Minute by Minute - 3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, Thank you for waiting so patiently. Also , thank you for all the wonderful comments and encouraging emails(: This chapter's extra long, so have fun.

******

The trip had gone without a hitch. Noah had stayed asleep the whole time, barely even twitching when we moved him.

The ship was wide, with several floors for patients with different needs. We had been put into a large, long room, with the far facing wall completely made out of glass.

For the duration of the trip, I sat in a chair beside Noah’s bed, staring out at the endless amounts of stars. I thought about Noah, and what I had gotten myself into. I wondered about his life back home, and how he had come to be in possession of Caochian documents.

His family life also caused me to think; when I had invaded their house, the little girl had grabbed my hand and led me straight upstairs. It hadn’t crossed my mind at the time, but as I thought about it, I realized that she had stayed upstairs, out of sight. Even when her father was being dragged away and I was carrying Noah out, I hadn’t seen her with her siblings. And when she and Lucas had come to the hospital, he had kept a close hold on her at all times. Whenever a doctor came too close, or a nurse came into Noah’s room, he had moved discreetly in front of her. What was he protecting her from?

So many questions, the answer to all of them lying next to me, peacefully unconscious; dead to the rest of our problems, and to what he had gone through. For that, I was thankful.

For now though, we were bunked up in a windowless metal box. It made sense, as coma patients didn’t need windows, but I was feeling claustrophobic. The doctors and healers at the Ceri’Ooana who had received us were friendly, but sometimes all too technical. I was used to the wide open plains and earthy smells of my home, but here, all I could smell was disinfectant and fish.

The healers had encouraged me to stay with Noah in the room and talk to him as much as possible. I had taken to telling him stories of my land.

I told him of the Skorki, large amphibious creatures that we trained and rode. I warned him of the dangers of the ground outside of Adennan, the port that my father was Kohar of. The whole area was fenced to keep out fierce predators, but mostly to discourage the Horgin. The Horgin were huge worms who preyed underneath the earth, launching themselves out of the ground and snatching up unsuspecting animals in their large maw before dragging them back underground. The fence kept Adennan safe, but wandering outside was extremely dangerous.

But all the stories I could come up with couldn’t distract me from the time. It had been a week.

A week since I had seen him across a field and was floored by his beauty.

A week since his father had nearly killed him.

I was tired of telling him stories and laughing at my own jokes. I wanted to hear what his laugh sounded like. Would it be quiet and sweet like I expected? Maybe he would surprise me and burst out into loud rumbling shouts.

Not to mention that I hadn’t even heard his voice yet.

I wanted to hear him speak my language, to know how the short clipped words would roll off his tongue.

“K’loemach?”

I jumped up, my heart beating wildly. On the other side of the room, still standing next to the door, was an old friend.

“Isir, it is good to see you. When did you arrive? Did you call for me?” I checked the computer on the wall, but no messages had been left.

“No, Loemach, I wanted to see you and your human boy that all the healers have been talking about. They say he is the most delicate pale beauty that they’ve ever seen.” He smirked, “Will you let me look if I promise not to steal him from you?”

I laughed and gestured to the bed. “The doctors say that they’ve managed to heal his internal bleeding, and that they’d like to start on his bones soon.” I watched as Isir pulled the covers back and placed a hand on Noah’s pale chest. The bruises were gone, but he still looked so fragile.

Isir hummed lightly and bent his forehead down to Noah’s, his eyes closed. As he focused, I sat on the edge of the bed. Isir was a highly renowned healer of the Ceri’Ooana, and my best friend. Right now he was feeling through Noah’s wounds and deciding what needed to be addressed next.

Finally, he sighed and stood. Passing a webbed hand over his face, he sunk gracefully to the floor.

Still looking at the floor, he spoke, “Adrai,”

Fear spiked through me. Isir only used my first name when the situation was dire. I had given it to him at a vulnerable time, and he knew that I preferred him not to use it.

“He’s been through so much. So much unnecessary pain.” He said weakly, “It will take a long time for him to fully heal. We can heal his bones and his damaged organs, but his mind… Adrai, it might never come back. I can feel him in there, he’s not brain dead, but he is adamantly reluctant to wake up.”

“So he’s just being stubborn?” I said incredulously.

“No. All he’s ever known is pain, Adrai. He probably expects more pain when he wakes up.”

“But I’ve been talking to him, telling him stories. They said that it was possible for him to hear me even though he was asleep. Shouldn’t he know that I’m here?”

Isir huffed in exasperation and grabbed my hand roughly. “It is possible, yes. But depending on how far down in the far recesses of his mind he is, he might not be able to hear you. But do not stop. If by chance that he comes forward and can hear you, he will need that contact.” He leaned his face into mine, glaring, “Do not give up on him. You took responsibility. You will be here for him.”

