Cuddlefish - 5. 05

{"Captain Pipolphi. The analysis is complete. The new language has been extracted from the inputted discs."} The ship's computer alerted.

"Blaghergah?" Pip mumbled, sitting up straight and blinking blearily.

He could feel his tentacles trying to work themselves out of the lascivious braid they'd tightened into during his mating with Zane. He quickly set to untying them, hoping they weren't damaged from lack of blood flow. He'd passed out on his giant human. He glanced at Zane's chest, checking for drool. That would be too embarrassing.

{"What was that, computer?"} the Sepida asked when he was a little more awake, his tentacles were comfortably free, and he'd assured himself that his lover was dry.

{The analysis is complete. The new language has been extracted from the inputted discs."} The computer repeated.

{Yay!} Pip cried, immediately throwing himself on his still napping human and covering Zane's face with kisses. {"Zay! It's done! I'll be able to understand you and talk to you!} He bounced, sending waves through the waterbed. {"I'm so excited!}

For a brief moment, the tall human felt vertigo with the rocking of the waterbed. But, when he felt Pip's kisses, he instantly calmed down. "You're still here...I thought you might have gone," Zane whispered.

Pip paused, looking down at his human. He pressed himself to the larger man's broad chest, hugging him tightly.

{"Are you okay?} Pip asked gently. {Did you have a bad dream?}

The soft, soothing trilling made a smile form on Zane's face. "I'm glad you're still here." He said as he pressed a kiss to Pip's lips.

The Sepida sighed blissfully, melting into the kiss. He hummed softly before forcing himself to pull back.

{"I think I could kiss you all day,"} he admitted dreamily. {"But I want to actually be able to talk to you, too!"} Pip stood up, tugging on Zane's hand. {"Come with me. I want to learn English!"}

"Ok...you know, I never did ask if you had any food on this ship that you could eat." Zane mused out loud as he followed along.

Pip smiled, burbling to himself happily. Soon, he'd know what it was Zane had just said. He was brimming with excitement as he hopped into his chair on the bridge.

{"Okay, I'm ready to know English,"} he announced to the computer.

{"Transferring data into translator now, Captain. Uploading new language 'English': Currently incomplete."} The computer stated.

{"Wait, wha-ooohhhh that feels weird..."} Pip moaned, his eyelids fluttering closed.

"Pip!" Zane gasped as he rushed forward. "Are you ok?"

Pip groaned, his hand lifting to rub his forehead before he blinked his eyes open to look at Zane.

"Good morning, Buttercup," the little Sepida said with a slightly British accent.

Zane gasped and lost his footing, falling flat on his butt. "W-wait, what?" He asked, feeling utterly confused at what he thought he heard. "Am I still dreaming?"

"I understand you!" Pip chirped, clapping his hands happily. He cocked his head to the side. "A dream is a wish your heart makes?"

The human's mouth hung open as he simply stared at Pip. "How is this possible?" He questioned.

"You mean impassable, nothing's impossible," Pip told him happily. "The computer read all your shiny round coins and used it to teach me English!" He frowned. "It's not all whoopsie doodled, though. There might be mistakes and missing pieces."

"So that's what you were doing with the movies, and why you insisted on bringing all of them." Zane deduced. "That's amazing!"

"Movies!" Pip trilled. "That's the word!" He threw himself into the human's arms. "I couldn't be more pleased!"

"I'm still reeling in shock...but, I have so many questions!" The human admitted. "For example, what do you eat? You must be starving."

"I do enjoy the...flat green water plant food you gifted to me," Pip explained, stumbling when he had trouble finding the right words. "Perchance, I could have some anon? On my planet, we dine mostly on something similar. We also consume mass quantities of fruits that we find hither and thither."

"Y-Yeah. If we go back, I can get you more. We call it seaweed." Zane explained as he looked around for his clothes and began putting them back on. "If we leave the ship, will you still be able to understand me?"

"Verily, I shall," Pip answered happily, bouncing with excitement.

After getting dressed Zane walked over. "I'm going to pick you up now." He warned as he carefully lifted the Sepida into his arms. "Pip, hide?"

The Sepida wrapped his legs around his human's waist and snuggled close. In moments, Zane looked like he was hiding something in a very lumpy shirt again. Pip nuzzled into the man's throat, pressing happy little kisses there as he burbled quietly.

When they got back into his house, Zane headed straight for the kitchen. "Now, let's find you some food. Ok, seaweed and fruits..." He murmured to himself as he handed Pip a stack of seaweed and brought out some cucumber and some grapes. "Ok...try a little bit of these." He said after making a few slices of cucumber.

Pip's eyes widened, and he blushed blue when he saw the cucumber. He giggled as he nibbled the edge.

"Thouest appear so..." Pip bobbed his head from side to side, thinking. "I do not know the words. In truth, thou art a kinky pirate." He giggled again as he ate more cucumber, humming happily when he tried the grapes.

Zane found himself blushing hard. "I can't argue with that." He agreed as he pressed a gentle kiss on Pip's cheek. "Now that I'm not too worried about you starving to death, I have a very important question for you. Do you have anyone you consider a significant other, fiancé, mate, or partner?"

"Ah, Buttercup, I shall have none but thee," Pip squeaked shyly, eyes downcast.

The human let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried you were already with someone when we...I mean, I don't have anyone, either. And I would like you to be mine." He rambled.

