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“Maybe this was a bad idea, Fen.”
Fenton didn’t look up from where he was setting the table. “It’s a great idea, Fethry,” he said blithely, not pausing as he continued to organize the place settings. “My mom wants to meet you, as of an hour ago you wanted to meet her. She’s not as scary as all that, you don’t have anything to worry about!”
He looked up at Fethry then, and his smile drooped.
His boyfriend hadn’t moved from the couch, nor had he turned to face Fenton. Fethry’s head was bowed, and he was fiddling with something in his lap.
Fenton put the last of the silverware in a pile on the table, and walked around the other side of the couch.
Fethry had put on a dress shirt for the occasion, though he’d left on his ever-present beanie. He was rubbing the edge of his sleeve in a fervent, methodical fashion, and didn’t look up when Fenton took a seat on the couch next to him.
“Hey,” he said gently, “Talk to me, Feth. We’ve had this dinner planned for a week. What happened?”
Shrugging, Fethry’s smile was a pale imitation of itself. “Sorry. I’m being silly. I just got worried all of a sudden, y’know? There’s so much more to worry about up here. It’s not just avoiding giant sea worms or keeping a lab running. It-it’s people. I don’t wanna mess this up.”
“You won’t,” Fenton assured him, wrapping his arm around Fethry’s shoulders.
Fethry returned the embrace, tucking his head under Fenton’s beak. “I tend to ruin stuff,” he said with a weak chuckle.
“I’d have to refute that hypothesis,” Fenton replied, resting his cheek on Fethry’s forehead. “You’ve made my life infinitely better just by being in it.”
Fethry’s laugh was more of a snort, high pitched and embarrassed, and Fenton kissed his blushing cheek.
“I’ll be here the entire time, Fethry,” Fenton assured him, “you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah,” Fethry said, “yeah, okay—”
They heard the sound of a car door slamming in the driveway, and the chirp of it locking.
Fenton and Fethry froze on the couch, still in a tangle of limbs.
In flash they were both on their feet, straightening their clothes and feathers.
Fenton made to go back to the kitchen to finish setting up, when Fethry grabbed his wrist. His eyes were wide, and he looked faintly ill.
“What if she doesn’t like me?” he asked in a rush.
Fenton reached down to clasp both of Fethry’s hands in his own, just as they heard a key turn in the lock of the front door. “She will,” he said.
He hurried over to the front door as it swung open, and in walked Gloria Cabrera, her badge still around her neck.
“Mamá!” Fenton said by way of greeting, hurrying over to take his mother’s purse and kiss her on the cheek. “How was work?”
“I got to take a half-day, so not too bad, Pollito,” she replied. Gloria looked past Fenton with a raised eyebrow. “So, this is the peludo?”
Fenton chuckled, beckoning Fethry over. “ Mamá, this is Fethry.”
Fethry hurried over to them, nearly tripping over himself. He stuck out his left hand. “V-very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cabrera! Fenton talks about you a lot.”
Gloria shook his hand with an amused smile. “I could say the same. The real trick is getting Fenton to stop talking about you.”
Fethry’s laughter was a little strained, even as Fenton sputtered.
“But let’s not stand on ceremony,” Gloria said, stepping forward to kiss Fethry on the cheek. “You’re part of the family now, peludo. No getting out of it.”
Fethry blinked with a deer-in-headlights expression as Gloria brushed past him.
“Is that ropa vieja I smell, Fenton?” she asked on her way to the kitchen. “You didn’t forget the cilantro this time, did you?”
“No, Mamá,” Fenton called back, though he lingered at Fethry’s side.
“See,” he said, when Fethry turned his startled gaze on him. “Nothing to worry about.”
“No,” Fethry acquiesced, gripping Fenton’s hand. His smile was small, but wondrous for its size. “I guess not.”