FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Nak'Sen let his forceps fall from his fingers and sighed softly, stretching his body out before leaning back over the desk. The office was somewhat dark and cramped, though he readily accepted it despite his employer's contrition. He still had yet to get fully used to this workload; what he could easily do when he was younger attaining certification was now taking a toll on him. Still, there was work to be done, and he started typing out the details of the 8,678th sample of Isoptera he'd been provided. The arthropod reminded him so much of the curious Terakian creatures that his acquaintance Se'vek doted so heavily on, and he felt himself begin to hunger. After clearing his workspace and noting his progress, he rose with a yawn, peering out into the hallway before making his way through the quiet lab.

However, the young male did not get far before a voice echoed through the halls, calling out to him.

"Sen!" Vesora, his direct supervisor, had just stepped around a corner and now greeted him with a friendly wave. "if you are not busy, could I borrow you for a little bit?" You look tired.."

"Oh, not at all!" Sen chirped, adjusting his direction immediately and striding toward her with just enough smile on his face. He stood before her like a soldier on duty, looking at her expectantly. "I'm nearly done with the next round of samples, but I am happy to assist with anything else you need!"

"Good," Vesora replied, gazing down at him with a cheerful smile, seeming excited about something as well. With a wave, she motioned for him to follow, remarking "I suppose it's more about sharing some very exciting results..."

As he dutifully followed her to her portion of the lab, Nak'Sen cocked his head at Vesora, trying to remember what additional experiments were being conducted. Up until now, he'd just been powering through biological samples...

Stepping into the familiar territory of the Sek's lab, Sen blinked in surprise to see a familiar face. Jera Re'nor, Vesora's son, was seated on one of the exam beds, humming softly to himself as he looked up at a screen mounted on the wall, displaying a bioscan of a Sek. Sen smiled politely at the fellow male, nodding in familiarity, before following his eyes up to the screen. Just any other bioscan, labeled with Jera's name. It seemed pretty standard.

"It worked!" Vesora chirped in glee, and Jera seemed quite happy himself.

"...It...worked..." Sen repeated the words softly, head cocked in confusion. Everything was normal...except for something in the abdomen. Those looked like...

...two small heartbeats, within Jera's abdominal region.

"What...experiment is this? Are those...Jera's..."

"Part of my experiments with getting around the corrective genes, along with Sur'ri reproduction!" she chirped happily. "The two eggs that Jera was implanted with have taken...Hopefully, everything else works out as planned...but.."

Sen's eyes lit up, finally fully getting it. He was still confused, up until now he had thought Jera was Vesora's son...but in fact-

"But?"

"Well...some of the experiment will have to wait till they are born before we can see the results, but both donors are Sur'ri." she said as she settled down at her desk, "Which means that Jera is the mother...Err...Father?" she muttered softly, puzzling herself for a moment before shaking her head. "Either way...Jera, a Sek, is one parent. I used his eggs...and spliced them with eggs taken from two different Sur'ri. That they are both viable and alive is a very, very promising result."

Jera chuckled and gave Nak'Sen an apologetic look. His mother was ever so passionate about her work.

Sen met Jera's look with a mildly lost one of his own...one that eventually worked into a little smile and a shrug as Vasora's focus was on her array of screens. The science was exciting, and the news was good, he just wasn't sure what to do with it. He'd met the Sek a few times, and all their interactions were...rather nice. However, he wasn't sure the socially appropriate response to give...

"Well...hopefully, no unexpected variables turn up. I can see plenty of exciting opportunities arising from these findings, if the process is successful it could mean increased propagation of the species even in bottlenecked populations. This is very exciting...and is there any way I can help?"

Still feeling Jera's gaze drifting over him, he felt a slight warmth in his face.

"Hmn? Oh, right now...I don't think so. Aside from listening to me rave about my work." Vesora said with a small smile, "I am sorry, Nak'Sen. I pulled you away from your own time..."

Vesora trailed off as Jera stood up, "I'll let you two go then...Jera, take care of yourself, and those two little ones" she added as she shook her finger at her son.

"Yes, Vesora," Jera replied with a chuckle, taking a moment to nuzzle her cheek affectionately before stepping out of her lab. However, he paused, holding the door open and locking eyes with the young scientist.

"Would you like to get lunch, Nak'Sen?"

Before Sen even had the chance to say something like 'oh, it's no trouble' or something else a good worker drone would say, his boss had already started running another conversation, leaving the little male behind to ponder the previous discussion. It made sense, Sen was aware some individuals were particularly excited about the creation of new life and the expansion of lineage, and while the sentiment was a bit unknown to him, he could still appreciate it. So focused was he on ruminating on this concept...that he was caught off-guard by Jera's request. Blinking in surprise, he briefly fumbled for words before getting a response out.

