I Woke Up in a Reverse World Utopia with a 10,000 to 1 Ratio-Chapter 21: Elf Yourself

The sunset paints New Boston in hues of amber and gold, turning our infamous balcony into the most romantic spot in the whole facility. I can’t help but smile, remembering how Kate bent over this very railing just hours ago, both of us putting on quite the show for the workers below. Now we’re sitting at a pristine white table with actual cloth napkins, like civilized people who definitely weren’t fucking in public this afternoon.

"The stars will be emerging soon," Star says dreamily, his silver-spotted black hair catching the fading sunlight as he tilts his face skyward. "They’re shy at first, just peeking out one by one until they gain confidence."

Kate shifts beside me, her thigh pressing against mine under the table. She’s traded her usual uniform for a flowing white dress that makes her look almost angelic, a stark contrast to the possessive animal I witnessed earlier today. I’m wearing the white tracksuit she picked out for me.

Renee sits across from us, her purple braids catching the last rays of sunlight as she arranges her napkin in her lap with practiced precision. The evening breeze picks up suddenly, sending a cool whisper across our little gathering.

Kate glances at me, concern flickering across her features. "Are you cold?" she asks, her hand reaching out to touch my arm. "I could have someone bring you a jacket if you need one."

The protectiveness in her voice makes something warm unfurl in my chest despite the chill in the air. "No, it’s nice," I reply, enjoying the contrast between the cool breeze and Kate’s warmth beside me. "Feels good after being inside all day."

Renee’s lips quirk into a knowing smile as she reaches for her water glass. "So, I heard you two have had quite the eventful day," she says, her tone casual but her eyes sharp with interest. "To think the head of security would make such a careless mistake. It’s not like Sandra to slip up like that."

I shift in my seat, remembering Sandra’s face when the gun clattered to the floor. "I felt bad for her," I admit. "She looked absolutely devastated when she saw the gun. Like her whole world was crashing down."

Star, who’s been gazing at the darkening sky, suddenly turns his attention to our conversation. His ethereal blue eyes widen with childlike curiosity. "What is a gun?" he asks, his melodic voice genuinely confused.

Renee waves her hand dismissively, her purple braids swinging with the motion. "Don’t worry about it, Star. It’s not important right now."

Star nods happily, seemingly content with this non-explanation. "Okay!" His attention shifts to me, those otherworldly blue eyes focusing with surprising intensity. "How is giving your samples going, Tyler? I heard you’ve been quite productive lately."

I feel heat rush to my face, wondering just how much gossip circulates about our "productivity" in this facility. "Good, I think," I reply, trying to sound casual despite my embarrassment. "How about you?"

Star’s expression clouds over as he stares up at the first twinkling stars appearing in the darkening sky. "Well, with Mercury in retrograde, I’m afraid I’ve been struggling." He sighs dramatically, tracing constellation patterns in the air with his long fingers. "The celestial energies simply haven’t been aligned in my favor."

Renee rolls her eyes, though there’s a fondness in her exasperation. She takes a sip of her wine before turning to me with a calculating look. "How did you get out of your funk, Tyler?"

The question catches me off guard. I glance at Kate beside me, feeling a surge of emotion as her green eyes meet mine. Without thinking, I reach over and place my hand on hers. "I’m in love with my guardian," I say simply.

Renee chokes on her wine, sputtering and coughing as she sets her glass down with a clatter. Her eyes dart between Kate and me, wide with disbelief.

Star leans forward, his silver-spotted hair catching the moonlight as his brow furrows in genuine confusion. "What is love?" he asks, his melodic voice completely sincere.

Renee sighs deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Star, you make it seem like I didn’t educate you at all," she mutters.

I can’t help but laugh at the exchange, the tension of Renee’s reaction breaking. Kate’s hand turns beneath mine, her fingers intertwining with my own in a silent acknowledgment of my declaration.

"Love is..." I begin, trying to find words to explain something so complex to someone who seems to have no concept of it.

"It’s a chemical reaction in the brain," Renee interrupts, her voice taking on that clinical tone guardians seem to default to when discussing emotional matters. "Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, all working together to create attachment."

"That’s horrible, Renee," I blurt out, unable to stop myself. The clinical way she describes something so profound feels like a slap in the face. "Love isn’t just... chemicals."

I turn to Star, whose curious eyes are fixed on me with genuine interest. "Star, you know how you feel about the night sky? That sense of wonder and connection when you look up at the stars?"

Star’s face brightens immediately, his eyes widening with recognition. "Yes! The celestial bodies speak to me. They sing across the void!"

"That’s how I feel about Kate," I explain, squeezing her hand tighter. "Except there’s also this... intensity. This overwhelming desire to be with her completely. To reproduce with her all the time."

I feel my cheeks flush hot at my own candor, but something about Star’s innocent curiosity makes it impossible to be anything but honest. Kate’s fingers tighten around mine, and I can feel her gaze on my profile.

"Hmmmm," Star responds, tilting his head as he contemplates my words. His long fingers trace patterns in the air as if connecting invisible constellations. "So love is like gravity? A force that pulls two bodies together across the emptiness between them?"

Renee sighs dramatically, swirling her wine with practiced precision. "Please don’t encourage him with these metaphors."

