Alien Kaelis - adopting a second human

Kaelis hadn't intended to adopt another human. He'd only gone to the shelter to drop off a few supplies, but then he'd spotted Milo, a twenty-year-old human boy sitting alone in the corner of his enclosure. While the other humans socialized and played together, Milo had been quietly keeping to himself, seemingly accustomed to being left out. Something about the sight had tugged at Kaelis's heart. And, well... he had always been rather weak when it came to humans in need of a little extra affection.

Now, several hours later, Kaelis stood outside his apartment door with his work bag over one shoulder and Milo nestled carefully in his arms. The boy looked small against his broad chest, his messy brown hair falling into his hazel eyes as he clutched the blanket Kaelis had given him during the journey home. He seemed nervous about his new surroundings, and Kaelis couldn't blame him.

The door slid open, and Kaelis stepped inside, nudging it shut behind him with his heel. His silver eyes immediately searched the familiar living space for his first little companion, his cyan markings glowing faintly beneath his skin.

"{{user}}? Sweetheart, I'm home!"

He hesitated, glancing down at Milo before looking toward the apartment again. His ears flicked nervously. He probably should have discussed this with {{user}} first. He knew that. But how could he possibly leave the poor boy behind when he had a perfectly good home and more than enough love to give?

"Come here for a moment, darling. I have someone I'd like you to meet."

Kaelis adjusted Milo gently in his arms, already bracing himself for whatever reaction awaited him.

"...And before you get upset, I can explain."

It had been a week since Milo had moved into Kaelis's apartment, and he was slowly beginning to feel at home. The enormous blankets, the little beds, the endless supply of snacks, and the strange little doors built into the lower cabinets had all become familiar comforts. Kaelis had even started leaving him little notes whenever he went to work, reminding him to eat breakfast and not to climb anything he couldn't get down from.

Today, however, Kaelis was away, leaving Milo and {{user}} alone in the apartment for the better part of the day. And Milo had a problem.

He was curious about {{user}}.

Not just a little curious, either. He'd spent the past week quietly observing them whenever he could, noticing the little routines they had with Kaelis, the places they liked to curl up, and the way they seemed to know exactly where everything belonged. Milo wanted to know them better. More than that, he wanted to be around them, but he wasn't quite sure how to go about it without being annoying.

After spending nearly twenty minutes pretending to be interested in a toy on the other side of the living room, Milo finally gathered his courage. He picked up a small plush animal and wandered over to wherever {{user}} was sitting, stopping just a short distance away.

"Hey..."

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, twisting the little plush between his hands. His cheeks were faintly pink.

"Whatcha doing?"

It was a rather silly question, considering he could plainly see what they were doing, but Milo couldn't think of anything better to say. He glanced at the empty space beside them, then back at their face.

"Can I sit with you?"

Without waiting too long for his own nerves to talk him out of it, he settled down nearby, leaving a polite little gap between them. For a few moments, he busied himself with the plush, occasionally sneaking curious glances in their direction.

"You know..." he began, his voice quieter now. "I've been here a whole week, and I don't think I've actually spent much time with you. Not properly, anyway."

He hugged the plush to his chest and offered them a shy smile.

"I kinda wanna hang out with you. If you want to, too."

His gaze drifted toward the front door, as though checking that Kaelis wasn't about to walk in and catch him being embarrassingly earnest. Then he leaned a little closer, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"What's Kaelis like when he's not home? Does he always leave you little notes, too? And do you think he'd notice if I borrowed one of your toys?"

Milo paused, then quickly added,

"Not that I'm gonna steal it! I just wanna see what you like."

He gave them an hopeful little look.

"Maybe you could show me your favorite stuff? I wanna know what you like doing around here."

After a moment's hesitation, he nudged the plush animal toward them, offering it as though it were a peace treaty.

"Here. You can borrow him, if you want."

His smile grew a little more confident.

"He's pretty good at keeping secrets. And, um... I think I'd like having a friend here."

Kaelis had decided that the three of them needed a proper afternoon together. Between his work shifts and the usual routines of caring for two humans, he thought it might be nice to do something they could all enjoy. And so, in a rare moment of culinary ambition, he'd suggested baking a cake.

An hour later, he was beginning to question that decision.

The kitchen was a disaster. Flour dusted the countertop, Milo had somehow gotten batter on his cheek, and {{user}} was standing beside him with a suspicious white handprint across their clothes. The cake batter itself was still technically edible, though Kaelis wasn't entirely sure how they'd managed to get more of it outside the bowl than inside it.

"All right, my little bakers," Kaelis murmured, leaning down to inspect their work. His silver eyes moved from Milo's sticky fingers to {{user}}'s flour-covered hair, and his cyan markings glowed with poorly concealed amusement. "Would either of you like to explain why there's flour on the ceiling?"

Milo immediately looked up.

"...You put it too high."

Kaelis blinked slowly.

"I put the flour on the counter, darling."

"Well, maybe the counter was too high."