"Oh! Certainly, Jera!"

Fidgeting for a moment, he halfway stepped out the door, before quickly addressing Vesora. "I will have the latest samples back to you quickly, Vesora. Thank you for this exciting update to your work!"

Out of words, he hurried out, taking care to close the door neatly behind him before smiling at Jera nervously.

"...Congratulations, Jera! It will be exciting to see the new...bundles of joy?"

At this point, even he knew he was just saying words and he knew it

"Ahh...thank you," Jera replied with a nervous smile, "It's a little scary actually, since it's twins.." he added, rubbing his ears, "But...it's exciting too."

The male seemed to pause for a moment, lost for words. Not only was Jera still somewhat reeling from this rather exciting news, but finally, he had gotten his chance to spend some time with the rather cute male. Their past conversations had been brief, Nak'Sen seemingly struggling at first to find a comfortable place in his new environment, and with others. And yet, Jera was curious about him and wanted a chance to get to know more about his mother's latest protegee.

Realizing it had been a long moment of awkward silence, Jera quickly changed the subject, not wanting to lose the catch he'd hooked.

"Oh, have you ever had sushi?"

"Soo-shee...I have not! You find it good?" Sen was thankful that they had strayed from the original topic, not out of a lack of interest but out of concern for saying something incorrect. Something about Jera's pose made him relax, however, and his smile shifted from professional to genuine. "I would be very excited to try it with you, Jera."

"Oh, very good!" Jera commented with a grin, internally relieved and excited. "It's fish, rice, and a few other things..well, depending on what you order. It's all very good," he added, before starting to walk, leading Sen with him out of the complex.

Sen mirrored Jera's grin, and he followed close behind Jera with a spring in his step. He was excited about lunch, but he was doubly excited to be sharing it with the Sek. Something about the male intrigued him in a way he didn't quite understand...though given the conversation they'd just had, it was clear there was a lot about Jera that he didn't understand.

"Is it...exciting?" Sen finally asked, after a few minutes of silently navigating the facility's maze of halls with the red male. "To...possibly be a parent?"

"It is..." Jera slowly replied as he placed a hand over his belly, giving it a little rub. Sen felt the urge to do the same but held his composure. "It's kinda scary too..."

A little moment of silence, during which Sen was scared again that he'd overstepped, but Jera perked up quickly as he paused before a door, punching in a keycode "Still, It will be worth all the risk."

With a whirr, the door opened, and the pair were hit with a little wave of cool, crisp air. As Jera stepped out, Sen hesitated for a moment, taking in the scent of the outside world with wonder...before hurrying to catch up, not wanting to leave the other male's side. Eventually, they stopped at one of the public transport stations.

Casually, Jera addressed his new friend. "What research are you working on, Nak'Sen?"

After taking a moment to reply as he stretched again, fresh air feeling good against his body and in his senses, Sen eventually replied with a happy perk of his ears. "Rrrrrrgh...right now, just biological inventory. When I was transferred into Ves...your mother's care, I apparently came with a memo that I would do best in a workplace where I am left alone for long periods of time, so I've been documenting the samples brought in by the field teams."

It occurred to Sen that, despite knowing his mother fairly well, he knew relatively little of Jera, and his role in the empire. Stretching out his tail for good measure, he sighed and continued. "And you, Jera? What are you assigned to as of the present?"

"The council," Jera replied casually, taking Sen aback for a moment, not realizing the red male was that far up in the hierarchy. "Mostly working on tightening relations between the OSR and our people. I like that we are allies, and would enjoy seeing our two peoples working hand in hand, to explore the stars...settle new worlds." A wistful smile crossed his face and crinkled his eyes, voice reflecting his hope. "Mind you, the chances of seeing that in my lifetime are slim. But, I can at least set the groundwork...build a legacy."

Sen nodded throughout the explanation, sometimes out of sync with the words, but his eyes were bright. "I'm sure your mother thought the same about the twins." He then blinked, the words slipping free before he could catch them, and he gulped a little, not wanting to come off too informal. "I am sure what you accomplish will give any following you an invaluable step forward...Vesora speaks very highly of you, and you appear...to be good at getting people to listen."

Jera merely shrugged. "I am glad you think so...The twins will only be a small part of her legacy. The real advancement will be if she can succeed in increasing our lifespans...anyway, what kind of samples do you work with?"

"Right now, whatever they send me. The project I have been assigned to is documenting an order of arthropods referred to as Isoptera...they are interesting, both multi-segmented and multi-limbed. Some call them living fossils..." Shaking his head a little, he looked around, eyes sparkling. "I'm happy I was allowed to come here... there are so many fascinating things to learn...How about you? Do you like it here, Jera?"

