Stresses

" Hello?" Alex picked up his phone after it had been buzzing in his pocket for a minute. Considering he didn't exactly get much sleep, his tired answer was to be expected.

"Hey Alex." Remy's chipper voice came through crystal clear. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out later today? Maybe have some lunch?" He asked. Alex chuckled as if something he said was funny. Was something he said funny? He didn't think so.

"You know what? I was just thinking about calling. Thanks for saving me the trouble. Where did you want to meet up?" Alex mused, sitting up. Remy scraped a claw along something, presumably his desk.

"I have the day off today. How about we meet at my place? I'll make lunch." Remy offered. Alex smiled, feeling much better about the situation.

"Sure. Just text me the address and I'll be over." Alex bid him farewell and hung up. A minute later, his own address illuminated the phone screen. That was funny. Did Remy somehow figure out where he lived? There was only one way to find out. He set the phone down, peeled off his suit, and went for the shower...

There it was. Remy wasn't messing with him. At Alex's own home address was a large apartment building. Tatsu Park wasn't too far of a walk, either. He'd have to share the fact with him once he had the chance. This was too interesting to just ignore.

He went up to the second floor and found the right door. His knock was followed by the sound of shuffling, and the opening...

"Alex, hey. Come on in and have a seat. I just got some drinks set out." Remy greeted happily. He seemed rather cheerful. Then again, he did have the day off. Who wouldn't be happy about that?

"Alright. Thanks Remy." Alex sat down on the comfy sofa. His overheated body sank in, threatening to stick there. "So how have you been? It's been a minute."

"I've been fine. Thanks again for the help the other day. I would've been trapped sorting books for another few hours without it." Remy mused. At least he seemed happier than Alex, who rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I think we both know the truth of that. A thanks definitely isn't necessary." Alex grimaced at the thought of his handiwork. That spilled box wasn't exactly a good example of his capabilities.

"You saved me a decent chunk of time, regardless. I owe you one for that. Now, how about lunch? There anything in particular you want?" Remy asked, pointing a thumb toward his kitchen.

"Well, what do you have at the ready? I'm not terribly picky." Alex said.

"There are some steaks if you want."

"Anything vegetarian? I don't exactly do red meat..."

"Interesting that you say that. I'm guessing all humans are like yourself?" Remy asked.

"Hardly. Most actually love all kinds of meat. I'm about the only no-red-meat vegetarian in my town."

"I see. So only some are vegetarian?"

"Exactly. I guess I qualify as well." Alex mused.

"You're in luck either way. I didn't want to make any assumptions, so I got us some meat-free steaks for this occasion. This might take a while, so make yourself at home." Remy offered. He got up and walked toward the kitchen, taking out the steaks, along with a vegetable medley consisting of potatoes, celery, and carrots. Alex watched him slice the veggies with somewhat clumsy paws, daydreaming about Bryce doing the same. The dragon glanced back as he added the first batch to a baking sheet.

"Yes?" Alex asked with the voice of someone totally smitten.

"Staring pretty hard there." Remy teased, poking a pin into Alex's little bubble.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I was thinking about something. Want me to help cook?"

"Nah, don't worry about it.

"If you're sure..." Alex trailed off, glancing around the apartment. It was quite tidy and organized. The books' spines were all aligned like the library's, pictures had a certain order, even his coffee table had a place for everything. Hardly a single scroll was out of place.

The repetition of Remy chopping vegetables ceased as he came back into the living room. "I'll be back in just a second," he said. He disappeared down the hall into his bathroom. That was when Alex felt a certain pang in his nethers. That very feeling when you have to go yourself. He cursed Remy for causing it...

Alex calmed himself, instead occupying his time by looking around. He starts at the well-organized bookshelf. Remy's books, magazines, and scrolls all had a place there. All genres were equally represented in the titles. At least, that's what it looked like. He found it funny that the scrolls were neatly placed into holders.

He found books on anatomy, his mouth quickly morphing into an evil smirk. Plucking a book and opening it, he... wasn't even sure what to expect. All there was on the page was what looked to be the diagram of bone structure. Trypophobia-inducing series of bone innards displayed themselves before him as he gazed on. He suddenly felt a need to put the book back.

