Viktor woke sluggishly. He struggled to open his eyes, and when he did, he was nowhere he recognized. He blinked away the sleepiness, trying to fight the panic rising in his chest as he started to sit up. He felt a large hand cover his chest and push him back down, murmuring at him softly. Viktor let out a groan of protest but complied, trying to wipe away the dizziness that crept around the edges of his vision.

After a while of taking in his surroundings, he realized that he was in the limo. He was settled in the crook of Vok'Rul's arm, lain across his lap snugly. The blanket was wrapped loosely around him, and while Viktor didn't think he would contract frostbite anytime soon, he was still a bit chilly.

The most notable thing Viktor noticed, however, was not that he was in Vok'Rul's lap like a damsel in distress, but that his arm was no longer burning with pain like hot fire. He squirmed to get it free from the folds of the blanket and Vok'Rul's extravagant jewelry, seeing that it was covered in a cast.

It was black, like all the bandages from here, but much, much thicker. It was very similar to the casts they had back on Earth. It spanned from the middle of his upper arm down to his fingers. He huffed in displeasure. He had never broken a bone before, but he knew that the healing process could take weeks. He was not looking forward to it.

Vok'Rul seemed displeased that he was moving around so much because he wrapped the blankets around Viktor tightly, murmuring quietly and sternly to the human. Viktor sunk back into the warmth with a sigh, still feeling the effects of the sedation. He wondered how long he had been out.

Soon enough, they were back in the mansion. Vok'Rul carried him into his personal wing and up the stairs. Viktor did not protest, a bit too woozy and tired to do so. He'd probably just end up hurting himself even more.

Instead of dropping him off in the office closet as Viktor expected, Vok'Rul turned to the bathroom instead. Humming his confusion, Viktor watched as the alien settled him on the floor next to the tub. Slowly, the pieces started to click together.

"Nuh uh," Viktor said loudly, shaking his head. "No fuckin' way." He stopped when it made him dizzy. His tongue felt thick, three sizes too big for his mouth. Vok'Rul looked over at him, probably surprised by the volume. He said Viktor's name softly, petting his head. The alien turned back to the tub, fiddling with the taps that Viktor would have no hope of figuring out, and turned on the water. He spoke to Viktor, pointing at the ground and saying something. The alien left the bathroom in a hurry, leaving the door open.

Viktor scowled heavily, trying to stand up. He would not stay here and submit to being bathed like he couldn't do it himself. He got to his feet for a second, feeling victorious even if he was clutching the large tub for dear life. His grip faltered and his knees crumpled below him. Reflexively, his arms shot out to catch him. He groaned as he felt pain, though severely muted, race through his arm.

He laid on the floor mutinously, furiously staring up at the ceiling. He had no choice.

Vok'Rul came back soon, decidedly more comfortable looking and less metallic. The shirt he wore looked old; there were a few holes at the hems. It had some text that Viktor didn't care to decipher. He looked alarmed to see him lain out on the floor.

"Kohgrash," he said, asking him something. Viktor glared. The alien huffed, sitting the teen back up. Viktor easily could've sat back up by himself. He was just... taking a little break from moving.

Whatever the vet shot him up with was lethal. Viktor yawned loudly. Vok'Rul gave him a fond smile.

Viktor must have dozed against the tub because he was jerked awake as large hands wrapped around his middle carefully, lifting him up. A bit confused at the sudden movement, Viktor muttered half-hearted protests as he was set on the sink. He tried not to be wildly embarrassed when Vok'Rul peeled off his clothing. He was grateful to have it off, though. The articles of clothing were rather cold and stuck to his body uncomfortably.

The bath wasn't as bad as he expected. Viktor didn't struggle too much, considering he was fighting sleep and felt like a sack of shit. The water was warm. Vok'Rul had probably planned this from the beginning because there was already soap and shampoo that had some creatures he had seen in the arena on the bottle sitting on the tub. Pet shampoo, Viktor put together with a huff. Vok'Rul was lathering the stuff in his hair, large hands covering his entire skull.

