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awkwardgtace · 10 months

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Adjustment Period

Day 17 Home. Back to alien au with Mikhail and Ian.

Ian's adjusting to living with Mikhail, but from his point of view it's not that great...

Adjustment Period

Ian hadn’t had an easy time adjusting to life with Mik.

The first night after Ian learned the man was an alien was harsh. He woke up to those earth shaking steps. He couldn’t bring himself to move at first, but Mik noticed he’d woken up. The giant moving closer and hovering over him was hard to accept. One of those massive hands was placed in front of him. He had no idea what to do.

“Ian,” Mik said. His voice struck through his spine. He could hear the hint of demand in the voice. He wasted no time in climbing out of the blankets and onto the offered palm. As much as he didn’t want to feel that strange silky skin, he wouldn’t risk retaliation. He couldn’t read the solid eyes that always felt locked on him.

The hand was moving as soon as he’d reached the center. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but the tree trunk fingers curling over him didn’t help. It didn’t seem like Mik had even considered that his steps were heavy as he walked. They still made it up to him and rattled his bones. Mik stopped soon enough, lowering him down to the place he’d made the translators.

Ian climbed off, happy to get away from the strange flesh around him. Mik stared at him before reaching all over the table. All Ian could do was stare up as the huge arms kept moving. He thought back to the movies of aliens dissecting humans. He just had to hope that wouldn’t happen here. Mik set something that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie in front of him.

“I need to do a body scan of you, please step inside,” Mik said.

Ian nodded and walked into the machine. He shivered once it started whirring, a green light flashed over him. It reminded him of the newer metal detectors he’d seen in some movies. The lights died down, but the machine didn’t open up. He stepped up to the edge and pushed against it. The door didn’t budge, he was trapped. He started to bang against the wall. He couldn’t get out. He had to get out.

“Mik!” he cried out. The metal screamed as it tore apart above him. He fell to his knees as the machine was pulled away. He was still locked in the strange metal while he stared at the alien above him. He screamed when the metal still blocking him was flattened by massive hands.

“Are you hurt?” the alien asked. Ian managed to shake his head. The terrifying smile of sharp teeth hovered over him. “I’m not sure what malfunctioned, but the scan did complete.”

Ian watched as the massive arms reached over him. Mik tapped the wall, but nothing happened. It didn’t help that he was only just noticing how little emotion Mik had in his voice. He couldn’t tell if that was just the translator or the man himself.

“There should be a small display here, it will give you a way down.”

Ian nodded and finally stumbled to his feet. He tripped over the flattened metal, satin skin caught him. He pushed himself off, relieved Mik wasn’t insisting on anything else. He’d felt the metal, it was sturdy. He didn’t ever want to be on the receiving end of Mik’s strength.

Once he reached the wall a glowing panel became visible. He pressed his hand to it, two parts of the wall slid open. One revealed stairs, the other something that looked like an elevator. He chose the stairs, he didn’t want to see what would happen if he got trapped in the elevator. An image of Mik ripping open the wall like in horror movies hit him like a brick. He got back to the blankets and hid under them.

That had been horrifying, but it wasn’t the worst. It was what Mik decided to do the next night that took that spot.

“Ian, we should retrieve your belongings,” he said. His footsteps had been a bit less horrible that day. Ian climbed out of the blankets, it was starting to feel like a pet bed. Mik did mention he’d made it for him. It gave him a strange feeling. The alien’s solid eyes locked on him. He hated failing to read them. “We can go once you’re ready.”

“Let’s go,” he mumbled.

He had expected the hand placed in front of him again. Instead Mik waited, just watching him. Eventually he started towards the door. Mik followed behind him, it wasn’t comforting. The heavy steps landing near enough he could have been underneath each time made him shudder. They got to the door and Mik pressed some panel high above Ian. The ship’s solid wall lit up in a large square before slowly lowering down.

Again Ian expected a hand that didn’t come. He led the way back to his campsite. He looked back at Mik once, but that had been a mistake. Seeing that the alien truly was taller than the trees around him almost made him run. He forced each step to be calm, ignoring the eyes locked on him. The uneven world shaking steps trying to match his pace. The campsite entering his sight was the best thing he could imagine.

He ran up to it, biting back a scream when Mik kneeled. The knee next to his small camp was terrifying. It just made him realize how massive the alien was. It reminded him of the idea that there was a planet sized to Mik’s species. He busied himself gathering what he’d left out that day.

