As the night went on and their bags began to gain a significant weight, Jamie called for a stop. They took a rest in a cafe nearby and bought some drinks. Jamie and Aenzel checked Surya, Mattie, and Nina’s bags for dangerous stuff. They couldn’t find anything, though, and handed the bags back to the kids. Surya immediately reached for all the sour candies he got and gave them to Aenzel.

“You said you like sour stuff. Try ‘em”, Surya said.

Aenzel’s ears perked up. Tentatively, they tried one of them and brightened up. “This is good.”

Surya made a face—he could never understand Aenzel’s love for sour stuff. After that, Mattie and Nina took it as a challenge to find the sourest candy to give to Aenzel. Aenzel’s happy face as they tried them made Nina and Mattie giggle.

When Surya and the others walked out of the cafe, a group of kids along with their parents passed by. They looked like they came from the other part of the town.

“Oh my gosh, look at that giant!” one of the kids shouted, pointing at Aenzel. Surya turned and saw Johnny staring with his mouth open.

“He’s not a giant, Johnny! He’s my Uncle Aenzel!” Surya said, taking Aenzel’s hand and tugged them away. He really didn’t want to deal with Johnny being a jerk tonight.

“Is this the same Johnny from the one you told me about?” Aenzel asked. They sounded curious.

“He’s a jerk. I'm kinda glad that I don’t have to deal with him again after this”, Surya shrugged.

“You’re surprisingly mature about this”, Aenzel said with a small smile. “It's funny that Humans find me tall. For a Vaidesse, my height is rather below average, you know.”

“Really?” Surya eyes widened. He thought Aenzel was already tall—but there were other Vaidesse taller than them?

“The current Spear leader is at least twice as tall as me”, Aenzel said. “But then again, he’s part-Vaidesse.”

“But I thought you’re the leader?” Surya asked, confused.

“I gave my position away”, Aenzel replied with a shrug. “I want to give you the best childhood I can possibly give, and I cannot do that if I'm still leading the Spear. I asked to move to a remote outpost, which is where we will stay for the next… hmm, however it takes for you to reach adulthood.”

Surya didn’t know what to say—Aenzel quitted their job for him and promised to take care of him and protect him. That was more than his own blood mother could ever give him!

Without hesitation, Surya threw himself to hug Aenzel—well, Aenzel’s leg, since Surya was too short to hug them properly.

Without a word, Aenzel kneeled down and returned the hug, before picking him up to put him over their shoulders. Surya shrieked as he was lifted into the air just like his dad used to do and held on the top of Aenzel’s head.

They went to several more houses after that, but Aenzel attracted too much attention. Other kids saw them carrying Surya on their shoulders and wanted to do the same too. Aenzel let them climb all over them patiently. Surya certainly wasn’t sulking about this.

“Of course you aren’t”, Jamie teased, ruffling Surya’s hair.

Surya crossed his arms and pouted.

Eventually, Nina felt overwhelmed by the crowds, so their group went back to the community center to pick up Layla and get Jamie’s jeep. They went home, tired but happy. Once they were home, Surya helped Jamie wrap Nina in her comfort blankie before putting her on her bed. They put on the white noise machine in the living room and sat in circle while they counted everything they got from trick-or-treating.

Then, Aenzel excused themself.

“But… why?” Surya asked.

“I have something I need to take care of before we leave tomorrow”, Aenzel replied. “I’m not leaving the planet yet, don’t worry.”

That eased Surya’s worry. At least Aenzel wouldn’t leave him again. He gave Aenzel one last hug before they disappeared into the night.

—

The next morning found Surya waking up earlier than usual.

The sun was not yet rising, and Surya blinked his eyes confusedly. It was rare for him to wake up this early, but it wasn’t the first time. He used to do it occasionally, back when his dad was still alive. In fact, the last time he did it was the morning before his dad died in a fire.

His dad… He was going to leave his dad behind.

No, not his dad. It was just a grave marker where his dad was buried. His dad was gone and he would never come back. But Jamie once said that everyone had a little star stuff in them, and when they died, their energy would return to the stars once again. Surya didn’t know how it worked but he wanted to believe it.

Quietly, Surya slid down his bed. Mattie and Nina were still asleep, exhausted from last night’s trick-or-treating. Without any noise, he padded out of his room and into Jamie and Layla’s room. The two of them too were still asleep.

Layla stirred when Surya slid onto their bed and under the duvet. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, before she turned to him fully. “What’s up, Surya?”

Surya opened his mouth, but nothing came out. There were so many things he wanted to tell Layla, and yet he couldn’t put it into words. They were feelings, he realized; conflicted, confusing feelings that contradict with each other.

“I’m scared…” he eventually said. Layla sat up—her pink dyed hair flattened on one side from sleep. Surya quickly added before she could say anything, “But… I’m excited? But, but I’m gonna leave you and I… I dunno, it’s all so confusing.”

And that was when the reality set in.

