StV: Just In Case You Missed It, part one

"He seems like a good guy," Magehand said, sitting on the edge of the stone railing and kicking his feet. 

Beside him, Nightfox was stretched out along the railing, head resting on her paws, fur black even in the unexpected sunlight that had found this school this afternoon. Her dress was folded up and sitting on a table a few feet away, set aside while she was being a panther. "He is," she said. "I don't... I don't know if it'll ever be anything serious, but he's a good guy."

"You'd like it to be, though," Magehand observed, feigning idleness. 

"I mean... yeah? I'm just not sure whether that's because I like him, or because, well, I'd just like to be part of something serious.  We talked about it a little last night, but... talk about coming from different worlds."

"How do you mean?" asked Magehand, leaning back and then hooking a foot into the carved stone to catch his balance. 

Nightfox hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know? It's... it's a little embarrassing."

Magehand shrugged. "Don't tell me if you aren't comfortable. I mean, I don't actually need to know." 

"No, it's fine," Nightfox said. "You've heard some of the rumors, I'm sure."

"I heard that he and Nightmare tried to kill each other in training." Magehand frowned. "They're teammates now, though. Did that actually happen?"

"Not quite like that," Nightfox said, glancing around. The back porch was mostly empty; most people were at dinner. Haunts was buried in her sketchbook; she might be listening in, but she wouldn't say anything even if she overheard. "They really were just practicing. They're just... both a lot more comfortable with drawing blood than most people."

"Ah," said Magehand. "And people freaked out."

Nightfox lifted her head, studied him for a moment with those piercing green eyes, and then settled back down. "He's not American," she added. 

"I caught the accent." Magehand quirked a grin at her. 

"I think he would have cheerfully slept with me, if that was what I wanted."

"Did you?" asked Magehand, not at all sure if he wanted to know. Maybe he should have changed the subject earlier, but it was too late now.

"Tom," said Nightfox quietly, "when I first transformed into... this... I was still wearing the purity ring my father gave me the year before. I'm only just getting used to the idea that somebody might be... unfazeable enough to be willing to kiss me as I am now. Just... completely different worlds."

"Oh," Magehand said. "Nightfox..." He swallowed and hopped down to the ground, suddenly unable to sit still. "Walk with me?"

She raised her head again, evidently puzzled, then slipped down from the railing. "All right."

They headed off into the woods automatically, following familiar trails that they'd established for themselves. "I don't quite know how to say this," Magehand told her, "but you're selling yourself so short it's ridiculous. You're amazing, and I absolutely guarantee you that Lyceus isn't the only one who'd be willing to kiss you."

"Okay," said Nightfox, sounding dubious. "...Who else?"

"Well... me, for starters," Magehand said. 

"You-- seriously?" Nightfox sounded stunned. 

Magehand nodded. "I didn't think you were interested."

She rose up into the human configuration that she rarely showed to anyone outside their small circle of friends. "I didn't know I could be," she said. "You'd... you wouldn't mind?"

He sighed, thoroughly exasperated. "I guess I should have been more obvious," he said. "No, I wouldn't mind. In fact, I'd be..." Honored. So completely there for it. Enraptured. "...I wish I'd brought it up sooner, before you got entangled with Lyceus."

Nightfox smiled. "He won't mind if I get un-entangled. He's a good guy."