[Gordon is about to say that Shen shouldn't worry but... shouldn't he? His face falls into a puzzled look. Confirmed competition or not, should he actually see her like that?]

[...No, forget "should." "Should" doesn't even matter right now, dammit. DID he, was the question. This blonde fox-girl with yellow eyes, 900 years old and counting and capable of powers he can't even understand yet, with a kind heart and a mind like a mirrored labyrinth.

[He gains a small sheepish half-smile of his own.] ...I can't blame you either. She's, she's just... she's a mystery to me. A beautiful mystery...

[He ends his reverie with a cough and a drink of his coffee.] But, that doesn't change the fact that she's a different species.