“And?” Bryce prompted.
“I may have some ideas,” Rusty said vaguely, and Bryce grinned.
“Awesome. Can’t wait to play one of your campaigns.”
Rusty’s whiskers twitched. “Whatever.”
“Oh, where can I find your graphic novel, by the way? I want to read it.”
With a grimace, Rusty scratched behind his ear. “It’s not, like, anything special. It’s stupid.”
“I highly doubt that.” Bryce knocked his shoulder gently. “Let me give it a try.”
The Pyclon grudgingly sent him a link to his graphic novel, written under an account named Rosheen, and though he acted huffy, Bryce caught the way his tail fluffed up.
Before the night drew to a close, they all squished together to take a selfie, Gem’s arm stretched as far as possible to fit everyone into frame. Zef laid a hand on Toni’s shoulder to steady their balance as they leaned into Bryce’s side. For the brief moment it took Gem to snap the picture, the length of Zef’s body pushed into Bryce’s, two of their arms loosely framing his back without making full contact. They smelled like their homemade soap and tea leaves, and Bryce couldn’t resist angling his head just enough to bring their cheeks within kissing distance.
As Gem lowered his hand and inspected the pictures, Zef straightened, and their arms dropped from behind Bryce’s back. He turned toward them, their faces still close, and Zef smiled softly at him. The ends of their antennas surged forward, tickling over his forehead, there and gone again before he’d even fully realized what was happening.
“Merry Christmas, Bryce,” Zef said.
It took him an extra breath to respond. “Merry Christmas, Zef.”
Chapter twelve
Changes
Zef
January brought gray cloudsand cold rain to the Pentagram. With Bryce’s help, Zef covered their more delicate plants in plastic sheets to protect them from the chill and keep them insulated. They left the evil vines to fend for themselves. Their hair would thank them in the spring.
Their days were spent at work, adjusting to the coming changes of the Greed location’s opening and the influx of new colleagues. Cya was settling into the day shift, working behind the espresso machine as Gem took over the register. Oliver spent most of his time in Quin’s office, training for his shift in duties.
Glyma had hired a young Lupyn named Dex who would be starting in two weeks. Zef had briefly met him when Glyma had given him a tour, and he had been eager and friendly.
“Hey, I’m Dex,” he’d announced, waving a large paw. “Like sex but with aD.”
“The best sex usually is,” Gem had whispered to Toni, who’d tried to cover his snort of laughter as a cough.
Dex would be working the front with Cya and Rusty once Gem and Oliver moved to the Greed location, and Glyma wanted to hire another kitchen worker since Toni would be filling in for Quin during her maternity leave. Zef had heard whispers of Quin taking an official step back from the business completely, which could mean Toni being promoted permanently as manager, but that was still in flux.
Things were changing at the cafe. It was not the first time, of course, but it was strange to be one of the older staff, watching their friends move on or move up while new, younger kids took their places. Zef had always enjoyed their work, but they had no aspirations to manage a team or a cafe location. They had taken the job at the cafe because Tad had told them it was a good place to work, the hours were decent, and the pay was enough for them to live comfortably.
And they had made good friendships, so they had stayed. Yet, everything was changing now, and they felt untethered by it all.
Their time at home brought peace. Sitting with Bryce in the living room as they sewed and he studied. Taking turns choosing a documentary to watch together and discussing it after. Reading on opposite ends of the couch, legs drawn up to ensure their feet did not meet in the middle.
Though, had their feet brushed, Zef was unsure if it would have bothered them. They had only known Bryce a few months, but in that time, they had come to think of him as a friend. Agoodfriend.
Their conversations were always stimulating but never felt like a debate, even if they disagreed on some aspects of theology or society. Bryce’s mind was fascinating, and he was so incredibly smart and talented. And he was kind and considerate; he honored Zef’s mug system and even startedvacuuming in the direction Zef preferred, for no other reason than because he knew they preferred it.
He was… He was just lovely, and Zef was so grateful to know him.
So, no, if their feet ever met in the middle, it would not have upset them. If anything, they were curious what the pressure of Bryce’s touch would feel like. More than just a brush of their hair off their shoulder or a playful tug of their braid. More than a graze of elbows when they were cleaning the kitchen or cooking together.
A real touch. Bryce’s skin on Zef’s. The weight of his fingertips on their arm or their back. They were… curious. Which in of itself was curious.
Usually, they avoided physical contact with most people, even those they considered friends. So to feel comfortable enough with Bryce after only a few months to wonder what it would be like to touch him or, more importantly, to be touched by him was curious indeed.