But Kate surprises me by leaning forward, her auburn hair catching the last rays of sunset as she addresses Star directly. "That’s actually quite beautiful, Star. Love is very much like gravity."

Star nods enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up as he absorbs Kate’s affirmation. "Gravity! Yes, it keeps us tethered to what matters most."

A server arrives with our first course, setting down plates of what looks like some kind of fancy salad with nuts and berries.

"Speaking of connections," Star says, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "when you give your samples, Tyler, do you use your own hand or does your guardian assist you?"

Kate makes a scoffing sound beside me, though I can feel her body tense slightly.

"Well, lately Kate uses her mouth or sometimes her..." I pause, suddenly uncertain about the propriety of such explicit language. I turn to Kate, lowering my voice. "Can I say vagina to him?"

Kate nods, her lips twitching with suppressed amusement.

"Or sometimes her vagina," I finish, feeling my face heat up despite my attempt at clinical terminology.

Renee snorts, her purple braids swinging as she shakes her head. "I’ve offered to do the same for Star countless times, but he refuses to let me use my mouth on him."

"Why not?" I ask, genuinely curious. I glance at Star, who’s suddenly very interested in arranging the berries on his plate into what looks like the Big Dipper.

Star looks up, his otherworldly eyes wide with concern. "What if she sneezes?" he asks in a stage whisper. "Or worse, what if she mistakes it for food?" He shudders dramatically, his silver-spotted hair catching the moonlight. "I’ve seen how she eats chicken wings."

I nearly choke on my water, coughing as Kate pats my back. When I recover, I can’t help but laugh. "Star, she’s not going to bite it off. That would never happen."

"That’s what I keep telling him!" Renee throws her hands up in exasperation. "You’re preaching to the choir," Renee sighs, giving me a look of shared frustration. "I’ve explained the anatomical impossibility of accidentally severing a penis during oral stimulation more times than I can count."

Kate’s shoulders shake with silent laughter beside me, her hand squeezing mine under the table.

"The stars have warned me of the dangers," Star insists, his voice dreamy yet somehow completely serious. "They’ve shown me visions of teeth and blood and..."

I shake my head, chuckling at Star’s dramatic concerns. "Star, you’re missing out. Blowjobs are seriously amazing."

He shrugs, completely unbothered by my assessment. "Renee’s hand is perfectly adequate for sample collection. The mechanics are simple and effective."

"Sometimes he’s afraid of my hand too, though," Renee interjects with a sigh, swirling her wine glass. "Last month he made me wash my hands three times and put on gloves because he was convinced I’d been near some mystical herb that might cause spontaneous combustion."

I glance between them, fascinated by their dynamic. "Do you not trust Renee?" I ask Star, genuinely curious.

His ethereal blue eyes meet mine, surprisingly lucid despite his dreamy demeanor. "It’s not that I don’t trust Renee. It’s that I don’t know when something outside of my understanding will happen. The universe is vast and unpredictable."

Star tilts his head, studying me with newfound interest. "What kind of reproductive partners do you prefer, Tyler?"

"Kate," I answer without hesitation, turning to smile at her. Her green eyes soften at my immediate response.

Star shakes his head, silver-spotted hair catching the moonlight. "I mean the ones you pick from the catalog? The reproductive candidates?"

"Oh." I feel heat rising to my cheeks. "I just let Kate pick, actually. I trust her judgment completely."

Kate’s thumb traces small circles on my palm, a silent acknowledgment of my faith in her.

"How about you?" I ask, redirecting the conversation. "Do you have preferences?"

Star’s face transforms with sudden enthusiasm, his eyes widening as he leans forward conspiratorially. "Lately, I’ve been deeply infatuated by the elven women," he whispers, as if sharing a profound secret.

I stare at Star, certain I’ve misheard him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Elves," he repeats with complete conviction, leaning in closer across the table. "Sometimes I like the drow, with their black skin and silver hair, but more often than not, I prefer the Chinese ones. Their culture has a certain elegance that resonates with my cosmic sensibilities."

I blink rapidly, processing this information. My eyes dart to Kate, seeking confirmation that I’m not hallucinating this conversation.

"Elves are real?" I ask cautiously. "And... Chinese?"

Kate’s lips twitch with suppressed amusement. "Body modification surgery is quite popular among the elite," she explains, her voice steady despite the mirth dancing in her eyes. "A trending procedure involves elongating the ears to resemble elves from fantasy literature. It’s considered quite fashionable in certain circles."

I let this information sink in, trying to imagine Kate with delicately pointed ears. The image is surprisingly appealing, her already striking features enhanced by something otherworldly and elegant. However I would never want her to change herself in any way for me.

"Maybe I should try an elven reproductive partner later this week," I suggest, the idea suddenly appealing. The combination of fantasy and reality in this new world continues to surprise me.

Kate tilts her head, considering. "I’ll look into it."

Star claps his hands together excitedly, his silver-spotted hair catching the moonlight. "The Chinese ones speak the elven language, you know. It’s quite melodic."

I turn to Renee, confusion written across my face.

"He means Mandarin," she clarifies with a long-suffering sigh. "The Chinese language. Not... elven."

I blink, processing this bizarre blend of reality and fantasy that seems to shape Star’s worldview.

"Interesting," I finally say, unsure how else to respond to Star’s unique perspective.