Chapter 14.

Her blonde hair shone as she passed him and she smelled like flowers. She was so beautiful.

"Be good." Her fingers brushed over his head for an instant and he reached for her hand, but it was already lifting. 

He babbled nonsense and walked clumsily towards her, small hands outstretched. 

She glanced over her shoulder, a flash of blue eyes, red lips and white teeth. "Sit down, Sylvester!" 

He sat on the floor. He hoped she would hold him again. Her arms were warm and safe.

She opened the door and dissapeared. The slide of the lock was loud. The clock ticked on the wall. 

The light in the room changed and he wet his diaper. The floor was cold, but he didn't move. 

He was good. 

Syl woke with tears in his eyes and a tightness in his chest. The dream was rapidly fading, slipping through his fingers like fog, but a hollow feeling remained. 

Wide purple eyes greeted him. They flicked over his face and then Reja was moving closer, gritty tongue lapping at Syl's cheeks, soft arms pulling him close. 

Syl took a shaky breath and clutched the Foll, burying his nose in the fresh smelling fluff beneath the boy's chin.

Reja never pulled away or refused Syl - no matter how tightly Syl squeezed him - because, in that moment, he knew what Syl was feeling. He didn't always know, yesterday was a stark reminder of that. 

In the back of his mind, Syl knew they should talk about it. But for now, he needed the comfort Reja was all too willing to give. 

The sadness abated, replaced with relief and the comfort of a warm body. Reja's soft hind leg was tucked over Syl's hip and their groins were touching. The Foll's purr resonated through Syl's bones and he loved it. 

He lifted his head and kissed Reja's mouth, opening to receive that rough tongue. Reja trilled and rolled, pressing Syl's back into the mattress. Cool fabric slid against his spine and soft fur covered his front. He parted his legs, inhaling the Foll's hot breath. 

Reja's furry hips pressed between the Human's thighs and he ground their pelvises together. His spikes pulsed and excreted oily fluid, as they ran over Syl's cock. 

They rubbed against each other for several long, satisfying moments, until Reja lifted Syl's hips, sliding his cock along the crack in the Human's ass, spreading slick. Syl bent his legs, squeezing the boy's hips with his knees, and with a gentle roll, Reja eased inside him. 

Syl moaned and curled his arms around the Foll's neck. He pressed his mouth against a silky little ear. "I want it hard." 

Reja was happy to oblige. It was firm and rough and amazing. Syl was completely present, all of his senses focused on pleasure as it built and built, mouth open as he dragged in air and shuddered with it.

Afterwards, Syl relaxed in the afterglow, skin wet and matting the boy's fur. Reja's purple tongue lapped the sweat from Syl's temple and brow, still holding on as tightly as the Human needed it. 

Beside them, the Talaya were still sleeping, which was unusual. Elvyre was usually up and dressed by now. Cynen sometimes slept in, but only when he'd had a late night or his sleep had been interrupted. Which happened often, unfortunately.  

They must have come back late last night. Syl hoped they had enjoyed themselves and diffused some of the tension between them. He wanted them to work through this. To be a family. 

Metyn was a flash of pink on a high shelf, blending in with the emerald and pink decor, as if it was made for him. His eyes were closed, but he sensed someone watching and squinted at Syl. 

Reja followed the direction of the Human's gaze and his purr cut off in a growl. That was Syl's cue to speak, but he was almost reluctant to break the peace. 

"What happened yesterday?" He asked quietly. "Why did you do that?" 

Reja's growl faltered and he buried his flat nose in Syl's hair, mouth against the shell of his ear. "I just reacted. I'm sorry, if I hurt you." 

Reja's warm breath and lisping murmur felt so good in his ear, Syl had to force himself to concentrate and remember why this was important. 

"What did you react to? Metyn?" Syl remembered his encounter with the Dreen and felt a sting of shame.

He knew he had molested Metyn in a drugged haze and he might have done more, if the boy hadn't stopped him. 

That was a crime back on Earth, he knew that. But Metyn had had no qualms retaliating. Did he do it to put Syl in his place or did he just want sex?

But Syl was thinking like a Human and Metyn clearly wasn't one. Sometimes, it was easy to forget they were all different species'. 

Here, there didn't seem to be a concept of rape. Reja certainly didn't understand it. There wasn't even a word for it in his language. 

"You smelled like him and I felt like I couldn't breathe. So I marked you. I had to." Reja was growing distressed, Syl could feel the Foll's heart start to race against his chest. 

Reja referred to his symptoms as 'stress', but Syl thought they seemed more like panic attacks. 

He cupped the boy's sharp face and kissed his grey mouth, breathing into him, until Reja melted against him, heart slowing. 

They kissed for awhile and Reja's purr began rumbling again. If this kept up, Syl would forget what he meant to say. 

He broke the kiss and Reja whined questioningly. 

"But we've slept with Metyn for weeks. Master says he's a part of our family." Syl whispered and Reja's small ears flattened, grey mouth thinning.

"He's not above me. He knows that." Reja hissed. 

Syl raised his brows. "What do you mean, 'not above you'?" 

"I'm above him and he just took you. He didn't even ask me." Reja flashed his sharp teeth. He wasn't threatening Syl; he was showing how agitated he was.

Syl's eyes widened and he smothered a hysterical laugh, even though he didn't find it funny at all. If Reja had been Human, he would have sounded like a caveman.

The Foll licked his nose nervously, large eyes searching Syl's face intently. He knew Syl was upset, he just didn't know why. 

"You think, I'm below you? That I'm less than you?" Syl tried to keep his voice steady, but anger was rising in his chest. 

"You're not less than me! That's not what I meant." Reja's tongue darted over his nose several times and his ears twitched. "I'm just stronger than you, so I'm above you. I protect you."

