{Come on, this will be good for all of us.}

{I still think this is a bad idea. Besides, we haven't spoken in years, and ze doesn't have an owner keeping track of things for hir. What makes you think ze'll even remember me?}

{Ze will, trust me.}

{You assume that, but you haven't even met hir.}

{Maybe not, but you're unforgettable.}

{Oh stop.}

Acaulescent smiled at her partner as the two of them approached the apartment and gently knocked. When the human opened the door, ze spoke in a relatively competent Milky-Way dialect.

{Perennial? This is a surprise. And, I don't believe I’ve had the pleasure?}

Having been warned about the little human’s reactions to being considered cute, Acaulescent exercised every ounce of restraint in her body not to squeal in delight. {Hello, my name is Acaulescent Nele, Third Bloom. Perry here is my...} they exchanged a look. Perennial’s eyes were wide with fear, a silent request which Acaulescent elected to ignore. {My lover.}

 As Perennial gave a quiet groan, Acaulescent noticed Lonely placing a hand on hir chest. {Goodness! Well, please, come inside, have a seat.}

 The two affini stepped through the door, Acaulescent in front, Perennial clutching the carrier as she went. Acaulescent heard her lover gasp in shock at the illusory lava below them.

Lonely turned at the sound. {Ah, here, allow me to change the projection-}

{Please don’t,} said Acaulescent, leading Perennial to a couch. {I like it. Is this someplace on Earth?}

{Yes. The eruption of Mount Mihara- well, an artist’s impression of it,} said Lonely, taking a human-sized chair opposite them.

{Neat! Volcanoes are so awesome, aren’t they?}

The terran nodded. {Striking visuals to be sure, and they enrich the soil.}

{Yes exactly. Isn’t it amazing how something so scary can lead to new life and growth?} said Acaulescent. She glanced over at Perennial, who had withdrawn almost entirely onto the couch, cradling the carrier.

Lonely smiled and gestured vaguely. {It would be irresponsible to ignore the dangers, but blindly fleeing risk means we also miss out on potential rewards.}

{Heck yeah.} Acaulescent excitedly gestured to indicate Lonely and herself. {As intelligent beings, we get to choose when we stay safe and when we take chances.}

A smirk played across the human’s face. {Your flattery is appreciated. Obviously, over the centuries of an affini’s lifetime, the decisions you make will have influence several orders of magnitude greater than that of a foolish terran.}

{Who can say? But there was one decision that Perry and I have been discussing. I actually was hoping to talk about it with you, if that’s ok.}

Lonely tilted hir head in mild interest. {Whatever primitive wisdom I can dispense is yours, of course.}

Draping one reassuring vine around her shoulders, Acaulescent turned to Perennial and indicated the carrier. 

With great reluctance, Perennial moved towards Lonely. {It’s been some time. Have you been well?}

{Yes, thank you. And yourself?}

{I’m ok.} She sighed. {Listen, we... I mean, Acaulescent really... ugh. Well, there is this group chat, and I got added, and Lessie read it, and she thinks I’m too stressed out about... well, this.} She adjusted the carrier, and her tone shifted. {Listen. Lonely. As far as I’m aware, no human has seen what I’m going to show you. Nothing- not this ship, not the Compact, not even the damn Everbloom matters more than this. Do you understand?}

{Yes.}

With more solemn ceremony than Acaulescent felt was necessary, Perennial opened the carrier. The expressions on Lonely’s face were small, but the thought process was clear: initial confusion about the importance of what, to hir, probably looked like a toy Beeple tied to a ceramic pot with green cable. But then hir eyes opened wide, as a small face emerged from the soil and blinked in the light.

{This,} said Perennial, {is Anther Inosculata, Zeroth Bloom. Our child.}

{Would you like to hold hir?} Acaulescent asked. Perennial shot her a look that brimmed with panic and anger, but Acaulescent simply smiled at both of them.

{Not if Perennial is uncomfortable with that, as seems to be the case.}

{It’s fine,} said Perennial. {But... be careful, okay? Ze’s not fully sentient yet, we’ve been uplifting hir slowly to make sure ze doesn’t feel pressured to meet our expectations, but if anything happens... ze can’t protect hirself.}

{Of course. Just for a moment, then?}

Perennial nodded and held out the pot. Acaulescent watched as Lonely took it, hir hands fumbling for a moment with the unexpected heft, but steadied quickly. The look in the human’s eyes was something bordering on reverential.

{Hello, little sprout,} said Lonely. Hir tone was soft; Acaulescent was tempted to describe it as ‘cooing.’ {Nice to meet you. Welcome to the universe. I hope it will be kind to you.} With that, ze handed the infant back to Perennial, who was all-too eager to reclaim hir. {You two must be very proud.}

{We are,} said Acaulescent. {Anther is entering adolescence soon, and will need tutoring. There are several forms of education that affini have used for our offspring, but- if you are interested, I think you could really help hir become someone special.}

Lonely stared at her. {Forgive me, I think my feeble grasp on your language is failing. You want me to be, what, hir guard dog?}

{No, no- hir teacher.} Acaulescent leaned forward. {When ze’s a little older, would you mind if ze visited you sometimes, just to talk?} 

{Hmm.} Lonely looked out at the artificial horizon, hir expression contemplative. {May I see the contract?}

{Sorry?}

Lonely looked Acaulescent in the eyes. {You have paperwork for everything, don't you? I would like to first read over whatever agreement I would have to sign.}

{There isn't one,} said Perennial. {At least, none that the water of my life here thinks you'd accept.}

{They didn't really fit,} explained Acaulescent. {There are a couple that could technically work, but most of them are basically jokes, and for one I think you'd have to get legally classified as a supercomputer.}

{Can you prove I'm not?} chuckled Lonely.

{No, I can't.} Acaulescent sat back and smiled. {But I do think that, if we had walked in here with the ideal contract, something that would make sure you had all the exact supplies you needed, and laid out a curriculum that perfectly fit your preferred subjects and personal schedule...} she shrugged. {You wouldn't have signed it.}

Lonely looked at the carrier again, and then turned hir face back towards the two affini. {Okay, I want to see where you're going with this. Shall we agree to, say, a few hours a day?}

Acaulescent clapped in delight. {Thank you so much! That will be wonderful. Plus it’ll give me and Perry more time together, so you can imagine how happy I am about that. She spends practically every minute hovering over Anther; it’s so sweet but she needs rest and snuggling.}

Perennial buried her face in her vines as Lonely nodded. {Of course, I see how it is. The affini always win, Perennial, you should know that.}

{Mulch both of you} came the muffled reply.