Ian didn’t have much to gather. He had everything in only a few minutes. He turned to tell Mik they could go, but the alien’s eyes were locked on the tent. Ian forgot all about Mik’s weird gift the second day they met. He followed Mik’s hand as he reached over towards Ian. He got a good view of how small the little tent was. It was easy for Mik to pick it up and walk away at any time.

There was silence between them, but no move was made to lift the tent. Ian’s blood ran cold when he realized the intent was for him to be in the tent. Slowly he walked forward, sealing the door once inside. He wasn’t looking forward to this. He didn’t want to ride along in a nice carrying case for the alien. He crawled under the bed and curled up hugging his knees to his chest.

Mik made a noise he hadn’t heard before, but he could feel once the tent was lifted. There was a bit of relief once the warmth of a palm seeped through the floor. He didn’t want to think about being carried in the open air. How easy all of it was. That he would just be placed somewhere. He wanted to avoid this, but he knew better than to make someone stronger than him angry. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

He was jolted from his thoughts when the warmth left him. His stomach stayed in the air as the tent was quickly lowered. He could feel the impact of Mik sitting on the ground. It was distinct from the heavy steps, stronger and bounced him. He made his way out from under the bed and dropped the things he held close. Slowly Ian walked out and faced the alien sitting nearby.

“This should be a sufficient place,” Mik mumbled. Ian looked around. The tent was set on the ground right next to the pile of blankets. That meant he was given a corner in Mik’s room. The solid eyes locked on him kept him faking a calm. They kept him from admitting that this felt like a sick joke. He was given a fucking dog bed and a nice little dog house. It didn’t seem like he had any way to change things. It wasn’t like the ship would open for him.

“Y-Yeah…” he said. Mik made another terrifying smile attempt. Ian did his best to smile back at the alien, it wasn’t easy. When he said he cared and wanted an assistant Ian thought it would at least be better than growing up. Now it just seemed like he was going to be a lab rat, or a cute thing to watch. If he could at least read the giant alien’s eyes he could maybe handle this.

The saving grace was getting to keep the tent thing Mik made him. It felt like his own room even if he was stuck in a corner. The earth shaking steps were becoming easy enough to ignore. Plus inside the ship the tent had a screen like Mik’s weird tablet. For once Ian could spend time uninterrupted doing what he wanted.

“Ian!” Mik’s voice rocked the walls. Ian grimaced. He had no idea what was next for the alien to want from him. He’d been hearing something like a dog barking the few times the steps were close enough to shake the tent badly. Poking his head out he found Mik staring at a table nearby and not at him. “Food.”

He sighed and made his way out to the table. The dog barking he heard was probably Mik learning how to train human pets. Probably thought the videos were showing how to train him and not the animals. He just did as was expected and climbed the stairs that opened when he pressed a glowing panel on the leg of the table. He ignored the noise Mik made and just sat down to eat.

That pattern continued, but Mik ate with him at least once a day. He assumed it was meant to remind him just who he was staying with. When it was pointed out he was nervous, that Mik cared that he was nervous, he just wanted to adjust. He wouldn’t risk it being used against him. Although the alien stopped eating with him altogether.

Instead at least one meal had a conversation between the two. Usually it was just questions about human culture, health, or the planet. He made up answers a lot, the idea of Mik getting annoyed at what he didn’t know kept him on his toes. Outside of mealtimes he started researching everything he could. He would learn everything possible to avoid an angry giant deciding to punish him. He wasn’t ready to see an alien one up the crappy authority figures of his life.

Life continued like that for weeks. Now and then a hand would appear and his name called. Ian obeyed each time. Usually the hand was pulled away before he climbed on, it seemed like a test to make sure he was listening. Mik’s steps were getting lighter as time went on, a bit of a relief. He could get used to it, but it wasn’t easy for his body to stop reacting.

The nightmares weren’t helping either. He couldn’t stop thinking about that strange satin skin wrapped around him. Tightening until he couldn’t breathe. Worse were the ones where those sharp teeth were opened in his face just before he was buried in darkness. He woke up and took long showers after those ones. He wanted the feelings gone. All he could do was hope things would improve.

Of course the times Mik hadn’t been careful weren’t helping. Sometimes his tablet was too loud and he heard a few strange comments. Things that definitely sounded like training. He’d started sleeping with the translator on, waking up to the machine repeating something about proper human habitats. He just hoped it was better than living in the woods, or with the people in his past.