Alex's little pang turned into a stinging that screamed at him to relieve himself. He pushed that back down and found the pictures. Some of them featured a pinkish-red dragon of Remy's species. They looked to be female from what Alex observed of others, likely a young adult, not that he was sure of it. Maybe this was that 'Amelia' character he read about in Remy's notebook. He'd definitely have to investigate.

Around the photo were more of that girl. She definitely seemed like a loved one. Alex's speculation was cut short when another sharp sting hit him hard. He doubled over and rushed to the door, knocking on the frame when he noticed it was ajar.'

"Alex?! You scared me!" Remy yelped. From the other side of the door, Alex could hear the sink running.

"Sorry. Hate to rush, but are you about done? I kind of need to go now."

"Yeah. I'm just drying my hands. I'll be out in a moment." Remy said once he calmed down. That sudden run up and knock would've scared the piss out of him if he had any left. He finished drying himself, and let Alex waddle in...

Alex finally exited, padding quietly into the living room. He was about to sit back down when he got a nasty little idea. Remy hadn't noticed him yet. Now would be a good time for a little prank. Creeping toward the dragon, he raised himself for a scare. His stomach growled audibly. Remy's ears perked and he cringed away. He cursed his stomach for betraying him so.

"Oh. Hungry already, I take it?" Remy asked innocently. Alex chuckled awkwardly.

"I may have skipped breakfast..." He grimaced. So much for his prank.

"Don't worry. I'll give you something to fill your belly with soon." With that, Remy trailed back into the kitchen. He glanced over the partition and opened his mouth as if to speak, but shut it back. Alex watched him shake his head and continue cooking. He soon heard the sound of sizzling as the steaks hit the pan. The savory aroma wafted throughout the house as he rested himself, letting the scent take him off to his daydreams again...

" Alex..." He could hear Bryce call. Behind his eyelids, he could see that bulky-yet-muscular frame peek out at him with a suggestive smile.

"Alex." Bryce called again. Something went wrong with his voice. It was slightly distorted, being somewhere between his and Remy's.

"Alex, is something wrong? You're giving me that look again." This time, he was shaken back to reality by a pearlescent white paw.

"Oh! Shit, sorry. I was just... thinking about how good those steaks smell." Alex lied. He had a bad feeling Remy knew he was lying too.

"Well think no longer. The food's ready. Enjoy!" Remy motioned to two plates, each full with a hearty serving of steak and veggies. One had silverware laying on either side of it; his. He took the provided knife and sliced off a corner. The sharp blade cut through it like butter. Speaking of butter, that must've been what Remy cooked with. The steak had a crisp and buttery exterior, with a tender, juicy inside. It practically melted on his tongue as he chewed. Needless to say, he was awestruck.

"Oh damn..." Alex whispered.

"So, what were you thinking about exactly?" Remy spoke upon finishing his first bite.

"Hm?"

"What were you really thinking about? Something made you look all dopey like that."

"A few things. You being a damn good cook is one of them." Alex said. Remy raised a brow, as though he didn't believe him.

"Well... thank you."

"You're welcome. Another thing was someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I... like."

"Is that someone me?" Remy teased, giving his company a playful nudge.

"Oh, stop. You'll find out soon enough." Alex playfully shoved back.

"I will let you know, though. I don't feel the same way back if it is me." Remy took another bite. "I'm just not looking right now."

"Don't worry. It's not."

"Good."

"Bad time for the recent murders to enter my mind."

"Oh, what a terrible thing, those are. People can be so cruel sometimes."

"Real convincing there, Remy." Alex started after another bite. "Sounds like you don't care too much."

"Don't get me wrong, I do. I'm just thinking. You don't seem so shaken yourself."

"Doesn't help that it's much worse back home. Onyx police have a simultaneous vigilante problem, and a murder one according to police records."

"Really? That's almost unheard of here. One just needs to look at the statistics to realize that this is very unusual. Either that, or it's an exceptionally bad week."

"I can tell. It definitely seemed more peaceful when I got my first experience. Hey, by the way, do you live here by yourself? I noticed some of the pictures you have hanging." Alex asked.

"Oh. Those ones, I take it?" Remy asked to a nod. "Those ones are just of a... friend..." Remy trailed off.

Alex waited for him to speak up again for ten seconds. Ten whole agonizing, silent seconds. Needless to say, that never came. Remy only remained in a somber state until a clear of his throat.