I stood abruptly, dragging Isir with me. I flexed my claws out and pressed them against his chest, hissing, “I did not say that I was giving up. I am frustrated, but he is mine. Now tell me what you will have your healers do next, and get out.” With that I turned my back on him and went to sit by Noah.

“Adrai,”

I hissed.

“Fine. K’loemach. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you would leave him. His pain got to me, you know how it does.” When I didn’t turn around, he sighed and I heard the clank of metal against metal. “I’ll set an appointment for tomorrow in the Ceri’Oorla. You may watch, if you wish. I hope to see you again while you’re here, Loemach. Goodbye.” I listened to his soft footsteps walk through the door, and the soft hiss and click as it closed behind him.


******

The nurses came the next day to lift Noah onto a large stretcher and roll him through the hallways. I walked alongside, my hand never leaving his arm. The halls were wide enough to fit three stretchers comfortably, and most were sided by large windows staring out into the sea.

We had walked for a ways when we came to a double set of doors. A nurse placed her webbed hand onto a nearly invisible screen on the wall, and the doors whispered open.

Another nurse just inside the door took the medical reader form where it was hanging on Noah’s stretcher. She read aloud, “Noah Drummond Lower Born, URNAS12D8AG07032187NDLB.” She looked up at me, nodding when I did and writing something down on the tablet. “All right, come in. We’re almost ready.”

The room inside was huge. A pool in the center of the floor dominated most of it, with steps on all sides leading down into the water. A pleasant smell was wafting from it, making me feel relaxed. I saw Isir working on a large computer console that was facing the water. Wandering over to him, I placed a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened before turning to look at me, tense until he looked into my eyes and the wariness was replaced by warmth and a loud chuckle.

He laughed and tilted his head back to look at me better. “It’s gotten to you, I see.”

I was confused, “What d’ya mean? I jus’ wanted to say hello.” I smiled at him, liking the feeling of my cheeks stretching. I tried to smile wider, but my fangs cut into my lower lip.

“Ow! Isi, my fangs are too big.” I pulled my lip into my mouth, sucking the blood from the cut. Isir was staring at me in astonishment, but I couldn’t figure out what I’d done.

“Loe, you haven’t called me Isi since we were little boys. And your fangs aren’t too big, and stop looking at me like a cub that just got his first kill taken away from him. I didn’t realize that the herbs in the water would have such an effect on your species.” He laughed and dragged me over to the counters lining the right side of the room. He dabbed a bit of salve on my lip, and I could feel it tingling as it knit itself back together. It felt nice.

I didn’t realize I was giggling until Isir shoved a cup of foul smelling brownish liquid under my nose.

“For god’s sake, Loe, drink this before I have to haul you out of here. It smells awful and tastes just as bad, but it’ll clear your mind. You want to watch the ritual, don’t you? They’re about ready to bring Noah into the water.”

Noah. I liked Noah. I turned around, swaying a bit on my feet, and saw the nurses stripping Noah of his garments.

Why were they getting him naked? A protective growl rose out of my throat, and I tried to lumber my way towards the stretcher, cup still in hand.

“Loe, where’d you—Loe! K’loemach, stop!” I heard Isir running towards me, his feet slapping on the cold metal floor.

The other nurses who were touching Noah had stopped and were staring at me now, horrified looks on their faces. I felt my foot submerge in something wet, and I looked down. Suddenly blue ground was rushing up at me as I tipped forward. I jerked to a stop right before I hit the water, a reflection of myself staring wide-eyed up at me. Two strong webbed hands were wrapped around my biceps.

“Goddamnit, Loe.” Isir grunted behind me and hefted me onto my feet. “If you wanted to see Noah, you have to go around the pool, dumbass. Now let’s get you another cup of the stuff you spilled all over my floor, and then you can go growl at the nurses.”

I nodded and slowly followed him back to the counters, this time keeping a careful watch on the floor. He smiled at me as I obediently gulped down the gross drink, but my mind immediately cleared.

“What the fuck just happened?”

He burst out laughing and shook his head. “You got high off the healing herbs, that’s what. Now come on, we’ve held up the ritual long enough.”

I walked with him to his post at the computer, and sat down on the solid bench next to it. He pressed a few buttons on the transparent screen and looked towards the nurses, nodding.

“Shola oa’hei.”

I watched as the healers separated themselves from the group. They stripped off their robes and waded into the water. Their skin was all different shades of green, shimmering in the bright light. They formed a circle in the water and joined hands. No, on closer inspection, they were just resting their hands on top of the water, with just their fingers interlaced. They all bowed their heads and began to sway.

