A/N: Hi lovely people! It's been awhile and I have the flu 🤧 it's going around, nearly all of my colleagues are sick too (but it's not covid thankfully!)

As some of you might have noticed, I often post when I'm sick, because that's when I have the time to rest and write. Unfortunately my head is all foggy and that means mistakes! The perfectionist in me is struggling, but I'll just have to live with that.

I hope you're all flu-free and bundled up for this chapter ❤🤗

This is unedited. 

Chapter 15.

Elvyre left to take a shower and Syl turned his attention on his breakfast, choosing a cup of bright blue ovals. The jarring colors of alien food barely phazed him anymore, he had never been a picky eater and he liked discovering new textures and flavors. The oval turned out to have a texture like dried apricots with a sweet syrup in its center. 

Syl tried a few more dishes, before combining them. Like alien tapas. His spirits had lifted, he felt good after Elvyre's praise. Wanted. He could still feel the Talaya's hands on him and his lips felt warm from their kisses. 

He cast a surreptious glance at the Dreen. He was uneasy having the boy so close to him, alert and unleashed, but Metyn seemed wholly focused on his meal, shoving food into his mouth with three bony fingers and chewing quickly. 

He used his hands to eat, unlike Reja, and he only seemed to be picking fruit and vegetables. He had to be hungry, after living on nothing but liquid meals, fed through a syringe, for weeks. 

Did that mean he had chosen to live? Chosen to be a part of their family? And could his encounter with Syl really be the reason? 

The boy suddenly slammed his hand down on the plate, making the Human jump, and turned his head. 

Their gazes locked and Syl's breath caught. This close he could make out the different shades of blue in the boy's freakishly large eyes, taking up nearly half of his face. Those reptilian pupils seemed to be shrinking and it made the hairs lift on Syl's skin.

Metyn growled and Syl shuffled backwards. He didn't know what had provoked the Dreen. Was it because he had been caught staring? Or was Metyn just insane after what he had lived through?

Heart thumping, he looked towards the bed, hoping Cynen would wake up and intervene. He was reluctant to call out; both Talaya might resent him, if Cynen acted grouchy for the rest of the day.

A snarl sounded behind him and Reja rushed past, knocking over several dishes and spilling food across the floor. Metyn leapt back and took off on all fours, using both hands and feet to run.

The Foll's fur was bristling, teeth bared, as he chased the Dreen rapidly around the room. Metyn leapt across the bed, jumping on Cynen's back, with Reja following closely at his heels. 

Cynen ripped the covers aside with a buzzing swarm of sound, but both pets were too distracted to notice. The Talaya glared sullenly a moment, red eyes narrowed into slits, but he didn't speak. Syl frowned, wondering why Cynen was allowing them to fight.

Metyn bounded around a plinth, but Reja climbed swiftly on top of it and dropped onto the Dreen's back, making a glass-like ornament fall and shatter. The boys crashed to floor, rolling twice, before Reja had Metyn pinned by the throat. 

The Foll growled menacingly and Metyn went limp, chest rising and falling with rapid pants. After a tense moment, Reja slowly loosened his grip and stood. He stepped over Metyn with a lazy flick of his tail and strolled over to Syl, pushing the Human onto the floor. 

"Wha-" Syl was more confused than angry, as Reja climbed on top of him and nuzzled his cheek. A scratchy tongue lapped over his cheek, over his ear and down his throat, spreading warm saliva. 

Syl felt a pleasant tingle run through him, as Reja pressed down on him. Solid and warm. He could feel the Foll's heart beat fast with adrenaline and it made his own breaths quicken with excitement. In the past, he might have cared that Metyn and Cynen were watching, but privacy was a thing of the past and they didn't seem to care, so why should he? 

He lifted his arms to hug Reja's neck, running his hands over soft fur. Reja abruptly stiffened and shook him off, pulling away. 

Syl blinked, startled, and pushed up on one arm, watching dumbly as the Foll padded over to a plate and sat. He ate his breakfast, grey tail curling around his ankles. 

Syl was half-hard and he flushed, lifting his knees in an attempt to hide it. Shame and hurt unfurled in the pit of stomach and he opened his mouth speak, to demand an explanation, but a crunch sounded behind him. He twisted around and saw Metyn, also eating. 

Syl stared. He had expected Metyn to retreat after Reja's attack. There was even a trickle of blood on the boy's thin neck, but he seemed calmer now. Almost peaceful.

"I'm glad that's sorted." Cynen clicked his tongue and yawned, stretching his arms above his head. 

Syl didn't have the faintest idea what was "sorted". Some animal ritual had just taken place, that he didn't understand, and it made him feel dumb and excluded. He glared at Reja, but didn't dare speak, in case he triggered the Dreen again. 

He was relieved when both Talaya emerged from the washroom. Elvyre braided his long hair with a violet ribbon and dressed in an ankle length sapphire robe, glittering with beads, and a simple shoe that resembled brown slippers. 

"Watch them a moment, my love. I'm taking Sylvester to the groomers, then we can have lunch." Elvyre lifted Syl and moved towards the door. 

Cynen paused in brushing his hair. "I cancelled his appointment, we can leave now. We've been invited to the dome."

Elvyre halted and looked back, startled. "You cancelled the groomers?" 

"Yes, he looks like an infant with that short hair. A booster would suit him." Cynen moved to the dresser, opening it.

"I would have thought you had noticed," Elvyre spoke dryly, "he's not a Talaya. Human males have short hair, it's probably what he prefers." 

Sylvester looked up, in case he was being asked indirectly, but neither of the Talaya noticed him.

Cynen shrugged on a dark green shirt and glanced over his shoulder. "Is he our pet or is he your pet?"

Elvyre tilted his head, confusion flitting over his features. "Ours." 

"Are you certain? You picked him and his hideous name. You purchased those gaudy collars." Cynen grimaced and pulled on a pair of loose black trousers. 

Elvyre's blue lips pressed together and he straightened Syl's collar. "This is amartin and real laoy stones, and I didn't pick his..." The Talaya's voices trailed off and his expression smoothed. "But I suppose it's only fair. I'll get him a booster." 

Cynen tapped his ear, signalling the end of a discussion, and tied his pale hair into a sleek tail. Syl was slowly picking up the meaning of their strange expressions and gestures. 

He peeked up at Elvyre, taking care not to look directly into those red eyes. He wasn't sure how the Talaya would react to Cynen taking charge outside of the bedroom. Back home, Elvyre practically ran the household.

He was surprised when the Talaya beamed down at him and tilted up his chin with a knuckle, to kiss his mouth.