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Hooking an arm around the back of Quin’s chair, Glyma shifted her attention to Rusty. “Well, I was going to speak with Rusty privately, but since you’ve asked, I hoped Rusty would be willing.”

Rusty’s head shot up, eyes wide in shock. “Me?”

“If you like. You’re always here early, and we’d make sure to hire enough people to man the front until you make it back,” Glyma said.

“I don’t have a license,” Rusty said.

“We know,” Quin said. “We’d sign you up for driving classes and cover the costs.”

“You don’t have to give an answer now,” Glyma reassured as Rusty’s ears flattened in panic. “Just think about it.”

A lightbulb flickered to life in Gem’s head, and he grabbed Rusty’s shoulder and shook him. “If you did the deliveries, I’d see you every day!”

“You’re already gonna see me every day,” Rusty said.

“But, like, we’d still work together!” Gem rubbed the back of Rusty’s neck. “I’d see you every morning when you bring the pastries, and I’d make you a warm koca for your drive back.”

Rusty’s expression softened. “I guess so.”

“Anyway, it’s your decision. Only do it if you want to,” Gem said, and Glyma nodded in agreement. “But yeah, I think it’d be awesome.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it,” Rusty said, and both Glyma and Quin accepted it with a smile .

“Alright, enough shop talk,” Quin said, using her tail to offer Oliver a carving knife. “Let’s eat.”

While Oliver carved the turkey, the other dishes were passed around, and everyone filled their plates.

Rusty covered everything with gravy, and Enfys grimaced, choosing instead to keep all her food separated on her plate.

Gem piled his plate full of everything except the turkey-butt bread. He left that for the humans to enjoy.

As the newest to their group, Cya was a tad awkward as they cautiously entered into conversation with Jude.

Enfys cackled boisterously at something Krul said, and the Incubus grinned at her before launching into a more detailed story.

Bryce, as usual, was just happy to be included, a joyful grin on his face as he leaned back in his seat beside Zef.

They traded a few words, and Bryce laughed loudly, causing Zef to cock their head, antennas twitching.

Their responding smile formed slowly, and Gem swore their light green cheeks darkened slightly when Bryce beamed at them.

They ducked their head, their white hair falling like a curtain between them and the human.

Without touching them, Bryce leaned in and whispered near their ear, and Zef’s wings buzzed in amusement, their shoulders shaking like they were laughing now too.

It wasn’t flirtatious, but there was clearly a friendly connection forming between the new roommates.

Gem watched the exchange, smiling to himself.

Slipping his paw into one of Gem’s hands, Rusty twined their fingers as he whispered, “You really think I should do it? The delivery stuff?”

Gem nodded, speaking as politely as possible around his bite of gidym mash.

“Of course. I mean, having a license can come in handy, and Glyma’s right; you’re always here super early.

It would save them hiring someone specially for that position, and you like alone time.

I mean, the first half of your shift would be not working with customers. ”

His striped pink tail thumped in the space between his thigh and Gem’s as Rusty considered that. “That would actually be nice.”

“Exactly. And then you’ll see me every morning.” He rubbed his cheek against Rusty’s, smiling when Rusty purred quietly. “And I’ll totally suck you off in the back of your little delivery car.”

Rusty arched a reprimanding eyebrow as he took a bite of food. “That’s unsanitary and would probably get us both fired.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. We won’t get caught,” Gem predicted confidently.

“That’s what you said when you wanted to make out in the walk-in,” Rusty said, and Gem snorted.

“Yeah, and we almost got away with it.”

“ Almost , being the most important word in that sentence,” Rusty said, and Gem kissed him on the nose, making his whiskers twitch as he fought a sneeze.

“I think you should do it, but only if you want to,” Gem said after Rusty wiped his nose clean on his napkin.

“I said I’ll think about it, and I will,” Rusty said, and Gem brought his hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles.

“Good.”

Lunch passed with lots of laughter and love, and Gem was full to bursting, both from food and happiness, by the end. Jude talked about his internship with a Hellian architecture firm, and both he and Oliver showed off the rudimentary Hellia they’d been learning at their weekly language course.

Gem overheard Glyma offering Enfys a job, and though the Lepid hemmed and hawed, she never actually refused outright.

Quin sent pictures of the latest ultrasound around the table, and even Gem felt a sliver of affection as he looked at the smudgy outline of a fetus, the beginnings of a tail already forming.

Bryce chatted amicably with everyone about the classes he was taking, learning all about the animal kingdom of the Hell dimension.

And it was nice. All of them together, even though the family had indeed grown and changed. Oliver and Toni had found love, and so had Gem, hadn’t he?

Gazing down at Rusty as he laughed at something Enfys had said, Gem couldn’t help but smile in contentment.

He never thought he’d find this type of love.

To be honest, he’d never missed it, never felt the absence of it, not really.

But now that he was here, and now that he had it, Gem didn’t ever want to live without it.

Like he could sense Gem’s gaze, Rusty turned to meet his largest eyes, a crooked smile curving his mouth. “You okay?” he asked, thumb rubbing over the back of Gem’s hand.

“Yeah, I’m more than okay,” Gem said, and it had never been more true. “I love you. Like, for reals.”

That crooked smile softened and grew, and Rusty cupped Gem’s face with his other hand. “I love you too. Like, for reals.”

“Promise?” Gem asked, and Rusty chuckled as he offered his pinky, the claw there painted red to match the stripes in Gem’s fur.

“Promise.”

Gem hooked their pinkies, sealing the vow. “You’re not going to regret it?”

“Regret comes with the territory,” Rusty said with a playful wink, “but last time I checked, it’s so worth it.”

As he drew Gem down into a tender kiss, Gem laughed and closed all eight eyes so he could commit every moment of this to memory. The feel of Rusty’s claws in his hair, the pressure of Rusty’s lips against his mouth, the sweet relief of Rusty’s pure and earnest love.

And it was a beautiful, beautiful thing.