“Yes,” they said.
“It’s only two months.”
“I know.”
“It’ll be over before you know it,” Bryce said, and Zef glared at him.
“Stop trying to make me feel better. I am sad because I am going to miss you so very much. Let me be sad.”
With a nod, he kissed their temple. “Okay. I’m sad too. We can be sad together.”
Hugging his arm, Zef ignored the stares of everyone on the train at their display of physical affection. Bryce was their partner, and they only had another hour with him, so they would give and take affection as much as they wanted, propriety be damned!
The ride to Purgatory passed faster than it should have, and Zef followed Bryce off the train, their hands still twined. They walked through Purgatory station toward the platforms to the human world. Halfway there, their group of friends came into view.
They held signs saying,“We’ll miss you, Bryce,”and“Come back soon,”and Zef’s heart filled with fondness as a smile broke over Bryce’s face.
“Aw, you guys. You didn’t have to do all this,” he said as he was enveloped in all six of Gem’s arms.
“I’m saying goodbye first because I don’t like goodbyes or feeling sad,” Gemae said as he rubbed Bryce’s back. “Come visit soon, and send me cow pictures whenever you can.”
“Will do, Gem,” Bryce said as he patted the Araknis’s back.
Rusty stepped up next, and they fist-bumped each other. “Safe travels, man.”
“Thanks. Let me know when you have your next campaign ready,” Bryce said, clapping Rusty on the shoulder. “I’ll join the party with Discord or something.”
“Sounds good,” the Pyclon said.
Liel offered Bryce a handshake, and Oliver hugged him. “We’ll see you at Christmas.”
“Make sure Zef doesn’t forget their noise-canceling headphones for the plane,” they heard Bryce whisper to Oliver, and the human nodded.
“We’ll take care of them,” he promised, and Bryce’s shoulders loosened in relief.
Any other time, Zef may have been offended, but they were too sad to feel anything else. Willow cupped Bryce’s face, giving him a kiss on each cheek, and the human blushed red under his beard. Jude and Bryce embraced, then Toni took Jude’s spot.
“Keep an eye on Zef for me, won’t you?” Bryce said, and Toni snorted.
“I’ll keep two.”
“I am not a child,” Zef mumbled, but everyone ignored them.
“I know where you live,” Tad said, arms crossed over her chest, bulbous eyes narrowed in warning. “And don’t you forget it.”
Bryce swallowed thickly. “Okay. Take care, Tad.”
The Anura pointed two fingers at her eyes before jabbing her index finger at Bryce in the universal signal for“I’m watching you.”Even thoughhe was five times her size, he still shrank away, half-hiding behind Zef. They patted his back in comfort and reassurance.
After all the farewells had been exchanged, they moved as a group toward the platform where Bryce would be getting on a train and leaving Zef forever. Well, not forever, but it felt like it would be forever, and they wanted to be dramatic.
Near the door to the train, Bryce unloaded his bags, then turned to Zef. They avoided his gaze, and he huffed, half-amused, half-exasperated.
“Zef,” he said, but they still refused to look at him. If they did, they would cry, and they did not want to cry in front of Toni. It would break the poor Elas’s heart. “Zef, will you look at me, please?”
It was thepleasethat did it, spoken so sweetly, so softly.
With a sigh, they crossed all four arms over their chest and grudgingly met Bryce’s gray eyes. He was smiling, but it was sad, his eyes glossy. Tears flooded their vision, and they looked away again.