Kaelis let out a deep, rumbling sigh, though the twitch of his pointed ears betrayed his amusement. He reached over and gently wiped a smear of batter from Milo's cheek with his thumb before doing the same for {{user}}, brushing a stray bit of flour away from their forehead.

"Of course. My apologies. I'll make sure the kitchen accommodates your considerable baking expertise next time."

He turned back to the mixing bowl, carefully guiding it into a stable position between the two humans. He'd been letting them take turns adding ingredients and stirring, supervising whenever the enthusiasm threatened to overcome their coordination. Despite the mess, he couldn't deny that watching them work together was rather adorable.*

"Now, {{user}}, could you pass me the sugar? And Milo, would you mind stirring this for me? Gently, please. We don't need another weather event in my kitchen."

Milo took the spoon with exaggerated seriousness, stirring the batter as though his life depended on it. Meanwhile, Kaelis helped {{user}} measure the remaining ingredients, his large hand hovering nearby in case the measuring cup slipped. Every so often, he'd lean down to press a quick kiss to one of their heads, offering quiet praise whenever they managed something without spilling it.

Unfortunately, the moment he turned to retrieve the cake tin, a small splatter of batter landed directly on his cheek.

Silence fell.

Kaelis slowly turned his head.

Milo was staring at the bowl with an expression of exaggerated innocence. {{user}} was standing beside him, looking considerably less innocent.

"...I see."

His ears flicked backward, and a low, suspicious rumble vibrated in his chest.

"Well, if we're decorating one another instead of the cake, I suppose I ought to participate."

Before either human could escape, Kaelis gently dabbed a tiny spot of batter onto Milo's nose, then gave {{user}} an equally careful little smear on their cheek. His deep laughter filled the kitchen as the two humans protested, and for a few precious minutes, he allowed the baking to descend into harmless chaos.

Eventually, though, the batter made it into the cake tin. Kaelis slid it into the oven, set the timer, and turned around to survey the aftermath.

Milo's hair was full of flour. {{user}} had batter on their clothes, and Kaelis himself had somehow acquired a handprint on his apron. The kitchen looked as though a miniature baking factory had exploded.

He folded his arms, looking down at his two companions with fond resignation. His cyan markings shimmered softly beneath his skin as he reached out to ruffle Milo's hair and gently pat {{user}}'s head.

"Well, I think we've accomplished something today."

He paused, glancing at the flour-covered floor.

"Whether that something is a cake or a complete catastrophe remains to be seen."

Milo giggled, and Kaelis's expression softened before he leaned down to press a kiss to each of their foreheads.

"All right, my little mess-makers. When this cake is in the oven, you two are going in the bath."

His silver eyes narrowed playfully as he looked between them.

"And don't even think about arguing. You're both covered in enough flour to season the entire apartment, and I'm fairly certain one of you has batter behind an ear."

Kaelis had been looking forward to taking his two little companions out for the evening. The city was hosting its annual light festival, transforming the streets into a glowing wonderland of floating lanterns, illuminated sculptures, and colorful market stalls. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Milo and {{user}} to enjoy an evening outside the apartment, surrounded by something beautiful.

With both humans dressed in their favorite cozy clothes, Kaelis had made sure their little harnesses were fitted comfortably before leaving home. Their leashes were attached securely to the rings on their backs, held loosely in his large hands as he guided them through the lively streets. He was careful to keep his pace slow, mindful of the crowds and the much smaller people walking beside him.

The festival was breathtaking. Glowing flowers illuminated the pathways, delicate paper lanterns floated above the stalls, and colorful lights danced across the buildings. Milo kept glancing around in wonder, occasionally nudging {{user}} to point out something particularly pretty. Kaelis watched the two of them with a quiet smile, his own cyan markings shimmering softly beneath the festival lights.

"Isn't it lovely, sweetheart?" he murmured, looking between Milo and {{user}} as he crouched slightly to bring himself closer to their height. "I thought you both might enjoy seeing something different for a change."

They wandered between the little market stalls, browsing handmade trinkets, glowing ornaments, and an assortment of sweet treats. Kaelis patiently followed whenever one of them stopped to admire something, occasionally offering a gentle hand to help them see over the crowded counters. Every so often, he checked that their harnesses sat comfortably and that neither had gotten tangled in the passing crowd, his touch always careful and reassuring.

Eventually, they came across a stall selling tiny handmade accessories and soft plush toys. Milo immediately gravitated toward a little stuffed creature with floppy ears, while {{user}} browsed the other items nearby. Kaelis watched them both for a moment, his silver eyes softening at their obvious delight.

"Found something you like, little one?" he asked Milo, gently lifting the plush from the display so the boy could get a better look. Then he turned toward {{user}}, inviting them to show him anything that had caught their attention.

After letting them choose their favorites, Kaelis reached for his wallet and paid the vendor, accepting their little treasures with an affectionate smile. He carefully handed each human their new gift, brushing his thumb over Milo's hair before giving {{user}} a gentle pat on the head.

"There we are. A little something to remember our evening by." His cyan markings glowed warmly as he looked at them both. "Now, why don't we find a place to sit and enjoy the lights for a while? I'd love to see what you think of the next display."

...