The next chapter is up! Enjoy :)
After his mother left, Kata'nu went back upstairs.
Hopefully, Julie didn't have her door locked. He felt there was still so much to explain. He had hoped that what his mother told her helped, even a little.
But given the way she excused herself earlier, he wasn't too sure.
The large male stopped short a couple feet from her door. He let out a slow exhale, before walking up to it. And to his luck, it did slide open, indicating she hadn't locked it.
Kata'nu looked around and spotted her curled up in a chair next to the window. She had her knees hiked up to her chest and was lightly resting her arms across the top of her knees.
Her chin was resting on top of her forearms as she gazed absentmindedly out the window.
Julie knew he was there. But didn't bother acknowledging him. She just stayed where she was, looking out the window. Her gaze set on the jungle that lined his backyard.
He took a seat across from her on her bed.
Silence seemed to hang in the air for several moments before either of them actually spoke.
"Julie, would like to talk to you." He said, finally breaking the silence.
The young woman didn't say anything for a moment. Then she finally opened her mouth.
"Why didn't you tell me, your mom was human?" She asked, her gaze still on the view in front of her.
"Figured you'd see for yourself eventually. Seeing as I know at some point you will meet all my siblings and my father. But I also wasn't sure you'd also believe it." Kata'nu admitted.
"She seems...happy. And it sounds like she has a great life. But still, that may not be the case for everyone here. Still don't believe I ever could be truly happy living here.
I mean, some of what I've seen so far is pretty amazing. But it all just seems so strange to me still. This whole adapting to a whole new culture with different beings, it's really not going to be easy." Julie stated.
"No one is asking you to learn everything overnight. You have all the time in the world to learn and will receive a lot of help. Any questions you have, you just ask." He told her.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"At least now I know why you know my language as well as you do. She taught you well." She says.
A small, lopsided smile decorated his face.
"Of course, she taught us. My siblings and I are part human after all. It's a part of our heritage just as much as our yautja side. Mother taught us just about everything there is to learn about humans.
Though it seems there is still more to learn. Particularly about human females apparently. Perhaps it is something you could also help me with." Kata'nu suggested.
It seems like since he has acquired her, he wants to know more about her and the females of her kind. Especially, since he feels like he fucked up with her when he brought a female yautja to his home and she saw them mating.
He never thought it would come across so awkward and, in some ways, rude to Julie.
She snorted, "Good luck there, buddy. Most human men still don't understand women, no matter how hard they try. Believe me, I know. While we can do more risky jobs now in this day in age than ever before, most still may view us as very emotional and tending to have fickle attitudes."
Kata'nu smirked, "You don't have to tell me twice. I've already seen up front that your mood changes like the weather. I hear it's even worse during certain times of the month.
My father at times would try to avoid mother during those times, because he would claim she'd temporarily go crazy. It was safer to be away from her than with her."
Julie couldn't help but chuckle. Especially when she pictured a big imposing male yautja similar to Kata'nu running and ducking for cover from a petite human woman on the rag and in a bad mood.
"Hey, look at it this way, if that special time didn't happen we wouldn't have babies. Surely you know this. Don't female yautja menstruate?" She inquires.
Kata'nu shook his head, "Not like human females, no. They don't bleed out. They absorb it back into their bodies."
She rolls her eyes, "Lucky them. Would definitely save us truckloads of tampons."
He was unsure what a 'tampon' was. Though he assumed it had to do with menstruation. Though, it did remind him of something.
"Did Rose take you to get 'special' bottoms for that? The absorbent ones?" He asked.
"Yep, though your safe. It just finished right before I came here. So, you won't have to worry about me trying to kill you in your sleep for at least another couple weeks." She joked.
"Well, that's a relief. And thanks for the warning. Now I know to mark the calendar for when 'Doomsday' occurs in those next couple weeks." He jokes.
Julie couldn't hold in her laughter then.
Despite how annoying at times, she found him, he always seemed to find a way to make her laugh with his funny remarks and puns. She found it at times, lifting her spirits.
"Will it mean I get the house to myself? Seeing as you may be too afraid to reside in it with me while on psycho bitch mode?" She teased.
"Ehh, can always hold up at another female's place. Seeing as it will still be mating season by the time it does hit you." He replied.
Kata'nu briefly saw the smile twitch and thought he saw a hint of hurt in her eyes again.
It made him kick himself for bringing that aspect up again in front of her when she was still clearly uncomfortable about it. Yet, at the same time, he knew she would have to get used to it eventually.
It was a part of their culture after all.
"Do you mind stepping out with me for a little while? There is something important I would like for us to get done." He stated.
Her bright blue gaze shifted to him once more.
"What needs to be done?" She asks.
"Would like to take you to this place in town. To get fitted for a special wrist band." Kata'nu informed her.
Her brows furrowed a little in confusion.
"Special wrist band? What's that?" She asked.
"It's for servants who don't wish to wear a collar. They wear a wrist band with their caregivers' mark on it instead. I realy hope you can agree to this at least.
