Page 13 of Buoy
Soren realized he’d witnessed sex damn near every day on the ship. Sexwasfucking. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. He thought it looked like a lot more effort than he’d ever want to deal with. And for what? To be sweaty and gross? No. Thank. You. Kissing looked nice, though. When it didn’t look like they were eating each other’s faces.
But now he had many regrets knowing what Bellani’s brother’s whispers meant. He realized Kane wanted to touch him in ways Soren didn’t think he wanted to be touched. Least of all by Kane. But Vex kept Soren safe.
“Does everything make sense?” Rhys’ dad asked. “Any questions?”
Soren shook his head. “Got it. No means no, both ways. If they don’t understand, I’ll drown them.” He lifted a hand. Water sloshed and swirled into a perfect ball that grew when he cupped his other hand. Kane didn’t know magic. Not that Soren knew of, anyway.
Rhys grinned. “You’ve been practicing.”
Soren didn’t think summoning water would impress dragons, but it was one of his more impressive tricks. Unless one counted influencing sharks and other sea life.
“If you’re sure?” Rhys’ mom probed.
“I am. Thank you.” Soren wasn’t sure he enjoyed the lesson, to be honest, but was grateful for the information.
Rhys’ parents stood.
Rhys’ mother looked to him. “Rhys sweetie, you can stay out until an hour past sundown, but after that, we expect you home, so you’re rested for your travels.” She turned to Soren and held out a hand. When he just stared, not sure what to do, she dropped it. “Soren, it was lovely to meet you.” With a tip of her head, both of Rhys’ parents turned to leave.
Soren watched them stroll away hand in hand before glancing back at Rhys. “So… that’s where babies come from.” He never thought about it before, wasn’t really curious to know either.
“Sorry about that. Today was weird. Wasn’t it? It was weird.” Rhys scratched his elbow. “I just. It’s not. I don’t—”
“I appreciate the information.” Now he knew more about anatomy and childbirth from different shifter types than he thought he’d ever want to. “Didn’t know dragons and avians hatched from eggs. And humans… do not.” He was glad he only had his imagination to figure it all out.
Rhys took a deep breath and let it out. His shoulders dropped, but a smile lifted his lips. “I didn’t know how to explain anything and they gave me the talk years ago.” He leaned his head against the shed and watched the darkening sky. Soren joined him.
“So you have a hatchday instead of a birthday?” Soren didn’t know how merfolk were birthed. Was he born? Was he hatched? He didn’t know. “Does the birthing parent have to shift to lay the egg? Are they like that for the whole—”
Rhys groaned. “You said you didn’t have questions.” But it was just a smile on his face, not annoyance.
“I didn’t want to ask your parents embarrassing questions. They might start drawing pictures. And that conversation was detailed enough.”
“Dad would. He’s an artist. He’d probably draw in great detail, too.”
“And that’s why I told your parents no.”
The pair fell into a fit of laughter.
“You asked me,” Rhys broke their giggles. “But have you ever kissed anyone? Or thought about it?”
Soren scrunched up his nose. “Ew. No. And now I know what kissing can lead to, I don’t think I ever will.” Okay, that was a lie. And it’s not that he hadn’t touched himself. He just didn’t think he was interested in someone else doing what he did. Never really thought about it if he was honest with himself. Wasn’t interested in the apparently sexual activities going on around him.
Besides, everyone on the ship was mostly decades older than him. He didn’t like any of them like that. The second youngest on the ship was in her late twenties, and Soren was sure he was only interested in boys. If he were interested in anyone.
“You said you hadn’t kissed anyone before, but do you want to? Have you thought about it?” Soren was curious now.
Rhys scratched at his chest. “Thought about it. There’s a girl in my class. She’s so smart.”
“Smarter than you?” Soren couldn’t imagine.
“There are lots of people smarter than me. I’m not top of the class or anything, but I get by.”
“Oh. I think you’re smart.” Everyone was smarter than Soren. “What’s her name? Why haven’t you kissed her? Is she the only one? What—”
Rhys laughed and thumped the back of his head on the shed. “One question at a time. Kira, that’s her name. And she’s a wolfshifter with the cutest ears…”
Soren’s cheeks grew hot.
