A gift hung over Shar'khee's forearm: a fur coat. Harrison's fur coat. It was fluffy, warm, and sturdy, made from the finest hyena-boar hide the settlement could find. The orange-browns and blacks reminded her partially of a warm flame.

The Creator never wore a coat like that of the Malkrin settlers, and although he said it wasn't necessary, the paladin knew that he could not bear the cold for much longer. It was perfect. Not just as a means to end his unvoiced misery, but as a proposal.

Indeed, Shar'khee was foolish to think a deity-sent would know, much less abide by, the rituals and pairing traditions of the Malkrin. Harrison was different, and she should have realized this earlier. She was always eager to show herself off to him, expecting him to propose after he was caught in her whirlwind of strength and allure. Yet, that was up to the stars aligning in her favor.

The star-sents were not the same. Oliver knew that. He was in tune with their culture in the same way Javelin was. Shar'khee tried to understand what the inebriated male had wished to say, but found herself at a loss with all the details of 'dating' and 'marriage.' Thankfully, Cera had her writing utensils on her person and solidified the craftsman's words into a single phrase.

'Take this gift and make your adoration known.'

She would do just that. It may not be her own offering, but she would make use of it. All that was left was to find her male.

Javelin had intercepted the paladin's search and pointed her toward the hallway that led to the other domicile and the bathing rooms. She gave her thanks and set off, determination in each step.

Her talons clacked against the white tile flooring that stretched between the buildings, echoing out from the empty passageway and against the backdrop of the music that quietly thumped into the shut door behind her. The corridor ahead of her felt endless, going on for far longer than what she remembered.

There were dim, orange lights up above her. They cast a faint glow that suffocated everything they touched and accented every edge.

Her heart pulsed, pressing right up against her ribs. It matched the rhythm and strength of another, one that was foreign yet familiar. It was Harrison's. Both of their hearts battered against their constraints, beating faster and faster. The pace of her steps tried desperately to keep up.

Her breath kept trying to get stuck on each inhale, nasty doubts attempted to give her pause, and a brewing anxiousness aimed to halt her stride entirely. Everything begged her to stop and ponder how she was to approach Harrison.

Yet, her march continued unimpeded. The look in his eyes as they danced not fifteen minutes ago was left imprinted in her mind. Those green irises shone with affection, taking in every aspect of her own expression as if it were the keys to the stars themselves. Not once did they leave hers. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. There was no doubt.

She still felt his grip on her palms… His digits between hers still felt real. She clenched her hands around the apparition of his warmth.

Soon… Soon, there would be no question of who it belonged to. Her tail flickered side to side, anticipating the heat that would soak into its pliable fat, succumbing to his ministrations and scratches as she fell asleep with him in her arms…

Vocalizations resounded from the end of the hallway, bounding from the walls behind. They were sharp, urgent… distraught. But these were not Harrison's. They lacked the depth and the grumble of his.

Artificer Tracy.

Shar'khee's steps came quicker, building intensity in each stomp of her bare feet against the tile. The commotion ahead grew louder. Footfalls other than hers resounded in claps of shoes and boots.

The paladin's world froze as the door ahead burst open, echoing into the hallway. Pieces of the puzzle came together with the entrance of the two star-sents, before either could even acknowledge her presence.

Harrison's beautiful eyes were wary and frenzied behind a watery glaze of insecurity. His face wrinkled from between his brows and down to his black-tipped lips, oozing a deep, heart-piercing panic. Tracy turned the corner, one hand gripping the doorway while the other reached out in desperation. Streaks of black tears drooped down her cheeks as she cried out.

"W-We could take it slower! I'm sorry! I just wanted to make you feel happy—comfortable!"

He gave no answer, determined to forge ahead. It only took him five more steps before he began to stop. His gaze slowly rose up along the paladin's body in disbelief, his own body became that of stone as his eyes met hers.

" I-I thought that maybe…" Even Tracy's vocalizations trailed off at the sight of Shar'khee's revealing white gown and scarred maroon skin.

There was silence after the last step's echo receded and died upon the tiled floor and chitin-brick walls. Not a breath.

Harrison's lip quivered in a way she had never seen, shattered and devastated, in stark contrast to his determined glare. His brows slowly came together to form an unstable expression of disbelief that Shar'khee was present at all.

"Shar…" he called out quietly, his mouth held ajar as he tripped over his words. "I was going to… I thought that you… What did Oliver say?"

