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It wasn't uncommon for Mathias to be found outside at night. He was, after all, a nocturnal creature that enjoyed darkness illuminated by moonlight, far more then he did the pumpkin sun. Many evenings were spent outdoors, in his natural form, chasing down various insects or other small creatures for food. More often as of late, he had also been testing out his wings, finding that they had grown in strength, nearly enough so to lift him off of the ground. It was a quite promising feat, considering his family had never thought they would grow to be strong enough to support him at all.

He still had a ways to go, however, it would seem.

It was late at night, probably well past midnight when Mathias made to return to the monster dorms that evening, to curl up in what had become his den, and to sleep the rest of the darkness away until morning came.

And then possibly sleep some more because mornings were gross.

He was back in his student form, thickly soled boots held in one clawed hand so that large, bare furry feet tread against the ground, his footsteps quite silent. Out of habit, though there would hardly be many about at this time, he kept his gaze downcast, until something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

He glanced up, recognizing a familiar fluffy tail, attached to a very familiar boil, who was just stood there, staring at the monster dorms. "Jove?" His voice called out before he could stop and really take the ghost in, though his eyes flickered over him then, noting his odd stance, his bare feet, his night shirt in place of his usual fancy clothing. He looked...well, a lot like he did after Mathias had gotten angry with him that one time in the gym with the ghoul named Sammy.

Mathias had halted in his tracks, but then suddenly blinked, as though surprised he had done so, and began moving again, this time veering off course towards his friend. "Jove? Are you...are you looking for somevun?" He asked, unsure of what other reason the ghost would have for being there so late, though his attire was most strange indeed and made it seem as though that could not be the case.

The wolpertinger stopped in his tracks at the whine that escaped from his friends throat, a sound he associated with weakness, though in this case it just sounded sad, pathetic and lonely. He also stopped because of how Jove looked, at the way he hunched in, almost seeming smaller then his usual self. He looked...afraid, and a little bit lost, and seeing him this way was quite alarming, given that in most instances, the ghost boil was much more vibrant, appeared more confident (around Mathias, at least), and had proven many times to be a worthy opponent, in racing, in sparring, in head butts and biting. He was no pushover, that was certain!

But right now...right now he did not even appear as himself. It was like the very opposite of how Mathias envisioned him, this year three student that, despite their similar heights, he had begun to really look up to, to hope that someday he could be that strong.

Unsure of what to do, worried that any movement might spook his friend into running away, Mathias began to lower himself down, crouching low to the ground. It was not an uncomfortable position for a rabbit like student to be in, knees bent as though to jump, but he thought if he made himself look smaller then his friend, it might help somehow? "Is okay, Jove. Is only me. Only Mathias." He spoke to him, softly, and inched slowly closer, hands going palm down to the ground, a small, loping hope putting him nearly within reach.

"Is cold out here, tonight." He said, almost nonchalantly, looking up at his friend with wide, red eyes, his head tilting to the side slightly. "Vould like to come inside vith me? Can sit in common room and talk or...or could visit in meine den." He inched a little bit closer, then held up a hand towards him, hesitating at first, and then extending it fully, an invitation to take it, a hope that it might provide his friend with some kind of comfort to chase that look out of his eyes.

Mathias sat crouched for a long time, waiting, though he was not typically the patient sort, and inside he was already feeling like he needed to move get up and move around, to do something that didn't involve just sitting still. Somehow, he managed to squash those instincts, however, and he was able to remain perfectly still while waiting for Jove to make his decision, to either take his hand, or refuse it. To stay with him, or to just walk away.

He hoped he didn't just walk away. Something was definitely wrong here, and he was concerned for his friend. After all, he had shared his own problems with the boil, and now when it was clear that Jove had problems of his own, he felt a strong desire to help him.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Jove reached out towards him, his cool, ghostly hand slipping into that of the much warmer wolpertingers. He tried not to flinch away from the colder then expected feeling, one that seemed to almost leech the heat out of himself, thought it was most definitely not quite so cold as it was outside at that moment.

Mathias though that he should smile to show that everything was okay, but he was aware that with his fangs, especially with them growing out so long as they had now, his smiles became much more vicious looking things then they were necessarily meant to be.

