Doctor Who_ Beyond the Sun - Matthew Jones [127]
‘You guessed it.’
‘They really do think and feel very differently to us.’
‘What? Men?’
Bernice laughed. ‘Well, I was thinking about Ursulans actually. Growing up in their Eight provides a template for their adult relationships, which are also non-possessive and group-orien-tated. They don’t have that early experience of focusing completely on another individual. Fascin-ating really.’
‘I don’t need another tutorial, Benny.’
‘No. No, of course you don’t.’ Bernice frowned, suddenly uneasy.
Tameka noticed. ‘What is it?’
‘I just hate the idea of the price of complete freedom being not falling in love, that’s all. It feels mean, somehow. Does . . . well, does Emile understand about this?’
‘What? That Scott’s a promiscuous shitbag? I don’t know. I guess he’ll just have to find out for himself.’
Bernice winced. ‘Ouch.’
Emile was curled up in one of the Sunless’s honeycomb bunks when Scott found him.
‘Hi,’ the Ursulan said. ‘I just wanted to thank you for what you did back there.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Emile slid out of the bunk and stood awkwardly in front of Scott, in his underclothes.
‘And I also wanted to ask if you wanted to come back to Ursu with me.’
‘With you?’ Emile’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Why?’ he added, more cautiously.
‘Because I think Ursu needs people like you. To help us to try and remember what our lives are all about.’
‘Oh. Right.’ Ursu needed him. It was sort of what he’d expected to hear. But he wasn’t going to lie to himself and pretend that it was what he wanted to hear. ‘Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got to get home. I left without saying goodbye and I need to see my dad.’
‘I understand.’ Scott made to leave.
Emile called him back. He had to know. He couldn’t let it just end like this. ‘Back at the dormitory, you know where Michael lived . . .’
‘I do, yes.’
‘You . . . well, you asked me if I wanted to, you know, to have sex with you.’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘I was just thinking. Well, that meant that you wanted to, didn’t it?’
‘Wanted what?’
This was agony. ‘To have . . . you know . . . to have sex with me.’
Scott smiled. It was a nice smile. ‘Emile, I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret.’
‘Well I wanted to too . . . I just couldn’t say it. Then.’
‘I know.’
‘You do? You did?’ Was he just an open book which anyone could scroll through whenever they felt like it? ‘Well, I just wanted to tell you personally, that’s all,’ he said, feeling a bit huffy.
‘Ah.’ Scott walked over and kissed him lightly on the lips. ‘Well, I’m glad you did, Emile.’
‘Oh?’
Scott only smiled and began to tug off Emile’s vest.
‘Scott!’ he squealed, panicking.
‘What?’
‘Don’t. I’m really fat. Can’t we . . . can’t I keep it on.’
Scott looked serious for a moment and shook his head. He pulled off his own shirt.
Oh my God! Scott had the sort of pecs that could give a non-smoking, vegetarian, fifteen-year-old closet case cardiac arrest.
‘I think that there are far too many things between you and the rest of the world as it is, young profiteer,’ Scott whispered. ‘Too many things between you and me.’ He tossed his own shirt on to the floor. Reluctantly, Emile allowed Scott to remove his vest and stood uncomfortably as Scott appraised his naked body.
Scott ran his fingertips down over Emile’s plump chest and traced the bulge of his round belly.
‘Yes, you are quite fat. What difference does it make?’
Emile was learning to hate Ursulan honesty. ‘I was kind of hoping you were going to disagree with me, you big git.’
Scott laughed easily. ‘Then you are speaking to the wrong man.’
The young Ursulan’s skin was cool and smooth. His tiny green scales were dry, just like Emile thought they would be.
‘Emile,’ he whispered, ‘beauty is just a decorated box with nothing but dust inside.’
‘That’s easy for you to say. No one tells you that you’ve got a chubby ass. And besides, you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met!’
‘Ursulans aren’t beautiful. Not on the outside.’ Scott prodded Emile lightly in his puppy-fat stomach. ‘But inside – inside we shine.’
Emile felt a wave of sadness over him. The same feeling of hopelessness