Until it wasn't.

He jerked awake, heart thudding rapidly in his ribcage. Viktor could scarcely breathe, hearing the wheezing gasps of his body desperately trying to suck in air. His surroundings were dark and unfamiliar, and his eyes flitted back and forth, trying to find some semblance of familiarity. He found none.

Feeling the panic beginning to squeeze his throat more than it already was at the sight, Viktor swiftly got to his hands and knees, struggling to twist his way out of his blankets' grasp. He nearly brained himself on the floor when his arm fell out beneath him, only just managing to catch himself on his elbows.

He finally broke free, sprawling out into the open living room. Feeble moonlight trickled in from the windows, and Viktor waited for his eyes to adjust, breathing in and out evenly if a little shakily.

Vok'Rul was sleeping on the couch, back facing Viktor. He was so still that Viktor briefly thought him dead before he saw his sides rising and falling. He listened to his soft breathing, barely able to hear it over his own harsh panting.

His eyes ached, and his hair was still slightly damp. He couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour.

He huffed silently to himself, pressing his trembling hands to his eyes. He couldn't even remember the dream he had.

After a long few minutes, he got to his feet. He quickly retreated to the office, splashing his face with lukewarm water. He took a few sips, but his stomach protested. Viktor didn't want to throw up, either, so he put down the dish.

He stood up, feeling a little lost.

"Kohgrash?" Vok'Rul's sleepy murmur came from the living room. Sick relief started pooling in his stomach, warring with his anxiety and fear. Viktor quickly went back into the living room, finding Vok'Rul sat up. His eyes were half shut, clothes a little rumpled. A blanket was starting to fall off his legs. Viktor quickly walked over, pushing it back onto the bed.

"Tas tih, cho'k?" the alien mumbled, brushing Viktor's slightly damp hair back. His hand was slightly heavier than normal, slow with sleep.

He didn't know what the alien was asking him, so he stayed silent. He didn't want to talk much, anyway.

Vok'Rul hummed, mumbling something else before he patted the space beside him, saying "Pora," before lying back down. Viktor, unwilling to choose between going back into the blanket fort or interrupting even more of Vok'Rul's sleeping schedule by dragging his bed back into the closet, easily made the decision to scramble onto the couch.

He was pulled in close by Vok'Rul's arm, who didn't seem to mind that he was getting water all over him. Viktor settled his head on the alien's chest, scrunching in as close to the large heat source as he possibly could. He stayed awake for a while longer, feeling and hearing the alien drop back into sleep.

His claws, which had been gently stroking up and down his spine, kept slowing until they stopped. His breathing evened and slowed down. Hell, Viktor could hear his triple heartbeat slow down as well. The embrace, coupled with the soothing sounds of Vok'Rul's breathing, quickly relaxed Viktor. He could feel the tension drain out of his shoulders.

Eventually, after his mind had turned off, he, too, fell asleep.

***

They were both rudely awakened when something fell heavily on them.

Nohkka's foot connected right with his chest, and he jerked out of sleep with a croaking gasp. He rolled onto his side and fell right off the side of the bed. He landed on the floor with a thump. Vok'Rul groaned much louder than he did, as he took most of Nohkka's sudden weight on his chest.

Viktor lay on the floor for a while longer, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. He looked out the window and dropped his head back on the floor with a grunt. The sun had only barely risen. He felt like he had gotten four hours of sleep.

Stubbornly, he curled up on the floor and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the sleepy murmuring of Vok'Rul and the high-pitched excited chattering of Nohkka. He nearly fell back asleep until Vok'Rul sat up and got off the bed. His tail landed right on Viktor's side.

"I hate you all," he mumbled underneath the massive muscle. Vok'Rul quickly lifted his tail, muttering apologetically through a yawn.

Thankfully, both of them left him alone for a while. He drifted, not quite sleeping but not quite fully awake, either. He listened as Vok'Rul ushered Nohkka around, getting her ready for the day. At one point, he must have slipped into a deeper sleep, because when he became aware of his surroundings, there was another alien in the room.