"I do, actually," Jera replied, smiling at Sen's clear excitement as he looked around as well, eyes landing on a large vehicle approaching from the distance. "It's a beautiful world, with a very rich people."

As his words trailed off, he held out a hand to Sen as the bus rolled up to their station with a hiss, adding, "I hope to explore more of this planet."

"Agreed..." Sen murmured, a faraway look in his eyes...only broken when he looked down. Blinking at Jera's offered hand, he stood there just looking at Jera for almost too long...until it came time to move and he reached out and carefully took the male's hand. As they made their way toward the bus, and the sounds of the engine drowned out most of the audible frequency, he whispered shyly.

"Let me know if you need an assistant if you go..."

Half-hoping he wasn't heard, he stepped onto the bus behind Jera, tucking his tail out of the way as the doors closed.

However, he wasn't quite sneaky enough, as Jera half-heard what Sen had said, and cocked his head as he settled into a seat, "Sorry, I missed that. What did you say?" he asked softly, genuinely curious. "Something about if I go?"

Blushing thickly under his fur, Sen fumbled for words as he stiffly sat in his seat, before slowly putting on a feeble attempt at a casual tone.

"Be sure to...bring back plenty of samples, if you go! I'll always be excited to see what's out there, and love to hear any stories you have. I don't see...much time out of the lab in my future."

His body relaxed halfway after he finished, tail tip twitching a little

"Hmm...I'll see what I can do," Jera replied with a small giggle, sensing there was more the cute Sek wanted to say but willing to wait for it to come out. "Maybe you should see about getting some fieldwork in. Get out, see the world, get some work done at the same time...might be better than being stuck up in the lab all the time."

That giggle had made Sen's mane stand on end...what on earth was wrong with him today?! He had to gulp and compose himself before speaking again. "I hope I do...my previous employers did not speak highly of me, though your mother seems forgiving. I may have a chance at it someday."

"Vesora is a very maternal and protective woman...She raised me, while my birth mother and my Father were busy preparing for...Well, the end." he commented softly before shrugging again. "Anyways...If you want to get into fieldwork...Ask her...or me. I'm sure we could work something out."

Once again, Sen was lost for things to say, and in the process of fidgeting in his seat, his shoulder brushed Jera's. Blushing even more now, he was silent for a long while, before speaking softly.

"I'd like that...a lot."

Thoughts were swirling around, but thankfully the bus came to a stop. As Sen hurried out of his seat, he paused, before reaching down with a smile, offering his hand to Jera

"Good to hear," Jera replied casually, Sen missing the faint twinkle in the red-furred male's eyes, as he took Sen's hand and stood up, leading him off the bus and thanking the driver on his way out.

"Hmn...this way," Jera chirped after taking a look around, and he led the pair to wander down the street...keeping Sen's hand clasped in his own.

Sen nodded, a bit surprised that Jera hadn't let go yet. That said, he didn't mind, and he walked alongside Jera down the street with a spring in his step that wasn't there when they left the lab. He was happy to be out here, he rarely had the chance to properly venture into the world, see it for more than orthographic images and statistics. One thing he noticed was the variety of people out on the streets, every permutation of color and style...many of whom appeared to be watching the pair.

"Do you know what they think of us, Jera?"

"Hmn..." Jera hummed, mulling the question over. "Well, Sek are rather new. I mean...Contact was four years ago, but I assume most people don't see a lot of Sek." Jera mused as he looked around, "Probably just curious about us."

"I've heard genetic modification is becoming socially acceptable...maybe soon we won't stand out?"

"Maybe so," Jera chuckled. For someone so naive, Sen sometimes made some good points. Granted, given their coloration and shape, it was unlikely they'd ever fully integrate. It would take more than genemodding to that...but it was still a nice thought. For a moment, Jera felt a pang of envy for these people, their ability to make their bodies their own...and his free hand was about to land on his belly again when his eyes locked on his target.

With a chuckle, Jera led Sen into his favorite sushi place. While he usually had it ordered in, he had felt a desire to go in person. Sen stepped forward as they neared the door, opening it up for the pair and letting Jera step in first...not quite ready to let go of Jera's hand.

A pleasant side effect of the two stepping through the front door together? The humans likely thought that the pair were a couple...and a cute one at that.

"I think you will enjoy this," Jera hissed softly, calmly excited.

Sen sniffed around as they stepped in, hit with an interesting array of smells: complex proteins, hints of metal, herbs. His tail fluttered around behind him in excitement. So nervous had he been during the initial conversation that he'd forgotten the entire purpose of the visit. "What do they serve here...what even is soo-shee?"

"Sushi. It is raw fish and rice, usually served with various vegetables, served in small bite-size portions" Jera patiently explained again, before drooping his ears a bit, "It can be a little tricky to eat though..." he added, as he found them a table.