The Creator held his breath, hanging on her response. This was no time to hesitate. The paladin took a step forward, despite having no rehearsed lines. It was so quiet. Her pulse seemed to beat through her ears as she managed a warm smile. "He… He said, I should tell you that my heart belongs to you and you alone."

Harrison inhaled sharply, his expression shocked and perplexed.

Another step toward him. She clenched the fur coat in her arm. "A-And that, for the longest time, I considered you my own male—even before I knew what such entailed. It shames me to think about how long it took me to piece every part of this phrase. But, I understand each segment now."

She held his gaze, longing and warm, for a moment longer before continuing. "Harrison, dearest: I love you. I want to be your first mate. I want to wake up to you every morning, I want to be your shield every day, and I want to care for you every night, as you have for me."

His face softened slowly to mimic hers, his heartbeat racing as fast as hers.

Shar'khee took another step. He needed to hear everything. She gestured to her horns, passionately continuing to spill everything attached to the fire alight in her chest. "These horns, dearest. They are evidence of my pairing changes, born from when you first handed me my stalwart armor. The way I feel your heartbeat next to mine… The pliable flesh I hold you with and the robustness of my dorsal skin… It is all the same. My body, despite my mind's ignorance, has paired with you."

One final step, and she took a knee in front of Harrison, looking down at him with all the admiration and compassion that rippled across her skin in shivers. "You are the savior of my first trial and the heart of my second. You are the direction of my will, my life, and my body! Everything I do is for you, and no longer can I hide it all behind the veil of duty. There is further purpose for me than your protection. My Goddess-given mandate and these fiery aspects of my body's unseen devotion order me to be more for you."

She held her palm out, inviting him into her arms. "Will you take me, Shar'khee, the Goddess' chosen guardian of your vision, as your first mate?"

His hand hovered just beside hers, a moment's hesitation causing the world to freeze. He looked uncertain and lost in her proposal, almost as if it was not real… an unexpected turn of blessed events.

"What the fuck?" Tracy cried out in no better than a squeak, the door she held open closed with a drawn-out 'creak.' Harrison tensed, his eyes wide.

Harrison whipped around to face Tracy, his heartbeat becoming ever more erratic. He was terrified.

"I-I don't…"

The maroon-skinned Malkrin anxiously leaned in, trying to scour his face for what could possibly bring him such horror. "You… You do not accept?"

"Do you?" the Artificer echoed through a sniffle.

Harrison took a step back, distancing himself from both females. His lips faltered in doubt. He ran a hand through his silken hair, failing to make any eye contact.

"I-I'm sorry," he quietly spat out.

"For what?" Shar'khee questioned, confused. Her head was cocked at an inquisitive angle, brows tented. She still lingered on his answer to her prior question, but whatever had come over him took precedence.

He went quiet.

"Is… Is this what that was about? Shar?" Tracy pressed, trembling arms held out wide and low, not in anger but defeat.

Harrison held a petrified palm to his head, his back against the wall. There was no confidence in his voice, only mortification. "No… I-It's… I fucked up. I'm sorry. I just… I didn't know. I thought I had more time. There was all the blood-moon preparation, and I didn't think Shar was… or that you—" he gestured to the Artificer. "—would ask me. Or would be so forward. It's sudden, but looking back, it's not, a-and… and… I didn't know. I should have. But, I didn't. I was caught up and…"

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry… I need to think. I-I'll make this right."

With naught but a trembling breath, he swiftly walked down the hallway and out the door at the far end. The paladin took several steps, chasing after his answer.

…But the door closed shut with an echo. Shar'khee stared ahead, seeing only Harrison's fading shadow fade away, just as her held out arm slowly fell to her side. She was silent. She was lost. Should she chase after him? Should she give him space? Time? She did not know, and her indecision culled any chance.

'Would be so forward,' he said…

Was she in the wrong to propose? Was her timing at fault? How could she have been wrong? He sought her more than he would show. She knew it.

A deadened 'thwump' stole her attention. Tracy slid down against the wall and hugged her knees. Her digits scratching at her elbows, slowly leaving long, depressive marks.

"Fuck," she meekly whimpered.

Shar'khee approached, still confused and adrift in her mind. Yet, she knew Tracy had something to do with this. Harrison had tensed when the Artificer spoke up. He was already partially distraught when he entered the hallway, too, and after being with the other star-sent…

"Why was Harrison upset?" she asked, her words devoid of any emotion. She wanted to lash out, to growl and smash through that door to see Harrison again… but all she could feel in the moment was emptiness.

