We carried the chicken down the block to The Rubber Duck Brewery, a hipster watering hole—fun fact: it was recently flooded with molasses. Our CEO, Morgan, was there with his partner—the brewery's beertender and comic writer, River—and MJ, the Duck’s owner.

  Robin and I grabbed a seat, ordered beers, and opened the chicken.

  “Come here often?” I asked.

  “Once or twice a week. Mostly hoping Alison Alistair and Cameraperson show up.”

  “Same. That Cameraperson…” I trailed off, then panicked. “Sorry that was rude—”

  “I would do very dirty things to Cameraperson.”

  We cracked up, and the tension melted away.

  MJ dropped off our beers, grinning.

  “You’re socializing, Riley! My shy little brother, all grown up.”

  “Wait—Your MJ’s brother!” Robin blinked.

  I tried to disappear into the stool.

  MJ ruffled my hair. “Be good, lil’ bro.”

  “She’s a good sister,” I muttered into my beer. “School wasn’t kind, but I had her—and her freakishly good fighting skills. Seriously, don’t piss her off. Especially when it comes to Morgan and River, and most of all, Alison. They think it’s a secret.”

  Robin laughed. “Sounds like you two are close.”

  “We are.” I admitted, draining my glass. “And I get free beer.”

  “Now that’s a perk!”

  “Enough about me. Tell me about you.”

  “I moved here from Jersidelphia after high school. Too close to the Emperor’s seat.”

  I nodded.

  “Colorado’s nice,” Robin continued. “But aside from MJ, and the folks at the game store, I haven’t met many people.”

  “I tried college, but rent killed me. So… ‘Morgan and No One Else INC.’” Robin glanced at Morgan, then leaned close. My heart nearly punched out of my chest.

  “Stupid fucking name,” they whispered.

  We both exploded laughing.

  “What about interests?” I asked.

  Robin leaned back thinking. “Gaming, especially Fallout, the Trails series, and Yakuza.”

  A shiver ran up my spine.

  “Comics. Mainly Spider-Man and Hellboy.”

  River swiveled in his chair, pointing a chopstick at me. “They’re a keeper, little brother!”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  My blush started blushing.

  Robin tilted their head. “Wait—he’s your brother?”

  River chuckled. “Nah, I just like to call him that.”

  I stared into my beer. “Despite my protests.”

  The chicken sat untouched, four empty glasses on the table.

  “What else?” I pressed.

  “Shouldn’t we be back at work?”

  Morgan strolled by, winking. “Thought you two were working from home today.”

  “Oh—uh, right," I said, sneaking a look at Robin.

  “I definitely remember that,” they said.

  “So?” I leaned on my hands, staring.

  “So?” They smirked.

  “What else do you like?”

  “Right now? You.”

  MJ appeared with two more beers. “Just here to eavesdrop.”

  “Maybe we should move somewhere else?” I muttered.

  “But this is adorable. And fresh beers,” Robin countered.

  I gave in, a little tipsy. “Fine—we’ll stay until these are gone. Let’s play a game, you ask me a question, then I ask you.”

  “Deal.”

  “Favorite movie?”

  “Really?” they teased.

  “I panicked.”

  “This was your idea!” Robin laughed. “I’m going with Scott Pilgrim VS the World.”

  I nearly toppled off my stool—saved only by beer.

  “Same!” I blurted. “Okay, your turn.”

  “Do you have a partner?”

  I laughed—then realized they were serious. “N-no. Never have.”

  “That’s criminal.” Robin smiled. I almost went blind from the glow. “Your turn.”

  “Same question.”

  “Nope. Not since high school.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Not at all. I just hadn’t found anyone I liked.”

  The past tense hit me like a freight train.

  “My turn,” Robin said. “Would you rather fly once a year, but once you land, you’re done—or have superspeed, but you can’t stop once you start.”

  “Excellent question.” I stroked my chin. “Superspeed. Flying’s cool, but once-a-year travel sucks. At least with speed I can get home again. Just have to find something soft to stop me.”

  Robin nodded thoughtfully. “Last round. Your turn.”

  “Do you think the many-worlds theory is true?”

  “Now, that’s a question, Riley.” They drained their beer. “Yes. Cryptids, superheroes, the Intergalactic Republic—it all points that way. Don’t cryptids live in pocket dimensions?”

  I shrugged. “I haven’t met one yet. My Fallout 76 buddy claims he has, but he's fourteen and comes from a magic family.”

  “Fallout 76, you say?”

  “Protecting the Wasteland since launch.”

  “I think I’m in love,” Robin whispered, then louder: “Last question.”

  They slid a piece of paper toward me with a smile. I picked it up and read:

  ‘Do you like me? Check yes or no.’

  The paper shook in my hands. The answer was obvious—but finding the courage to give it? Not so much.

  “I-I um… don’t have a pen. Bu-but—”

  Robin’s hand gently steadied mine. They took the paper and placed it face down on the table.

  “It’s okay. Take your time. I’ll be right back.”

  They headed toward the restroom. Part of me imagined bolting, quitting my job, and moving to Lithustonia. Thankfully, my sister was there, like always. She came to take our empties away, accidentally dropping a pen.

  As she walked away, she whispered, “You can do it, lil’ bro.”

  I flipped the paper over, grabbed the pen, and wrote my answer. I slid it back to Robin’s side and lived in existential dread until they returned.

  Robin sat, flipped the note over, smiled, stood, entwined their hand with mine, and we walked out together.

  ~

  I wasn’t there, but I imagined MJ peeking, grinning, folding the paper, and slipping it in her pocket as she skipped to the backroom.

  Putting my narrator hat back on.

  You’re probably thinking I’m lying.

  I assure you—this isn’t a kissing book. No one has extra fingers, at least, not that I know of. Robin isn’t a gender-neutral child of a king, I’m not reading a story to Fred Savage, and while there are giants, they’re just… people.

  ~

  The River and Friends Series - River and the Bug, The Adventures of Alison Alistair. and The Reaper Wears a Scarf. Please check them out!