It would certainly put my mind at ease knowing you can venture out safely. No one will bother you if they see the band with my symbol on it.
I know you may be opposed to wearing something with my symbol on it. But it is really for your safety. Don't want to see you get taken away by traders that may be out and about looking for unmarked individuals." Kata'nu said.
The more she thinks about it, she did recall seeing his mother wearing a rather intricate looking wrist band with these odd symbols on it. Julie actually thought it to be pretty.
It was certainly better than any collar or chains. And in truth, she wouldn't want to find herself in the hands of any other yautja. She has a feeling they may not be a nice or lenient as Kata'nu has been with her.
"Ok, I'll go with you. When do you wish to go?" She asks.
"If your currently getting bored with looking out the window, we can go now." He suggests.
A small, amused smile appeared on her face.
Then she unfurled herself and stood up from her seat.
"Alright. Though I still have a few questions I may wish to ask you along the way." She stated.
He nodded and stood up.
Julie almost felt like she'd get whiplash having to look straight up at this male. And he probably found it just as amusing looking down at her.
Her mind for whatever reason went to a dirty place and could only imagine how his mother and father managed to make it work in the bedroom with their sheer size differences.
A blush tinged her cheeks suddenly thinking about it. And she quickly banished the thought from her mind.
"That's fine. Ask whatever questions you want." He told her.
The pair headed out of her room and down the hall. They then went downstairs and left the home together.
The market area was a few minutes' walk from his place. So, it may be best to ask him now before it gets crowded and busy. It was something that both for whatever reason intrigued and nagged at her at the same time.
"How...exactly does this procedure go? The one you and your mom says extends one's lifespan? Is it...very invasive?" She asks, with hesitance in her tone.
Julie was relieved when he shook his head.
"No, it's more or less a small series of injections that contain both yautja blood, platelets, and some bodily fluids. And as you've seen, it won't affect outward physical appearance. Every change that occurs is internal." He replied.
She bit her lip and rubbed her arm.
"Has...has there ever been any issues? You know...like people having bad reactions and dying?" Julie asks, barely above a whisper.
"No, at least none that I've ever heard of. It's something my kind has been able to do for the last few centuries now. So, they had plenty of time to perfect it.
The scientists and healers that administer the injections are very well versed in alien biology of several other races, obviously humans included.
I don't recall mother ever mentioning having any bad hiccups that came after they gave her the injections. At most, she said she was a little out of it for a little while. With fatigue being a recurring symptom for a few days to a week.
The healers said, it was just the body's way of adjusting to the new blood and DNA." He explained.
"And were you being serious before? When you said it was my decision when to have it done?" She asked.
Normally, servants didn't have a say in the matter. Once they were obtained by caregivers, it was something that was usually done right away. He really was supposed to have it done the first day after they landed.
But he didn't want to put her through any more than he already has. And he didn't want it to seem like he had taken everything from her, including her free will to make decisions and choices in regard to herself.
"Yes, it is your choice. You may pick when to have it done." Kata'nu said.
"And...if I choose not to have it done?" She inquired.
Though when she did, she thought she saw a flash of hurt and sadness in his gaze.
"I guess...that is fine as well. Though usually, everyone gets the procedure done eventually. I think many prefer the idea of living a longer, healthier life, and aging slower." He stated.
He truly hopes she doesn't decide against it.
For some reason, watching her grow old before him in the coming decades sent a pang through his chest. He didn't want to lose her so soon, due to her kinds' naturally short lifespan.
Julie would be lying if she didn't find the whole aspect cool. Yet at the same time, she was scared.
"It does sound neat and all. But I guess...I'm just a little afraid. Afraid of this procedure. Afraid if something may go wrong. And afraid of how it may affect me in the long run, seeing as most humans are used to seeing themselves age normally." She admitted.
He glances down at her and gives her a soft smile, while placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I promise you; nothing will go wrong. I'll be right there with you. And as for this new lifespan, it's not so bad. As I've mentioned before, many have come to enjoy it.
You end up seeing so much more in your lifetime than you could ever imagine. Get to see how everything changes and evolves over time.
Mother always told me how fascinated she was to see Earth change and grow through the last century. The tech humans have now, seem to blow her mind." Kata'nu says.
Julie sharply turned to face him.
"Wait, are you saying your mother is allowed to visit Earth? I thought once you're here, you cannot leave." She replied.
"In most cases, that is true. But Father loves her and wishes to keep her happy. He allows her to accompany him to Earth every now and then.
Though throughout the decades, they have become less. Especially, after her family aged and died. But she still goes enough to keep up on current events with Earth." He told her.
She almost wanted to ask him if he would allow her to visit. But something tells her, he may not. Because he may not trust her not to run away once they land.
Julie won't lie, if he did bring her to Earth, she would most likely do just that.
They chatted more about things even once they reached the market area. All the way until he took her to the place, he wanted to take her to get fitted for her wrist band.
Until Next Time ;)