"You...You want to get hitched? "Pip's hand covered his mouth in shock, his skin flashing white. "I do not think it means what you think it means."

Zane frowned. "It depends...what does it mean in your culture?" He asked in curiosity.

"I..." Pip's mouth opened and closed several times. "When one thinks their Buttercup is...is shiny, they perform a show...No, a ceremony." He looked down, hiding behind his tentacles. "Henceforth, they shall live as one soul in two bodies."

The human lifted the alien's chin. "It's the same with us." He explained. "We get to know one another first, and then we do a ceremony where we become one." He gave the Sepida a grin. "Listen, I know I can't ask you to try to live here with me forever. But, if possible, I wouldn't mind going with you."

"You...You want to boldly go where no man has gone before?" Pip whispered, his voice trembling. "Seek out new life and new civilizations?" The Sepida cycled from yellow to orange to pink, with occasional flashes of white. "With me?"

The Sepida was flashing so many colors, Zane hadn't a clue what was going on. "Yeah. I mean, if it's at all possible." He affirmed.

Pip chirruped and Zane suddenly found his arms full of Sepida. Pip kissed him deeply. When the little alien pulled back, there was wonder and joy dancing in his eyes.

"As you wish," Pip said with a wide smile.

Zane's face burned red. He definitely knew what reference that was. "But, first, we have to keep you safe until your ship is repaired." He commented.

"It will take..." Pip frowned. He didn't know how to describe how long it would take for repairs. He sighed. "Some time." He nibbled his lower lip. "It is acceptable for myself and ship to roost upon your land until we depart for home? I don't want to bring you dishonor."

"You can stay for as long as you want." The taller man insisted. "I...I was afraid that you'd leave without saying goodbye."

"Inconceivable," Pip said as he frowned in displeasure and clung to the bigger man, squeezing tight.

Zane couldn't help but chuckle as he hugged the alien back. "I'm very, very glad that you crashed into my shed." He mused aloud as a shiver went through him. "I can't even bear to think what would have happened if someone else had found you. They probably wouldn't have let you leave."

"Let me leave?" Pip asked confused. "Why would they try to hold me if I wished to beam up?"

"Despite our movies, we've never really had visitors from other planets openly visiting our planet. Humans become frightened and suspicious. They would have kept you hidden away until they could study everything about you." He explained. "That is why I keep asking you to hide outside my home."

"But you know of many aliens." Pip tapped his forehead. "The names are pitchkettled, but I have seen a few them on the frontiers." The Sepida thought a moment. "Perchance it's coincidental. What I see in my mind's eye when I think of them in English doesn't completely match the reality."

Pip leapt off Zane like he was on fire.

"Oh smeg and frak!" the little alien cried. "If you don't know us, you haven't had the medicines!" Pip hopped from foot to foot while ringing his hands. "Do you have a fever? Are you feeling well? Have you developed a palsy? Is your flesh besmirched with spots that were not there a fortnight ago?"

Zane frowned. "I don't understand. I'm not ill at all. Why would I need medicine?" He wondered.

"I don't know the words." Pip tugged his tentacles in frustration. "Do you not have..." the Sepida waved his hands as though he could grasp the phrases he needed from the air. "When there is a child, and you take a pin... No, a needle. And there is medicine in it that protects the child from falling ill. It has a drop of the illness in the needle, but not enough to make the child ill." He looked up at the human worriedly. "You have this needle medicine?"

"Vaccination!" The human deduced. "We have some vaccinations, but probably not the ones you are worried about."

"Verily!" Pip nodded so hard his tentacles fell over his face. He pushed them back distractedly. "I was on a...a very small space station before I fell from the sky. I had a vaccination, but if I carried something here..." His skin swirled with blacks and pinks. "I have to get the besmirch off! Where is the autowash?"

"I'm afraid we don't have anything that could sanitize any new diseases. But, both of us would have gotten sick by now if our immune systems didn't already handle it." Zane pointed out. "My immune system's pretty tough thanks to Louie. That reminds me! I think it's time you were properly introduced to my dog."

"Dog?" Pip asked, momentarily distracted from his impending mini-meltdown by the unfamiliar word. "Hotdog?"

"No, it's a pet. My English Setter. You've seen him before, and he's frightened you. Especially the first day. But, I promise you he's the sweetest and kindest domestic creature." Zane assured. "He's not as advanced as we are, but he is very loyal and loveable."

"I saw him?" Pip looked utterly baffled. "But there is no big water here for him to swim in. Is he in the water outside?" The Sepida shook his head. "Or it is a land pet? We don't have pets. I can see the meaning in my head, but it's nonsensical. You mean a cat? Small, furry, orange, with a tail? I can see that when I think of pet..."

"Do you trust me?" The human asked as he lifted the Sepida back on the kitchen counter, just in case he panicked again.

"Aye, Captain," Pip answered as he swung his legs.

"Just remember that I won't let anything bad happen to you. He licks, but he does not bite." Zane explained. He then whistled for Louie. "Louie! Come here, boy." A few moments later, the English Setter padded his way into the kitchen with an excited bark. "Sit." He commanded. Louie let out a soft whine but did as he was told. "Now, stay."

When Zane turned around to make the introductions, Pip had disappeared.

