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Stopping toe-to-tarsal claw with Gem, Rusty angled his head to look up at Gem. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t have just left.”
“Oh,” Gem repeated, emotion thickening his voice. “Well, that’s very nice.”
Rusty chuckled and dragged a knuckle over Gem’s jaw. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Gem whispered back.
They stared at each other for a long second before Rusty huffed and pinched Gem’s chin. “I can’t reach you up there,” he said dryly. “You need to come down here.”
And Gem burst into laughter as he bent down and practically scooped the Pyclon up, their mouths meeting in a joyous mash of lips and teeth. They kissed and laughed simultaneously, and Gem couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this happy.
Rusty stayed all day. They cooked breakfast and ate it on the fire escape, legs swinging in the open air between the railing slats.
Since it was Sunday, Gem had to do laundry, so Rusty went with him to the laundromat and read Gem’s latest smut novel aloud—quietly—while Gem separated his clothing into the appropriate loads.
As they waited on the laundry cycle to finish, they snacked on dokha seeds and crackers from the vending machine. By the time the lead character’s bosom was heaving and the love interest’s member was throbbing, Gem shoved his clean clothes into his laundry sack, and they headed home, hand-in-hand.
They spent the afternoon kissing lazily on the couch between episodes of The Promised Neverland .
At one point, Rusty fell asleep, lying between Gem’s legs, head on his chest as he pet the fur between his ears.
As he napped, he purred in a steady rhythm that nearly lulled Gem to sleep as well, though he fought the pull.
He didn’t want to miss a single second of this to unconsciousness.
For dinner, Gem ordered in, and they smoked a bowl, then heartily ate up the delivery when it arrived. Then they lay in Gem’s bed, whispering and giggling under the covers as the high took them on a journey.
“I should go,” Rusty murmured after night had settled over Lust, his button nose dragging over Gem’s cheek. “I’m still in yesterday’s clothes.”
Gem played with Rusty’s clawed fingers, the lamp filtering through the sheet fabric over their heads. “I don’t want you to go. Then I’m gonna miss you, and that’s not fun.”
“We’ll see each other tomorrow at work,” Rusty said.
“So? Tomorrow isn’t right now, so I’m still gonna miss you.”
Rusty’s smile was soft and lovely. “I think you’re really high.”
“Your mom’s really high,” Gem muttered before he gasped and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh my gods, I made another mom-joke. I’m so sorry.”
Pulling his hand down, Rusty snuffled a laugh as he leaned in and kissed him. “It’s okay. I like you anyway. ”
“You do?” Gem asked, blinking heavy eyelids, and Rusty nodded shyly. “I like you too. Like, so much. It makes me wanna squeeze you until your eyes pop out of your head.”
“That sounds murdery,” Rusty chided.
“I didn’t say I would. Only that I wanted to.” Gem flicked his nose, and his whiskers twitched.
“Still. Kinda violent.”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty, so I can get away with it. Hashtag pretty privilege.”
“You are pretty,” Rusty said with a mischievous grin. “Pretty… ridiculous. Burn, Akyllo!”
Gem released a shrill whine as Rusty cackled. “Rus! That was so mean. Now you have to make out with me as an apology, and maybe dry-hump a little.”
Throwing his head back, Rusty laughed, and Gem lunged forward to taste the joy on his lips. They made out, loose and happy, and they might have dry-humped. Just a little.
In the morning, Gem woke to his alarm and a note on the pillow beside him.
See you at work —R
Beside the R , Rusty had drawn a little heart, and it made Gem squeal pathetically, kicking his feet as he crushed the note to his chest. When he got to work an hour later, excited nerves swarmed in his stomach.
He greeted Glyma and Zef as the kitchen doors swung open, and Gem froze as Rusty walked in, carrying a tray of dishes.
“Hey, Gem,” he said with a barely-there smile, and Gem was so chill as he said, “ Hey, Rus,” back.
Rusty paused, giving Gem a quick, appreciative onceover. “Nice shirt. It looks good on you.”
Then he trudged back to the dishwashing station, leaving Gem gaping as he smoothed a hand down the white halter top. “Uh, thanks.”
