“Well, I don’t know. Next time, try being less sexy while you’re dead,” Gem defended.
“This is why I wanted to be Ryni’s partner,” Rusty grumbled, and Ryni looked up from the book she was reading and shot him a brief grin. “She would have known to guessmortician.”
Gem crossed several arms over his torso. “Well, that’s offensive.”
“I think you and Ryni have won enough times,” Dierdri said, and Rusty scowled.
“You’re just saying that because you don’t want to be Gem’s partner.”
“He’s got you there, dear,” Mal said with a peck to Dierdri’s cheek.
“Um, rude, Mymi,” Gem whined. “Maman, I’m your first-hatched child. Defend me.”
“Gemae, my love, you’re rather terrible at charades,” Dierdri said, not unkindly, and Gem shrieked in outrage.
“This is child abuse, and it will not stand!”
To calm him down, Rusty leaned in and kissed him, ignoring the good-natured jeers from Gem’s siblings. Yeah, Rusty liked Gem’s family. He especially liked not having to pretend around them that he and Gem weren’t more than friends, more than coworkers.
At work, they had to be stealthier. Gem, however, was probably the least subtle person in existence, and Rusty was pretty sure everyone—with the exception of Toni—was picking up on the blatant flirting Gem constantly threw his way. Like he couldn’t help himself, he was always touchingRusty—a hand between his ears, a gentle stroke of his tail, and yes, grabbing his butt whenever he thought Oliver wasn’t watching.
It didn’t bother Rusty as much as he’d first assumed it would. Not only was the physical affection validating, but he also wanted people to know. He wanted to claim Gem in public and be claimed in return. He wanted to see the jealousy on stranger’s faces when they saw Gem lean down to kiss him. Stranger still, he wanted to talk to people about it.
Everything inside him wanted to blurt it to Oliver whenever they hung out after work. While they played video games, waiting for Liel to come home, Rusty had to bite his tongue to keep from revealing the truth. As Oliver taught him how to play a human board game called chess, it took all his self-control not to ask the human advice about love and shit.
How had he known that he loved Liel? When did it happen? What did it feel like? And did it match the maelstrom of emotion swirling in Rusty’s chest when he thought about Gem or saw Gem or kissed Gem?
Somehow, he managed to keep the secret, though judging from the ever-growing knowing looks Oliver sent their way while they worked, Rusty didn’t think it was a secret anymore.
The one person he could talk to was, surprisingly, Enfys. He’d started spending more time with her in the hours after he’d clocked out and before she started meeting clients. Not that he’d wax poetic about Gem or anything, since Enfys would have teased him for it, but it was nice to not have to pretend with her.
And he genuinely liked her company. She was crass and funny, fierce and strong. She told him a bit about growing up in Sloth, but he got the sense it was a touchy subject. Since his past was just as tender, they kept things close to the surface.
They’d swap client-disaster stories that would have made Gem cry, but Enfys would howl with laughter, ready with her own tale to regale that usually topped Rusty’s in both audacity and shock-value. As strange as it seemed, it felt good to make light of the years that had weighed so heavily on his shoulders, and Enfys understood in a way most other people couldn’t.
She wasn’t gaiz, not like Gem and Oliver, but Rusty had a feeling she would be eventually.
It took a few invites for her to finally join Rusty at a game night with everyone from the cafe. But she fit in well, Rusty thought, and after Gem had pouted sufficiently, even he warmed up to her. A little.
Enfys, for her part, seemed to like Rusty’s friends. She had a particularly fun time flirting with Bryce—the veterinarian they’d met at Oliver’s parents’ house—as he was rather bumbling and blushed a lot. Since Zef was hosting game night at their condo in Envy, Bryce joined in the festivities as well. He’d moved into Zef’s spare bedroom a few weeks ago, and it seemed to be going well for them.
While Glyma, Willow, and Krul made a puzzle on the coffee table, Jude and Bryce sat on the loveseat, discussing a human sport called hockey. Enfys, Quin, Tad, Toni, and Zef had started a game of poker as Oliver and Rusty set up a new round of chess, using the end table situated between two lounge chairs.
As Rusty considered his next move, Gem sat down on the armrest at his side and said, “Why don’t you move one of the bald children to Oliver’s side so his king can knight it?”
“You mean the pawn?” Rusty asked, and Gem shrugged, inspecting the fresh nail polish Rusty had painted on his nails last night.
“Maybe. I don’t remember their names.”
“That’s not how pawns move,” Oliver said.
“Yeah, maybe don’t offer advice on a game you don’t know how to play,” Rusty said.
With a huff, Gem scowled down at Rusty, “I do too know how to play. You taught me, remember?”
“No, I tried to teach you, and you said, ‘Oh em geez, Rus, this is so boring. Can’t we just smash?’” Rusty grumbled, heart stuttering to a halt as Gem squeaked and Oliver’s head lifted, eyebrows high on his forehead. Glyma and Willow turned toward them as well, and the skin under his fur flushed with mortified heat.
“It,” he added quickly, clearing his throat. “Can’t we just smashit.”