Moving in complete synchronization, their hips beat a rhythm into the water, throwing waves up around them. I could hear their musical voices chanting softly, never opening their eyes or losing touch with one another. The water moved faster and faster, swirling around and between each healer. Waves crashed up the steps, brushing my ankles. I gasped as it did.

Even in the small touch, I could feel the healing strength seep into me.

The group broke apart slowly, opening their eyes. Their bodies still moved to a silent beat that only they could hear, but now they were forming a line up the steps towards Noah. The nurses on the steps carefully passed him down into their arms, singing along with the others.

My chest tightened as I watched them lower him into the water, all laying their hands on a part of his body. He seemed so small.

I wanted to leap into the water and grab him into my arms. I dug my fingers into the bench instead.

I felt Isir’s hand on my shoulder, squeezing tightly as if he too, was restraining me from interrupting the healing ritual.

The chanting got louder, filling my eardrums. They were all bent tightly over Noah, but I could see parts of his limbs. I winced the first time I saw a bone straighten out. I winced again when his ankle jerked and cracked before popping into correct place.

“Isir, he can’t feel anything can he? That looks… incredibly painful.”

Isir squeezed my shoulder again before sitting next to me. He gave me a sympathetic look, but shook his head.

“No. He’s so far under already, and they can block his mind from feeling the pain. You’ve felt it before, when I’ve healed your broken bones. It’s much more intense than that, though. Whatever place you went to when I healed you, imagine it ten times brighter, a hundred times softer. He feels no pain, I promise.”

I smiled, glad that I hadn’t broken my own promises to Chloe and Lucas.

The chanting went on. Every so often, a healer would step back and submerge himself into the water. Isir said it was to rejuvenate the senses and ready them for another round of healing. My legs were getting stiff as I sat there, watching them chant softly to Noah.

Eventually, things seemed to be calming down. The voices got quieter and the healers started to move away, one by one. Each looked exhausted, their faces drawn and their previously shining skin was a dull gray. A nurse received each one as they ascended the steps out of the pool, wrapping a robe around them and leading them out of the room.

Noah was left floating in the water. His skin glowed with life, all of his injuries gone. I felt a hand grab mine.

“Let’s go get him, Adrai. Think you can lift him out of the water?” The voice seemed amused. I turned my eyes towards the speaker. Isir. I couldn’t seem to process anything that was going on. I shook my head fiercely, trying to throw myself out of the fog the ritual had put me under.

“Say that again?” I squinted up at Isir.

“Noah, Adrai. I was asking if you thought you could lift him up out of the water. He no longer needs physical healing, just patience and compassion.” He stepped down into the pool, holding out a hand to me.

“Oh, yes. Of course,” I slowly stood, cracking my stiff knees. I waded down into the still warm water to Noah’s floating body. He was so beautiful. I ran my fingers over his skin, searching for any of the hard bumps that had riddled his bones before.

All I found was damp silky skin. Carefully, I pulled him into my arms, nestling his head into my neck. He fit
to me so perfectly. I pressed a kiss to his forehead. His name tumbled unwittingly out of my mouth, over and over. I kissed him again, this time on his unresponsive lips.

I rose out of the water, absently noticing as Isir wrapped us both in a large robe.

We somehow made it back to our room, though I don’t remember looking up form Noah’s face even once. I laid him gently on the bed, following him down. Still unable to look away, I pulled the covers up around us and drew Noah into my arms. His faint breath fluttered against my chest.

Wrapped tightly around him, I managed to drift to sleep.

******

Warmth. It surrounded me. I slowly opened my eyes and discovered that I really was dead. My golden ocean was still there. I swore I had felt myself coming out of it, but all I could see was golden skin.

Skin.

Okay so, not my ocean. I tried to turn my head and see who my personal heater was, but the arms just tightened around me and a soft growl ruffled my hair. No moving allowed. At least I could tell that he was male. Biceps that huge were not given to women. I felt them, appreciating the firm skin. I slowly moved my hands over him, discovering the furred sides and ridged abdomen. Part of me was tempted to explore further, but embarrassment held me back. I could tell that he was naked though.

Oh god. Was I…?

I managed to tilt my head down enough to see where his beefy leg was wrapped around my much more slender one. And… Yup, I was naked. And unfortunately very aroused. So was he, to my viewing pleasure. His shaft seemed to be expanding out of a furry sheath, glistening and very, very large.

Oh Jesus! I can’t believe I was just staring at his cock!

What if he woke up? That would be mortifying. Plus, I had no idea who he was. Obviously he wasn’t human, considering the fur covering his sides and genitals.