Wide-eyed, he faced Glyma, Willow, and Zef. Zef was still mixing sauce in a bowl, entirely oblivious to the exchange. Glyma was watching Gem with a furrow to her purple brows. Willow met Gem’s gaze with a knowing smile, and Gem’s cheeks heated.
To escape the suddenly sweltering kitchen, Gem strode purposefully through the swinging doors and greeted Oliver with a flustered peck to the human’s cheek.
As he took his spot behind the espresso machine, he tucked his water bottle under the counter, accidentally knocking something to the ground.
It clattered across the galaxy epoxy floor, and Gem crouched to grab it.
It was a white stone, smooth and shiny, buffed to glinty perfection. He stood, turning the rock over in his top hands as he started the drink order Oliver had just taken with his other hands. He could nearly see his reflection in the opalescent surface, and he frowned.
What was it, and where had it come from?
Movement to his left caught the attention of one eye, and he glanced over, finding Rusty watching him intently. The moment he noticed Gem’s swiveling eye, he faced the bakery case and made himself busy, though he continued peeking Gem’s way when he thought he wasn’t looking.
Confused but knowing his response to the mysterious rock was vitally important, Gem knocked Oliver’s shoulder to get his attention. “Look at this pretty rock. Isn’t it awesome?”
Oliver screwed up his face but inspected the glossy stone in Gem’s palm. “Uh, yeah. It’s… cool. ”
“Yeah, I like it,” Gem said, making a show of putting it into his shorts pocket.
When he cast Rusty a brief glance, the Pyclon wasn’t looking at him, but his tail was high and more poofy than Gem had ever seen it. Thoroughly pleased, Gem focused back on the espresso machine, the stone a solid but pleasant weight in his pocket.
Tuesday, Gem discovered a baggy holding several pins hiding inside the coffee bean grinder. They were bright and colorful with funny sayings.
One said, He/She/They. As long as you think I’m pretty.
Another said, Sounds gay, I’m in!
The third had a cow wearing a burglar outfit, and it said, Be gay. Do crime.
Gem took one of the cafe aprons and fastened it around his waist, then he secured the pins proudly to the front. He heard Rusty purr in fits and spurts, like he was trying to stop it but couldn’t, and Gem smiled.
Wednesday, Gem found a pair of earrings hiding under the frothing pitcher. They were small studs with flat backs—because he’d told Rusty once that he preferred flat-backs since they didn’t dig into his head—and they were cow faces. Cartoon, highland cow faces.
They were the best earrings he’d ever seen, and he immediately put them in his earlobes, using his phone camera to inspect his reflection. As Rusty wiped down tables, he started to whistle, and Oliver gawked at the Pyclon as Gem preened.
Thursday, there was a cow necklace that matched the earrings hanging from the handle of the dairy steamer, and when Gem crouched low and asked Rusty to clasp it around his neck, he did. His claws grazed gently over the back of Gem’s neck, and Gem shivered, refusing to hide it.
On Friday, no matter how hard Gem searched, he found no hidden presents around the espresso machine.
Or in the mini fridge or amidst the mood syrups.
He scoured the entire space behind the counter and came up empty.
Not that he needed a gift every day, but Rusty had set a precedent, godsdammit, and Gem had quickly adapted.
Not wanting to be a brat, Gem shook off the disappointment, but Rusty noticed. He was more observant than Gem had ever credited him. Before he left for the day, he brushed past Gem with a whispered, “Stop pouting, and check your purse.”
“Oliver, hold down the fort,” Gem ordered, chasing after the Pyclon who’d disappeared through the swinging doors.
“Gem!” Oliver whined, but Gem ignored him.
He marched to the coat rack and dug through his purse, finding a box wrapped in brown paper. Through the crack of the open back door, Gem met Rusty’s gaze, and the Pyclon offered him a small, almost bashful smile, before he ducked out of sight.
Ripping the box open, Gem gasped, eyes watering as he pulled out a cow figurine. A cartoon cow wearing goggles and a floaty, cannonballing into a pool. Cowabunga . Pristine condition. Not a chip or scratch in sight. It was perfect.
