vowing Pest's effort useless.

A pit formed in his stomach now, much like back then when he was abandoned to the docks. The fear came—one of forever being alone. One of failing in his first fairy task. One of forever watching the rains by himself.

The face now was no longer round like back then. And instead of a frumpy fat ogre, Fanli was now tall and lean.

But one thing was a constant—the relief he felt at seeing her. Seven years ago, she came out of the woods, caught him before he crashed into the water, and helped him find a fish. As he couldn't swim, that day could have ended terribly in many ways.

As he'd held the large fish between them, he'd looked at her. She was green.

Pest smiled at the innocence of his thoughts back then. And he'd known she was an ogre, but his father hated humans more.

She'd be a fine bedfellow, he'd thought then. And so, he followed his father's fairy catching tactics and gave her the fish. She'd stared at him, stunned and so, he decided to try a human habit he'd observed.

A kiss.

She'd blinked at him, but joy filled him as he ran home, content and successful in catching a bedfellow.

He hadn't known how the process worked, just that he'd no longer be alone. True to his efforts, she was back at the docks the next day, and although she could not come every day, he did see her every week.

She'd never called him strange or showed frustration with him simply staring at bugs all day long. In fact, she was rather helpful in that vein.

And he'd been satisfied.

All until the day he'd taken her by the hand and walked out of the forest to whispers and surprise.

What are you doing with that ogre? had come and gone. There was nowhere to go, and he hated the harsh words, so Fanli had suggested her favorite spot, the hunchback's perfect family.

Pest knew of the hunchback but was instructed to never interact with the children from that house.

It was at Fanli's urging that he did, and it was fun there, and freeing.

And then one day, six years later, Wen had kissed him.

Pest had hated himself instantly.

But walking with Wen and walking with Fanli were two different things.

Wen's beauty had brought admiration from others. Fanli's...less so.

Pest thought himself strange for finding Fanli's features more charming. And he couldn't say why she won out in his eyes.

Her shoulders weren't even that broad. And even now, under the outline of the covering, her ample bosom stirred a fire in him.

For a long minute, Pest stared at the blanket. Curiosity won out and he hated himself, but he picked it up and peered down. The nipples were dark green. Her stomach was lean as well. The curve of her hips also appealed to him. Despite what others thought of ogres, she was nearly hairless except for her groin.

All in all, she didn't look all that different from a human. Just the muscles throughout. Her dresses fit her well, too. But her body this way was beautiful.

Shame it wouldn't last. As ogres aged...they'd eventually resembled the thick bodies of trolls.

He could walk with her now, well aware from the whispers of others that more than a few men had observed her beauty. But all ended with a laugh at what she'd look like in latter years.

Pest lowered the blanket with a sigh.

It was when he tucked it around her that he saw her dark eyes peering back at him.

Her gaze held more fright than embarrassment. The confusion her misunderstanding his actions brought sent him into a panic.

Without a way to vocalize his true admiration and not disgust, he leaned in to kiss her.