He was going to leave Layla and Jamie, and everyone else on Earth. It took him eight months to finally open up with Layla and Jamie, and now he was going to leave them—and Surya… found that he didn’t want that. He didn’t want waking up without hugs and kisses from Jamie, or living without Layla’s cooking. Could Aenzel cook? What if their cooking was terrible and he would find missing Layla’s cooking up in space?

So much would change.

“Surya, Aenzel said you can still go to Earth, remember?” Jamie said—now she was awake too. “And besides, you can still change your mind if you don’t wanna go with Aenzel. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“No, it’s not—” Surya paused, sighing. “What about you guys? I… Jamie told me that you’re gonna adopt me, but then Aenzel came and—and—Aren’t you guys… mad at me?”

“Surya”, Layla said, her voice serious. “We’re foster parents. We want our kids find a loving family and forever home.”

“Yeah, and we’re happy that you find your own loving family, Surya”, Jamie smiled.

At that, Surya began to cry.

“We’re so proud of you, Surya”, Layla said, her voice cracking as she pulled him into a hug. “We’re so, so proud and happy for you. You found someone who loves you and opens their heart for you—we’re just so happy for you, Surya, you don’t even believe.”

“Yeah. Eight months ago, you were all sad and grieving, and look at you now”, Jamie added, wrapping her arms around both Layla and Surya. She sniffled and gave Surya’s hair a thorough ruffling. “You’re gonna do something really great, lil’ man.”

Even as the tears kept streaming down his face, Surya smiled so wide his cheeks hurt. He tightened his grip around Jamie and Layla, pouring all his love and gratitude, and wished they could feel it too.

—

That morning, Layla went all out with the breakfast. There were normal muffins for Jamie and Mattie, and paleo muffins for everyone else. On the stove, loads of beef bacon strips were sizzling along with a pan of veggie omelette. In the oven, a fresh batch of dairy-free muffins were baking—they were for Surya and Aenzel to eat on their trip.

Nina looked like she was trying so hard not to cry, but she cried anyway whenever Surya gave her shoulder three squeezes. She hugged Surya tight and took a lot of pictures of him.

“I can’t believe you got adopted before me, hermano”, she said, wiping tears away from her eyes. “I thought I’d be the first, with the Olsens taking me at the end of the year.”

Surya remembered the Olsens—Mr. and Mrs. Olsen were a nice couple who wanted to adopt Nina, but they were going to prepare everything first before they could take her away. Mattie too already found a family who wanted to adopt him.

“This house is gonna be so empty without you kids”, Jamie said with a sad smile.

“And that’s good! We’re really happy for you all!” Layla added. She placed her hand on Jamie and smiled at her. “But yeah, we won’t ever forget you.”

“I won’t forget you too”, Surya told Layla. How would he? Layla and Jamie were the first and probably the best mother figures he ever had in his life so far. They opened their home and their hearts for him, even though they didn’t really understand what to do about his oddities or his trauma—yet still, they gave him the love of a mother that he’d never had before.

—

At noon, Jamie drove Surya and the others to the rock formation beyond the town. Aenzel was already waiting for them at the same ravine from two weeks ago, their ship finally uncloaked. Its engine was on and the ship was floating several inch above the ground.

Surya’s stuff fit in three cardboard boxes; Surya’s clothes and toys, his dad’s books, and photo albums. Aenzel helped Jamie and Layla load them onto the ship. Once that was done, Aenzel disappeared into the ship’s cargo. They wanted to give Surya and his family some privacy, Surya realized, and he was thankful of them.

“So”, Surya said, turning to Jamie, Layla, Nina, and Mattie. “I guess this is goodbye.”

“Yeah, I guess”, Jamie said, before hugging him tight. “I'm gonna miss you so bad, Surya.”

Surya blinked before his eyes went teary eyed. It was one of the rare occasion Jamie called him by his name and… Surya didn’t know what to say. Before he could think of a proper response, though, the others joined in a group hug.

“I'm gonna miss you too”, Mattie cried.

“We all are, Surya”, Layla added, kissing the top of his head. “You be good with Aenzel, okay? Listen to what they say.”

“I will”, Surya promised.

“Don’t you dare forget me, hermano!” Nina cried.

“I won’t, lil’ sis.” Surya hugged her and gave her shoulder three squeezes. It made her cry harder, much to Surya’s panic.

“Surya”, Aenzel called. They were already waiting at the bottom of the ramp. “Do you need more time?”

Surya turned back to his family, the one he stayed with for the last eight months, and for a brief moment regretted his reclusive phase after his dad died. He could’ve gotten to know them more, if he stopped being such a sadsack sooner.

With a heavy heart, Surya let go of the hug and walked towards the ship. Towards Aenzel.

“No, I’m ready.”

—

When Surya was eight, he learned about a lot of things in a short period of time. Like the fact that life existed beyond Earth, for example, or that he was part-alien—part-Vaidesse. That he had two foster mothers, two foster siblings, and one uncle slash guardian; all who loved him unconditionally and so strongly.

He was no longer alone.