For @daretosee | Symbiote Sigma AU

[whatisthatmelody]

It was supposed to go according to plan.

Supposed to.

The Black Hole Experiment that the last decade of his career had been building up to was supposed to go off without a hitch.  The preparations had been made....the calculations had been double....tripple...even quadruple checked.  The instruments were tuned...it had all been perfect...until something unexpected had happened.

When the small black hole had materialized....stabilized....began to yawn open.... something some shooting out of it.


Siebren de Kuiper had no idea what it was.  Nothing he had ever studied had even suggested anything like that could happen.  Something came out of the dark sphere in the containment field.   It was jet black but its slimy, wet surface was dotted with teal blue sparkles...and it hit him smack in the face, spreading over his eyes, nose and mouth.

The goo that had struck him in the face had been cold and wet...and it almost felt alive.  No...it definitely felt alive.  It was moving like a living thing. Siebren could feel it burrowing into his flesh....forcing its way into his mouth and nose...through his pores.  He tried to scream but ended up choking on whatever it was.  Then, as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared....but it disappeared inside of him.  Dr. De Kuiper had collapsed to the floor inside the test chamber, seemingly unconscious. 

As soon as the disruption subsided and the chamber could be opened, other personnel had rushed to get him into containment...to the Horizon Med Bay.

And now he lay in the infirmary seemingly fighting for his life.

Scans revealed a staggeringly high fever and multiple organ failures.

Comments

[daretosee]

He hadn't been there when it happened. They all had their things to do, Harold as usual was working with Specimen 28 and had gotten notice as soon as something went wrong, worrying the young ape who he had to sooth before heading off. By the time he gets there they've already got Siebren in the med bay. Siebren looks oddly small for a man of his stature, at least what he can see from through the glass of the med bay.

Everything they tell him only points to death. Multiple organ failures that made no sense as it had seemed his experiment had gone perfectly to a T. The black hole had stabilized so there was no damage from that, but there had been something else. The others had seen it too, but it made no sense. When it seems like everything is as stable as it's going to be, Harold is allowed in. He sits with Siebren, feeling like he's sitting beside a man they're keeping alive hoping a miracle will happen.

Anything they'd tried didn't seem to help or make things worse. He was just. On the cusp of death, the machines he's hooked to the only thing keeping him from instantly succumbing to it all.

Harold doesn't leave his side for the next couple of days, sleeping in the chair he's pulled beside the bed, hand holding Siebren's in a loose grip. He knows he can't do this for too long, but everyone understands, everyone let's him for now. At some point they'll have to make a decision when it comes to keeping Siebren on life support or... letting him go.

[whatisthatmelody]

No matter what anyone seems to do, Siebren stays the same. A searing hot fever that leaves his hands clammy and cold and his organs seem to be rotting or failing. The man himself was swept up in a series of vivid dreams. He saw flashes of a sky unlike anything he had ever seen. The stars there were not Earth's....they did not even look like anything he had seen around the solar system at all. The perception was off, too...the colors weren't the same...thermal...shifting...it was if he was looking through someone else's eyes...and then his own memories seemed to drift in...from childhood to college to his work on Horizon...to Harold.

The man unconscious on he bed in the Med Bay mouthed "Harold."

Even in a dream, he was comforted...no...elated to see him. Long, clammy fingers loosely flexed and felt someone else carefully holding his hand.

The dreams stopped then and there was only darkness for many more hours.

Just as suddenly as Siebren's innards had seemingly started to fail and rot inside him...they stopped. His heartbeat normalized and slowly, his temperature began to return to normal...lowering a little every hour.

Slowly, he began to become aware of the beeping and sounds of machinery...of the tubes in his nose feeding him oxygen...and of someone holding his had.

He would know that touch anywhere.

His eyes blinked open slowly, dilated and tired looking, hardly open at all, really.

"H-Harold?"

[daretosee]

He's dozing lightly when he hears his name. Sure he'd misheard because it sounded like Siebren. Tired eyes blink open and he's rubbing at his eyes, pushing his glasses up a bit. It's only when he glances at the patient beside him that he snaps fully awake.

"Sieb!" Shifting in his chair so he can face him, Harold clasps his hand with both of his.

"Oh my god you're awake- Jesus-" One hand is gone to reach over and hit the button on the nearby comm console.

