Chapter 14 #2
Kenji sighed. “I wish Qylar had warned me. I could’ve attempted to bring blue clothes to stand out less.”
Alex motioned to a shop to the left. “One of the finest robe makers in the city.” He smiled at Kenji. “If you’d like one, it’s my treat.”
Kenji shook his head. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“Consider it your homecoming present,” Alex said with a wide smile. “I know how overwhelming it can be when you arrive here for the first time. If this helps you feel more comfortable, why not?”
Kenji searched his face and only saw sincerity. “When in Rome, I guess. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
They detoured into the shop, and Kenji looked around at what seemed like a million shades of blue.
The clerk inside offered him a tight smile, but Kenji sensed a measure of distrust. He ignored it and explored.
He touched some of the fabrics, and they were silky soft or had a gauzy cotton feel against his fingers.
Kenji turned to Alex after a couple of minutes. “Are there no pants?”
“They make some, but few wear them so there’s not much offered. Most prefer their legs to be unrestricted, in case they wish to shift. Robes and dresses give them more freedom.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” Kenji said. “I’m not used to being somewhere I could freely shift whenever I wanted to.”
“Yes, I heard you can shift,” Alex said. “And I’m jealous as hell. It’s no fair that I can’t.”
Kenji chuckled as he sifted through a rack of butter-soft robes, admiring them. “I’ve heard something about fingers and snakes?”
Alex walked closer and lifted a hand. All of his fingers turned into wriggling tentacles that did look a bit like garden snakes. “This is all I get.”
“Toes, too?”
Alex chuckled, shifting his fingers back into human. “Yes, which looks even weirder.”
“Well, if it helps any, I’m like ten times smaller than Qylar when I shift. Qylar the cephalopod, not Qylar the human.”
“Q says you’re a speed demon, though—which sounds pretty cool.”
“I guess. It’s pretty fun zipping around at breakneck speeds, but I can only go really fast for short bursts.”
“Still cool in my book.” Alex walked over with a deep, rich blue jewel-toned robe in hand and hung it beside Kenji to compare.
“This might be a good length for you.” His gaze whipped up to Kenji’s.
“Why don’t you try it on? Even if you don’t care for this style or shade, it’ll give us an idea if the size is right. ”
“Okay,” Kenji said.
He took the soft fabric and followed Alex to the back. Similar to Earth, they had a dressing area. Oddly, there were no mirrors. There was a strange water feature, though. One entire wall had it cascading down like a waterfall.
Alex stayed just outside the curtain. “It’s like a wrap dress, if you’re familiar with those. An inner tie and an outer one—and the belt. If you need help, just ask.”
“Am I supposed to wear anything special under this?”
“Most don’t, but I like my briefs. I keep those on,” Alex said.
“Cool, cool,” Kenji said, stripping down to his briefs and no-show socks.
A few minutes later, he was nearly naked, with his arms through the robe—but he wasn’t completely sure how the thing tied. “Alex?”
“Need help?”
“Just trying to figure out these ties.”
Alex peeked in and glided through the curtain. His gaze went to the swell in Kenji’s stomach before his eyes widened a bit. Not a word was said, though. He reached for one set of inside ties and bound them.
“I thought he’d told you that I was…”
“Pregnant?” Alex said, his eyes shining. “Yes, he told us, but I guess it’s another thing actually seeing it.”
More moisture formed in Alex’s eyes as he tied the other set. He dabbed at his eyes and stood back. “That’s a great fit. What do you think?”
“Is there a reason you’re so upset?”
Alex widened his eyes and shook his head. “I’m not upset.”
“You clearly are.”
Alex took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant and hormonal. I cry at the drop of a hat these days. Don’t take it personally.” He tugged at the shoulder of the robe. “So, the robe?”
Kenji stared at Alex, his head tilted.
Alex glanced at him and sighed. “Only you know if you’re ready and if you’re not—that is entirely your choice to make and I’m not judging you.
My reaction wasn’t meant to make you feel guilty or uncomfortable.
Our Zaadi was a happy accident that happened way too early in our relationship and trust me, I had doubts, too.
I wasn’t ready—and my very first thought was, no, get this thing out of me. ”
“Do you wish you’d chosen differently?”
