Like Dex could see it too, he grinned toothily, his tail wagging, as he made a wave in the opposite direction. “That’s okay. I’ll take it back and send it to Abi.”
The Ophys startled at being addressed by name, black eyes wide with alarm, but Tad spoke before Abi could respond. “The only thing fun about weddings is crashing them. I set a whole clan of honey badgers loose at a wedding once; it was awesome.”
“If you even think of ruining my wedding day, I will skin you alive and feast on your organs,” Liel threatened as electricity crackled between his fingers.
Oliver looked stuck somewhere in the realm of terrified arousal at Liel’s declaration, but Tad just grinned eerily at the Gymnot. “Don’t flirt with me. You’re not my type.”
“I already picked out my dress,” Gem said, showing Rusty his phone.
“Pretty sure that’s what the bride is supposed to wear,” the Pyclon said, but Gem shushed him.
“How very exciting,” Zef said, taking Bryce’s hand. “I am eager to see a human wedding.”
“Do Mantodeas have weddings?” he asked, and they nodded.
“Yes, we celebrate the union between life partners with a feast and dancing. The couple exchange earrings,” they said, touching their naked earlobes. “It is traditional for the partner to pierce the lobe with a hot needle, so it cauterizes the wound instantly, and then they place the earring they picked out themself in the hole.”
“Why the cauterization?”
“To ensure it scars, should they ever remove the jewelry due to the death of their partner.”
Bryce wasn’t one for jewelry, but he would let Zef pierce his ears if it held significance for them. Maybe one day, they’d let him put a ring on their finger too.
Later that night, when they arrived home, Zef stopped Bryce in the kitchen, nearly boxing him in against the kitchen island. Their expression was serious, brows drawn down in concentration, and worry tickled at his chest.
“You okay?”
“Yes. I have been thinking about something,” they said as their antennas wriggled. “I think I am ready for it, but I am also nervous.”
Leaning back on the counter, he placed his hands on their hips. “Okay. Do you wanna talk about it? It might help you feel less nervous.”
“I would like to kiss you. On the mouth,” they clarified unnecessarily, and Bryce fought the immediate excitement bubbling inside his chest.
“Oh, wow,” he said, gaze dropping to their green lips unbidden. “Are you sure?”
They nodded. “Yes. But I am nervous because I have never done it before, so I will probably not be very good at it. And I am scared that, maybe, I will not like it, which would be disappointing, also for you, I think. And I am also afraid that we are moving too fast. Mantodeas cancourt for years before they even hug. Yet, I am so happy that we hug. I have never been a very good Mantodea, I suppose.”
“You’re a perfect you,” Bryce said, rubbing their sides, “and that’s all that matters.”
Beaming at him, they leaned in and propped their forehead on his. Their antennas dotted kisses over his head as they framed his face with their hands. They whistled at him, and he whistled back, trying to replicate their notes. They startled, large eyes widening further.
They whistled again, slower this time, and he wet his lips and, again, tried to copy them. He must have done something right, because they thrummed in pleasure, crowding into his space until their bodies slotted together.
“I would like to kiss you now, if you are agreeable,” they said, cool breath fanning over his mouth and chin.
“Yeah, Zef, I’d like to kiss you too.”
“Please stay still the first time,” they asked, and he nodded.
“Okay.”
“Okay,” they echoed.
Like they were psyching themself up, they took several measured breaths, top hands quaking slightly where they cupped his face. Their lower hands smoothed absently over his chest, catching on the buttons of this shirt every now and then. Their gaze bored into his intensely, and he almost went cross-eyed trying to retain eye contact as they closed the distance between them.
Neither of them closed their eyes as Zef pressed their lips to his in a barely-there touch. They didn’t move their mouth; they didn’t even pucker their lips. They just… pushed them into Bryce’s as they stared unblinkingly at him.
It was a confusing moment. On one hand, Zef was kissing him, so he was excited. On the other, it was awkward and creepy, but in a cute, lovable way.
