His father, the stranger.
And it was only the knowledge that itwashis father, that he was highly unlikely to be trying to hurt him, that allowed Sway to fight back the urge to strike back. To throw him off. To sweep his legs between his, upset his balance, knock him down, put a knee to his throat, and demand to know his intentions. Though it was not an easy instinct to ignore.
Grace tried to pull away from him, but he stopped her. He couldn’t let her go. He needed her there to remind him that this was safe. That he wasn’t being attacked.
He couldn’t return the embrace. He couldn’t let himself be that vulnerable with a stranger. Not when he might attack at any time. When Sway couldn’t be sure of his purpose. Not when his crew wasn’t there to watch his back. He needed Grace to ground him, to keep him from doing something reactive. He couldn’t be careless without his crew backing him up.
Veesway leaned away, taking Sway’s face in his hands again. Just staring at him. A rush of emotion in his eyes that hurt Sway to look at. He wanted to turn from him, but he remained steadfast, returning his gaze with a composed one of his own.
“My Eefwan,” Veesway bemoaned, and Sway had to suppress a flinch.
There were too many bad memories attached to that name. Too many bad thoughts he couldn’t afford to let himself think about. This male called him that so easily.
“Why did you not tell me it was you?”
Sway shook his head before remembering that Veesway wouldn’t recognize the human cues. “I don’t know. I was going to. It just didn’t seem that easy to say.”
Veesway chuckled, the sound breathless and hoarse. “Yes. I can certainly understand that. But you are here. You have returned to me. That is all that matters. Oh! I must introduce you. Vweet! Come. Meet my Eefwan. I have told you so many stories of my son, I’m sure it must feel like you know him already. Eefwan, this is Vweet. He has been a great friend and comfort to me these many years. I rely on him greatly.”
Vweet approached, giving him a look that was cautious. In that way, it was more welcome than the unchained affection from Veesway. “It is an honor at last. If we had known it was you, the celebration to welcome you would have been much bigger.”
“No,” Sway assured them quickly. “I don’t want a fuss made over me. Really.”
“Plenty of time to make a fuss later,” Veesway chuckled, his crest starting to rise again. “We have so much time to make up for. Our whole lives ahead of us together. I understand what you must be going through now.”
Sway blinked, startled by the sudden assertion. “You do?”
“Certainly.” Veesway sighed as Vweet looked away. “Our people are sensitive. Delicate. Helpless, in a way. When violence is thrust upon us, it leaves scars. I’m sure whatever you witnessed hurt you too terribly to speak. The others that we rescue, they sometimes do not appear wholly happy to be saved. They are relieved, of course. They wanted to be found. But it is like there is a block there now, making it hard to see good in the world. I know that is what you are feeling, my Eefwan. It will pass. I assure you. We have many experts and counselors you can speak with. Therapy. Certainly. They can help you readjust and help rid you of those scary memories.”
Scary memories?
They weren’t scary. They were just… bad. He had to avoid them. But he wasn’t afraid of them. And it had been years now since he left Rik-Vane. Years since he’d started trying to practice his pacifism again. He’d long ago left the shock and disbelief of his escape behind.
But he didn’t bother trying to explain that as Veesway invited them all to sit. Instead, he shared a look with Grace. Her encouraging smile made it easier to follow this stranger and his friend back to the table so they could all sit together – Veesway at the head, Vweet to his left, Sway to his right, and Grace beside Sway.
“We shall not talk about the past anymore tonight,” Veesway declared as he began serving the food with all apparent joy on his face and in his high crest. “There will be time for that. When you’re ready, of course. I will always be here to help banish your nightmares. But no. I shall say no more about it tonight. Let us focus on more positive things instead. Is this your female?”
Sway, who still hadn’t released Grace’s hand – he was reaching so he could hold it there where it rested against her thigh – nodded, then caught himself again and said, “Yes. She is the one I have chosen.”
“Have you danced for her yet? Has she sang for you?”
Sway frowned. “I… No.”
Veesway cocked his head, then made a sound of dismay. “Oh! That is right. You told me that you… Oh, no matter. It is only proper for a father to give his son the mating talk. Coming a bit late, I think. But I guess that is good you need it, eh?”
He didn’t expand further, but he didn’t need to. Sway knew immediately what he meant by that look of relief in his eyes. Veesway took Sway’s lack of knowledge about the act of mate bonding to be a lack of knowledge about mating in general. He thought Sway to be innocent. That no one had touched him in that way after he was taken.
Sway decided not to correct him. As he said, it wasn’t a night for the past, and Sway didn’t want to deal with unwanted pity or horror.
“Our people mate through a rather involved process,” Vweet said, explaining mostly to Grace. As though he was trying to be considerate of Sway. Like it was better for her, the outsider, to not know than Sway. “It comes in, essentially, three stages.”
“Yes,” Veesway agreed. “The male must begin the process. If he has interest in a female, he must bring her a feast that he prepares with his own hands. It can be anything, of course, but fruit is traditional. As is carving them into beautiful flower shapes. Some males will boast that it took them three days or more to fully prepare their female’s courting feast.”
“Then, the second stage,” Vweet continued, “Is the performance. If a female is pleased with the courting feast, she will sing for her male. Er, I am not sure, Grace. Does your species know how to sing?”
“You mean whistle?” Grace asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “I can try. I don’t sound as good as you. But I can try…”
She shrieked.
