chapter three

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Luke didn't sleep at all that night. As exhausted as his eyes were, and as drained as his body was, he couldn't. It wasn't because an alien man was taking up his California King sized bed with his arms wide on each side and his legs spread, or the two hours it took to redo his lesson plans, or even that his constellations light needed new bulbs. It was his own overactive mind that kept him from closing his eyes for any more than a few seconds.

At this point, he can't remember what cup of coffee he's on. Four? Five? Did it matter? He was still tired, but he had weekend yard duty to attend to in three hours. He wonders how many more cups of coffee he can squeeze in by then. Three? Four?

My heart is actually going to stop, he thinks as he sips his mug and stares out his large window. The sun was coming up, and he can see it over the other buildings in the distance and rocky mountains. It was already hot, and he wished he wouldn't have to be outside in a long sleeve but that was uniform. There was no getting around his uniform.

He sighed and then set his drink down before looking over at his bed. What was he thinking? There was an alien in his bed, but if he was being fair, if it weren't for the markings in his skin, the point of his ears, the glow of his eyes, or even the language he speaks, he could almost be human. He had the same soft skin, the same curled lashes, and the same five fingers on both hands. Changing him, he realized that their bodies were similar too, not that he paid much attention. He was putting an alien prince that was dressed in the softest silk and most expensive of diamonds he's ever seen in cotton sweats and a cotton t-shirt.

He groaned and then threw his head back, wondering just what the hell he was supposed to do now that he had an alien in his apartment. He worries if people would find out he was housing an extraterrestrial being, or if one day he'll wake up to his house ransacked and a knife to his throat.

Could he die just because he was being nice?

Do aliens lie?

He buried his face between his knees, too busy wallowing in a bubbling remorse to hear his bed creak or feet shuffling on the floor. A jumble of sounds that didn't even sound like words filled the still air and he froze, wondering if he stayed like that long enough he could convince the other he was asleep.

That was until he hit his shoulder and looked panicked. Luke looked up immediately as the being tugged on his clothes, a look of confusion and urgency flashing over his features. "Your... clothes?" He asked and then stood up.

He heard his footsteps following him, and he picked up the folded garments off of his shelf. He handed it to him, and the other began digging through what looked to be pockets. He found a small chip, no bigger than a half-karat diamond, and he pulled the crown around his neck out. Placing the small device in the spot where he had taken a jewel out, he seemed pleased before pressing a fist to his mouth and clearing his throat gently.

He smiled. Luke wasn't kidding himself when he felt like it was the most beautiful smile he's ever seen. He's never seen a grin shine so bright.

"I am Michaela Girtab Cepheus." He introduced himself and Luke blinked a couple times as he took in both what just happened and the name he gave him. "I come from Astrellea, a planet found in the Scorpias galaxy many... many millaghes away."

"Mi...kayla?" Luke asked, wondering if this was a man or woman he was speaking to. Do otherworldly beings have genders? Has he been calling a woman a man this entire time?

"No." He said sharply. "Mi-kah-la."

"That's..." Luke set a hand against his forehead as he took a deep breath, trying to make this encounter seem as realistic as possible. "Can-Can I just call you Michael? Please?"

"Michaela is a the god of sacrifice and peace on my planet, and you wish to take that away from -"

"- on my planet," Luke cut him off. "- on the planet you are currently standing on, a name like that isn't common. You'll stand out."

He was silent, and Luke pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried collecting his thoughts for form a coherent sentence to explain just why he can't go around and give his clearly alien name to people. "Not everyone is going to be as kind as I am to you. So, you need to lay low with a more... reasonable identity."

He tilted his head in confusion. "Lay low?"

"Keep a low profile." He explained, but he still looked confused. In fact, he looked even more confused. "Not be an alien."

His face scrunched up. "Don't use the a-word."

"Fine, but you have to listen to me." Luke instructed and he nodded. "I am willing to keep you out of test tubes and pretend this never happened if you just tell me what you want and how we can send you back home."

"My people are in a war, and to prove myself I was sent here to acquire a rare stone that powers my people's weaponry." He told him before pulling out what looked like a sapphire.

"A sapphire is all you need?"

"Not just one. I need many. These stones — they represent wisdom and virtue. We fight for the good of the planet, and these sacred gems give us the power we need to defeat those in red who continue to push for royalty and power." He explained. "My King entrusted me with this task, and if completed, entrusted me with the throne."

"You're a prince?" Luke asked and he shook his head.

"No, I have not earned the title. I am merely a-a Admiral's spring. I wear the crown around my neck to show I am not yet worthy of it or the duties it holds. Which is why I must gather the gems and be on my way. My people need me." He clenched his fist as he met Luke's eyes.

"My," he said as he set his fingers on Luke's jaw to tilt his gaze to him. "- your eyes remind me of my home. Our sun is the same beautiful shade of cerulean."

Luke felt his face heat up to a boil at the intense stare and he turned away as Michael seemed to hop up and down in glee. "Humans change color too? Does that mean I do not have to hide my cololeiis as well?"

Luke's face burned hotter and he covered his cheeks with his arm as he walked away from him, accidentally bumping into a table and stumbling. He removed his arm and grumbled under his breath at the furniture and himself.

"You are red. Are you angry?" He asked and Luke tried his best to let the heat go but it just kept burning. "Red is not a good color. It's evil."

"I'm fine." He mumbled as he looked at the man. "And we don't change color. It's called a blush."

"What's a blush?"

Luke shook his head as he felt his face cool. "Nothing important. But yes, you have to cover your um -"

"- cololeiis?"

Luke couldn't pronounce that even if he tried, so he settled on his awkward phrasing that clearly seemed to offend him. "Your otherworldliness." He motioned and Michael sighed, but listened anyways.


1301 words

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