Page 72 of Feral Werewolves
“They are very no-homo with each other,” said Paladin to me, conspiratorially.
“Um, okay,” I said with a laugh.
“I don’t count, because I’m not coded to be threatening,” said Paladin.
“That’s… fuck that,” said Kestrel, sighing.
“Seriously, I’m an honorary woman,” sang Paladin.
“No,” said Lazarus. “No. Because if it was that, Paladin, wehavea woman.” He looked at me.
“It’s just you,” I said to him, grinning. “They can’t get enough of you, and I can’t either.”
Paladin smiled at me, looking a little devastated. “Shit, Clementine, you know that I can’t get enough ofyou.”
“She’s not wrong,” said Lazarus, his voice a little gruff, as he caressed Paladin’s upper arm.
Paladin looked up at him, still looking devastated.
“All right, well, good talk,” said Kestrel. “Let’s get these knots down somehow, like, think of baseball or some shit, and—”
“Good talk?” I said. “We have talked literally about nothing.”
“That’s… not true,” said Kestrel.
“There’s nothing else to talk about,” said Lazarus.
“There so is,” I said. “We all can stop sneaking around and be cool with this. This is the craziest and most exciting relationship I can imagine. Think of the various permutations. Think of all the ways we can fuck. We are selling ourselves short here, I think.”
“True,” said Kestrel thoughtfully. He kissed my shoulder. “That’s true.”
“Okay, so good talk,” said Lazarus. “I don’t think that getting a knot to go down is a thing, though. You can’t just will it away. I’m not thinking sexy thoughts at all right now,trust me, and—”
“We’re not donetalking!” I was in utter disbelief.
Paladin snickered.
Lazarus shot a glance at me, totally bewildered. “What else do we need to talk about?”
“Like, why are we all hiding this from each other?”
No one said anything.
Paladin spoke up eventually. “I mean, they’re ashamed of me.”
“No,” said Kestrel.
“No,” said Lazarus.
“They worry that you guys will be jealous of each other with me,” I said.
“Maybe,” said Lazarus.
“I just worry it’s not fair,” said Kestrel. “If everyone’s sneaking off with you, though, I’m less worried about it. As long as we all feel we’re getting equal access to her, I’m fine with whatever.”
“You don’t feel, like, pressured to keep up with all of us?” said Lazarus to me. “We’re not wearing you out?”
“Oh, no,” I said. “That’s not… no.” I giggled.
