A new feature, this will have a picture from my novelcasting file and a relevant scene from a story featuring that player base/muse.
From
"For Love of Etarin", 1.99 at EC
They set down on first a lovely green world. After basic decontamination procedures, Ruvane took Etarin shopping. They’d found a second flight‑jacket in Etarin’s size and Ruvane had padded the shoulders against sharp kitkin claws. Fluffball had draped himself around Etarin’s neck and was purring away happily as they walked through the shopping district.
A beautiful boy like Etarin would be prey for every slaver and unsavory character looking to make some fast money. Ruvane had wrapped the cloth cuffs around Etarin’s right wrist and his own left one, feeling silly, like a pet owner, like the father of an obstreperous child reduced to leashing him. He liked the excuse to hold hands. That grip, along with his swagger and pistol and a look that said “he’s mine, back off,” would keep his boy safe.
Ruvane did all the shopping. Every piece of clothing for Etarin was presented to him first. He’d been leery of the scarlet thermal tunic but, seeing the way Etarin’s face lit up at the color, allowed him to try it. He’d bought it, loving the way lit looked with Etarin’s skin and hair
The packages were sent to the storage locker at the spaceport and they continued shopping. Ruvane restocked the ship’s supplies, occasionally checking the list with Fluffball. Etarin was amused, unsure whether or not the kitkin actually talked to Ruvane through telepathy or whether it was an odd habit acquired from shipping alone.
“Anything else you need, Beautiful?” Ruvane asked as they wandered the food stores. “Anything you want, for that matter.” He noticed the boy staring at a display of squarish pink fruit. “Those are really good.” He picked up several ripe ones and a dozen unripe ones for the ship’s stores. He knew Etarin wouldn’t ask for what he wanted, not yet, so Ruvane just watched him carefully and tried to get all the things that really seemed to appeal.
They restocked the medical supplies, refueled and generally prepared for the next trip. Etarin enjoyed himself. It was a novelty just to walk, holding his lover’s hand, and listen to everything around him. Flistik was a world of rocks and underground warrens, a desert where the lizards could bask at their leisure. There were patches of green but nothing like the abundance here. He stared at the plants and the animals around.
When the shopping was done, they stopped at a sidewalk restaurant for lunch. Etarin set the menu aside without looking at it. “You order.” Fluffball curled up on his shoulder and purred.
Ruvane nodded. He’d suspected as much. “Nobody ever taught you to read, huh?” A literate person would have at least looked at the offerings. He ordered two of his favorite: a small bird, stuffed with dried fruit, bread and tree‑nuts and roasted with an herbed glaze. “We’ll fix that. I need my help literate.”
“Is illegal on Flistik, teach slaves to read.” Etarin kept his voice low, one worried eye on the pedestrians.
Ruvane gave him a smile and undid the wrist leash so they could eat. “In case you missed it, we aren’t on Flistik and I run my ship to suit myself.” He reached over and stroked Etarin’s face. “A boy as smart as you should pick it up in no time.”
They ate, Etarin consuming only half of what was set before him. “Eat little, dance much. That way, I stay beautiful for you.” He slipped Fluffball a bite of the bird. The kitkin took it delicately and purred.
“Just make sure you get enough,” Ruvane had the rest boxed and paid the tab. “Our contact won’t be here until tomorrow. Come on, I want to show you something.” He stroked Etarin’s hand before taking it and putting the wrist‑leash back on both of them. After a few words, Fluffball scrambled down Etarin’s body, took the left-over bag in his mouth and trotted off toward the spaceport.
“Kitkin not come?”
“Nope. He’s got his own plans.” Ruvane held Etarin’s hand and led him out of the restaurant.
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