Page 71 of Rarely Pure and Never Simple
"Yeah. Don't remember where it's from, though."
"Gyascutus."
"Did you just insult me, or was that a sneeze?"
"Ha. No." Damien nuzzled under Blaze's chin. "Just a word for an animal made for walking on hills. Not a real animal. Its legs are shorter on one side. I just don't remember where it's from or why I thought of it just now." The sigh was small enough Blaze would have missed it if he wasn't holding Damien close. "The sunsets at home… Beautiful, but also lonely."
You don't have to be lonely. I'm here.Instead of saying any of that, which probably would've made Damien go all strange and sad, he took Damien under the chin, tipped his face up, and kissed him. "Wanna go to bed?"
"For sleep or for euphemisms?"
"Mostly sleep. But I won't argue if any euphemisms show up when we get there."
The soft laugh was everything Blaze wanted in that moment, distracting him enough that he nearly lost the more important blanket when he got up.
In their cozy cottage on the hillside, there were slow, careful euphemisms followed by sleep off and on. Blaze kept startling awake, certain his arms would be empty, but each time Damien remained, peaceful and warm in his arms.
9
BRINGING A VARIANT TO A GUNFIGHT
Shudder sat outside the healer's house the next morning, fully dressed, in the grass, making tiny, blocky earth ponies gallop across the yard for several small children. One pony reared up and fell over since its square legs were uneven, which set the kids rolling with laughter.
It felt like such an intrusion, even though Shudder was waiting for them. Damien hung back and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. That movement, or Blaze cresting the hill, was enough to catch Shudder's attention.
He glanced up, beaming. "Ah, my grownup friends are here. We'll make a bigger herd next time."
There were small-people grumbles as Shudder sent them off with hugs and waves, but the little ones seemed happy enough scampering away.
Damien settled beside him. "You're very good with them."
A snort came from above them, followed by a huff as Blaze settled nearby. "It's because he has the mind of a toddler."
"You could use a little more childlike wonder." Shudder poked a finger at him. "Bitter old man."
"You're the same age." Damien shook his head, caught between a smile and the ongoing ache in his chest. "And you're looking much better."
Shudder flashed his brightest smile. "The healers said I'm a hundred percent. Ready for anything. So let's go. Time to get those kids out."
"The healers wish you'd wait a couple more days." Dryad leaned in the doorway, the breeze riffling her short black curls. "But they can't force you to stay."
"Stop it. All of you. Stop looking at me like that." Shudder spread his hands. "I feel great. Plans. We have plans, right?"
"Still really subtle with changing the subject," Blaze growled. "That's why we're here, idiot. To plan."
A stick poked at Damien's hip when he shifted on the grass, and he picked it up to begin drawing in the dirt that Shudder had kicked up. "We know a few things. The compound has six sides." His hexagon lines only wobbled here and there. "At least some of the sides are mined. Perhaps five of them." He drew littlex'soutside the hexagon for the landmines. "The gate side is most likely not mined since trucks use the road. And the prisoners are taken into the yard for exercise. Maybe we could start by filling in the actual buildings."
When he handed the stick to Dryad, she looked between them in confusion. "You didn't have a chance to see inside?"
Damien stared at her. "How would we have done that from outside?"
"With a microdrone?" Forehead crinkled, she turned to Blaze. "You're a tracker. You have to have one."
"Of course Ihaveone." Blaze regarded her with narrowed eyes. "But the whole idea was tonotset off any electronic barrier alarms. Of course,thatwas kind of a moot point after nitwit over there set off ordinance."
Dryad patted the air with both hands. "Wait. Wait. From what Damien told me, you synched you palm phones on low band. But you didn't with your microdrone?"
Blaze blinked at her openmouthed. "You… can't do that."
