“Hungry?” Kaden asked.
“No.”
“I should make us something.”
Joe clutched him tighter. “Not yet.”
Kaden, traitorously, fell asleep and Joe smiled. The sort of instant, peaceful sleep of a man who did not overthink, catastrophise, or spiral as Joe had been doing since before the ship crashed. He lay awake, thoughts ricocheting. He was lucky. Incredibly lucky. When his wings had been ripped off and eaten, he’d thought he was close to the end of his existence. But the lack of wings and the different way he had linked to the culture medium had meant he could climb up the side of the tank faster and more easily than theothers. He liked to think that those like him had hoped hedidescape. But they probably hadn’t. Then Kaden had seen him and saved him.
Joe wanted, above all things, to make Kaden happy. He didn’t want to be a burden, didn’t want Kaden quietly resentinghim while insisting everything wasfine. Joe couldn’t work, couldn’t contribute yet. But there had to be other ways to make money. Not stealing. Absolutely not that. But winning? That was different. He was good at chess. Very good. There must be other things he could quickly excel at. There had to be some advantages in having a part-alien brain.
Eventually, he slipped out of bed, showered, and sat naked at the desk with Kaden’s laptop. He knew the password.
NightHorse45.
He logged in and googled.
By the time Kaden woke up, Joe was cooking pasta. He’d conducted a thorough investigation of the fridge, cross-referenced it with a recipe online, and felt quietly triumphant. Kaden only had two rings and a small oven, nothing like his dad’s kitchen, so what Joe had been able to do was limited.
Kaden groaned and pushed himself upright. “You’re cooking?”
“Yes.”
“Do I have time to shower?”
“Yes.”
“Are you…going to put clothes on?”
Joe glanced down at himself. “Should I?”
“Well, if we want to eat dinner instead of immediately abandoning it.”
“Ah.” Joe put on boxers, unsure whether it was a genuine request or a tragic misunderstanding.
They sat side by side on the bed to eat. Kaden had put underwear on too.
“I don’t want to be a burden,” Joe said quietly.
“You’re not.”
“I thought you’d say that,” Joe replied. “But I need to know it for myself too.”
“What are you thinking?”
“About a way to make some money. Legally. I could use my…ability.” He’d struggled for the right word.
Kaden squinted. “That already sounds shady. What ability?”
“I’m clever. Quick. I could win money.”
“Ah.”
“What did you think I was going to say?”
“Nothing. Win money how?”
“Gambling.”