He wasn’t green or scaly in any way, so Oalian was out. Xyghainians were grey, Burbandi weren’t bi-pedal, the Frek were tiny, Ederians were white, and the Caoch were…

Shit.

My memories came flooding in, the morning beating, hiding Chloe and Beckett and waiting for the gov’s to show up. Seeing them show up with URNA Marines and three enormously tall, enormously beautiful aliens. One in particular, who had seen me from across a field and had stared at me like he wanted to eat me for dessert. Running away from him and hiding out for the rest of the day. Staring at my reflection in the door.

After that, I couldn’t recall a thing. Nothing came to mind that might give me a hint as to how I ended up horizontal with a Caochian male.

Not that I really minded. Laying here, ensconced in his arms, I felt safe. Even though I knew that once he woke up, he’d probably throw me across the room, I felt the safest I had ever felt. I would enjoy it while it lasted.

I snuggled down deeper into his muscled chest, breathing in his earthy scent.

His arms tightened around me again and a calloused hand rubbed across my back. Then, as surely as they had secured me, they were gone. I braced myself for a hit, but instead the body next to me arched gracefully against the bed. He was stretching.

I watched raptly as tawny muscles flexed and tightened, a strained yawn growl hiss type thing coming from his mouth. My eyes followed the musculature of his arms all the way to the claws flexing to and from his knuckles. They were wicked looking, black and razor sharp. They slowly receded back under the skin, barely registering a bump. I waited for them to flex back out, not realizing that the gorgeous alien that I was checking out had stopped moving. Completely.

“Noah? You’re awake?” The voice was quiet and reverent, and I allowed myself to look into the eyes of my fantasy. Slanted like a lions, they were the same golden color as my ocean. Also the same color that I had looked into across the field.

I tried to back up, but his arms whipped down from above his head and locked around me as he rolled, bringing me underneath him.

Now the muscles I had admired were a cage.

My breath froze in my chest before bursting out in short frantic rhythm. I needed to get away. No matter how hot this guy was, I was not, I repeat not, letting another arrogant bastard do this to me. But no matter how angry it made me, I couldn't stop the welling panic. The rest of that terrible night came back in a rush, overwhelming me.

I whimpered and pushed frantically against the rock hard chest. Wet tears were leaking down my cheeks, but I couldn't pause to wipe them away. I felt a scream building inside me. He was too strong. I couldn't… I couldn't do this!

“Let me go! Please, I promise I’ll do whatever you want, just let me go. Rokhi rokhi, please!” I stopped pushing and just sobbed, waiting for what I knew would happen. Instead I felt a hand brush my forehead, followed by a gentle pressure.

“Shh, Mekikira.” The arms softened and the weight on top of me moved away, but the warmth stayed. I opened my eyes and looked to where he was leaning on his side, staring at me. He reached up a hand and wiped under my eyes.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Noah. I know you’re extremely confused, but the last thing I want is to hurt you. Is there anything that you want to ask me? I’ll answer whatever you want to know.” He laid his hand on my cheek for a second before pulling back.

I scooted away from him, immediately missing the furnace-like heat. I wrapped myself tightly in the bedcovers before asking quietly, “What did you call me before?”

He looked confused, so I specified. “You called me mekikira. I haven’t read that in any of the papers I have.”

“Ah. We need to talk about those papers, by the way. But it can wait. Mekikira means… It means… Why did you have to start with that?” He growled and stuffed his face into the mattress, peeking at me out of the corner of his eye.

I giggled and scooted a little bit closer to him. “So what does it mean?”

“It means ‘My only desired one’. You’ve been in a coma for nearly a month, Noah. When I first saw you, I knew I wanted you. When I found out what had been happening in your home, I felt extremely protective. Now, after bringing you here and watching you heal, talking to you and telling you stories of my home, I feel much more.”

I couldn't breathe. A month? I’d been asleep for that long?

“I… What’s your name?”

He laughed, a low rumbling sound that washed over me. “Adrai K’loemach. Just Adrai is all right, for you.”

Sitting up, I wrapped my arms around my knees. This was a shit ton of information, and I could feel a whole lot more coming.

“Okay, Adrai, I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you talking to me, or telling me any stories. I do remember seeing you across the field and feeling something, and I admit I’m very attracted to you, but the last thing I remember is my father hurting me. I have no idea what happened after that. You’ll have to be patient with me and wait for me to catch up. Before you say anything else about feelings, can you tell me where we are, and everything else that’s happened?”

He nodded and reached for my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine. The gesture was surprisingly comfortable. I let him keep my hand, and even returned a squeeze.

