Not only is the official research conducted on humans unethical because of their sapient nature, they're plain wrong. There's nothing vicious about Hitoshi, who, instead of showing aggression even when wary of Hizashi, chooses to be wrapped in Shouta's scarf with their face pressed into their soft toy. They don't even go for the méos or show any stalking behaviour outside of what's obviously play, and even then, they're a lousy hunter; they're unable to keep silent when they chase after a critter that catches their eye and when they're within pouncing distance, they content themself with watching their prey. They stay close by when Shouta takes naps, their body leaned over his side and tucked close while they doze. Even their 'threat warnings' are so clearly expressions of joy, deceivingly flat teeth bared to all while their eyes squint lightly.
No, instead of wasting their time on how dangerous Hitoshi's species is, they should have turned their attention to how weird humans are.
"What do you have there, Hitoshi?"
The human young is crouched, head tilted down as they stare at something on the ground. In their paws are held rocks of various sizes and colours.
After a moment of deliberation, they pick one pebble with a decisive nod and show it to Shouta proudly.
It looks the same as any other pebble, and Shouta may not know much about kits, but he knows to make himself look impressed. He doesn't allow any of his confusion to show, and the combination of both satisfies Hitoshi, who goes back to collecting more rocks. They never stray farther than a limb's reach, often searching Shouta with their eyes with tense shoulders that drop when they see he's right next to them.
Hizashi is standing away, head morosely resting on a patch of moss. Hitoshi is still scared of Shouta's partner even after spending twenty cycles together.
It's difficult. Hitoshi doesn't leave his side, but they can't stand being near Hizashi, which results in Shouta being separated from his partner.
Shouta looks up. This planet's main star is setting soon, and he's found that Hitoshi needs a snack this time of the cycle, lest Shouta wants to deal with an irritated young.
"Hitoshi, let's go back to the ship to eat."
Hitoshi immediately rushes back to him, crashing face first into his flank and burying his face in his fur, effectively missing the way Shouta winces. He isn't sure whether the youngling can fully understand what he says or if they're only picking up on a few words and his tone. They haven't attempted to say anything, not even the clumsy meaningless gesturing See'krtsh kits partake in when they're on the cusp of saying their first words.
They trot beside him, a paw resting on his shoulder, but stop right before entering the ship. Shouta slows down, and when they don't follow him, he stops too. "What's wrong?"
They're clutching the stones against their chest, looking from their rocks, to the ship, to the rocks again. They shift their weight from side to side, a silent question in their gaze.
"You can bring them inside." He isn't sure why they need them, but Hitoshi has been carrying them around since they've touched down. He doesn't know what they're going to do with them, but Shouta doesn't want to deprive Hitoshi of a human need. Perhaps they need them to practice using tools? "Come here, Hitoshi, it's okay."
Hitoshi looks at him as they take an unconfident step onto the lowered passerelle, apprehension clear even though the kit doesn't have any controllable fur to puff up. When Shouta only waits patiently, they find the courage to walk up the passerelle, until they've reached him, a shy smile—Shouta's pretty sure it's a smile as they only tilt their lips up when they want to show pleasure or as an appeasement gesture—on their mouth.
They keep Shouta in between them and Hizashi in the decontamination room and immediately puts distance between themself and Shouta's partner once the hatches open.
Hizashi gives them a wide berth, but instead of leaving Hitoshi be with sad feathers as usual, he chirps to get their attention.
Hitoshi's head snaps to him, eyes wide. Shouta's about to warn Hizashi off—he's been restless to approach the kit, but the last time he tried, Shouta thought his kit had burst a vessel or damaged their eyes from fright until he realized that's just how humans cry, silent but for tiny hics—when Hizashi croons, low and inviting.
"Hitoshi, look what I have for you~" Hizashi ignores the way Hitoshi takes a step back when he reaches his front limb out. To Shouta's bewilderment, his partner places a rock on the floor, about the size of his palm.
And even more baffling, Hitoshi looks interested, immediately leaning forward to get a better look at the rock before remembering their fear and taking another step back, eyes flicking from the rock to Hizashi's face to his talons to the rock again.
"It'll look nice in your collection, wouldn't it?" Hizashi pushes it toward Hitoshi. "You can take it, lil' listener."
Shouta doesn't understand. The only thing that differentiates it from any other rock is the bluer sheen to it that indicates a higher concentration of certain minerals, all of which can be replicated or purchased in a purer form.
Hitoshi hesitates, but when Hizashi chirps encouragingly and nudges the rock toward them, they reach out for it, eyes trained onto Hizashi. Their lower limbs are bent in preparation for a quick escape, and their shoulders are tense to pull their paw back, but slowly, they get to the rock. Hizashi has to gesture at him to take it for Hitoshi to finally grab it.
They tilt their head from side to side to look at the changing colours, the skin around their mouth stretching out into a smile.
They shyly make their way back behind Shouta, but they don't seem as scared of Hizashi judging by the skip in their steps.