"Get someone in here stat, he's woken up!" And that's enough, he'll stay with him till medical arrives to check on him. Maybe he's going to be okay, if he's awake that's a small hope.

"Siebren hey, do you remember what happened? You're in the med bay, something went wrong with your experiment." He's trying to keep his voice calm, soothing, he doesn't want to overwhelm him.

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren blinked the sleep from his eyes...slowly waking up, unable to shake the feeling that something was different...off...the lights felt a little too bright...the smells too strong.

“Harold? I...”

Harold Winston? A voice in his head asked...and disturbingly, it was not his own. He, Siebren de Kuiper, has not asked that question in his mind.

He gave a start at that, giving his head a shake.

“There was...something else...the black hole it...caused a dimensionsional fissure and something came through.”

He remembered being hit in the face with something wet and cold...and having it press into him.

“Something alive. Where is it?”

[daretosee]

He gives Siebren's hand a light squeeze, he's here for you, he's listening. The way Siebren is acting doesn't seem suspect yet, the man was in the same room as a black hole, the fact that he can even wake up and speak is a miracle right now.

"I've watched the video footage over and over... it looks like something may have come through, but we have no idea what it is. Or was. Nothing alive was found in the wreckage besides you." And alive soon started becoming very tenuous. So very very uncertain. Of course the video they had of the accident wasn't clear at all, it was hard to clearly make out anything.

"Hey- I'm going to be right here, Siebren, but we've got to do some more check ups on you. If you're awake that's... that's a good sign." God he hopes it is. He can't bring himself to tell him that he's basically a vegetable or they thought he was.

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren could not believe that whatever it was had just vanished...that no one had found it. Hadn’t they seen it wrap around his face?

He took comfort in that little squeeze to his hand.

This is our mate? Harold Winston. I know him from your memories.

Siebren started, gasping in shock at the voice that was clearly and distinctly not his own in his head...and it knew about Harold...about their relationship? How? It had said his memories

“Harold! It is here! It is inside me!”

Of course I am.

[daretosee]

It wasn't so simple. The video quality was fuzzy with static and the sound was a garbled mess of nonsense. What they could make out was frightful, seeing the second everything went wrong and catastrophe struck.

For a moment it was amazing, that's what the few other people outside behind thick protective glass said. A miracle. Then in a blink it was all wrong. The black hole destabilized and the entire room was wrecked, Siebren all but dead. One of them swore they saw something come out of the black hole, but in the choas thy couldn't be sure.

Now Harold is just trying to gather up the broken, so he thinks, pieces of the man he loves to some how keep him alive. For a man on the brink of death Siebren is very lovely as he shouts, frantic and scared sounding.

"Hey hey, I need you to stay calm, Sieb. It's just you and me-" The door to the med bay slides open and a few of their colleagues come in. "Ah, well it's just us. Like I said we just need to do some tests. You were hurt really badly." He's chalking his reaction up to still not fully understanding what's happened.

The trauma must be terrible after all. One doctor starts checking his vitals and such on the console he's hooked up to, brows knitting in confusion as she glances at Siebren.

"Dr. de Kuiper it's gonna be okay, we're here to help." The other doctor assures him trying to help with that whole 'calm' thing. But then he's motioned to come over and have a look too and now Harold is concerned. More than he has been. There's mutterings of 'That doesn't make any sense' and Harold is coming over now to see what's going on, shocked at what's on the screen as well.

"... that's not humanly possible, we hoped for a recovery, but a full one? There's no way."

"We have to do a scan, full body. Maybe something is malfunctioning in the system, a scam will show us if any of the abnormalities are still there." Harold hates to put Siebren through more, but it has to be done.

[whatisthatmelody]

“No...not..it isn’t safe! It is here!”

He had no idea what it’s plans were or even what it was.

Siebren...I will not hurt Harold Winston. You love him so WE love him. We will protect him.

Siebren’s eyes were wide, darting from side to side...looking for the source of the voice. The full roar in the room of his comrades faded to nothing in the background.

“Who are you? Where are you?”

I am right here. I’ll always be here. I have never had a host before. I will help you with whatever you need. Your newfound powers from your exposure to the black hole would have crushed everything around you if it wasn’t for me. See? I help. Do not be afraid.

