In Search of Home

Chapter 84

The rest of the week went by in a blur. Between spending as much time together and packing up all of Viktor's - surprisingly many - belongings, Vok'Rul and he barely noticed the days going by until the day the ship was to depart was upon them.

Vok'Rul nudged him awake gently that morning, easily avoiding the weak swing Viktor took at him upon waking. He fell into consciousness like a bag of bricks off a building, heavy and all at once. Groggy and slightly confused, he barely remembered that this would be the last time sleeping in this particular spot for a while. He felt reluctant to move.

"I know," Vok'Rul murmured softly, brushing his claws against Viktor's forehead. "I am," he paused, "saddened to see you go."

"It won't be forever," Viktor whispered. Vok'Rul said nothing. "You're coming with, right?" He was terrified of saying goodbye. Just think of it as a vacation, he told himself. He had the brief, terrifying thought that he wouldn't be allowed back onto the ship to return. 

Surely, Viktor would go back? He had to.

"Of course, Kohgrash." The surety in his voice soothed his nerves, somewhat.

Vok'Rul was as reluctant as he was to get going. They lingered in his room for a long time before the alien finally opened the door to the living room. Almost all of Viktor's belongings - his entire life on this planet - were packed up neatly in a few bags. His clothing, his puzzles, his sphere, his photo album, everything he had, really, was all right in front of him.

The sweet smell of Thruul's cooking wafted up to them, along with the faint tinkling of silverware. His stomach growled in need. Some things never changed, he supposed.

He rode the chair lift - it was pretty comfortable if you got over the dizziness that occurred with riding down a spiral staircase - and awkwardly shuffled off of it, using his walker to steady himself. It had been a bit of a learning curve, but after a few days of using it regularly, he had got it down to a T.

"Ah, my favorite lords have finally decided to grace me with their presence," Thruul said cheerfully, smiling at Viktor and making goo-goo eyes at Vok'Rul.

"I still don't know why everyone calls me a lord," Viktor grouched, slowly accepting a bowl of stew from Thruul's large hands. "I'm not even your pet, anymore. It's not like I'm your kid or something."

Vok'Rul opened his mouth to explain, accepting the bowl from Thruul, when a loud, "knock knock!" came from the wing's entrance.

"Come in, Dad!" he shouted, though it sounded wheezy and weak. He still couldn't get very loud. Oskar popped in a moment later, greeting everyone with a wary smile.

"You are a member of my household," Vok'Rul explained, picking up the conversation again. "It is uncommon for Vokkrus to adopt others that are not related to them into their titles but not unheard of. It is why they call Nohkka Little Vokkra, though I have tried to put a stop to that," he grumbled, spooning the stew into his mouth.

Thruul handed Oskar a bowl, which he took gratefully. "Rukka would have a higher title if she accepted it," the cook explained to the humans, though Oskar looked more confused than Viktor. "She is content working in the background, however."

Viktor hummed around his spoon, trying to ignore the trembling that his fingers did around the utensil. The shock collar had many lasting effects on him. They didn't know if the shaking was permanent, though. He'd have to go to the doctor's when they got back to Earth.

"Excited to go back home, kiddo?" his dad asked him. Viktor hesitated for a second.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Do you think there'll be snow?" His dad shrugged.