He tilted his head slightly, before smiling a little cheekily as he slid into a seat opposite Jera, feeling at ease enough to behave less formally

"Well, I do like a challenge..."

fiddling with the menu, he squinted, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar words.

"Uh...nah...gay?"

"Unagi, yes. I like the sashimi," Jera said with a nod, "Although, honestly, all of it is good." With a chuckle, finding Sen's confusion a bit adorable, he added, "Want to just share some of what I get, see what you like and don't like?"

Sen nodded, face split in an excited grin. Already they were having an adventure together!

"Welcome to Sushi-Senpai, can I start you with..."

A waitress, human and unassuming in a standard apron, had stopped by only to stop mid-sales pitch as she realized who, or what, she was about to cater to. She stood there, looking between the two aliens in confusion and growing alarm.

"Hmn...is everything alright, miss?" Jera asked as he glanced up at the waitress, head tipped to the side curiously. "We don't bite."

Somehow, that didn't put her at ease. She knew there'd been new beings starting to slip into society...but actually seeing one? Or worse, TWO?!

"Umm...drinks?" she murmured nervously

"Oh, water for me," he answered politely with a small nod, taking care not to smile too much. He'd seen this reaction before in early negotiations and didn't want to scare the poor girl any more than she seemed to be. "What about you Nak'Sen?" he asked as he looked at his friend.

Having looked at the menu and not understood a word of it, he merely cheerfully repeated what Jera had said.

"Water for me, Miss! It's true, we don't bite!"

The waitress nodded a little...before turning about-face and walking as fast as socially acceptable to the back of the shop. Sen blinked, turning to Jera with a confused expression

"Did I...do that right?"

"You did fine, Nak'Sen," Jera churred reassuringly. "We are new. Many fear new things...Don't think we are any different." Another small shrug. "Just let her get over her fear at her own pace. And trust me, I know the good things...The uhh...Utensils can be a little...Tricky though."

Sen picked up one of the utensils-a short, thin pole fashioned from a woody substance-and inspected it.

"Well...hopefully they're easier than the calipers I use for pronotal analysis, or the forceps for gland extraction..." After some supplemental visual analysis, the little scientist started to twirl it around in his digits, an exercise he was taught young to improve tactile dexterity. As he continued to fiddle with it, he shyly smiled at Jera.

"I fear a lot of things here...I guess I'm not different, am I?"

Jera smiled comfortingly, "Fear is healthy. Long as you don't let it control you. You just have to learn not to be afraid, as my mother always said."

"I wish my mother had as many helpful tricks to teach me," Sen chuckled softly, his own gentle smile not matching his drooped ears.

Thankfully, the waitress showed up and all but threw two glasses of water on the table, startling both of the aliens, before nervously looking between the two waiting for one of them to start ordering.

While Sen was still chittering in confusion, Jera blinked a couple of times before glancing at the girl, speaking calmly, yet firmly. "You can relax, you know. I'll start with some dragon rolls, sashimi, and some unagi."

The red male ordering so casually seemed to remind the waitress what she was supposed to be doing...and she remembered her lines.

"We...we have a special on matcha shakes today too..."

"Hmm...what is matcha?" Jera asked as he tilted his head to the side, "Never tried it before.."

"Matcha...matcha green tea. It's very nice, I promise!" Her eyes dart between the two repeatedly, expecting one to jump on her like a chestburster.

"Huh...I'll try some, thank you," he said with a small smile, before glancing across the table. "What about you, Nak'Sen? Anything you want to add?"

"Um...tamo-gayakee, please? The picture looks nice."

The waitress nodded quickly, started to say something, and then retreated again, this time with a little less adrenaline.

"See? She's calming down," Jera remarked with a small chuckle. In his experience, almost everyone planetside came around eventually. "So...aside from your work here...Any passions, Nak'Sen?"

Sen blinked, and rolled the word on his tongue.

"Passions..."

A long, deadpan moment of the Alien seemingly trying to process the question.

"Like...what?"

"Oh..." Jera slowly replied. It was sometimes a bit difficult talking to Nak'Sen, the little male seeming like, ironic as it was, an alien. Thankfully, he was patient with his new friend...it helped that he looked rather adorable while he was contemplating things.

"Like, rather than sitting in a lab and pouring over samples...What would you rather be doing?" he asked as he clasped his hands, "You seemed to like the idea of fieldwork."

Sen fidgeted slightly. "I mean, I just like the idea because I've never had the option. I'd like to see more than a lab...I've never really been able to." A little shrug, and he spoke matter-of-factly. "I was pretty sure I would live and die in a lab and only a lab. The fact I'm this far out is pretty amazing."

"Hmn...I think we should find a way to change that...being stuck in a lab for your entire life is not a good life to live." Jera remarked with a small shake of his head.