Viktor was glad that he was nearly asleep. Otherwise, he would probably be doing everything in his power to get the hell out of here. The usual disgust and fear, when confronted with the alien's hands, was severely muted under the sedation and exhaustion that dogged his bones. Vok'Rul probably planned that too. Viktor couldn't blame him. He probably reeked.

The alien had more than likely taken notice of Viktor trying to wash his hair with his water dish. He had developed the habit within the arena, where the water was limited. It was no shower and soap, but splashing his face with water and scrubbing was the best he could do.

Viktor was pulled out of his thoughts when Vok'Rul's hands were replaced with a splash of water over his head. Unprepared, Viktor sputtered, wiping the water out of his eyes with his good arm. His casted arm was hanging out of the tub to ensure the cast didn't get wet. It helped that Vok'Rul let him rest it on his knee to prop it up.

Vok'Rul seemed to apologize, trying to wipe the water out of Viktor's face himself. His hand was huge, though, and just ended up blocking Viktor's breathing. He smacked the alien, who very promptly withdrew his hand. The next downpour of water to remove the shampoo went a bit better.

Once the imminent fear of drowning in a bathtub passed, Viktor dozed in the warm water. Vok'Rul scrubbed him with some exotic-looking loofah and soap, interrupting his snatches of sleep when he had to move the human around with a murmured noise of apology. Soon enough, Viktor was pulled out of the tub and wrapped in a warm, heated towel. He half-heartedly dried his own hair with the towel, getting reprimanded by Vok'Rul who pulled his arm away from the towel.

Vok'Rul thankfully left Viktor to dress, only helping by steadying Viktor on the shoulder when he felt as though he were about to fall over. A thicker sweater that was soft and gray along with a pair of thick sweatpants was what Viktor had gotten. There were no socks, which was to be expected. The aliens here seemed to go barefoot. After getting dressed, the large alien vigorously started drying Viktor's hair with the towel. Viktor thought his head was about to be twisted off at the neck when he finally stopped.

After a long moment of silence and little movement, still framed in the large towel, Viktor glanced up at Vok'Rul tiredly. The alien was looking at him intently, eyebrow ridges creased in concern.

Viktor studied him, a bit unnerved that the alien's vivid yellow eyes were boring into his. Vok'Rul must have found what he was looking for because he murmured Viktor's name and picked him up with little effort. Cradling him as if he were a small child, Vok'Rul exited the bathroom, extracting the towel off of Viktor's head and dropping it on the pile of clothing they left on the floor.

Viktor fought sleep with every step, but it was a losing battle. Warmed and no longer in pain, Viktor was really feeling the effects of the lingering sedation. He dozed in Vok'Rul's arms, despite the slow prickling of alarm in the back of his mind that he should really get out of his arms and go somewhere safer. He refuted that feeling with the thought that Vok'Rul seemed prepared to do just about anything for him, even if he was considered just a dumb animal, like that alien who locked him out seemed to believe.

Viktor wondered what would happen to it. Vok'Rul seemed pretty upset to find him outside.

Maybe he'd kick it out into the cold and see how it liked that. Viktor yawned, blearily watching from Vok'Rul's arms as they walked into his bedroom. The alien looked at him curiously when he yawned. Viktor looked back, unimpressed.

Vok'Rul dropped him gently on the bed. Viktor sunk into it. He groaned in appreciation. This bed was much softer than the one he had squirreled away in the closet. His fight with sleep seemed a lot more unfair, now. There was just no way he would win this one.

He stayed awake long enough to realize that Vok'Rul was letting him sleep in his bed, as the alien crawled into it with an exhausted sigh. He said a few words to Viktor, but the human's eyes were already shut, his mouth open, and fast asleep.

***

Viktor woke with a start, a bit confused about where he was. The bed he was on was soft, tempting him to go back to sleep. The dull throbbing in his arm, which sharpened as he moved to sit up, was what kept him awake. He rubbed his eyes blearily, taking in the view. It was odd being so high up.