Tracy neglected to take her head out of her knee pillows, muttering a response through sniffles. "Asking myself the same thing…"

The paladin sharpened her eyes, suspicious. "What did you do?"

"Fucking great question, Shar," the Artificer responded sardonically, raising her head to reveal the redness of her eyes and fresh tears. "Glad to see you got the same reaction from him."

"…Then you proposed?"

"You could call it that."

"And he left?"

Tracy hummed, wiping the tears from her eyes and accidentally spreading more black. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by a squeak coming from her lungs. It led to another choking cry.

"…Dammit."

Shar'khee crossed her arms over her chest. She desperately wanted to follow after Harrison, but it was clear to her now that such would be a terrible idea.

Her heart still stung. It begged for clarity to her proposal. She recalled the Artificer's fraught expression as she entered the hallway… Tracy's own attempt mattered not in her eyes, for the Goddess knew the paladin was to be his first.

Nevertheless, she was still at a loss, fighting against the voices of seeping anxiety who whispered doubts into her ears.

"Did Creator Harrison tell you 'no'? Was your proposal rejected?"

"…He never said no. Just looked terrified," Tracy whispered back, shaking her head. She looked up at the paladin, watery eyes revealing her own cycling thoughts behind them. "Why do you even care? Worried I somehow had a fucking chance?"

"I wish to know his thoughts. I have never seen him so… distraught," The maroon-skinned warrior answered honestly, deflecting the final jab. She rubbed an ear in her palm to ease herself, staring down the doorway her male had left through.

The Artificer huffed. The subtle tremble of her lip and the lack of light in her gaze showed a struggle against the seeping distress. "He said it himself. It was too soon, too fast, and he didn't know."

"So he was not expecting our proposals?"

"Maybe not yours! Dense fucker had half a dozen reasons against me from the start!" Tracy snapped, gripping her knees. "Thought I had him convinced, then he just slips away to you! What else do you want to know? That I thought maybe a little push was all that he needed? That I don't know how to kiss because I haven't talked to a guy romantically since high school? That I genuinely thought I had found love here, of all places? He even said the feeling was mutual!

"So, you know what, Shar?" She pointed her middle digit to the air, her nose crinkling in simmering exasperation as tears continued to fall.

"Fuck you. He's always looking at you. Relying on you. Cuddling up to you. Talking to you. Even when he's right in my arms, he scampers away and ends up right in yours! He fucking loves you! Why do his eyes sparkle for you? Why doesn't he need me too? I'm always losing everything, no matter where I am. And I'm not gonna say I know what the fuck is going on in his head, but fuck you for scaring him off again…"

Her voice became quiet in an instant, her focus averted to the ground again. "…Even if you're the only reason he stopped."

Shar'khee simply stared at the balled-up star-sent, taken aback by her sudden fury. Yet, her frills slipped the singular question on her mind. "Losing everything?"

Tracy's brows furrowed in a scowl. "I meant everyone. Mom, then sis, then pops, then my friends, the other pioneers, and now the only guy I've fallen head-over-fucking-heels for. Fuck. You."

A retaliation to that nasty remark laid on the tip of the paladin's intent, but she withheld it. Instead, she walked closer. Shar'khee gently sat down with her legs crossed atop one another, opposite the Artificer, careful of her weight and foot talons. "…Then we are not so different."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?"

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

The white gown-wearing female offered a sympathetic gaze, piecing together what had to be done as she spoke. "That this is all we have. I had no family, no war-sisters, and no friends… nothing when I was abandoned on the mainland, already having failed the one trial given to me. Then, as if the Gods were listening to my nightly prayers, your pioneering ship arrived from the sky like an omen. I understand the incident is traumatic to you, and forgive me if this is unacceptable to admit, but to me, it was a blessing."

Tracy took in a restrained breath, leaning the back of her head on the wall. "Okay?"

Shar'khee lowered her neck, gently placing all her hands into her lap, save for the one holding the Creator's gift. "Harrison has given me everything, reflective of how many times I have scooped him out of the waiting jaws of death on this vicious mainland. And, I also prioritize protecting you, even if it is not so obvious. Your importance to this settlement goes without saying. I put my faith in your creations every day, Artificer Tracy."

The smallest flush of red accented the smears and trails of black over Tracy's cheeks. But, she did not interrupt.

