Chapter 6.

After their talk, Syl was carried to a washroom with dark metal walls, flickering with the same soothing amber light as the sitting area.

"Can you wash yourself?" Elvyre enquired and slid open a glass cabinet. Syl looked up in surprise.

"Of-course." He said, slightly insulted that the alien thought him that helpless.

Elvyre's brow arched and his hums sounded skeptical, but he placed Syl inside the cabinet.

"I'll watch to be certain." Elvyre said and pointed to a blue glass decanter the size of Syl's head.

"This is soap, for your hair and body. Use it twice." He showed Syl how to turn the nozzle, to make the soap run, and sat on a cushioned bench opposite him.

Elvyre hadn't explained how to switch on the water and Syl was reluctant to ask now. He didn't want to look dumb and risk the alien washing him, like a child.

There was a round indentation in the warm metal beneath his feet and, when he stepped into it, water drizzled lightly from the ceiling.

"Step harder. You control the pressure." Elvyre explained and Syl pressed his foot down firmly.

Water thundered down on him and he hastily lifted his foot and pressed down lighter. When he was sufficiently soaked, he stepped off the circle and reached for the soap.

It smelled like sweet spices and foamed quickly between his hands. He washed his hair and body thoroughly, twice, just like the alien had instructed. It might have been his imagination, but his pubic hair seemed softer, and neater, than before.

He found himself hoping Elvyre would be impressed by his diligence and then winced with shame at the thought. He shouldn't want to please his captor with his cleanliness. He should be appalled that he was being watched at all.

He stepped onto the circle to rinse off the suds, controlling the pressure easily now, and stepped out of the cabinet. Elvyre was ready for him with a large fluffy towel, that he wrapped around Syl's body.

"Very good." The Talaya breathed and lifted Syl against his chest, kissing his temple and running the towel over his hair. Syl's heart fluttered at the praise and he let his head rest against Elvyre's pale blue palm, for a brief moment.

The towel ran over his torso, his crotch, between his buttocks and, finally, his feet. It was extremely intimate and every personal boundary Syl had built over the years was gently demolished with each rub. It shouldn't have felt so good.

His stomach growled loudly and his face heated.

"My sister has brought you breakfast. But first," Elvyre placed Syl on his lap and reached into the pocket of his robe. He pulled out a thin sparkling collar. It was silver and lined with purple stones, "I have a gift, just for you."

He wrapped the chain snug around Syl's neck and snapped the lock closed.

"There." He lifted Syl to the mirror, with the towel still wrapped around him. "Do you like it?"

Syl stared at his reflection. His cheeks were flushed and his blonde hair was damp and falling into dazed blue eyes. The collar glittered at his throat and the metal felt cool against his skin.

"It's...nice." He said, meaning it, even if it would have looked better on a girl.

He'd received plenty of gifts before. Designer watches, clothes and shoes - but never a necklace - and no one had ever looked at him expectantly for a reaction. As if he'd been given something special and personal. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Elvyre's voices were warmer than the clouds of steam around them and the lingering kiss he pressed to the human's cheek made Syl's breath catch and his eyes close. He wanted to lean into it so badly. To turn his head...

But in the next instant, Elvyre was hanging up the towel to dry and walking into his freezing bedroom. Syl shuddered and huddled closer to the alien's chest for warmth.

"I don't have any clothes for you, but I'll acquire some." The alien picked a green velvety blanket off the bed and folded it around Syl.

It was smooth and warm and Elvyre tucked the edges snug around his neck. The attention felt almost...motherly and Syl's hand tightened on the alien's arm.

When the blanket was fixed, Elvyre swept past a curtain and entered a dining room. Syl vaguely recalled the female Talaya lounging on a couch, with a dark haired boy in her lap.

"Finally." She sat up and put a thin tablet on the table. Her white hair was pulled back in a neat braid and red drops of stone swung from her ears. "Your Foll ate everything and hid."

Elvyre looked around the room. "Where is he?"

The female pointed to a high shelf, where a fuzzy grey tail was flicking. Elvyre moved beneath it and his hands squeezed Syl's waist and thigh. It felt like a warning.