There were days he tried to explore the ship. Mik didn’t seem to mind, most of the time. As soon as Ian started towards the main door Mik would start to follow. He assumed it was to make sure he didn’t run away. There hadn’t been a reason to escape yet though. He felt more like a rehomed stray cat than a dog. Given the freedom to do what he wants, but eat at the expected times and don’t leave. It was an easier life at least

“Ian?” Mik called. He sighed, but slipped out of his ‘room’. He didn’t want to keep thinking of it as a tent or a dog house. The alien was sitting on the floor with the tablet in his hands. He stared up, waiting for Mik to do anything. The solid eyes seemed to be on him, but there was a chance they were locked on the tablet.

“W-what’s up?” he asked. The alien leaned forward, the shadow was intimidating. It was a lot worse than Ian liked to consider. He was constantly reminded how small he was compared to Mik. It made it a lot harder to think about running away, about never coming back. There was no telling if Mik had some way to hunt him down.

“Would you be able to acquire this from the settlement we visited?” Mik’s huge tablet was placed in front of him. On it was a children’s book. Jack and the Beanstalk. It made him shiver, but that should be easy enough to buy. The little money he had could afford it.

“Yeah, I should be able to.” A sharp tooth grin met him. He had to force himself to avoid stumbling back from the alien. It didn’t seem like Mik noticed at all.

“I would greatly appreciate that you acquire this today.”

Ian didn’t get to respond before Mik started to stand. He couldn’t hold himself back from stumbling away while that happened. They were close together, someone bigger than the tallest trees was not fun to watch stand. It didn’t help that when Mik set his weight on his foot to push himself up it knocked Ian backwards. He tried not to think about it, but when he was on the ground staring up like this all he could see was a giant monster.

“I will accompany you to the entryway,” Mik just stared down at him. Ian nodded and scrambled to his feet. He ran in to his ‘room’ to grab a bag before leaving. Mik following him remained terrifying. One misstep, one moment of distraction, and he would be gone. The alien didn’t falter, never took a single hesitant step. He didn’t know how cared about he actually was.

Ian held his breath as the giant metal wall opened. He walked out, the door stayed open. The world shaking steps walked away. He was alone, he could run, he could just skip town. Except he didn’t have money or any kind of education that would get him a job. His life here would be better than anything he’d do on his own. Steeling his nerves he made his way to town.

The trip itself was uneventful. He made it to town, found a bookstore and found the book. It took all the money he had left, but he got it. Now all he had to do was make it back and hope the time it took doesn’t make the giant alien angry. He knew he should go back right away, but a part of him couldn’t do it. The only thought on his mind was that he’d never come back here. Mik would probably take him to be some example of how obedient humans could be. Eventually they’d force everyone into this weird situation he was in.

Someone bumped into him as he let his thoughts run wild. It knocked him forward, throwing the book from his hands. He stared in fear as a puddle started to ruin the small paperback story. He rushed to grab it, but it was too late. The pages were ruined, at least a lot of them. He hadn’t realized it rained recently, his own fault for not checking. Now that he thought about it, a storm probably would have left him homeless without Mik taking him in. He just had to hope whatever punishment Mik gave him for failing wouldn’t kill him…

The sun had set by the time Ian got back to the ship. A part of him almost hoped the door would be closed and he’d be waiting for Mik to remember to look for him. It might even convince him to walk away. That wasn’t what he found. Mik was standing at the entrance. An intimidating and imposing figure with eyes that stood out. It didn’t feel right that he could see their color so clearly. His legs froze as he stared up at the creature who supposedly cared about him.

“Ian,” Mik’s voice cut through the darkness of the forest. Every nerve in Ian’s body was itching to run off, but where would he go? His stepdad was long gone, plus he didn’t want to cover up bruises anymore. His mom would only make things worse, be useful or get out… He walked forward accepting whatever fate he’d be subjected to for failing the giant alien. “It is good you’ve returned.”

“Y-yeah, got the book too,” he said. He knew he should just admit it was destroyed, but he didn’t want to get punished out in the open like this. Whatever Mik did, leaving him to beg for forgiveness or nurse bruises, he wanted to be back in that tent at least.

“Good. If you would accompany me, I have something to show you.”

Mik shifted, the alien just moved and Ian nearly crumbled. He wasn’t ready to face this. Yet he knew putting it off wouldn’t help, it never did before. He walked forward, right into the ship. The door closed as Mik took the first of his steps next to him. Ian was in what would someday be his coffin. He just hoped he learned the rules fast enough he could avoid it for a while.