He lifted his head, blinking to clear his eyes. He reared back when he saw Thruul, quickly scrambling to his feet before he realized that it wasn't who he thought it was. A quick shudder of revulsion traveled down his spine.

"Rohsh, Thruul," he mumbled, stepping away from the alien as much as he could without making it obvious that he was doing it. Thruul probably noticed anyway. He was alarmingly observant.

The alien in question was getting bombarded with Nohkka's incessant questions, fighting to get a word in. He didn't seem to mind, though. He smiled at Viktor, who had to quickly look away, and gave a hello back.

"Vok'Rul?" Viktor asked him. Nohkka had since noticed that Viktor was on his feet and awake, because she came over and started petting his hair, marveling at how soft it was now that he had gotten cleaned. It was pretty fluffy, now. Whatever Vok'Rul had poured on him really worked.

Thruul yelled for Vok'Rul, which made Viktor jump and Nohkka start scolding the larger alien, who looked apologetic and bashful. But his shout did the job, because Vok'Rul swiftly came out of his room, dressed in grey and white clothing. He was halfway through pulling on his shirt.

He heard Thruul's breath catch, which he quickly covered up by asking something of Vok'Rul. The taller alien responded, oblivious. Viktor, incredulous, turned around to face the larger alien, mouth agape. He let out a hysterical little giggle before slapping his hand to his mouth, which brought all three aliens' attention to him.

"Oh, don't mind me," he said innocently, ducking away from Nohkka's hands to go bother Vok'Rul. "Norish! Come on! Hungry!" he said, tugging on the alien's hand and pulling him toward the office.

"Wonder if you even know," he told Vok'Rul as he watched him scoop out some jerky. No fruit this time, but that was okay. Viktor didn't want to pass by Thruul more than he needed to.

"Ro, Thruul!" Vok'Rul suddenly called out to the living. Viktor heard Thruul answer with a "teyk?" before Vok'Rul continued his thought. Thruul soon came stomping in, followed diligently by Nohkka.

Not enjoying all the company - especially Thruul's - in his room, Viktor took a few paces back, settling into a crouch behind his water dish. His fingers brushed the edges of it. Vok'Rul gave his dish of jerky to Thruul, who looked at it with visible confusion on his face before Vok'Rul gestured to Viktor.

Viktor's mouth set into a firm line, brows furrowing to display his agitation at this idea. It was one thing to be fed treats by Rukka, and a completely different thing to be fed by Nohkka, who was just a kid. Viktor wouldn't - couldn't - let Thruul anywhere near him, even if he had food. The one time he needed water was under extenuating circumstances.

Still, none of the aliens seemed to care about what he thought. Thruul stepped closer, and Viktor's fingers tightened around his water dish. His eyes never left the alien's hands.

"Kohgrash," Thruul said softly, setting down the dish at arm's length from the human.

"Go away," he responded. Unfortunately, the alien must have taken his response as a signal to try and reach out a pet him.

Images of the ringmaster reaching out to grab his collar, his hair, his neck, flashed behind his eyes, and his mouth twisted into a snarl. He threw the dish as hard as he could at the alien. Water splashed all over his face as the dish connected solidly with his skull. Thruul reared back in surprise, blinking water out of his eyes.

He heard Nohkka gasp and Vok'Rul sigh in disappointment, but he didn't take his eyes off Thruul. His shoulders tensed, and he shifted slightly onto the balls of his feet, ready to spring up and take off if it came it that.

But it didn't. Instead of his face twisting into a nasty sneer, Thruul started rumbling in his chest, long and loud. Nohkka joined in on the giggles, bouncing up to Thruul. She started chattering at him, hands on her hips. He wiped the water off his face with his clothing, still chuckling. Vok'Rul started speaking with an exasperated tone, but Thruul waved him off.

They left him in peace after that, and he ate his jerky quickly. His hands were trembling, just slightly, but Thruul's reactions to whatever he did were slowly taking root in his mind. Not the ringmaster, he silently reminded himself. He wiped his hands on his shirt, trying to stop their shaking.

