All the drones sat there, quiet and well-behaved.
En and Enna squeezed in beside Xiao, their expressions filled with trepidation.
The white insectoid, now possessing newborn wings and a scaled tail, looked somewhat unfamiliar. Even the scent of his pheromones had changed. His presence was more stable now, carrying an indefinable sense of pressure. Standing beside the black Core Seed, he seemed to form a natural contrast to the other.
For a moment, none of the insects dared to be the first to speak as they looked at the administrator who had returned to the Information Nest.
It wasn't until Gela laughed and opened his arms.
Immediately, Xiao, En, and Enna launched themselves from their seats like three small missiles, diving headlong into his embrace. The two thin drones burrowed frantically, trying to find a closer angle to snuggle.
Standing to the side with a cold face, Sakdi reached out and plucked Enna, the mid-level female cub, out of the pile.
"You are not allowed to cling," he said.
Enna was quite angry, letting out a hiss just like his brothers, but he wilted slightly when he met the Core Seed’s half-smiling expression. He could only retreat while yapping in protest.
Gela laughed as he caught the two clinging to him, still finding a hand free to pat Enna’s head. The female cub finally quieted down, his tail wagging so fast it looked like a small fan.
"Are you alright? Do you feel unwell anywhere?" Xiao asked urgently while sniffing him. He had been incredibly worried during the time Gela was missing. His anxiety had led Selin to constantly pester Sakdi for updates on the drone's eclosion, nearly causing the Core Seed to kick his overly talkative subordinate out. "I—I heard that secondary pupation is very painful!"
"I’m fine."
Gela spent a moment doting on each of his companions, curling his fingers around their small, anxiously twitching tails before finally setting the two slightly calmed insects down.
"See? I can already return to work."
All the insects crowded around him, lingering and rubbing against him for a long while, as if reacquainting themselves with their companion's pheromone scent.
"I want to use the Information Nest as soon as possible. You can head back first today, and I’ll chat with you more later, alright?"
He was still holding Xiao and En’s hands. Though the two looked like they had more to say, they obediently nodded.
In truth, Gela also wanted to snuggle with his friends for a while longer, but he understood that Sakdi was running out of time. Because of Gela's sudden pupation, Sakdi had stayed on Ja for too long, and Kleiman’s messages were arriving one after another. The conflict with the Grey-wing tribe had already begun, yet they had not even departed.
The Core Seed said nothing, but Gela understood the urgency he kept so well hidden.
"I want to connect to the Great Information Nest again."
"Let's give it a try."
These were the first words they had spoken to each other the previous night, following that unexpected kiss.
Even now, the memory of the Core Seed’s expression at that moment made Gela want to laugh out loud.
Sakdi’s composure had truly shattered.
He had never been one to make decisions lightly; giving a promise meant it had to be fulfilled. He had spent a long time reflecting over the past few days, and after the drone had pressed against him for that soft kiss, the habitually deliberate man had, for the first time, not retreated.
He had intended to have a proper talk with Gela to resolve the matter he had been avoiding.
As it turned out, the drone had immediately brought up something entirely different.
Good grief—it turned out he was the only one being "lovestruck."
Nevertheless, with a dark expression, he had gestured for Gela to speak first.
The white insectoid, not yet fully recovered, had held him while letting out a low laugh. Though his body was weak, his spirit was much improved. His thin, scaled tail curled unconsciously, winding affectionately around Sakdi’s deep black tail.
"I want to perform another reverse-trace on the Great Information Nest. I can do it now."
"If you're worried, you can watch over me from the side."
Gela finished stating the most urgent matter, yet he couldn't help but reach out to stroke the other’s cheek.
"Trust me, I can feel it."
"Are you sure?" The Core Seed looked at him, his golden-brown eyes calm, as if seriously confirming. "You’ve just broken out of your cocoon; your body isn't in its best state yet."
Gela turned serious as well. "I’m sure."
To make his companion understand and reduce unnecessary anxiety, he explained carefully: "I’ll rest for a bit and recover my strength quickly. I want to go to the Information Nest tomorrow. My body can now handle the mental load; there's no need to worry about the accumulation of redundant pressure anymore."
His tone while discussing business was one thing, but his fingers were another matter entirely. As if filled with a sense of novelty, they gently brushed over the Core Seed’s eyelashes and the corners of his mouth, lingering reluctantly.
"I understand."
Sakdi closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his voice had regained its steady tone. "But this time, I will be right beside you. If there is any discomfort, I need you to disconnect immediately. Agreed?"
The drone nodded, giving a firm answer.
In the next second, his wandering hand was caught.
"Fine. Now, it’s my turn."
That mischievous, lazy drawl sent alarm bells ringing in Gela’s head, but he couldn't break free from the Core Seed’s grip.
Sakdi slowly unfurled those slightly curled, pale fingers one by one, forcing Gela to look at him.
