“Order whatever you want, bud,” Brody says. “A reward for all your hard work.”
I don’t have the heart to tell him the work was not hard at all. Instead, I try my best to say, “Lahhhteee,” and I point to the one I want. The worker behind the counter smiles and nods before she begins to make our drinks, and I stand back watching, fascinated.
I wonder what it would be like to do human work. To enjoy my employment. To be compensated for it in more than a ratty straw mattress on a hard floor. This human seems so happy. So do the humans who taught me how to use the machines.
I wonder if I will ever feel so at ease, I think as she places all the drinks on the counter.
“Alright,” Brody says as he leads the way to the tall tables. They sit, and their feet barely touch the ground, but my claws dig into the floor as I balance myself with my tail on the round stool. “What can you tell me about yourself?”
“Myseeffff?” I try.
He looks over at Chadwick, then back at me, and tilts his head to the side. “Is it a speech impediment thing?”
I stick out my long tongue and curl it, then shrug. “Harrrd.”
“Word. I tried to take Latin last year, and bruh, I barely scraped a C, and I think that’s because the professor felt sorry for me.” He wrinkles his nose, and I take that to mean something bad, though I don’t understand most of the words he’s saying.
I believe it has something to do with human education, but that isn’t anything I studied before being assigned to Earth.
“Languages are hard, bro,” Chadwick says. “I learned some Spanish when I had that job at Guido’s doing dishes. But, like, I don’t remember anything except cállete, pendejo.” He gives me a quick look. “Don’t repeat that to anyone. It’s not nice.”
I wince and nod.
“Sorry, dude,” Brody says, then he leans over and squeezes Chadwick’s shoulder.
Perhaps they are lovers. Mates. I’m not entirely sure of human breeding dynamics except that they often choose one partner and procreate, then raise their younglings together.
But I don’t pretend to fully understand. They are so different from us, and I was not selected as breeding stock. When my time comes, I will retreat to the caves so I do not attempt to waste my seed on Vyastil or humans who cannot create eggs.
I still feel a small pang of guilt for letting Dante have it, even if that also gives me a thrill because I wish no one else to have what is so sacred.
But I also want to place it inside of his body. I want to know that it is marking him with my scent.
I quickly shake my head of those thoughts and turn my attention back to the table. “You,” I say, pointing at Brody. Words are coming easier now. “Loooffff. Himmm?”
“Uh, yeah. I love him,” Brody says, then his brows fly up. “Oh, I mean, I don’tlovehim love him. I mean, shit. I wish. I really want to want his dick, you know? Because he’s my platonic soulmate. But yeah. Nah.”
I blink at him. I don’t understand what he’s saying, but Chadwick seems to because he puts his fist out toward Brody and they knock knuckles.
“Same, bro.”
I nod anyway, then lick the last of the latte out of the cup and give a happy sigh.
“You like that? Do y’all have coffee and shit through the portals?” Brody asks.
I shake my head sadly.
“Bummer.”
I think bummer is bad, and if so, yes. Though I suppose it doesn’t matter now that I won’t see my home world again. But I would give anything to bring coffee back to my family.
I think it would bring them joy in a world that gives them so little.
“Hey, bud,” Brody says in the silence, and I glance up at him. “You got plans tonight? Maybe we can grab dinner or something?”
Grab dinner. I frown as I try to form a response because I enjoy their company, but I wish to be with Dante.
As I think of his name, something pushes against the inside of my temple. It’s a familiar tug, and one that only happens when Dante is near.