"So, uh... how come you used a stove to cook? I've seen people cook with their fire. Seems like a handy thing to have." Alex tried to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Oh. Not all of us have that ability. Besides, we still appreciate the convenience that comes with appliances..." Remy trailed off again. It seemed Alex would have to try harder to break him out of that state.

"I see. I guess breathing fire indoors is self explanatory. So, what about those scrolls you have? The ones on anatomy?"

"What about them?"

"Well, I may have looked at a few. Guess I just made your anatomy a high-priority subject during my stay. My friend always did say I should always aspire to learn."

"M- my anatomy?" Remy backed away a little.

"Dragons in general, dingus." Alex nudged him with his elbow.

"Oh." Remy breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought for a moment- never mind. If that's the case, I might be able to help you get something more comprehensive than a handful of scrolls."

"I'd hugely appreciate that. Thanks, Remy." Alex bowed his head to him. Perhaps he could get some 'research material' out of this little deal. Maybe some of earth dragons. It'd certainly help him whenever he'd do stuff with Bryce.

"So anyway, how do you like the food? I'm assuming it's good if you've cleaned your plate." Remy noted.

"I did?" Alex glanced down at his plate. It was, in fact, clean as if nothing was on it at all. "Huh. How about that? I guess you have your answer. The steak's amazing."

"Thanks. I suppose you learn to cook pretty well when you live on your own long enough. I guess I judged your portion correctly, unless you want more?"

"Oof..." Alex gave his bloated belly a pat. "I'm definitely good for the rest of the day. Say, what was that steak made of anyway?"

"I'm not exactly sure. It's probably some kind of vegetable blend."

"Not unlike what we have back home. By the way, what kind of meat's most common around here?"

"Aurochs. Are you familiar with them?"

"Hardly. I can't say I've studied my animals too much outside of school."

"They're large, bovine mammals characterized by their horns and body shape. We get a range of products from them, from meat and milk to sub products like cheese and butter, in addition to leather, felt, oils and creams. We even use the horns and bones for a variety of things." Alex took a moment to absorb Remy's info dump. He should've figured the dragons would have animals like that if they have a society so close to his own.

"That sounds so much like the feral cattle back home. Same products and everything." He said.

"What do you mean by feral? Do you mean to say that there are other sentient species besides humans?" Remy's eyes widened in curiosity.

"Exactly that. Back home, we have both feral animals, and anthropomorphic animals. Anthros for short. But anyway, Anthros are just your average citizens you'd see around town. Ferals are the ones we have for pets and products. Hell, one of my closest friends is a horse."

Remy remained utterly silent for a whole minute. "Alex, that's the craziest thing I've heard in my entire life." He deadpanned.

"Crazy as it sounds, it's true. It's a zoo back home." Alex sat back before realizing something. "Wait, I still have my pictures. I can just show you." He pulled out his phone, the holographic display expanding in front of them. He opened up his photo library and scrolled to one of Chris. The gold-furrred horse smiled widely next to Alex. Another sandwiched him from the other side. She sported chestnut brown fur, a dirty blonde mane, and a stripe marking running down her face. They were in front of the Onyx Police Station, celebrating Chris' getting his job as an officer.

"Well, that's weird. Neither Reza nor your people mentioned any other sentient species. Is there something about these others that I should know?" Remy asked.

"Not that I know of. Reza has always been a bit of an ass, so him not mentioning other species doesn't seem out of character. Anyway, that's enough about my people for now. We'll pick this up later. How about your people?"

"I'm sure you're aware of this, but unlike aurochs, we're reptiles." Remy said.

"Right."

"This makes me wonder about you. I'd guess you're a mammal based on your fur, but you're quite different from the ones we know of."

"Same to you, friend. You guys are vastly different from any gecko or monitor lizard I've seen. By the way, it's not actually 'fur'. It's hair."

"What's the difference?"

"Well-" Alex pulled up the photo of him, Chris and Zoe again. "Fur is dense and covers the whole body. Hair usually refers to the hair growing on a person's head. In a human's case, less dense hair can grow on the body. Oh, and fur typically refers to mammals other than humans." Alex explained in depth.

"I see. I wonder if those clothes of yours make up for a lack of hair."

"That's one reason. They also provide protection from the elements, differentiation, identification, ornamentation... what someone wears can tell you something about the person themself."

"That sounds complicated. I know we have uniforms and jewelry ourselves, but ours are nowhere near as extensive."

"So, what do you do when winter comes? I could honestly imagine some of you wearing scarves at least."