By the time Zane turned back to look at Pip, he had realized he quickly camouflaged himself. The tall man let out a sigh. "He won't do anything to you, Pip. I promise." He vowed as he knelt down to scratch Louie behind the ears. The excited canine immediately tried to lick his cheek. "Down, Louie." He instructed with an amused chuckle. "I know I haven't spent a lot of time with you these last couple of days, but if you don't behave, our guest won't get over his fear of you."

"Don't move," Zane heard Pip whisper. It sounded like it was coming from next to the sink. "His visual acuity is based on movement, like T-Rex..."

"Ah, but he becomes absolutely helpless when you do this." Zane teased as he made a motion for Louis to lay down on his back. He then gave the pup a belly rub.

Zane thought he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He kept up the tummy rubs as Louie's tongue lolled happily, squinting at where he thought his little alien might be. Zane could just make out Pip's outline as the Sepida crept forward on the counter. Pip hesitantly peered over the edge, ready to leap away at any moment.

"Zay," Pip whispered. "That is not a cat."

"No, but he is a dog," Zane responded as he tried not to smirk. "And he will not bite you. He's a good boy." He added as he gently scratched the canine.

"He's big," Pip said, his voice still little more than a breathy whisper. "I'm a big alien, but he's a big carnivore. He will eat me. I'm delicious."

The human shot a sultry glance in the general area that he thought the Sepida to be. "Oh, if anyone's going to eat you, it's me and not Louie over here." He replied. "Though you stopped me before I had the chance to taste...you'll have to tell me why later."

"You will eat me?" Pip squeaked. "No. If you were planning such a dastardly thing, you would have done it the morrow before today, when I was asleep."

Deep blue-green eyes seemed to pop into existence, reminding Zane of the disappearing and reappearing Cheshire cat for a moment.

"He is not...hungry?" Pip asked.

"No, he ate his fill. They do have some meat in their food, but it's mostly vegetables." Zane explained. "And the meat is from smaller animals, much smaller than him."

"Smaller than me?" Pip asked.

The Sepida's silhouette was filling in. It was like Pip was appearing before Zane's eyes. It was amazing.

"Yes, muuuuch smaller than you." The human affirmed. "He really is a good little guy once you get to know him."

"Not a little guy," Pip corrected. "Big. He's very big. Big guy."

But the Sepida was visible again, his skin shifting from orange to yellow and back. When Louie didn't immediately try to eat his face, Pip snuck onto a chair that had been pushed next to the counter. He perched on the balls of his feet, peeking over the back of the chair.

"Just try, Pip." Zane urged, holding out a hand towards him and holding onto Louie's collar just in case. "Please? For me?"

Zane could hear Pip burbling softly to himself. He didn't know if the little alien was giving himself a pep talk or just emoting, but after a short time, the Sepida scooted himself off the chair. Pip crept on his tiptoes over to Zane, his eyes impossibly wide. The Sepida hid himself behind the human's much larger body, peering around to watch the large predator wriggling happily on the floor.

The human let out a soft snicker as he leaned back to press a kiss to the Sepida's cheek. He kept Louie still with one hand and took one of Pip's hands with the other, placing it on the soft fur of the canine.

The Sepida gasped, letting out a frightened whine. Parts of him camouflaged, then reappeared, as he forced himself to stay still and not scurry away and hide. He felt himself shaking, but couldn't make it stop.

For as long as he could remember, he'd been warned by his elders about the dangers of predators. Anything with sharp teeth could bite, tear, and kill a Sepida. They had few defenses besides their ability to disappear into the scenery. Terrifying beasts lived in the oceans of Pipolphi's home planet. Sepida were a welcome part of their diets.

The land was safer, but there were still a few dangerous predators to be found. The young were always taught to be constantly vigilant and to never go into the deep without a Nubra to deter anything hungry.

When Pip was young, another child had gone missing. They'd searched exhaustively, but no sign of her was ever found. They were told a Hessarack had likely eaten her. They were terrifying creatures who lurked beyond the shallows, ready to ambush their prey and snap a little Sepida up in their long jagged teeth.

It had made quite an impression on Pip.

Any Sepida who saw him at that moment, his hand stretched out to rest against what was clearly a predator, would think he'd utterly lost his mind. Pip did trust Zane, though, and he didn't want to shame the human. So, he stayed there, shaking, his hearts pounding, and warning bells clanging in his head. If Zane wanted him to try, he would do so. Even if it meant he risked losing a few fingers...

Zane gently moved the Sepida's hand along the soft fur, but when he felt the shaking, he let go. "It's ok, Pip. If it's too soon, I can have Louie stay outside again."

"No," Pip said softly. "I can persevere... The fingers will grow back..."

The human gaped at the alien. "They can grow back?" He wondered out loud but then shook his head. "I mean, he's not going to bite your fingers, I promise! I trained him well."

"Does he..." Pip licked his lips, mouth dry. "Does he keep the wild ones away?"

"Yeah, that's a way of saying it. He's a protector. Loyal to his family." Zane concluded. "And since I consider you family, he will be loyal to you, as well."

"I'm sorry," Pip whispered. "I don't know if I can do more than just this right now." He sounded ready to cry, but he kept his hand in place against Louie's side. "I'm a coward. He's not a Hessarack... He's a dog... Like a big cat... A pet. Who won't eat me..."

"Exactly. Here, Louie. Roll over and stay down." Zane urged as the dog did just that, his fluffy tail swaying behind him as the human gently scratched behind his ears. "See? He's not going to eat you."

