A silence spreads over the group, growing more awkward with every second. You look at Fritz, who has taken Val's hand. As you watch him, he turns to look at you. There's defiance in his orange eyes, but also a glimmer of appeal.
Suppressing a sigh, you move over to where Sonia stands, her arms crossed, glaring at the floor. At your approach, she looks up, turning the resentful look in her eyes onto you.
"What?" she demands. "Here to tell me to get over it? Be happy for them? Save your breath, Kan. This isn't the moment."
Sonia's eyebrows rise, and an expression of pure shock crosses her face before she regains control over it, looking at you with weary half smile.
"Well," she says, "you certainly know how to engage in respectful speciopolitical discourse."
"This is the condensed version," you say. "Look, they can't be the only ones. The more your two species interact, the more this is going to happen. Besides," you add, noticing the thoughtful look in Sonia's eyes, "why do you care so much about who someone else wants to fu—"
Sonia holds up a hand, looking suddenly nauseous. "All right," she says. "All right. You don't have to get graphic: I've not eaten enough today to throw up. I'll do my best not to stand in the way of disgusting, extremely gross interspecies progress."
"Good to know," you say, following her as she moves over to the others. You see her glance, fleetingly, at Fritz, and then, for a little longer, at Val, who meets her gaze without blinking.
It's probably the best you can hope for.
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