Aurora had, by far, the most awkward dinner of her life.  Sitting as far as she could from Vulpes, much to the confusion of Eric, who opted to sit with her despite his objection.  Not speaking on the matter, or at all, Eric let Aurora eat in silence, all the while giving her odd looks.  Once back in their room, Aurora knew Eric was going to put on his big boy pants and ask her what was going on.  Dreading the inevitable, she took a long shower and dressed in her pajamas .

Exiting the bathroom with the towel wrapped around her head, she took a deep sigh and sat on the edge of her bed, facing Eric, who was mirroring her actions.  Sitting there in awkward silence, Aurora couldn't look Eric in the eyes: he had a knack for bringing out the truth without saying a word.

"Well," Eric started, crossing his arms and straightening his posture.  "What happened with Vulpes?" he asked calmly, using his deductive reasoning skills.  Aurora rested her palms on her knees, looking down at her slippers.

"There are things I haven't told you.  Things that have put our friendship in a rather awkward position," she said softly.  Eric stared at her a moment before dropping his arms and leaning forward, wanting her to continue.

Aurora didn't know how to tell him.  She had never told him about their first kiss a couple weeks back, nor the one on the train ride home, so how was she supposed to bring it up now?  Seeing no other way around it, Aurora swallowed the lump in her throat and took the towel off her head.

"A couple weeks ago, Vulpes kissed me," she said softly: almost inaudible.  It was weird to say it out loud, she noted.  She could imagine the look on Eric's face: eyes wide and mouth agape.  "But we agreed that it was a mistake and that it didn't mean anything, so we went back to normal, pretending nothing happened.  But... on the train ride home, one thing led to another... and I kissed him.  And, he told me he had feelings for me.  But, we decided to let it go and just pretend nothing happened like before.  But then today we were grappling on the beach, and when I pinned him he kissed me again and, I just kind of... bolted."  Aurora was now starting to grow very nervous, expecting Eric to lash out and forbid her to see Vulpes.  However, by his reply, Aurora looked up curiously to see him completely unfazed.

"You failed to say how you feel about him," he said lightly with a shrug, looking at her as if expecting the real confession to come out anytime now.  Aurora furrowed her eyebrows and eyed him curiously.

"What do you mean?" she asked.  Eric nodded and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that long ago I was a teenage boy.  I know what it looks like to be smitten, and he's got it bad." he said evenly, a quirk of a smile at his lips.  "But so do you," he added lightly with a shrug.  "Don't give me that look, little wolf.  You think I don't notice the way you look at him; the way you talk about him?"  His smile now broad.

Aurora didn't know what to say.  Did it really seem like she had feelings for Vulpes, too?  "No, I... I can't, he's my best friend!" she yelled while standing up.

Eric sighed and stood up, grabbing her shoulders and staring into her eyes warmly.  "You can't help who you love.  Remember what you said earlier today about me and Selene?  The same goes for you.  There's nothing to be afraid of.  The greatest things in life come from love.  Don't write him off so soon.  You need to be honest with yourself, and with him." he said calmly and kissed the top of her head before leaving the room.

Aurora stood there for what felt like an eternity, reflecting on what he said, though it was only a few minutes.  Without realizing it, she made her way out of the room and into the hall.  Her feet were leading her somewhere her consciousness was not fully aware of.  Before she knew it, she was standing outside the door of Vulpes's hotel room.

And with one action the trip had suddenly become much less entertaining. Cause and effect. Since this afternoon, Vulpes had pretty much just sat in the room and stared out the window. And because his headphones had been more in tune with his emotions since he modified the playlist, they did nothing but play depressing romance music. Eventually he just chucked the bloody things into his bag and just sat in silence.

Dinner had been incredibly awkward, especially since it was rather obvious to everyone that something had happened. And Cytherea didn't make it any better with how loudly she kept asking him what was up between Aurora and him.

Now that dinner was over Vulpes found himself sitting back in the room, once again taking up his lonely vigil. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing their, but it seemed like an eternity. Finally, feeling restless, he sighed and turned towards the door. Perhaps he'd just go wander around the hotel for the time left before curfew. Maybe make sure Cytherea wasn't doing anything stupid.

Without paying any attention (because who would be outside his door?) Vulpes stepped out of the room...

...And face first into Aurora.

Aurora had no intention of actually knocking on the door.  Her feet led her to that spot, and no matter how loudly her mind told her to leave, her feet kept her there.  For reasons unknown to her, she had to stay.  Eyes trained on a spot on the floor and every little sound white noise, she didn't notice the door swinging open and the object of her suppressed affection stepping out of it.  Aurora stumbled back a little as the force of someone's forehead smacking into hers sent her world in an unbalance.

Instinctively reaching out for something to keep her from completely falling, she wondered idly when the voices in her head will finally make sense.

