“Well, I’m pretty sure I failed.”
“Oh, me too.”
“Me three!”
“Uh… me four?”
Nyssi eyed her fellow Decaylings, then tutted. “We are so lame sometimes.”
“Nah, it’s cute!” Kayel smiled. “We’re like four peas in a pod. Best friends forever. Always-friends, like Retvik says. We’re like the perfect team, forever and ever and ever. Also forever.”
“Maybe, but we don’t have to be like characters in a shitty kids’ TV show or something! Doubly so since we’re kinda going back to school…” Nyssi trailed off. “Still, what the fuck was that test? Folded time? Super tasks? Infinitely cutting more slices of cake and somehow never reaching zero?”
“It was pretty bad, yes, but we can always take the test again if we fail?” Ret tried to be optimistic. “That is what Kyr Vikalos said, right? If we fail, we try again. That being said, we may have passed and not realized it. There have been a few tests I thought I would fail, but somehow passed.”
Tanos nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think you’re right. But I think everyone struggled. Even Kuta. And Kuta has nailed pretty much every exam they have been given so far.”
“Thassalin was fine though.”
Tanos glanced at Kayel, then nodded some more. “I mean, that was a test about time. Thassalin has time powers. He was probably fine.”
“Fine? Thassalin finished in like 20 minutes, when the test was 4 hours long!” Nyssi tutted. “He knew exactly what to do. And unlike you lot, I have to put up with the slight headache from that stupid anti-psionic magnet thing!”
“They don’t want you cheating!” Tanos snapped. “You’d just steal all the answers from Thassalin.”
“It’s still bullshit.”
“It is a little unfair,” Ret shrugged.
“Yeah… Although, speaking of Thassalin, Nyssi, pretty sure he’s interested in you!” Kayel smiled.
“He’s not.”
“Ret grunted. “Do not lie, Nyssi. We do not have telepathy like you do, but you are not a good liar. Also, both Kuta and Talok noticed it too.”
Nyssi wagged a finger at Ret. “Don’t you fucking start!”
“I am not starting anything. Just stating facts. Kuta said they noticed Thassalin has been stealing glances of you.”
“Well, fuck you AND your girlfriend!” Nyssi growled.
“You mean boyfriend.”
Nyssi was about to shout some more, but she paused. “Wait, hang on, the big buff gladiator known as Lightbearer is the girl in your relationship? Not the twink vampire?”
Kayel snorted. “You can’t really call Kuta a twink. They’re short, but Kuta’s actually pretty muscular too. Frankly, all five Rethans here are. If anyone around here is a twink, it’s Eksi.”
“What is a twink again?” Ret whispered to Tanos. Tanos just shrugged, not really knowing himself.
“So you’re the girl?” Nyssi asked again.
“Yes.”
“How comes?” Tanos added. “You’re the big strong guy compared to Kuta.”
Ret went back to shrugging. “That is just how we prefer things. I do not know why vok get confused by me wanting to be more feminine and Kuta wanting to be more masculine. If Kyr Elkay can go and marry a Skyavok, why can I not just be feminine?”
Nyssi calmed down. “Sorry, Retty. Everyone’s just used to you being big and strong and masculine all the time. You’re only ever feminine in private.”
Ret shrugged yet again. “It is fine. I do not make things easy by using male pronouns and having a perfect physique. But anyway, Nyssi, you seem to hate the idea that Thassalin keeps on looking at you.”
Nyssi hesitated, then sighed. “It’s… weird…”
“You can tell us! We won’t spill.” Tanos beamed. “I’ll even make it so no one can hear us, if you want.”
“I… I… Okay, okay, fine… I just find it awkward because I kinda like Thassalin back. I know he’s always stealing glances of me since I’m a fucking telepath now, but also… I’m stealing glances of him too. Also, pretty sure he’s basing his new, upright, not-Thraki form on me.”
Kayel nodded and smiled. “He definitely is. Sure, I don’t really know what defines a hot and sexy Temthan, outside of, well, you, but you’re hot for a Temthan and Thassalin is making himself into a hot Temthan too.”
“I guess… But I find it awkward. He just LOOKS like a Temthan. Or a Thraki. He isn’t actually one. I’m not sure if it’s even… legal, I guess.”
Kayel stopped smiling. “I thought Temthans were fine with that sort of thing?”
“Depends on the species.”
Ret crossed his arms and grunted. “I am sure it is perfectly fine. After all, Arkay briefly dated Kuta, and Arkay is not a Rethavok. Phovoula briefly dated the Whenvern, he was a gigantic Thraki, and now Phovoula is dating a weird Ksithan that is not as furry and has no external fluffy ears. Kyr Elkay is literally over there, on the beach, chatting with his husband, who is a Skyavok named Teekay. And do not get me started on the weird not-furry Spast who is dating a Vrekan who is as armoured as Kayel and I are!”
“Also the two massive guys are gay as fuck and are married to someone who is literally an armoured, scarf-wearing bear…” Kayel added. “I got no clue what the fuck Vikalos is, but everyone seems to like him. But either way, Ret and I are right. If you want to date Thassalin, it’s totally fine. It’s also fine if you don’t want to date him.”
Nyssi fell silent, thinking to herself. “Well… I guess… I have been feeling a little left out. Not enough for me to accept Elksia’s offers, but…”
“But what?”
“Eh… I guess I’ll ask. Might be fun. But I don’t want to leave Tenuk alone on the singles’ table.”
Tanos smiled. “It’s fine. I don’t care about that sort of thing. And if all three of you are busy or whatever, I can always sit and chat with Talok and Tahvra, or go and chill with Akah. Me and Akah feel the same way about relationships anyway.”
Nyssi sighed. then smiled back. “Well, alright then. I’ll chat with Thassalin. Might be fun.”
“It WILL be fun!” Kayel grinned. “I’m sure you’ll get on like two eggs in a frying pan.”
Everyone immediately stared at Kayel.
“That’s a stupid saying…” Tanos eventually muttered.
“Eh, whatever. Either way, Nyssi, we’re here for you, no matter what you decide to do.”
Nyssi smiled properly, then got up. “Thanks for the pep talk, guys. I’m gonna go see what Thassalin is doing…”