The paladin took in the aspects of the female across from her. The white tone of her skin, the blackness of her silken hair, the protrusions of her dress-distending breasts, and just how small she appeared.

Yet, within her lay such surprises and ability, just like the Creator. "You… are also important to Harrison. Beyond your talents and skills with star-sent machines. I knew nothing of how to deal with his drained psyche when he was faced with the downfall of your kind's colony. It was only you who knew to deal with such. It is also only you who can make him laugh so heartily whilst he is stressed under the blood-moon's imminent arrival. You say he always favors me, yet it is you whom he seeks out for familiarity. And, I understand that. I wish for what is best for him. You are an exceptional female, even amongst the ardent sisters I call my squad."

"Where are you going with this?" the male-sized yet female star-sent prodded suspiciously, having slowly unwound from her compact position.

"I wish for you to be my mate."

Tracy's eyes shot open, her cheeks turning as red as the paladin's. "You what!?"

The maroon-skinned Malkrin leaned forward, holding her torso up with a pair of arms on the ground. "I believe I was clear. You would make an excellent counterpart for my love."

The Artificer looked away, completely flushed by the statement, though a barely visible smile crept along her lips and revealed teeth. "Shar, d-don't get me wrong, you're… ah… attractive. A-And, I know Harrison just left, but… uhm… I'm not giving up on him just yet. I mean, if things go really bad, hmm… heh… N-No! Shar. We can't."

Shar'khee tilted her head. "Why not? If anything, that is more reason, is it not? Harrison needs you just as much as myself. We, together, would offer all that is required."

"More reason? That's not…" Tracy shook her head. "Wait, Harrison? What?"

"Yes, the three of us," the paladin confirmed with a nod and a smile. "We would do well together. I have realized that, no matter how much I wish to be all he needs, I cannot tend to his fire alone. Additionally, I have grown quite fond of your warmth in my bed."

The Artificer threw her arms out wide and splayed her legs out just the same, annoyed. "So, you meant you want to share him? Just say that! Don't fucking—" she hesitated to find the proper word. " —tease me!"

The reaction was only more confusion for the paladin. "But you would still be my mate. And, that is exactly what I asked of you. With further exploration, my heart could desire you just the same. I hope you did not think I would abandon the Goddess' Chosen, did you?"

"I don't know!" Tracy protested, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know Malkrin have more than twice the female population, but I wasn't expecting to be asked into a fucking thrupple or whatever it's called! Why would you even ask me? Never mind your reasoning, don't try to act like you weren't actively competing against me for him at every damn turn!"

Shar'khee sat up tall once more, anxiously clacking her talons together. "I will admit that, from before I knew of my own desires to when I realized they could be brought to fruition, I fought for his hand. Further still, when it was revealed that your kind was monogamous, I… I knew I could not allow you his love first.

However, even then I questioned the Goddess of the Winds why you were here, when you offered so much to him as a mate whilst I was given this trial to do the same. It was obvious to me that you had Harrison's best interest in mind, just as I do, making you an excellent candidate for a second mate. Again, you are an exceptional female amongst some of the most ardent, strong, and daring females I have ever met."

Her response seemed to stymie the Artificer's ire, allowing the paladin to continue her persuasion.

"I would be happy to see you protect our Harrison with your talents. Need I remind you that the armor I wear every day, which already protects me and Harrison, was designed by your wit? The 'exoskeleton' he dons before battle was birthed from both your genius and my experience. Our efforts in fishing earlier today only reinforce such a notion: my strength, your ideas, and Harrison's leadership. Are our positions not yet clear?"

Tracy's flush held as a deep red, but she slowly brought her legs up to her chest again and went quiet.

Shar'khee raised her brows expectantly. "Shall I bring up my point earlier about familiarity and the ways we approach our mutual beloved's stress?"

The Artificer shook her head, her eyes softly gazing into her knees. "N-No. I get it… Akula, a long time ago, told me something…"

A 'tsk'* almost left the Malkrin's maw at the name. "Which was?"

"She asked Harrison directly about getting into a relationship because she wanted to know his opinions, given it was 'for the settlement's future' or something like that. He had some of the same arguments I shot down just now, but Akula mentioned that 'fate has already decided upon your battle' and that I needed to sacrifice something."

Tracy cautiously glanced back up to the paladin, taking in a deep breath. "I think she knew. She knew about you and me, but she knew… She knew this would happen. The three of us. Maybe some part of me even hoped for it."

