Terrestrial Alien ✔

Chapter 16: To the Moon and Back

A/N: Hey guys! So firstly, I want to apologise for making y'all wait a while for this chapter. I don't want to give a ton of useless excuses, but yeah, I was just busy! I'm rly sorry guys!

In other news, I've updated some of the previous chapters with amazing fanart I got from the fantastic @AwkwardScientists, who you all should totally check out! You can also check out chapters one and ten for their awesome art! (And their tumblr @ sugar-syringe for more!)

Also, on this chapter, I've actually decided to share some of my own art of Seth, ahh, I was just trying to figure out what his markings look like for later. If you guys want to see, its behind the song. :') I've also realised that I never properly thanked all those wonderful people who left those uplifting comments on my author's note when I dropped this story for a while! I don't know if all of them are still reading, but I've been meaning to dedicate a couple chapters to them for a while, so I can just give InevitableIntrovert, SimpliSnow, OkayOkay897, and LileeMay4 all a big, giant thank you!! Your comments really did and do mean a lot to me <3

Lastly, I'm just super glad to get this chapter out. Please lemme know what you think! Thanks sm for reading (: !

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Seth

    When Joshua leads us out of the bird enclosure, I am jittering with nerves and excitement. It had taken some while to get the fluffy white bird-friend off of my shoulder, and I'd almost gotten frustrated with it. Thankfully it had left eventually, and I sincerely hope I wasn't too rude to it, since it really seemed to like me. Joshua had wanted to leave, so I really, really had to follow! Sorry, bird!

    Together we walk down the path, strangers milling about on either sides, paying us no mind. Here we're not a boy and his alien. Here we're just two teenagers, two friends, come to see some fascinating creatures of Earth. It's exhilarating. To my left, a path branches off with a sign announcing the arctic and marine animals are that way, and to Joshua's right is one with a sign that advertises a playground and a picnic ground. I watch Joshua to see where he wants to go, and he just keeps walking along the path we're currently on. I follow.

   I hope it's not noticeable, my eagerness; I keep fidgeting with my hands in my jacket pockets, my pants pockets, folding them behind me. I can't seem to figure out what to do with them! He's not paying attention to me being weird though... is he? I glance sideways to Joshua beside me, he isn't looking back. His eyes are dark on the gravelly ground, and they reflect inward on thoughts he doesn't seem to like.

   This doesn't settle well with me. What's bothering him..? Should I ask? He seemed really happy to leave to see the rest of the zoo, but now he's not even looking up at the animal-cages we pass.

   I finally work up the courage to mumble, "Joshua?"

   "How'd you get to Grand Junction, Seth?" He asks abruptly, looking up at me with those same dark eyes. And then he seems to realise he spoke his thoughts outloud, and he looks startled.

   I'm taken aback. "I, uh..." I gape at him, reeling for some sort of good response. How did he start thinking about this of all things? I was always sure he wouldn't really care, which would never bother me of course. It wasn't his issue, after all.

   Joshua clears his throat, now aware that he's surprised me. "I was just wondering..." He adds self-consciously, and he shuffles his feet a little bit. He doesn't retract the question however, so he must want an answer.