He supposed it was nice to be viewed as an animal with trauma, though. As he walked out of the office to find the living room empty and made his way to the spiral staircase (ugh), he appreciated the lack of consequences. Scolding him was a hit or miss, and it seemed like Vok'Rul wasn't willing to miss. Too many things reminded him of the ringmaster.

Still, he wasn't completely guilt-free. He did feel a little bad that Thruul got soaked and slapped in the face with a metallic dish for no good reason. He had no idea how to pronounce their word for sorry, though, and there wasn't anything else Viktor could do for him, so he decided to let it lie, for now. Maybe an opportunity would come up eventually.

Getting downstairs was a little difficult, as he had grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders on the way to the stairwell. He managed to get to the kitchen without completely killing himself on the way down though, so he counted it as a win.

Thruul had the stove on again, making something delicious if the smell was anything to go by. Viktor could see Vok'Rul, Nohkka, and perhaps less surprising than it should be, Rukka and Kac, as well. Viktor crept by the alien as stealthy as possible, but he was sure he had been noticed. The alien's volume had decreased significantly by the time his feet touched the ground. He quickly made it through the kitchen.

Nohkka and Rukka were sitting next to each other at the table, while Kac and Vok'Rul were near the doorway, chatting with one another. Viktor popped up near Vok'Rul.

"Rohsh," he announced his presence, quickly dodging the petting attempt that Nohkka made from her seat at the table, nearly making her lose her balance. Rukka quickly pulled her back into place. She sat on some super large cushion that boosted her height, allowing her to see. Alien booster seats. Interesting.

Kac said something approving, moving forward to touch Viktor. He bared his teeth half-heartedly, backing away quickly. Fortunately, she didn't move forward. Vok'Rul said something, mentioning Thruul, and Kac merely hummed her response. Unfortunately, he moved right into Nohkka's range, and she patted his head with earnestness. He let out a long-suffering sigh, but stayed near, nonetheless.

Breakfast was served swiftly. Sticking by Nohkka certainly had its benefits, as she was sneaking some of the meat Thruul had made for the family. Viktor had never seen the table so full, nor heard the place so loud. It was kinda comforting, really. It reminded him of his own family, their little holiday gatherings.

The fourth time Nohkka snuck him some meat - it tasted absolutely delicious, like seared honey, maple syrup, and bacon - Rukka caught her doing it. Viktor booed when she told Nohkka to stop feeding him.

Viktor wandered over to Vok'Rul, secretly hoping the alien would feed him, too. No luck, though. Thruul was seated to the right of Vok'Rul, and Viktor thought about asking him for a split second before he banished the thought hastily. They finished up their breakfast eventually, much to the joy of Nohkka. She was excitedly running around the room, having finished her portion a while ago (with his help, of course).

Viktor stuck to Vok'Rul like glue, half-afraid that she would start chasing him around again. She left him alone for the most part.

He followed the alien out of the room and into the entryway, Nohkka hot on their heels. He spoke quickly with an alien who had been standing stiffly in the middle of the room. As soon as it spotted Vok'Rul, it gave a short little bow, face stony but with a few hints of irritation. They exchanged words, fast and hushed.

Viktor watched the exchange carefully, especially as Vok'Rul grew tenser and tenser. Nohkka remained oblivious, opting to wander around the entryway instead of listening to what they were saying. The alien, who was dressed up in something he had seen the police here wear, but perhaps a little less decorated, stepped forward, speaking imploringly.

"Back off," Viktor snapped loudly, pushing himself in between Vok'Rul and the alien. The alien was about three feet shorter than Vok'Rul, just as slim, and would likely be no threat to the taller alien, who Viktor had seen display almost incomprehensible strength. Still, he didn't like that the alien was so close to him or the tone it was harboring.

