Nosy Neighbor

Selena woke, as she did most mornings these days, to Mikhail wearing a trench into the ground with his pacing. His tail flicked back and forth as he paced up and down, his eyes glued to his feet. She was lucky—or perhaps, he was lucky—that she’d been moved out of the barracks. Her fellow guards wouldn’t be happy if he tried this sort of stunt there. As it was, she had a stall to herself, so she was the only one who had to deal with him.

“Are you alright, Mikhail?”

His head shot up and his feet snapped to the ground, kicking up dust and straw. “Selena! You’re awake. Oh, hold on a moment.” He left the stall and disappeared around the corner before she could say another word. A moment later, he reappeared, carrying a long tree branch in his mouth. Ripe, juicy peaches hung under layers of leaves.

“For me?”

He hummed in affirmation as he set the branch down next to her. “I know they’re your favorite, and I thought you deserve a treat.”

“Thank you.” She couldn’t help but smile, both of out gratitude and at the absurdity that this was what he’d been so worked up over. Did he think she would kill him for daring to bring her a present? That she’d be upset if he’d brought only the fruit, and not let her pick them off of the branch herself? What a ridiculous iguanodon she was courting.

“How are you feeling?” Mikhail asked her, settling down on her opposite side. The floor of the stall was made with only the softest grasses, and always smelled pleasant thanks to the flowers Mikhail gifted to her.

“I’m fine, Mikhail.” Selena was also very gravid. Her stomach had swelled from the eggs growing in her, but she blamed her physique on the lack of training more than anything. Mikhail had been extremely insistent that she didn’t do anything to strain herself until the eggs were safely laid. Selena wasn’t enough of an idiot to put her eggs in danger, of course, but Mikhail always made sure to tell her anyway. She was touched by his concern, but he was acting so broodily she was surprised he wasn’t the gravid one.

Mikhail frowned, like he didn’t quite believe her. “You’re sure?”

Selena held in a sigh, reminding herself that he was only acting so neurotically out of worry, annoying as it could be. “Of course I’m sure! You need to stop worrying so much. Do you know what hatchlings hate more than anything? Overbearing parents who never leave them alone.”

“I’m not overbearing,” he said, crest pressed flat to his neck. The worst part was that Selena knew he genuinely believed he wasn’t.

“You spend almost all of your time in the brooding stalls.”

He wasn’t her only visitor, but he was easily the most frequent. He showed up at least twice every day.

“Because I care about the mother of my children. Is that so wrong?” He scoffed. “Other parents could stand to be more like me. They could be pair-bonded and not visit their mate once while they’re gravid.”

“Almost like there’s a reason for that.”

The pair looked up towards the neighboring stall. The feathered, auburn head of another iguanodon peeked over the dividing wall. Sela had settled in her stall a few days before Selena, and since the older iguanodon had laid clutches before, Selena generally held her in high regard. As she glared at them both with a critical eye, however, Selena began to reconsider that opinion. “The rest of us don’t want to listen to your lover’s quarrels.”

“We’re not quarreling,” Mikhail said.

“We aren’t?”

“Selena…!”

Sela rolled her eyes. “You two are such a miserable couple. I don’t know what it is you see in each other.”

Mikhail opened his mouth to protest, but she kept talking without giving him a chance.

“Mikhail is so puffed-up and pretentious that even the nobility thinks he has an over-inflated ego. And Selena,” she growled, “You’re as prickly as the quills on your back and the armor on your shoulder! On second thought, maybe that makes you two perfect for each other…”

All of the conversation was beginning to wear on Selena’s nerves. Dealing with Mikhail was one thing, but dealing with a noisy neighbor was another. And for Sela to insult both of them!

Selena hauled herself to her feet—maybe a bit too fast with her belly so swollen, as her head went fuzzy for a moment—and stomped towards the wall separating her and Mikhail from Sela. “And which ones of us have high status in the Queen’s court? Mikhail has the most beautiful gardens in all of Atlantis! I am a member of the Queen’s royal guard! What have you ever done for yourself, Sela? You’ve ended up in these stalls many times before, yet you never get a single visitor! What does that say about you?”

By now, Selena had gotten right in Sela’s face. Sela’s nostrils flared, and she sputtered indignantly, “You ought to respect your elders!”

“Only if my elders are worthy of respect!”

They were so busy shouting at each other that Selena didn’t notice the leaves rustling behind her, until a branch hit Sela on the head. With a yelp, Sela ducked out of sight.

Selena whipped around. “Mikhail!”

He gave her a pleading look, branch still held tightly in his mouth.

Sela groaned on the other side of the wall. “Brutes, both of you…”

Mikhail tossed the branch against the far wall of their stall and whispered, “I didn’t really hurt her, did I?”

“I doubt it,” Selena said. “She’ll be fine. And quieter now, I hope.”

They both looked in her direction and waited; Sela didn’t make a sound, but Selena knew that wasn’t from pain, but because she’d learned her lesson.

“You did attack her, though.”

“What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t bear to listen to her!”

“Whether she’s irritating or not, she’s a brooding mother.” Selena sighed. “And, whether you’re my partner or not, attacking one a crime.”

“So after all of that-”

“I’m reporting you next time the guards come by, yes.” As much as she’d like to do it herself, her legs were already killing her from the short time she’d been standing. She went back to her nest and laid down.

“Still,” she went on, picking her words carefully, “I… appreciate your intentions. I’ll let you have a head start. Go find wherever Cassia’s hiding, and maybe by the time he gets bored of having you around, all of this will have blown over.”

She detested bending the rules, but for Mikhail, she could make an exception. Just this once.

Mikhail swallowed. “Thank you?”

“Hurry up, before I change my mind.”

He nodded vigorously and was out of the stall in a flash. Selena listened to his footsteps grow quieter and quieter, then disappear altogether. Selena settled down, pulling plump peaches off of the branch. They were sweet with a slight tartness to their taste, just as she liked them.