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“So, yeah, I didn’t tell you because it was easier and safer not to,” he said with a sniffle, and Toni’s throat bobbed, expression crumpling.

“I’m sorry for lying to you by omission and hurting you.

But I’m not sorry for choosing him.” Glancing over his shoulder, Gem smiled down at Rusty, eyes wet.

“I’ll never be sorry about him. He sees me, Toni.

Everyone else looks at me, but he sees me.

And I really hope you can support us, but if you can’t—” Gem’s breath hitched as he faced his best friend once more, and Rusty stepped forward, taking Gem’s lowest hand and squeezing in support.

“If you can’t, then I kindly request that you keep it to your fucking self. ”

The entire cafe was so silent Rusty could have heard a pin drop as everyone waited for Toni’s response. The Elas looked utterly gutted, his eyes brimming with unshed tears as he stared up at Gem. He opened his mouth several times, but no words came.

With one last heavy swallow, Toni reached out to cup Gem’s face in his hands. “I’m sorry I wasn’t a safe person for you to come to about this. You’re my best friend, Gemmy, and nothing’s gonna change that. I got your back. Always, okay? And I’m sorry I made you doubt that.”

Gem sobbed and enveloped Toni in his remaining arms, keeping a firm grasp on Rusty’s hand with his sixth. “I didn’t know how to tell you, but I wanted to.”

“I know. I’m sorry I wasn’t at a place to hear it,” Toni confessed into Gem’s neck. “But if he makes you happy—”

“He does. He’s honestly amazing when you give him a chance,” Gem said, and Rusty’s face burned with embarrassment as several onlookers awwed .

Thankfully, the cafe wasn’t as busy as it usually was at this hour, but there was still a good-sized crowd watching them.

There was even a Nymph—a regular Rusty recognized—who had her phone out, like she was recording as she simpered, one hand pressed to her chest. Glyma and Willow were openly crying as Oliver leaned back on the counter, arms crossed smugly over his chest. Zef was watching curiously, antennas quivering, and Tad was scowling, as if all the mushy feelings were offending her.

Quin stood in the mouth of the hallway leading to her office, expression conflicted, like she wanted to interrupt and get everyone back to work but couldn’t bring herself to actually do it.

Bob, the mysterious orange bug-like creature that slept in Quin’s office, scurried around her cloven hooves, segmented antennas waving wildly like he was trying to make sense of the confusing atmosphere.

When Toni and Gem parted, Toni wiped Gem’s cheeks clean of tears, then kissed each one. “Gem and Toni against the world, right, baby?”

Gem nodded. “Always.”

Slowly, almost grudgingly, Toni turned his attention to Rusty. “If you hurt him—”

“You’ll kill me and hide my body where it will never be found?” Rusty finished for him.

“Nope.” Toni grinned viciously. “I’m going to skin you and use your pelt like an ornamental rug. And then I’m gonna do Jude on it and teabag your dead face.”

“Gross, Toni,” Gem said.

“That is so violent,” Glyma said.

“And disturbing,” Willow agreed.

“And weirdly specific,” Rusty added.

“I don’t think Jude would be okay with that,” Oliver said.

“I don’t think anyone should be okay with that,” Quin said.

“I’m okay with it,” Tad said.

“Perhaps that is an inside thought, my dear,” Zef said with an absent pat to her head.

As Toni stepped back, the whole room seemed to take a collective breath, and the atmosphere sighed in relief. “So this is gonna be a thing, then, huh?” he asked, running a hand through his glossy hair. “Like, dating and goo-goo eyes and all that shit?”

Gem nodded exuberantly, tugging Rusty closer until he hooked several arms around his back and shoulders. “Yes! He’s my boyfriend, and I’m his boyfriend. Well, sometimes, I’m the girlfriend, but that’s mostly a sex thing.”

Face-palming, Rusty chittered uncomfortably. “Gem, maybe you shouldn’t—”

“Ah, come on!” Toni made a show of gagging obnoxiously. “We don’t wanna know about that stuff.”

“I do,” Tad chimed in, and Gem shot her a shocked, but no-less enthusiastic grin.

“Tad, girl, we’ll chat later.” Whisper-shouting, Gem pointed at Rusty with one hand, while two others rose palm-to-palm with two feet of space between them, like he was measuring something. “Quick preview: he is deity-blessed, if you know what I mean.”

“I really wish I didn’t,” Toni lamented.

“We all wish we didn’t,” Quin agreed.

Tad sized Rusty up with an evil grin. “Nice.”

“He’s clearly exaggerating,” Rusty mumbled awkwardly.

“Only a little,” Gem snorted, widening all eight eyes at Willow, Glyma, and Tad. “Seriously, it’s majestic.”

“Gem,” Rusty whined.

“Oh man, I wish I hadn’t heard that,” Oliver said.

“None of us wanted to hear that,” Zef said miserably.

“This was a beautiful moment until now,” Glyma said.

Willow smiled serenely. “I still find it a beautiful moment. I love love.”

“I do too, but I don’t want to know about Rusty’s dick,” Oliver said .

“I mean, your loss then. He has a nice dick,” Gem sniffed.

“Stop talking about my dick!” Rusty growled as his tail flicked in annoyance.

With a pout, Gem agreed glumly. “Okay, fine. Sue me for being excited that everyone knows we’re boinking now and we don’t have to keep it secret. Gods!”

“That is not a good enough reason to use the word boink , Gemmy,” Toni said with another exaggerated gag.

“Well, sor-ry,” Gem drawled childishly. “I was just trying to be classy because I didn’t think it was work-appropriate to talk about Rusty butt-fucking me.”

“None of this is work-appropriate!” Quin cried, smoke rushing from her nostrils as her keratin-tipped tail whipped furiously. “I have half a mind to fire all of you.”

“What?” Oliver straightened, eyes widening in horror. “But I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly!” Quin pointed at the line of customers gawking at them. “You should be helping customers.”

“Oh no, we’re fine,” the Nymph said, and nearly everyone in line nodded their agreement. “Don’t stop on our account.”

Rounding on the Nymph, Gem scowled deeply. “Oh my gods, Brenda, put your phone away! Ever heard of personal privacy?”

“I think you sacrificed privacy the moment you said boink ,” Toni mumbled morosely.

“Or talked about my dick in front of everyone,” Rusty seethed.

Gem had the audacity to press a hand to his chest in offense. “Oh em geez, it was a compliment!” Rusty arched an eyebrow, and Gem cringed. “ Okay, sorry, I’ll stop talking about your dick. You still want to be my boyfriend, right?”

With a half-amused, half-exasperated huff, Rusty stepped closer and squeezed Gem’s hand. “Yeah, Gem, I still want to be boyfriends.”

A happy hum vibrated from his arm and leg fur, and Gem framed his face, smiling so wide Rusty feared his face would crack in two. “Good. I like being boyfriends with you.”

Even though everyone was staring, Rusty gathered his gumption and popped onto his toes as Gem bent to eliminate the remaining distance.

They met in the middle in a sweet, chaste kiss, and even though several people clapped and several more oohed and awwed , Rusty didn’t break away.

Because Gem wasn’t ashamed of this, so why would Rusty be?

So he purred in contentment as Gem kissed him, ignoring Toni’s disgusted noises of denial and the embarrassing coos from his coworkers. He was allowed to be happy; he was allowed to have beautiful things. And by gods, if this wasn’t the most beautiful thing of all.