Page 61 of Gratification in Gluttony

“You shoved spit fingers in my ear. You have it coming,” Rusty said, poking Gem’s chest.

“Zef, tell Rusty to stop!” Gem wailed.

“Seriously,” Quin said, “don’t make me come over there.”

“Shall I continue?” Zef asked.

“Yes!” everyone—except Gem, Rusty, and Liel—said.

“Left foot blue,” Zef said.

“We’re already doing that,” Willow said.

“Okay, babe, you can do this,” Liel coached Oliver from the sidelines. “I can’t win this anymore, but you can. Win for me!”

“I’ll do my best,” Oliver said.

“My wrists are hurting,” Glyma said.

“I’m actually quite comfortable,” Toni said with a bit of a leer at Jude, still in his lap.

“I’m sure you are,” Jude said.

“Okay, hit me one more time, and see what happens?” Rusty hissed.

“I cannot believe you cheated just to make me lose,” Gem said, still pouting. “I’m gonna make sure you lose every single game we play tonight.”

“How will I ever survive?” Rusty deadpanned.

When Gem went to flick him again, Rusty bared his canines and batted his hand back. Then they really started in on each other, Rusty falling back to use his hands and feet to fend off Gem’s six hands.

“Okay, now you’ve done it.” Quin stood up, sending Glyma rolling to the mat.

“Babe!” Glyma said.

“Fuck, that was my eye!” Rusty yelped, rolling over, cupping his face.

Gem immediately pulled his hands back. “Oh my gods, really? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Are you okay?”

“This is why we don’t hit people,” Quin said, glaring down at Gem and Rusty like an angry mother. “You fuck around, and someone loses an eye.”

“I didn’t lose my eye,” Rusty grumbled. “It just stings.”

“I really didn’t mean to poke your eye. Are you sure you’re okay?” Gem cupped Rusty’s face, making the Pyclon rear back.

“What are you doing?”

Huffing, Gem held his face tighter. “Looking to make sure your cornea isn’t scratched or something.”

“They should just kiss and get it over with,” Jude murmured under his breath, and Toni grimaced.

“What? Blech, don’t say that.”

Jude frowned down at him. “What?”

“That’s, like, the worst thing that could ever happen,” Toni said, allowing the revulsion to work through him. “Why would you even—ugh, I just threw up in my mouth.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Jude chuckled.

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