He glanced over to Vok'Rul, who was facing him in his sleep. He had an arm flung over Viktor's legs, curling around him protectively. The alien was open-mouthed, snoring slightly. This close, Viktor could see Vok'Rul's sharp teeth. These aliens were definitely carnivores.

He looked a bit peaceful, even if he looked like he could sleep for the next week if the dark purplish shadows under his eyes were any indication. The sharper and long spikes on his cheeks made him look gaunter than he should be, and Viktor wondered if the alien was getting enough to eat.

Viktor straightened, a bit disgusted at his thoughts. Why should he care if this alien didn't eat? He rubbed his face with his good hand roughly. On one hand, these aliens were the reason he had a broken arm right now, the reason he wasn't wearing his own clothes, and the reason he had scars along his neck and up his arms. They were the reason that he was on a strange alien planet, who knew how many lightyears away from Earth. He would probably never see his dad again because of these aliens.

But on the other hand... Viktor looked at his cast, his comfortable clothing. Vok'Rul had been one of the few that have shown him any sort of kindness throughout his time here. He definitely didn't deserve the scorn and fear that Viktor harbored for the alien race as a whole, did he?

It was a difficult question. Viktor didn't know if he could answer it truthfully, but he had the nagging suspicion that his willpower to remain hateful towards someone who was nothing but kind to him was slowly waning. Especially after yesterday.

Viktor frowned as his memories were slow to return. He had been locked outside. Maybe climbing up the tree hadn't been his best idea, but eating the fruit had been worth it. He probably shouldn't have been so rash about it, though. He didn't think it had been poisonous. He felt... terrible, but certainly not poisoned. Still, he should probably be more careful in the future.

But the taste... it had definitely been worth it.

He remembered the chill, seeping into his bones. He shuddered at the memory. He had experienced mild hypothermia before - staying in the barely insulated warehouse with little in the way of warm clothing and blankets had definitely given him firsthand experience with the cold. The sluggishness, the difficulty remembering what he had been doing... yeah, definitely hypothermia.

Still, it must have been impacting him even now. He wracked his brain, trying to recall what had happened. He had climbed that tree, eaten fruit to his heart's content, broken his arm - which hurt so bad - and had been taken to the vet... then what? He felt heat creeping onto his neck and cheeks as he remembered.

"Oh my god," he muttered, head in his hands. He had been bathed like a little kid! Like an animal! How mortifying.

Viktor tried to console himself by rationalizing that Vok'Rul saw him as an animal and there was no need to be embarrassed. Still, it took a while for the heat on his face to go away. At least no one else would find out. Viktor sure as hell wasn't going to tell. He tried not to be sour that there was no one even around to tell in the first place.

Viktor carefully extracted his legs from under Vok'Rul's heavy arm. He thought for a moment that he'd have to wake the alien up to even get out of here, but he managed to pop free. He peered over the edge of the bed carefully, tucking his wrapped arm to his chest. Jesus, this thing was large. He was about to contemplate jumping off when something tapped his foot.

He jumped, screaming in fright. His grip on the edge of the bed slipped, and he fell to the ground with a thump. Viktor groaned, rolling over onto his back. His arm throbbed smartly. He saw Vok'Rul's head peek over the edge, looking at him. He spoke rapidly, getting out of bed and walking over to Viktor. His hands hovered over Viktor as he watched the human get up.

Viktor dusted himself off, standing up and throwing Vok'Rul the middle finger. "Jerk," he told him. "Just as I thought you were getting nicer." He didn't really hold it again the alien too much, though. It wasn't his fault Viktor was jumpy.

After assuring himself that Viktor was alright, Vok'Rul straightened up, chattering aimlessly to the human as he puttered around the room. Viktor took the time to peer in the closet when the alien opened it. He gaped. It was massive. Probably as big as the office. Shelves of clothing lined the walls, folded in neat little piles. There was a smaller pile laid close to the door, and after inspecting it, Viktor found out that it was the clothing Vok'Rul had bought for him earlier.