“My...my what? I don’t understand.”

Siebren was very much afraid. His heart beat fiercely in his chest in stark contrast to the weak thudding it had been doing a few hours ago.

He was shaking by the time they got him to the MRI scanner. Comrades told him he needed to calm down and stop moving.

Siebren? Siebren what is this? What are they doing?

“They are going to scan my organs. To make sure I am alright.”

Unnecessary. I have optimized them already.

“You what?”

He was unable to get any farther since as soon as the machine switched on, every atom of Siebren’s body felt like it was being shocked. Pain lanced through his nerves and he screamed in pain...but so did . For the first time, he caught a glimpse of it....black...with bits of teal highlights, glittering particles here and there...like bits of starlight.

The creature screamed...inhuman and terrible and it felt the same pain he did. Siebren could feel a sudden surge in his sort muscles and suddenly, he found himself a passenger in his own body. It moved...stronger and faster than he ever had...but he was not willing his movements at all.

That black eased over his flesh, coating him, turning fingers into claws, pulling over his face and displaying a massive maw of enormous teeth and a teal prehensile tongue lashed angrily.

They hurt us! I will not let them hurt us, Siebren!

Siebren struggled against the other mind that had taken hold of his body.

“Don’t hurt them! Please. They didn’t know! They are good people...Harold...”

I said I would not harm Harold. We love him. He is ours.

Siebren could only imagined what this looked like to his fellow scientists. His large form being encased in black and teal goo, his already large form made even larger and intimidating, tearing its way out of an MRI machine looking positively savage.

Pretend he's very scared in this icon

[daretosee]

Harold tries to ease Siebren's worried and confusing babbling, but it scares him. Has the exposure to the black hole driven him mad? So he does his best, gentle shushes and reassuring him it's going to be okay.

He's right here. This won't take too long.

Almost immediately everything goes wrong. The MRI switches on and Siebren screams, terrible and almost inhuman, but then it's something more. It's not just Siebren.

"Turn it off! Turn it off, now!" He shouts, though it's hard to hear each other over the noise. The MRI is powered down just as it's torn asunder, pieces scattered across the room, one half slamming into the wall nearby. Instinctively the three scientists huddle together, moving away from the massive creature that's torn through the MRI machine like it was paper.

"Siebren!" Harold is afraid what that thing will do to them, but he's afraid that Siebren is some where inside it. Or maybe he's gone forever. Regardless... he'd been right. 'It' was inside him and he hasn't listened to him.

The commotion draws attention, two more fellow scientists hearing a whole lot of not good noises coming to investigate with a handgun each. They may be a bunch of nerds on the moon, but they did have some protection. Shit happened, more they were there if things ever got out of hand with the subjects and lethal force had to be used.

This was a whole other level of out of hand. The door to the med bay opens and one of the handguns goes off, loud and sudden and it's clear by the look on the scientist's face he's shocked about it too.

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren can feel the creature’s anger and pain...but he can also feel more...that it is still young...it is inexperienced and that it has indeed been doing its best to be the best symbiotic parasite it can for its first host and possibly last. He can feel the creature flick through his memories, looking for things it doesn’t recognize...it comes to understand what a handgun is and its raw red rage prickled at the back of his mind.

“Please...stop! Calm down...they are afraid. They mean us no harm. I know them.”

The creature did not calm down. Instead, it speeches and bared its mouthful of sharp teeth at the scientists who entered the Med Bay. It lashed out with its clawed hands, trying to knock the guns away.

“Do not hurt us!” It growled, its voice an odd mix of its own and Dr. De Kuiper’s.

[daretosee]

At the large clawed hands swiping at them Siebren's colleagues stumble back, one even drops his gun. The other though panics more, holding the gun up and fires another shot, though he misses completely.

"Stop shooting at the fucking thing, Zhang!" One of the doctors with Harold yells, clearly it's not making things any better. Harold meanwhile takes a few cautious steps away from the others, though the one doctor grabs for his arm to stop him.

"It's okay-" he tries to reassure her which get a frantic look to... whatever that thing was, then back to Harold. He's inching over towards Dr. Zhang, who's still too scared to discard his gun. Out stretching a hand, Harold urges him gently to put it down.

"That thing will kill us!" His hand shakes, the gun unstable.

