Land Down Under (KJDarKnight & Treasure)

she smiled and blushed a little as she stepped back and glanced at her brother who hadn't said anything yet

"IF ya like the surface an plants so much, why don't ya ever go on up?" he asked, looking over at Gray, he liked the room too of course but seemed less excited.

--

Couldn't do any worse than Pepper, not the best cook like she had said but good enough.
Peter wondered out of his room down the hall rubbing his eyes
 
"The light hurts," Gray said. "Even now, it is difficult to be around."

~~

"Good morning," Badru greeted Peter as he carefully put the eggs on a plate.
 
Faelar looked back into the room, it wasn't all that bright to him, even night creatures as they were they sometimes roused in the day and their windows let in light too. "Then you do this just for the plants?" Justira signed curiously

--

"Morning Badru, morning Mamma" he smiled and climbed up to the table "Smells good, didn't burn anything this time" he grinned. Pepper chuckled "Not this time no"
 
Gray nodded. "It is good to see the light and the green, but not to touch it too much. I tend to them in the evening or at night. when the light is dim."

~~

Badru looked at Peter soberly. He did not know what to say, so for now, he said nothing. He helped put things on the table in silence, waiting for Mathias to appear or for Pepper or Peter to talk.
 
"We should go up at night then" She signed "you should see the moon and stars and the grand tree's and flours" she encouraged with a smile

--

"You sleep ok Badru?"Peter asked, they had put him up in one of the other bedrooms, the place built for an entire family not just Mathias so there was, like he said, plenty of room for him to stay there.
 
"Perhaps," Gray replied vaguely. "I should go to work soon. Is there anything you would like to know about the place first? Any questions I can answer?"

~~

Badru dipped his head. "The bed is small. I sleep on floor, and is comfortable. This is warm house. Yes?"
 
Faelar shook his head "No I think I may just get some more rest..." he looked to see what Justira wanted this time.

"Can I come see what you do?" she signed, curious about him and this place, but mostly him.

--

"Warm?" Pepper repeated "What do you mean by warm?" she seemed to have a hard time grasping his meaning, not quite as intuitive as Misty seemed to be
 
Gray raised a brow, surprised, but nodded. "It is usually boring to others, but you are welcome to come." He nodded to Faelar and started for the door.

~~

"No wind," Badru said. "Not cold."
 
she smiled and just followed his lead, leaving Faelar behind, it was nice to see her trusting someone other than just him.

--


Peter smiled "yes, warm" he said with a nod, thinking he understood what he meant
 
Gray led the way up to his shack and climbed up and in before turning to give her a hand up. He pointed to the empty stool as he moved to sit in his usual chair.

~~

Badru hesitated a moment then spoke to Peter in his native tongue. "I need to tell your mother something, but she does not understand me, and I cannot speak well. Will you tell her something for me?"
 
she accepted the hand up and looked around curiously "What is all this" she signed when he looked her way again. she took a seat where he indicated though

--

Peter nodded "Of course, what do you need me to say?" he asked in his language, curious about what the two had been talking about before
 
Gray put his headset on first then answered her. "It is my job to communicate with other cities. I do that with this headset. We speak to other cities and to other officers across this city by sending out beeps arranged in a code."

~~

"Will you tell her I do not feel sorry for her?" Badru asked. "I wanted to say that I am sorry I could not help more. I am sorry to her, not for her." He stopped abruptly and fell silent. That was a lot to say all in one go, but he wanted the offense to stand.
 
she nodded a little, yet more things she could never do or help with. she smiled though, seemed like a really important job "How long do you do it for?" she asked, she meant like daily hours

--

Peter listened and nodded. pretty sure that was the longest explanation he had ever given. Pepper was watching them curiously as they had the small exchange.
"Badru said he does not feel sorry for you, just sorry he could not help" he explained. not entirely sure but had an idea of what was going on now "Tell him there was not much he could do, nothing to be sorry for, he seems very kind"

Peter turned back to Badru "She said you don't need to be sorry, nothing you could do, she thinks you're kind"
 
"Some days are longer than others, but usually about 6 to 8 hours," Gray told her. "I enjoy speaking to many others, sometimes even people on the surface."

~~

Badru nodded solemnly. "I mean not to offend. You are kind to me, but I do not feel I am returning it yet."
 
she nodded she understood "You like to know everything that is going on don't you?" she guessed just by what she had seen and experienced so far

--

Pepper sighed "Right well... I should go check on Mathias, he should be up by now" she said by way of excuse before she stood up from the table and slipped away
 
Gray smiled and wobbled his hand. "I like to think so. I try to stay as informed as I can." He hesitated then asked, "Do you know how to read and write?"

~~

Badru dipped his head and watched her go. Then he stood and started cleaning the table.
 
she shook her head "I know what that means but the skill was lost to us years ago. we know sign because every generation of our family has had someone who cannot hear" she explained how they maintained that when writing was lost. "I had a book but I lost it in the woods. I liked the pictures"

--

Peter sighed, he was a smart kid, he could see his mother was trying to make friends with him but she seldom opened up to anyone anymore, any little thing would drive her off
 
"If you would like, could teach you to read and write, then you could help me by making notes," Gray offered. "Only if you want to work with me. I would be happy to teach you either way."

~~

Badru finished cleaning up then turned to Peter. He looked the boy up and down. A fine boy. He had no apparent guidance, unfortuneately, beyond his tired mother, but she was doing well. "Boy. You want to learn outside? Stay in here but learn for later."
 
she smiled and nodded "I would like that very much" she signed, hesitated then went on "I like to be near you" she blushed, hoping it wasn't too bold to say so.

--

Peter grinned and nodded "yes! I'd love that!" he said clearly very excited about that idea.

Pepper came out about then "Peter, get me a bowl of the coldest water you can get" she instructed "Mathias is sick we need to get his fever down. I've sent for a doctor. Hurry up now" she said as she went to find some medicine.

Peter quickly did as he was told
 
He wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I am flattered," he finally said. "I do not think I've ever been told that before. I like to be near you, as well."

~~

Badru frowned. "Sick? How?"
 
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