The room was dimly lit solely because Reybes didn’t feel the need to get up and turn on the lights yet. Evening sunlight shafted in through the apartment windows, casting warm, dappled light on the floor. When Reybes moved his feet, his socks dyed deep orange.

Banta was barely awake, Reybes knew, could tell by the way he’d sunken back into the couch, the way his chin had dropped down to his collarbone. Still, he endeavoured to keep up their game.

“Okay, here’s one for ya,” he said, husky in a way that made Reybes want to crawl along the couch and curl up with his head in the curve of his neck. “You in love with anyone?”

Reybes felt his heart skip, subtle but sharp. He studied Banta’s face, trying to discern what he meant by the question, trying to figure out if he knew somehow. If he’d figured out, finally, Reybes’s hidden feelings.

He lied, “No. Are you?”

Banta laughed sleepily and Reybes’s left ear tilted to follow the sound of his bony tail flicking against the floor, a clack-clack-clack. “Nah, dude.”

Relief. And disappointment. Reybes’s insides coiled.

When the silence lapsed too long, Banta’s eyelids flickered and he gazed with tired confusion at him. “Was that your question? Or mine?”

“Not sure,” Reybes returned. “Why don’t you get outta your work clothes? Supper’s almost done anyways.”

“Pretty sure that wasn’t anywhere near twenty questions,” Banta said but he stood up, yawning and stretching his arms over his head.

Reybes watched him leave the room, scratching the back of his neck and he leaned his face into his palms, his tail curling around his feet.