Honey and the Bee: A Barlyn fic

''But if I reached for your hand, would your eyes get wide? Who knew the other side could be so green?''

Slim fingers were grasped in excitement by gloved ‘hands,’ dark eyes going wide at the sensation. Deryn’s cheeks slowly heated up, glancing over at her scarecrow companion; did that mean what she thought it might mean? Probably not.

Barley was watching the shooting stars with all of the enthusiasm of a small child, and the crow couldn’t help the adoring smile that graced her features.

Who knew that love could be so sweet?

''Don’t remind me: I’m a chickadee in love with the sky – But that’s clearly not a lot to crow about.''

“Your wings are beautiful..” He couldn’t think of another word to describe the ebony feathers that were folded along her back. “You are too, you know.”

“You hush, Barley.” The darkening of her face showed how much his words affected her. Brown eyes looked up at the sky nervously – she’d dreamed of this for years. Flying, soaring up in the blue that matched one of her darling’s eyes. “… I don’t think I can do it.”

“Of course you can!”

''We are honey and the bee. … I fell in love with you like bees to honey.''

“Merry Christmas, Barley!” The bird eagerly set the wrapped box in his gloved hands, watching anxiously as he carefully peeled the paper back – always one to save pretty things, after all. “It’s just something from my collection, but- I thought you’d like it.”

Her face was heating up already as her nerves grew. What if he didn’t like it? What if he didn’t want a present?

Inside the box, once he’d gotten that far, was a shiny pebble in the shape of a heart; Deryn had polished it herself. And she truly wanted him to have it. The scarecrow stared at it in awe, smile lifting up that much more.

“… I really feel like I love you already.”

And then a glove was covering his mouth – how could he say that? How could he be so forward with the girl who meant so much to him? Nervously, he looked up at the French girl, surprised to see her eyes wide and her cheeks dark.

“… I think I love you too, Barley.”

Who knew the other side could be so green?