Rex was painfully aware that he was late. He was painfully aware of a lot of things, come to think of it, including that his hair was a mess, he hadn’t gotten a chance to change out of his sooty overalls, and that he desperately needed something to drink.

He was jogging through King’s Hollow after jogging down the dirt path that led from it to the estate he lived and worked at. Rex wasn’t much of a runner, but he managed a good clip. It wasn’t why he was late, at least.

The tiefling had been held up in the forge, as he often was. Technically nobody had forced him to stay late. Rex was nothing if not a perfectionist, though, and had spent longer than was at all reasonable to get his gift just right.

Rex slowed, then stopped. This was the place. He reached into one of the many pockets on his overalls and felt for the piece of metal he had spent so long on, just as a nervous tic.

He also took a different piece of metal from a different pocket, and magically reshaped it into a silver choker necklace, which he put on.

‘The place’ was a bakery whose name Rex didn’t remember offhand, and which had no convenient signage to supply one. It was either new or Rex hadn’t paid enough attention, or both.

He stepped inside, acutely aware of how out-of-place he looked. This was something that normally didn’t bother him, but did now.

“Hey,” said a voice. It tasted sweet and slightly sour, like lemonade, a fact Rex had never articulated.

Rex had no concept of synesthesia as a neurological condition, and simply kept that idiosyncrasy to himself. He had enough other reasons for people to think he was weird, after all.

The citrus-flavored voice belonged to his good friend Rico. “You’re late.”

It wasn’t phrased as an accusation, but Rex still felt defensive.

[Sorry,] he said, in the clipped way he tended to sign when he was in a rush. [I got held up at work.]

Rico, who was a giant, white-furred bat, twisted his head and ears in mild curiosity. “Is that so? What was so important that it cut into our date?”

[A surprise,] Rex settled on. [for you.]

“May I see it?” Rico asked.

[No,] Rex said, sitting down across from Rico. [not yet.]

Rico laughed. “Alright, alright,” he folded his hands into a tented position on the table and rested his chin on them. “How was your day?”

[Fine,] Rex supplied automatically. [Yours?]

“Better now that you’re here,” Rico said.

Rex flushed, indigo blush dark against his lavender skin.

“You seem nervous,” Rico said.

[I am nervous,] Rex agreed, again signing quickly.

“Don’t be,” said Rico. “It’s just a date.”

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[I don’t do dates,] Rex said. [I never know what to say.]

“Try ‘you have beautiful eyes,’” Rico suggested.

[You have beautiful eyes,] Rex parroted.

“Why thank you,” said Rico in faux-surprise. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”

[Usually I don’t need to elaborate afterwards,] Rex said. [just the pick-up line is enough.]

“Ah yes, casual hookups,” Rico said, in a tone that suggested respect and potential annoyance. “Is that why you’re here?”

[No,] said Rex, again quickly. [Not at all. I agreed to a date. I’m here for a date.]

“Why?” Rico asked.

Rex stared uncomprehendingly at his friend.

“Why’d you agree to go on a date?” Rico repeated.

[Because…] Rex paused, deciding what to say. [You’re different. You’re my friend. I don’t want to have sex just once. I want to have sex multiple times. I want to spend time with you. I want to talk about stupid shit that doesn’t matter. I want you to know that I care about you.]

“I’m not so special,” Rico said with a half-smile.

[You’re special to me.]

The two of them chatted about nothing important for some time. Rex ate more quiches than was at all advisable.

Then, before Rex knew it, an hour and a quarter had passed, and the sun was beginning to set, and the bakery was closing up. To avoid throwing anything away, they gave Rex a great deal on four pounds of sourdough bread.

“Why don’t you walk me home?” Rico asked, voice low like dark chocolate.

[You can fly,] Rex said, slinging the bag of bread over his shoulder to speak.

“You really don’t go on any dates, do you?”

Rex blushed at his lack of understanding. It was not often that he missed a double entendre.

[Okay, I’ll walk you home,] Rex signed sheepishly.

The walk was not long. Rico lived above the shop he ran, which was a location Rex was very familiar with. The early night cloaked everything in a dark purple, Rico’s white fur cutting through the darkness like a beam of moonlight.

[You look nice tonight,] Rex, who was not much of a poet, said.

Rico nodded in acknowledgment but didn’t say anything, making Rex worry he had done something wrong.

[Like the moon,] Rex added weakly.

“Like the moon?” Rico asked, his tone marshmallow-light.

[Like the moon.] Rex repeated.

By now the two of them were standing in front of Rico’s shop. Rex fished into one of his many pockets and pulled out the pendant he had spent so long on.

It was shaped like a crescent moon, and shimmered an orange-pink like rose gold. When Rex handed it to Rico, the color shifted to a glittering midnight blue.

[Will told me about jewelry that changed color depending on the wearer’s mood. He insisted that it wasn’t magic and it was just reacting to body temperature or something, but it got me thinking.]

Rex didn’t mention that he had actually pressed Will for anything unique he might be able to make for tonight, or that the other ideas Will had given him were still upcoming.

“So it’s jewelry from another world?” Rico asked, holding the pendant up. In his grasp the color lightened from dark blue to a dusky lavender, close to the color of Rex’s own skin.

[It’s a mood pendant,] Rex said. [Not from another world, just inspired by it. Do you like it?]

Rico laughed, a high-pitched noise that tasted of watermelon. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

Rex smiled weakly as Rico gave him a peck on the forehead. “Just like you.”

Rico tied the pendant around a wrist, where it was beginning to shift again from purple to rosy pink.

“Why don’t you come inside?” Rico asked, unlocking the door.

Rex nodded enthusiastically. [Or you could. I’m not picky.]