Butcher:Gregory, what do you want your name to be when we change our names to Foxily?
As I read that, the next message comes in.
Kellman:I never change my first name.
Butcher:So you’re going to be Gregory Foxily. Don’t you think two Ys will be awkward to say.
Kellman:What do you care? It’s not like you have to say it.
Butcher:Wow. Mute jokes are only funny when I make them.
Fox:And when I make them.
Kellman:I don’t believe you’d ever make a joke at the expense of your annoyance.
Fox:Watch it.
Duran:Gregory please don’t make fun of people with disables period. No disables period send no wait disable utility period
Kellman:If anyone says a fucking word about anyone’s disabilities, I will make sure they know what it feels like to be eviscerated.
Butcher:Are human intestines useful for sausage making?
Fox:Yes.
Duran:Why are we talking about sausage now question mark send Hassan
“Who are these people?” I whisper to Darcy.
He points to each name in turn. “Romily, Gregory, Fox, Edovard. Edovard is their adopted son, the one they call Pupper and Santanos’s mate, and Gregory and Hassan are their boyfriends.”
“Poly rep. Nice. Love your found family.”
The corners of Darcy’s lips turn up and he whispers almost silently. “Yeah, Bellamy found our tribe.”
Bellamy found their tribe? I glance at the dramatic ginger with the proper southern accent and catch his eye. His brow furrows with concern, and he checks his beard like maybe he has a crumb in it or something. “What?”
I side-step over to him. “I’m glad you found the right family for you and Darcy to join. They seem like good people, and I like that they’re welcoming to everyone without judgment.”
Bellamy snickers at that. “Oh, we judge, make no mistake. We just reserve it for the people we’re fixing to kill.”
“I’m glad I didn’t end up on that list.” I pat his shoulder and then decide maybe he’d like a hug instead and open my arms for that.
Bellamy pauses for a moment, and chuckling, he wraps his arms around me tightly like I really do belong in his family. I bet my mom would hug him just as tight. I better make sure I bring the new family out to meet the OG family.
“You’re a good man,” I tell him. “Well, maybe a bit gray around the edges, but I think that just makes the way you shine on the inside all the brighter.”
Bellamy pulls away from the hug with a curious look. “Gray around the edges?”
I wave to the outline of where I think his aura would be if those things existed. “You know, morally gray in that you like killing people, but you only do it for the right reason, so you’re good. Plus you’re the Avatar of Good, so I assume you have to at least align with the moral philosophy of your aspect.”
Bellamy thinks about it. “Until last spring, I worked for Santanos, and I enjoyed my job. I didn’t like Santanos that well, but very few people like their bosses.”
“Switching sides like that takes some guts,” I congratulate him. “I’m not sure I would have done it.” I also don’t think I would take a job working for evil. Well, maybe. I might take a job working for evil if the pay was good and the benefits are worth the compromise. I don’t need my life to be squeaky clean, but I also don't think I’d ever be ok going around killing innocent people because it’s my job.
Bellamy’s smile is soft and affectionate as he looks over at Romily. “It didn’t take anything at all. Romily made it easy.”
“He’s the lynchpin of your family, right? Pull him out and the whole thing would unravel. I'm glad he’s safe from attack because of his ward.” It would be sad to see the family unravel if they lost him.