"My dear," Elvyre said softly, "Sylvester wants to see you. He's feeling much better."

The tail disappeared and two large violet eyes peered down at them.

"Are you?" Reja hissed, lavender tongue darting over his nose.

Elvyre's fingers crushed into the human's flesh, beneath the blanket, and Syl gasped with pain.

"Y-yes. Much better." He forced a smile and the grip on his thigh mercifully lessened. Reja's ears lifted and his eyes blinked slowly.

"And look what he's wearing," Elvyre tipped up Syl's chin and Reja's gaze fixed on his collar.

In a silvery flash, the Foll leapt from the shelf and landed neatly in a chair.

"I have one too!" Reja proudly lifted his head and revealed a matching collar glittering on his throat. The gems were the same violet as his eyes.

"He hasn't had breakfast." Elvyre said and lowered Syl to the icy floor. Syl inhaled sharply when his bare skin touched it and tucked the blanket under his legs.

A nudge to the back of his head startled him into a yelp. He hadn't even heard Reja approach.

"Ferine's food is good. I like the pejes." He leaned in to run his plush cheek over Syl's collar, tail curling around the human's knee.

"You ate all the pejes." The female reprimanded. She placed a black plate in front of Syl and a cup full of purple liquid.

He stared at the meal a moment and then up at the table. He'd never eaten on the floor before, but even if he'd sat on one of the alien's large chairs, he wouldn't have been able to reach the table anyway. So he said nothing and reached for the plate.

It was filled with blue-black squares that crunched in his mouth and tasted sharp and salty. There were also tender strips of meat with mild spices and a white vegetable that didn't taste of much, but it was chewy and juicy.

"Is it good?" Reja's breath was warm on his shoulder and Syl's throat tightened with unease. He swallowed loudly.

Syl wasn't used to having someone close to him and he'd usually eaten his meals alone. Reja hadn't been used to it either, judging by his past. But if Foll slept in groups, maybe it was in the boy's nature to seek physical contact.

"...yes." Syl glanced up at the female, Ferine, who's crimson eyes were watching him. "Thank you."

She inclined her head and Elvyre's duo toned voices sighed out a breath. "I'm trusting them with you."

"Safe travels, 'Lyre. I can stay until septal." Ferine said, but Elvyre had already disappeared into his bedroom, before she had finished speaking. Her duo voices expelled between her teeth in a buzz of annoyance.

A short while later, Elvyre reappeared in his armor. He lifted Reja for a kiss on the mouth and stroked Syl's head, before striding out of the room.

"Until septal!" His sister called after him. Elvyre's acknowledging hum was cut off by the snick of a metal door closing.

Syl finished his meal and reached for the drink. It was sweet enough to make his teeth hurt and his eyes squeezed shut in distaste.

"I mixed it myself." Ferine said, leaning forward to study Syl curiously. "It has all the nutrients a human needs. How's the flavor?"

Syl hesitated, wondering if he should tell her the truth. He didn't want to offend her. On the other hand, he never wanted to drink this again either.

"Thank you. It's...very sweet." He said carefully.

The alien's head tilted. "I thought your kind favored sweet things, not like Foll or Kythe."

She stroked the boy's ebony hair in her lap and his lemon yellow eyes closed in contentment.

"I do." Syl said and forced himself to finish the drink. He did like sweet things, like icecream, but this tasted like it contained a whole bag of sugar.

"Less sweet then." She nodded to herself and her pale blue fingers moved over the tablet.

It flashed white and a miniature hologram appeared above the screen. It was a girl, with two rounded horns on either side of her head and a naked white tail.

"Remember this one?" Ferine said to the boy in her lap. "She's vomiting again. Any thoughts?"

The Kythe straightened and his bright eyes narrowed. "It could be a head trauma or allergies?" His voice was clear and melodic.

"She shouldn't be reacting to her new environment. She's arriving tomorrow, I'll examine her then." The Talaya waved her hand and a new hologram appeared. This one was a boy covered in grey scales with black eyes.