Mik took single steps to lead the way. Ian would catch up and Mik would take a new one. Each time it was harder to stay pretending everything was fine. The wall slid open as they approached it. Ian didn’t even know the ship had a place like this, he could still see Mik’s bed. It was a section that was hidden… from him…

Mik continued leading for only a few more of his steps. Admittedly Ian had already been tired from the trek to and from the city so this wasn’t helping. His limbs ached, but he wouldn’t put any ideas in the alien’s head. Not until he knew about the punishment for failing. Oddly, Mik stopped near a door that was only a few feet taller than Ian.

“Please go inside,” the alien’s voice was strangely quiet. Ian almost picked up some emotion in it. Maybe a bit of nerves. He didn’t understand why that would be it.

Taking a deep breath Ian walked forward. He held a hand up like he did for the stairs around the ship. It made a panel appear that scanned his hand. That was new, but almost scarier. Why did it need to know it was him?

Ian shut his eyes as the door slid open. Blindly, he took a few steps in before taking the risk to look around. He was in a shockingly normal by human standards room. A bed that looked too big was covered in sheets that had pretty much every superhero he could think of on them. An open closet with more clothes than he thought a single person could wear in a lifetime. Dresses, skirts, pants, shirts, blouses, styles he’d never learned the name of too.

He started to spin around. One corner had a desk that looked a bit too big, but the chair was properly sized. It actually looked comfortable, a lot more than the one Mik had in the giant room. A bunch of blankets were piled in another corner and he actually smiled. Mik definitely had no idea what blankets were actually considered. On the desk was a normal computer, notebooks, books, even a few sketchbooks. Hanging on the wall were a few guitars. It was like everything you could have an interest in existed in this room.

“Was this my reward if I didn’t fuck up,” he whispered.

“What does ‘fuck up’ mean?” Mik’s voice shocked him. Ian spun around and the alien was there, in the room, antennae brushing the ceiling. His heart started to pound, Mik could easily hurt him without killing him now. Ian started to shake as the alien tapped a tablet that looked way too small in his hands. “Ruin something? Ian, did something happen?"

Ian backed away as the alien’s impossible to read eyes locked on him. The alien stepped closer, head tilted to one side. Ian’s back slammed into something he hadn’t noticed. Books rained down around him. His vision grew blurry. He didn’t want this.

“Ian, what-” Mik started. An alarm blared that almost deafened Ian. Mik stiffened before reaching towards Ian. What looked like a snarl on the alien’s face.

“Activating Emergency Protocol.” A deafening voice sounded. Mik was surrounded by a strange ice-like pillar. His body stopped moving, but the tablet in his hands was thrown to the side. “Freezing researcher. Checking databases. Species classified: Human. Human, you will be given time to leave. The researcher will not follow. Emergency defenses in place. Upon departure, return to home planet is imminent.”

Ian stood there trying to process what he’d heard. An emergency protocol… that was giving him time to escape. Time to get away from the alien with a frozen snarl on his face. He couldn’t move. Falling to his knees as tears fell from his eyes and his body refused to stop shaking. All he could think of were the things that could happen. That Mik could come after him… The computer said he’d leave though.

A barking dog made him jump. The tablet Mik had lost when the strange ice appeared was playing a video. Not knowing what to do, Ian crawled toward it. He wasn’t sure his legs would work. Sitting on his knees he stared down at the tablet. A video showing kids from some movie playing with a dog. On it were notes in a script he couldn’t read.

Reaching out with a shaking hand, Ian picked up the tablet. Immediately the language coming out was english. The notes were translated too.

Many forms of media show humans playing with these creatures. It is hard to understand the relationship this means. Some treat them as an equal, others do not. Once Ian has adjusted I will ask him about it. Perhaps it’s an expected part of hooman lives. It would be hard to be my larger sizes with this, but it would not be hard to live smaller to ensure Ian is content here.

The note didn’t make sense. Mik was… Mik definitely just thought he was a pet or something. There wasn’t real care here. It… Ian looked around the room again. Really paying attention this time. He noticed things that started not to make sense. The clothes for one, if he took it off media why did Mik include so many skirts? The guitar on the wall looked almost exactly like the one on the cover of his notebook. The bed wasn’t just superheroes. It was the ones from the blanket he’d kept for himself the day they met. It was every variation of them.

Ian swiped the screen of the tablet. It moved to another video. This time it was someone probably around his age. They were cooking, it looked foreign now. They turned and set the food down, staring at it calling out a name. They followed up the shout with food and moved on. A new note popped up, translating once he tapped it.

It appears for non parental relationships it is common to announce a meal then leave it behind. This seems odd. If hoomans do not need to be together for meals, wouldn’t leaving access to them be better? I will mimic this for now, another thing to ask Ian about later.