“I’m gonna ride that Pyclon until he passes the fuck out,” Gem muttered to himself as he inspected every angle of the figurine he’d been searching years for. “I’m gonna murder him with orgasms.”
“I did that once,” a nasally voice said from behind him, and Gem screamed in fright as he spun around. Tad sat at the edge of the metal counter, webbed feet swinging as she watched him with bulbous eyes. “Death by orgasm. It’s a real thing.”
“Ew, Tad!” Gem cried .
“Don’t be such a square. It’s not like I did it against his will.
He paid me for it and everything.” Climbing to her feet, the Anura adjusted her wetsuit before waddling back to the sink.
“If you’re gonna try it, make sure you get it in writing that you’re not liable for death or dismemberment.
And get it notarized,” she said fiercely, pointing a thick finger at him.
“That was my mistake the first time. Made for a hard legal battle.”
“You are terrifying and magnificent,” Gem said, and she smiled eerily.
“You bet your fat ass I am.”
“Aw, thank you,” Gem simpered.
“What’s with the weird cow thing?” she asked, reminding Gem why they were talking about orgasmic murder to begin with, and he hugged it to his chest.
“Just the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said, and Tad made a face.
“Gross. Sorry I asked.”
Hooking his head into the kitchen, Gem scowled when he remembered Toni was on his lunch break, probably napping in Quin’s office.
“Hey, Zef,” he called, and Zef angled their head without looking at him, “Can you do me a solid and help Oliver in the front for five minutes? I need to take care of something, and it’s super-duper important. ”
Zef’s antennas quivered, but they nodded. “I shall do my best.”
“Thank you. You’re amazing, and I love you. Platonically,” he added when Zef looked momentarily horrified.
“Oh.” A light blush darkened their green cheeks. “Thank you, Gemae. I am fond of you as well.”
“Stop being cute. I can’t handle it right now,” Gem said, pointing toward the front. “Tell Ollie I’ll be back in five minutes. ”
He sprinted out the back door and nearly ate sand twice when his boots sank in, making him trip. He was not made for running, but for Rusty, he’d persevere.
Inside the station, Gem sent his eyes in every direction, searching out his Pyclon’s fluffy striped tail and pink ears.
With a grunt of frustration, he ran toward Platform L, cradling his precious Cowabunga in three hands.
The train to Lust was about to depart as he stumbled onto the platform, gasping.
A pink striped tail flitted past one of the train windows, and Gem scrambled toward the car, shouting Rusty’s name. The train doors shut the moment before Gem got there, and he smacked several palms on them. Rusty pushed through the crowd until he was standing on the other side of the glass.
“Gem, what are you doing?” he asked.
Gem held up the figurine. “You found Cowabunga! ”
The train whistled its imminent departure as Rusty nodded. “On eBay. I beat out Cow-Head69 for it.”
Laughing and crying simultaneously, Gem shook his head. “You did not.”
“I did. By five dollars. He DM’d me, calling me a bitch.” The train started to pull away, and Gem walked with it as Rusty grinned, somewhat viciously. “I told him he could suck my big cow schlong.”
“Cow-Head69 can suck a whole bag of cow schlongs!” Gem jogged beside the train as it picked up speed, the end of the platform coming up fast. “Come over tomorrow.”
“I have a thing,” Rusty called back. “Maybe I’ll see you Sunday.”
To keep from plummeting to his death at the end of the platform, Gem skidded to a stop as the train left the station. He cupped two hands around his mouth and yelled, “I’m so gonna suck your cow dick. You don’t even know!”
But the train was already gone, taking Rusty with it. He slumped and turned back around, freezing as he noticed the numerous travelers still on the platform staring at him in horror. Because he’d just screamed about sucking cow cock.
Straightening his shoulders, he shook out his hair and fought a blush of embarrassment. “Don’t judge me! He’s clearly not a real cow, and I think I might be in the beginning stages of falling in love or something. I cannot be held responsible for what I say in the throes of romantic passion!”
“I don’t think that’s how accountability works,” someone said tentatively, and Gem rounded on the Nymph, eyes spitting fire.
“No one asked you, Brenda!”
Table of Contents
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- Page 42 (Reading here)
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