"I've been looking for an excuse to ask you out since we met," Vlad said brightly, with a sort of shrug. "I've got a soft spot for big stubborn guys with senses of humor."

"Oh," Teige said, taken aback. "Well. That's grand." He floundered for an instant. "...Let's crack on then, yea?"

They paused at the fenceline for Teige to retrieve a tan backpack. Vlad very casually dropped the butt of his cigarette and ground it out with his heel before saying, "So, ah--I didn't know you were trans. Isn't that a happy coincidence for Yoshi!"

Teige looked startled. "Wait, you didn't?? I thought you'd clocked me, and that's why you suggested I teach Yoshi??"

"Oh, no, no," Vlad assured him. "I just thought you seemed gentle and patient enough not to scare her away, that's all."

He stepped past as Teige got to his feet, shouldering his backpack. Teige followed him with a puzzled frown. "You sussed that out just from running into me in the middle of the night?" he said skeptically. Vlad gave him another benign shrug.

"Look, I wouldn't have gotten this far if my instincts about people weren't very good."

He set off, and Teige followed him. It was growing darker, and little purple lights were beginning to emerge in the dark, floating a few feet above the ground.

"All right," Teige said, "were you really a mobster? You were just codding me on that, weren'tcha?"

"Was I?" Vlad asked.

"Were you??"