Page 54 of The Pleasure Contract

My brain does that record scratch kind of thing because… what?

And then I remind myself that Earth has a whole plethora of foods that I’ve never even heard of. For all I know, ‘a minimum’ could be a delicious breakfast from a far-flung place, oceans away from where I call home and-

Zek lifts the shiny silver cloche in front of me with flair and excitement.

Sitting there… all alone on a plate… is a singular brown M&M.

Oh.

“Well, I can see why they call it a minimum,” Varrex says, lifting his own cloche to stare at a red M&M sitting, waiting for him.

“Is this why your people are so small?” Zevan asks, popping the blue candy he’s been given into his mouth.

His question is met with a kick under the table – I’m assuming by Az, who is glaring at him now.

I stare back down at the lonely M&M and try not to laugh. “Well, no. It’s-”

“It is very pleasing,” Rykor says, eating his green candy with an ungodly amount of eye contact with Zek. “Thank you for your efforts.”

“It’s called an M-and-M, not a minimum,” I feel the need to let them all know. “And you usually eat more than just one-ohmyGod.”

I’d put the candy in my mouth, and good lord, I’d missed chocolate that tastes like actual chocolate, not a substance that seems like its main ingredients are hopes and prayers with a sprinkling of sawdust like the crap the replicators normally spew out.

And, I could cry, because it’s a peanut M&M, too, which, quite frankly, is very impressive of Zek to be able to replicate.

“More than one, you say?” Zevan says, grinning like a madman as he reaches over to try and swipe Az’s.

With insane speed, Az stops his teammate’s advance with a hand curling firmly around his wrist. Seriously, the guy has phenomenal reflexes; I hardly saw him move. “I am saving mine for Lois,” he grunts, not letting go of Zevan’s wrist until the guy nods in agreement.

Finally free, the younger Xaviann rubs at his wrist and looks Az over quizzically before his blue eyes flit between us both. He opens his mouth to talk, but is interrupted by Varrex. “Whatever this is,” he says, picking up a silver spork from his place setting and waving it between Az and I, “It had better not-”

“Whatever this is-” Az repeats, his tone commanding in that scary-calm kind of way, “-is none of your fucking business, brother.”

There’s a silent conversation going on between the two males as they stare at one another.

The staff, including Zek, quickly leave the room.

I kind of wish I could go with them.

Without a word, Varrex stands with his plate, the single red M&M wobbling on the china. He walks around the table and places the single piece of candy in front of me. “It has been a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lois,” he says. “But if you will excuse me, I am tired from the journey, and think I will rest this morning before our training resumes.”

With that, he leaves.

Az rolls his eyes and tips his head back against the headrest, his double horns knocking lightly with the already damaged, ornately carved headrest of the chair.

“Is he… okay?” I ask, loosely pointing to where Varrex left us.

Thax, the big, gentle giant, shrugs as he gulps down his drink. “Varrex can be a bit-” he makes a see-sawing gesture with his palm.

“Vex always manages to find something to get his horns twisted about,” Ral supplies, smiling at me. “Don’t take it personally. That male was not gifted by the Goddess Merri, that’s for sure. It’s best to just leave him to it.” He then leans forward, elbow resting on the table, chin perched on his fist. “What everyone else is more interested in is what in the name of The Four were you two doing in Az’s chambers when we found you?” He says the words, waving a silver spork at us, both just like Varrex had.

What is it with these guys and sporks?

I sit back, feeling my cheeks heat as I swallow.

“It was an activity called ‘a cuddle’,” Az supplies again, a lazy smile on his lips.

Thax grunts and opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, but Ral beats him to it.