The pale-skinned and black tear-smeared female shifted around and sat up, legs crossed just like the paladin's. Her intent was slow, taking the time to calculate what she was truly saying—Shar'khee appreciated the honesty.

"Look, Shar. This is… a lot. It's been a roller coaster of emotions all today… this week… since I've been on Ershah. Harrison has been more than just a love interest, and I think you would understand that with your trial. He's been a rock that's always there for me to hold onto. He's kept me grounded and sane to the point where it's impossible to sleep normally without him nearby. I would do anything to offer something back for him, too. A-And I think I can help him with his stress and all the projects he has."

"I understand that exact sentiment," Shar'khee agreed wholeheartedly.

"Right? So… uhm… Anyway, I brought that up because I'm not… experienced in this kind of thing. I assumed that if I had him to myself, I'd be able to figure things out over time and, y'know, be a good girlfriend or lover or wife or whatever. Doing… this—" she pointed at the paladin and then back at herself rapidly. "—is something completely different. We don't even know how Harrison would take this kind of thing if I accepted. Like, it's all kind of a gamble."

Shar'khee's snuck her tail around, sliding it over Tracy's hot thighs in an attempt to ease her. "Does it not make it easier, knowing you share a goal and wishes with another, who is willing to help you through the adversity? We all must cut our teeth to have them sharp. I have never had the touch of a lover, so you are not alone in that regard either. What such a relationship entails, I cannot tell, but I can assure you of my dedication to its success."

Tracy's brows incredulously knitted together as she let out a chuff of amusement. "You say that like it's some sort of job."

The paladin shrugged, relaxed. "In a way, maybe. It is a goal, is it not?"

"…Yeah. A long time coming, for sure," the Artificer relinquished with a sigh.

"And the next step in such a goal would be to find Harrison, correct our mistakes, and assure him of our loyalty." Shar'khee pushed off the ground to take a knee, offering a hand to the diminutive female she would soon call her mate. The Malkrin's frills started to vibrate, an electrifying excitement building in her. No competition, just cooperation and a love to share.

Tracy stared at it, curiously yet slowly raising her hand to match. The hot skin pressed against talon, tenderly dragging across Shar'khee's digit, then eagerly finishing the compact as palm met palm.

The Artificer did not smile, but the soft shyness of her gaze assured the paladin of her dedication.

There was no doubt; her new mate would soon become her most faithful companion.

= = = = =

Harrison dropped into his workshop chair. It wasn't comfortable, but it was familiar. Just like the mind-numbing cacophony of machines surrounding him. A constant in his rocky life. Where he could focus. Where the world didn't seep its crushing weight onto him.

He knew he fucked up. It hurt to breathe with the constant tightness wrapping further and further around his chest. The agonizing feeling spread with every second he ignored the bleeding issues.

He laid his elbows onto the desk, slamming his forehead into his palms and grabbing at his hair. Why was he so blind? Shar's feelings were so obvious in retrospect, but they were so easy to conflate with his built-up persona of what Shar had to be: a knight for a prince. All so he didn't have to think about how much he loved a fucking alien. About how impossible it should be.

Things would have almost been better if he felt the sting of her rejection. It would have been simpler. In time, he could have forgotten that he even fell in love with another woman besides Tracy.

But no. He had to be thrust face-first into the consequences of his own actions. The two women he had effectively led on knew everything now.

"God dammit!" he hissed at himself.

Any internal joy he had at Shar's feelings and the sudden, relieving admittance of his own was crushed in light of how he treated Tracy. He didn't just leave her, he left her as she was putting her heart on the line. All to find out if he had really lost Shar.

There, at that moment, between his guardian's warm hopeful gaze and the only other human's devastated glare, he cracked.

Too ignorant to realize. Too dazed to think. Too greedy to ignore either. Too fond to sacrifice one. Too late to change.

There was no way to fix it. No reasonable course of action to placate everyone. Tracy was right; Harrison was dense. Everything could have been avoided if he had an ounce of awareness outside of his day-to-day labor. And yet, he cold-shouldered both of their loves because he loved to stay oblivious.

But, God, if he didn't admit it wrung his stomach dry to even think about approaching either of them right now, he'd be dammed for lying.

"Creator?" a voice called out, deep-toned and concerned.

He tore his head out of his hands, frantically looking around.

Rook stepped up to the opposite side of the desk, towering over him. She sported a kind but tired look. "I thought you may have come here."