“Heck no,” Alex said. “Did you see my kids? They’re smart, kind, loving, and beautiful, just like their father.” He chuckled. “And they can be a handful just like him, too. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”
“Why the tears, then?”
Alex searched his face. “I just remember how excited and terrified I was my first pregnancy. I had no idea where life would take me. It feels like so long ago from where we are now. A lifetime ago. But it’s only been five years.” He grinned. “Five amazing years.”
Kenji sensed it was more to it than that but didn’t push. As close as they all seemed, they might know of Qylar’s wish to be a father. Forcing away a wave of guilt, he looked down at his robe and back up to Alex. “Any mirrors around here?”
“Oh, right,” Alex said, turning Kenji to face the water wall. He clapped twice in short succession and the water smoothed like glass, their reflection appearing.
“That’s cool as fuck,” Kenji said, in awe. He clapped his hands twice, but nothing happened.
“Once to close,” Alex said, clapping one time. The water returned to cascading. He clapped twice, and it smoothed again.
Kenji clapped once to stop it… and again twice to restart it, grinning the entire time. “Sorry… I had to try it.”
“Oh, you don’t know how many times I’ve made a fool of myself—often in public—when I find shit like this and act like a giddy little child, playing with it over and over,” Alex said. “Clap away if it makes you happy.”
“I won’t mess it up if I clap like a million times, will I?”
“I don’t think so, but maybe don’t push it too much, just in case?” Alex said. He stared at them in the reflection and straightened Kenji’s robe a bit more. “What do you think?”
Kenji ran his hand over one wide sleeve. “It’s super soft.” He eyed the length and saw it appeared around the same as Alex’s. “Is the fit okay?”
“It’s perfect, actually.”
Kenji grinned, staring at himself. “It’s a brighter blue than most I’ve noticed, but I like it. And how the color shifts towards the bottom, too. It’s less monochromatic feeling.”
“I grabbed it for that reason—after your blue comment, I thought you might appreciate a pinch of aqua mixed in.”
“I do.”
“Is this the one or do you want to look at some more?” Alex asked.
“I really like this one,” Kenji said. “And I’m also tired after a long trip, so…”
Alex chuckled. “You gather your stuff, and I’ll settle up.”
“Are you sure this is okay? I have no idea about Nefyrian goods or money or if this is expensive or not.”
Alex lifted his hand. “It’s a gift. Don’t worry a second about any of that.”
Kenji sighed. “Thank you.”
Alex smiled. “You’ve already thanked me.”
He disappeared through the curtain. Kenji collected his clothing and folded them into a pile.
After tugging his no-show socks and running shoes back on—even though he’d noticed many people had walked barefoot, likely for ease of shifting—he came out with his arm loaded. He showed his shoed feet to Alex.
“This okay?”
Alex lifted his robe a bit, displaying a pair of Nikes underneath. “I know it’s super clean here, but I’m not walking out in public without shoes on.”
Kenji chuckled. He already liked Alex very much.
After the clerk gave him a cloth tote to carry his clothing in, they exited the shop and found Qylar and Cryss both holding a sleepy-looking child in their arms, waiting for them. Qylar turned and met his gaze. He gasped, his lips parting. His eyes widened as he gave Kenji the once over.
Kenji’s face warmed at Qylar’s perusal. “Is this okay?”
Qylar closed the gap between them, never taking his gaze from Kenji’s. He gently traced his fingertip from Kenji’s exposed sternum down the deep open vee in the front of the robe and stopped where the fabric crossed and tied. “The color suits you.”
Aeloran turned his head, still tucked under Qylar’s chin. He smiled bashfully at Kenji before hiding his face again.
“What do you think, Ael? Does Kenji look nice in his new robe?”
Ael peeked and nodded, grinning.
“Thank you, Ael,” Kenji said, smiling at the boy.
“Kenji, I’d love to show you around more,” Alex said. “But I think I need to get home and put my feet up. Q can give you the rest of the tour.”
“I think we all need to get back to the apartment to rest,” Qylar replied, still staring at Kenji.
“A nap sounds good,” Kenji said, all while hoping Qylar might slide into bed with him.
One side of Qylar’s mouth curled up, hinting he might’ve had the same idea.
“Let’s all go take a nap,” Cryss murmured with a grin before gazing down at an already passed out Zaadi.