"I think I see the appeal..." He realized he was staring at Jera a bit as he was speaking, and he gulped a bit, hiding his muzzle in a big swig from his glass, thankful for the subtle flavor of heavy metals tickling his tongue.

Jera was silent for a moment, studying Sen's face. "Well...maybe I can talk to Vesora, see if she can get you out of the lab some?" he asked softly, before glancing down himself.

"...I'd like that a lot." Nak'Sen's response was a bit muted, but he managed a little smile. "I guess that's my answer...I just want to see more. Experience more."

"I see. Good goals, simple...Easy to achieve if you put your mind to it," Jera replied with a nod. "Might even be able to help, if you like."

"I'd also like that, Jera..." This time, the blush sneaks past the fur in his face, and he almost hides his head...though thankfully the quick footsteps of their waitress cut through the silence.

"Ahh...thank you, miss." Jera chirped cheerfully as the food was delivered, though he did open one of his secondary eyes to glance at Sen while giving him a small wink with a primary. That wink left Sen reeling, and he started wondering if something was in the water. Following Jera's example again, flashed the waitress a quick smile, showing just a bit more fang than intended.

It seemed like she was at least starting to get used to them, even murmuring out a "Hopeyouenjoy" as she quickly handed everything to Jera's side before shuffling away...thinking that hiding behind a ficus would keep her out of sight from the pair.

Jera giggles softly and shakes his head before grabbing a pair of chopsticks, "So...you can eat them as is, dip them in this sauce...Or this green stuff," he added, pointing to the bowl of soy sauce and wasabi ball respectively. "The green stuff is spicy, though."

Sen did not respond, nor did he move. All his eyes were focused on Jera's hands...thumb and main finger...held in the divet...pinch the food...

...and after a minute of Jera starting to dine, he picked up both chopsticks and slipped them into his fingers, before reaching over and effortlessly plucking a roll off the plate. Almost mirroring Jera, he dabbed the roll into the soy sauce, even shaking off the excess with a little dip of his hand, before popping it whole into his mouth and beginning to chew. His dining companion blinked in surprise, jaw almost falling open at the sight. Vesora had commented that Sen was quick to pick up new techniques, but this was almost like he'd reprogrammed a robot. He'd yet to meet another Sek quite like this one...

Not even a second passed before all four of Sen's eyes went wide. With each passing second, he looked at Jera with growing amazement, savoring each chew like a prisoner facing the noose.

This reaction drew a soft laugh out of Jera, a low, rather attractive contralto, "See, told you that it was good, " he said before claiming a roll for himself and popping it into his maw, closing his eyes to savor the flavor.

All that Sen could manage was a purr in response, not helped by that little laugh that left an unusual feeling in his chest. His tail twitched around like a live wire, bumping against everything under the table, wood or flesh. "So...soft..." He all but moaned before finally swallowing, looking at Jera with bright eyes. "Do the humans here all know about this!? Why are they not all here?!"

"Yes, they know about it," Jera remarked with a low laugh, holding up a hand to quell Sen's excitement slightly, "As for the second part, well...You will see." Jera hesitated for a moment, before deciding to test the waters as he plucked a piece of sashimi up with his chopsticks, holding it in the air between them and offering it to Sen.

"It appears raw...I thought they cooked their meat here?" He was confused, but didn't mind too much...and he leaned forward, tongue slipping out to curl around the treat and draw it from the sticks into his muzzle. He grinned, oblivious to how Jera blushed very slightly under his red fur, and settled into eating an impossibly soft, tender piece of fish that nearly melted in his mouth, eyes rolling into his head as he savored the treat.

"Most meats are. Fish is one that is good to eat raw, prepared correctly of course." Jera remarked as he nibbled on a roll, "Cooked fish is good too, if you like this, will enjoy that as well."

Sen nodded insistently, and he swallowed his bite with a satisfied purr. Looking around the table, he became aware of something set in front of him. His Tamogayaki, a little sliced yellow-orange roll with a pale liquid and little red dots on top.

As he picked at it in inspection, the waitress returned, carrying a glass loaded with a bright green liquid inside. She set it down on the table in front of Jera, speaking slowly and evenly.

"Your...Matcha Green Shake...sir?" That last word carried with it a slight head tilt...unsure if these weird red ferret things even had genders.

"Ah, thank you miss!" Jera churred, with a nod and a smile for the waitress. "The sushi is quite good."

"I'm glad, I'm so glad!" she said quickly, face showing a bit of relief. This time, she didn't run away, instead rolling around on her heels for a moment before finally speaking up

"I'm...very sorry for asking...but...what are you two?"

"We are Sek," Jera replied casually, clasping his hands for a moment before pointing up towards the ceiling. "You are familiar with the large ship in orbit?"