Blinking in surprise, Vulpes saw that not only had he walked into someone, he had walked into Aurora. And knocked her over... Reacting, he quickly took a step diagonally and did his best to slide an arm behind Aurora's back to catch her. It made him slightly uncomfortable. Him holding her was probably the last thing she wanted. Although he couldn't quite place why she would be here.

Slowly he pulled her back onto her feet and stepped back, leaning against the door frame. "Sorry," Vulpes said weakly, turning his head to look down the hall. "You okay?"

Aurora felt something snake behind her back and guide her on her feet again.  Once released and back into place, she looked up at the pink blur and gasped in surprise to realize it was Vulpes.  Well, of course it's Vulpes, who else would walk out of his own hotel room? she mentally rolled her eyes.  Taking a moment to collect herself, she took a step back slightly and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm okay.  I mean, well, it wasn't your fault, really.  I should have been paying attention instead of..." she trailed off awkwardly and noticed her hands were shaking at her sides nervously.

Maker, why am I so nervous?  I've never had this trouble before...

"Well, it's kind of my fault," Vulpes replied. Interestingly enough he meant this in more than one way, although he wasn't sure she;d get the second meaning. For a few minutes he stood there, not sure what to do. Obviously she wanted to talk to him about something. But what the topic was eluded him. To tell him off? Not likely, otherwise she probably would have by now. To say it was okay? Also, not very likely, with the way she stormed off.

Maybe she was here to tell him she felt the same way?

Vulpes gave a barely audible huff. Preposterous. With a sigh he turned his head to face Aurora. For a minute his mouth just sort of hung open slightly as he tried to think of something to say, finally coming up with; "So, what's up?" How vague of him...

Aurora kept her eyes on another spot on the floor as she tried sorting through her racing mind.  Why was she there?  Did she want to apologize?  Of course, she hated being on non-speaking terms with Vulpes, it was like a vital part of her had been missing.  Flinching slightly at the thought that someone could have that much of an effect on her, she started remembering what happened on the train ride home.  On the train she wondered at what lengths she would have gone to protect Vulpes, and it scared her to realize that she would do anything for him.

Realizing she had stood there for minutes in silence, she looked up at Vulpes with big eyes innocently.  "I--I came here to..." she managed to say, however softly and unremarkable it was.  "To see you?" she said as if a question; not sure herself as to why she was there.  "I talked to Eric, and..." she bit her bottom lip and looked away, unable to speak all of a sudden.

Vulpes blinked again. She came to see him? Well, actually that shouldn't be overly surprising after what happened. He noted with concern that she was having trouble actually saying why she was here. That probably wasn't a good sign. Ah well, he would find out soon enough, wouldn't he?

He waited for a moment, thinking she would say something else. Seeing that she wasn't going to anytime soon, he straightened out and took a small step forward. Vulpes was about ready to apologize for what he did earlier. But for some strange reason, instead of saying 'I'm sorry,' he asked Aurora: "Are you all right?"

Something kicked him inside. What on earth could be causing him not to apologize? Was it because he didn't actually feel sorry for what he did? That was probably the case; Vulpes most likely subconsciously listed that statement as a lie. And he didn't want to lie to her.

Aurora felt something boiling deep within her gut.  It wasn't something she had experienced before.  There was a desperation in which she wrung her hands together.  Idly realizing the slight throbbing in her forehead due to smacking it with Vulpes's, she also noted the tightening of her throat and the sudden heat radiating from her face.  Running a hand through her almost dry hair, she made a few awkward guttural sounds as if forgetting how to speak.

Trying to swallow the massive lump that formed in her throat all at once, she suddenly felt lightheaded.  Unable to focus on anything substantial, there was an internal nagging in the back of her mind, finally getting through to her.  It told her to let it all out before it was too late, just like the dream of the fox and the wolf.  Suddenly, something clicked in her subconscious that broke its way through.

"I haven't been fair to you.  Back on the train, when I kissed you, that was probably the stupidest thing I've done in my life.  And to have us try to go back to normal... that was probably the most selfish." she started out of nowhere.  Her voice sounded oddly calm and slightly firm, and Aurora idly wondered if it was really herself saying it.  Still not able to look at him, she unconsciously fingered the necklace he gave her the day after they met.  "I am so confused all the time and the only time things seem to make sense is when I'm with you, which doesn't make sense because the thing I'm confused about is you.  And I hated it when I avoided you tonight, but I kept at it because despite the nagging in the back of my head telling me to stop being afraid, my stupid wall that I built these past eight years was stronger.  But not anymore.  I don't want us to be tip-toeing around each other like on eggshells the whole time.  You deserve better, and I need to just... be honest with you and myself."

