Caelum offers Aerglo a towel and averts his gaze when xe stands up, water sloshing around xyrs form and dribbling down xyr body. Caelum looks at xe when xe is covering his modesty with the fluffy towel. The alien looks completely adorable, hiding half xyr face in the softness with hair messy and wild and soaked.

With a smaller cloth, Caelum gets on the tips of his toes and dries xyr hair until water is no longer getting into Aerglo's lilac colored eyed.

"There," he hums.

"Thank you," Aerglo mumbles.

Xe follows the boy to his room and Caelum offers xem boxers, sweats, and a graphic tee. After Aerglo has his pants on, they dress the wound in silence and it's only afterwards that xe puts on the shirt. And Caelum can't help but smile when the alien puts it on, giggling to himself at the irony.

"Is something the matter?" Aerglo asks.

"No," Caelum snickers, "just the shirt."

Aerglo looks down to discover a little alien cartoon printed upon it. Xe should feel offended, xe looks nothing like the little monster. But xe can't be mad, not when Caelum's smile brightens the dim room.

"Wait here," Caelum says, "I need to shower too."

The small human disappears into the bathroom and Aerglo follows him with xyr gaze, frowning when xe can't see him anymore.

Caelum turns on the shower, the water pounding and drowning out all other noise. He undresses as fast as he can and steps under the cold spray with a flinch.

He's almost done when the door opens and Aerglo stares wide eyed at the lithe body in the shower, completely unaware of the other's presence. The shower head turns off, but xyrs cheeks still turn red and xe can't help but clear xyr throat. Caelum jumps in surprise at the sound and he faces Aerglo like a deer caught in headlights.

"My apologies," Aerglo croaks weakly, handing a clean towel to the boy, "You forgot this."

Caelum takes it with trembling hands, teeth chattering as he manages a weak, "Thanks."

Aerglo provides the boy the sense of privacy xe received as Caelum pats his body dry. And xe can just see the scars on the boy's thighs.

When xe notices Caelum struggling to step out, xe reaches out and helps the boy, steadying him before he manages to slip.

"Thank you," he breathes again, subconsciously leaning into the alien's warmth.

The alien grunts and xe trails after the younger being into the room. Xe closes xyr eyes as Caelum changes quickly and when he's done, dressed and squeaky clean, he tugs on xyrs shirt to grab xyr attention.

"You can open your eyes now," Caelum mutters shyly, "Are you hungry?"

Aerglo is about to shake xyr head when xyr stomach growls in hunger. Xyrs cheeks heat up in embarrassment, but Caelum only smiles.

He wraps his hand around Aerglo's and drags xem out his room and toward the kitchen.

"So," Caelum begins casually, "mates."

Aerglo glances at the human, "yes?"

"What are they?" He asks curiously.

The alien trails after the petite boy twirling in the kitchen. Xe watches amused as the human cooks for both of them.

For once the house is completely to them and Caelum is comfortable enough to wear a t-shirt with short sleeves in front of Aerglo.

The scars that litter his arms glint in the light and Aerglo couldn't be prouder of the small human.

"Mates are the equivalent of significant others to you humans."

"But different?" Caelum states.

"Sey," Aerglo nods, reaching for something the boy can't quite touch even on his tippy toes, "they are more."

"Thanks," Caelum huffs, grabbing the condiments and tossing them into the sizzling spaghetti sauce.

"Mates are the ones we trust with our lives, the ones we are willing to give everything for. They are like our soulmates as you might know them."

"So.. do you date?" Caelum wonders.

"Date?"

"As in go out, like go to the park or movies or whatever you do for entertainment and you know.. spend time together?"

"Like courting?"

"Yes, that."

"We do, we experiment and get to know each other."

"So you're not limited?"

"No," Aerglo laughs, "we are not. It is only after we mate and make the promise to love one another and only each other do we stop this so-called dating."

"Then how do you know?"

Caelum turns off the gas and faces Aerglo, completely intrigued by the topic. He finds the alien right behind him, arms soon caging him in against the counter.

Xe grabs one of the boy's hands and places it on xyr chest, right next to xyr heart and says, "we just do."

Caelum stares into those lilac eyes, breath catching in his throat. His eyes fall close as warm lips press against his. It's a little awkward, their noses brushing against each other's and teeth clanking together. It takes a little while to get the hang of it, their lips slotting together seamlessly and perfect after a few minutes.

It takes his breath away.

Caelum doesn't know what to do, not until Aerglo's arms wrap around his waist and lifts him up effortlessly.

And when they part, a sliver of saliva connecting their kiss-swollen lips, he can't help but lean in again.

"Does this mean," Caelum pants softly, trailing off, "that we're..."

"I don't know," Aerglo breathes, "But I'd like to find out."