He tried for a small smile, just a tiny twitching up of his lips at their corners, before he stood up, his ears twitching and swiveling, listening for whatever dangers might lurk outside, for whatever made his friend appear this way. "Come vith me, then. Everything is okay." He began to move towards the monster dorms, gently tugging on Jove's hand to lead him along the way.

"Vill be varmer inside. Vill be safe vith me." It was not meant as a boast, but instead just felt as though something that should be said when trying to keep somebody who looked and was behaving frightened reassured.

"Is nice night, besides cold veather, nah?" He asked, conversationally, as he pulled the boil along. "Such clear skies. Such full moon." Was this distracting enough? He hoped so.

He was relieved when the other boil went along with him without any complaint, pulled along and seeming to become slowly more relaxed as they went. It was more then apparent now that something must have spooked the ghost, however, and Mathias's ears continued to swivel, picking out sounds in the night. In the far distance he could pick out a long and lonely howl, though it was soon after joined in by others. A werewolf pack out on the prowl, perhaps? Too far away to be a worry, in any case. There was the chirping croaks of small frogs, the sound of dry leaves rustling in the trees. There was nothing alarming, no sound that was cause for alarm, no strange scent in the air to indicate something lying in wait...though he had to remind himself at that point that Jove was oddly scentless.

When his hand was clutched at tighter then before, with Jove moving nearer to him, as though something just off to the side of their path had frightened him, he couldn't help but look, but all his nocturnal eyes could see was the deflated casketball, and nothing more.

Still, Jove was practically pressed in against Mathias's side, and the wolpertinger generally took issue with his personal space being invaded, unless it was during a fight or spar. This didn't bother him so much, however, and he might have even encouraged Jove staying near him by tugging him in just a little closer, not minding if the ghost boil bumped into him one bit.

"Is nothing." He murmured, while pulling the other boil up the stairs to the front doors to the dorm. "Have been out here for hours now. Is nothing out here that is threat. In natural form, often mistaken for food. No trouble was being had tonight." He turned his face towards Jove, to give him a light head butt, his own form of attempting to be comforting.

At the top of the stairs, he pushed the door open, and urged Jove to follow him inside.

"Vould like to sit in common room, or go to den?" He wasn't overly fond of having anybody in his room, but just this once he figured he could at least try to make an exception.

He was expecting a head butt in return, perhaps combined with some kind of admonishment from his friend, maybe enough to lead into a good old fashioned fight! Nothing took the mind off of troubles like scrapping it out.

But instead Mathias found a head pressing against his shoulder, his personal space invaded further and in an unexpected way. It almost stopped him in his tracks, a strange feeling bubbling up from the pit of his stomach, combined with the contradicting urges to shove him away, to regain his space, or to let go of his hand and wrap his arm around him, to hold him close. Even while all of these confusing thoughts flickered through his head, a shiver ran down his spine, and goose bumps broke out along his arms.

Cold. He was just cold, that was all. His heat leeched away by the ghost boil practically tucked in beside him as he led him up to the doors. Once he was inside, it would all be fine.

It wasn't fine. Not by a long shot. He'd expected an answer, some kind of indication of where Jove would like to sit down, but instead what he got was a whine, a sad and pathetic sound that tugged at his heart even while it repulsed him. He hated weakness, but he hated his friends being hurt in some way even more. "Jove." He he said, quietly, as many monsters in the dorm would surely be asleep right now. "Jove is okay." He was whimpering now, and Mathias had no idea what to do. The common room was close but his den was not so far either, just a few twists and turns down an odd maze of hallways.

And then Jove pressed his forehead against Mathias's shoulder again and the monster boil nearly pulled away, again, but some how managed to not even flinch. His breath caught in his throat, and this time he gave in to the urge to let go of Jove's hand, only to wrap his arm around the boil, to hold him closer.

His room then. He could not be seen behaving so softly towards another like this out in such a broad, public area. If they were to...cuddle (he nearly shuddered, despite the odd intrigue of the prospect) He wanted to do it in a place where he could be comfortable, and know that he wouldn't be seen.

He let out a low hiss of a sigh. "Come. To my den. Is safe I am promising you." He began to move again, leading the other boil towards one of the branching hallways.

The thoughts continued to battle and contradict each other all the way to the monster boils room. It was perhaps just good luck that nobody happened down the hallway on the journey towards Mathias's "den", because in a moment of surprise he was sure to shove Jove away from himself, if only to maintain his rough and tough persona.

