Somehow, some way... things were going to be okay, weren't they? There was light in Rory's blue eyes, an echo of the warmth in his own. They were alive, together, and not only had the hunter not rejected him for his secret, but he made clear in the way he touched the weary lorekeeper that he wanted him to stay. If he still had dreams, the good ones might have gone like this... minus the burns and bite wounds and the nightmare that had preceded it, of course.
But that smile - familiar, cherished, sought-after - chased away the Long Night ghosts and drew a tentative curve of the bard's own lips in response, as he could never have managed with his foxy muzzle. He was relaxed and completely off his guard when Rory tapped his ear, and the hunter would get to see the human version of what a startled fox looked like, as Jigano's eyes widened and his ear did, indeed, flick away from the contact - and then right back as the white-haired man ducked his head against the widening of his smile. "That he is," he murmured, feeling a swell of emotion in his chest that he didn't dare examine too closely. Not yet. He had so many shadows in his past but, for now, for this moment, he gave himself over to the present and the giddy lightness that seemed to be bubbling up from somewhere deep in his heart. He shifted to settle his hip on the cot beside his friend so he was no longer awkwardly leaning, though he kept his head held low enough for Rory to touch his ears if he wanted to. "Here, with Queen Owlkitten's bravest knight. And she is very fond of you, for helping her fly," he added, looking up again with the smile still on his face.
The lightness faded from Rory's expression in increments, slowly enough for Jigano to sense the return to solemnity, and he wasn't surprised at the worried question that came next. He released the hunter's hand, reaching back along the blond's arm to find Isuma and stroke her kitten-fuzzy back. "Amalia was badly hurt," he admitted, though he didn't look away, letting his friend see the reassurance in his eyes. "But Edy got her to Vervain in time. She's still asleep, in the room next to this. Edy and I..." He winced now, looking away guiltily. "We weren't really hurt by... by anyone. More that I... that we were used, like weapons, against the two of you. Maybe because we're outlanders... or just... not as strong as you two were, in resisting them." He glanced to his friend uncertainly, his hand reaching up to hover hesitantly an inch from the bite wound that had savaged his friend's shoulder even as the claws melted self-consciously back into blunt human nails. "I am so very sorry for this, Rory..."
But that smile - familiar, cherished, sought-after - chased away the Long Night ghosts and drew a tentative curve of the bard's own lips in response, as he could never have managed with his foxy muzzle. He was relaxed and completely off his guard when Rory tapped his ear, and the hunter would get to see the human version of what a startled fox looked like, as Jigano's eyes widened and his ear did, indeed, flick away from the contact - and then right back as the white-haired man ducked his head against the widening of his smile. "That he is," he murmured, feeling a swell of emotion in his chest that he didn't dare examine too closely. Not yet. He had so many shadows in his past but, for now, for this moment, he gave himself over to the present and the giddy lightness that seemed to be bubbling up from somewhere deep in his heart. He shifted to settle his hip on the cot beside his friend so he was no longer awkwardly leaning, though he kept his head held low enough for Rory to touch his ears if he wanted to. "Here, with Queen Owlkitten's bravest knight. And she is very fond of you, for helping her fly," he added, looking up again with the smile still on his face.
The lightness faded from Rory's expression in increments, slowly enough for Jigano to sense the return to solemnity, and he wasn't surprised at the worried question that came next. He released the hunter's hand, reaching back along the blond's arm to find Isuma and stroke her kitten-fuzzy back. "Amalia was badly hurt," he admitted, though he didn't look away, letting his friend see the reassurance in his eyes. "But Edy got her to Vervain in time. She's still asleep, in the room next to this. Edy and I..." He winced now, looking away guiltily. "We weren't really hurt by... by anyone. More that I... that we were used, like weapons, against the two of you. Maybe because we're outlanders... or just... not as strong as you two were, in resisting them." He glanced to his friend uncertainly, his hand reaching up to hover hesitantly an inch from the bite wound that had savaged his friend's shoulder even as the claws melted self-consciously back into blunt human nails. "I am so very sorry for this, Rory..."