Pip took a moment to actually look at the beast. Louie. He had a name. The Sepida stretched out his fingers experimentally.

"He's soft," Pip said, surprised. "Fur. This is fur." His eyes flicked to Zane, then back to the animal on the floor before him. "When he put his, ummm..." Pip stuck out his tongue and pointed at it. "When he put his that on me...he was tasting me, Zay."

Zane shook his head, placing his fingers in front of Louie's muzzle so that the dog began to lick them. "He just likes licking. I mean if you have food on your hands, he would lick it off, but it's just his way of showing affection. Like a kiss or a hug."

"Can I..."

Pip lifted the hand not resting against Louie's side and slowly brought it closer to the Setter's mouth, fingers curled in tight. Better to lose some replaceable pieces now than to be surprised later if Louie decided that Pip was food, not family.

The English Setter sniffed at the fist and gave a soft, hesitant lick or two before lowering his head beneath it.

"He wants you to pet his head and scratch his ears," The gymnast explained.

"Pet?" Pip nibbled his lower lip. "You said he is a pet."

Zane grinned at the Sepida. "Yes, but the word 'pet' also means this." He said as he gently took Pip's hand and rubbed it along the top of Louie's head.

Pip let out a stuttering chirp, his tentacles flaring out from his head. His skin reflected his conflicted emotions, flickering from anxious gray to curious yellow. He took a deep breath and repeated the motion on his own, stroking the huge carnivore's smooth fur.

Louie eagerly kept his head under Pip's hand, gently butting it for him to continue stroking as his tail wagged.

The human scratched and pet the fur on the Setter's back. "You're being a very good boy, Louie. I'm proud of you."

"Verily," Pip added quietly. "G-good boy, Louie. Very good not using your sharp mouth things..."

"Mmm, I think it's enough bonding time for today," Zane said as he let the Setter go. "Alright, boy. You can go back outside."

Louie gave Zane's hand one more lick before rushing back outside. When he was gone, the human grabbed Pip in a big hug. "See? I told you nothing would happen."

"Don't panic," the Sepida said shakily, going boneless in his human's strong arms. "I don't panic. I'm a frood." He pecked Zane's cheek. "I'm ever so sorry I was a yellow-belly. The Louie didn't eat me even a little."

Zane gently stroked the Sepida's back, amused when the tentacles began to curl around his forearm once again. "Pip...do you feel like you could tell me what happened when you first crashed into my shed? If it's too scary, we don't have to talk about it."

"As you wish," Pip agreed, cuddling closer to Zane's warm body. "Blackguards with no honor pursued me and my friend, Tilbei. He is Nubra. Ahhh, like me but not?" Pip waved a hand dismissively. "The blackguards are Hunnar." The Sepida shivered just thinking of them. "They are like your R.O.U.S.'s."

"Like Rodents of Unusual Size? They don't sound very friendly. So they were chasing you two? Are they predators? Would they have eaten you?" Zane asked.

"They are more intelligent than the R.O.U.S.'s here, and they walk upright." Pip's tentacles tightened on Zane's arm. "They eat others, but they want coins more than food. Hunnar catch Sepida, and sell our... juices from our twig and berries."

"Juices from...from where?" Zane wondered aloud.

Pip turned in the larger man's arms, his palms sliding up Zane's inner thighs to cup and stroke the human's package through his shorts.

"Here?" the Sepida asked guilelessly, a little embarrassed his English was lacking.

For a moment, Zane couldn't think of anything at all. But, then his eyes widened. "OH! Twig and berries!" He realized. "Ah, it's actually more commonly referred to as a penis...wait, so the Hunnars wanted your jizz? Is that why you didn't want me to swallow yours?"

"It's...special," Pip admitted, cheeks flushing blue. "It would make you happy if you ate it. Very very happy." The Sepida gave the human's length a gentle squeeze. "Happy here."

Once again, Zane's thoughts flew right out of his head as blood rushed right down. "Uh...happy...happy...OH! Like an aphrodisiac? Whoa, now I know why you stopped me." He rambled. "So they wanted your aphrodisiac jizz...and you ran away. Then, what happened?"

"We ran hither and yon, until I pushed Tilbei into a room and made it so he couldn't run away." Pip pushed closer to Zane, remembering his terror as he ran from the Hunnars. "The Hunnars wanted my jizz, they followed me. I boarded my ship and ran. Their ship almost got me, they fired torpedoes and hit my ship, but I used my...my warp drive." Pip sighed softly. "It was too fast. Alas, I crashed."

"I'm sorry that you went through all of that. I'll help you in any way that I can." Zane responded sincerely.

"My Buttercup," Pip whispered, kissing Zane's cheek, then sighed softly. "Tilbei waits for me. I have fear. If the Hunnar captured him..."

"Then, I won't stop you. Even if you have to go without me, I won't stop you." He replied.

"You still wish to fly with me?" the Sepida asked hopefully.

"Yeah, of course," Zane admitted. "My real family...Pip, my real family, doesn't want me. My mother passed away, and my dad hasn't spoken to me since the day I told him I was gay..."

"How could they not want you?" Pip asked, utterly bewildered. He suddenly gasped, covering his mouth with his hand. "Is it because you are so very tall? No one shall love me at home. I am too tall." He gripped Zane's hand. "Gay tall?"

"N-No, gay means I like other men. My dad couldn't accept that. Men only like women here." Zane explained.