"Please, just put it down. It doesn't want to be hurt, we don't want to be hurt either." Harold looks at it now, this giant thing that's encompassed Siebren... is he still in there some where? It did say 'us'.

"We won't hurt you." Harold speaks to it directly, he then glances back to Zhang, head tilting in a little 'right?' before the doctor very reluctantly holds the gun out and drops it, backing away.

"No more guns, no more hurt." Harold hopes to any god that he's not just doomed them all to death.

"What did you do Siebren, where is he?" Is what he most importantly wants to know. Is he still alive some how?

[whatisthatmelody]

“Harold. Harold Winston.”

The man’s name was said fondly in that strange mix of alien and human and followed by a distinct purr that Harold would soon become very familiar with. The teal specks across its black, glossy sheen glowed brighter. Its large eyespots did not have pupils, but they moved and shifted a bit, looking around at the other humans and then back to Harold.

It gestures at itself with clawed hands.

“He is here. We are here. Your Siebren is unharmed. We are Sigma. We need each other. The very experiment that brought me here would have destroyed his mind...but I would have died without a worthy host. I have bonded successfully. Together, We Are Sigma.”

Inside the amalgamation Siebren de Kuiper listened, learning with the other scientists what in fact had become of him. The creature spoke to him in his mind and he could feel what felt like tendrils running over his mind soothingly, reassuringly.

Do not worry. I will not harm you, Siebren...I only wish to live. Your mind has not been altered. It will remain Siebren...but together...We Are Sigma.

[daretosee]

Harold wouldn't be able to describe how he felt hearing his name purred from that big toothy maw even if he wanted to. All he knew is it sent a shiver right up his spine.

"Sigma. Is that your name?" So Siebren's miracle recovery was due to this thing? This Sigma. Honestly an alien organism inside Siebren made more sense then his body suddenly being fine.

After a moment of hesitation he takes a few steps towards Sigma, heart beating wildly in his chest. He can't lie and say he's not afraid, he's terrified, but if Siebren is in there...

"Can I see him, please? I just want to know that he's okay."

[whatisthatmelody]

Sigma nodded.

“Yes. That is my name.”

The creature took several deep breaths, and following Harold’s movements. It paused, considering the human’s proposal.

“Of course. You will see I am telling the truth.”

In a flash, the creature withdrew, its frame shrinking back to Siebren de Kuiper. The shimmering black withdrew and left peach flesh exposed. Fortunately for Siebren’s modesty, he still had his hospital gown on underneath everything.

Siebren stood there shaking in front of everyone. His grey eyes darted around. He flexed his toes, relishing the feeling of being in complete control of his own body again. He looked towards Harold and he felt relief wash over him.

“Harold...I...I think I am going to throw up.”

Siebren steadied himself on his own knees and emptied the contents of his stomach on the floor.

Sorry about the nausea. It is because we moved so much after bonding. I am still here.

[daretosee]

It's almost as frightening seeing it seem to disappear back into Siebren as it, as promised, gave him back the good doctor. Poor Siebren looks shaken, pale and unwell.

And then he's throwing up and Harold doesn't care about any goddamn alien creature he just needs to be there for Siebren. He's down in the floor with him, rubbing his back and urging him back away from the mess after it seems he's done throwing up.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't believe you." He owes Siebren that, before the other doctors move around them, bringing over paper towels to clean up the mess on the floor and to discuss what the hell they're going to do now.

"Is that fucking thing still inside you?" Zhang asks, still keeping some distance. He's since picked up his gun and it's in the waistband of his pants. The other doctor who's come in with one stands awkwardly at the door, watching with nervous eyes.

"It can probably still hear us talking, don't be rude." One if the others speaks up, Dr. Patel, she seems annoyed, but cautious.

"Should we call it in to base?"

"No!" Harold is surprised at how quick he snaps and he'll clear his throat apologetically.

"If we report this you all know what will happen. It'll be a logistical nightmare, the government will get involved, probably the damn army too." They'll take Siebren away. They'll never see him again. Who knows what things they'll do to him and Sigma.

Zhang rubs at his face and curses, "You want us to just let that thing live here with us?"

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren pawed at Harold until his hands found the other man’s and then they latched on tightly.

“Thank you, Harold. I...admit it sounds outrageous.”

