Penis-Brain
Bryce
Oh Lord, Bryce wascrushing on Zef. It was official. Call the newspapers. Set up a press conference. Make it national news. He was crushing, and he was crushinghard.
It was more than fascination, more than curiosity. It was even more than the basic physical attraction he’d felt from the moment they’d first met. There were clear and present feelings, but he wasn’t sure what to do about them.
Part of him wanted to stamp them out, because he didn’t want to ruin the very good thing he had going—not only because if Zef kicked him out, he’d have no place to live, but because he didn’t want to risk the deepening friendship he’d built with them.
But the other part? The part that had felt Zef’s fingers graze over his knuckles, the part that had sat across the table from them as they had offered him their hand, the part that had danced with them under the twin moons and anchored their pinkies together. Yeah, that part wantedto throw caution to the wind and ask Zef how they felt about cuddling. Or kissing.
They were open to romance, to relationships. They’d said they wanted to be wanted. And hell, Bryce wanted them.
So maybe cuddling and kissing would be on the table? Sex wouldn’t, but that was okay with him. Sure, he could enjoy sex well enough, but he was also perfectly content with his hand when the need arose. But kissing? Cuddling? Yeah, he really liked those things, and if Zef didn’t, or couldn’t, meet him there, then he feared it might be a dealbreaker.
Granted, he was clearly getting ahead of himself. He didn’t even know if Zef liked him romantically at all. Maybe the new touching was simply a sign of friendly affection in their culture, a gesture to communicate the depth of their friendship. Which was reason enough to celebrate, don’t get him wrong, but there was still that stubborn part that hoped.
Maybe, just maybe, Zef was crushing too.
His hope wasn’t entirely unfounded, right? Zef was touching him more often, and each time, it seemed to come easier for them. They invited him to do more things with them, like allowing him to watch their religious meditation ritual where they—Bryce assumed—prayed to their ancestors. Or, as April rolled into May, asking him to help them plant the human flowers in the garden.
As they dug in the cold earth, side by side, their fingers brushed, but instead of pulling away, Zef simply bit their lower lip to stave off a smile as their cheeks flushed dark green. Which had to mean something. At least, he thought it meant something.
Who was he kidding? He mostlyhopedit meant something. But he couldn’t know for sure unless he asked. Which was terrifying in its own right.
“Bryce!” Gem barked, tearing him from his thoughts and back to the D&D campaign at hand. “Tell Jude I’m allowed to roll for charisma so I can fuck the Minotaur!”
Since Gem was constantly rolling to seduce any monster the party faced before even considering fighting them, Bryce didn’t try to argue. “He can seduce the Minotaur if he wants.”
“Or we could just attack it,” Jude said like it was the most logical course of action—because it was, but Gem wasn’t exactly one for logic.
“You’re telling me you wouldn’t fuck the Minotaur?” Gem asked accusingly.
“No, Gem, as shocking it sounds, I don’t want to fuck the man with a cow head. I understand why that is very difficult foryouto accept, though,” Jude said as Toni barked a laugh and high-fived him.
“Mr. Cow,” Bryce whispered, and Rusty’s head shot up from behind his DM handbook so fast he had to have gotten whiplash.
“What?” the Pyclon demanded.
Pointing to the Minotaur figure, Bryce innocently said, “Because he has a cow head. I thought we could call him Mr. Cow.”
Gem tittered uncomfortably, exchanging a panicked look with Rusty. “That’s so funny, Bryce. So funny and random and not at all applicable to real life.”
“That sounds stupid,” Toni said. “The Minotaur sounds way more threatening. Addingmisterto anything makes it sound like an old guy wearing socks with his sandals, telling dad jokes.”
“That’s not my experience,” Oliver said, and Liel grinned fiendishly as he whispered, “Mr. Barnes,” into his ear.
Bryce scratched the back of his neck. “I think we’re getting off track.”
“Or getting on track if I win this roll and fuck the Minotaur,” Gem said. “You’re welcome to all of you for saving your lives with my magical pussy.”
“I still don’t think that should have been allowed as a character strength,” Jude muttered.
“Yeah, you wouldn’t, you unwhimsical bitch,” Rusty said flatly.
“Watch it,” Toni warned.
“You’re just siding with Gem because you’re the one fucking that magical pussy,” Jude accused, and Rusty grinned smugly, flashing canines.