"That's...I don't understand," Pip said softly. "Am I not a men?"

"Yes, you are. You are a stunning man." He confessed. "My culture doesn't like men liking men."

"Why?" the Sepida asked, petting Zane's arm.

"Because it's just not as common as men liking women," Zane explained. "And the majority are afraid of anything that is different."

"When the ship isn't sick, come with me," Pip begged. "L-Louie, too."

A brilliant smile formed on Zane's face. He had never been happier to hear such an invitation. "I will. Yes, Pip. Thank you."

"Are you sad?" Pipolphi asked gently.

"No. Not anymore." He replied as he pulled the Sepida into a tight hug. "You've made me very, very happy."

"You do that for me!" Pip chirped, wrapping his arms as far around his human as he could. "All the happy." He pulled back, face serious. "Not only because you find no fault in my taller-ness... Because I have a tall...I'm very tall."

"Pip, compared to me you're not very tall at all." Zane pointed out. "If you were any smaller, I'd be too scared to touch you lest you break."

"That would be a travesty!" The alien blurted. "You touching me is better than chocolate!" He paused thoughtfully. "I don't know what that means, but you touching is better!"

"Then, it's a good thing you're 'tall' then." He mused. "I like you very much, Pip. Just as you are."

"I love you, Zay." The Sepida stroked the human's face with the tips of his tentacles. "And you should know, I care not that you are tall and gay," he added seriously.

"Love?" Zane questioned. "You can't know what that fully means yet."

"Oh," Pip blushed again. "Apologies, I don't know all the words..." He leaned his head left and right, tentacles curling and uncurling as he thought. "What is the word? I feel warm bubbles here." The Sepida pressed his hands to the center of his chest. "I want to smile and smile and smile. To touch you and make you do all the smiles, as well. I want you to have all the happy all the time, and I want you to stay next to me." Pip smiled. "Always." He turned his smile to Zane. "Prithee, what is the word?"

The human felt himself melt. "Oh...that is love, Pip. I was wrong. Forgive me." Zane held his hand to the side of the Sepida's face. "I feel the same way about you."

"Happy, happy, happy," Pip sang as he wriggled in the human's lap, giggling softly. "Oh!" the little Sepida said suddenly. "You make me want to know all the things about you." He averted his eyes, feeling shy. "Do you want to know all the things about me?"

"Yes, I would like nothing more than for us to learn more about each other." Zane agreed.

"I mayhap have something to show," Pip announced with a grin. "Ah." The Sepida's brows furrowed. "Is the big lake safe? Do you have Hesserack?" he asked worriedly, pointing toward the ocean outside.

"Hesserack?" Zane questioned. "It's open water, but if we stay in the shallows, it should be fine."

"Hesserack, ahnnn." Pip tried to think how to explain. "Like a carnivore in big lakes. They have many knives in their mouths." The alien shivered. "They eat Sepida."

Zane's eyes widened. "Like a shark! Yes, we do have sharks, but not in the shallow waters. Either way, I wouldn't want to risk it..." The human frowned and thought. "What about the bathtub? Do you need water with salt in it?"

"Ah, yes, you have the very small lake in the water room. That shall be good." Pip kissed Zane's chin. "But what is salt?"

"It's in our ocean water...I'll show you." He said as he grabbed a shaker of sea salt and poured some in his hand and then holding it out towards Pip. "Try it, you'll see."

The Sepida poked the little pile of salt with a finger.

"It is very very small white rocks?" he asked, skin shifting to pale yellow with curiosity.

"Taste a little bit of it." Zane urged.

Pip tipped his head forward, his warm tongue tracing Zane's palm until he caught a few grains of salt on his tongue. He straightened, a confounded look on his face as he rubbed his tongue with one finger.

"It tastes a little like a very big lake." Pip giggled softly. "How peculiar." He looked up at the human. "I reckon I will be good without salt. Your water didn't hurt when we were in the water room before, only the...the stuff you put on yourself. What is the word?"

"Ah, soap. Don't worry, no more soap." Zane replied as he set the salt down. "Let's just go fill the tub." He led the Sepida to the bathroom and sealed up the plug, turning the faucets on to fill the tub with lukewarm water.

As the water level rose, Zane frowned and looked over at Pip. "Pip...that first time that we...touched each other. When we...touched each other's penises...did you really want to, at the time?" He asked suddenly.

"Yes, very much!" Pip trilled, then look worried. "Did you?"

"Yes, it was the most amazing...the most wonderful thing that I've ever experienced," Zane affirmed with fervor. "The second time, I was afraid that I would hurt you...did I, Pip? Did it hurt?"

"Hurt?" Pip asked. "Like this?" The Sepida pinched Zane's arm.

The human made a slightly pained face, but he didn't cry out. "Y-yes, like that." He replied.

"It didn't hurt," Pip purred, kissing where he'd pinched. "It was very happy feeling. Mmmmm." He snuggled closer. "I like penis touches."

"I'm so relieved." Zane let out a content sigh. He then shut off the water. "I think it's ready."

Pip trilled giddily, rolling into the tub with a splash that nailed Zane right in the face. When he was done sputtering, he looked back to his alien. At first, Zane thought Pip had pulled another disappearing act. However, when he peered into the water, he saw the tub was occupied. It didn't look like the Sepida, though. A small creature, about the size of two of his fists, was puttering around the smooth bottom of the tub.

