+Hi! I love pie,+ he informs her. +Pie is delicious.+

+Pie's pretty delicious. Where'd you get pie?+

+Squares conjure stuff!+

+Well, there you go, I don't have to dissuade you from a life of petty culinary theft. Did the Joker happen to tell you anything about the conversation we had?+

+Nope! What'd you talk about?+

+You. Well, the template, more, and stuff about how you fit into it. Apparently you guys have been known to do some screwed-up stuff about falling in love, except not with Bells, with this other template.+

+Oh,+ says Brilliance.

+But apparently I shouldn't actually worry about it because if I ever trigger this template behavior pattern you will be spirited away for snuggles and debauchery, instead.+

He giggles. +Good old Joker.+

+So I finally got half an hour in which no new magic or key information was being introduced,+ she continues, +and I did some thinking, and mostly I spent the entire time in an unproductive circle of thoughts like "what if I were triplets, WHAT THEN" and "how did all the other Bells deal or do they just come with polyamory installed for some reason" and "well there's Golden but she's a vampire but Alice is a vampire and apparently that didn't do a thing to him but there's Golden and she's a vampire" etcetera and basically it's not going anywhere and. I think the bit I'm missing is that I don't have a picture of what it looks like to be not-monogamous. I haven't met any of these couples in person. I don't know how they work, I mean, the Joker's special effects are cool but they're not the same as actually seeing stuff. And if any of those Bells were here, they could just tell me, but they're not, so basically the person I have to ask is you. What would it be like?+

+...I don't really know,+ he says. +Like, from where I'm standing, the big difference between monogamous and not-monogamous is that monogamous means breaking my heart a lot. I know that much. But I still haven't ever done either.+

+Well, neither've I.+ She sighs. +I could see getting really, really attached to you - and apparently that's not me being seventeen and making things up to be dramatic, because two pairs of us are married - and - I don't know how to reconcile that with sharing, the best I can do is "what if I were triplets WHAT THEN" apparently.+

+...Okay but like,+ says Brilliance, +sharing what, what is it about sex that makes it special, would you still feel weird if - the Joker, let's go with him, I've fucked him - if he fed me cake or beat me up?+

+If he fed you cake? No, not a flicker. If he beat you up - well, now that I know what I know, yeah, if, as is not presently the case, it were any of my business.+

+Oh,+ says Brilliance. +I dunno - I guess I didn't really answer your question, did I? I'm still not sure how.+

+Like, sex is probably special for all kinds of weird historical and evolutionary reasons, it could probably just as easily be waltzing or something if things had shaken out differently, but I did grow up in a culture where The Special Thing is sex, where that is a thing that people in committed relationships do only with each other because it's a Special Thing with Capital Letters.+

+It's not a Special Thing to me at all,+ says Brilliance. +Because I, you know, didn't grow up in a culture.+

+Right. And maybe I could adapt better if, I dunno, if there were some device cultural script for indicating - specialness, uniqueness, particular devotion...+

+Brilliance?+

+So,+ he says, sounding somewhere between very nervous and very turned on, +um, you remember when I said the incantation for my built-in torture function wasn't 'pants'...?+

+I just accidentally said it, didn't I.+

+It's 'Devotion',+ he confirms. +And... well, I don't have any cultural scripts... but right now you're the only person who can use it, and I'm—okay with that.+

+Are you saying you'd want me to?+

+I'm saying I don't want anyone else to,+ he says, +except maybe the Jokers, and I can live without them doing it, there's plenty of other ways for them to hurt me if they feel like it - and - I have complicated feelings about you doing it, but they're not all 'no'.+

+...Huh. I might - I mean, if some of the feelings are no and they're going to stay that way, then it doesn't work, but otherwise that might close the gap.+

+Some of the feelings are no right now but I don't think they're going to stay that way forever.+

+Can I ask why?+

+Um... which part?+

+Either one, really.+

+They're kind of related, I guess. Some of the feelings are no because I'm still a little scared of you, but I don't think they'll be no forever because I don't want to be scared of you and I don't think I have good reasons to be scared of you - I mean, I have really good reasons to be scared of people in general, but you're not people in general and I don't think you'd ever hurt me when I was asking you not to.+

+I wouldn't,+ agrees Bella.