“We’re on Oalas. After your father finished beating you, your siblings tried to wake you up and couldn't so your brother Sam drove to the embassy and found me, upsetting a few police officers in the process. I came and took you to the hospital…”

******

I woke up the next morning still exhausted. We had stayed in bed all day, Adrai only leaving to get me food when my stomach suddenly burst into angry grumbles. He explained everything that had happened, and retold me some of the stories that he’d told while I was asleep. By the time we had fallen asleep, the holo-clock had read four a.m.

Now though, I really needed to pee. I carefully extracted myself from the arms that had wound around me again as we slept and brought my legs over the side of the bed.

I pushed to my feet, and promptly fell on my ass.

My legs had given out. I poked and examined them, making a face at how skinny they’d gotten, even in comparison to my previous near skeletal physique. I groaned and leaned back against the bed, considering crawling to the door.

A chuckle sounded behind me and two thick, very tan legs set foot next to me. Adrai crouched down and smirked at me, “ You've been bed ridden for a month, Noah. Your muscles are atrophied. Do you need the restroom?”

When I pouted and nodded, he laughed again and made to pick me up, princess style.

‘No! Turn around; you can give me a piggy-back ride. Just no threshold-crossing-damsel-saving stuff, okay?”

He just stared at me. “Piggy-back ride?”

“Oh, uhm, it’s where you carry me on your back, with my arms around your neck, and my legs around your waist.”

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but he came over and lifted me back onto the bed before crouching down in front of me, his forehead scrunching as if asking if he was doing it right.

I was too distracted to assure him. Adrai’s muscles seemed to be in constant motion, flexing and squeezing across the wide expanse of his back. I ran a hand over the two thick cords shielding his spine. I kept at it, feeling all of his beautiful contours, until he growled hotly and jerked forward onto his hands.

“Noah, get on my back now, before I do something you’re not ready for.”

Blood rushed to my face and I hurriedly jumped on his back, wrapping my weakened limbs around him. He moaned and his breathing turned unsteady. When he finally stood, we were both extremely aroused. I could smell the pheromones practically dripping off him, and it didn’t help the fact that I was desperately trying not to dry hump his back.

Luckily, my urge to pee was much more prevalent at the moment, and I managed to keep my hormones under control as he carried me into the bathroom and set me on the toilet. He turned towards the shower and stripped off his sleeping shorts.

“Eh, what are you doing?”

“Getting clean. I haven’t showered in three days.” He turned the water on and started to step in.

“Wait! I have to pee!”

Looking at me like I was ridiculous, Adrai nodded slowly.

“You can’t be in here! And- And you’re naked. I can’t pee if you’re standing there like that!” I swallowed convulsively and tried to keep my eyes on his face. He was still very obviously aroused.

Instead of doing what I wanted and leaving, he stood in front of me, not trying to cover up in the least. “Do you need help?” He squatted down and looked up at me, “I can help.” His eyes seemed to burn brighter, his mouth opening slightly, giving me a glimpse of fang.

He was so terrifyingly beautiful.

A hand squeezed my leg lightly and traveled upwards.

I couldn’t do this. I wasn’t ready. No way in hell. My heart started a thundering beat, so loud it rang in my ears. My breath came and left in short, shuddering gasps. With every inch that his hand traveled up my leg, I became more frantic.

His fingers brushed my shorts.

“No!” I shoved his shoulders as hard as I could and threw myself backwards. I crashed against the shelves on the wall and fell with them. I curled around my weak legs, sobbing.

******

Stupid, stupid stupid stupid.

How could I have done that? I knew that it was way too fast. He had just woken up from being raped by his father, for Kahl’s sake.

I watched Noah cry into his knees, feeling sick with myself. He was lying in a pile of towels and lotions, looking broken. I had caused this. I had hurt him. Forcing bile back down my throat, I crawled towards him.

“Noah?”

He whimpered and cringed away from my voice.

“Oh Kahl, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have done that.” Feeling tears prick my eyes, I bent forward and pressed my forehead to the floor by his trembling legs. “I’m so sorry, Mekikira. I wasn't thinking, you just looked so beautiful and I couldn't help but want you, and I’m so, so sorry. I’ll never touch you again, if that’s what you want, just please, rokhi, don’t be scared. Mekikira, maska geerkad. Maska geerkad. Kahl tritima.”

I stayed there, head pressed to the floor, condemning myself to every religious perdition that I could think of. I was too caught up in berating myself to notice when Noah stopped crying and sat up.

When a hesitant hand touched my hair, I jerked up, flinching when I saw his red eyes and tear stained face. I opened my mouth to apologize again, but he shook his head.

To my astonishment, he crawled towards me and laid his head on my shoulder, sniffling a little.

