Momo joined the two on the way home. She was over the moon that Dahyun was joining them. It was surprising that Nayeon had managed to convince her. Then again, the eldest vampire rarely got angry, so even a hint of that could get someone to do just about anything. 

“You’re both so happy,” Dahyun said. She was looking at them, but not their faces. In the space in front of them almost. Her gaze almost looked like awe.

She linked their arms, allowing some cold to seep in. The fairy had tried to hide it, but her eyes had sometimes given away the pain she was in. “What do they look like? Emotions?” Momo asked.

That took her out of the daze. Her eyes focused on her face. Something had changed in her. She would meet gazes as though she were searching them. It made Momo tempted to look away, but for the sake of her pride, she couldn’t. She chalked it up to not wanting to be looked at like she was a complicated physics problem (because Dahyun tended to look like that in class as well). 

“All of them are beautiful,” she said. “Even grief, which is black.” Her gaze fell on the forest, softening as it took in the leaves. “The best I can say is that it’s like in chemistry,” she glanced at Sana, “when you get the small section of colour change just before mixing. Or paint in water.” Her eyes glazed over again. “Happiness is green, a deep green like spring trees.” Shaking her head, her expression turned pensive. “It’s a very strong emotion, not just for the self. I’m surprised you’re feeling it because of me.” 

Silence. Momo was trying to process that statement. She looked to Sana, who had a frown on her face. 

“We wanted you somewhere safe,” Momo said slowly. “A place that might feel like home to you.” Too much, she thought. “At least a place where you don’t have to store food and clothes in your locker.” Not that she had seen that, but when she walked past, she could smell the scent of forests and food coming from it pretty strongly. She also didn't know where else the fairy would store that stuff.

Dahyun smiled slightly and looked down at her hands.

“And by the way,” Sana said, “Jihyo’s cooking is great. It’s even better than pizza.” 

She raised her eyebrows. “Truly?” 

“Truly,” Momo winked, “but it’ll take a few meals to know just how good it is.” 

Her smile widened, but she still didn’t raise her eyes. “And you would really just let a stranger into your house and allow them to stay?” 

“You’re not just any stranger, Dahyunnie,” Sana replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. “You’ve strangled us, slept in Momo’s bed, and been rescued from a werewolf by us.” She grinned. 

The fairy’s smile faded. “I have nothing to give you.”

Momo poked her cheek. “This isn’t like a loan. There’s nothing to give back,” she dug around in her bag, “or pay back.” She stuffed the money in the other’s pocket. Dahyun had somehow given it to her today. When, she had no idea. She was craftier than Momo gave her credit. 

The girl blushed, trying to take it out, but Momo grabbed her hand instead.

“It’s not right. We never accepted anything for exactly this reason. We didn’t have anything to give back,” Dahyun's brow furrowed, “unless you’re in need of emotions, or want to lose some.” 

The words reminded her that Dahyun came from a completely different world. She and Sana might have been immortal, but they’d been in the human world all their life. Momo found she wanted to know everything about the other’s world, and she wanted to tell her about theirs. 

“You’re not going to give us anything,” Sana said firmly. “You said it yourself, this is a gift. Gifts aren’t meant to be given back.”

She looked like she wanted to protest. Instead, she looked between the two of them, scanning their faces. Again, Momo felt like a physics problem. She wasn’t sure if she didn’t like it or not. 

“I’ll find something,” she said. It seemed more like she was saying it to herself. “Maybe I do the,” she frowned, “the...chores?” 

“Jeongyeon-unnie will love you.” Sana giggled. “You’re serious? Housework?”

“I know it’s not enough,” she wasn’t looking at them, but at the forest now, “but it can be a start, can it not?” Her way of speaking was unusual. It was almost a mixture of archaic and modern, as if she'd learned both forms and was now mixing them up.

The house was coming into view. Momo was almost disappointed. This was something that needed a long and uninterrupted talk to make Dahyun realise she owed them nothing. 

Sana took a deep breath. “Today we’re having lasagna.” She grinned. 

Another frown. “Lasana?” Dahyun repeated. 

Sana said it again, but slower.

“Lasagna.” The fairy's brow rose. “Your words are so strange.” 

Momo nudged her lightly. “We could say the same about yours.” 

Sana opened the door. “What is love?” 

“Purple,” Dahyun replied. 

She shook her head, “I meant what it is in your language.” 

“Oh,” she said, “chelan.” 

“Chelan,” both said. “And I love you?” 

“Weh chela,” she replied. “It’s a rare phrase, but that’s it.” 

Weh chela, Momo thought. Definitely a phrase to remember. 

To everyone’s relief, Dahyun loved lasagna. She loved chocolate even more, which was in the dessert. 

“I still can’t believe your appetite,” Momo said, finishing up what was left of the fairy’s lasagna. “Did you just never eat much?” 

There was a fleeting look on Dahyun’s face. It was between panic and hesitation. “Not really,” she said, taking another bite of the cake. “Never needed to.”

She really was a terrible liar.

“You should start eating more,” Momo said, “it’s good for you.”

They started talking about different foods. Dahyun looked interested in each one, but still confused about their names. At one point, Jihyo started showing her how the stove and the oven worked. They also confused her. At one point she was talking about fires being 'far more straightforward'. Momo had had to smile at that point.

“I wanna watch a movie,” Tzuyu called. 

“Clean up first,” Jeongyeon shot back. 

The fairy was at the table so fast, Momo wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d teleported. She started gathering the plates, piling them in a stack in one hand, perfectly balanced. 

Jeongyeon stared at her, watching as she filled the dishwasher. “Can you stay here? Please.” 

Dahyun smiled. It was slow, but it looked easier than the last ones. It made Momo feel warm looking a