+So, yeah,+ says Brilliance.

+I kinda want to hug you now, where are you?+

+In your kitchen, with pie! Come hug me.+

"Where the hell are you putting all of that pie?" Bella snorts.

"It goes in my tummy and turns into mana!" says Brilliance. "I'm not biological, remember?"

"You can turn infinite amounts of pie into mana. Wow. Okay," snickers Bella. "Can I have a slice?"

She manages to take one out of the middle of the remaining pie, and takes a bite. "Peach," she identifies, "and jesus fuck this is good pie."

He beams and hugs her.

Bella can only hug back with one arm. The other is busy conveying forksful of pie to her mouth.

"It is the greatest of pie!" she says, heedlessly talking with her mouth full.

"It iiiiiiiis," hug hug hug. "I wanna learn how to make pie this good."

"Didn't you make this exact pie?"

"I conjured it, I didn't cook it. Jokers cooking is a thing, apparently. And I can see why, because food is awesome."

"Huh. I can cook, but if conjuring gets results this good I don't see myself bothering very often."

"The Joker says it's fun!" says Brilliance. "I bet he's right. Maybe I can get him to teach me sometime."

"I bet you can."

"I think - that your idea will close the gap, like I said, if you're going to predictably get there at some point, and boy does that ever feel like a weird thing to be predicating a potential relationship on..."

"So yeah, if we have a plausible substitute Thing With Capital Letters - I could deal. If you want."

"I want!"

+You're adorable.+

+I am! I'm really cute! Let's go somewhere and snuggle a lot,+ he suggests.

+Okay.+ Planet Rainbowsand! Hello!

Cuddlesssssssssss cuddles are the best. Well, no, but they are one of many best-things. They are really great, is the point here.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"I love you, I love cuddling you, I am really happy right now," says Brilliance.

"All good thoughts," murmurs Bella, smiling and snuggling up.

He beams and cuddles her and kisses the end of her nose, because it is there and it is part of Bella and he loves all the parts of Bella and wants to kiss them forever.

Bella giggles. The end of her nose is a silly place to kiss and giggling is called for.

She will! She will do it as long as he keeps kissing her in unconventional places.

How about if he kisses her in a conventional place? Like her mouth. Her mouth is extremely kissable.

If he goes and does that she might have to stop giggling and start kissing him back. He's quite kissable himself, after all.

If he keeps kissing her like that they might become so!

He's hardly likely to stop. Kisses are awesome, and so is Bella, and he just wants to snuggle up and have lots of positive body contact, is what he wants.

Yep, if he doesn't stop the fact that they are on a picnic blanket on - well, not the original Planet Rainbowsand, but a pretty exact facsimile - will become relevant.

That is also awesome.

His enthusiasm is awesome.

Bella is ice cream. Bella is pie. Bella is every possible kind of delicious.

Bella really likes being delicious.

Well, Brilliance really likes Bella being delicious. And he really likes experiencing Bella's deliciousness. In as many ways as possible. But the ones that make her make lovely noises might be his favourites.

Bella is quite willing to make lovely noises! And say Brilliance's name a lot. Both of those things.

Ooh, he loves it when she says his name like that. He loves it so much.

She can tell! She will go on gamely trying even after it becomes unreasonably difficult to utter complete syllables.

+Nnngfffnnnn.+

+I love yoooou, you're delicious, you're pie and ice cream, I love you so much,+ says Brilliance.

"Fuck," moans Bella.

Brilliance makes a cheerful little humming noise.

Presently it is time for more kisses.

Cuddly snuggly little-bit-messy delicious Bella kisses.

Yes indeed. +I could get used to this.+

+Good, 'cause I wanna do it lots,+ he says, curling up next to her on the blanket and kissing her some more.

Kisses kisses kisses +Awesome.+ kisses kisses.

