Strong Body, Fragile Hearts

Her Gardener, startling

Bell's POV

I fell to the ground, the boy might've as well been rubber. "Oh! I'm sorry Miss!" He said dropping his packages. He offered me his hand and I took it, though looked at him questioningly when he made no move to close his hand around mine to help me up. He blushed and said quietly, "I'm too strong, I could break your wrist if I pulled on your hand." I looked him over, very much doubting his claim. He was super skinny, blonde with deep blue-green eyes.

I blushed when I realized I was admiring him. He blushed in response, then seemed to realize I was still on the ground. I blushed once again, realizing myself that I had yet to get up. I scrambled up then straightened up. "It's no problem, though my bread is ruined." My fresh piece of bread had the misfortune of landing in a mud puddle. The boy began to once again apologize profusely, but I held up a hand, "No harm no foul." I smiled at him then causing him grin back at me. "What is your name? Mines... Bells." I asked. I paused before I said my name, I almost said my real name. I haven't gone by that name in years. "My names Finnian but everyone calls me Finni." I mock curtsied and said, "Pleased to meet you Finni!" I laughed and he stared at me. "What?" I asked him, his stare was beginning to become uncomfortable. "Your laugh..." He murmured. "What about it?" I asked. "It's so pretty."

I blushed. "Thank you." I said softly. He remained staring at me, then seemed to realize what he was doing. "Sorry, I just it sound so pretty, like bells ringing." I laughed once more. "There you go, that is how I received my name." He nodded, looking quite serious. I giggled. This boy was too funny. I then cocked my head, my thoughts returning to his earlier statement about strength. "You aren't really strong enough to break my wrist though, right?"

Finni ducked his head then straightened up and nodded. "Yes, I am! I don't touch people much because of it." I regarded him closely, he seemed to believe it, but I did not. "Prove it." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Looking stalwart, if slightly crestfallen that I did not believe him he merely sighed and nodded. He gestured to an alleyway. I looked at him with incredulity. "You expect me to go in there?" I asked, just to be sure. He nodded and blushed once more. "I promise, nothing will happen to you." I sighed and then, feeling the weight of the dagger in my dress, decided to throw caution to the wind. I giggled, thinking of Joker's face if he found out I entered an alley with a boy.

"What? What is it?" Finni asked smiling at my laugh. "Nothing, just thinking of my..." I really didn't know how to classify Joker. Friend? Boss? Brother? I decided on brother. "I was just thinking of my brother." Finni nodded. Then he gestured around the alley. "Pick the heaviest thing you can see." I looked around, surveying my options. I had the options of some crates, and aha! There was a stone statue at the end of the alley. I pointed down there and said, "The statue of the angel, at the end of the alleyway." Finni smiled and ran to the end of the alley. Then with one hand, he lifted the entire 5 foot tall, what I assumed to be solid stone, over his head. I blinked once, then twice. "You, you did it." I managed to stammer out as he carefully placed the statue back on the ground. "But you're a slip of a boy, you... there must be a trick to it." I announced firmly. I came from the circus, tricks were to be expected, especially in something as incredulous as this.

I approached the statue and put my arms around it, and attempted to lift it up. It must be hollow, that could be the only explanation. I pulled towards me, with all the strength I possessed. All I succeeded in doing was tipping the statue over. I had fallen to the ground, and I could only watch as the pure stone statue, fell towards me.

I closed my eyes. Fully expecting to be crushed. Then after a moment, when I realized I had not yet died, I opened my eyes. Finni had stopped the statue with one of his hands. When I opened my eyes, he had sighed and relief and shoved the statue away. Straight through a brick wall. I looked over at the statue, then looked at him, my eyes widened. In shock or fear, I wasn't sure. I stumbled to a stand, leaning against the wall and stared at him some more. He walked over to me and very, very gently, placed his hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked. I turned my eyes towards his. His eyes were glowing like a summer's pond. I whipped around suddenly, startling him.

Causing him to tighten his grip upon my shoulder. It was only slight but it felt like he'd broken something. His eyes widened and he let go. It was over in a matter of seconds. I slid to the floor of the alleyway and let out a shriek when the movement jostled my arm. Finni sank to his knees next to me his hands flitting everywhere, but never touching me. He began to cry. "I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean to!" I smiled and gave a breathy laugh.

"It's ok Finni, you just, agh, I startled you, my fault." My sentence had been interrupted when I had laughed, the pain stopping my talk.

His eyes took on a steely determination. He gently, oh so gently as to not hurt me further, lifted me into his arms. Cradling me so my shoulder would move, he asked me, "Where do you live? Or I can just take you to the hospital." He peered over me anxiously, waiting for my answer. I moaned a little, my shoulder was so painful. He shook me a little startling my eyes open. "I, I live at the circus, the one in town, Noah's Ark Circus." He nodded then set off in a run, towards what I could only hope was the circus. I felt myself fade, it hurt so badly. Worse than... that night. I felt myself drift towards unconsciousness. And then I was blissfully asleep.