"If you're asking if we produce our own body heat, then yes. Winters can get a bit harsh, so staying indoors is recommended. Speaking of our world, how do you like it here? Good? Bad?

"It's been pretty great outside of the shit show currently going on. Nice landscapes, nice people, someone who I'd love to have a relationship with..." Alex listed.

"Oh, that's good to hear! Cultural differences can make things very difficult sometimes. I'm glad things are working out for you so far. Oh! Speaking of culture, I was actually able to save my game after all." Remy chirped.

"Crisis averted..." Alex exhaled.

"You know, I had another repayment in mind if things didn't work out." Remy mused.

"You were going to make me replay everything, weren't you?"

"Read me like a book. I'm just glad you seem okay with it."

"Remy, you know I'm a fellow gamer. I'd be thrilled to play some of your games. Maybe see what all you guys have."

"I'll keep that in mind. Perhaps I can show you sometime." Remy smiled softly. "You know, I'm glad you decided to come apologize. I was looking forward to just sitting down and talking like we are."

"Guess it's a good thing that I aimed that gun at you. Else, I wouldn't have the incentive to come say sorry."

"Hey! Why you-" Remy snatched Alex's head into his grip, giving him a vigorous noogie.

"Hey! Stop, stop! I yield!" Alex pulled and pulled, eventually releasing himself from the other's strong grasp. "For real, though. You do have a point. I don't know you well at all. There's your workplace, your home address, and your video games. That's about it. Hell, most of our conversations have revolved around things outside of just you and me. We really should get to know each other." Alex complained.

"I- I don't really like talking about myself..."

"How come?"

"I guess I wouldn't know what to say. I'm not really that interesting."

"I think you are."

"That's sweet of you, but there's more to it. There's the uncertainty of knowing another person's reaction to something I say. I just don't want to embarrass myself." Remy traced a claw around the edge of his plate.

"Where have I heard that before?" Alex shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Remy, I used to say the exact same things up until I turned twenty. I had no confidence, low self esteem, barely even any friends. That was until I met someone who helped me. I believe the same can happen to you, as long as you start looking."

"You really think I can do that with who I am now?" Remy asked, unsure of Alex's confidence in him. He only placed a gentle hand over his paw with a similar smile.

His sapphire eyes met Alex's gray. There was no dishonesty whatsoever lingering in them. Just empathy, and confidence. It felt good, having someone who believed in him, like a warm hug for his heart.

"I know you can, because you already have someone like that. You just have to trust him." Alex said softly. As softly as he would when comforting his own daughter.

"Are you sure about that? What about when you have to leave?" Remy asked, unsure about his own future.

"i can always come visit. You have my number, so give me a call any time."

"What if I just come over to your world?"

"That could work too. I'll just need a wider door." Alex chuckled.

"Speaking of houses, what's yours like?"

"Pretty modest if I'm being brutally honest. Certainly more spartan in decoration. Actually, a lot of places look nicer over here."

"Is that so?

"Yeah. My hometown, Onyx, tried to do the whole 'ultra-green fusion-with-nature' thing. It didn't work out very well. They gave up halfway through planning and decided to add more parks."

"I wouldn't mind that." Remy mused. "I'll bet your parks are lovely."

"There is this one nature trail going from the south metro station to the high school. Absolutely lovely. Outside of that, most are just rock gardens and brick pathways."

"That doesn't sound so bad. I wouldn't mind a little more green space."

"If by 'not so bad', you mean sickeningly repetitive, you hit the nail right on the head."

"Poor thing. It's okay, you can still come visit Tatsu Park."

"If only it were that easy. That old portal draws a lot of power. It's not exactly easy to use without people noticing."

"You mean you snuck over?" Remy gasped in shock.

"No, I did not. The people in charge just made it abundantly clear that this trip wouldn't easily happen again."

"At least you're here now."

"After a whole year. Let's get off this, it's depressing thinking about not seeing you guys again." Alex audibly complained.

"Fair enough. What have you been up to since we last met?" Remy changed the subject smoothly enough.

"Not much. Just fighting crime. You?"

"Since I last went into the kitchen, you mean?"

"Ha ha. Very funny." Alex rolled his eyes. Remy looked rather proud of his awful joke.

"Oh, I'm just messing with you, Alex. Though with all our conversation, I completely forgot about dessert."