The engineer quickly blinked away the pooling tears of frustration and guilt from his eyes, forcing a stony facade. It was hard to fake a stable voice, but he managed a grumble. "Why's that?"

The Head Harvester sat on her knees, her frills and stone-covered horns tall above him. She slowly waved side to side, perhaps a bit tipsy. "I was outside and saw you come here, so I followed, lost you, and then correctly assumed you to be at your desk. The guards are also here, but they are waiting outside."

The bulky, orange-skinned miner rested her gauntlets on the table, a frown crossing her snout. "Forgive my presumptions, Creator. That look I saw upon your countenance. What… Are you well?"

Harrison paused. Was he well? A sardonic chuff escaped him. That became the funniest question for some reason, leading into a laugh that lasted as long as his sanity had on this planet. The immediate repercussions from the strangling stress quickly choked any incredulous humor back into place.

He drew in a long breath, the hit of air opening his lungs enough to act as a distraction from the tightness. His voice reflected how long of a day it had been, from the blood-moon all night to the party, and now this. "Not really, no."

Rook's subtly swaying tail stopped. "I… thought you looked quite happy dancing not thirty minutes ago. May I ask what has happened?"

Harrison held his temple up with a hand, closing his eyes. He liked the harvester enough to let his mouth slip—who knew how much he'd managed to sober up by then. "I got caught falling in love with two women because I have the emotional intelligence of a brick. I thought being with one would hurt the two of us, and I never even considered that the other could love me back… Didn't know I could love her like that, either. But I was wrong on both ends."

The orange-skinned Malkrin bobbed her head slowly, the raising of her brows implied she, more or less, knew who he was talking about. She was smart enough to pick apart which was which, too. "So there was no issue with pairing with either? I do not see the problem you are wrought with. They both favor you for their mates, do they not?"

"Yeah, they do. The issue is the fact that they both know I fucked up. How do I even start explaining it to them?" he groaned, holding his unused arm out in exasperation at a less-sobered up version of himself and putting on a mocking, dim-witted voice. "'Yeah, so I pushed you away so I could see if I had a chance with this other woman, and I totally do, but now I feel guilty, and I couldn't bring myself to be with her because of you. I also love you too, by the way.' Doesn't that sound insane? Self-centered? Like an asshole?"

He scoffed, shaking his head as his tone grew more and more distressed. Guilty. "To top it all off, I just… left. Right after both of them had confessed. Everything hit me all at once. I couldn't think or breathe or anything. And here I am to 'think,' but at this point, there's no solution. I've dug my grave. I'm only pushing back the aftermath."

Rook visibly tried to piece his woes together, bemused. "Then just mate both? You share a bed nest already."

"I… No?" he questioned with a cringe. "There's no way that's ever going to work out. How the hell would I convince Tracy to accept a third to the relationship? I'm pretty sure she and Shar only 'accept' each other's existence in the same bed because it's big enough and that I'm a wall between them."

The Head Harvester shrugged. "If Artificer Tracy has such an issue, then mind her not and have Shar'khee as your first mate. There are plenty of females looking to take her spot as a 'third.'"

Harrison recoiled, brows furrowing. "I-I can't just ignore Tracy! That would ruin anything we have together. She's more than just another woman! Even if it doesn't work out with her, I'd still rather be on good terms with the backbone of this entire settlement! I've already backed myself into this corner.

"I am only offering a solution that best fits you as a leader. It is best if you are fully supported," Rook implored, leaning forward.

Her pinkish-purple eyes glowed suddenly, just the same as Shar's would. "If the other star-sent truly cares not to be your second mate, I may have to intervene and take such an honor, for it would only strengthen our settlement."

"That's even if I could manage to keep two women happ—" Her words slammed into his lagging mind, taking the wind out of his arguments. "Is… Are you… flirting?"

"Of course," Rook admitted in an unusually playful manner, with rum certainly to blame. "You remind me of my mate… my stalwart woodworker."

"Wait, you had a mat—" He cut himself off, looking at her horns. Of course she did. He knew that now.

She nodded, smiling wistfully. "He used to overthink the same as you, worrying himself into a rut over the things he felt greater than himself—weapon shafts for our guardswomen, components merchants desired, and the church's new pews. My beloved was as determined to persevere through his labor as I am… as you are. I admire it… However, I digress. This is not about me. Ignore my foolish advances as they mean no more than that which you allow them to be. You have two prime mates."

