peryton

[shesepankh]

Summer vacation elapses, and sees their storefront doing one heck of a business in the Avalon with the help of their griffin employee. There is a suggestion box for new spells they should invent, some of which have to be long-term projects but others of which are converted into new product fairly promptly.

School starts up again. Darren and Bella are both skipping straight into twelfth grade. (Bella looked into just starting college early, but while she does technically have the sort of resume that can lead to that kind of thing, she can't exactly write an essay about how she saved the life of another person and this caused her to have Moral Character, let alone about how she started a small business - so skipping one grade it is.)

They apply to colleges. They both get into University of Washington and get sufficient scholarships to accommodate both going there.

Summer ensues again.

One afternoon, Bella is over at Darren's, and has fallen asleep - in purring fullform - across his lap on the couch.

Comments

[morethanimaginary]

"Mm?" says Savannah, and then she turns and looks at it.

She's not even in midform, but her shadow is of a peryton in fullform.

"... Huh."

[shesepankh]

"That could be inconvenient for stealth, but I guess most people don't study each other's shadows... and it could be awkward among critters too, I suppose."

[morethanimaginary]

"Little bit. If they know why I've got it. But think of the icebreaker!"

[shesepankh]

"Oh my god, you're a murderer, get away from me? That kind of icebreaker?"

[morethanimaginary]

Savannah cracks up. "It's not a perfect solution, I'll admit!"

[shesepankh]

"Well, maybe people won't notice and if they notice they won't know what it means, I guess. Let's get the lights back on and see if there's plumbing in here so we can get less - bloody."

[morethanimaginary]

"Sure, I know where the fusebox is."

She heads back inside to turn on the lights.

[castmyown]

"Sandwiches, meanwhile?" prompts Darren.

[shesepankh]

"Yes. Please tell me they're in plastic bags so I don't have to touch them with my hands."

[castmyown]

"They are, don't worry."

Off they go, to retrieve sandwiches.

[shesepankh]

Bella takes a sandwich. She eats it in about a minute and a half and then starts on a second one a bit more slowly. She leans on Darren while she eats, shivering.

[castmyown]

Darren has his own sandwich, and is perfectly happy to be a Thing To Lean On.

"Are you all right?" he asks, gently, when her second sandwich is taken care of.

[shesepankh]

"Define 'all right'."

[castmyown]

"I - don't know. It's kind of a stupid question, anyway, you're obviously - not. What can I do to help?"

[shesepankh]

"You're doing it," she assures him softly.

[castmyown]

"Okay."

He hugs her. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do. I'll even pull another daring rescue again, if you need me to."

[shesepankh]

"I know. It's very comforting."

[castmyown]

"Good."

Nuzzle, nuzzle.

[shesepankh]

"Any chance of a third one of these?" asks Bella when she has finished her second sandwich.

[castmyown]

"Yes, Savannah opted out of sandwiches."

A third sandwich is produced, and Bella-ward it goes.

[shesepankh]

Nom.

"Oh, shit, we need to call our dads."

[castmyown]

"We do!" agrees Darren with a yelp. Cell phone, cell phone -

Then he dials Charlie's number and offers the phone to Bella. "You first."

[shesepankh]

"Thanks -" And when Charlie has picked up. "Dad - it's me - I'm in once piece - Darren and Savannah saved the day, we're going to fly home soon."

[castmyown]

Darren waits patiently. He will get a turn to call his dad shortly.

[shesepankh]

"Love you too. I don't know how long a flight - Darren?"