Glistening iridescent pink, purple, and blue, the broken chunk of bismuth sat secure in Blizzard's beak. I hope he likes it!
The Gentoo waddled through the colony until at last he found Blanco. The smaller, younger Gentoo's back was turned to him, Blanco lost in conversation with another penguin. Blizzard gratefully took the time to compose himself. Although, on the outside, he looked like an iceberg, proud and tall, unreadable and steady, ever moving forward, on the inside, he was trapped in a meltdown.
Oh, what was I thinking? Blanco isn't going to want THIS! There are tons of others rocks and pebbles out there that are so much bigger and brighte and better than mine! Why didn't I choose one of them instead? I guess I'm just an idiot, aren't I? If Blizzard hadn't been trying to blend in with the others, he would've slapped his face with his wing. Hours and hours spent searching through piles and piles of stones and rocks, trying to find the most perfect one to express his tender feelings for Blanco, and he still chose wrong!
I guess I can hope no one else finds a better stone for just one more mating season. Maybe next time…? If Blizzard hadn't been trying to hold a rock in his beak, he would've swallowed in nervousness and defeat. The reason he chose the chunk of bismuth was for its unique color and shine. Even if there were other stones larger, smoother, neater, or brighter in color, none had the glossy sheen of pink, purple, and blue melting so perfectly together. That was why Blizzard chose it. Not only was it the most beautiful, but the colors and their blend represented Blanco exactly.
Blanco's name and color were white, but Blizzard's gift was symbolic. He knew that the other penguin had taken a mate before, female. It was something Blanco mentioned to him as they were becoming friends. At the first thought of Blanco in a romantic situation, Blizzard's gizzards flip-flopped inside of him, then it was followed by embarrassment. He had to be an absolute fool to think that Blanco would ever have any interest in him, at least in that way. They'd been good friends for so long and Blanco never gave any indication of attraction for Blizzard.
So, what am I even doing here now? Blizzard sighed, breath brushing past the bismuth in his beath. Maybe this was why, unlike Blanco, despite being older than Blanco, Blizzard never had a mate before. Mating rituals were never really his thing… And that was even after accounting for how rare it was to find another male penguin that was open to the idea of a relationship with a male penguin. It was either outright disgust, or a polite rejection, and sometimes, Blizzard wasn't sure which was more painful or frustrating.
But with Blanco… Even though Blizzard didn't want a rejection from him either, finding the thought of it quite embarrassing, it was not as intolerable as Blizzard expected. The thought of Blanco with another mate made Blizzard sad for himself, but happy for Blanco.
I COULD just keep doing that… Blizzard thought slowly. We remain friends and whether he gets a mate or not, I remain happy for him!
It sounded like a good idea in his head, but half a second later, resentment filled his gizzard. Do I HAVE to keep living like that though? Why not try, even if only just this one time? All I'm going to do is ask! Come on, Blizzard, you were named for your strength! Even icebergs can't move you!
And yet, a pebble could. At least until Blizzard decided that he would move the pebble. He waddled and shuffled awkwardly up to Blanco.
"Blizzard! There you are!" Blanco turned around and his face instantly lit up. "I was wondering where you went!"
Blizzard tilted his head.
"Yeah!" Blanco nodded his. "I wanted to have a morning swim with you, but you weren't in your nest!"
You were… looking for me…? Blizzard's gizzards tickled again. Oh, of course, of all the days to have to wake up early to go finding the perfect rock for Blanco! Oh! Wait! Right! The rock!
Some of his feathers ruffled in embarrassment, but he smoothed them down subtly as he set the bismuth between his and Blanco's feet.
"My apology, the reason you could not find me earlier was because I was searching for this."
"Oh! Someone catch your eye?" Blanco was surprised. In all the time they knew each other, Blizzard never had a mate nor seemed to want one.
Y-y-y-yes… Blizzard cleared his throat weakly, webbed feet shuffling on the ground. "Y-yeah… You…"
"… Say what now?"
"Blanco!" Blizzard's tone was pleading.
"No really!" So was Blanco's. "I just want to make sure I heard you right! Are you… really saying that… the stone is… meant for me?"
In the time it took Blanco to ask, Blizzard sweated bullets. Why is his voice so hard to read?! I know he's surprised, but is it good or bad?
"H-huh?! Uhh, y-yeah!" Blizzard kicked himself again for sounding like such a pathetic baby chick! Lucky for him, Blanco hardly seemed to notice, too lost in his own head as he tried to process Blizzard's proposal.
O-o-oh… my gosh! Slap me, I must be dreaming! The one time Blanco had a mate while he and Blizzard were friends was the year they met, but after that mating season, Blanco hadn't mated since. I was waiting on him! And even when I thought he wasn't interested, I just didn't feel the need to have anyone else after we became friends!
Blanco smiled and shook his head. Oh, Blizzard, couldn't you have been a little faster, or a little easier to read? I'd just made peace with the thought that you weren't interested.
Maybe Blizzard didn't much like himself, but he was Blanco's favorite penguin in the whole colony! He was prickly and socially awkward, yes, but he was genuine and intelligent, and he was an excellent conversationalist once he was distracted from the initial awkwardness.
As Blanco studied the stone Blizzard brought him, he noted with amusement that the stone was "prickly" too. Maybe the colors were suited to Blanco, but the texture was Blizzard, and if anything, that made it even more perfect for both of them.
"S-s-so… uhhh… how 'bout that swim?" Blizzard asked his webbed feet. I sure could use help cooling down!
"Of course," Blanco chuckled. "Let me just put this away first." He smiled through his beak as he carried the rock to his nest, head high.
Glistening iridescent pink, purple, and blue, the broken chunk of bismuth sat secure in Blanco's beak. I hope he knows I love it!
Blizzard did, and couldn't have been more proud.
AN: Bit of a mix of gay jokes here. Bismuth is a bisexual-looking rock, and penguins can be gay/bi AF (google it), so I thought it would be funny to combine the two "symbols" into one story.
(The name "Blanco" is because the Falkan Islands, where I headcanon this story to take place (or somewhere close) is near Argentina.)
Also, I didn't originally plan on writing this, but now that I did, I'm dedicating it to my best friend, Penguin! (Is it hard to see why? LOL)