Syl started at a lick on his neck and Reja's eyes blinked at him slowly. "Ferine is a healer. She does this for hours. It's very boring."

A strange chattering noise sounded above them, like a chek-chek-chek, and Syl looked up to see the Kythe watching them with a sneer.

"Only to someone like you." His sunflower eyes flicked to Syl. "Probably him too."

Ferine scratched the Kythe's feathered hip absently, and typed on her tablet, ignoring their exchange.

Reja flashed his sharp teeth and his tail swished. "I wasn't talking to you!" He looked at Syl, tiny ears lifting. "His name is Aure. He's mean."

"I can introduce myself!" Aure snapped and Ferine sighed, lifting Aure and placing him on the cushions beside her.

"I can't concentrate." She said and stood to walk over to a chair by the window. She touched a panel on the wall and soft music flowed through the room. It sounded more like rolling waves and wind, but it was definitely music.

Reja jumped fluidly up on the couch she'd abandoned and stretched a hand down to Syl. "Come sit here! She's warmed it for us."

Syl's legs were turning numb on the cold floor and he stood, clutching the blanket around him. His head reached the top of the couch and he looked at Reja's small hand doubtfully.

"I can lift you." Reja said, as if he'd read the human's mind and wriggled his short, clawed fingers.

Syl reached for the Foll's hand. Their palms were nearly the same size and Reja's stubby fingers curled around Syl's and pulled with surprising strength.

The cushions were slippery and Syl scrabbled to get a grip on the smooth fabric. His shoulder ached and he dropped the blanket, skin pebbling in the icy air.

Reja hissed and pulled with both hands, until Syl's knee hooked over the top of the cushions and he could haul himself up.

The couch was soft and comfortable - and Reja had been right, it was warm where the Talaya had been sitting.

The Foll wound his slender arms around Syl's shoulders and covered his body in fresh smelling fur. He tucked his head against Syl's neck and a low purr rumbled in his chest.

He wasn't cold at all, with Reja on top of him, and Syl leaned his cheek against a warm little ear and closed his eyes. He could feel how easy it would be to relax like this all day. He should probably care that he was naked, but, technically, Aure and Reja were too.

A small tremor ran through him, when he thought of what Reja had done to him. But the body against him felt silky and unthreatening. He couldn't believe Reja had meant any harm. He seemed so innocent. Their mindsets were probably worlds apart. Literally.

"You can sit closer, if you want." Reja lisped and released Syl's waist to lightly tap the cushions next to them.

Syl looked at the Kythe, glaring daggers at them from the opposite end of the couch.

"I'm not like you." Aure's sharp nose wrinkled disdainfully and he jumped off the couch to land lightly on the floor. His raven hair fanned around him like a cape and the boy smoothed it over his shoulder. Black and silver feathers ran up his spine and faded near his nape.

Reja's ears flattened and he nuzzled Syl's jaw. "Mean." He muttered, but Syl knew it wasn't directed at him.

Over the top of the Foll's head, Syl saw Aure look longingly at the Talaya by the window, but Ferine was occupied with her tablet.

Aure frowned and began wondering around the room. Every now and then he would graze his feathered shoulder, or hip, against the furniture.

Reja stirred against Syl and his head lifted. His flat nose twitched and his head swiveled towards the Kythe.

"What are you doing?" Reja demanded.

Aure didn't respond, but his pale lips curled in a tiny smile. He trailed his hand over the wall, clawed fingers idly tracing a dark blue tapestry.

"Stop that!" Reja jumped up, tail lashing and grey fur puffing.

"Quiet." Ferine breathed, red eyes focused on her screen.

Syl wrapped his arms around his knees and looked around for a blanket. He was already starting to shiver. How could the others stand the chill? Even with feathers and fur, it had to be freezing.

Aure sauntered over to a chair and brushed his hip against it. A hoarse growl erupted from Reja's chest and he launched off the couch.

Aure turned at the last minute, yellow eyes narrowing, before Reja crashed into him and the boys went tumbling across the floor.