Leno

"I'm ready to go out," I say. "In the street, I mean."

Ikshan frowns. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

They smile, still cautious. "Alright, then."

I take a deep breath, relieved at first before a thread of anxiety wakes up in my gut and invades my heart and my mind. I can do this. I can do this.

Ikshan spends the next hour briefing me about everything I'm going to see. Every time I think they've finished, a light appears in their eyes and they exclaim. "Oh no, right, there's another thing you have to know." And I'm drowning now in a sea of words so abstract to me that I cannot really grasp them.

"You'll be there with me?" I interrupt them, managing to say the sentence in English, as an unconscious symbol of my commitment to adapt to the situation.

Ikshan stops, their eyes wide. "Of course."

"Then, I'll find out about all this when we'll be there."

Ikshan opens their mouth, trying to insist, but I cut them off again. "And I'll be fine."

They nod. "Okay."

I go upstairs to my room to change. Ikshan's friends, James and Amaury, brought me some clothes they bought for me a few days ago and they gave me some tips about how to dress in this era.

Well, it would be more accurate to say that James edicted a lot of rules and Amaury rolled his eyes a lot. But he nodded to some of them and cut off James at some point with an "Anyway, the important thing is..." while he summed up what felt like the basics for me. James looked frustrated but he didn't contradict him.

Both of them have very different styles, and both are also very different from Ikshan's colorful wardrobe. So I imagine there is some freedom in what I can choose.

I told James I liked his jewelry and he gave me one of his silver bracelets. With a smirk, he said to Amaury: "The man has definitely good taste." I thanked him and told him I could not accept such a gift. But he insisted. "Consider it my way to say welcome." I searched Amaury's eyes and he smiled warmly at me. I then accepted the gift and thanked James with an emotion I could barely contain. "Sure, whatever," he said, his hand wavering in a gesture of dismissal.

I walk to the bedside table, grab the bracelet and put it on, almost as a charm, to bring with me the support of my new friends. Then, I look at the clothes in my room and decide on a pair of black jeans, a grey sweater, and a long black wool coat I remember Amaury told me "looked very elegant on me." It's still very cold outside, so I add a large scarf, a green one.

When I meet Ikshan near the front door, they freeze. I worry and look at myself, searching for something wrong. "Is... Is there a problem? Do I have to change?"

"No, no, it's perfect. You're very... elegant."

I smile, relieved.

"And this color looks good on you. It brings out your eyes," Ikshan adds, blushing slightly and avoiding my said eyes.

"Thank you," I manage. I take a moment to look at Ikshan, their twinkling dark eyes, and their shiny dark hair. They wear a giant blue scarf. I know it's their favorite color. And I smile again.

Shaking myself out of my contemplation, I say: "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do it."

Ikshan nods, puts their hand on the doorknob, and pushes the door open.