In the tiny corner of the cottage where she'd strung up sheets and blankets to give herself some modicum of privacy, Beauty did her best to quickly muffle the sounds she was making -- but she was only so successful. The blue light of the laptop monitor illuminated her cordoned corner, then flickered as she carefully set the thing aside and focused instead on drying her messy face.
Thomas had come back for the night. She squeezed her nose between two layers of folded handkerchief, then delicately sniffed. The City didn't understand tears, even though he'd cried himself. She didn't think she wanted to try to explain these to him, either. But... Perhaps there were things he could explain to her.
Screwing up her courage to face the strange creature in a stranger's flesh, she dashed her hair out of her eyes, quickly knotted it with a ribbon, and then dipped out into the cottage. "Thomas?" she asked very softly, then, seeing him sitting at her table, automatically reached for the plate of bread and cheese and fruit she'd set aside for him. When she came to the table, it was with his dinner as well. "Thomas," she said again. "Can I ask you something?"