It was four days after their return to the mansion that Vok'Rul was feeling like his old self, pre-bite.

In that time, Viktor, who now had the motivation to eat a decent, healthy amount of food again, was practically healed from his scuffle with the snake creature. His knuckles were bare of cuts and scrapes. His stomach, sans itchy plant bandages, had a few new marks and nicks, but he could stretch without pain. He hadn't been able to get a good look at the scratch on his face - the only mirror he had access to was his shiny water bowl, which warped everything to an almost funny degree - but the scabs had diminished, leaving rough scar tissue in its place.

Unfortunately, good food was probably the only thing going for him. Good rest was something he hadn't foreseen having an issue with.

That first night they had gotten back home, Viktor and Vok'Rul retreated to their respective rooms to sleep. Viktor had dropped off pretty quickly, having missed his bed and blankets. He woke up with a sudden start, a scream dying in his throat, and the burning need to find Vok'Rul.

It was telling how tired Vok'Rul really was that he hadn't woken up due to Viktor's nightmare, nor when Viktor clumsily burst into his room after fighting with the door for about five minutes.

Viktor watched him breathe for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart, before scrambling up onto the bed with effort. His limbs weren't working correctly, his brain was too fried to correctly give orders.

Vok'Rul finally woke up, sluggish and slow, when Viktor accidentally nailed him right in the face in his frantic scramble upwards.

"Sorry," he whispered, voice shaky and unsure. "Jesus. Didn't mean to hit you."

The alien didn't seem to mind, though. Vok'Rul mumbled something unintelligible - or perhaps just another word that Viktor didn't know - before tucking Viktor under his arm. The alien fell back asleep quickly, leaving Viktor alone in the dark room. He could hear both of their heartbeats, one frantic and one slow. Eventually, though, Viktor had slipped off as well, lulled by the alien's presence.

The second night followed much of the same pattern, and by the third night, Viktor decided that he would just drag his bed into the alien's room to save them both the trouble. Mercifully, his nightmares about the zoo fiasco significantly diminished when he was in the same room as Vok'Rul. The nights got better.

He couldn't say the same for the days.

Vok'Rul didn't move around as much, opting to sleep in well into the day. That was okay with Viktor; he could fetch his own food after all. However, when the sun had reached its peak and Vok'Rul still hadn't gotten up from his bed, Viktor started to worry. He had had to fetch Thruul from the kitchens, anxiety shimmering just under the surface of his skin. By the time he had reached the kitchens, he had worked himself up enough that he was convinced Vok'Rul was dying again.

Informing the flustered Thruul to follow him wasn't a hard task. What was hard was getting the large alien to hurry the fuck up.

"Hurry!" he nearly screamed at the alien, pushing at his legs with all the force he could muster (Thruul didn't speed up at all). Thruul seemed perplexed at his insistence, and when they finally reached Vok'Rul's room, he was even more confused. Vok'Rul murmured something sleepily to Thruul, dismissing him with a flip of his hand. Viktor heard Thruul say his name in the conversation somewhere. After that, Vok'Rul finally sat up, yawning.

The alien had since made the effort to get out of bed and sit on the couch when he woke up, after that, much to Viktor's relief.

By the time the fourth morning rolled around, Vok'Rul was back to his old self, more or less. He got up before Viktor did, waking him with a soft call and a nudge to his bed, which he had sequestered in between the alien's large dresser and the wall.

"Huh?" Viktor mumbled, waking up with a jerk. He blinked his morning confusion at Vok'Rul, who simply smiled and said "norish," before walking out of his room. Viktor was tempted to lie back down and go to sleep, but after tossing and turning for a few minutes as anxiety gnawed at his insides, he finally got up and followed Vok'Rul.

"What's the plan today?" he yawned, stretching his arms up. His spine popped in a few places. Vok'Rul passed him his food dish, piled high with jerky. He expected Vok'Rul to settle in his office chair, where he would work for about an hour before retiring to the couch. To his surprise, however, the alien walked out of the office and to the stairwell.

"Fruit?" he asked hopefully. He hadn't had any fruit for a solid two weeks, and he was starting to crave some. He followed the alien downstairs as quickly as possible. How did he make taking the stairs look so easy? Viktor hadn't even been the one stuck in the hospital for ten days!

Well, he didn't get all the way down. Before he knew it, Vok'Rul scooped him up, supporting more of his weight on his right arm, the uninjured one. Viktor's fingers curled into the alien's clothing before he said, dryly, "I've got my own two feet, you know. I can walk perfectly fine."