+Uh - Charlie might want to say a few things to you - traditional you-better-not-hurt-my-daughter-stuff - which points to either yes or no, depending on whether you want to get that out of the way, continue living in the house, etcetera.+

+Um... I'd like to keep living in your house,+ he says. +I'm really not keen on your dad threatening me. If I stay away will he not threaten me, or would I have to just avoid him for the rest of his life, or what?+

+Well, if he can't talk to you he can't threaten you, but that would be kind of tense for me-and-him, if I had a boyfriend who refused to interact with him,+ says Bella. +I don't know about the rest of his life. I think the cultural standard is that he's entitled to one sorta parting shot if we get married and then he has to shut up. I don't know.+

+I really, really don't want your dad to threaten me,+ says Brilliance, shivering and cuddling closer.

+...I could maybe talk to him about it?+ Bella says, stroking Brilliance's back soothingly. +What qualifies as threatening, though, he's going to need clear instructions if he'll listen to me at all.+

+I don't know, exactly - just - even though I know he can't actually hurt me that easily, if I feel like he's saying he will hurt me if I do such-and-such, I'm going to freak out a little. Even if such-and-such is something I don't ever want to actually do.+

+He's not likely to say it outright like that. Especially since he knows it would in fact be hard to hurt you. It'd just be vague, "It'll be best for everyone if thus and so" stuff.+

+...That could be either fine, or really really awful, depending how he said it. Sorry I'm so - finicky,+ he says helplessly.

+I could maybe get him to pass on any such vague threats through me? Would that help?+

+Yeah. That would help lots,+ he says, cuddling her.

+Okay, I'll try that.+ Snuggle snuggle. Kiss on the end of his nose, see how he likes being kissed in silly places.

It makes him all happy and giggly!

Aww. +I'll let you know when it's safe to be around Charlie,+ Bella says, and she runs her hand through his hair and teleports to join her folks for lunch.

+Okay,+ says Brilliance comfortably. +Love you.+

+You're sweet.+

Lexi has made lunch, and she has chosen for lunch to be macaroni and cheese. "Where's Brilliance?"

"Hanging out on the planet with the rainbow sand. He can conjure food now," Bella adds as a misleading explanation.

"That explains all the ice cream in the freezer and the stack of pie plates," snorts Lexi.

"Yeah. Charlie on his way?"

"He'll be here in five. Why, you gonna tell him you're doing Brilliance?"

"I'm going to tell him I'm dating Brilliance, thanks, rumors of my doings should not reach Charlie's brain."

"Okay. So you worked it out about the whole exploding stuff thing?"

"Yeah. You know," shrugs Bella, "forward."

"And going forward you want in his pa-a-ants," sings Lexi.

"Oh my god, Lexi, shut up."

"When Charlie's home I will. He's no-o-ot yet thouuuuugh," sings Lexi.

"I will remember this when you meet some boy," grumbles Bella, "you can bet I will, I have a perfect memory now, you know."

"I," says Lexi loftily, "will take my chances. So is he good? He must be if you're gonna keep him for the foreseeable future, right -"

"Shut up shut up shut up."

"Not a chance!"

"I hear the cruiser."

"Shutting up. You play it how you want."

Shell Bell waves.

And Sarion peers around curiously.

"Is Brilliance around?" Shell Bell asks. "Sarion met him earlier."

"...Hi, it's nice to meet you. He's on another planet."

"Okay, we'll go wait for you there!"

"...I'll be along in a minute."

Shell Bell and Sarion disappear. The door into Milliways swings shut behind them.

"So," says Aurora to Charlie, "there are a bunch of me in a bunch of different universes, apparently those ones worked out how to get to this one, I want to go talk to them - Lexi, do you want to come or get caught up later? - and Dad, Brilliance had a really, really lousy - I'm not sure if childhood's the right word, but a lousy first while, and he'll be really upset if you threaten him vaguely about keeping me happy or anything, so, like, you can say what you have to say but please let me pass it on instead of saying it to his face?"

"Cross my heart, Dad, he will never be in our room with any combination of me or Lexi with the door closed," says Bella, deeply unimpressed.

"Should we, like, take lunch?"

"Yes. And let's bring some for Brilliance too, just because he can conjure food doesn't mean he won't appreciate it." Bella fills two bowls with macaroni and cheese - Lexi already has hers - and teleports them both to Planet Rainbowsand.