But the walk through the hallways was a quiet one, one that had been punctuated only by the last, single whine that Jove had let escape. And while Mathias's already tense muscles might have tightened their hold on Jove in that moment, eventually, he was able to relax more and more, the arm around the ghost boil feeling slightly less awkward for him and just a bit more on the natural side. It didn't stop him from feeling horribly self conscious, however, or keep his ears from swiveling, now to pick out any noises of somebody who might be approaching, rather then danger.

The silence was nice and Mathias dared not to break it with more talk, worried that if he did, he might send Jove into gut wrenching whines once more. He maintained this air of quiet, until he stopped outside of a door, "Vell, this is it." He said it in hushed tones, before putting down the boots he'd been carrying, and reaching up with his free hand to scratch at a sideburn with a long claw, mouth opening as if he wanted to say more, and then snapping shut.

He wasn't quite sure how to put this.

He opened his mouth again. "Jove. You are good friend. I know this, but still is difficult. Den is home avay from home. Den is territory. I invite you in villingly, but is not easy. But you vill not take my things, nah? I know this, so you vill be okay." It was like he was reasoning the thoughts in his head out by saying them out loud, explaining to Jove at the same time the situation, in what way he could manage, at least.

He smiled, if the other boil should happen to look up and see it, but it was a nervous smile, before he reached out and opened up the door, before picking up his boots once more, and with a deep breath, guided Jove inside.

It was dark, and when the door clicked gently shut behind them it was darker still, if only for an instant before a light switch was hit, though even then it was a dim glow that came from the light set up above, more like moonlight then anything. The room itself was as large as one would expect from a dorm room, with a wardrobe and a dresser, and a rack of shelves against one wall. The shelves were all nearly full, with lines of boots, each pair as fancy as the last, with varying degrees of thick soles.

The rest of the room....it would perhaps be hard to describe to anybody who might have asked. It was as though a mountain of blankets had been weaved together, up and up, until it nearly touched the ceiling. At it's peak, an opening, not unlike that of a cave but...a blanket cave?? The floor around it was littered quite abundantly with yet more scraps of cloth, though the "den" itself took up much of the free space in the room. It was quite clear that the wolpertinger had spent a lot of time fashioning it, though he cared very little for what anybody who saw it might think.

Though, for Jove's sake, he decided perhaps an explanation might be needed. He pointed to the structure with one long, black claw. "Is vhere am sleeping. Inside is bed...or vell, vas bed vonce. Is more of feathers and material and cloth now." He let his arm drop from around Jove, hoping that it was now okay to do so, as he made his way to the boot rack to store his footwear, passing by the wardrobe, and the dresser with it's knick-knacks spread across it's top. Assorted colors of feathers, stones, and various shiny objects made of metal.

The wolpertinger normally would have locked his door behind him once entering, but he didn't wish to alarm the other boil so he left it as was before he went to dispose of his boots by putting them on the shelf, carefully, next to the others. The entire time, however, he kept casting glances back towards Jove, watching the ghost boil while his own chest began to tighten with anxiety at every small touch to any of his belongings.

A large part of him wanted to swoop in and say 'Nein, no touching!', as Jove let his fingers brush against various surfaces, the urge even stronger when he poked at a couple of the stones on top of his dresser. His muscles were tense, his ears having gone rigid on top of his head, though clearly the one closest to Jove was turned towards him, listening for when he couldn't look.

By the time he reached the boot rack, Mathias was nearly ready to explode, but he somehow, with much forceful restraint, managed to keep himself from having a complete meltdown right there on the spot. He reminded himself over and over that Jove was a friend, not somebody come to steal his things. He reminded himself that, while it was normal to be territorial, it was not so necessary with those who were invited in to said territory.

Eventually, as it became more and more apparent that all Jove intended on doing was touching and nothing more, Mathias's anxiety began to lessen, his trepidation all but easing away. He let out a soft sigh, continuing to watch the boil as he made his way around his room, to the back corner where the closet doors were hidden in shadows made by the large den that loomed up over everything else.

And then suddenly Jove was back, as though something had frightened him once more, startling Mathias as well, his ears quirking in that direction. "Vut is it, Jove? Vas something over there?" He took a step in that direction, a frown settling across his forehead at the thought of something lurking in his room unseen.