“Can humans die like that? You must be such fragile creatures.”
She actually looks worried that I will die from mortification, and I feel a stupid, happy little burst of warmth in my heart. I have a friend who cares about me. That is a real gift. No need for bright side speeches today. I have a true friend, and she’s kind of goofy. How lucky am I?
“No, but we are known for our dramatic ways,” I tease, leaning against the closest shelf, clutching my heart to illustrate my point.
“That part I could have guessed,” she replies with a laugh.
“Dhugarens are dramatic, in their own ways. We tease and poke and joke relentlessly sometimes. Like last night,” Furga pauses and takes a breath, steeling herself, “I am sorry I made you uncomfortable. I was only teasing, but I forget that other races don’t take as kindly to thatas Dhugarens do. I hope I haven’t scared you off Khur. He’s a really good male, and he deserves a little happiness. He looked really happy last night.”
“Oh, Furga, my friend. Something you will quickly learn about me, and I should warn you, most humans might not be the same in this, but I do not hold grudges. Life is too short, and the galaxy is too big to let the small things drive a wedge between friends. I forgave you last night before I’d even reached my apartment.”
She smiles brilliantly at me, her fangs gleaming. They protrude from her bottom jaw and push her top lip up a bit, same as Khur’s, and I find it so endearing. On Khur, admittedly, I find it unbelievably hot and I kind of want to lick those fangs. On Furga, though, it’s just really cute, like a kid in pigtails. I wonder if she’d let me do her hair…er, fur… whatever.
“Khur and I are just friends, though,” I say lamely, sounding, even to my own ears, like I am disappointed by this fact.
“You don’t have to be, though. I think he may be more open to the idea than you realize.” She has a gleam in her eye, like she knows something I don’t, and I don’t like the spark of hope that flares inside me.
“We’re different species. It’s never going to happen. I haven’t seen one interspecies couple on this station, yet. Why is that? It may not be illegal, but it doesn't seem to be socially acceptable.”
“Maybe everyone is waiting for one brave couple to be the first.”
Her voice is so full of longing I can’t respond. Suddenly the image of Shemo staring hungrily after her yesterday leaps into my mind. Maybe Furga’s right. Maybe there are a slew of couples just waiting for someone else to break the seal, if you will. Or maybe there’s justone. Just two people desperate for each other, but too afraid to say anything. My heart aches for my friend, and I try not to get stuck in the cycle of what-ifs currently working through my mind.
I’m not sure I can be the trailblazer here, though. I want adventure and excitement, butthatis not how I pictured getting it. It’s too big of a risk. Sure, everyone might just be waiting for one couple to come out to start an interspecies gang bang, but they could also turn against us. I couldn’t stand the thought of the whole station hating me, and Khur by association, treating us like pariahs for daring to be together.
I try to shove all those thoughts away and focus on what Furga is showing me. It’s a lot to think about, but on the bright side, I have plenty to keep me busy.
I don’t get to meet the Rankian, after all. Furga says she wants to warn him first, and someone should watch the supply station anyways. Luckily, only a few customers come by to pick up the orders Furga helped me pack before she left. Before I know it, I am walking back to my apartment, and as much as I want to wander and explore, the energy it took to be cheery through my hangover has exhausted me and all I want to do is crash.
The apartment is quiet when I enter and the lights come on to greet me. I almost don’t bother to call out, but I can’t stop myself.
“Hey Dad. I’m home.”
I don’t wait for a response, just trudge to the kitchen and punch in the sequence I have finally figured out makes mac and cheese. While the machine works its magic, I lean heavily on the countertop. There’s no fridge, no microwave. There are open shelves above the counter where cabinets might be, but they're empty besides our standard-issue pairs of cups, bowls and utensils. There are no drawers, which totally threw me off at first. I just wish I had a few pretty dishes to add to the shelf. Urzu’s lovely pottery set comes to mind, but I think I want something more colorful. Man, those credits are gonna be gone the second I get them.
A shuffling alerts me to my dad, coming into the kitchen in his bathrobe and worn slippers. He wears a stormy expression, his dark brows pushed low over his eyes, his mouth set in a firm line.
“Destiny,” he bites out, then stops.
“...Dad? Everything okay?” I ask.
He’s acting even weirder than normal.
“Did you tell that alien to come check on me?”
“Alien…?” then it dawns on me. Last night, Gunnvall suggested coming by, but it totally slipped my mind, “Oh Dad, please tell me you weren’t mean to Gunnvall. He’s a really nice guy.”
“You’re not worried ifhewas mean tome?Why am I the bad guy here?” he shouts at me.
“No one is the bad guy here," I respond with a little more heat than I intend to. "Gunnvall offered to come introduce himself to you. He was at the dinner party last night and wanted to help us adjust. Everyone did, they’re all so friendly.”
“Well I don’t want it. I don’t need their pity or their help. I don’t need anyone’s.”
“Well, I sure think you need mine.”
I want to bite the words back as soon as they're out. Snatch them out of the air between us and swallow them. I’ve never said anything like that to him, but now that the words out, I know I can’t erase them from between us, or from my mind. In fact, I can’t seem to stop as more come shooting out of me.
“I’m twenty-two years old, Dad, and for the last six years I’ve been the adult here.” I gesture wildly between us. “I’ve done everything for you since Mom left. If it weren’t for me, I’m not sure you would have even survived long enough for the Originem to find us. And you certainly wouldn’t be on this super nice space station. You’d probably be breaking your back on some factory planet just like you were on Earth. But that’s what you want, isn’t it? Just to go back to how things were before, when you went to work and came home and moped while I took care of everything. Or maybe you want me to leave, just like she—”