He could feel Sigma there...in his head...under his skin...completely separate but still a part of him. He could feel it prickling at Zhao’s scrutiny.

“Yes, Zhao. It is. It can hear everything we say. I do not believe it means us harm. It has had ample opportunity for that already. If this creature truly wanted us dead it would have done so already.”

Siebren’s heart skipped a beat when Harold spoke out against telling base about the alien.

He is protecting us. Sigma’s thoughts pressed against Siebren’s.

Siebren nodded silently.

[daretosee]

"It was going to kill us, Siebren." Zhang grits out angrily, Harold is quick to pipe up.

"Because we hurt it. Because you shot at it." He motions then for Patel to bring over a few more paper towels and asks her to get a glass of water. Carefully he helps Siebren wipe up his face a bit and holds the water brought them till Siebren us ready for it.

"I think the MRI machine hurt it some how. It didn't react until we turned it on." The MRI machine that's in pieces now.

"We'll need a new one of those..." Patel says some what amused, tone asking what she doesn't say. How will they explain that?

"We need to get rid of that creature! Why are you all so calm about this?" Zhang is still clearly upset and shocked about what happened, Harold understood, it's not like he's not scared either. His boyfriend has an alien inside of him. Yet it seemed to have saved him. It needed Siebren.

What would happen when and if he no longer didn't?

"We'll discuss this later, today. Can we give Siebren a moment? Please?" Harold carefully helps him to his feet and back to his bed to sit so at least he's not on the floor anymore.

"Don't contact base until we've all decided what to do. Understand?" Zhang crosses his arms looking frustrated and Harold's voice gets stern, sharp.

"Do we understand?"

"Yes, fine." And Zhang leaves, the others following after him to make sure he does nothing stupid. Harold visibly sags once it's just him and Siebren, sitting with him and hugging him tight.

"I was so afraid I'd lost you."

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren raised his hand weakly, but Harold defended him without hesitation, Patel seconded it. The man was so brave...he stood next to him, wiped his face and held his water glass so he could steadily drink it. Siebren could feel Sigma purr with approval in his mind.

Siebren was grateful for the help. His legs were still shaking as Harold led him to the bed where he sat down, thankful to have something solid under him.

He returned Harold’s embrace, tightly hugging him back, taking in the feel and the scent of the other man.

“I know. Me too. When the experiment failed...I was so afraid...for you...for the others...for 28...I thought I had killed us all.”

He sobbed quietly into Harold’s neck.

“Thank you...thank you for everything, Harold.”

[daretosee]

Now that Siebren mentions it he wonders how bad things really would have been if Sigma hadn't been there. Would the destruction have been worse? Could it have endangered the entire colony?

Thinking about it just makes him thankful even more that everyone is okay. His hand cradles the back of Siebren's neck holding him so close.

"We're going to be okay. We'll get through this, mijn geliefde." Together, they'll figure it out. They have to.

[whatisthatmelody]

At the sound of his native tongue, Siebren’s heart clenched. Harold was always so thoughtful. It was something he would do.

There was a slight tingle in the back of his mind.

He quietly asked ouloud without releasing Harold.

“Sigma?”

The voice was clear as day in his own head.

Yes, Siebren? I was going through your memories of Harold Winston. I have seen some before, but I wanted to familiarize myself more. He is a large part of our life.

Siebren’s brow furrowed.

“Sigma...some of those memories are private.”

Are they? They are all wonderful. There is not a single bad memory. Rare for a host to have no bad memories of their mate. I like this Harold. I like you a lot, too, Siebren. I think we will all get along well.

A blush appeared in Siebren’s cheeks.

“Harold...it...he...Sigma is still here. He can hear everything and he...he knows about us. He went through my memories. I...do not believe he means us or the colony harm.”

I do not. Shall I speak for myself?

“What?” Siebren asked.

Slowly, a bit of black ooze with that teal shimmer over its surface crept up from under Siebren’s collar where the lab suit met his neck. Bit by bit, it formed a small version of the toothy maw that had been covering Siebren’s face.

“Hello, Harold. Siebren is right. I mean you and the others no harm. I will not harm Siebren, either. I need him to survive...and I like him...so I would not hurt him. I only defend myself...and Siebren...since as my host, our lives are linked.”

