I was sitting on a whicker chair my mother had purchased when I was a child, blanket across my lap, scrolling through my phone. My brand new very smart phone. I’d lived my entire 32 years of existence without one and now here I was drawn into the 2X century because Sylus’ SIXTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD thought it was important we could make phone calls and send texta. Nevermind our telepathic connection. That could be tapped. Like a phone call couldn’t.

Anyway Sylus agreed so I got a phone and he upgraded from a flip phone to an equally intelligent one.

He didn’t scroll around like I did. In moments of silence he’d just knock himself out and talk to Qaitax or something. I’d be scrolling around learning stuff and catching up on decades of internet culture. I came to realize Sylus’ meme references were from about twenty years ago. But that was very much like him so I did my best not to attempt to exercise more modern iterations of memeology.

He woke up on the couch across the room, sniffed, reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, typed something, then placed it face down on his lap.

My phone chimed and a message dropped down from the top. It was from Sylus. I glared at him.

“You’re sitting right here.”

He shrugged and looked away.

“Fine.” I huffed as I opened his message.

>Send noods.

What the hell… I thought to myself. I turned to him. He was on his phone ignoring me.

I slipped my phone under the blanket. He gave me a side-eyed glance.

Sylus’ phone pinged. The tiniest puff of smoke came from his nose.

He opened the text.

His face turned purple as his cheeks puffed up. A massive belly laugh burst from his lungs.

I resumed scrolling on my phone with a grin on my lips.

“Well now I want macaroni and cheese.” He snorted.

My smile grew and a small laugh slipped through my lips.