“The vital part of my overall well-being that you’re overlooking,” he went on, stepping around her to inspect himself in the mirror, “is that I have to be able to rail at the man every once in a while. Fight back against our oppressors. Fuck shit up for the one percent. Otherwise, it builds up inside me like black bile. That’s how you turn dark.”
“I wash my face in that sink!”
He turned, the silver rings on his tusks glinting as he grinned hugely. “Sometimes you just don’t want to worry about clean-up.”
“I brush my teeth in that sink!”
She was already laughing when he pulled her in against him. “Yeah, you have. Pretty sure you’ve dragged those same teeth over my cock. Don’t worry. I always rinse.”
She was still laughing as she slipped her shoes on a few moments later.
“By the way, Idothink we should go back to my place tonight. It won’t be that late. That is, if you still want to go to the selkie exhibit? It opens at eleven, and I think we should be there within the first hour if we don't want to risk getting shut out.”
“Yes! Of course I want to go. Now who’s being silly?”
After the Ice: The Evolution of Selkie Culture in the Pleistocene and Beyondwas a brand new semi-permanent exhibit opening close to his apartment, owing partially to the success of a Minoan history exhibit they had visited in Cambric Creek several times already, and the considerable Selkie population of Starling Heights. It was exactly the sort of cultural experience that ticked all of Ainsley’s boxes — his love of history and anthropology, plus the nostalgia kick of growing up spending his summers exploring exhibits like these at his leisure in the museum where his mother had worked. They were both eager to see this collection, and she bounced on her toes in excitement at the thought.
“It will definitely be an early night. Lurielle is the first person to admit she turns into a pumpkin by ten. We’ll swing back here and grab our stuff after dinner then, if that works. And I promise I’ll remember next time that you need to meet your ‘fuck the man’ quota every month so you don’t get too cranky.”
“Seriously, fuck him. Fuck him so hard.”
It had been a joke. A light joke referencing his earlier words, an acknowledgment that she had heard him and understood. But as they entered Grass and Grain and her eyes locked on Khash's broad, bespoke sport coat-encased back, his hair a voluminous bevy of twists and braids, neatly pulled away fromhis face and secured down said back, his contrasting pocket square arranged like a jaunty celebration of excess in his breast pocket, looking every inch the white collar, upper middle class, seven-foot-two banker that he was, she realized he was the very definition ofthe Man, and that the small amount of complaining Ainsley had done to her since getting off his train was likely not adequate in fucking anyone.
“Looks like we missed the notification on the dress code.”
Ris tightened her fingers around his, ignoring his sardonic tone, knowing too well that her smile likely resembled a grimace.It’s fine. It’s going to be fine.Unsurprisingly, her mind skated back tothatmoment, when he'd stood sourly in her bathroom doorway, knowing her intuition had been spot on. She shouldn't have ignored it. She should have called Lurielle and canceled right then and there, saving herself from needing to stretch so far in the web that she was in danger of stretching her out completely.Sonofabitch.
“The construction north of the bridge has had the whole midtown area in gridlock for a month.” Khash groused, earning Ainsley’s snort of disgust. “I don’t know how they even have y’all using your front entrance at this point, if you’re right on Park End.”
“They told us overflow parking is in a surface lot off Swansea, like that’s supposed to be better. I never had a commute when I worked at the office before, I lived just a few blocks away. I don’t know how people do this every day.”
Khash made a sound of disgust at Ainsley’s words, deep in his throat. “Well that’s just goin’ around your ass to get to your elbow. Swansea is nothin’ but lights.”
Khash and Ainsley had been discussing the finer points of how terrible the traffic was in Bridgeton for the last fifteen minutes, after Ris mentioned Ainsley’s week-long stay with her. It was the most the two had conversed since they were seated, and she wasn’t about to jump in and redirect the conversation, regardless of how little she cared about traffic in the city and no matter how many pointed, plaintive looks Lurielle tossed in her direction.
She was meant to be poking Khash about his engagement plans, reminding him that he’d been the one to claim that particular duty. Ris opened her mouth to change the subject, but lifted her wine glass instead, taking a small sip as the two orcs continued to bemoan the perils of commuting.
Ainsley had been rather restrained since they were seated, his normal cheerful smile mostly absent, cementing her suspicion that they ought to have stayed home. Khash, too, was full of work aggravation, although he used his genial smile and booming voice to mask his mood much more effectively than Ainsley, but the out-of-character temperaments of her and Lurielle’s Orcish companions added a strange spark of tension to the night that normally would not have existed.
At least, not to this degree.
"The commute on the train was relatively stress-free," Ainsley admitted. "I know some folks are very attached to their vehicles, but I will take that over trying to get up Swansea at rush hour every day of the week. And the dinner company made the commute worth it. I lucked out with a good roommate.”
Ris beamed at Ainsley's words, glad for the validation that he had enjoyed the week just as much as she had, despite his grousing.
Across the table, Khash chuckled. "See, now that's what I'm looking forward to. No lights, no gridlock. Just holding on tight and making train friends.”
“Oh, stars save those poor people,” Lurielle sighed. “They’re never going to get to read their books in peace again.”
“Hush. I'll miss some of my favorite spots in the city, but I am looking forward to the day when I won't have to make that crosstown commute anymore. Besides, it’s not like there’s a lack of good restaurants here. I probably won’t even miss it.”
Ainsley's eyebrows raised, piercings glinting in the restaurant's amber lighting. "You planning on making the move to suburbia permanent?"
This time, it was Lurielle's turn to laugh. "I think we technically discussed marriage and children on our first date. And I attempted to propose to him once already, but that was shot down.”
She beamed up at the big orc, who was at that moment mooning down at her. Ris grinned.They really are perfect together.
“So now I'm just waiting forsomeoneto build me a fire. Although, I still don't know where you think we're going to put all of your hair products. My little bathroom just isn't big enough."
