After being the small one for so long, it felt strange and a little gratifying to be taller of the two of them, and the stronger for a change. He was too worried about Rory’s weakness to bask in the moment, however, a flutter of anxiety spiking his blood pressure as the hunter sagged against him and he took more of the blond’s weight than he expected. His grip, initially light, firmed on his friend’s arms and he tensed to hold them both steady. For one moment his wild heart urged him to slide his arms around the man, to hold him close in a protective embrace until Rory could walk again but—
He wasn’t quite brave enough to follow through, and as he agonized over the decision Rory recovered enough to pull away, leaving the memory of his warmth behind and a cold shiver where it was now gone. Jigano couldn’t meet his eyes, looking down between them at the bouquet on the floor as he felt unfamiliar heat reddening his cheeks. ”Yes… food. Of course,” he repeated, all his silvered words deserting him in the aching what-if of the moment that had just passed.
And the guilt that he would even think of taking advantage of a weak and unsteady friend like that.
He didn’t know what to do with his hands, he realized, as Rory slowly reached down to the floor. Isuma peeped quiet concern and padded forward to gently nuzzle at the hunter's fingers, more honest in her emotions than her silly human was at the moment. Jigano watched them both, biting his lip as he fought the urge to help Rory rise again, and then again to stop himself from reaching out to cup his friend’s hands around the flowers. The silly flowers he’d gathered for the horses, knowing how much the hunter cared for the ponies and grateful for all they owed the pair after their Long Night ride.
He folded his hands together instead, trying to find the calm center of his meditations in the reflection of a stray sunbeam off of blond lashes. He wasn’t ready when Rory looked up, blue eyes catching him as surely as any hunter’s snare, trapping him so he couldn’t look away. He drew in a breath that didn’t quite shake as he tried and failed to find the confidence that he usually wore with such ease, to find the words that usually danced so lightly from his agile tongue.
On Long Night he had been unable to speak because his mouth had still tasted of blood.
Now he couldn’t do so because his blood fizzed with light, and he found himself relaxing at the touch of fingers to his cheek. He knew that caress in foxform, and it eased some of the strange tightness in his chest. He let his eyes fall closed and tilted his head into the light pressure of Rory’s hand, a small smile ghosting at the corners of his lips. ”Yes,” he agreed, and he wasn’t talking about the bouquet, though he opened his eyes again with a proper grin at the apology. Rory was reacting again, awake and aware and alive again, and Isuma reep! happily at their feet as she caught Jigano’s joy. ”I’ll forgive you, if I can join you for lunch,” he suggested slyly, sensing that the best way to get Rory to eat would be to give him someone else to feed as well.
He wasn’t quite brave enough to follow through, and as he agonized over the decision Rory recovered enough to pull away, leaving the memory of his warmth behind and a cold shiver where it was now gone. Jigano couldn’t meet his eyes, looking down between them at the bouquet on the floor as he felt unfamiliar heat reddening his cheeks. ”Yes… food. Of course,” he repeated, all his silvered words deserting him in the aching what-if of the moment that had just passed.
And the guilt that he would even think of taking advantage of a weak and unsteady friend like that.
He didn’t know what to do with his hands, he realized, as Rory slowly reached down to the floor. Isuma peeped quiet concern and padded forward to gently nuzzle at the hunter's fingers, more honest in her emotions than her silly human was at the moment. Jigano watched them both, biting his lip as he fought the urge to help Rory rise again, and then again to stop himself from reaching out to cup his friend’s hands around the flowers. The silly flowers he’d gathered for the horses, knowing how much the hunter cared for the ponies and grateful for all they owed the pair after their Long Night ride.
He folded his hands together instead, trying to find the calm center of his meditations in the reflection of a stray sunbeam off of blond lashes. He wasn’t ready when Rory looked up, blue eyes catching him as surely as any hunter’s snare, trapping him so he couldn’t look away. He drew in a breath that didn’t quite shake as he tried and failed to find the confidence that he usually wore with such ease, to find the words that usually danced so lightly from his agile tongue.
On Long Night he had been unable to speak because his mouth had still tasted of blood.
Now he couldn’t do so because his blood fizzed with light, and he found himself relaxing at the touch of fingers to his cheek. He knew that caress in foxform, and it eased some of the strange tightness in his chest. He let his eyes fall closed and tilted his head into the light pressure of Rory’s hand, a small smile ghosting at the corners of his lips. ”Yes,” he agreed, and he wasn’t talking about the bouquet, though he opened his eyes again with a proper grin at the apology. Rory was reacting again, awake and aware and alive again, and Isuma reep! happily at their feet as she caught Jigano’s joy. ”I’ll forgive you, if I can join you for lunch,” he suggested slyly, sensing that the best way to get Rory to eat would be to give him someone else to feed as well.
