"I think you need to read this," she said nervously, and shoved the book at him while opening it to the sticky note at the beginning of the 'Courtship Rituals' chapter.
He sat down, and took it from her with a puzzled look that became a stunned one as he read. He reached the end of the chapter introduction and looked up."Stephanie, are you suggesting what I think you are?"
Stephanie nodded. "It fits. The description could be coincidence, but the behaviour patterns, no. And it's not just courtship ones that fit, either."
Sportacus sighed, and handed the book back. "Robbie must think I'm the biggest tease ever. I had no idea."
"I didn't think you did, that's why I thought you needed to know. It didn't matter that Robbie might be a Gremlin until I recognised what I saw in that chapter."
"Well, on the bright side, nobody else is going to know I spent two years accidentally almost but not quite responding to his attempts to court me."
Stephanie sat beside him, and stared at her feet. "It's an assignment. Not Gremlins specifically, but we have to do a presentation on a non-human culture, in pairs. Me and Ziggy are working together."
"Oh."
"Yeah. What are you going to do?" Stephanie asked.
"I'm not quite sure. Can I borrow the book?"
"I'll need it back, but for now, sure."
Sportacus hadn't spent an entire afternoon reading since he was a child. While he did enjoy reading, he had difficulty keeping still long enough to read more than a few pages in a sitting. This, though, was important; he needed to know how to handle Robbie's doubtless very hurt feelings, and it was all the information he had.
Further reading of the chapter suggested that not all of Robbie's schemes met the criteria of courtship behaviour; unless the genie had been 'in on it', that attempt to make him leave town must have been genuine, as it had been Robbie's last wish. He hardly blamed Robbie for that, as many times Sportacus's response to these attempts had been in line with Gremlin courtship, up until he failed to claim his 'reward' later in private. Much as he'd said to Stephanie, he must have come across as a terrible cocktease.
He sighed and put the book down. There was barely time left before bedtime to eat a little and clean his teeth, there was nothing more he could do now.
Robbie was startled awake by Sportacus nearly landing on him. With his startled flailing, he up-ended the cheesy nibbles he'd been eating when he drifted off all over himself and the floor, and tipped the recliner over backward. Sportacus gallantly helped him to his feet, then made an overly thorough and lingering attempt to brush the cheesy nibble dust off of him. It was almost sexual in a ridiculously friendly fashion. Robbie's breath caught in his throat; not another tease, please. God, how warped a creature must he be that he was interpreting being patted as sexual? Just because humans were so prudish about proper sexual touch they never showed it, replacing it in fiction and public with caresses more suitable for family and friends than lovers --
"Robbie," Sportacus's voice broke firmly through his thoughts, "I think we need to talk."
"That makes no sense," Robbie complained when Sportacus got done explaining. Humans and Elves usually preferred tenderness in bed?
"For you maybe, it didn't occur to me that picking on someone could be considered a romantic overture to anybody over 10, let alone an entire species' normal adult behaviour," he replied, and then stood on his toes and kissed Robbie. It was a strange kiss for Robbie, soft and tender, but passionate in a way he never would have believed such a gentle touch could be. Sportacus's hands drifted back down Robbie's back, cupping his arse and pulling them closer together. The hardness he could feel against his thigh proved that this was working for Sportacus, and Robbie growled in frustration.
"Robbie?" Sportacus asked, pulling back a little.
"I don't know if I can do this this way," Robbie said sadly.
"We'll work it out," Sportacus replied, and bit his earlobe.
Robbie felt his eyes close and knees go weak, and only Sportacus's hold on him stopped him toppling over. He opened his eyes again to find Sportacus studying his face with interest.
"Well --" he started to say, sounding pleased.
"That's ... That's all right for you?" Robbie interrupted, unsure after Sportacus's explanation that an Elf could stomach making love to a Gremlin 'properly'.
"As long as you don't need to bite back," Sportacus said.
Robbie smiled. "I'll be right."
Sportacus grinned at him, and then bit his neck.