"That seems unfair," he decides. "And I'm not afraid to talk about androids' capabilities. Has he ever expressed any curiosity as to who else you're involved with?"

"If he finds out, it's - fine," Elijah decides. "Keeping secrets on this ship is almost impossible regardless."

"That won't be necessary, thank you." A pause. "And it continues to be...only him?"

Elijah considers himself perfectly adequate at six feet, and does not.

"I can't say I've seen the appeal, but our relationship has a different history."

He curls his hand around Rhys'.

"...I think so, yes."

Everything still feels oddly...delicate, but he's dealing with it.

Elijah stands, and moves closer, willing to draw in.

"...Thank you for understanding."

If humans could bluescreen.

"I...no. I didn't know that," he says, cautiously.

Hey Rhys, this is the opposite of not worrying!

"...I'm aware this doesn't sound emotionally healthy, but I don't think I can identify whether I reciprocate or not."

"No, that's not - that is, I appreciate it," Elijah says, sounding closer to flustered than he has in their entire acquaintance. "I just wouldn't know how to identify what you're describing, in myself."

"I hate poetry," Elijah murmurs, his chin still hooked over Rhys' shoulder so he doesn't have to look him in the eye. "I know that I would struggle to be...without you. At this point. And I expected to begrudge this new arrangement much more than I actually have, however that might be interpreted."

"Being open," he admits quietly. "It's...ironic, I suppose. I'm somewhat aware of Quentin's arrangement and it seemed rational, but practicing something similar hasn't been...easy."

It's interesting that Rhys uses the term with me, he thinks vaguely, when Elijah interprets it more as for me. It's not as if he's really considered using his own rights as a non-exclusive partner.

"...you're welcome."