“Color blindness. The inability to distinguish or see certain colors,” Ryni had said. “Which one do you have? Dichromacy? Trichromacy?”
Rusty had shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Dadi would know,” she said. “Hecould check.”
“I’m good. I don’t like people messing with my eyes,” he admitted, and she frowned.
Later, she said, “We’re the same color, by the way. Pink-pink.” She held up her furry arm next to his, and sure enough, her stripes were nearly the same shade of pink as Rusty’s darker fur. “See? Same.”
“Cool. Pink is a good color,” he said, and Ryni glanced up at him briefly with two eyes, offering him a crooked smile. Then she turned back to her own drawing. “You colored Gem wrong in your drawing. He’s red. Use this.”
She handed Rusty a red marker, and he took it with a chagrined chuckle. “Oh, okay. Thanks.”
Watching the exchange, Gem’s non-existent ovaries started to sing, but he locked that shit down fast. Not only did he not want kids—nor did he possess the anatomy necessary—but it was honestly a question of ethics. Their spawn would be mutant freaks. Six-armed, furry freaks. It would be immoral to subject a child, nay, the world, to such horror.
“He’s quite lovely,” his father said, jolting Gem from his terrifying thoughts as Hyl wrapped several arms around his shoulders and back. “Maman adores him already.”
“Ew, don’t be weird,” Gem said, even as his hearts swelled in his chest.
His father could, of course, see right through him. “You seem very at peace with him. Settled in your skin. That’s a sign of a good partnership.”
“We’re not…” Gem drifted off, glancing his father’s way. “I don’t know what we are. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it.”
“That’s okay. You have time.” Hyl tucked a curl behind Gem’s ear with a gentle smile.
“I like him, Dadi. I like him so much,” Gem whispered, and like Rusty could sense his gaze, he glanced up meeting Gem’s eyes. He smiled, smalland crooked, and Gem’s hearts twisted pleasantly. He grinned back with a wave, one Rusty returned. “I’m scared he might not feel the same way.”
Hyl hummed. “Well, from an outside perspective, I’d say that boy looks at you with stars in his eyes.”
“Yeah?” Gem asked hopefully, and his father nodded, drawing Gem down so he could kiss his cheek.
“Yes.” He patted Gem’s neck, then frowned, finger tracing the tender spot Rusty had bitten. “I should have taught you better blending it would seem.”
Slapping a hand over the mark, Gem grimaced. “I know how to blend my makeup. I was just in a hurry!”
“Well, if you need pointers, just ask. I’ve had to cover up many a love bite in my day,” his father chortled.
“Oh my gods, ew!” Gem cried, and Hyl frowned.
“Don’t be childish. You know me and your mothers make love.”
“Ah, gross!” Gem covered his ears and gagged. “I don’t want to hear about it. Yma, make Dadi stop! He’s traumatizing me.”
Upon their departure, Maman pushed a casserole dish full of leftovers into Rusty’s hands before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Dadi and Yma hugged him, neither letting him go until Rusty pulled away, whiskers twitching, tail flicking. Mymi slapped him good-naturedly on the shoulder, telling him to come by again soon.
Even Ryni bid Rusty farewell, handing him a picture she’d drawn. Rusty took it with a shy smile, offering her his fist. “Pink-pink, right?”
“Pink-pink,” she echoed, knocking her knuckles to his before she turned and darted back into the house.
“We’ll see you soon,” Maman said with a significant look at Rusty.
The Pyclon nodded. “Okay. I’ll make sure Gem doesn’t forget the plates next time.”
“Traitor!” Gem cried, smacking Rusty’s arm as everyone laughed.
As they walked toward the tram stop, Gem took the casserole dish to free Rusty’s hand so he could twine their fingers together. Rusty ducked his head, but he didn’t pull away. On the tram, Rusty sat in the window seat, Gem’s hand clasped between both of his on his leg. He drew invisible designs on the back of Gem’s hand, and Gem leaned down to peck the top of his head between his ears.
“Thanks for coming with me.”