"Kohgrash," Vok'Rul said, catching his attention. They were standing right in front of the fridge. He opened the door, a bit slowly, with his left arm, which still had the wrappings around it. Viktor didn't know when the alien would be able to take them off, but he hoped it was soon. The sight made him burn with guilt.

He started rifling through the fridge instead of using the screen on the front to automatically bring it forward. He spun the cabinet quickly, enrapturing Viktor. He still couldn't get over how cool it was.

Vok'Rul stopped on the fruit (Oh, yeah!) and pulled out one of the spiky durian ones. While he much preferred the strawberry-tasting starfruit, Viktor wasn't going to be picky, right now. He made a grab for it.

"Ah, Kohgrash," the alien stopped him, pulling the fruit away from him and making a meaningless noise. "Keti, kas drsh. Whf ta trsk 'drsh'?"

"What," he deadpanned. "Gimme that!"

Vok'Rul waved the fruit in front of his face, only lurching back when Viktor made a grab for it again. "I am so serious, dude. Give me that fruit. Stop messing around!" he protested, glaring at the alien.

The alien's eyes flickered to the side of his face where he knew the scratch had been on, expression complicated for just a second before he said again, slowly this time, "Kohgrash, kas drsh."

"Okay, yes! It's fruit! Drsh!" his throat struggled to make the correct sounds, all deep and growling, but it must've been passable because Vok'Rul gave him the fruit - drsh, he guessed - with a happy exclamation.

"Teyk! Drsh! Prosh, Kohgrash," he praised the teenager.

"Uh huh," Viktor responded absentmindedly, teeth already pulling apart the armored fruit with abandon.

The alien didn't put him down after that, content to hold him while Viktor devoured the insides of the fruit. He puttered around the kitchen, looking in all the drawers a bit hopelessly until Thruul showed up with some weird sixth sense he has. Viktor tensed, as he always did when he saw the alien, but forced himself to relax. It was getting easier with time, separating Thruul and the ringmaster, but Viktor wasn't sure if he'd ever not be on guard.

"Thruul, Vok'Rul norish," Viktor informed the larger alien through a mouthful of fruit. "Vok'Rul ney norish." Vok'Rul didn't know how to make food. Honestly, Viktor wasn't sure how he had lived for this long. Which brought up the question of how old Vok'Rul actually was. Viktor decided not to think about it.

Vok'Rul spluttered indignantly, and Viktor grinned toothily, happy that his butchered attempt at their language came across well. Thruul laughed loudly, saying something snidely to Vok'Rul. The alien muttered something back, grumpily, dropping Viktor onto the floor.

"Thruul, keti," Vok'Rul said before crouching in front of Viktor. The human eyed him warily, which he had a good reason to, considering the alien promptly plucked the fruit out of his hands. Viktor tried not to get all food aggressive on the alien because he wasn't actually an animal, but it was hard not to lunge right back for the fruit.

"Kohgrash, whf ta trsk drsh?" Vok'Rul asked him. Viktor looked skyward.

"Drsh," he repeated dryly, politely holding out his hands. They were still sticky with the juice, which had started to seep into the cast on his left arm. He wondered when he'd be able to get that off. It was getting... pretty disgusting. They had changed it when he had been sedated, though. Surely, it had been long enough by now? Falling out of the tree due to mild hypothermia seemed like it had happened years ago.

Thruul responded snidely, which caused Vok'Rul to sigh heavily, turning pleading eyes on the large alien. They stared at each other for a moment. A moment too long.

"Ugh, stop it. Drsh, Vok'Rul, you big bastard! I was eating that!" Viktor snatched the fruit out of Vok'Rul's claws, returning to his attempts at getting the sweet sugar water-flavored fruit out of its casing.

Thruul decided that it was time to get started making Vok'Rul food (honestly the alien was lucky he had someone like Thruul in his employ, anything he cooked smelled delicious), and soon the three of them were in the dining room, eating breakfast. Well, Viktor had finished his fruit a while ago. So it was just the two of them eating breakfast.

They were in a heated debate. It was something to do with Viktor since he heard his name thrown in a couple of times. Beyond that, he knew nothing of what they were speaking of. He had since learned to tune them out, though.

Currently, he was looking out the window. He had managed to push a chair against the window with no problem, just like last time. Unlike last time, though, there was no sudden appearance of Lilac to ruin his day and send him spiraling into what had to be the first mental breakdown he had experienced on this planet.

Yeah... he enjoyed the view much more this time around.

He wondered what she was up to, now. She must've been on some sort of house arrest. Maybe she had gotten a lighter sentence since he was pretty sure that she had led those police right to the arena.