His tone was matter-of-fact and Syl's mood darkened further.

"And you get to decide who fucks me?" Syl couldn't keep the scowl off his face. 

"Master does too. He's above me." Reja said, as if that was only natural.

He leaned in to lick Syl's chin, whining in confusion, when the Human turned away. 

"You pissed in me. Do you have any idea how demeaning that is?" Syl glared, feeling his cheeks flush hot with shame. 

"I...I don't know that word..." Reja pulled away, retreating across the bed, tail tucking between his legs. "I just wanted you to smell like me. Please don't be angry. This is natural to a Foll." 

"How would you know? You've never even met any." Syl bit out.

Reja flinched, as though Syl had struck him. He mewled and darted to the edge of the bed, climbing out. Syl felt his anger drain away in a rush of guilt.

No, Reja never knew his family. Or anyone for that matter. He had spent the majority of his life in a small cage on a fur farm. Sick, malnourished and even more isolated than Syl.

"Wait." Regret churned in Syl's gut and he scrambled to the curved edge of the bed. He climbed up the side, and was nearly at the top, when his damp feet slipped on the glass and he fell, bouncing off the mattress. He cursed and jumped up, trying again.

A large hand cupped his ass, startling him. It was Cenyn, red eyes barely open, lifting him easily, until he could grip the edge.

He nodded his thanks and pulled himself up, eyes darting around the room. He spotted Reja curled up beneath a chaize, pink water spreading glowing rings around him.

"I'm sorry." Syl reached out and Reja hissed, tucking his tail over his nose. "That was an awful thing to say. I'm an idiot." 

He touched the boy's soft shoulder and Reja growled, body vibrating with it. But he didn't bite and that was all the invitation Syl needed. 

He pushed away Reja's tail and pressed into the Foll's arms (like Elvyre had taught him) and reached down to grip the boy's small cock, running his thumb over the spikes, still sticky with release. He guided it between his legs; needing to fix this and feel connected again.

Reja's growl stuttered into a whimpery mewl and he pressed his face against Syl's neck. His purple eyes couldn't produce tears, but Syl could feel the hurt radiating off him. 

"I love you." He almost felt silly saying it, since it must be so damn obvious. He kissed Reja between the ears, running his hands over the boy's silken back. "You know that, right?" 

"I don't know that word either." Reja muttered into Syl's skin, sounding a tad resentful now. Syl's heart twinged. Was there no word for 'love' in Reja's language? There had to be, he was so affectionate. 

"It means, I care about you. A lot. More than anything." The Foll lifted his head and a flush spread over Syl's face.

Sharing his feelings somehow felt more intimate, than their bodies touching and the cock in him.

Reja hugged him hard, claws scratching his skin with careless urgency. But Syl knew Reja needed this, just as Syl had needed reassurance earlier. 

"I care about you too. More than anything. I never want to hurt you, Syl. Never." Reja's face couldn't show emotion the way a Human's did, but his pupils were so large, the pink water reflected in them.

"I know." And Syl did know. 

He knew Reja never meant to hurt him. It was either an accident or a misunderstanding. And it was hard to prevent, when parts of them were so similar and other parts were completely alien. Neither of them knew what their differences were, before something like this happened. But they would learn to deal with it.  

Syl cupped Reja's cheeks and kissed him, curling his hips and pulling the Foll down on the floor. 

An hour or so later, a chime reverberated throughout the room and Elvyre sat bolt upright.  

"Merciful mother!" The Talaya pushed back his white hair, red eyes blinking rapidly. "Is it morning?" 

"No." Cynen grumbled, arm thrown across his eyes. 

Elvyre stepped out of bed, actually stumbling, and riffled through a cabinet, jerking out one of his luxurious robes. His scales flashed purple and green, before he covered his slender body in gold silk and rushed to answer the door. 

He accepted a tray from an orange alien, calm and composed, as if his hair wasn't in disarray and his robe wasn't slipping off one shoulder. The doors clicked shut and Elvyre knelt shakily, placing bowls and platters on the floor. 

Reja climbed onto the Talaya's lap, purring and rubbing his cheek against the larger alien's chest. Elvyre sighed, shoulders softening, and stroked the boy's head. 

Syl forced down a familiar pang of envy and focused on the dishes, examining each option closely. 

A crunching sound to his left made him freeze and he slowly turned his head to stare at Metyn. 

The Dreen was eating a dish of white fruit and what looked like red and grey berries. He was crouched down, pink tail wrapped around his thin ankles, munching as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do. As if Elvyre hadn't had to force-feed him with a syringe up until now.

Elvyre gaped at the Dreen a moment and then carefully placed Reja back on the floor. The Foll's ears flattened and he glared daggers at Metyn, tail swishing. 

The Talaya moved slowly, as if worried a sudden move would startle the Dreen. He crawled past the bowls like a giant spider, making Syl suppress a grin. His smile faded when Elvyre reached for him and tugged him into a tight embrace. 

Syl wasn't prepared for the kiss that pressed to his mouth, tongue gliding between his lips, until his head spun. He clutched the Talaya's shoulders with trembling hands and returned the kiss. He gasped for air when they separated and Elvyre kissed his nose, cheeks and his mouth again. 

"Sweet, wonderful boy. Look what you did." Elvyre's voices thrummed with pleasure and he combed his fingers gently through Sylvester's hair. 

Warmth flooded Syl's chest as he stared up at the Talaya, reaching out to touch his parting hand. Elvyre took it and placed a tender kiss on the boy's palm.

A/N: Did you know, babies can have all of their basic needs met, but if they're not hugged enough, or shown any affection, they can stop growing and eventually die.