Rook shuffled in place, crossing her arms over the desk once more. Her light-hearted demeanor curved away into the goal-oriented earnestness he was familiar with. "Now, if I am to tell you truthfully, it is obvious Shar'khee cannot be dissuaded. She is as intent on your heart as she is to protect your deity-given vision. Of course, only you know yourself and whom you favor, and it is your choice, but I believe the paladin is going to be your mate sooner rather than later. Such is more than just my biases, I assure you."

Her eyes flickered away from him, widening for a brief moment. She nodded to herself. "Yes, Shar'khee will be there for you, most assuredly. The other component, our herder of drones… The rest is up to her decision. However, you should consider it this way: she can either scrounge for another male or possibly forge her own, what with her abilities, or she can have that which she desires and another female to protect her family. I do recall Javelin discussing monogamy amongst your kind, as backwards as such is, but I know what I would choose, were I to be in the Artificer's position. Not to mention how your Tracy gazes upon the proven scars and exceptional musculature of the paladin…"

Harrison stared into the desk in thought, rapping his free fingers along the metal. "There's a lot of 'ifs' in that idea. I don't know…"

Both? What kind of world would he be living in if that were possible? He fucked up and let himself fall in love with two women, disrespecting both of them at the same time. Losing one was not just expected, but a punishment he deserved. That heart-wrenching pain of having to part with Tracy's smile or Shar's tail was supposed to be there, to remind him of how ignorant and destructive he was with the feelings of people he cared about.

But, God… that didn't make the agony any less.

The engineer held onto the small maybe that Sharky was expecting a more Malkrin-like relationship with two females. Even then, that'd completely rely on Tracy, as Rook said. He would also have to balance both of them at once, and he wasn't stupid enough to think everything would just work fine by itself.

Any relationship would require time and effort. Two would double it… Tonight felt like a flash. He wasn't even expecting to be in a relationship an hour ago…

…Being in a relationship.

A weak smile spread across his cheeks at select memories—nestling into Shar after hours of fighting the first blood-moon, spinning in circles with her, adding songs to playlists with Tracy, and holding her close while she sobbed herself to sleep on his shoulder. Moments of tender care. Brief interludes of side-burning laughter. Someone he looked forward to seeing after a long day. A squishy tail to pet and squeeze like a body pillow. Big hugs that soaked up the piling pains in his bones he had ignored for months. Smiles… Smiles that burned into his mind like golden rays of sun on a perfect day…

His eyes turned blurry, welling with tears.

It hurt. He didn't want to give any of it up. It was selfish, and he was well aware… but he fell in love with both of them for more than just one reason.

God dammit.

Harrison stood up and pushed off the desk. No more running away. He needed to find them. Together, or separate, it didn't matter. This torment would only get worse in the immediate interactions, but it would heal in time. There was a hope for something good to come of it, but he wouldn't count on it.

"Thanks," he whispered to Rook, giving her a genuine nod of appreciation.

The Head Harvester's introspection gave him a little confidence. He had something to hold onto as he walked toward the workshop's exit. Of course, there was no point in approaching Sharky and Tracy with an offer of a mutual relationship, but if the paladin proposed it…

He would go into the conversation with an apology and the hopes of returning a semblance of trust to his current, rocky relationships. Nothing more.

His footsteps were deadened in the din of industry, though everything sounded a little hazy. Everything felt a little gray.

"Hey…" a voice called out. "Where are you going?"

The engineer's breath hitched; he knew Tracy's subtly anxious cadence by heart. He slowly turned to his side, finding the two catalysts of his anxiousness a lot faster than he wanted.

The technician stood right beneath the towering paladin, the top of her head barely reaching Shar's hips. Black remnants of eyeliner smudged and trailed around her cheeks. Yet, a weak smile took a natural place on her face.

A tail over her shoulder led his eyes up to the giant Maroon-skinned and white gown-sporting Malkrin, who wore the same apprehensive yet determined smirk. It was purposefully placating, but it worked.

"…Nowhere," he responded amicably, swallowing down the alarm at their sudden presence. "I… I wanted to talk to you two…"

Tracy raised a brow, slowly exhaling her own wound-up tension away. "Really? Um… well, Shar and I wanted to do just the same thing… Do you maybe wanna take this to our bunk room and talk for a 'lil bit? Shar promised she won't bite you…

Her meek smile grew. "…Oh, and we've got a gift for you!"

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