"Uhh yeah...I saw something about that. I don't know all the details, the news just said to not worry...Sek..." She rolled the word around on her tongue, before asking another slow question. "Are you guys here to like...take us over?"

Jera' blinked, ears folding slightly. "What...no, not at all," he assured her as he shook his head. Of course, he'd heard this fear echoed before in his work, and it mystified him every time it was asked. "We are peaceful...the friendship that your people have shown mine? It should give us all hope."

"Besides, you've got soo-shee here!" Sen piped up excitedly, already with half the omelette stuffed in his muzzle, all four eyes shining with childlike glee

This seemed to placate the waitress a little. Not only that, for the first time she genuinely smiled at the pair "Well...thanks...I guess we're happy to have you...um..." Her voice trailed off, tempted to ask for the pair's names, not even sure if they had any.

"I am Jera..." he replied, picking up on the subtext quickly. Humans were curious, and not hard to read. "My companion is Nak'Sen" he added with a small nod. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss?" he inquired with a slightly tilted head of his own, as he held out his hand to the girl.

Slowly, she reached out, taking the male's hand and marveling at how soft the fur seemed...how normal it all felt. Though, the sensation of TWO thumbs gripping her was still rather eerie. That did not stop her from firmly gripping it and giving Jera a shake.

"Tania...thanks...it's nice to meet you too..." she mumbled, before clearing her throat. "You know, your next round of unagi? We've got it. It's on me. I'm...happy to have met you two."

Sen's eyes sparkled, and he smiled in joy, thankfully showing significantly less fang. Tania smiled back, adding one last comment before stepping away

"And for the record, you two make for a cute couple!"

Jera's smile faltered, blinking at the last comment with his secondary eyes following suit as well. "Oh...well, I uhh...thanks..." he stammered, taken aback a little, before coughing and glancing at Sen.

Sen, meanwhile, looked confused, his eyes squinting and looking at nothing as his jaw moved slightly seemingly rolling the word around on his tongue. A few more moments were spent pondering before he leaned forward and whispered to Jera.

"Um...Jera, I'm sorry to ask this. But...a couple? A couple of what? Sek?"

Jera blushed a little, gripping his feet together under the table for a moment, before replying softly in Keji. "I think she believes us to be mates."

With a moment's pause, he brushed the thought away with a shrug, speaking in English again. "But, we are a couple of good friends, I think..."

That last sentence didn't fully reach poor Sen...who had frozen so intensely at those words that he was surprised when he became aware that his heart was still beating in his chest. He didn't understand why, as his mother was very clear that the idea of interpersonal relationships and romantic affection were antiquated and pointless...but something about that idea sounded...

"Ah. Thank you for elucidating, Jera," he replied, a bit robotically, before returning to eating his food softly.

"...Of course..." Jera slowly replied with a small nod, frowning a little at the flatness of Sen's reply. Had he said something wrong? "I hope you are enjoying yourself, though?" To anyone else in the world, the tinges of concern in the male's voice would have been apparent.

"Oh, of course." Sen nodded stiffly, before stuffing the rest of the egg dish into his muzzle and chewing it with much less decorum than before. He noticed Jera's ears drooping again, and he felt regret...not quite sure what was happening...wondering if he should just go. Then again...

"Jera? What...does it mean to have a mate?"

Jera took a long moment to mull that question over, not quite sure how to reply. "It means...you have someone that loves you...someone that you might start a family with, perhaps even have offspring with." Jera bought himself time with another roll, adding as he chewed, "my father has two mates...Vesora, and my birth mother Evenara."

Again, Sen rolled the word around on his tongue. "Love." Another antiquated concept, one limited to lesser minds, discussing people and not ideas. Something that doesn't move society for-

"That...sounds nice," Sen murmured, trying to maintain his composure. "I don't know if my mother ever had mates, I wasn't even sure if I had a father. It was just her and my sis-sibling." Sen hurriedly tried to stifle the conversation with another dragon roll in his muzzle, fearing that he had sullied the emotion of the lunch meeting.

"Well...someone mated with her, even if she didn't keep them around," Jera remarked with a small shrug. "I suppose some Sek like it better that way.."

"I suppose." He shrugged back automatically, parroting his partner, before looking up at Jera, his voice almost holding a childlike innocence.

"Do you think you'll ever take a mate, Jera?"

Taken aback by the question, Jera churred, taking a sip of his water before replying. "Hmmm...maybe. Eventually, I might find someone to call mine..." The polite, handsome alien commented with a small smile, "When I meet the right one, that is..." he mused, before taking another piece of sushi and chewing it thoughtfully.

