“Possibly not,” Squell admitted. “In that case, ve might have been censured for cowardice. People might have said ve was gendering poorly. As things stand . . . well, no one expects vem to have won a fight in such a circumstance, of course. But it’s not wonderful for ratings for a young Vail to look like a victim. Really, once a young Vail is involved in an off-mats fight, there are simply no good options ratings-wise, which is why it’s the parents’ job to . . .” Ve sighed. “In any event, I am not mainly here to talk about how Shria is gendering.”

“Oh . . .” Fift didn’t like where this was going. “Father Squell, I’m not going to cast Shria to the periphery just because ve’s in trouble. Ve’s my friend. I can’t . . .”

Squell held up a hand. “Cubblehedge, I understand, and that’s all very praiseworthy. And if the only issue here were ratings, and your desire to be loyal to your friend, I might even agree with you . . . possibly. We’re in a somewhat better position than Fnax cohort. However, that doesn’t mean we can afford extravagant gestures, and . . . that’s not the only issue here.”

Fift felt zir faces flushing and fought to keep zir mouth an even line. “What do you mean?”

Pip looked back at zir, once, before turning, trudging on.

“What I mean, Fift, is that it was quite clear from your brain, during the family meeting, that you aren’t just motivated by an impartial sense of fairness here.” Ve sighed, threading vir fingers together. “Don’t be embarrassed, dear. It’s natural for Staids your age to form strong bonds of affection, to have . . . crushes. It’s the most natural thing in the world! You can ask Grobbard . . . I’m sure ze had any number of ardent secret longings in zir First Childhood. And it’s not so uncommon to have a little moment of . . . confusion about the right target for your affections, to get carried away. It’s just, well . . .”

Fift’s skin was icy, zir forehead burning. Ze got up in one body and shuffled past zir Father. In vir copper-spiked body, Squell ignored zir; in vir silver-spiked body, ve raised an eyebrow and watched zir go into the hall, but didn’t follow.

“I don’t . . .” In the body on the bed, Fift looked at zir hands. Ze wished ze had let Squell opaque the room to the house feed. Opaquing now would be practically admitting that zir attachment to Shria was . . . Ze tried to breathe deeply, to slow zir hearts (210% of standard heartrate in the bedroom, 185% in the hallway, 120% following Pip down the stairs . . . )

“I really don’t wish to embarrass you,” Squell said. Ve half-raised a hand, as if preparing to place it comfortingly on Fift’s shoulder. The hand wavered, retreated, and ended up tugging on the shimmery fabric of vir own clothing.