For dinner, Gem ordered in, and they smoked a bowl, then heartily ate up the delivery when it arrived. Then they lay in Gem’s bed, whispering and giggling under the covers as the high took them on a journey.
“I should go,” Rusty murmured after night had settled over Lust, his button nose dragging over Gem’s cheek. “I’m still in yesterday’s clothes.”
Gem played with Rusty’s clawed fingers, the lamp filtering through the sheet fabric over their heads. “I don’t want you to go. Then I’m gonna miss you, and that’s not fun.”
“We’ll see each other tomorrow at work,” Rusty said.
“So? Tomorrow isn’t right now, so I’m still gonna miss you.”
Rusty’s smile was soft and lovely. “I think you’re really high.”
“Your mom’s really high,” Gem muttered before he gasped and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh my gods, I made another mom-joke. I’m so sorry.”
Pulling his hand down, Rusty snuffled a laugh as he leaned in and kissed him. “It’s okay. I like you anyway.”
“You do?” Gem asked, blinking heavy eyelids, and Rusty nodded shyly. “I like you too. Like, so much. It makes me wanna squeeze you until your eyes pop out of your head.”
“That sounds murdery,” Rusty chided.
“I didn’t say I would. Only that I wanted to.” Gem flicked his nose, and his whiskers twitched.
“Still. Kinda violent.”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty, so I can get away with it. Hashtag pretty privilege.”
“You are pretty,” Rusty said with a mischievous grin. “Pretty… ridiculous. Burn, Akyllo!”
Gem released a shrill whine as Rusty cackled. “Rus! That was so mean. Now you have to make out with me as an apology, and maybe dry-hump a little.”
Throwing his head back, Rusty laughed, and Gem lunged forward to taste the joy on his lips. They made out, loose and happy, and they might have dry-humped. Just a little.
In the morning, Gem woke to his alarm and a note on the pillow beside him.
See you at work —R
Beside theR, Rusty had drawn a little heart, and it made Gem squeal pathetically, kicking his feet as he crushed the note to his chest. When he got to work an hour later, excited nerves swarmed in his stomach. He greeted Glyma and Zef as the kitchen doors swung open, and Gem froze as Rusty walked in, carrying a tray of dishes.
“Hey, Gem,” he said with a barely-there smile, and Gem wassochill as he said, “Hey, Rus,” back.
Rusty paused, giving Gem a quick, appreciative onceover. “Nice shirt. It looks good on you.”
Then he trudged back to the dishwashing station, leaving Gem gaping as he smoothed a hand down the white halter top. “Uh, thanks.”
Wide-eyed, he faced Glyma, Willow, and Zef. Zef was still mixing sauce in a bowl, entirely oblivious to the exchange. Glyma was watching Gem with a furrow to her purple brows. Willow met Gem’s gaze with a knowing smile, and Gem’s cheeks heated.
To escape the suddenly sweltering kitchen, Gem strode purposefully through the swinging doors and greeted Oliver with a flustered peck to the human’s cheek. As he took his spot behind the espresso machine, he tucked his water bottle under the counter, accidentally knocking something to the ground. It clattered across the galaxy epoxy floor, and Gem crouched to grab it.
It was a white stone, smooth and shiny, buffed to glinty perfection. He stood, turning the rock over in his top hands as he started the drink order Oliver had just taken with his other hands. He could nearly see his reflection in the opalescent surface, and he frowned.
What was it, and where had it come from?
Movement to his left caught the attention of one eye, and he glanced over, finding Rusty watching him intently. The moment he noticed Gem’s swiveling eye, he faced the bakery case and made himself busy, though he continued peeking Gem’s way when he thought he wasn’t looking.
Confused but knowing his response to the mysterious rock was vitally important, Gem knocked Oliver’s shoulder to get his attention. “Look at this pretty rock. Isn’t it awesome?”
Oliver screwed up his face but inspected the glossy stone in Gem’s palm. “Uh, yeah. It’s… cool.”
“Yeah, I like it,” Gem said, making a show of putting it into his shorts pocket.