There it was again, that smile. Sen felt Lepidoptera in his Peritoneal Cavity once again. He buried his face in his water, warmth in his face seeming to return life to the rest of him. After his drink, he smiled back, seemingly back to normal.

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding someone, Jera...I think...I hope I can do the same someday."

"I hope so too, Nak'Sen...you really do seem nice enough. I'm sure someone will find you mate-worthy," he said with a small chuckle, managing to keep his eyes on Sen this time...this was turning out to be a rather interesting date.

"I hope so..." He purred...only half listening to what Jera said. Sen found his eyes locked with Jera's, a soft smile on his muzzle, and just like when he'd held Jera's hand walking into the restaurant, he felt no desire to pull away, his paw twitching on the table a little...feeling oddly empty.

Jera simply smiled at Sen, dipping a piece of sushi into his soy sauce before offering it to Sen.

Sen leaned his head forward to accept it again, just as he'd done before, before he paused halfway there, blinking in confusion and blushing heavily. Before, he'd not considered this...but was this not what some considered an intimate act? Jera was just a...

Smiling shyly, he opened his mouth and goaded the tasty treat in there with the help of his tongue again. After chewing the piece for a long, hedonistic moment, he hesitantly reached down with his chopsticks, taking the last bite of his tamagoyaki and offering it to Jera, miming the movement

Jera closed his eyes and leaned forward, taking the offered tamagoyaki between his lips with a thrilling little flash of fangs, "Thank you," he whispered as he chewed slowly, taking time to appreciate the flavor. "Is good."

"I'm glad..." Sen murmured, tone almost dreamy.

After that last offering, there was not much left, but Sen didn't know if it was appropriate to get up. Eventually, their long-suffering waitress returned, this time with a smile, as she delivered the check

"Want another straw to share with him, Jera?" she asked brightly, motioning to the untouched Matcha Shake.

Jera tips his head slightly, "I...suppose so," he eventually replied with a small smile, liking the mental image that came to mind.

Sen was once again confused, but thankfully Tania kept it going, dropping another straw in the cool, green dessert, even giving Jera's shoulder a little squeeze before walking off... returning to her proper vantage point to watch these inexplicably cute aliens.

"Share with...huh?"

"Yeah...If you wanted to try some," he commented with a small smile, before taking a chance and making an offer. "Unless...you wanted to share my straw..." he added softly. He was unsure if he'd accept this idea, which all and all could be more intimate, maybe...

Sen's eyes went wide again, and he opened his mouth to say something embarrassing or awkward. However, nothing came, and strangely enough, Sen spoke gently, tone almost demure.

"I'd like that, Jera..."

Some part of Sen was screaming in confusion, but he felt different, as if something was finally clicking.

Jera smiled as he offered Sen the extra straw, before taking a sip himself, letting out a pleased little churr as he savored the pleasant, refreshing mixture.

Sen didn't move, waiting for Jera to finish taking a drink...and still with his brain seemingly on autopilot, he took up Jera's offer. Something vaguely told him what he was doing might be inappropriate...then again, Jera offered...so, he ignored his own straw as he leaned forward, pulling Jera's straw closer with a single claw before closing his muzzle on it, taking a luxurious slurp.

Jera blinked a few times, glad for his fur to hide his blush. He'd hoped, but not expected this...but he was far from disappointed. Maybe there was something there...

"So, what do you think?" he asked, as he tipped his head to the side slightly.

Sen was momentarily confused by Jera's seemingly startled actions, as this was something he had offered. But, something about the situation felt okay, and he relaxed a little, savoring the flavor before letting go with a pop.

"It's nice. It tastes...very cool. Pleasant. Like what I imagine morning dew feels like." The Sek would normally speak in more analytical terms, but a collection of earth poetry he had accidentally opened last night seemed to be coming to the surface.

"Hmm...maybe I'll give you a chance to experience that..." Jera murmured as he glanced away, leaving Sen to continue drinking happily.

What had started as a crush on the unusual, taciturn male was quickly developing into something more for Jera, not that he could say anything now mind...But he was looking forward to seeing Sen again.

Hiding another little blush, he signed the bill over to his OSR account and stood up, resting a paw on his friend's shoulder. "You...Had fun?"

At that touch, Sen started, nearly knocking over the mostly empty glass. He hadn't realized he had nearly drank the entire shake himself, and he bolted to his feet like a soldier commanded by a drill sergeant, before sheepishly relaxing his stance to match Jera's. He was prepared to apologize...but Jera's smile put him at ease.

"Yes, very much so...and if you don't mind me saying this?"

One more awkward pause.

"I'd like to do it again sometime, if you don't mind?"