It kind of looked like a squid or a cuttlefish.

As Zane watched in amazement, delicate fins unfurled from the sides of the little creature's body. The diaphanous fins ran the length of its body, one on each side. As it used its tentacles like feet to wander about in the water, Zane recognized the animal was less like a squid and much more like a cuttlefish. It bobbed upward, one large, round, blue-green eye blinking at him with no pupil.

Zane had never seen anything more adorable in his life. "Pip?" He asked softly as he reached down with his hand to gently touch him.

The little creature turned green with joy as he wrapped all his tentacles around Zane's fingers in a tight squishy hug. He stroked the human's thumb and blew little bubbles.

The human felt his heart burst at the sight. "You are the prettiest living being I've ever seen." He whispered. "What do you call yourselves? I'm a human."

There was a splash, and suddenly Pip was humanoid again, hugging Zane's arm to his chest.

"Sepida," the alien told him with a sweet smile. "I'm a Sepida."

"Sepida...well, you're absolutely lovely, Pip," Zane affirmed. "In both your forms."

"My thanks," Pip said with a happy wiggle. "Show me both your forms?"

Zane let out a soft laugh. "I don't have a second form in the same way you do, however..." He said as he stood back up. "I'll be right back." When he returned, he had a framed picture in his hand. He showed it to the Sepida. "This is what my beard looks like when it grows out more fully. I always try to keep it trimmed down."

"Fur!" Pip exclaimed, careful not to drip on the picture. He looked from the picture to Zane. "Like Louie! Show me now?"

Zane outright laughed. "No, it grows very slow." He tried to explain.

"Ah, like when toes bitten off by Hesserack." Pip lifted a foot, wiggling his webbed toes. "Grows very slow."

"Yes...something like that," Zane concluded as he took the picture back. "This is my only form. The hair on my face and head simply grow."

"Tell me things?" Pip asked, his tentacles waving in the bathwater. "I have a happy I know your English, now."

"We can take turns asking each other questions...for example, are all Sepida men?" Zane asked.

"Ah, no," Pip giggled. "There are more men than not men. Mayhap, many more." He shrugged. "But not men are more big than men, so, perchance it's almost the same?" Pip blinked. "Your not men must be very very big," he said in amazement, eyeing the tall, broad-shouldered human.

It took a while for Zane to make sense of what Pip was saying. "Ah, our "not men" are referred to as 'women.' So, you have more men than women? Is it alright that you...that you like men?"

"Yes," Pip answered simply. "Why don't humans? And the women in the movie weren't very big. Were they young whipper snappers?"

Zane chuckled and gave Pip a kiss on the cheek. "As I said before, it's just not common enough here to be seen as normal." He said. "And our women are of all shapes and sizes. Some are even taller than me!"

"I like your tall," Pip said shyly, splashing his fingers in the water. "Is it bad here? So you want to fly with me?"

"No, it's not bad here. In spite of my family, there are kind people here, even if they are fearful." Zane admitted. "But, I feel that I would miss you terribly. I can't stand the thought of never seeing you again. So, yes, Pip. I would very much like to fly with you."

"Happy," Pip announced with a wide smile as he turned as green as grass. "May I observe human places before we fly?"

"Yes, but we have to be very careful." The human insisted. "I can find clothes that can hide most of your body. Your hands and face can be seen because we can say that it's a costume."

"Is my...Frak..." Pip frowned, having trouble finding the right word. "I am beyond the pale?" He asked, rubbing a finger down one arm. In the blink of an eye, his skin tone shifted from blue-green to the exact shade of Zane's tan body, while his long tentacles turned the dark brown of the human's hair. "I shall present myself thus.

"That's amazing!" Zane whispered. "Yes, that's fine. But it would still be best to cover you up a bit." He insisted.

"I see," Pip agreed nodding. "They shall think me besmirched... No, that's not the word. Ugly," he said in an honestly cheerful tone, as though unbothered that other humans might find him unpleasant to look at.

The human shook his head. "On the contrary...they'll think you're some kind of gorgeous angel." He countered.

"Ah! Thank you." Pip blushed, though the blue-tinted blush looked odd on the Sepida's chromatophore induced tan. "Aren't they the not humans with wings that play with the dead?"

Zane made a weird face. "When you put it like that, it sounds worse than the actual stories." He mused out loud. "The point is that they're supposed to be quite beautiful, like you."

"I think you're beautiful, too," Pip said with a trilling giggle. He pushed up to kiss the human's lips before dropping back into the water with a little splash and turning into a pretty little cuttlefish-like creature. Even as a cuttlefish, Zane saw what looked suspiciously like a blush running along the sides of Pip's fat little torpedo body.

A warm smile formed on his face as he reached down to gently run his hand over the Sepida's skin. If it wasn't love, he didn't know what else it could be. Zane had fallen in love before in the past when he was too young and wild to allow those feelings to grow. He had also even fallen for the wrong sort. In his more mature stage of life, he wanted to be more careful when it came to those things. But, there he was becoming smitten with a cuttlefish. He snickered when Pip's tentacles began to curl around his fingers and stroke his hand again. A cuttlefish that liked to cuddle, at that.

"Cuddlefish?" He snickered to himself.

