“Refill?” asked Noah. AJ and Toni nodded.
He’d showered, trading Rho’s armor for a plain black tee and jeans,and as he got up, AJ caught the rich scent of his soap, his skin. It was nice to see his face without the tattoos. He looked younger, softer; part of that was also his expression. He seemed pleased.
He’d been brilliant today. When AJ had happened upon him and Andy discussing Rho and Bill’s escape, he’d grabbed his own wrists and revealed that Rho had the same circular markings as Ana—that they weren’t a birthmark but shacks, futuristic handcuffs embedded under the skin that suppressed Rho’s ability to weave fire and Ana’s ability to weave water.
He’d given AJ so much to play with—dismay, betrayal. And the way he’d woven such an insignificant detail from her shitty bio into their larger arc…it was just such good improv.
“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” said Xiaobo, shaking his head.
“I know,” said Toni. “I feel like I’ve been Zora my whole life. I actually can’t believe that two weeks ago I didn’t know what a crale was.”
“Mark my words,” said Drunk Dave. “There will be entire corners of the internet devoted to crales and Cralites and water weavers and Firelords.”
“Firelanders,” corrected Toni.
“Them too,” said Dave.
As Noah returned with their beers, AJ’s blue Razr flip phone began to vibrate. Emily.
“Hey, lady,” she said into the receiver, walking away from the group.
“Age,” said Emily. “I miss you, Age.”
“I know,” said AJ, suddenly heartsick at the sound of her twin’s voice. This shoot had gotten so complicated so fast, but here was her sister—comforting, real, the same. “I miss you, too. How’s life?”
Emily launched into an animated description of the Christmas trees for sale at her job at Big Y. She had already put one aside for their family.
“It’s snowing right now, so I’m worried about Santa,” she said.
Right—the Salvation Army sent a volunteer Santa to Big Y every December. “I’m sure he has all-wheel drive,” said AJ.
“That’s what Mom said,” said Emily, the cord of their home phone rasping through the receiver.
AJ returned to the party a few minutes later to find Dave in the middle of an elaborate striptease to “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” which someone evidently had as a ringtone on their phone. As Toni and Xiaobo egged Dave on, AJ took a seat beside Noah.
“Truth or Dare,” he explained. “This is dare.”
“Ah,” said AJ. “And I thought it was just Drunk Dave.”
Noah snorted.
“AJ!” said Xiaobo, brandishing one of Em’s tiki torches in her direction. “Truth…or DARE?”
AJ glanced at Dave, still half naked from his recent dare. Dare seemed like a horrible option.
“Um, truth.”
“The lady hath spoken,” shouted Xiaobo. “And she hath spoken TRUTH.”
“Truth, truth, truth,” chanted Toni and Dave, gathering around.
“Drumroll!” cried Xiaobo.
Everyone clapped against their thighs, then stopped.
“Who was the first guy you ever fucked?” yelled Drunk Dave.
AJ rolled her eyes, but Toni responded faster. “Thanks for that, Dave,” she said. Then she turned to AJ and said with unnerving calm, “How about, who was the first guy you everkissed?”