It backed up, bowing again to Vok'Rul before straightening up. He said one last thing, pointing to itself and then Viktor, which made Vok'Rul sigh. He bit something out before dismissing the alien with a sweep of his hand. It bowed one last time before making a retreat, speaking quickly and firmly to the other bodyguards stationed around the entry. They shifted, seeming displeased, but did nothing.

"Hmph," Viktor huffed, looking up at Vok'Rul as the alien ruffled his hair affectionately. He said something fondly to the teenager. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Lay off the hair, man."

Vok'Rul went back to his wing, and Viktor heard him speak with the others. He told him to stay when he had tried to follow after him, so Viktor amused himself by watching Nohkka. She was chatting with - or more accurately, at - the bodyguards by the door. When Vok'Rul returned, it was with a small bag, and his leash and harness.

Viktor wanted to groan, remembered that there was no one here to chide him for it, and did so. "Seriously? I don't want to go shopping again!" he complained, begrudgingly letting the alien slip the harness around his chest. He enjoyed going out of the mansion, but shopping... he hated shopping on Earth, and being on another planet was no different.

Nohkka, when she caught the sight of Viktor with his harness on, gave a loud cheer from behind that frightened the absolute shit out of him.

"My God, Nohkka, my poor eardrums," Viktor had to slap his hands over his ears at the resulting shriek of joy when he said her name. Oh, right, they didn't introduce her to him.

After lots of petting by the child, along with proclamations of awshk and prosh, Viktor, Vok'Rul, Rukka, Kac, and Nohkka piled into a much larger car than he had seen before. It didn't have the official shine and feel that the limo-like car had, but it was definitely bigger than any of the others he had been around in.

Mercifully, Vok'Rul sat in the front and he quickly joined him, away from Nohkka and her well-meaning, but overwhelming displays of affection. Viktor sat, curled up in between the alien's legs. Soon, they were on their way to wherever they were going. Family outing, Viktor thought.

The lull of the car and his lack of sleep quickly made his exhaustion apparent. Along with Vok'Rul's claws trailing ever so gently in his hair, Viktor found himself fighting sleep quicker than he'd like. He got himself as comfy as he could (there wasn't that much room on the floor of the car, after all) and tried to nap away the trip.

When he opened his eyes, it seemed like no time had passed at all. His aching body told him otherwise.

Vok'Rul had prodded him awake, muttering softly to him. Viktor quickly sat up, allowing the alien room to awkwardly maneuver himself out of the open door. He hopped out afterward, stumbling slightly as his body realized both legs were asleep. He jogged in place for a little bit, gritting his teeth past the uncomfortable tingling feeling below his knees.

Nohkka was pulling on her parents' hands, nearly horizontal with her pleading request. Kac and Rukka gestured to Vok'Rul, who was clipping the end of the leash to Viktor's back. The driver that had taken them here was still in the car, making no move to get out. Vok'Rul said something to it, but Viktor couldn't make out its response.

Here was... what seemed to be a parking lot.

Viktor couldn't see very far, as he was only half the size of these aliens, but as they walked toward wherever they were going, rows and rows of cars were parked. They were off (still hovering somehow, though), and in a variety of very bright colors. It hurt his eyes to even look at some of them. Bright orange, neon yellow, lime green... the list went on.

Viktor stuck rather close to Vok'Rul. If he got lost in this parking lot, he'd stay lost. There were that many cars.

They weren't walking for too long, though, and eventually came to a large, rocky arch. It reminded him of the ones in Utah, orange and red in color. At the zenith, a large oval sign gave anyone wondering the premise for this establishment. Viktor stopped in his tracks, causing Vok'Rul to almost trip over him. The alien looked at him curiously, encouragingly, but Viktor didn't look at him. His eyes were glued to the sign.

They had gone to a motherfucking zoo.

***

Vocabulary:

awshk: smart, intelligent

cho'k: endearment, usually meaning little one, love; usually used for pets or small children

pora: come

prosh: good

norish: food

Tas tih: you're okay/are you okay (if followed by a question mark)

rohsh: a friendly greeting, such as hello or hey

ro: an exclamation to get someone's attention, translated literally to hey!

teyk: yes