Ian looked back at Mik. The snarl almost looked more like a worried grimace now. Less anger. The frozen body of the alien reaching out was losing the menacing aspect. He’d grown up with people out to get him, people manipulating him. His worries were always behind everyone else’s, but Mik was trying for him… At least it looked like he was.

Ian swiped again and again. Video after video played. Pretty much every single one had two people, close in age, with a sibling relationship. Followed by a section of notes on behavior. Some were simply saying this was proper behavior, others were questioning it with a promise to ask for more information later. All of it sort of made him smile.

Then he found a new one. One with a house that felt too much like the one he left. It had someone revealing some past traumas, maybe current traumas. His tears hitting the screen made it switch to the notes, notes that almost broke him.

This video details relationships with some kind of guardian. It seems… unhealthy. I am unsure what to make of this. Many of the terms make little sense. Foster system being a big one. Research did not reveal enough, I would like to ask Ian. I do not think I will be. When researching his behavior on meals I found many things referencing this foster system alongside abuse.

Ian swiped again, but it stopped showing videos. This time it was just notes. He felt like he shouldn’t read it. That this wasn’t just a note on humans and things they did. A tap on the screen translated it, Mikhail’s Personal Logs. He turned to look at Mik, his eyes almost looked to be pushing him forward. Ian didn’t think he’d suddenly learned to read them, but he wanted Mik to have him see this. He wanted to understand.

After researching human media I believe I understand the best interactions with Ian. I will need to determine the proper words. Translation will make it hard. I will also need to work on the more advanced translators, tone in speech appears important for hoomans. This will be confirmed when I conduct the scan. The explanation I was taught to give seems to hold back too much information. The most important aspect will be the things hoomans eat. I will have to work on a diet suitable once scanned if my own food is unsafe. I will also be glad once the security is up.

He looked back at Mik again. The security couldn’t be this emergency protocol right? Ian focused on the tablet again, scrolling to the next part.

The scanner malfunctioned. Ian had been trapped. It was completed, but the malfunction makes me concerned. I will be conducting maintenance on the rest of the ship before giving him access. I would not want him trapped until I find him. This should be his home as well as mine. Luckily it has registered him properly, the test with the wall paths proved it. I will have to retrieve the temporary housing after all. Ian likely has belongings he needs and this would be a good chance to show I do not expect to always carry him. The scanner malfunction was the bigger issue, but his immediate move into my hand has me concerned. I would not want him to think he is required to respond to me in that manner.

So… Mik was following him around because of the scanner issue. It was to make sure he wouldn’t be hurt. He gripped the tablet tighter before sliding to the next part.

I am concerned. Ian does not seem comfortable in my hands and yet stayed in the temporary housing when we went to retrieve it. I had been trying to find the right words to describe my concern before picking it up, but then he walked in. My worried whine went ignored so I did as he seemed to want. At least he did appear happy with the temporary location. I hope that the research about blankets was right. They bring comfort for the hoomans, the ones I offered should do the same.

“So… that noise you made was worry?” Ian mumbled. He turned around to face Mik while he read. This… this was changing things. He thought he’d moved on, he’d gotten better, but maybe he hadn’t just yet. Maybe… maybe he still had a lot to recover from after his life. Another scroll to another part.

I have noticed Ian responding badly when we eat together. My research indicated hoomans eat once a day at minimum with others. I do not want him to think he cannot have what hoomans expect here. I am finding myself lost more often. There are few one to one translations in the hooman language Ian speaks. I have realized that the word Ian called himself, ‘assistant’, may have translated to assistant. The word does not explain things correctly, but that can be dealt with after the meal issues.

“Are you serious?” Ian muttered as he looked to Mik. “The stupid thing translated the word the same way. I can’t tell what assistant is supposed to be. How can your alien tech not be a little better than this?” Mik’s eyes almost looked like he was laughing. He scrolled more.

I have found stories of beings of my stature. Many paint them as creatures who eat others. While I know my kind eats meat, we would never treat others how the stories explain. There is one that seems most prevalent, Jack and the beanstalk. I would like to know more about this, but that is for later. Based on my research I have decided to discuss with Ian his troubles with meals around me. It is clear my size could be a problem, I will begin preparations to maintain a smaller size soon.

“I thought you needed that machine to be small… although I guess this situation already shows I was wrong.” Ian stared at Mik again. He was still terrified if he saw Mik eating. The massive teeth that could crush him in an instant. He’d just stopped eating with him after talking about the issue. It was considerate, but he expected it to be used against him. He scrolled to the next one.

