Shopping with his cousin had always been an endurance sport, they would move around shop-to-shop flicking through racks, spinning displays, and swiping through holographic catalogues. He remembered the days he’d spend perched on a planter, a statue, or any raised surface that allowed him to observe a commune’s market while his cousin dug around bins, bargained over battered pieces of wood, or danced with the local children. They’d always come back with space-clips filled with random things his cousin had bought, traded, or salvaged. Trips to those remote communes, resource stars, or alien tribes was fun, easy, and more palatable compared to shopping trips in urban stars. His cousin would wear a frown as she stood before 3D projections, or 4D catalogues. Her hands, he’d come to notice, would clench as she considered the price. Still, this distaste for the experience did not stop her prolific enjoyment of just purchasing things. His uncle had set several storerooms for her, silently surrendering to his daughter’s unrelenting drive to buy things.

Considering the lack of space and access to niche shops she’d now have, he thought she would temper her desire to own things. I was too naïve to think she’d chill, he thought to himself as he trudged into the shared dorm lounge, his back bowed and his limbs stiff. He felt tired to the bare atoms of his existence. Today was just as hard as any other shopping day they’d had had previously. The only difference, he realized, was no one would follow them helping him carry all her purchases before they’d be able to put them into spare space-clips.  

Today, added to the fact that his cousin-sister was irritated, Day had pulled them around the large commercial center. She’d point and point at things, not even glancing at the price ordering the two boys to load them into their arms only to discard three-fourths of them at checkout. Bringing along his new dormmate, he hoped his cousin would be easy on them for his sake. He thought that the skinny fellow would complain, even just a little bit, to his cousin and have her stop. God knew she wouldn’t listen to him! Yet, as they wove through store after store, the thin boy with his silver nest and stained overalls just followed them in silence, carrying a smile with him despite bearing the load of his cousin’s purchases.

At one point his cousin had looked at his tired face and stated plainly,” A mecha engineering student has better endurance than a combat student. Funny.” How he wished he could throw away the bags in his hand and drag his cousin to the ground by the trembling little pompoms holding her pig-tails up. To make matters worse, the said mecha engineering student in question just smiled back despite the few drops of sweat flowing down his nape. Whenever their eyes met, Silas smiling sheepishly while his cheeks adopted a gentle flush.

Entering the room behind him, Silas had stopped at the doorway, leaning against the closest wall. His arms braced atop his knees, as he seemed to steady himself.  

“You okay?” Cesko called out to his tired companion.

“Yeah,” Silas called out breathlessly. “Does she always eat like that?”

“Sometimes,” Cesko reassured,” she was feeling annoying, today, I guess. It was better than most other times, though. She only ordered one weird dish, at least.”

Silas’ head snapped up, eyes widened at the information. “Does, does she usually order more?”

“Full course, usually.”

“So, five dishes?”

“Fifteen.” Saying it aloud made Cesko feel queasy. His cousin was known for her taste, in clothes and objects, but never for her taste in food. Every meal she organized always felt like it was centered around her need to test the limits of her sense of taste, and her companion’s sanity. He felt his body shudder at the thought of her last full-course meal at the alien commune three hundred drops out of the boundary of the Federation, the taste of green twitching slices rose from his body’s memory.

Silas watched the other boy’s body shake at whatever memory he seemed to have conjured up at that last admission. He could only sigh before righting himself and picking up the shirt his dormmate, the very one splayed over their newly purchased and delivered lounge chair, shed. The wrinkled silk fabric felt cool in his hand, Silas could not help rubbing the material between his fingers.

Cesko, in a black tank top that showed off his broad shoulders and the tight muscles of his arms, wrapped his arms around the throw pillows his cousin had picked out for them before kicking off his boots. They sailed through the air only to drop in the middle of the coffee tables they’d also had delivered just a few hours ago.

“Ayy, my feet!” he exclaimed. “Lila, do I have all my toes?” He raised his foot, wiggling the toes under his sock.

Silas bent down to take away the boots from the table, re-arranging the books that they’d displaced. He took a seat on the opposite couch, melting into the soft leather fabric and the plush cushions surrounding him. He laid the shirt on his lap, caressing it gently as he folded it up. Neatly arranging it into a thick brick, he placed it to the corner of the table.

Cesko watched his graceful, familiar movements. “You okay, man?” With his plume shed, Cesko spoke casually yet still carrying the ease that seemed mystifying to anyone who listened. He considered the boy that had sunk into the seat across from him as he stretched.

