"My stubbier half, in all her knowledge about such things, says he's a boy." Vax reached to scoop up the long body carefully with one hand and then the other, holding the snake out cupped between them for Steph's approval. He didn't know if she'd much appreciate snakes or not, but the big-eyed smiley-noodle leaned its face in her direction as if to smell what she was about.