Page 15 of A Stealthy Situation

“And until then, you have us.”

“Thank goodness.” He sniffs. “Is that dinner?”

“Nearly done.”

Marshall gives Fe another squeeze before releasing him. “Go shower and get changed.”

Felix leaves us, and Marshall turns back to his books.

“Whatcha reading?”

“Literacy through the ages and how it helped shape civilization.”

I pretend to snore, and Marshall flips me off.

“It’s really fascinating.”

“I bet.”

He smirks my way. “And how is your flower shop?”

“Incredible, thanks for asking!” I’ve long since stopped biting whenever he calls my plants that. What are friends for if not to give each other shit? And Marshall and Felix are more than just friends to me. They’re my family away from home.

He closes his book and looks over at me. “Figured out what your major project is yet?”

“Nope. I know it’s about making plants fun, but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet.”

“Maybe it’s because plants aren’t fun?”

Marshall and I both love studying the world, but where his interests lie in people and how the world has changed, mine lies in making people not change so damn much. We’ve been given a fucking gift with this world, and we’re ruining it.

Felix … he’s an animal person. I try not to hold it against him.

As a future ecologist, I understand the need for animals in the ecosystem, but it doesn’t mean I have to like them. My bias mostly comes from resentment at the fact they get all the attention when the very thing that sustains all human life is forgotten about.

“I’m going to do it,” I say. “You’ll see.”

“Hey, if anyone can, it’s you.”

“See? That’s real support. You don’t think it’ll happen, but you encourage my delusions anyway. You get extras for dinner.”

Marshall pats his jiggly stomach. “Like I need extras.”

“Excuse me?” Felix walks in with his hands on his hips, and I choke back a laugh at how fierce the little dude can be.

Marshall throws his hands up. “I was joking.”

“You better have been.”

“I know you love my fat belly.”

Felix rolls his eyes. “Duh. It gives the best cuddles.”

Before Fe can perch himself on Marshall’s lap, I interrupt them.

“Wanna grab plates and cups? It’s ready.”

He switches course for the kitchen instead, and I breathe a sigh of relief that I escaped that grope fest. I love that they’re happy, I love that they’re comfortable in their home, but I do not love the constant wandering hands reminding me that it’s been a while for me.

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