The Sepida blew little bubbles happily as he rubbed his smooth body against Zane's hand, his tentacles petting and exploring the man's fingers. Wide, blue-green eyes gazed adoringly up at the human. There was a little flurry of tiny bubbles as Pip hugged and snuggled against Zane. That blue blush was streaking down the alien's sides again.

Zane reached down with his other hand and continued to pet Pip beneath the water. "You seem to really enjoy the water." He murmured softly.

Pip stuck several tentacles out of the water and flailed them around, making tiny splashes like a two-year-old in a kiddie pool. The rest continued stroking Zane's fingers.

He chuckled at the sight and couldn't help but lean down to carefully press a kiss to the top of the Sepida's head.

Pip decided he wanted more Zane in the water with him. He slid seamlessly into his humanoid form, pressing his lips firmly to Zane's before tugging on the surprised human hard enough to topple him into the water. When the human stop sputtering, Pip was an animal again, cuddling Zane's ankle joyfully and blowing a tiny stream of bubbles.

Since he was already drenched, Zane pulled his shirt off and wrung it before tossing it into the sink. He did the same with the rest of his clothing while the amused Sepida swam around his feet in a figure eight. He then carefully sat down and stretched out his legs. "Next time, just ask me to join you, Pip. I can't have all of my clothes wet." He stated with a hint of laughter.

Pip turned a mortified mustard yellow and sunk to the bottom of the tub, tentacles tucking under his body as he dropped like a squishy little stone. Sepida never wore clothes. He hadn't even thought of Zane's outfit getting wet. Was it ruined? Had Pip stepped on some kind of taboo? He knew so little about Zane's culture. Pip felt anxious and lost, sometimes, as though he might say or do the absolute wrong thing and lose Zane without ever knowing exactly why.

The thought of his human's displeasure made the alien want to hide. He didn't know what he would do if Zane were ever truly angry with him. Pip would probably melt into a little sad puddle and go live under a rock. An unpleasant rock. With icky bugs and things under there.

Though he still wasn't sure about Pip's color changing, Zane was nearly certain that green was contentment and blue was arousal. But, the odd yellow hue was new. From the way the Sepida shirked away, he felt that it was nowhere near contentment. "Hey, it's ok..." He added softly as he carefully held out a hand in invitation.

Starbursts of white and green flared across Pip as he felt a relief so profound it made the tips of his tentacles tingle. Water jetted from his siphon as he launched himself at his human, clinging to the large man's hand and wrapping his two longest tentacles around Zane's wrist.

Zane once again used his other hand to carefully pet him. "Do you have any idea how adorable you are in this form?" he commented aloud.

Pip turned lime-green with joy. He was adorable! He knew that word! Adorable things got held, cuddled, cared for, and loved. He couldn't think of anything better than being adorable to Zane.

The Sepida jetted over to the human's broadly muscled chest and climbed up and out of the water like Zane was some warm mountainous island. Pip clumsily dragged himself until he was tucked under the human's chin, trilling softly to himself. He had lungs and gills in both forms, though his animal self could dry out dangerously quickly. The air was humid, and the water was just a short drop away, however, and Pip needed to feel closer to his amazing human.

The man in question simply chuckled and carefully lowered himself beneath the water enough for the cuttlefish to be mostly submerged. "I think this way's a bit safer."

Pip let out a euphoric sigh, causing tiny bubbles to float up and pop, tickling Zane's nose. He rubbed every inch of his body against the pleasant texture of his human's skin. He rolled and wriggled as Zane laughed in delight.

When he was satisfied with that bit of exuberantly silly joy, Pip decided to map as much of the human he loved as possible. All in the name of science and interspecies understanding, of course.

He did a hopping little walk under the water as he ran his two long tentacles over all the wonderful bronze skin he could reach as his mood left him a bright lime-green.

Zane had never seen Pip so green, so he knew that his favorite Sepida was quite happy. For him, it was more than worth the wrinkled fingers and toes from being in the water for so long. "Having fun, cuddlefish?" He teased. The nickname seemed like a nice fit.

The little alien nodded so vigorously that he fell off Zane's chest to roll underwater down his stomach and land in an inglorious heap on the startled human's crotch.

"Are you ok?" Zane questioned.

Pip's skin swirled white and lime as he flopped on his underbelly and waved his little tentacles in the water. Zane could almost hear Pip's chiming giggle as he watched the little creature wallow in self-deprecating amusement.

The human cleared his throat when he felt the movement against certain sensitive areas of his body. "I-I'm not sure you want to be right there, Pip."

The Sepida hunkered lower on the length of flesh he was resting on, camouflaging himself against Zane's skin. He really didn't want to move. It was so nice down there with so many interesting things to explore. Pip blew two large defiant bubbles and wrapped his tentacles around his perch.

The human's breath hitched, and he squirmed beneath the water. Seeing his own flesh a bit magnified through the camouflage was both funny and concerning. "P-Pip...?"

The alien blew another big bubble and rolled his body under the quickly hardening shaft he clung to, snuggling his body against Zane's sack as his tentacles began exploring the human from base to tip. A shiver of pleasure rolled through the Sepida, making his delicate fins ripple against Zane's inner thighs. Pip's two main tentacles were very sensitive. So, while his smaller arms rubbed and squeezed, the larger pair carefully examined every delightful inch.

Zane let out a shaky groan as his hands clutched the edges of the bathtub. His breathing became erratic. "C-can I at least see your eyes?" He requested.