[daretosee]

He's gotta put that little bit of Dutch knowledge to use. Besides he likes the sound of 'my love' in Siebren's tongue more than English or even Chinese. Language was such an interesting thing.

Harold pulls back a little as Siebren seems to be talking out loud to nothing, but he mentions Sigma so he assumes that some how the two are speaking to one another. He then explains Sigma is still there, still inside him and that he's gone through his memories and knows about them. Really he feels like if it hadn't found out that way it wasn't like Harold hadn't "exposed" them with that bit of Dutch. Could it understand any language?

He can't even ask Siebren to further explain anything before that scary toothy maw is appearing out of no where, granted a much smaller version, and Harold is being greeted by it. This is the weirdest thing he's ever had to deal with and he's raising genetically altered primates on the moon.

"... so if you left him, if you found another host, would he die?" He has to ask it, it's the one thing that's most important. Will Siebren die without Sigma.

[whatisthatmelody]

The hairs on the back of Siebren’s neck raise at the feel of that cool slick on his skin...but he is fascinated by it nonetheless. He should be afraid...we’ll...more afraid than he is. He is definitely afraid but also...curious...nothing he has ever studied has been like this before.

“Fascinating,” he whispered.

Sigma paused, looking between Harold and Siebren.

The alien nodded.

“Yes. The strain of separation for a long period of time would be lethal for Siebren. It would most likely be for me as well. There is no guarantee I would be able to bond completely. While it is theoretical I would survive...I would not want to risk it...and it would not end well for Dr. de Kuiper.”

Siebren’s hand squeezed Harold’s. He did not like the sound of that...but what could he do about it? What could he say?

Sigma trilled.

“I am sorry. You did not grant me permission...but...my kind die in oxygen rich environments without a host...and...without me...the end result of your experiment would have been catastrophic.”

[daretosee]

So from what the Sigma is explaining the both of them, if not all of them, would have possibly died from the damage that black hole would have caused. If not for it. Truly they would never know the real damage that Siebren's experiment going haywire would have caused, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that it's true.

Harold squeezes Siebren's hand back, eyes flickering to his face then back to Sigma's toothy little blob.

"It's incredibly lucky then that the two of you found each other in that exact moment." There's so much he wants to say or ask, but he feels so tired and worn down from all of this. The fear of losing Siebren and basically readying himself to have to give him up and let him die... and now he's healthy and well and it's all because of this space goo alien. Sigma.

"Thank you for saving Siebren. For saving us all." Even if it seems like Sigma acted for it's own benefit and livelihood, which is completely fair when one is pulled through a black hole and into an environment that it could die in. It's self preserving act saved Siebren, so Harold can't complain at all. What he worries about now is...

"So you will share his body, but do you require any sustenance besides what his body will provide?" God that makes it sound like Sigma is some sort of parasite. To be fair it kind of. Is. Though a parasite takes to keep itself healthy and alive, with this it seems like, so far, it's also keeping Siebren in good health as well. So not entirely parasitic.

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren sat listening as aptly as Harold to this...creature...that had saved his life...saved the love of his life and the rest of the scientists and...something about his own new abilities? What was this?

Sigma paused, thinking about Harold’s question and Siebren held his breath.

“My kind are primarily carniverous. We feed primarily on live prey with active andrenal glands. However, in an environment such as this...we can...make exceptions. We will require excess amounts of potassium and phenethylamine, as you would call them. These compounds exist in the brains of our prey.”

Siebren’s stomach turned at that. Not that eating brains was unheard of in nature...just that he would have to...or not...it seemed there was an alternative available.

“Potassium? That’s in bananas and potatoes. We have plenty of both. We grow them here on Horizon.”

But that left phenethylamine.

What was that?

Where could that be found?

[daretosee]

For a second he worries just the same as Siebren, but Sigma quickly clears up that it doesn't need to eat actual brains. Thank god. That would be something a lot harder to deal with, aka they wouldn't be able to.

Bananas they had in ample supply here as well as other vegetables. Harold had to think for a moment, but after a second he actually chuckles tiredly.

"Well. The easiest for phenethylamine would be chocolate. Though most meats and beans are good for it as well." A lot of that they kept on hand, dried beans and canned as they both lasted a long time, as well as meat, frozen until they needs it. A favorite of Harold's was tofu, which worked as well.

Guess keeping it fed wouldn't be such a problem.