"You really are a bold insect. No... creature has ever dared to do such a thing to me."
"A stealth kiss, hmm?"
Having emerged from his daze, the drone instantly lost his nerve.
His beautiful, perfect little tail gave an uneasy twitch, trying to slide off the pitch-black tail to escape. But the Core Seed had already turned the tables, firmly coiling around that restless thin tail, even rubbing against the newborn, fragile tail hook.
Gela began to tremble instantly.
It had been a long time since he had experienced the stimulation of his tail hook being touched. A drone's tail hook was entirely different from the combat-oriented tail tips of a female; just a slight rub was enough to make him lose his composure.
But the rogue before him clearly wasn't going to let him off so easily.
"Doing the deed but refusing to take responsibility," the Core Seed said, quite skilled at framing the situation with his own brand of twisted logic. "Trying to change the subject."
He couldn't keep running forever.
The drone's attitude had always been clear; it was Sakdi who had avoided giving a concrete answer. This state of procrastination was inconsistent with his nature. To delay any further would be "scummy" in another sense. Although he was a novice himself and lacked talent in this area, he had to take the first step.
A serious talk was necessary, but before that, he had to collect some interest.
His moving lips pressed against Gela’s hand. The moment they touched, the drone shuddered, yet the other continued to say devastating things.
"Kissing and then running away."
Gela realized once again that his partner was a very, very bad insect. He would never allow himself to be at a disadvantage; once he regained his senses, he would immediately flip the situation and occupy the dominant position to bully him.
"Irresponsible."
As if in retaliation for that light kiss, the other kissed Gela's palm. Every touch made the scales on the drone's tail flare out in a wave.
"Insubordination."
There was laughter in his voice, but his golden-brown eyes were locked onto Gela.
"Harassing a superior."
"Jee!"
Gela completely exploded.
He couldn't take it anymore, letting out a series of chirps he wasn't even aware of. His weak limbs struggled as he tried to curl his body up tightly, his entire being turning red. Even with mating gestures as blunt as his, he couldn't withstand this kind of predatory, step-by-step pursuit.
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."
Seeing the drone trembling all over, Sakdi feared he might scare him too much. He wrapped his companion back in the blanket and pulled him into his arms. He stroked those pearl-white wings to soothe him, only to find that every inch he touched triggered a new shiver.
"..."
Left speechless, the Core Seed could only pat the drone through the fluffy blanket.
Shedding his deliberately fierce act, Sakdi sat in the nest holding the large "blanket-insect." When he spoke again, he was perfectly calm.
"Let's give it a try," he said.
He patted Gela’s head. The gesture carried no other meaning; it was more like a gentle comfort.
"Let's try. But I don't have much experience in matters of the heart. I might not do it very well."
Influenced by the low, soothing tone, the drone gradually calmed down from his complex mix of excitement, trepidation, and shyness. He tentatively looked up, only to see those golden-brown eyes looking down at him with a soft expression.
"I will have many secrets of my own that I cannot speak of, and I am not as good an insect as you think I am."
"We can take it slow. We'll have a serious talk later."
"Are you willing?" he heard Sakdi ask.
"I—I am willing."
Stammering, as if racing to answer, Gela threw his arms around the other.
He inhaled the familiar pheromones. The pain of pupation, the experience of being abandoned by his tribe, and the ordeals he endured on the raider ship—none of it mattered anymore.
The very best person in the entire universe had reached out to him. Whether the other was human or insectoid, no matter where his heart lay, what path he wished to take, or what home he was searching for—at this moment, he was his partner.
"I am willing," the white drone repeated his answer. "You are the best one."
"I'm not afraid of going slow. I can wait a bit longer—I'm very good at waiting, and I'm not afraid of being bullied."
He gripped the other’s arms tightly.
"You are good. Especially good."
Not knowing what else to say, he could only desperately repeat the word "good," as if offering all the golden value he possessed to the other.
As tears fell, he suddenly understood humans.
He understood that race which was too distant for him, existing only in recorded images—their joys and sorrows, their pain and hope. Things that were once ethereal and elusive had become reality; it was a weight too heavy for some lives to bear.
Before his reason could learn it all, his soul had already stepped into the river.
"I like you very, very much," Gela said softly. "More than anything else. Nothing in this universe can compare to you."
In response, Sakdi’s fingers gently tilted the drone's face up.
He placed another kiss upon the drone's white eyelashes, like a silent reply.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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恋爱脑 | Love brain / Lovestruck | A slang term for someone who prioritizes romance above all else or is currently consumed by infatuation.
尾勾 | Tail hook | A specific anatomical feature of the drone's tail, noted here for its sensitivity.
灰翅族群 | Grey-wing tribe | A rival or enemy faction of insectoids mentioned in the context of the ongoing conflict.
克里曼 | Kleiman | Likely a subordinate or contact of Sakdi's (based on context).
瑟临 | Selin | A subordinate of Sakdi's.
