luckily either the boy didn't know enough english or had enough sense and did not speak. the rest of the ride back was uneventful as well and by the time they had arrived back he was nearly asleep and had to be woken by felix

He told their driver to be silent and help him gather their things out of the car. Once their bags were in the house and stored away the professor thanked the young man with a generous tip before fishing zosa out of the back of the car, cradling him in his arms. It earned him a small yawn as he toted him up the stairs, laying the tired boy out on the bed. Following Zosa's example, the professor laid his head in his favorite resting spot soon falling asleep after a long day of tourism.

when he woke again it was under the comforting crush of felix and with an equally comforting smell of soup and cheese, opening his eyes he saw a thin hand set the bowls down, before the woman could leave however he offered a soft 'thankyou' and a smile. he was pleased to see her's was the same as always

The smell of something wonderful lured him out of his sleep and in a haze he saw a pale shadow close the door. He opened his eyes sitting up wondering if all the boys talk of demons had gone to his head.

nearly as soon as she was gone felix woke and he followed the man into an upright position though he ended it by leaning against one pale shoulder, " you just missed olga(findname), she made something you might like, there is plenty of beef in it and dairy too though no pomegranates." sweetly he kissed a shoulder, "i also do not think my father will be home, i would not mind showing you my father's library after we eat and unpack our souvenirs"

Most of what Zosa said had gone in one ear and disappeared inside of his brain. He pushed aside any bedding that cover him and went to follow behind the ghost of Zosa's past. The elderly lady moved faster then the professors groggy limbs, her grandson was already pulling out of the drive way by the time he reached the kitchen. In her wake he saw the giant pot of food on the stove and decided he would meet her at least once.

when felix did not offer him so much as an acknowledgement but instead wandered off he felt strange and a little paranoid that he had done something wrong but he tried to eat the feeling and quietly followed after the man

The professor drew in a deep breath and looked at the door. It was one thing to live with a bunch of people on a ship, those people he saw every day and could speak with, the ghost was another thing. Even if her grandchild was proof she existed. “I'm sorry Zosa, I would love to see your fathers library.” He said finally turning back to him.

the words surprised him and drawing up short he nodded at the back of the man's head before he caught himself and answered vocally instead. taking felix by the hand he led him back towards the stairs

(instead of going up they will go past, it is a one-room affair with a chair by the fireplace and a desk in the corner, the shelves go up to the ceiling and there is a little slidy ladder, the rug is there too)

He didn't expect to be whisked further into the unexplored areas of the house, much less into the large room that contained so many hard back versions of books. In one area he saw the ghost of Zosa's father, a desk with neatly stacked paper work and a volume opened to a marked page. He didn't let his eyes linger too long and grew more captivated by the shelves of literature. The professor grinned. "Then you will read to me to night?"

lightly he chuckled, "i read russian as poorly as i speak russian, and i do not know latin or swedish or danish and the little that is done in english is nothing worth reading. you would be put to sleep but so would i"

He laughed. "Then that is our next trip around town, to find a library or book store that has English volumes, unless you wish to read my pirate romances." He looked around the vast room until his eyes fell on the dead animal on the floor. He walked over to it, folding his arms over his chest and curling one finger around his mouth in thought.

he would have offered to help but as soon as his mouth was open the other was already off to stare at the rug, "...it's polar-bear, hundred years old, it was a wild animal if you can believe it but you can't even buy them now"

He crouched down to the dead animal and touched it, it was very soft and he had only seen one on holograms during his time in school. "Was it real?" He said undecided if he should be disturbed but his fascination was slowly winning out.

nodding he came over and kneeled right down in the middle, lightly he ran his hands over the soft fur, "yeah, it lived and breathed and ate stuff and lived it's whole life out up until a trophy-hunter found him. my grandfather got him as a gift and my father got him when grandpa died. i used to come here and pet him when i felt lonely"

The professor raised his eyebrow and reached out and stroked the fur. "Like a pet? Your father would not allow you and Zayats to have a dog? He would have been better then... this fellow." He offered pulling back his arm and sliding down to the ground on top of the rub. Surprised it was yet another thing taller then him. "He is warm."

"maybe but it is what there was and i would not trade him for any dog." the smile softened nearly flat now, "of all the things in this house this rug is one of the few i have very good memories about, it was not a house for children"

He looked at Zosa and reaching out he took the stroking arm and pulled the body down to join him on the rug. "Zosa, you are not a child any more." Twisting his head he nuzzled the crown of black locks. "It is time to make new memories of you and I both." He said the last few words in a singsongy voice and craned his neck to kiss the boy. "I will try to make them happy." He wanted to desperately return the favor for luna and make Zosa smile every waking moment.