Pip released his camouflage, blinking dreamily up at his wonderful human. The Sepida's skin bloomed in blues and greens, contrasting prettily against Zane's bronze.

The gymnast reached down with a hand to gently stroke the Sepida's head and some of his tentacles. "You can touch me however you like, in whatever form you like, when we're in private." He said. "We just have to be careful whenever we're out, ok?"

Pip nodded, rubbing the side of his head against Zane's gentle hand. The Sepida understood the need to hide from strangers, especially considering the warnings Zane's had given about other humans.

Pip couldn't help being beyond happy, though. His human had given him permission to feel him. Not just that, but almost whenever Pip wanted, even in his aquatic form. It was a commitment many couples only reached after years of being together. It showed a deep love and trust that the partner would stay and watch over the other on land and also in the dangers of the waters. It was a pledge that even if something wanted to eat one-half of the pair, the other wouldn't flee to safety, they would stay close enough to touch their love in the face of danger and death. From hatching, Pip's kind were taught to scatter and hide if a predator came upon a group of Sepida. One or two might be lost, but the others would live. Rejecting that basic survival need was considered the highest purest demonstration of love.

Pip thought his hearts might burst as a riot of emotion swamped him. There was surprise and amazement, but a pure deep happiness like nothing he'd ever felt before swelled above the rest. If the little Sepida hadn't been clinging to Zane's cock, Pip thought he might have floated to the ceiling.

The Sepida nodded, holding Zane tight so he wouldn't fall. He couldn't help making a stream of happy little bubbles.

The human squirmed again, but he couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I'm happy to see you happy."

And Pip was. Delightfully, wonderfully, extraordinarily so. At that moment, he felt as tall and powerful as his human was.

The Sepida nuzzled and rubbed the column of flesh he cuddled against, needing to demonstrate everything he was feeling. He wanted to wallow in everything that was Zane. So, he did. Stroking, petting, and nuzzling wherever he could reach.

The human stiffened under the onslaught. "Pip!" He gasped as he reached down to place his hand to the side of the Sepida's body. "If I jizz, it might be dangerous for you." Granted, he wasn't the one with aphrodisiac properties. But, he still didn't want the Sepida to end up covered in his seed if it caused some kind of bad reaction to the alien's skin.

Pip clung tighter, shaking his head while his arms continued stroking Zane's hardness. His long tentacles slipped below to tease and caress the human's tightening balls. If it hurt Pip, he'd just shift and rinse off. He wasn't willing to stop as long as Zane was enjoying things as much as Pip was.

He felt a mixture of laughter, lust, and anxiety bubbling up inside him at the sight of his foreign lover stroking him everywhere he could reach with his tentacles. The determination could be seen, even in his cuttlefish form. After a shuddering sigh, the human took a deep breath and leaned further back as he simply allowed himself to feel.

Zane wasn't afraid. Even in this form, even with what Pip was doing, his feelings for the Sepida were the same as they ever were. So, he trusted that the cuttlefish would know what to do if the semen did give him a bad reaction. A groan escaped him as he tried to follow which tentacle was touching where. The stimulation was so widespread that he knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

"N-Nearly there, Pip!" He warned as he gave an upward thrust and continued to squirm.

A thrill raced through the small Sepida at the man's words as he rode Zane's motion. Pip rubbed his smooth underbelly against his human's balls and inner thighs wantonly as his arms stroked, caressed, and squeezed the hard shaft he hugged. Pip's eyelids fluttered as his ninth appendage uncurled from where it was hidden in a small hollow among his other arms. It was long and slender with a flared tip. A cepholopodologist might have called it a hectocotylus, a modified arm used to transfer semen to a female since they have no penis. The scientist would have been fascinated with what seemed to be a new species of cuttlefish with nine arms, among other amazing peculiarities.

The skin on the specialized tentacle was as soft as velvet, making Zane moan as it encircled the head of his cock. It was warmer than the rest of the Sepida, the human noted, watching with amorous wonder. The tentacle wound itself completely around the head and partway down the shaft. It began an undulating squeeze as the rest of his arms rubbed and stroked from Zane's belly-button to his thighs.

It was too much. Zane lost it then and there, coming harder than he ever remembered. "Ah!" He cried out as stream after stream was released into the water. "P-Pip, are you ok?" He panted.

The Sepida didn't seem to hear him. He'd stopped rubbing and stroking Zane's cock after his orgasm subsided, but Pip was still rubbing his body against Zane's.

"Pip?" the human asked, leaning forward.

The Sepida's arms flared like he was about to do a cartwheel. His hectocotylus darted out to press firmly against Zane's hip. A flurry of bubbles streamed from Pip's siphon before a rush of blue-black ink erupted around the Sepida. It quickly spread, making the water cloud black. Zane couldn't see anything deeper than an inch into the tub's water.

Sheer panic ran through the human. "Pip!" He called out as he dove his hands down to seek the Sepida. When he found him, he carefully lifted him out of the water. "Pip, are you ok?"

The small aquatic alien was limp in his hands. Zane finally let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding when two tentacles made their wobbly way to his thumb to pat it. Shades of blue-green seemed to float across Pip's skin as he blinked heavy-lidded eyes up at the human.

The human carefully cradled the Sepida to his chest as he reached over to unplug the tub and open the faucet once again. He then turned on the shower as he stood back up, making sure that the cuttlefish was under the spray. "Looks like we have to clean up again." He commented with a snicker.