“It suits you.”
Hai turned to me as if they were coming out of a trance. They’d been so lost in their own happiness I think they forgot I was even there.
“Thanks.” They gave me a wide grin. “I looked at my reflection in the bathing pool earlier and I really liked it. It feels right.”
“I’m glad you like it,” I smiled back. It was strange, but somehow their short hair didn’t just flatter their face, it suited them in a way I wasn’t expecting, like their hair finally matched their personality.
“What about you? Do you have any news about your mobility device? Has Drovo made any progresson it yet?”
“Yes, thank god,” I sighed. “He finished the seat portion. He did a good job, but I still don’t know why it took him so long.”
“Maybe this is his way of flirting with you,” Hai suggested.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know how someone can interpret not following through on a promise as flirting.”
“Because boys are stupid, even big blue dryad shifter boys.” My friend winked at me and we both laughed.
“Stupid or not, I can’t imagine this is his version of flirting with me.”
“Suit yourself,” they signed.
“What do you mean, suit yourself? He’s NOT flirting with me.” I gave my friend an exasperated look.
“You believe what you want to believe, but I think that big goofy walking tree of yours is flirting and he might be making a fool of himself, but he definitely is flirting.” Hai insisted.
I was about to argue further when Tarak popped his head around the corner.
“May I interrupt your sewing?” The Savrix asked.
“Sure, come on up.” I invited him onto the ridge.
Orsu followed behind him and they both sat down in front of Hai and myself.
“I need your help,” he began.
Our help? It wasn’t every day someone neededthe help of the only two women in the dekes who couldn’t walk a mile downhill without having to take a nap afterward.
“What do you need big guy?” Hai asked.
“Gab-bae is struggling with her pregnancy sickness and I want to cheer her up,” he confessed.
Gabby had been getting sick a lot lately. Poor thing couldn’t go within ten feet of the cookfire without having to run to a toilet.
“She mentioned something called larping last week. It sounded like something she enjoyed very much. Can you explain what this larping is?”
I had to hold back my laugh. Of course Gabby would be into larping.
“Larping?” Hai asked, also looking like they were holding back a laugh.
“It’s pretend fighting.” I cut in. “You use fake weapons and hit each other on the arms or legs and once you’re hit enough times, you’re out.”
“Oh, so my mate wants to spar with me.” Tarak looked thoughtful as he contemplated this.
“No, she does not want to spar with you. It’s like an event where you have two large teams, each one defending some land or a flag or something,” I corrected.
“How do you know so much about larping,” Hai looked at me with surprise.
“I dated a larper once. It was an interesting time in my life,” I explained.