Vok'Rul grabbed something off a shelf and shooed Viktor out of the closet. The human huffed, crossing his arms with difficulty and walking over to the door. He shoved it open, hearing the heavy footfalls of Vok'Rul behind him. His neck prickled, and he pushed down the uncomfortable feeling of having an alien at his undefended back. It didn't help that he also had his arm wrapped up and confined. It still hurt whenever he moved, as well.

He entered the office and grabbed his food dish, shaking it insistently at Vok'Rul. He could've easily gotten into the bag and scooped some of his own food, but he doubted Vok'Rul would've been too pleased about seeing him do that. Oh well.

Vok'Rul grabbed his dish from his hands lightly. He made an 'ah!' noise and exited the room with his food dish. Viktor stood there, dumbfounded.

"What the hell," he grumbled. He figured the alien would be back soon, so he walked over to his water dish and managed to take a few sips out of it, even with his broken arm.

Sure enough, Vok'Rul came back with a small white bottle and more importantly, his food dish. The alien scooped some of the jerky into it and placed one of the pills from the bottle in the dish. Viktor was unimpressed. He wasn't some dog that could be fooled with that trick. He knew what object permanence was!

He ate the pill anyway, washing it down with some water. Viktor knew it probably was not going to kill him, hopefully, and that it was just a painkiller. He thought it was sort of worth choking it down since Vok'Rul seemed happy to see it gone. He hoped it kicked in soon. His arm was throbbing.

Viktor looked up from his nearly empty bowl when Vok'Rul called his name. He gestured in the familiar way that the ringmaster used to get him to the front of the cage, and his face screwed up in disgust. Regardless, he walked over to Vok'Rul, who was standing in the doorway out to the living room.

Vok'Rul said his name and a few other words he knew, like food, before bending down to pick him up when Viktor walked over. The human took a few hasty steps back out of reach, glaring at the alien. It was one thing to be cradled while nearly dying of hypothermia and a completely different thing to be picked up when his own two feet worked perfectly fine. Vok'Rul huffed his exasperation but didn't seem willing to force Viktor into his arms. Instead, the alien walked through the living room, gesturing for Viktor to follow along with calling his name.

Viktor let out a put-upon sigh, quickly disappearing from Vok'Rul's sight and grabbing his blanket to tuck around his shoulders. He quickly trotted after Vok'Rul as the alien made his way to the stairwell. The alien wouldn't take no for an answer when trying to hold Viktor to take him down the stairs. After a few quick dodges, Viktor had to admit that the alien was correct. There was no way that Viktor would be able to make his own way down the stairs with one arm. He'd probably break his other arm if he tried.

Begrudgingly, Viktor let Vok'Rul pick him up, who wrapped his arms under the teen's legs and around his back. The human gripped the alien's clothes with a death grip, hoping that he wouldn't get dropped. This was the first time he was being held willingly, and while he wasn't afraid of heights, Viktor wasn't too keen on relying on one person other than himself to keep him steady twelve feet in the air.

The trip downstairs wasn't terrible, and Viktor was placed back on his feet soon enough. He watched as Vok'Rul walked towards the fridge, tapping on the door. Viktor popped up behind his legs, watching in fascination as he tapped on symbols and characters on the fridge and opened it to reveal the spinning shelf slowing to a stop. Vok'Rul picked up a brick-shaped object. He bit into it, wrinkling his nose. Viktor mirrored him. That looked repulsive if he were honest.

It was sort of peaceful, though. Vok'Rul leaned against the sink, munching on his brick. Viktor sat on the floor huddled with his blanket. There was a particularly warm spot of sunshine being cast onto the floor that Viktor took full advantage of.

Even if there were some undesirable things he did not ever want to repeat while in this world, Viktor had to admit that there were some nice things, too.