"felix?" he tried to smile for the other there but it was washed off with an upwelling of tears and he had to hide his face against the other. feeling arms close around him he found the ability to speak again, "no... i m always smiling felix...even when it doesn't look like it, because of you..oh felix, all my memories are happy even the difficult ones"

The tears spoke to the contrary but he said nothing. Instead he squeezed the boy harder and started to sing in a low voice managing a small smile, letting Zosa have his catharsis.

he stopped crying almost as soon as the other took up singing his favorite song but he did not bother moving until it had ended and tipping his face gave the other a salty kiss and a true smile, "thankyou"

"Always for you." He said laying back and looking at the ceiling. "Whats say we go eat our soup now, and then try and find a book to read?"

nodding he let himself be helped up off of the rug and quietly followed felix back to the bedroom for their breakfast

It was delicious, even when it was lukewarm. He relished in the meal while leisurely taking a shower and preparing himself to go outside. Though his face showed nothing more then is usual stoicness, the professor was excited to go out into the natural habitat of Russia. He wanted to find that river again and impatiently he waited on Zosa, promising not to leave the boy behind.

it was as if felix had a map and compass for the line the man made and quicker now they managed back to the water where he found the other before only this time he had spare clothes for them both and finding a place for the stuff he laid it down before following the other to the edge of the water

the soft undulating waves sparkled and the professor leaned over the edge of the water in fascination. It was not illegal to touch the organisms that he viewed just below the surface and looking closer he found himself silently facing something that abruptly jumped into to hiding, causing him to fall back in surprise.

the man half jerked into his arms and catching him he could only just make out a grayish movement. steadying felix he stared at the spot as he slowly made out a half-forgotten creature of his youth, "..it's a frog! felix do not be frightened, they are harmless"

"Yes..A frog." He said using one finger to push his glasses back in place. He turned and looked at Zosa "I have never seen one in real life before, the Zoo at the moon did not keep minor species." Slowly the professor moved out of Zosa's hold. "Thank you." He said before waddling up to the waters edge again searching for more frogs.

he was a little put out when felix left his arms but he did not let it get to him and kicking off his shoes he bent over to roll up his pants, "you did not see this." as he spoke he fixed his pants and stepping into the frigid water he went to fetch felix a frog

He was going to protest the illogical side of that statement but he was more fascinated by Zosa's activities. Watching the boy crouch and wade through the waters, it looked as though he was trying to catch something. It wasn't until Zosa stopped flailing and came to the shore with something clasped in his hands, and river water dripping between his fingers that the professor could not wait any longer. “Zosa what is it?” The boy urged him forward and he peered into the tiny crevice but Zosa gestured for him to hold his hands the way he was. He was handed a leaving being, and picking though his hands he saw it was the same one he had merely gotten a glimpse up. He froze, and his eyes widened at an alarming rate. He wiggled with the creature moving in his palms. “ZOSA! What is it?” Quickly he brushed up against Zosa holding the creature between them cupped in his hands. It stopped moving and gave out a little sound.

he did not think it was a bad idea until the comical staring became wild jerky thrashing and as felix bumped up against hi he latched on and stilled the man, "felix, felix! it is just the frog, felix calm down!"

He closed his eyes pressing his forehead against Zosa's. He didn't mean to sound so frightened, but this was not Mars of which he studied for most of his life. The warm hands calmed his nerves a little. "Zosa... its moving in my hands." He whispered.

feeling compelled to whisper back he replied in a low tone, "because she is alive, be careful, if you are not you could easily crush her in your fingers. frogs are very fragile things....felix?" sweetly he tipped his face to offer the man a kiss, "open your fingers just a little and you can see her"

His brows contorted into surprise but he kept his mouth shut. Against harming any biological form, he opened his hands a little. And when the creature tried to jump he was quick to reel in his own fright with the help of Zosa's hands. Once the frog settled again he peeked inside little his jaw fall into a small little o shape as he stared in wonder at the creature, and it staring at him. He looked up at Zosa with the same surprised wonder. “Can we keep it?”

softly he shook his head and pulled them both down into a crouch before opening his hands, "no, she is a wild thing. she'd die if we did, you want to let her go and then next year when she is grown she will have many offspring and you can catch them but no keeping frogs"

He wanted to protest that logic by the simple fact that he was a lunarian and he could survive. But he opened his hands further in silence and watched her bounce from his palm into the deeper waters. "Thank you." He whispered back pressing his lips against Zosas. "Now lets get you out of the water before you get sick."

chuckling lightly he reached down and splashed felix with some of the chilly water, "what? are you trying to mother me now? i am a big boy felix, i can play in the mud if i want to"

He decided not to play fair, and pulling his hands free he stood up before plucking Zosa out of the water as if he were a frog himself. "Because when I played in the water you would not let me with out fear of getting sick."

"because," he smiled as he was pulled on, "you were nearly naked and it was a bit colder outside and i was worried. if you or i get sick today we can cuddle together and share our germs under heavy quilts over hot soup"

He raised a brow, recalling the feeling of being sick for the first time on the ship. "Then who will be my sexy nurse if we are both in bed cuddling." He said finding his favorite spot to grace it with a kiss.