"Remy, you don't have to." Alex scraped at the floor with his boot. He genuinely hadn't had dessert with anyone since Zoe. There was Macy, but he usually never ate it. In combination with his 'night job', he'd slimmed down by about forty pounds. To think he was still losing weight.

"Too late. I'm going to get it. I'll be just a minute." Remy got up and stacked the empty dishes on his forearm.

Heading into the kitchen, Alex could hear a light clatter as they were placed into the sink. It was only a few seconds before Remy returned with an appetizing looking slice of cake. As attractive as it looked, his focus was on the dragon, who looked as though he was struggling.

"Hey, let me get that." Alex said.

"No, no. Don't worry about it. I can handle this. You're my guest, after all." Remy declined. Setting the plate down, he went to retrieve the other. His struggle became worse on his second trip. One of the tiny dessert forks began to slip as he approached the table.

"Okay, fuck what you said. I'm helping." Alex got up to take the plate from him. Remy tried to halt him with his spare paw. That was an obvious mistake. He lost his balance the second he slipped it out from under him. Alex dove for Remy, catching him. Catch was a relative term, as he just fell on his arms. His sheer weight sent them both to the ground with a normally wood-splintering thud . Alex yelped in pain as Remy scrambled off of him.

"Oh dear..." Remy inspected the damages in horror. "Alex, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright... it's alright." Alex flipped himself over using his elbows. "At least I caught you, right?"

"Why did you do that? I would've been fine. Now you're hurt, and everything's ruined."

"Remy, I'm fine. I've been through worse."

"It's not even just about that. This always happens to me, no matter how hard I try. How can someone like me be a librarian? I don't even have proper hands! Not a day goes by without me dropping a scroll, and it unfurling across the damn room! But the customers? They don't care. They don't even pity me enough to say anything. It's just a common sight, after all." Remy went off, ranting some of his frustrations away. Alex felt so bad for him. He had a feeling he already knew what was so bothersome.

"This is about Emera, isn't it?" He growled darkly.

'I guess? I just don't see why someone like me got the position, when there were others with much better qualifications. Or are at least capable of not dropping inventory on a daily basis."

"I've heard her make fun of you for it. She bullies you over the simplest things."

'I knew it. Why else would she stick me with these simple tasks all the time? Sort books, carry things from one place to another... I shouldn't be doing that. I shouldn't be working somewhere where my only value is in the entertainment I provide!"

"Sounds like she needs to be reported to her little ministry. That, or you need to start job hunting." Alex began reflecting on Remy's real options. Not much came to mind...

"Sadly, these positions have terms, much like those of Ministers. It wouldn't look great if I ended my employment prematurely." Remy stated sadly. His position was just awful. He was a sitting duck at that moment.

"How long is left?"

"..."

"Remy?"

"A while."

"And reporting her?"

"I can't without evidence. Not that I could prove anything. Her public and private demeanor are two different things. It'd be my word against hers." Remy glanced pathetically up to the other. "Look at us. I just wanted to have a nice afternoon with you, and look how it turned out."

"It's okay. From the sound of it, you really needed to let that one out. I'm glad I could be the one to bear it."

"Thank you. Maybe I should stop being such a sourpuss."

"It's okay to be one. Here, let me clean this up for you." Alex offered, picking up the pieces of Remy's destroyed plate.

"Thank you, Alex..." Remy flumped down onto his sofa, exhausted. Who knew that letting out one's stresses could be so tiring? Maybe he hadn't had anyone to talk to for so long that he finally hit his breaking point.

Either way, he was glad Alex was here now. Someone like him was a lifesaver. He watched the little human head into the kitchen, and come back with some moist and dry paper towels. He wiped up the cake mess and tiny shards with the wet, and came back over with the dry. The floor was spotless by the time Alex was done. He came back out after washing his hands, walking right up to Remy.

"Ready for a nap?" Alex asked. Remy chuckled softly.

"Yeah. You gonna go?"

"Yeah." Alex reached around his head in a hug. "Call me whenever you want to hang out again. I'll be there." He carefully opened the door, looking back to see Remy had hidden his eyes with the sofa's arm. Just his muzzle was visible, his tongue sticking out in a cute display.

Alex stepped back down to the street, his phone in hand. It rang every few seconds in anticipation of the other line picking up...

"Hey, get my gear ready." He waited a few seconds."Yeah. I might need some help..."