“Yeah, just drained.”

“Yeah, that happens. She went out there with a vengeance.”

Silas nodded remembering the determined frown that would flash on Day’s face whenever she was making a purchase. She shopped with a conviction, like spending money was a mission in and of itself.

“It was good she ended it early,” Cesko propped his head up with a plush pillow. “If she went on for longer, we would have had to borrow a transport robot to carry me back.”

“I would have collapsed faster, though. My calves are already aching.” Silas leaned over, hugging his knees while his hands massaged his calves.

Cesko laughed, he threw his head back, his hair now in a rough tangle.

Silas felt that this was a good time to bring up the incident from this afternoon. It had weighed heavily on his mind as he followed the pair around. He felt that despite the kind of wealth the two cousins seemed to be decked in, they did not know enough about the dangers of Argan high society.  Now, with Cesko relaxed on the couch and within the privacy of their dorm, it was a good time to give him a crash course on what it meant to make an enemy of Lucyna Lowri, and, for his cousin to have been approached by the Lowri’s son-in-law.

“About the Lo-,” he hesitantly began, picking up a pillow beside him and picking at the embroidered flowers.

“It’s okay.”

Silas swallowed hard. “But –”

“Really, it’s okay.” Cesko sat up, propping his torso up, to meet their new friend’s eyes. “It’s okay. Believe in her. She might be crazy but,” he sighed,” believe in her, Silas.” It was a tall order to ask a stranger to trust his pink loving frivolous cousin. If it was anyone else, they might not have even acknowledged the boy when he knocked on his door earlier. Still, his cousin knew what she was doing, she usually does. If this boy, quiet and cautious, was to be their friend, it was only right to ask this of him, right? Cesko could only rationalize this request the way he had always rationalized the decisions and words his cousin made, with the simple conviction he had in her excellence.

Silas traced Cesko’s features: the gentle slope of his eyes, the arrogant chin, the straight nose, and the full lips. His long hair, draped across his chest, and the deep curve of his clavicle. When he’d met his eyes, he felt this deep conviction with the smallest bit of pleading. This was a test, a measure of the friendship they’d been building throughout the day, he knew. How he’d answer will affect how this friend will treat him moving forward. He turned away, leaning down to align the dark boots on the floor.

“Okay,” softly, he replied, barely a whisper.

Cesko’s sank back down on the couch, the tension he’d hardly noticed left his body. He closed his eyes.

“Thank you.”

The door swooshed open, as heavy footsteps came into the dorm.

Cesko did not open his eyes despite Silas’ standing up. He could hear their Lila give a friendly greeting to, who he thinks was their other dormmate. He waited, hoping to hear a reply. Silence. A sneer appeared on his face, hidden from behind the arm he draped over his face. Rude fellow, he surmised.

“Do,” Silas stammered on,” do you want to have dinner?”

The new addition to their dorm stood tall, his large figure towering over Silas. He had darker skin than the average Argan with distinctive features set into his face. His eyes, a shocking electric green, was looking indifferently at the two boys who he’d be sharing with this dorm with for as many years as they’d be in this university.

“No, I am alright.”

“My, my um, my name is Silas and that is Cesko.”

This pale delicate boy in dirty overalls pointed to the other who laid on one of the couches. He heard the uneven breathing. Nitaniel could feel that he was not welcome by the other. It was alright. He didn’t think he’d even find friends among these spoilt children. He was just here to graduate and get back to his team.

“Nitaniel,” he nodded before making his way into the only empty room in the dorm.

Cesko sat up as soon as the door closed. “Tsk.”

“Well,” Silas felt conflicted. He wanted to get along with their new dormmate. And, even if they do not become close, they didn’t have to be indifferent. He could not stand anymore indifference or apathy.

“Lila,” Cesko scooted to the side before patting the spot next to him.

Silas looked back at the firmly closed door, biting his lip, as he sat next to Cesko.

“Leave him.” Cesko had his hair in his hands now, pulling his fingers through before putting it up in a bun.

“I don’t hope we’d be friends, even being civil would be okay.”  

“He doesn’t seem all that interested in us, thought. Best leave it alone.”

Silas stared at the closed door, silently. He tried to put his mind at ease, pulling up the menu from his holo-band.

“What do you want for dinner?”

“Anythi-,” Cesko paused,” something that doesn’t move in your throat.”