Secrets

Kolyat looked down at the hands that held his own. The deep purple scales of his companion went beautifully with his own blue. He let out a sigh and didn't look up as he spoke.

"Are you certain?" He felt the other pair of hands squeeze his own. "I know our culture doesn't look kindly on our type of relationship."

"Kolyat, that doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter if you're male or female. Just as long as you're you."

Kolyat looked up and his eyes met those of the drell standing before him. His name was Niath and he was the only other drell Kolyat had encountered while on Earth, apart from Miyo and Thane. The two of them had met at the large spaceport where they both worked. Niath worked for a few hanar officials, as their aid, while Kolyat worked with managing bagage. On an after-work evening, a coworker had introduced them. It hadn't taken long before they hit off. At first, it had simply felt as friendship. But after a while, it grew to something else. Niath was the first one Kolyat had confessed his attraction to males to.

While he knew that same-sex couples were widely accepted on Earth, the same couldn't be said for Kahje. The drell were still quite close-minded in that fashion. Perhaps it was because there were so few of them and same-sex couples couldn't have children. Every child was valuable to the drell, to keep their species from dying out.

No one knew about Niath, not even his father or Shepard. Kolyat was worried, mainly about his father's reaction. Though Thane had never given any indication to dislike or be disgusted by same-sex couples, Kolyat didn't want to take the chance. Thane had already left once and Kolyat was going to do anything in his might to not let that happen again.

"If it bothers you this much, we can keep it quiet." Niath said and tilted his head as he tried to read Kolyat's facial expression.

"No." Kolyat shook his head. "Or, perhaps. I'm not sure. I need some time to think about it."

"I'll gladly give you all the time in the world." Niath leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Kolyat's.

A pleased, deep purr came from Kolyat. Niath's lips were so smooth and gentle against his own. Though it wasn't Kolyat's first kiss, it was probably his best so far. His latest kiss had been with a white-scaled female in an empty corridor in his high school, when he still tried to deny his attraction to males.

However, the tender moment was interrupted as Kolyat heard the sound of an engine. Shepard had agreed to come and pick him up after work, since he was working night and she didn't want him to be out and about in the dark. He pulled away from Niath and stepped back. But the spotlights had already fallen on them and Kolyat knew Shepard had seen them kissing. His eyes went to the ground and he refused to look his step-mother in the eye as she exited the car.

"Hello youths!" She said with a light voice as she walked up to them. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Ripley."

"Niath Huun." Out of the corner of his eye, Kolyat saw the two of them shake hands.

"So, you're Kolyat's boyfriend...?" Shepard continued.

"I suppose you could say that."

"Huh. Didn't know he had one." Shepard continued as Kolyat fiddled with a thread on his trousers. "Anyway, you'll have to come by for dinner sometime. Just give me a head's up first, so that I know to make extra."

"I would very much like that." Niath said before his hand went to Kolyat's arm. "I'll see you Monday."

As soon as Niath's hand went from his arm, Kolyat started making his way towards the car. He jumped into the passenger seat and stared out the window at the dark night.

"He seems nice." Shepard said as she sat down in the driver's seat. When Kolyat didn't say anything, Shepard continued. "You don't have to feel embarrassed or anything, you know that right? It doesn't matter who you love, as long as it's consensual and the one you love loves you back."

"What will father think?" He muttered and glanced over at Shepard.

"I think Thane will be just fine with it."

"If you say so..."

The rest of the drive consisted of them chatting about how his day at work at been and what had happened while Kolyat had been at work. When they pulled in on the drive way, Shepard put a hand on his arm as he was about to get out of the car.

"Thane and I love you, Kolyat." She said, her large eyes sincere. "Always will. Just... Remember that, okay?"

"I will." He nodded. "Thank you, Shepard."