“Look, I’m sure you’re a nice beastman and all but I already have three assholes on the roster. We’re all full up. There’s no room for more.”
Ufful nodded, though he looked disappointed. Tough potatoes. I wasn’t even remotely interested.
“Kehl say…” Ufful paused, then clamped his lips shut.
“What else did your great friend Kehl say?” I bit out sharply.
Ufful’s throat began to work and his gaze darted around.
“Ufful,” I snapped.
“Daidzee males tell Kehl, No-yell think Purr-roo have mate sads. Miss mates. Daidzee’s males no see Kehl’ Pur-roo. Purr-roo get the head spinnies, fall when upset, like Rek missing him Jojoknee do. Kehl worry Purr-roo get sick, no mate to not miss. Ask Ufful, want be fourth, Ufful goot to Purred-roo males they comes back. Ufful no care. Ufful say yes. Ufful pleased, see Kehl’ Purred-roo, pretty like Kehl say. Prettier,” he enthused, to my lackluster glower.
“I want you to deliver a message for me. Can you do that?” Slow, deep, even breaths. You’ve got this, Pru. “I want you to tell Kehl that I said he can kiss my ass, and that he’ll be the only male on this plane I’d ever allow the prestigious honor of, and if he doesn’t like it, tough potatoes.”
Ufful opened his mouth to comment but slowly closed it.
“Do you need me to write it down?” I grumbled.
“Kehl know the angrish?” Ufful questioned. Under his breath, he huffed out softly, “No know many those words mean. Poed-taters tuft, plaid-steeg-ous hodor…”
Angrish. I liked it. It was the only thing I was capable of speaking right now, very angry English— Angrish.
“Can you remember my message?” I pressed.
Ufful nodded. “Ufful ‘member. Ufful tell Kehl.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“Ufful come back, see Purred-roo after?”
He looked so hopeful but there was no hope at all.
“No.” Don’t mince words. Don’t give him even a shred of hope or he’ll be up my butt. Blunt.
Ufful tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it, his disappointment complete. He’ll live. Kehl may not if he keeps this up, but Ufful would get over my rejection. He seemed a nice enough beast.
“Is everything okay?”
Turning, I smiled as I made eye contact with a peeking blue peeper staring at me worriedly from the sliver she’d made barely cracking the door open.
“Everything’s fine,” I fibbed with a big, fake, put upon smile.
“It’s okay if it’s not,” Dace said easily as the door creaked open and she stepped aside for me to make my way past her.
“It’s not but it will be,” I hoped.
As we started in on taking off our snow soggy coats and boots, Dace mumbled, “I know you’ve been sad.” Hesitating, she added, “I hear you sometimes at night.”
When I turned around to face her after setting my boots at the end of my bed near the door, she was already walking towards me with a wrapped bundle in her hands.
“I know it’s not much but you mentioned you lost your wig with the beanie and I just thought, uhm, you know…” Voice trailing off, she held the lumpy bundle out to me.
Untying the fabric, I pulled out a beanie similar to the one she’d given me before, this one lined with tebbimenk fur on the inside, with a dark haired wig piece with purple streaks in it.
“I thought the color might be fun, and you said your hair was brown before it all fell out.” She was babbling, worrying her lip, her gaze darting from my face to her gift.
“It’s beautiful,” I blurted, staring at it and fighting a case of the weepies.
