High above her, through a canopy of tropical plants and trees, she could see the dome of cast iron and glass. Beyond it, there was the grey and formless sky.

She listened to the sound of mechanical bubbles and classical music, and to the wind that tried to over-howl them. Here she lay, in a pool in the little Eden he had constructed...

There was the soft sound of his bare feet on the wet floor and she felt the ripple as he descended into the water.

" Cocktail?"

He placed the silver tray on the pool's rim carelessly, as if it was a most casual thing to carry it into a whirlpool without spilling a drop.

" I don't drink."

" Not even non-alcoholic beverages? How unusual..."

" They're non-alcoholic?"

" Of course. I know you longer than today."

She took one of the crystal vessels and looked at the artistic creation he had once again produced. The juice itself was pale and transparent and in the middle of the glass floated a ball of ice cream that seemed to stay miraculously steady; On top of it, a mint leaf.

" Stylish..."

" Thank you, ma'am."

As she took a sip, she felt how the soda tingled in her mouth. It seemed he had blended many different things, but the result was both strange and refreshing.

" What is it?"

He didn't answer and as she looked at him, she saw that he lay back, with his ears submerged, looking at the boring clouds above.

" You know...", he began after a while, " At a bright night you could see the stars from here. I'm trying to recognize which sign is which, but so far only found Orion's belt."

He sounded casual, but she could detect something in his voice, something that longed, something lonely and misunderstood.

" Gary..."

He lifted his head.

" Don't you miss someone in your life?", she asked," Someone to share all this with?"

" I'm sharing it with you right now."

" Yes, but I, well... You know that I'm just like you."

" Why can't you just say the word?"

" I..."

He chuckled.

" Prudish, aren't you?"

" Perhaps."

" I don't need the sort of relationship you mention. Really, how could it make me any happier?"

" Wouldn't it be wonderful to sit here with someone you love?"

" Are you implying that I do not love you? Now I am insulted."

" You know what I mean."

He nodded.

" Sometimes I am a bit lonely", he admitted," But never long. See, the whole purpose of the kind of love you mean is reproduction, and everyone knows that in order for that to happen one needs the correct combination."

" How mathematical. It's love Gary.Have you never been in love? If you never have, how could you know you are...You-know-what."

" You can't get it out of your mouth,can you?"

" Sorry. I find it a bit hard to accept..."

" Wouldn't we make a nice couple?"

" Yes, if... If we weren't both..."

" Weren't... Weren't what?"

" Have you never lost anyone because of it? Someone who couldn't understand?"

" More than a few."

" Stupid people..."

" They might find it confusing."

" Find what confusing?"

" Us, here..."

"... being more romantic together than they would ever be with their lovers?"

He nodded and put an arm around her shoulder.

" A nice couple."

She raised her glass.

" To us, the nice couple."