Max sighed. It was a serious question, especially when he didn’t understand the psychology and legal system involved. Honestly, Max would have been more comfortable if he had someone on his six, and Xander didn’t count. It was Max’s job to protect him, not the other way around.
“Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids,” Rick said.
“I have no idea what you mean by that,” Max said.
Rick shifted around, and Maxumphedwhen he caught a tentacle in the stomach. “Sorries.” He settled next to Max on the bed. “Meaning. I am not made for providing helping. The Hidden people are best at hiding.”
“Ah.” Max got it now. Fear was a powerful motivator, and it might explain Rick’s sudden desire to bang on the equipment. Max remembered when he’d gone home senior year and told his parents that he’d gotten an ROTC scholarship. His mother had lost all the color out of her face, and she’d been so scared that her little boy would get killed. Funny enough, back then alien abduction had not been on the list of rational fears. “My human family worried about me fighting, too.”
“Extreme discomfort. They see you as violent—they prepare countermeasures with violence.”
Max sighed. “I know that. I understand that violence is a double-edged sword.”
“Violent individual uses sword, but sword is less worrisome than projectile and energy weapons.”
Max laughed. “True.” He stroked Rick’s tentacle. “I will be more careful. I had to change their minds about humans. I had to convince them humans and harmless were not equivalent.”
“Do not work too hard to accomplish that goal,” Rick said. Max could imagine a fearful tone in those belches.
“Coming home to you will always be my first priority.” Max traced circles on the back of Rick’s largest tentacle.
“Perfect.”
“But I would like to make the rest of the universe pay proper compensation, too,” Max added.
Rick made loud farting noises. No doubt that was an editorial comment, but in this case ignorance was bliss. Max had no idea what it meant. And right now, he didn’t care. He’d had a stressful day, and he had time to cuddle in bed with his Rick. That was all he cared about at this moment. He closed his eyes and let the stress of the day fade as he concentrated on the feel of smooth tentacles caressing his arm.
Chapter Eleven
Max was in the maincorridor when Xander appeared with the equipment cart. “You ready?” Max called. Xander didn’t answer, but James darted around the cart and came hurrying down the passage. “Max Father, I will go with you!” James announced loudly. The doors at the end opened again and both Rick and Kohei appeared. Apparently, they were having a family reunion.
“James is annoying,” Xander blurted in English.
Max ignored the outburst. “I appreciate that James, but you need to stay here.”
“No. I help Max Father.” James stopped, forcing Xander to halt the cart. James was staging a sit-in. That seemed dangerous given how many tentacles he had and the weight of the cart Xander was controlling. It wasn’t as if Xander was too small to retaliate anymore. Max knew he was going to regret letting them watch Earth television. It had crappy role models for sibling behavior.
