Page 3

Gendry

I flop down onto Christian’s couch, letting my feet dangle off the arm because it’s a bit too small for me. I cover my face with my hands and groan.

“He must think I am an idiot,” I say into my hands, feeling my face heat.

“Why does it matter? He’s just some guy!”

I peek through my hands. “I know that you are not incapable of sight,” I say, narrowing my eyes at Christian. “He is beautiful .”

Aldo is the first human I’ve met that has stirred emotions like this. He’s much shorter than me, even more so than average humans. His skin is a beautiful tan color, his eyes a deep shade of brown. His hair is platinum white, a stark contrast to the rest of him. His voice sounded like honey dripping down the side of a hive.

The way he smiled up at me left me breathless. Could this be how Timalah felt when he first saw Miles? Could this be how it feels to meet your matron ? Your one true partner?

“He didn’t seem like anything special to me,” Christian says with a shrug, wandering to his kitchen and pulling out two bottles from the fridge. He comes back and hands one to me. “Though, I did kinda like his hair.”

I might not be the smartest person alive but I’m smart enough to know it would do me no good to mention that Aldo’s hair is the same platinum shade as Ghenie’s. I still don’t have a true grasp on what happened between them. Me and all other Layperry share a telepathic bond, but even so, because Ghenie is our leader, he’s able to keep certain things to himself. Whatever is going on between him and Christian are one of those things he’s chosen to keep private.

“There is something about him that draws me near, though I cannot name it. I wish to get to know him.”

“I’m not gonna stop ya,” Christian says, tipping his bottle back and sipping at his beer. The food and drink here are so different from that on my planet. Everything is bottled and packaged and bought rather than harvested. I miss finding my own meat. I miss going out to my garden and harvesting my own dinner.

Everything here is gray and concrete. I miss walking barefoot through the grass. I miss hunting. I miss taking care of people as a warrior should.

Even so, I’m not sorry I decided to come here. Already, this has been a wonderful learning experience. I have met so many people, experienced human culture, and been able to see Christian learn to relax again. We may never be best friends, but I am glad to be here with him.

“I have gotten myself a job,” I tell Christian, holding up my beer to get his attention.

“Oh yeah? How’d you manage that?”

“I went for a walk and found people on the side of a road, wearing bright orange clothes. They were picking up trash. I gave the one in charge my ear piece and talked to him about what he’s doing and how I wanted to help clean up the garbage as well. He told me to come back tomorrow and I would have a spot to help!” I grin over at Christian. “Is that not exciting?”

Christian raises his brow at me. “Buddy. I don’t know how to tell you this, but that is not a job. That is volunteer work.”

“What does that mean?”

“They’re not going to give you any money. You’re going to pick up garbage for free.”

I think about that for a moment before eventually nodding. “That is fine. I’ll still go. I want to help clean up the garbage even if they don’t give me anything in return.”

Christian sighs. “Fine. I’ll come with you tomorrow. I don’t have anything better to do.”

As far as I know, Christian does have a real job that gives him money. He’s back to driving the health emergency truck. I can’t remember the name of it, but he seems to enjoy what he does. Though, I can tell he misses sharing his emergency health truck with Miles.

I still believe that at the end of all this, Christian will come back with me. He misses Miles too much to stay away. And I can’t help but think, despite his prickly demeanor, he wants to get closure with Ghenie. They should kiss, I think that would help smooth everything over, one way or another.

“If that is not a job, then I’ll have to find something else. If only you needed a warrior or a hunter, or something I was naturally good at.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something. If you want help, I can look online at job postings and translate them for you.”

“That would be very kind of you, Christian. Thank you.”

Christian looks away. “It’s whatever.”

“It is not whatever. It is truly appreciated.”

“You’re such a sap.”

“I don’t know what that means but I will take it as a compliment.”

Christian chuckles, sitting back in his chair. “Have you thought about anything else you’d like to add to your list?”

Christian thought it would be a fun idea to make a list of all the things I’d like to experience while here on Earth. I have quite a few things on the list already, but as I learn more, more gets put onto the list. I’m sure we won’t be able to get through them all but it sure is fun to add to it.

“Today I saw a game on the TV I would like to experience.”

“What game?”

“I have forgotten the name,” I say slowly, trying desperately to find the right word. “They had a ball that they kicked. There was a lot of running around. It was fascinating.”

Christian sets his empty bottle on the table. “Soccer?”

“No, I don’t think that’s right. I think they called it football ?”

“Yeah, that’s soccer. Some places call it football and some places call it soccer.”

I tilt my head to the side. “It makes far more sense to call it football as people are kicking the ball with their foot.”

“You’re not wrong,” he says back with a shrug. “We can put that on your list. I’ll look online for a league or something you can try out.”

“Thank you, Christian.”

“Eh, don’t mention it.”

After we’re finished with our beers, I go back to my own apartment. I take a shower which involves me making myself as small as possible so I can get the water over my head. Then I put on a pair of sleeping pants and get myself tucked into my bed.

As I close my eyes, I swear I hear something coming from the wall beside me. Against my better judgement, I roll over in bed and press my ear to the wall, listening.

“Oh fuck!” I hear, followed quickly by a whimper.

I quickly pull my ear away, not wanting to intrude. My cock twitches with interest and I realize with a start, this is the wall I share with Aldo! Those are his noises coming from the wall! Is he pleasuring himself? Is he thinking of me while he’s doing it?

By the Ancestors! I don’t think my cock has ever filled with blood so quickly before.

As much as I want to reach into my sleep pants and stroke myself, that wouldn’t be right. I can’t use his noises to get myself off, not without his permission. Instead, I roll until my back is facing the wall. I close my eyes and do my best to fall asleep, ignoring the way my cock is hard and my heart is racing.