Taking a deep breath, she mustered up all her Gryffindor courage and looked Vulpes in the eye.  Something welled up inside her like it had on the train, but it was different this time.  "Nothing could be worse than the thought of living without you.  So, yes, I do have feelings for you that go way beyond that of 'just friends'.  And I'm so sorry I've been... unpleasant and oblivious and stupid." she admitted, and it felt as if her whole world was on hold, waiting for his response.

Vulpes's mouth just sort of hung open as Aurora spoke. That... certainly was not what he was expecting to hear. At all. Although he had to admit, it felt good to know that. Still, he just sort of stood there gaping at her. Vulpes didn't know what to say in response to something like that. So he didn't say anything.

Instead, he took another step towards her, wrapped his arms around her lower back, pulled her close and kissed her. It probably wasn't the best choice of action right then, but for some reason it just seemed like the thing to do.

And after all, she liked him. It's not like she'd hate this, right?

Aurora felt terribly exposed and vulnerable in those long seconds where he didn't move or say anything to her confession.  What did she expect to happen, exactly?  She didn't know, but she suddenly felt like running away to cry in the catacombs of some pyramid.  No one would disturb her there, except for the occasional mummy and/or scarab, but that was company she wouldn't mind at the moment.  As her eyes started to drop in dejection, he stepped toward her and wrapped his arms around her lower back.  As he pulled her closer to him, she looked up in surprise and gasped right before he kissed her.

Eyes fluttering shut, she let out a sigh of relief and utter content before wrapping her own arms around his shoulders, kissing back.  There was nothing in the world compared to the feeling she had when in Vulpes's arms.  For once, she was kissing him without the screams to stop in the back of her head.  For once, she kissed him without holding anything back; without worrying about what it meant or why she was doing it, because she finally admitted to herself how she felt about him.

Vulpes smiled and pulled back slightly. Suddenly he now knew what to say. Which was good, not having any words was a somewhat horrifying feeling. "You haven't been unpleasant," he said softly, running a hand through her hair. "Nor have you been stupid." At least, he didn't think so.

Interestingly enough Vulpes noted that he didn't say she hadn't been oblivious. But then, he honestly couldn't comment on that. Not positively, really. After all part of him agreed that she had been, since it was likely that she had been trying to ignore how she felt.

But that wasn't the point, nor did it matter now, so Vulpes continued. "And I'm not sure I could get anyone better than you," he said sweetly, kissing her cheek. "After all you're the best thing that's happened to me."

Aurora's lips quirked into a soft smile as Vulpes pulled away and spoke to her.  As he ran a hand through her hair, she felt her heartbeat gloriously in her chest as if coming back to life after years of paralysis.  In a way, that's how Vulpes made her feel: as if she was finally alive.  Looking into his spectacular eyes, Aurora finally felt at ease with everything in her world.  That's because Vulpes is your world now. she told herself and didn't even shudder at the realization.

Blushing slightly at him kissing her cheek and his admission of her being the best thing that's ever happened to him, she bit her bottom lip and mentally agreed.  If Vulpes had never invaded her space that day... no, she didn't even want to think about it.  She didn't like going down 'what if' road.  It was pointless and a waste of time that had no place for anyone's time and energy.

Using her left hand to gently caress his cheek, Aurora felt as if in a haze.  Could any of this be real?  Did she fall asleep in her room and is just dreaming all of this?  If so, she will be very put out when she awoke.  Suddenly wanting to test that theory, she pulled him in for another earth-shattering kiss like that on the train, except this was sweeter.

Vulpes smiled as Aurora kissed him again. Gently he used the arm that was still wrapped around her back to pull her closer; the one that had run through her hair was doing its best to take hold of the hand that had touched his cheek. Finally finding it's partner, Vulpes squeezed her hand and entwined their fingers.

The world seemed like a much brighter place all of a sudden. It felt as if he was... well, carefree. No problems, no worries. They were still standing in the middle of the hallway. Anyone could walk down and catch them at any moment. But that thought thrilled him slightly. Vulpes made a mental challenge for someone to happen by.

So what if they got in trouble?

Eric had left Aurora to think on what he told her, feeling she needed the time to sort through everything.  Been gone a good twenty or so minutes to check in with the other teachers and check out the rest of the hotel, he felt it was time to head on back to his room.  However, upon entering the hallway, he froze and witnessed a most peculiar sight.  There, on the other end of the hall was his adopted daughter, snogging her best friend.  Pursing his lips to try containing the sudden urge to yell 'I told you so!', Eric debated whether or not he should really leave them be or at least make them aware of how public their activity is.

So, walking to his hotel room door, before inserting the key, he cleared his throat rather loudly to catch their attention.  "You know, if you two are going to do that, then great.  But, maybe, and this is just me, maybe it'd be best if you did it in the privacy of one of your rooms.  Though, I'm going into mine, so I suggest going into his.  But remember, curfew in an hour." he said cheekily and strode into his room with a wink.