“I still need to pee.” His voice was almost too quiet for me to hear. The words forced a choked laugh out of me, and I carefully wrapped my arms around him and hefted us both to our feet. I situated him in front of the toilet and made to move away, but his hands locked around my forearms, holding them in place around his waist.

“Stay, please. I really don’t think my legs will hold me up. Just, please don’t look, okay?” His voice was still quiet, but his eyes held something that hadn't been there before.

I did as he asked and supported him as he peed, burrowing my head into his neck. He still smelled like lavender. I sniffed heavily and he giggled.

“Are you sniffing me?” He leaned his head back against my chest and looked up at me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before replying. “You smell like lavender. I was trying to figure out how, as you haven’t had a real shower for a month and should stink to high heaven.”

Instead of answering me, he just smiled and turned back to the toilet and finished up.

“Will you help me shower? You didn't get to take yours, so want to take it with me? I’ll need help anyways.” His face flushed red as he said it, and he refused to look at me, but I didn't care. I smiled into his neck and nodded.

I sat him securely on the toilet and turned to the still running shower, making sure it wouldn't freeze our man parts off if we stepped in. I adjusted the temperature a bit, and turned back to Noah, who flinched and stared up at me with wide eyes, cheeks bright red.

He’d been checking me out. Triumphant lust rushed through me, but I tamped it down before the evidence got a little too visible. Now was the worst possible time to go all primitive lusty alien on him.

Instead, I held my hand out to him, not commenting on the way his fingers trembled as they folded into mine.

We slowly walked to the shower, my arm around his thin waist. Once inside, I gently shampooed his hair. He stared up at me through the suds with those viciously green eyes. I made my way down his pale body, ignoring the scars that the ritual hadn't been able to heal and scrubbing over his skin with the soapcloth. I skipped over his genitals and soaped up his lightly haired legs. He giggled when I scrubbed behind his knees. When I finished with his toes, I handed the cloth to him silently, letting him finish with the rest.

Before I could reach for the shampoo to do my own hair, Noah dropped the cloth and stuck his hand under the pump.

“Let me do it.”

I nodded and bowed my head so that he could reach. I held him lightly around the waist, supporting him so that he wouldn't tip over.

Noah’s nimble fingers massaged my scalp, making me shiver. I forced myself to keep still, determined not to do anything stupid again. He explored the shape of my hairline, rubbing the bald strips on each side of my head.

“Why is your hair like that?”

I shrugged, “That’s just the way it grows.”

“There were two other Caochians with you when you came to the farm. The older one had hair longer than yours, and the others was cut really short.”

“That a question or a statement?” I stood up straight and tipped my head into the water, rinsing off. When he didn't answer and just looked at me expectantly, I sighed. “Okay, ah, hair length is a sign of class in our culture. Servants and military personnel all keep their hair shorn, while people with more money can afford the soaps and styling stuff that hair requires. My father, the older man you saw, is Kohar of Adannen. The other man was a servant of ours, Dermaiach.”

After a few moments of silence, I stopped soaping myself up and glanced at him. He was standing there, just staring at me.

His mouth moved but no sound came out.

“What? Are you okay?” I touched a hand to his forehead and it seemed to shock him out of it.

“Ad- Adannen? That’s Acaoch’s largest port! I thought that one of you was a Kohar, but I wasn’t sure. Adannen, wow. Will I get to see it? And the creatures you told me about? What about your father, will I have to meet him too? Will you be with me? Wait, I’m human. Your father’ll hate me. Oh my god you’re practically a prince!” He hardly took a breath, waving his hands around and steadily growing redder. Finally he slapped a hand over his mouth and stared up at me.

“Sorry,” He whispered around his fingers.

I laughed and grabbed it away from his mouth, placing it on my chest, over my heart. “Yes, Adannen. That’s why we were chosen to make the deals with your people. Not many of our race speaks your language, and even fewer of yours speaks ours. You are the only one that we know of who can speak or understand more than a few words.” I gave him a look that told him we’d be talking more about that particular subject later.

“I have spent quite a bit of time on Earth, exploring and learning your culture. Father has to deal with all sorts of languages and people on the port, and together, we were the best choice that Kirahl could make, when he was trying to find ambassadors to go to Earth.”

Noah nodded and leaned his head into my chest. I shut the water off and pulled him out of the shower. As I dried him off, I answered the rest of his questions.

“You will be coming with me to Adannen once you’re fully healed, so yes you will see everything.” I smiled at the look of boyish excitement on his face. “Technically you’ve already met my father, but you will again. He’s coming here in a few days to talk to me, and to see how you’re doing. He doesn’t hate you, I promise. And I’m not a prince. Kirahl is like our king, while my father is much like a duke, or something, if I have your terminology right.”

