Joining Rusty on his back, Gem angled his prone body to bring their shoulders within kissing distance. “About me? I know, right? It’s no wonder I’m queer as fuck, hella openminded, and am always raging against the machine. I was literally born into anarchy and free love. Don’t get me wrong; they’re good parents. Not perfect, but still kind of the best.”
Rusty’s responding smile was small but soft. “I’m glad you have them.”
Gem was too, and he hated that Rusty didn’t. It was unfair that Gem had three moms, while Rusty’s one had been taken away from him so young. Carefully, so carefully, Gem said, “You know, if you ever need to borrow a mom, just ask. I have three, so there’s plenty to go around.”
Air whistled through Rusty’s nose on his sharp inhale, and his eyes tightened around the edges as he turned his head to face Gem. He feared he’d said the wrong thing, as he tended to do, but before he could apologize, Rusty stretched out a paw and ran a single knuckle down the side of Gem’s throat.
It was a barely there touch, over and done in the blink of an eye, but it sent Gem’s hearts sprinting into overdrive. Rusty never initiated touch between them, not really. He’d endure Gem’s cuddles. Sometimes, he’d reciprocate, but he hardly ever initiated. And though Gem didn’t know what that touch meant, it felt significant.
Rusty’s hand returned to rest on his stomach. It tightened, then released. Tightened, then released. Then he said, “Thanks, Gem.”
Their faces were close enough that Gem felt Rusty’s words breeze over his chin, and Gem nearly shivered as he breathed out, “Anytime.”
Keeping most of his focus on Rusty’s pale eyes, Gem stealthily studied his mouth with two small eyes. In the past, he hadn’t paid much attention to Rusty’s mouth, but it was nice. Thin lips surrounded by short fur that,judging from how clean and conditioned Rusty kept the rest, would be silky soft.
Gem had never considered what kissing Rusty would be like, but ever since that stupid crush had taken root, he’d been curious. He wondered if Rusty’s whiskers would poke his cheeks or if he’d taste as spicy and smoky as he smelled. Would the kisses be fast or slow, firm or gentle? Gem had a feeling the kiss would be intense and electric, like basking in the eye of the hurricane.
Rusty reminded Gem of a thunderstorm. The intense charge in the air. The rumbling thunder that made his bones quake. The pregnant pause before the wild explosion. Controlled chaos. Oh, but when it broke loose, it would be one hell of a ride.
Not to mention, Rusty had skills. He’d worked Flesh Street for years, so he would know exactly what he was doing. And for his part, Gem was practically a sexual prodigy. He had six hands and was incredible at multi-tasking, he was enthusiastic as fuck, and he was hella open-minded. He’d try just about anything once.
Unholy shit, the sex would be unreal. They’d probably shatter the veil between worlds. It would betoogood. Their sex would be so fire that it would bring about the apocalypse. Dear gods, for the sake of the universe, they could never fuck. It would be entirely irresponsible.
“Gem?” Rusty said, and deities, he liked the way Rusty’s lips formed his name. “What’s wrong with your fur?”
Tearing his gaze away from Rusty’s mouth, Gem blinked in a wave and shook loose the inappropriate porn reel suddenly playing through his brain. “What?”
“Your fur just got all poofy. Are you feeling okay?” Rusty asked in concern, and Gem squeaked, sitting up and desperately trying to flatten his traitorous arm and leg fur.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing,” he said, face flushed—not from the temperature this time.
“Are you sure? You’re not getting heat stroke, right? You should drink some water,” Rusty said.
“No, I’m not—it’s fine, really. It’s just ’cause I’m… sweaty,” he said, cringing at that because being sweaty was not very sexy. “I mean, the heat. It makes my fur poofy sometimes and has absolutely nothing to do with anything else.”
A water bottle appeared in front of Gem, and the back of Rusty’s hand brushed his shoulder. “Here. Have some—”
“No!” Gem shrieked, batting his hand away, and Rusty jerked back with an offended chitter. “Stop it. Stop it right now.”
“What did I do?” Rusty demanded.
“Oh you know what you did,” Gem tugged on the skirt of his swimsuit bottoms to ensure Rusty didn’t catch sight of his half-chub. “You need to shut it the fuck down right this fucking minute.”
“What?” Rusty cried, tail flicking in annoyance.
“We have to protect the universe,” Gem wailed, and Rusty looked, impossibly, even more confused.
“Stop yelling at me!” He chucked the water bottle at Gem’s chest, face pinching in frustration. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Since Gem didn’t want to admit that he’d technically been contemplating the sex-pocalypse that would take place should they ever smash, he said, “Then just trust me when I say that I currently have the fate of the universeresting on my sexy but no less durable shoulders, and I am not built for that kind of pressure!”
As Rusty gaped at him, Gem unscrewed the bottle and chugged half the water as he mentally threatened his dick with celibacy should it get any more stupid ideas. Thankfully, the arrival of Toni, Oliver, and Liel interrupted the awkward moment, and Gem forced his prehensiles back to their proper place inside his body as his cock softened enough that he could stand without pitching a tent.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Gem said earnestly, pulling Oliver and Toni into an enthusiastic hug.
“No, it’s too hot,” Toni complained, extricating himself from Gem’s limbs. “I need to get in the water before I combust.”
“You’re not wrong,” Oliver said, though he patted Gem’s back and didn’t fight the embrace. “I can’t remember ever being this hot before.”
