Caelum manages to regain consciousness before Aerglo gets to their room. He gathers himself and tries not to puke again from the blinding headache making his head feel as if it were stuffed with cotton.

He takes a deep breath and focuses on his surroundings.

He feels disgusting.

He gets rid of any evidence of throwing up and takes a quick wash in the small bathroom adjacent to his and Aerglo's room.

He doesn't feel any better.

He's tired and achy and confused and just... exhausted.

The door to the room suddenly opens and Caelum panics.

He's thinks it's the alien again, thinks they're not done intimidating him and the panic overwhelms him.

He slips, placing his hand out to stop himself from hurting his baby but resulting in all his weight falling on his hand and hurting his wrist.

The pain is instant and intense, but the sound of heavy footsteps approching him throws him into a fit.

He suddenly can't breathe.

He's on the verge of a panic attack, hyperventilating and cowering away from the alien as tears gather in his eyes and blur his vision.

He whimpers, begging the alien not to hurt him.

He's terrified.

Until warm arms wrap around him.

He almost thinks he'll be smothered but they just hold him there, lifting him up and cradling him. He sniffles, burying his face in the broad chest.

"It's okay my little one, you're okay..."

Caelum's brows furrow.

He knows that voice.

He cleans his face on the sleeve of his shirt like a little kid and peers up at the alien holding him, the alien's eyes filled with concern and reflecting his fear.

"Aerglo?" Caelum whispers hoarsely.

Aerglo nuzzles against him, wiping away a stray tear with xyr thumb.

"You're okay my little one," Aerglo coos.

Realizing he's safe, in the warmth of Aerglo's hold, Caelum melts. He slumps forward and buries himself in Aerglo.

Aerglo doesn't say anything regarding his panic attack, not until he's breathing properly again and his heart isn't skyrocketing anymore.

"Better?" Aerglo asks.

Caelum nods, but the alien knows better. Xe knows xyr mate better.

Caelum can't even look at xem, too afraid to have another violent reaction. What kind of a mate is he? He couldn't even distinguish his own mate over a stranger.

He thinks he's going to be sick again.

He scrambles out of Aerglo's hold and hurries to the bathroom where he proceeds to dry heave.

Aerglo frowns and xe changes form on instinct, without xyr own consent.

Xe doesn't even notice xe's changed forms as xe steps inside the bathroom, rubbing Caelum's back soothingly.

"Are you alright?"

Caelum rests his head on the rim of the tub, nodding exhaustedly.

Aerglo still doesn't believe him.

"Want to talk about it?" The alien probes.

Caelum sniffles, nodding but finding the words getting stuck in his throat. Tears well up in his eyes and spill down his cheeks, taking a weak shuddering breath to try and calm down again.

But he can't.

He whimpers pathetically and the small broken sound prompts Aerglo to pick him up.

Aerglo pauses when xe sees xyr reflection, finding xyr human form staring back at xem. Xe doesn't say anything, not when Caelum is slowly falling asleep in xyr arms.

But xe knows that someone hurt xyr mate and xe'll find out who.