Noah took the towel from me and started to dry everything he could reach. I had to stoop when he reached for my hair, and he giggled.

“You’re so big. Does everyone on Acaoch look like you?” He asked.

I thought for a moment. “Everyone is taller, yes, but we have all different shades of hair, and our skin is usually around the same shade. Some people, depending on the area where they live, have patterns in their fur. There is one tribe whose skin and fur is all black, like the black panthers of your planet.”

When I mentioned fur, he smiled shyly at me and rubbed his hand through the short fur surrounding my hips. The movement surprised me, considering what had happened previous to the shower. I stilled his hand and looked down at him. As if knowing what I was thinking, he looked away.

He murmured, “No one’s ever apologized to me before.”

“What do you mean? For what?”

He took a deep breath and grasped my hand in both of his, turning it over and studying the lines in my palm. He traced his fingers over my calluses.

“No one’s ever apologized for hurting me.” He looked up and took a step closer, pulling my arms around his waist and nestling against my chest. I rested my chin on his head, holding him securely. I waited for Noah to pull away once he realized what his closeness was doing to me, but he just snuggled in closer until I could feel his own hardness against my thigh.

He whispered something against my chest, but I was too distracted to hear.

“What did you say?”

His face flushed, “Nothing.”

“Tell me, what was it?” I gripped his chin and tilted his chin up, forcing those green eyes to meet mine.

“Nothing! I just… Nothing, really.” He tried to look down, but I held him firm. Instead he glared defiantly at me through his long eyelashes.

“Would you let me go?” He jerked against me, so I tilted us back so Noah was against the wall. I lifted him by the waist so that he was the same height as me. He squeaked cutely, his eyes wide.

He clutched at my shoulders frantically and instinctively lifted his legs, wrapping them tightly around my waist.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

I grinned, “Holding you hostage until you tell me what you said.”

“That’s not fair!” He said indignantly.

“Oh, it’s what it is. You’re staying right here until you say it. Come on, out with it.”

Noah scowled at me and took his hands from my shoulders, leaning as far back against the wall as he could and crossing him arms with a huff. I noticed, though, that he kept his legs wrapped around my waist.

We stared at each other for several minutes until he finally rolled his eyes and looked away. He grumbled something and scrunched his nose at me in distaste.

“You are going to be extremely frustrating.” His voice lowered, “I said that no one’s ever given me a boner before, either.”

I almost dropped him. “What? Never?”

He laughed softly and nodded, “Yeah. I’ve looked at my brother’s porn stash, but he’s straight, and that’s kinda how I figured I wasn’t into women. I got a stiffy from the guys in the pictures, but no actual breathing person has ever turned me on like you do. I see you, and it’s just like, ‘Pop! Goes the weasel!”

I had no idea what he had just said. “What’s a stiffy?”

Noah threw his head back and burst into loud laughter. He shook in my arms and fell forward onto my shoulder, still cackling. When he calmed down, he wrapped a hand around my neck and wiped his eyes with the other. “It means the same thing as boner. Just another juvenile term for hard on.” He smiled at me, the happiest I had seen him since he’d woken up.

His eyes turned thoughtful, and he searched my face, then looked down at how I was holding him.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” He said playfully, practically daring me to throw him back up against the wall. Instead I dropped him to his feet and leaned away, smiling in a way that set my fangs off to their best advantage. I withdrew my hands from him and sat, leaving him wobbly and unsure.

He pouted at me and wavered for second before hobbling over. I took pity on him once was in reaching distance and pulled him into my lap. He snuggled close and wrapped his arms tightly around my neck.

I rubbed his slender back, feeling the protruding vertebrae. “Are you going to tell me?” I asked into his hair.

He burrowed further into me before saying, “I’ve never been this comfortable with anybody before. Not even Sam. At home I was quiet all the time, and never talked back. Now here I am with you, making fun and joking around. It feels so strange. I’ve only really known you for one night, and yet I never want to stop touching you.” He leaned back and looked up at me with big, sad eyes. “I mean, look at us, we’re still naked from the shower, just sitting in the bathroom. With anyone else, I would still be crying in the corner, waiting for them to hurt me.”

I stroked over a particularly thick scar on his chest.

“I’m sorry for earlier, Noah. I never should have moved so fast.

He shook his head and pulled my hand to his lips, “I said its fine. You did something no one’s ever done for me before, and showed me that not all people are horrid evil fathers who rape their sons.”

“Still, I won’t push you for anything sexual. And I don’t know why we have this connection, or why you feel different around me, but I’m not complaining. I like how you are with me. Do you?”

