Did Dante tell Jiji about her conversation with Ford? No, she didn’t. Did Jiji tell Dante about her night with Marilyn? No, but Dante & Tatiana were able to figure it out.

Their niece skipped everywhere in the house. Hair bobbing as she did. A literal golden glow around her. A giant smile as she hummed the love song from ‘Guilty for Living’. On loop.

When Dante arrived home with Ford to take her pictures, Jiji’s hug squeezed the wind out of them. Jiji then pulled Ford through a tour of the Barrett house. Not taking a single breath while she chatted his ear off.

When it came time for her photo shoot, Jiji took a few in her casual clothes. A lighting test, as they saw it. Then, she changed into her first outfit.

Jiji wore Marilyn’s leather jacket. Resized for her with boots and torn jeans. The only part of her outfit that was ‘Jiji’, was the pink crop top underneath.

Dante left the two for a moment. She didn’t want them asking what was so funny.

Dante came back prepared to see Jiji showing off her cleavage. Either a flustered or delighted Ford. She was happy to be wrong.

Jiji’s poses were tasteful. Showing off the clothes instead of her body. With just a drop of personality to make it fun.

Ford barely had to direct her. ‘Move your elbow a bit more this way’. ‘Tilt your head a little’. ‘Eyes like you're rolling them’.

Dante was impressed with Ford’s professionalism. Proud of Jiji’s restraint. She was starting to question why she was even shadowing their shoot.

“Ok, I got enough for the leather jacket set. What’s next?” Ford asked.

“I got just the thing! Wait here!” Jiji sauntered off to the bathroom. Grabbing about 5 outfits on her way.

“She’s a lot more bubbly than I remember,” Ford noted.

Less than willing to explain her niece’s sex life, “Yeah, anyway. I’m trusting that you’ll keep this to yourself.”

“Jiji using her powers to save time, or going to my professor's house after school to take photos of her ‘niece’?”

“Both. Now, how can you tell she’s using her powers?”

Jiji burst back in. Swinging the door the opposite way.

Rose patterned leggings under a blue-on-black box pleat skirt. Gold studded belt to go with her gold earrings. A cold shoulder top that matched her skirt. Pink eyeshadow and lipstick for contrast. Finally, pink fingernails replaced her gold polish.

She had only been in the bathroom for 30 seconds.

“How do I look?” Jiji asked. “The original was pretty gothic, but, let’s just say it looked better on my girlfriend.”

“You’d look good wearing anything,” Ford complimented.

Dante made a mental note to tag the back of Ford’s head with a rolled-up paper later.

Jiji twiddled a strand of hair, “Aw, thank you! Now, what pose should I take?”

Ford gave his direction. The best stances and angles to show off the skirt. Never too close. Or asking for anything too raunchy.

He was still a professional. Dante was still in the corner.

The photoshoot wrapped up after 2 more outfits. Jiji’s sleeveless hoodie and zip-off pants. Then, she came out wearing her lipstick pink, Dante-inspired suit.

Jiji didn’t even have to ask. Dante happily joined her.

Just simple poses. Standing side by side. One seated, one standing. Something to use in case Jiji became her actual assistant.

“Well, that covers it,” Ford began packing his equipment. “I’ll go over what we got and text you the best times to post later. Same time next week?”

Ford’s blue eye shrunk the second he realized Jiji was about to bear-hug him again. A big, back-cracking hug. Even Dante winced at Jiji's chiropractor practice.

“Thank you so much!” Jiji set him down, “Yeah! Same time next week!” Batting her eyelashes, “Or whenever you want~!”

Dante guided the red Ford toward the door, “He’ll see you next week. Say ‘bye Jiji’.”

Overheating, “Hi Jihi. I mean, bye Jiji!”

“Byeee Ford~!”

-Later-

“Is there a place you two can meet up other than my house?” Dante asked.

Ford sat shotgun as Dante drove him home. He went over Jiji’s photos as they talked.

He explained, “There’s a studio the school uses for like, athlete’s pictures. But I’d have to schedule and pay money I don’t have. Plus, it would fall under ‘personal use’ which is a whole other basket of problems.”

Dante eyed her depleting gas, “Ah, great.”

“I appreciate this, Professor,” Ford admitted. “Not telling anyone, I mean.”

Dante side-eyed him. Fully prepared for his blue eye to scan her.

“How do you know I didn’t tell my wife or Jiji about you?”

“Because you didn’t. By the way, your car battery is at exactly 11.2 volts. You’re gonna need to buy a new one in a few months.”

Her attention went back to the road, “You plan on telling Jiji that you’re…you know? Half-human?”

Calmly, “I mean, if she asks.”

“What about the other ‘non-humans’?”

“I’m not gonna ‘out’ anyone.”

Remembering their private conversation, “Fair enough. You plan on getting a license?”

Eyes to the window, “I mean...I’m working on it.”

They arrived at the university’s male dorms before Dante could ask more questions. Ford put his stuff away. Got out and thanked his professor again. He wanted to head inside before anyone looked out their window.

“Oh! Ford!” Dante jumped out and reached him right before he was in the building. Rolled-up papers in hand. “I forgot something.”

“Yeah?”

SMACK!

“OW!? What da hell?!”

“Don’t ever watch my niece change again.” She threatened him with another bop. “Got it?”

Genuinely confused, “What are you talking about?”

“You’re a teenager with an ‘all-seeing eye’. Don’t tell me you were staring at the bathroom door.”

Ford just stared at her for a moment. Still rubbing the side of his head. Still confused as to why Dante would think that.

“Professor, you think I’d be this prudish if I had x-ray vision?”

“Then why were you staring at the door?”

“I told you, it activates whenever there’s magic nearby. She was using her magic to change.”

Dante readied her papers, “In other words?”

Flatly, “I didn’t peek. Your niece flashed me.”

Bonk!

END