Len has found his mate, but there's an unexpected obstacle.
He's recessive.
Len thought that he would always love Ahote, and all he had to do was grow up and claim him.
Before he could come of age and confess his feelings to the man he loved, a Sibe...
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LEN
When my spring term exams were over, I started counting the days until Adyen and I would travel. We packed the things we needed, and we spent our last few days in Toronto hanging out with my roommates and eating bad pizza at Georgiou's restaurant. On the day we were meant to travel, Adyen and I had taken public transport to the train station and had spent most of the waiting time talking to his mother and assuring her that we would be safe in Alberta.
"Naylan asked if you could get him a bag of tomato seeds from Alberta. He said he'll pay you back however you like," Adyen had said as we waited in the terminal. "It's for their garden."
"Sure," I had muttered, smiling at Adyen. He seemed excited, and that excitement didn't wear off when we were on the train. He spent most of his time reading on his pocket reader or sleeping with his head rested on my shoulder. I was more focused on the scenery outside, peeking out the window whenever the train, which spent a fair amount of time underground, had the occasional glimpse of the outside world. I had noticed the sharp contrast in provinces and cities. I noticed how buildings started to space out and how there was more vegetation as we headed approached Peace River. When we got off the train the first thing, I noticed was the lack of people—I had forgotten how quiet and underpopulated my town was.
Adyen and I made our way to the designated waiting area in the train station's parking lot. We stood in silence, sometimes leaning on our boxes when our feet got tired of holding up our weight. It was about six in the evening now, and the sun was starting to fade behind the colds, drowning the rural landscape in a muted brown-orange light.
I was on my phone, texting my mum who was assuring me that Alek was almost there. He was picking me up and was coming along with Ahote for help carrying the boxes.
The knowledge made a lump form in my throat. Ahote didn't need to come. Adyen and I could carry our own boxes. I didn't argue with my mum, though, deciding that it wasn't worth it. Adyen might also notice that I was upset if I pushed it and started a text back and forth with her.
"He'll be here in a bit," I said, turning to face Adyen before locking my phone and putting it back in my pocket. Adyen was in one of his turtleneck sweaters. He was wearing it over some slide on shoes and traditional blue jeans. I was in jogging pants and a hoodie. I wasn't much of a dresser for things like this.