Before Jera can respond, Sen rushes shyly to the door, holding it open for his..."friend". As he did, Tania stepped out from behind her ficus with a chuckle, taking the door for him and holding it open for them both. None of her previous apprehension was there...and Jera gave Tania a pleased smile and a nod, pleased that he was able to quell her fears of his people. He was also quite happy with how this had gone, all things considered, and he let his tail brush around Sen's thighs on his way out.

As the door closed with a ding, just as Sen nearly jumped out of his skin at the flirty contact, a certain waitress let out a little sigh, before returning to their table and starting to tidy up. That was nice, they seemed really sweet. Maybe there was something more to what the news said, maybe they were more than just some economic concern or possible political headache...maybe they were just new people hoping to share a part of space with them...

"Tania, are you quite done leering at those two gay aliens?"

"Fuck off, Terry."

"Hey, think they probe people or just probe-"

"You too, Jose!"

Outside, Nak'Sen was almost standing on the tips of his claws as he walked alongside Jera, still blushing intensely. He could have withdrawn from the affection, but after opening and closing his paw slightly, he reached over to hold Jera's hand.

Jera smiled, shaking his head slightly in playful exasperation. This poor, adorable little male...

"I'm glad you had fun, Nak'Sen," he commented softly, giving the paw in his a little squeeze, "And developed a new taste and appreciation for some Terran cuisine."

Sen smiled widely, looking at Jera with a gentle earnestness. "Absolutely...I am amazed I was stationed here for this long and never tried the cuisine. It was...this was wonderful, Jera. Thank you, thank you for inviting me. It means a lot..."

His words trailed off, and he grips Jera's paw a little tighter, happy to enjoy the walk with the one who, without any close competition, had become his favorite person on the planet.

"Well, you will always be able to reach me...if you wanted to go out again," Jera replied with a little purr, his heart beating hard in his chest as he settled at the bus stop, pulling Sen down next to him.

"Go out..."

Sen repeated the words, suddenly remembering an entry from a study on Terran vernacular in this sector...and his fur stood on end. The waitress's words, some of Jera's verbal and physical cues...their talk of mates...was this what they called a "Raisin"?

...no, wait. A "date".

Sen mulled this over quietly, sitting next to Jera on the bench and not letting go of the other male's hand, not responding for a while. He wasn't sure what to do with this information, he had no real idea what was appropriate...but then again...this had been nothing but nice...

Without speaking, and with his eyes still fixed forward, Sen's fluff-tipped tail slowly lifted, drifted closer to Jera's backside, and then loosely wrapped around the other male's tail. He had no idea where this instinct came from, but he did not fight it. It felt right.

Jera's smile would have lit up the night in a blackout...and any remaining gap between them on the bench was abandoned as he outright snuggled up to Sen. Sen gasped slightly, but rather than move away from the confusing stimuli, he leaned into it, leaned against his date...the more of Jera he felt brushed against him, the more warmth he felt burning in his chest.

The two would stay close together throughout the entire ride back, and even on the walk back toward their facility, the two hung on each other's arms. While Sen still looked nervously excited, like a child carrying a crystal vase afraid to drop it, Jera's face was a portrait of satisfaction and joy...everything he'd hoped would happen did so, and more.

As they neared the doors, Jera broke the silence. "Again, I am glad you enjoyed your day, Sen.." he purred softly.

"So much..." Sen murmured gently. "I didn't know there could be fun like this on Terra. I always thought that happiness was just inside the lab..thanks for proving me wrong."

He was tempted to only snuggle closer, but as they reached the door, he slowly and ruefully began to slip his paw free. His ears noticeably drooped as they stepped back inside, and reached the crossroads from where they needed to separate. Sen hid his disappointment as well as he could, smiling a little as he bowed very politely to the council member before him...

Jera lingered a moment longer, looking slightly down at his "subordinate"...before leaning in and giving his date a little nibble along the cheek.

"I will see you again...Just, remember today if you are ever feeling a little down," he chirped happily, banishing any remaining fears far away.

At the slightest brush of Jera's muzzle against him, any sense of decorum or any semblance of rational thought was lost, and as his ears perked up in elation, he mumbled out a comment of affirmation. In their final moments of eye contact, Sen looked up at Jera with a meaningful glint in his eye...one that carried a message he hoped that his friend...his special friend could see...before he nodded professionally and started awkwardly shuffling back down the hallway, back to the cool, empty comfort of his woodlice.

Jera watched him go...alternating between beaming at the back of Jera's head and casting a few thrilling glances farther down. Sure, he was possibly one of the cutest males he'd met on either planet, but more than that, he was certainly the sweetest. He looked forward to getting to know Nak'Sen Nikrosur better...

...but, something told him it likely wouldn't take much more to come to his inevitable, logical conclusion.

With that happy thought in his mind, Jera made his way back to his own office, looking forward to sharing details with Vesora over planetside tea later. Maybe they'd have matcha?