True to their word, Bryce didn’t see them for two whole days. He assumed they left their room to eat when he was in class or after he went to bed, but in the mornings and evenings, they stayed in their room. Everyonce in a while, he heard them moving around, but for the most part, they endured the ovulation period in silence.
Toni stopped by Tuesday evening, handing a pot of soup over the threshold. “For when they get their appetite back,” he said.
“Thanks. You wanna come in? They haven’t come out of their room but—”
The Elas shook his head. “No, they won’t wanna see me right now. Just tell them we’re all thinking of them and to feel better.”
Before he had reached the last porch step, Bryce called out, “Hey, Toni? You got sisters, right?”
“So many,” he said with a fond smile.
“What do I do?” Bryce asked, and Toni chuckled.
“Make sure they got a hot water bottle or a heating pad, for the cramps. And don’t take anything they say personal if they’re crabby; they don’t mean it. Tell them they look great, even if they don’t. And if shit gets messy, don’t be weird about it. Chances are, they’re more embarrassed than you are.”
“I don’t mind mess. I’ve been shoulder-deep in a cow’s asshole before, so…” he said with a shrug.
The Elas barked a laugh. “Don’t tell Gem that; he’ll be so jealous.”
Given the porno Zef had stumbled upon, Bryce was genuinely worried about how true that statement was.
“Don’t stress, baby,” Toni said, giving him a mock salute. “You’re gonna do just fine.”
“Thanks, Toni.”
As Bryce shut the door, the Elas stopped at the base of the stairs, and he faltered, catching the door before it closed.
“Maybe it ain’t my place,” Toni said, hands in his pockets, arm fins fluttering, “but be careful with them, Bryce. They ain’t like you and me, you know? There ain’t nothing wrong with them, but they’re still different. Be gentle with them, yeah?”
“I care about them very much,” Bryce said, holding Toni’s black, endless gaze. “I… I think I’m half in love with them already.”
“Then love them hard with everything you got. They deserve it.” Bryce nodded, and so did Toni. “And if you don’t, we’re sic’ing Tad on you. So…”
The Elas splayed his hands as if to say,“What’re you gonna do.”
Genuinely terrified at the threat, Bryce released an awkward, half-hysterical laugh. “Please don’t.”
“I don’t make the rules,” Toni said as he turned and trudged back to the sidewalk.
“Please don’t sic Tad on me,” Bryce called after him.
“Then don’t fuck this up,” Toni called back.
It was not reassuring.
Thursday morning, Zef emerged from their room for the first time. Hair greasy, bags under their eyes, they shuffled out in a pair of sweats and a large hoodie. They looked haggard and exhausted, and Bryce wanted to draw them into his lap and hold them.
“Hey, Zef,” he said as he screwed his to-go mug closed.
They grunted wordlessly in response.
“Do you need anything? Can I—”
They shook their head.
“Do you need me to stay home today?”
Another head shake.
