Jigano watched Rory anxiously, hoping that his friend would like the present he had worked so hard for. Facing the Labyrinth, getting attacked by a boggart and the killer squirrels, arguing with Remi, gathering firewood from his performances in the Rathskeller, and then using his own silver coins, unique on Caido for being from his world and nowhere else... He had wanted something special to give to his friends, the ones who made Caido more like a home than anywhere he'd known in the past three years. But of them all, only Rory didn't even know his name... There was a sadness, there, mingling with the fear of what the quiet hunter would think if he ever saw Jigano as a man and not a fox. Maybe, if he'd shifted the second time they'd met... or the third...
But now he'd gotten himself in too deep. He didn't know how to reveal himself without losing the wordless friendship that had become such a powerful anchor in his heart, without losing the gentle touch of a welcome hand, or the beauty of Rory's smile. The gift was as much an admission that he was an Attuned as Isuma was, the little gryphon finally distracted from the luxere to crawl up Rory's stomach to peer into his hand and what he was pushing around with his fingertip.
The hunter's words, his tone, his body language - all had relief washing through the fox, a wave of release that had his ears perking up and his muscles quivering just slightly in happiness that the gift was accepted and appreciated. He cocked his head to the side in curiosity as his friend bit off the rest of what he was going to say, though. Not as b--? Big? Bright?
...Oh.
The blush provided the final clue, and he was suddenly very glad that he had fur to hide his own inevitable reaction to the compliment. Which was silly, really, he was a bard, compliments were as common as water to him. So why, then, did this feel so much more... personal?
Not that Rory had actually said it, though. And maybe he was wrong, and misreading the situation. Maybe the other man had been about to say something else...
Not knowing what else to do, he rose slowly and crept closer again, settling himself to press warm fur against Rory's leg, and daring to rest his head on his friend's thigh. Isuma reep!ed happily and scrambled over Rory's legs to crawl onto the fox's back, her mind full of warm, fuzzy images of giant luxere noses and wind in her downy feathers. Jigano snorted softly in amusement and fondness, but his attention focused immediately back on the human when he spoke again. The gratitude was welcome, but the question was... more difficult. Raising his head, Jigano met blue eyes with a sense of helpless silence. His ears flicked back and then forward again, a low whine in his throat that he dared not voice. Cautiously, as though he didn't quite trust the gesture, he tilted his head to the side, then dipped his muzzle in an approximation of a nod, though not a very certain one. A very un-foxlike gesture, and one that hurt to make as another layer of protection was torn away between them.
Now that the music had ended the luxere started to move away, though slowly, after whuffling Rory's scent and that of the little white fox to remember for later need.
But now he'd gotten himself in too deep. He didn't know how to reveal himself without losing the wordless friendship that had become such a powerful anchor in his heart, without losing the gentle touch of a welcome hand, or the beauty of Rory's smile. The gift was as much an admission that he was an Attuned as Isuma was, the little gryphon finally distracted from the luxere to crawl up Rory's stomach to peer into his hand and what he was pushing around with his fingertip.
The hunter's words, his tone, his body language - all had relief washing through the fox, a wave of release that had his ears perking up and his muscles quivering just slightly in happiness that the gift was accepted and appreciated. He cocked his head to the side in curiosity as his friend bit off the rest of what he was going to say, though. Not as b--? Big? Bright?
...Oh.
The blush provided the final clue, and he was suddenly very glad that he had fur to hide his own inevitable reaction to the compliment. Which was silly, really, he was a bard, compliments were as common as water to him. So why, then, did this feel so much more... personal?
Not that Rory had actually said it, though. And maybe he was wrong, and misreading the situation. Maybe the other man had been about to say something else...
Not knowing what else to do, he rose slowly and crept closer again, settling himself to press warm fur against Rory's leg, and daring to rest his head on his friend's thigh. Isuma reep!ed happily and scrambled over Rory's legs to crawl onto the fox's back, her mind full of warm, fuzzy images of giant luxere noses and wind in her downy feathers. Jigano snorted softly in amusement and fondness, but his attention focused immediately back on the human when he spoke again. The gratitude was welcome, but the question was... more difficult. Raising his head, Jigano met blue eyes with a sense of helpless silence. His ears flicked back and then forward again, a low whine in his throat that he dared not voice. Cautiously, as though he didn't quite trust the gesture, he tilted his head to the side, then dipped his muzzle in an approximation of a nod, though not a very certain one. A very un-foxlike gesture, and one that hurt to make as another layer of protection was torn away between them.
Now that the music had ended the luxere started to move away, though slowly, after whuffling Rory's scent and that of the little white fox to remember for later need.