"Do you want a pretty box for your collection?" Hizashi asks, keenly picking up on the opportunity. Hitoshi tilts their head again, and it's so reminiscent of his partner that Shouta can't help but nuzzle against his young's face. Hitoshi, like any other kit with a working nose, enjoys being scented and absolutely basks in the attention, pushing their head against his chin insistently. He leans in Shouta's touch and relaxes, a little less coiled up once they smell like him. Hitoshi rubs the side of their faces together in response, even if their scent glands haven't come in yet which makes Shouta's heart soar, and usually, they'd stare at him with their big eyes and their toy held out until Shouta scents it too, but this time around, they're distracted by the allure of Hizashi's promised gift and barely looks at him to make sure he's scenting their toy properly.
"Shouuuu," Hizashi whines, "love, stop hogging Hitoshi, you got him all for yourself since we rescued him."
Shouta gives his partner a smug expression, teeth bared in mockery—Hizashi's the one who pushed to give Hitoshi to a pre-contact reintegration colony, and yet, look at him now—but he does relent after letting his scarf rub the back of Hitoshi's neck.
Hitoshi takes it as a signal he's done and immediately stares at Hizashi, who croons again and gestures at them to follow.
They're led to the vanity, where Hizashi carelessly empties one of his gemstone encrusted box, the one with gold details that show aquatic life all around the sides and that Shouta knows is handmade with polished shells.
Hitoshi doesn't put his pebbles in immediately, turning reticent again. They scrutinize Hizashi's face, their round pupils roving over their features. His partner squints at them to mimic a human smile, and it goes over well because they gently place one of the smaller rocks in the velvet lined box, uncertainty painting their every gesture.
Hizashi doesn't show any of the horror Shouta is feeling. That box cost a small fortune, and the rocks will no doubt damage the textile, will bump against the walls. Hizashi once chastised him for touching it with a greasy scarf.
Hizashi clearly doesn't care anymore, at least not in the face of being able to slowly shuffle closer to Hitoshi, until they're just within reach.
"That's a beautiful rock, where did you find it?" Hizashi asks. His wings are kept tight on his sides, his feathers puffed out to hide his sheathed talons. "Was it near the forest?"
Hitoshi shakes their head up and down, touching the greenish-brown side of the rock with one digit. Hizashi makes an impressed noise. "Oooh, it's red, is that why you picked it? You have a good eye for these types of things, lil' listener." Hitoshi preens under the praise, expression hungry, as if they never received any compliments in their life. "Can I see the rest of your treasure?"
Gone is the frightful and reticent kit. Instead, Hitoshi shows his pebbles, holding them out one by one in the light and pointing out every facet. Their expression brightens everytime Hizashi comments on the colour or the shape, and Shouta sees the progress Hizashi is making. His partner shuffles closer and closer and closer, until his side brushes against theirs and he's able to help Hitoshi put away their rocks.
Hitoshi doesn't even realize when Shouta absents himself to bring back a drupe and various other fruits, which he discovered human kits enjoy eating. He cuts them up into bite sized slices, arranges them to be pleasing to the eye on Hitoshi's dish—he'd throw them on a plate, but Hizashi lectured him on the importance of 'feeding the eyes', whatever that means—and slides it to them. Hitoshi snacks on the fruits, paws sticky, and yet Hizashi doesn't even flinch when juice drips on the side of the box.
Even when Hitoshi goes through their entire pebble stash and realizes Hizashi's close, they don't show any sign of discomfort. They even let Hizashi touch their head fur when it's time to sleep, and when Hizashi brings his cot closer, Hitoshi only hides their eyes under Shouta's limb instead of screeching in terror.
"What was all that?" Shouta asks, the question having tickled him the entire time. "How did you know…?"
Hizashi's crest flares out in self-satisfaction. He pauses, makes a show of thinking. Shouta's tail lashes out. He doesn't try to hide his impatience; Hizashi knows exactly what he's doing, knows his tells better than Shouta does. All he can do is wait until his partner's desire to share his thoughts overcomes his desire to be annoying.
After long moments of silence, where Hizashi extends his wing and teasingly pokes Shouta, he finally admits, "See'krtsh kits really like shiny objects. I assumed it was the case for Hitoshi and I was riiight~"
Shouta huffs at Hizashi, blowing air in his face. His partner lightly shoves at his paw, before petting his toe pads and pressing at them. Shouta slithers his scarf around his partner's back, some tension he hadn't been aware of dissipating when Hizashi finally smells like him after so many cycles of distance. Hizashi looks over the stars, his attention constantly veering toward Hitoshi's dozing body. They're all so close, almost framing Hitoshi in between them, keeping their most precious person safe.
Shouta isn't one to dream, but he can't help but already see it; Hizashi's talons carding through Hitoshi's fur, braiding beads and strings that'll match Shouta's own, and him, teaching his kit how to leap up trees. He can't wait.