Page 17 of Gratification in Gluttony

“At least I wasn’t begging to see Rusty’s nipples,” Toni slapped back, and Gem dragged down his face mask to glare at him.

“Are you implying that I…” Gem’s eyes glazed over for a moment before he grimaced. “Oh my gods, how drunk was I?”

“Drunk enough to call them cute,” Oliver muttered.

Rusty chittered uncomfortably from the kitchen, and Gem whimpered, dragging his face mask back into place. “Fuck, Toni, just kill me. Please, I can’t live knowing I called Rusty’s nipples cute.”

“None of us want to live knowing that,” Toni snapped. “And yet here we are.”

“I’m so sorry,” Gem said wetly. “It’s my greatest regret.”

“Not that this isn’t doing loads for my self-esteem,” Rusty deadpanned as he set the vomit bucket Gem and Oliver had shared within easy reach of Gem, “but maybe we could stop talking about my nipples. Forever.”

“Nippleis a weird word,” Jude said. “Like, whoever decided thatnippleshould be the word to describe, you know, nipples should be embarrassed.”

“It was probably an old, mediocre man,” Tad said as she waddled over. “Had to put his stupid last name on something.”

Gem’s face—as much as Toni could see—scrunched up. “That somehow makes this conversation even more depressing.”

Light fingers stroked Toni’s fin, circling the point before gliding down the other side, and he hummed blissfully. It was soothing more than it was sexy, and he closed his eyes to enjoy it, letting his mind drift.

He must have dozed off because he roused to full awareness as Oliver and Jude stepped over his prone body. He cracked an eye open when Jude’s hand—which had already become familiar—pressed to Toni’s bare back beside his fin.

“We’re taking off,” Jude said softly, crouching down next to him. “You gonna be okay?”

“I’m fine. A-okay, baby,” he said with mock gusto.

Jude smiled tiredly, cheeks pale, eyes bloodshot. “Good to know.”

Before he could stand back up, Toni reached out and circled Jude’s ankle under his pants. “Oh, don’t forget your dick. I think Zef still has it.”

Scrubbing a hand over his face, Jude chuckled, the pleasant sound tinged with embarrassment. “Right. My packer. I forgot I—” He shook his head and dropped his hand to his side. “I get really open about that when I’m drunk.”

“Why do you have to be drunk to be open about it?” Toni asked as he rubbed circles over Jude’s ankle bone.

Without looking at him, Jude worked his jaw. “Not everyone’s cool with it.”

“With you having a detachable dick?”

Barking a laugh, Jude glanced down at him. “With all of it. The whole trans thing.”

Toni wasn’t exactly sure what Jude meant by “trans,” but he assumed it had to do with his gender stuff. “Then they’re assholes, and no one cares what assholes think.”

Jude’s tired eyes softened, and the hand on Toni’s back slid up until Jude’s fingers sifted into his hair. Toni groaned when Jude scratched at his scalp.

“Thanks, Toni,” Jude murmured softly, like something just for him.

“Don’t know why you’re thanking me,” he said, flashing Jude a finger gun and grin. “I got’cha, baby. We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah. Friends.”

There was disappointment there—Toni could acknowledge that—but the sentiment made him feel warm and squishy inside. Which was stupid but also kind of wonderful.

“I’m glad you came last night. It was fun.”

“It was fun,” Jude agreed, removing his hand from Toni’s hair. “Take it easy, okay?”

Toni saluted him. “Don’t be a stranger.”

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