I found more hooman media. It is becoming clear Ian has likely not lived a normal hooman life. I would like to give him something similar. We won’t be able to share meals, but perhaps something else. Starting today I will try to mimic some conversations I’ve found in my research… There was one that worries me. It is something we have not had issues with. It seems hoomans have distinct family units that we do not hold. A very different lifestyle. It is making the struggle to translate assistant make more sense. I will begin trying to find the proper word to explain to Ian… I hope I am able to make him feel safe here.

“Ugh, what is it supposed to mean?” Ian groaned. The panic from before managed to fall away. He was literally reading Mik’s diary. The man was frozen and he was sitting there on the floor… inching closer. He wanted to understand. Mik was different, like the good foster parents he had. More like their son, the brother he sort of had.

It took some time, but all the checks are completed. I have been trying to find a way to tell Ian, but each time I go I fail. I… the more research I do the more I worry he has misunderstood. It seems our species have similar bonding habits. The furry creature I’ve started to find leads me to believe so. I just cannot find the right words. I’ve been nervous to suggest the new translator as well. I have updated it with my own research. I do not know what words will change between us once that happens.

“I guess that makes sense.” Ian had gotten right next to Mik. He scrolled past a few parts while keeping eye contact. He didn’t know what he was looking for anymore. “I can’t tell if you actually are awake in there. What any of this is… I thought you were gonna hurt me once you looked up what I said. I… the book got messed up all the pages are soaked.” Tears blurred his eyes, he blinked them away and went back to reading.

I have finally finished updating the security. It was not reacting properly to Ian, I didn’t realize that. I will let him know how it works once I can show him his room. It should make this simpler, I will also be living at a smaller size once that happens. The only times I need to be my preferred height will be for meals and some reports. It is not uncommon, I am glad I came to this planet now. Others would struggle more.

“The pictures were ruined and the words all mashed together. It took all the money I had left. I thought about running away, I didn’t want to know what you’d do… I couldn’t afford to go anywhere else.” Another scroll through a few passages. He got to the last one, the one from today.

I have requested Ian retrieve the story I’d found. Jack and the beanstalk. I plan to have him explain things from it once he gets back. While he is gone I will finally set up his room. I researched all I could and made things that I felt he would like. I noticed he had some pictures of himself in those clothes called skirts. I’ve added any clothes that fit similarly to what he had. I also made a copy of the image on his book he would normally be reading. I do not know what a guitar is, but it seemed important to him. The thing I hope he will like most is the blanket. I learned of superheroes and their incarnations. I found all that I could of the ones on his blanket from when we met and added all of them before making it. Admittedly this was also my way of giving him the chance to leave. I worry he thinks he is trapped so I have given him a chance where I am far away to let him stay gone. I will not be looking for him… Today I will explain the emergency protocol when he returns. I hope he returns, I found the right word too. I would like to clarify he is not what hoomans call an assistant.

“What am I then?” Ian mumbled. The solid eyes in the ice pillar almost looked sad. At best he could guess Mik wanted to talk. He didn’t know how to let it go either.

“Calculated escape time has passed.” The deafening voice blared again. “Please clarify with an affirmative word in your language if you are trapped, human. Otherwise release protocols for Researcher will begin.”

Ian stared at Mik. This was his chance to run. To get Mik away from him forever. It almost seemed like the better option. Ian wasn’t a normal human, he’d been through enough that he couldn’t help. He had questions though and Mik’s notes said he could leave. Maybe… maybe that meant it would be worth the risk. Staring into the solid eyes, Ian chose not to move.

“Silence taken as negative. Initiating release protocols. Please update the protocols for humans if this was improperly activated.”

Ian flinched when the voice said that. He didn’t think about changing it. Panic gripped him as the pillar started to fade. It turned into a vapor and Ian scrambled back. Mik blinked as the pillar continued to fade. Soon his upper body was freed, a head that still sat at least three feet above Ian. The snarl stayed and that made it almost worse. Now Mik would be angry.

Ian realized he was still holding the tablet. He threw it closer to Mik to avoid the alien coming close. When the man was frozen it was easy to see the weird guy who hung out in the woods with him. Now he had to face the completely free mini giant form of an alien who could crush him without knowing.

Mik stared at him. Ian stared back. There was a terrifying silence that hung over the room. Finally Mik started to move and Ian flinched. The alien didn’t stop moving, until he was outside the room. Then he turned back, their eyes met, and the alien sat down. Ian reluctantly started to crawl forward.