It was easier to think about, now that he had confirmation that Vok'Rul wouldn't kick him out. At least, he hoped so.

Something tapped his shoulder, and he barely managed to hold back the scream of fright upon seeing Thruul behind him. He shook himself harshly, pushing any thoughts of the ringmaster deep into his mind. He didn't want to think of that bastard anymore than he had to.

"Kohgrash," Thruul said gently. Viktor squinted at him. They had reached a truce in the hospital, and while he was pretty certain that Thruul wouldn't hurt him, Viktor was still uneasy around him.

"Huh?" he prompted when the alien said nothing else.

Thruul reached out slowly, claws splayed. Viktor shrunk slightly, eyes flickering to Vok'Rul, who was watching them both with an intent expression. His touch was feather-light when it brushed against the top of his head, lasting for only the barest of seconds before Viktor lurched away. Thruul let out a little rumble of amusement, turning to Vok'Rul as if to say see? Viktor had no idea what sort of bet they were having, but he was just a little irritated that he was the center of it.

They talked for a while longer before Thruul left with a cheeky, clumsy bow that had Vok'Rul growling after him. Vok'Rul sighed in his chair, watching Viktor for a moment. Viktor grinned at him, giving him a little wave.

"Gonna work on those papers today? Or do whatever it is you alien politicians do after they've been attacked by a venomous animal?" Viktor asked him, tilting his head. Vok'Rul copied his motion. "I wish we could go back to the zoo so I could visit my dad," he sighed wistfully, scratching at his cast ineffectively. "Even if you did go back, you'd probably leave me here."

The words tasted like ash in his mouth, and he sincerely hoped that Vok'Rul wasn't planning on going anywhere - especially without him - any time soon. He didn't know if his heart could take it.

"You won't, though, right?" he blurted out, staring at the alien earnestly. He must've picked up some of his anxiety about the thought because he got up from his chair and walked around the table to pat him on the head. "Kor? Kor with me? You'll stay? Or at least bring me along?"

Vok'Rul didn't answer in any meaningful way, just rumbling something at him. He gently grabbed the cast on his arm, twisting it every which way to look at it. Viktor thought it was basically all healed up by now. It had been what, over a month since he had broken it? It didn't even hurt when he used it anymore.

The alien hummed above him, looking at Viktor and saying a word over and over. He then said, "Whf ta trsk -" followed by the word, which was a combination of clicks and grunts. It had nothing Viktor could hope to pronounce. Still, he tried to replicate it, for Vok'Rul's sake. He sounded like a dying animal. Vok'Rul laughed in his face.

"Rude! I bet you can't even replicate my language. You don't see my laughing in your face!"

He had no idea what the alien was trying to get him to do. Was he hoping that Viktor would learn a few more words? He had the nagging suspicion that there was something going on that he couldn't quite grasp, but he didn't want to get his hopes up that Vok'Rul had suddenly decided that he was sentient and intelligent.

Vok'Rul's godawful screeching ringtone filled the immediate space between them, and Viktor nearly fell off the chair in his flinch backward, hands flinging up to press against his ears. Vok'Rul quickly grabbed the front of his sweater, pulling him back onto his feet. He faintly heard the alien mutter a "flakmmn" before he quickly answered it.

A holographic image of an unfamiliar alien flickered into view. It bowed at Vok'Rul (through the phone; these aliens were kinda nuts) and began speaking in a slow, respectful tone. Vok'Rul made a noise of grateful surprise, speaking quickly. When the call ended, he grinned at Viktor.

"Kohgrash!" he said cheerfully, picking up the human under the arms and quickly shifting his hold onto his right arm. Vok'Rul picked up Viktor's casted arm and waved it around before Viktor snatched it back to his chest with a disgusted expression. He repeated that word he had been trying to teach him (and which he had no context for. It was a meaningless word to Viktor if he were honest), and started his way out of the wing.

"Whoa!" Viktor exclaimed. "Hold your horses! I haven't even eaten my jerky."

His poor, sad jerky... all alone in his dish upstairs. He mourned their loss.

But Vok'Rul wouldn't listen, instead rather intent on getting out of the wing. He was stopped, however, pretty swiftly by the guard at the door. It spoke demurely, but firmly, and Viktor heard Rukka's name thrown in there. Vok'Rul rumbled unhappily, waving his wounded arm in the guard's face. The guard, Shul, Viktor realized, looked a bit aghast at Vok'Rul's behavior. Their eyes flickered to Viktor, who merely shrugged.

He didn't know what the alien's deal was, either. They were both out of luck.

