Love is Tricky Business by Jasmine Carroll
About
After a year apart, Nhia's best friend, Piston, returns to the rogue society where they live. Unbeknownst to Piston, Nhia harbors some deeper feelings and it's going to be hard to continue their friendship with them in the way.
Keywords
Love, Romance, Post-Apocalypse, Sci-Fi, Diversity, LGBTQ
Excerpt
Piston looks over at Nhia and smiles.
PISTON
Hey, Nhia. It’s been a while.
Nhia stops moving. He bites his bottom lip between his teeth and takes a deep breath.
NHIA
It has.
PISTON
It’s good to see you.
NHIA
Yeah.
PISTON
I’ve actually been in town
for a few days.
NHIA
I know.
Piston takes a step forward and the second his boot POUNDS against the floor, Nhia looks back over his shoulder.
NHIA (CONT.)
What do you want, Piston?
Piston furrows his brow and shifts uneasily.
PISTON
What do I want? I wanted to
see you.
NHIA
Well, here I am. Is that all?
PISTON
Nhia, if you’re mad at me you
should just tell me. I don’t
know what I did wrong.
Nhia turns his head away and swallows hard before continuing.
​
NHIA
You didn’t do anything wrong.
PISTON
Obviously I did, or you wouldn’t
be acting like this.
NHIA
I’m not acting like anything.
PISTON
I know, that’s the problem. We
haven’t see each other in,
what, a year? I thought you’d
be more excited to see me.
NHIA
I am excited to see you.
Piston takes a couple more steps towards Nhia.
PISTON
I can’t tell.
NHIA
What did you expect?
PISTON
I don’t know, a hug or something?
Nhia sets his pencil down on the desk, stands from his chair and turns. He hugs Piston and his arms grip around his neck tight and Piston returns the embrace with a smile. Nhia struggles to hide his pain, holding onto Piston for a few minutes. He inhales deeply and then releases him, immediately sitting back down in his chair and resumes his note taking. He grabs a binder from a shelf near the desk and flips it open.
PISTON
That’s it?
NHIA
That’s it.
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