The reply didn't surprise Barney as much as he felt it probably should have. The man spent his days handing out teddy bears to sick children. It wasn't a hard leap to imagine him sitting in a red sleigh with a giant bag full of presents and eight reindeer.
It was hard to imagine Ghastly as an elf.
But Barney took the teddy bear anyway, and this time, nothing interrupted the murmured "Thank you." Because honestly, who was he to turn down presents when Allie frequently claimed she didn't want any more, and Barney kept finding her things anyway?
He was still curious. He was still very curious. But Barney had also noticed the way Allie was talking with Ghastly, smiling and animated and having what looked like the time of her life, without ever leaving her bed. And the way she was still gripping that giant teddy bear... Barney wasn't going to try and look a gift horse in the mouth. It was a godsend, and that was all he could really ask for.
It wasn't often Ghastly received an honest first impression that wasn't revulsion or some type of horror, and he was enjoying every last second of it. True, the disguise could be considered cheating. But the fascinated, open, and genuine curiosity was a welcome change of pace, particularly when it came from a child.
"Because not many people are as good at looking deep as you are," he answered her. "And, to be honest, the disguise is a recent thing. I don't look like a faery prince underneath it."
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It was hard to imagine Ghastly as an elf.
But Barney took the teddy bear anyway, and this time, nothing interrupted the murmured "Thank you." Because honestly, who was he to turn down presents when Allie frequently claimed she didn't want any more, and Barney kept finding her things anyway?
He was still curious. He was still very curious. But Barney had also noticed the way Allie was talking with Ghastly, smiling and animated and having what looked like the time of her life, without ever leaving her bed. And the way she was still gripping that giant teddy bear... Barney wasn't going to try and look a gift horse in the mouth. It was a godsend, and that was all he could really ask for.
It wasn't often Ghastly received an honest first impression that wasn't revulsion or some type of horror, and he was enjoying every last second of it. True, the disguise could be considered cheating. But the fascinated, open, and genuine curiosity was a welcome change of pace, particularly when it came from a child.
"Because not many people are as good at looking deep as you are," he answered her. "And, to be honest, the disguise is a recent thing. I don't look like a faery prince underneath it."