Noah bobbed his head, grinning. “Of course I do. I like being able to talk and speak my mind. I like knowing that you’re listening, no matter what I say. I even like cuddling with you, obviously. I think you are right though, I’m not ready to do anything more. I don’t know when I will be. Are you okay with that?”

I just smiled and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

“We should get some food in you, fatten you up. Also, I want to show you around the center, maybe take you on the cross-trams, if you feel up to it.”

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

******

We were sitting on a cushy bench in the cross-tram, eating the sandwiches we had picked up at the communal eating center.

Adrai was relaxed next to me, sitting close enough that our sides were brushing. He initiated no other contact, hadn’t really since the day in the bathroom. He piggy-backed me wherever I needed to go, helped out with my physical therapy, and even slept in the same bed. But there had been no more naked cuddling, for which I was thankful.

The comfortableness I had exhibited in the bathroom had been brought on by needing him and the way he had reacted when I freaked out on him. He’d knelt there, apologizing over and over, damning himself to hell. No one had ever been sorry for hurting me before.

It struck something within me, making me realize what he had been talking about when I first woke up. He felt some kind of connection to me that he couldn't describe.

And he caused me to be someone I couldn't begin to recognize, but liked very much. I was smiling all the time now, joking around, hell, I even made fun of him.

I was relaxed with him.

Well, as relaxed as I could get with a nearly eight foot tall Caochian warrior sleeping next to me every night. I was starting to think that that part of me was permanently stuck ‘guns at the ready’.

I knew he noticed, but he never said anything. Other than a few surreptitious glances, Adrai was perfectly behaved.

Which, again, I’m glad for.

Our rides on the cross-trams were usually fairly silent. We’d watch the ocean, sitting comfortably in our silence until I saw a creature I hadn’t seen before and would point it out to him. Sometimes his friend Isir would join us, asking me questions about the vegetation on Earth or talking with Adrai about some machine that the Oalans were building.

We would be staying on Oalas for another week, then departing for Adennan. Part of me was scared shitless.

Okay, so I was going abso-fucking-out of my brain with terror, but whatever.

It was nice here. We had our room that they’d switched us to after I woke up, complete with windows and all the amenities we might need, to Adrai’s immense pleasure. He’d been irrationally happy when he saw the window. I mean seriously, it was a window. He didn’t need to kiss the freaking nurses hand a thousand times.

Again, whatever.

As I was saying, I knew where I stood here. The Oalans liked me; most of them called me Bone Boy. They joked with me and were just generally nice. It was safe.

Going to Adennan meant that would all change. The Caochians weren’t a peaceful people. They were also extremely isolated. I’d be an invader, a target. Adrai promised that he’d keep me out of harm, but that wasn’t really what I was worrying about. What would happen when we were back on his home planet? With his family, his friends, people he knew? If they didn’t like me, he probably wouldn’t want to keep me around.

Also, his planet sounded dangerous. They erected a ginormous fucking wall just to keep worms out. Scary!

I shifted on the bench so that I could look at him. His profile was relaxed, his long arms draped across the back of the seat. He looked so majestic, sitting there all golden and primal looking.

If Prince Charming mated with a lion; that’s what he looked like.

He tilted his head slightly to look down at me, piercing me with those golden eyes. For some reason though, they weren’t being piercing so much as… soft. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t saying anything, just looking at me with this weird stare.

Finally, after a while of playing the blinking game, he spoke. “What’s on your mind?” His hand came off the couch and drifted through my hair, sending chills down my spine.

I blushed and stuttered a bit before I could respond properly. “Uhm, I was just thinking that you… you look kinda sorta like a prince. You know?”

The corners of his mouth twitched, and he pulled me to him. This was the most contact he’d initiated since the day in the bathroom, and I couldn’t help nuzzling into his chest a bit.

We sat like that for a bit longer, me listening to his drumming heartbeat, his breath ruffling my hair. Eventually he drew in a deep sigh and collected me into his lap completely. “It’s been hard for me to keep my hands to myself. Let me know if it gets too much, okay?”

All I could do was blush and nod emphatically. He smiled softly and continued, “Would you like to contact your family? I think your sisters would like to speak with you, as well as your brother Sam.”

“Can I? Can we do it soon? How? Do you have a Com?” I gasped out, twisting to face him completely. I needed to make sure Chloe and Beckett were all right.

“We’ll do it as soon as we get back to our room. You have their call number, yes?” He grinned down at me, obviously happy that he’d made me happy.

A feeling of intense gratitude washed over me, and I huddled into his chest. His strong arms wrapped comfortingly around me, and I’d never felt so safe.

“Thank you, Adrai.”