"So we just have to make chocolate dipped frozen banana treats for your new friend, Siebren." He teases lightly.

[whatisthatmelody]

Siebren smiled. It was so like Harold to take an impossible situation and simplify it.

“Oh...well, that is not so bad at all then, is it?” Siebren asked softly.

Sigma ran a disconcertingly long tongue over its teeth approvingly before it spike again.

“We will need food soon...and rest. Siebren’s body must finish acclimating to me. There are still several days for biochemistry to completely adapt. Organs and cells have been optimized...but there are still some adjustments happening.”

Siebren...we will experience numerous hormonal fluctuations over the coming days.

Siebren started at Sigma simultaneously speaking in his head while being present in front of Harold. That last part was only for them, apparently.

“Oh.” Was all he said. What else could he say? An alien parasite had set up residence in his body and it just dropped bombshell after bombshell on him. At least it would settle for chocolate covered bananas over brains.

He looked at Sigma.

“Sigma, Harold can know that, too but...thank you for discretion.”

Apparently he had been listening when Siebren had told him such things were private. This...symbiote was actually listening to him and honoring his wishes.

Still...it would be a bit awkward from here on out in that department.

Sigma nodded and turned to Harold.

“As our bonding finalizes, we will experience numerous hormonal fluctuations in the coming days. It will result in a need for privacy. I will be able to give notice a few minutes notice before to ensure we have privacy.”

Well, Siebren was grateful for small favors. At least he would be spared getting all hot and bothered in the lab. What was he saying? He could not get near a lab until he had rested for a few more days at least.

[daretosee]

Oh that's a weird tongue. This whole thing is weird. The fact he's still talking to a tiny toothy alien head is weird.

If he wasn't very aware this is real, he'd wonder if he was suffering a fever dream.

"Of course, I think we all need to rest after. This." He has so many questions, but he's trying to pay attention to the way it seems like there's some other conversation going on without him. Can it speak directly into Siebren's mind?

"Hormonal fluctuations..." He repeats it as his tired mind catches up to what the symbiote means. Oh. Oh that. Privacy. Oh boy.

"That shouldn't be a problem, I think after all of this has happened it would be best if Siebren-" He realizes it feels like he's talking like said man isn't right there with them, "If you took it easy, yeah? This has been a huge stress on your body, Sigma or not. We can use that time to figure out things." So no being up and about Siebren, doctor's orders. Not bed rest per se, but definitely low energy things would be wise.

"Why don't you two stay here for right now, rest. I'll go get something to eat and after we can move you back to your room. Okay?" He gives Siebren's hand a gentle pat as he shifts to get off the med bay bed.

[whatisthatmelody]

Sigma and Siebren nodded at the same time without meaning to.

Siebren actually spoke first.

“Yes...I think that is a good idea. Thank you, Harold. For everything...for sitting with me the whole time. For still sitting here.”

He grabbed the hand that patted his and he squeezed it, then forced himself to release Harold’s hand and ease back onto the med bay bed. Sigma shifted his location and seemed to watch, waiting.

“I’ll see you soon, Harold.”


Siebren forced a reassuring smile and gave a small wave. Sigma said nothing but pulled its maw into a toothy smile, and a gleaming black and teal tentacle appeared and waved, mimicking Siebren.

[daretosee]

For a brief moment he forgets the little alien blob head watching them and moves in closer to lean down and press a soft kiss to Siebren's lips. It still hits him that he could have lost him, he thought he had lost him.

"I love you." Murmured between them, just for them. Er, and Sigma. Pulling back he heads off, stopping at the doorway to smile back and give a little wave as well.

"Promise, I'll be right back." And he will be. He'll just make something simple, easy. A fruit salad, of course with bananas... and he nabs a few smaller candy bars just in case. He's not sure how much Sigma needs, but he also isn't going to just shove candy down Siebren's throat either.

A healthy diet can still be achieved through this, but he'd said he'd be right back. So simple and easy it is. He returns a bit later, though he does bump into a couple of their colleagues, who are worried and concerned. So he's held up a little but explaining that everything seems. Okay, for now.

They'll just have to keep a close eye on it and not give Sigma any reason to get all big and angry and aggressive again. They seem concerned for Harold going back into the med bay, but he assures them he'll be fine. He has to be for Siebren, this must be so hard on him.