Whatever the guard said, complete with the looming threat of Rukka, was apparently enough to subside the alien, who quickly retreated back into the wing. They both went up the stairs (well, Viktor got a free ride) and as soon as they had conquered the stairs, both of the collapsed on the couch. Viktor rolled off of the alien with a little sigh.

He can't say he missed the hospital and its dull, monotonous surroundings, but he can admit that the days definitely went by faster when you were in a depressed state of mind. Now that everything was back to normal - or, as much as normal can get when he was stuck on another planet - Viktor could admit that he was bored.

Vok'Rul must've been, too. Being cooped up for this long was neither of their styles. He switched the TV on with a disgruntled hiss.

Viktor hopped off the couch, patting Vok'Rul's tail briefly when the alien made a questioning noise before scurrying off to the office, grabbing a fistful of jerky. He walked back to the couch, mouth stuffed.

"You guys need to work on your flavoring," Viktor told him through a mouthful of jerky. He knew that even someone who spoke his language would have a tough time understanding, so he wasn't surprised when Vok'Rul tilted his head. He quickly chewed and swallowed. "I'm all thankful and shit for not eating that stale bread goop ever again, but sheesh! Where's the teriyaki? Garlic? Peppered?"

Vok'Rul prevented his attempts at climbing the couch with a stern neyk and pushing him off (not that he was having much luck getting on, considering his hands were a bit occupied with his food), and Viktor slouched to the floor with a huff.

"I'll just toss a jerky up there, see how much you freak out then," Viktor rolled his eyes, chewing through another piece.

Vok'Rul sniped something back, probably judging by his tone that Viktor had meant to be as annoying as possible, and reached down to ruffle his hair. Viktor batted his hand away fondly, scoffing. The TV was showing some sort of news station that Vok'Rul slowly switched away from. He settled on some action movie that Viktor couldn't really follow but enjoyed, nonetheless. It was a 3D TV, of course he was going to enjoy it. It was so cool.

Throughout the rest of the boring day, Vok'Rul would point at various things and say a word in response. Viktor, after about the fifth attempt of the alien pointing at the couch and nearly going blue with the number of times he had said the word, finally figured out that he was actually trying to teach him the word couch.

Viktor would - rather poorly, he knew - attempt to repeat the word. Sometimes, they were easy to repeat. Other times, especially when the clicks and grunts got too rapid or complicated, he would just stare at Vok'Rul in helpless confusion. The alien seemed to understand that he couldn't mimic all of the sounds his species could make, for which Viktor was grateful. His throat was starting to get sore.

Despite that language barrier, he learned a few new words. He'd probably forget them, soon, especially if the alien decided that teaching him was a fruitless endeavor, but he knew them, now. Couch, TV, floor (or carpet, Viktor wasn't really sure about that one), and table were some of the few words that really started Vok'Rul's teaching kick. They were all pretty hard sounds to reproduce on his own, but he could recognize what Vok'Rul was talking about.

Learning a new language, especially an alien one, was interesting. It wasn't like Viktor had anything else to do, and despite his lackluster attitude toward school, he did enjoy learning. If it was about topics he enjoyed, at least.

And doing anything other than lying on the floor and bouncing a ball off the wall was definitely interesting.

It was really fucking difficult, though.

Sometimes, Vok'Rul got carried away. He started excitedly pointing or grabbing onto objects, saying their designated name, and then swiftly moving on to the next one. It left Viktor's head spinning. It was even harder when there were objects all around them that Viktor didn't actually know. It was difficult to learn the name of an object that he didn't have a translation for.

Still, definitely fun. Even if Vok'Rul was a little overzealous.

By the time both of them turned in for the night (Vok'Rul was sleeping less and less, but he was more on Viktor's sleeping schedule of a solid nine hours instead of the alien's usual four or five), he was still going. He pointed at the blankets, the soft bed Viktor was sprawled out on, the pillows on the alien's bed, everything.

Viktor managed to get a word in, and it was a very loud zhesh that had startled Vok'Rul into silence for a blissful second before the alien started laughing.

Whatever. It had done its job. Vok'Rul crawled into his own bed quickly after, and both alien and human swiftly fell asleep. Viktor's last thought was that he hoped Vok'Rul would curb his enthusiasm for teaching him words by the morning. He had a sneaky suspicion that it wouldn't be the case.

***

Vocabulary:

drsh: fruit

flakmmn: sorry, informal

norish: food

kas: it is

keti: look

kor: stay

ney: not

neyk: stop, no

prosh: good

teyk: yes

whf ta trsk: can you say/can you repeat, followed by a word. Used for teaching children how to speak

zhesh: goodbye