“Don’t,” Mik said. Ian froze, fear controlling every nerve. This wouldn’t be such a bad room to be trapped in for a punishment. “I do not know how I sound, but the room itself will translate my words. Place your translator on any surface and the updated translator will take over…”

“...I thought you weren’t sure you wanted me to hear the clearer words?” Ian said. It was probably stupid, but it was clear Mik knew he read it. The alien did hear everything he was saying.

“I would prefer the risk so your tone receptors will potentially understand better. I fear we have not communicated well until now.”

“I don’t know, been pretty clear to me. You give me a place to stay and I do what you want to help you learn about humans.” The weird noise sounded from Mik, the noise that meant worry. Ian bit his lip, but slipped the translator off his ear. He set it on the desk, a light glowing beneath it. “There it’s out.”

“Thank you.” Ian’s eyes went wide. For the first time, Mik actually sounded relieved. “Are the tone translators working? I had to adapt the translator we used for what humans would call an avian species. They used similar tonal indicators.”

“You sounded relieved then curious so I think so… What happens next?”

“I am sorry for making you feel unsafe. This was not the intention. In the time since you have agreed to stay I learned there were many issues with our translations at first.”

“I noticed.” Mik made another strange noise.

“That is true. I am quite relieved I made those logs now. They seemed unnecessary at the times I was writing them. A habit I kept from my past travels.”

They sat in silence for a bit. He couldn’t understand what Mik’s point was. So Ian knew he’d misunderstood so far. Then there was the weird security that went off. Now he was sitting on the floor of a room made for him. Maybe the word did translate as pet. Mik’s notes said they were similar in bonding, humans pack bond with anything. Maybe Mik does too and he really was just a cute pet for the alien, but he got to choose to be one. Mik made a noise that made him focus on the present again.

“I am… unsure about the right words. Knowing the translators are not perfect as I had mistakenly assumed has made me more cautious than originally. I… Can you tell me how I caused your panic to trigger the security system in order to avoid it again?”

“What do you mean? It’s not like I know what made that go off. You can just update it so it doesn’t happen again.” Ian crossed his arms and looked away.

“The system is set up to match what the scan detects as an extreme response. In my research I believe you would call it fight or flight. I do not intend to make you fear for your life…”

The pain in Mik’s voice made it hard for Ian to keep his head down. He was scared to look up though. To see the snarl on the man’s face. “It was nothing, don’t worry about it. I just got too in my head.”

Another strange noise. Another period of silence. Another moment that Ian wondered what he had signed up for. In all his life he’d never had someone this worried. All the things the alien wrote promised care about him. It didn’t make sense. He was just some guy, some assistant or pet. Honestly with everything Mik wrote about the wrong translation pet was probably the nicest outcome.

“I do not know the proper human responses. Please tell me if I am making some mistake.” Ian managed to look up and see the snarl almost deepen. It was making this somehow easier to handle. Anger he could try to understand. He nodded. “I had spent time editing the security. Other species my kind has met did not have their bodies react with such high intensity. I… I fear I have caused a problem inadvertently.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter. You can fix it so it doesn’t happen again and we can move on.”

“I have no intentions to change the system. Clearly it reacted at the proper time.” Ian flinched hearing that. Mik knowing that something had been wrong was worse. That he was terrified could lead to more trouble in the end. “I wonder if I should not change it to make it react more quickly. This offer I made to stay here… the word you used did not translate well. I was offering a home and the word I heard would now best translate as brother.”

“Brother?”

Mik nodded and Ian felt strange. He’d been so scared of being a pet, but being a brother that… That was nice. He had wanted a brother when he was younger. One to protect him from his stepdad. To help handle meeting the needs and expectations of his mother. To go with him from house to house once he was taken from that mess of a home… A brother and a home sounded nice.

“I would also like to clarify how this system works, in the event this happens again. Should you leave, my vessel shall ensure I am frozen until reaching my home planet again. Once that happens I will likely be moved to a position there. Whether that happens or not I will not be the one who returns here, nor will any of my kind attempt to contact you to aid in understanding.”

“So you’ll just leave… I can make you leave, one bad dream and off you go.” Ian couldn’t believe that was possible. “As if…”

“That is correct. I would not want you fearing for your life once leaving if that was the best course of action you could take.”

“Why? Isn’t it just easier to move on? Fix it so I don’t set it off. I’ll get used to all of this.”