Frightening and hard to take in.

So he comes back in, fruit salad in hand and candy in his lab coat pocket.

"I hope you can keep this down, just take it easy eating." And he comes to sit beside Siebren again, offering him the bowl.

[whatisthatmelody]

For a moment, Siebren’s heart fluttered at that soft kiss pressed to his lips. He sighed happily into it. His world was crumbling around him, but Harold Winston was able to reign in the chaos, reassure him everything would be alright...love him despite his new...symbiotic companion.

“Always.”

He whispered as Harold pulled away to fetch something for them. As soon as the other man was out of the room, Siebren felt dread start to press down on him. This was it. This was how it was going to be...forever. This was his reality until the day he died.

On one hand, it was a fabulous opportunity. His experiment had failed, but in a twist of fate he had discovered than mankind was not alone in the universe.

Siebren turned to the small alien face that hovered above his shoulder, loosely attached by that black and teal goo.

“I have so many questions for you. You have access to my memories, no doubt that is how you learned about Harold...is that also how you learned our languages? Language?”

Sigma nodded.

“I was able to completely learn Dutch and English...bits and pieces of German and French...some Mandarin and Latin, of course. Your knowledge is my knowledge.”

Siebren nodded.

“Fascinating.”

Siebren found himself trembling. He could feel the symbiote moving under his skin, over his brain, searching for the reason.

Siebren, What is wrong?

“Sigma, I am afraid. I...I don’t want to be ungrateful but I...I wasn’t expecting this. I...I didn’t ask for this...I...it is a lot...to take in.”

I see. I understand. I said I will not hurt you or Harold and I mean that. You are both dear to me...but I am aware this is because I have seen you both through your memories. You have not had that luxury and it will take time...but...I hope in time you might...care for me in some capacity since...we will be together for the rest of your life.

The rest of his life.

And just like that, Harold was back. Siebren had lost his appetite but his empty stomach betrayed him with a growl. He carefully took the bowl and he smiled appreciatively.

“I’ll take it slow, then. Thank you, Harold.”

He takes it slow...eating one piece at a time. He turned to Sigma.

“Sigma? Do you need to eat separately or...?”

The glob shook its head.

“No. I can absorb what I need from your stomach. I could eat if I wanted but that may take some getting used to. Please, take your time.”

Siebren nodded, though his hands shook a little as he continued to eat the fruit salad that Harold had made for him. He found he was in fact ravenous once the first few pieces were in his stomach and he steadily finished the bowl.

“Thank you, Harold. It was perfect.”

[daretosee]

He's glad to help out in any way he can right now. Sitting with him, them???, Harold sees the way Siebren's hands shake can only imagine the stress of this.

"Are you still hungry? I know its the complete opposite of what you just ate but-" he pulls a candy bar from his lab coat pocket.

"Figured it couldn't hurt to come prepared." Honestly now that there's been all this talk of food and he's been so focused on Siebren, he realizes he's not eaten much of anything in a bit. Opening the candy bar he'll take a bite, sighing a he chews it.

"This is going to ruin my girlish figure." Said with complete sarcasm, "Should we let Sigma eat on his own now that you've got something in your belly?" He holds the candy bar between them curiously, not sure if he should just. Give it to the alien thing or not.

[whatisthatmelody]

The symbiote did not need to be asked twice. As soon as Harold offered the candy bar and mentioned the alien eating on his own, a shiny tentacle shot out and snatched the candy out of the man’s hand, pulling it to the small maw.

“Thank you, Harold” Sigma purred.

Siebren forced a small smile.

“He’s fond of you, Harold. And now you have endeared yourself further, I think.” Siebren commented and nodded towards his guest.

The little face took a tentative bite out of the chocolate bar. It then waited. For several long moments, nothing happened but then it’s glistening eyes widened and it purred loudly.


“Harrrrold. It is wonderful. Siebren, yes, this will be perrrfect.”

If it could blush, Siebren was sure it would. He wa surprised to find that as the alien could read his emotions, he found he could feel the glee and satisfaction emanating from the symbiote. It wasn’t mind reading...but he could feel the creature’s emotions.

“He loves it. Thank you, Harold for thinking of us.”

Us.

Siebren’s heart jumped in his chest. He had said “us.”