"I See you," Sarion says.

"You must be Brilliance," says Shell Bell.

"Yeah," says Brilliance. "—Wait, are you the elf one? But you're—better," he says.

Isibel tucks her hair behind her ears.

"Are you better, though? You look better," he says. "That's awesome!"

"She's not completely better, but Kas found her and got Amariah and Amariah got the rest of us and we got her adequately detached from her demon-and-dragon and gave her slightly off-standard perfect recall and she should be able to unbreak herself the rest of the way," says Shell Bell.

Brilliance jumps up and hugs Sarion.

Sarion hugs him back.

"We interrupted your Bell in the middle of lunch with her dad and one of her friends," says Shell Bell, "so we're waiting for her now. And the others will be along soon. We always throw a party when we find new Bells and this looks like a good place."

"It's really pretty," Brilliance says cheerfully.

"Yeah, where are we, is your Bell Earth-based?"

"She's Earth-based but she's not stuck there," says Brilliance. "I found this planet for us to practice magic on, and then when the Joker showed up he copied it into the solar system for fun. We're on the copy."

"Oh, so that's where he went, he didn't show up to the heap. Who'll be along in a sec, you'll be pleased to know."

"Hi," says Aurora, appearing with Lexi and bowls of macaroni and cheese, one of which she offers to Brilliance, "you must be the elf one and one of the one who's not easily visually distinguished? I decided to go by Aurora."

"The elf one is going by Sarion and I'm Shell Bell," says Shell Bell. "Do you want to set up here for a party or have it somewhere else? We could just as easily meet everyone back at my palace. Who's your friend?"

"I'm her twin sister," says Lexi. "I hear none of the rest of you have 'em."

"No," says Shell Bell, blinking, "we don't. What's your name?"

"Lexi. Well, Alexandra, but, Lexi."

The Joker teleports to the appropriate location.

"She's got enough Charlie in her to not care about everything, but I am not sneaking around behind her back if that's what you mean, I trust her," says Aurora. "And sure, let's have a party on this here planet, can you set up, I don't know the guest list."

"Sure," says Shell Bell, and presently a setup not unlike the first Bell party on Mars decorates Planet Rainbowsand, although Shell Bell doesn't put out bowls of triangles and squares.

"Aren't you pretty!" says the Joker to the unicorn.

"Wow," says the unicorn to the Joker. "I mean - yes. Yes, I'm very pretty."

"Oh my god you are a real unicorn let me hug you," exclaims Lexi.

"Sure!" says Liselen, arching his neck.

Lexi hugs him with all appropriate enthusiasm for a unicorn-loving teenage girl who has just met a real live example.

Liselen laughs, and permits hugging.

When the Jokers are all ready to be transported, Jane deposits them, including the dragon if he wants to come within range of her eye in the Atlantis palace.

"Oh my god he's stark naked!" shrieks Lexi. "Why is he stark naked!" She hides her face behind Liselen.

"It seems that Aurora's sister is distressed by your disdain for clothes," Sarion murmurs, leaning her head on the demon.

The demon sighs and cuddles his beloved some more.

"In other words dude put some clothes on," says Juliet. "At least, like, pants."

"I can totally compromise on it just being pants!" says Lexi from somewhere behind the unicorn.

He conjures himself some pants, loose comfortable ones in a slightly darker shade of red than his skin.

"He's wearing pants now," Liselen says helpfully.

"Thank you," says Lexi, peeping out from her hiding place. "Also you totally look like a devil version of Brilliance, did you know?"

"No, he's stunned by his own color scheme and array of limbs," drawls Juliet.

"There should be, like, a photograph of him standing with the angel, though," says Lexi, "I think that should happen."

Angela laughs and shrugs.

"Yep!" says Brilliance. "Also, wow, I do not mind you being naked at all."

"I set up the usual array of rooms," says Shell Bell pointedly, "if anyone feels the sudden urge to go be naked and isn't conveniently a quadruped."

"Well," says Aurora, looking around as Jane lands more guests in the pavilion, "let's get this party started."