“I do not agree with that. It would be easier, yes, but that would not make this a place you feel at ease. As I said this offer was for a home and what humans call brotherhood. It would not be that if you were to adapt merely to what I am used to. That is not how I personally view things, I’m sure someone else may prefer such an approach. I find it… wrong. I do not know if the word translates well even with the modifications.”

Ian was honestly lost. No one had ever treated him like that. The best families still wanted him to match things. He couldn’t react strongly, his distaste for touch most times was treated like a problem. It was his responsibility to get over what bothered him. It was the only thing he could do and Mik didn’t want to make him.

“Ian?” Mik’s voice shook him. It wasn’t using the translator and this time Ian really listened to his voice. A tone that held more concern than he’d heard in his life… It terrified him more than Mik’s size. “I… This section of my home has most structures built to your size and my current height. I had intended to discuss an adjustment period where I remained like this. If you prefer to leave I will aid you how I can.”

“When did the security system start working?” Mik sat up, the snarl on his face finally disappearing. Now he looked almost neutral, less angry. The alien’s reactions probably weren’t the same as humans had. He almost forgot that, the smile alone should have told him that.

“I had to adjust it as I said so this morning was the first day of proper operation. I apologize for the delay. I assume this means there were times it should have activated.”

Ian looked around the room. Memories of the times he was told he couldn’t dress how he wanted floated forward. That wanting to study music would be a waste. That most of his interests weren’t worth their costs. Mik just… got it all. Things Ian never thought about were here too. The sketchbook, computer… things he knew others had growing up.

“Probably. I have nightmares… a lot.” The snarl mixed with a grimace took over Mik’s face. “About you and just life… I wake up in a panic, it would probably trigger all the time.”

“I see… That shouldn’t be a problem then,” Mik’s calm answer and change of expression almost hurt. There was no way the alien could actually be alright with a constant freeze and threat to be sent home. Although he did say this place could be Ian’s home now. “It would alert me to times I should be more careful in my actions. It seems like a valid compromise.”

“What!?” Ian moved forward, his hands on the ground and staring up at Mik. “I mean you’d just let that happen. Constantly deal with the threat of being shipped off into space? Losing this whole thing you worked towards? Why?”

The antennae Ian could see now were curling on Mik’s head. “It would make you feel at ease, correct? Is that not how human brothers would act? Perhaps the translation is still wrong then. I may require aid in researching the proper terms to upgrade the database.”

“I… I don’t know if that’s how they act. No one has acted like that for me… I adjust how they want and it works. Isn’t that what you want? Shouldn’t I just get used to your steps, teeth, size, just everything? Isn’t that easier?”

Mik’s antennae stood up straight, it looked painful. “It seems my theories may have been correct. Ian, may I come closer?”

Ian nodded and reluctantly watched Mik stand. As it happened Ian managed to climb to his feet, staring up at the alien walking into the room. He didn’t know if the translator would work or if he wanted it to. If this was when the anger that hadn’t been revealed would finally seep out.

Mik stopped in front of him, a towering and intimidating form. The red skin made him think of demons, sharp teeth of monsters. The antennae reminded him of a butterfly oddly enough, but that flew from his mind as Mik kneeled. The impact was loud, heavy, and made Ian flinch. The solid dark green felt like it saw into his soul.

Hands bigger than his head settled on his shoulders. He tensed, waiting for a strike. Instead he was pulled close, the massive arms surrounding him. Mik pressed Ian’s head against his chest, where it was easy to hear the arrhythmic beating. Most of the time Ian would be terrified, but this one he sort of trusted. He didn’t think he’d get hurt.

“This home. Ian is safe. Brothers keep each other safe,” Mik said. His voice was strangled. The words didn’t sound exactly right. A nuance in each that told him that the speaker wasn’t human. Yet it broke the last wall keeping Ian from taking the risk on this promise.

“Can you at least make the system not threaten to send you careening into space?” Ian mumbled into Mik’s chest. The alien’s arms tightened and Ian almost cried. This was the first time he’d actually felt safe and it was in the arms of someone who could squash him like a bug.

“Yes.”

“Can you get me the translator? Your voice sounds all weird when you try to speak english?”

Ian didn’t expect Mik to pick him up. The alien wasn’t letting him go, but that was alright. Brothers keep each other safe… Mik would keep him safe. The hold on him was firm and gentle. A single arm kept him in place when the alien grabbed the translator. Instead of being set down Mik moved to the bed. Lying down holding Ian before handing over the translator. It was strangely nice. Maybe Ian was home here… maybe Mik would actually help him heal.