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Chapter Text

Until that moment, Jaxxtrixxriiandraneek had no true knowledge of color. Everything was white or black, or varying shades in-between.  His parents always spoke of soulmates as a wondrous thing, and Jaxx had grown up dreaming of the moment when he and his soulmate would gaze into each other’s eyes for the first time, and color would fill the world.

But the years had passed, and life continued to be grey for the Greytrexian.  Instead of moping about, Jaxx decided to apply for the Intergalactic Guard.  Very few Greytrexians even considered leaving their home planet, but he was determined to see the universe.

This new planet, Earth, was amazing to behold – even in monotone. The air was fresh, the animals were delightfully unique, and the humans were all so tall and extraordinary to look upon.  It helped that Jaxx found himself rather taken with the broad-shouldered aliens of his new planet. He wouldn’t mind finding his soulmate among them, even if the thought made him blush.

And then, out of the blue, it happened.  Recently promoted to pilot, with honors, Jaxxtrixxriiandraneek found himself attending the Captains’ Gala.  It was the one time each year that all of the captains in the Infinity Guard returned to Earth to mix and mingle with their current and future crewmates.  Junior trainees were given the night off, but every recently promoted member of the guard was expected to attend.  You never knew which captain you would be assigned under, and it was the chance to make a good first impression.

As Jaxx gazed around the room, he caught sight of a small group of senior staff members gathered around a particular human.  At first, he seemed the same as all the rest, but the moment their eyes met, everything changed. The world, beginning with the Captain’s dark eyes, blossomed into vibrant colors.  It was an awe-inspiring moment that left Jaxx speechless and giddy at the same time. 

The man turned away to talk to the woman next to him, but the Greytrexian didn’t care.  He’d finally found the other half of his soul — and in a HUMAN, no less.  What would his parents think?  It was so unusual.  The little alien clutched his cheeks, unable to stop the smile brimming across his face.

“Someone is happy,” his friend Trishika said.  He turned to see that her skin was no longer a dull shade of metallic grey.  Instead, her avian features were in full, colorful display.  A lovely blend of colors that Jaxx didn’t have the words for, as of yet. 

“You’re beautiful, Trishika,” he whispered, staring at her in amazement.

“Thank you, dear.  But I know for a fact that you like guys,” she replied, a smile quirking across her beak.

“No, I mean I can see you — you’re so colorful!” Jaxx nearly squealed.

“You found your soulmate,” she hissed, grabbing him by the arms to pull him close. “Who is it?”

“He’s amazing, but I don’t know what his name is.  He definitely noticed me, too.  Do you think he knows I’m his soulmate?” Jaxx wondered aloud. 

“Humans are a weird species.  Once they reach maturity, the name of their soulmate appears on their wrist.  We should go see if he has your name,” the Avianrian said, perking up as she began to search the room. “What does he look like?”

“He’s right over there,” Jaxx said, pointing to the man standing between Sergeant Roscoe and a Ventrexian captain.    

“The guy with the big shoulders, brown hair, and a very pronounced chin?” his friend asked, her lips curving down into a frown.

“That’s him.  Why?  What’s wrong?” A feeling of dread was beginning to creep up the Greytrexian’s spine at the look on his friend’s face.

“That is Captain John Goodspeed.  Every girl at the academy has heard about him. He’s a very accomplished captain, but he’s also a huge flirt with the ladies.  HE’S your soulmate?”

“Yes,” Jaxx found himself whispering, his golden eyes drooping in uncertainty.

“Fate sure knows how to pick them.  I’m sorry, Jaxx, but I don’t think Goodspeed is interested in men, at all,” she concluded, wrapping her arm around his shoulders for comfort.

True to form, the warm moment came to an end when the very people they were discussing walked up to them.

“There you are, Jack!” Sergeant Roscoe announced, as he and Captain Goodspeed approached them. “John, I want to introduce you to the best pilot in our graduating class.  Don’t let his size fool you, he can give anyone a run for their money.”

“Hey, little buddy, I’m John Goodspeed,” Jaxx’s soulmate said, crouching to look him in the eye.

Jaxx was torn between blurting out the truth, and cringing at the way John was behaving.  Taller aliens kneeling just to talk to him made him feel like they were seeing a child, rather than an adult, when they looked at him.  Warily, he reached out to shake John’s hand.  The man’s grip was firm, but on the lighter side.  “I’m Jaxxtrixxriiandraneek, but most people know me as Jack.  We… don’t have last names on Greytrexia,” he informed the man. 

“That’s alright.  And who is this lovely lady?” John let go of his hand, and stood back up, leaving Jaxx feeling like he’d missed the perfect moment.  Instead, the Greytrexian watched as his soulmate turned on the charm as he spoke to Trishika.  When the sergeant and captain excused themselves, John ever reached out to press a kiss to Trishika’s hand, his dark eyes lingering on her… and never once returning to Jaxx, as they walked away.

“I’m sorry, Jaxx,” the Avianrian concluded, her eyes focused on Jaxx as HE watched John mingle with a new group of graduates. 

“He didn’t know who I was.  He must not have my name.  I didn’t… I didn’t know soulmates came in one-sided pairings,” Jaxx whispered, feeling tears prickling at his eyes. 

“I’m so sorry, Jaxx.  Do you want to leave?” Trishika asked. 

Jaxx took in a breath, and turned to her, pasting a smile on his face.  “No.  We came here to mingle, and we will.  I’ll learn to live with it.  For now, I want to experience all these amazing colors.”

Jaxx has only wandered off to find a bathroom.  Instead, he ended up standing in the doorway of the campus library, watching two humans fornicating against one of the tables.  Once he realized what he was witnessing, his face turned a bright pink.  “Excuse me,” he squeaked out, ready to shut the door and race out of the room.

The larger, male human turned his head, locking his dark eyes on Jaxx.  “You mind, little buddy — we’re a little busy,” John Goodspeed said, his gaze holding no familiarity at all. The Greytrexian shook his head and slammed the door shut in his haste to escape the situation.  In less than a minute, he was standing in the men’s room, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

“He’s not my soulmate.  How could he be my soulmate?  He barely knows I exist.  Why would the universe pair me with someone that wouldn’t want me back?” Jaxx choked back a sob, even as he felt the tears streaming down his cheeks.  It just wasn’t fair. 

The next few years passed in a blurr for Jaxx. He’d catch a glimpse of his one-sided soulmate from afar, but the man usually had at least one lady attached to his arm.  And they were always different.  Trishika was right; he really was a womanizer.  The only perk that came with finding his soulmate was the vast array of colors he now had to choose from.  The color purple had become his favorite rather quickly.

Jaxx figured that life would continue this way forever.  John would always pass him by, barely looking his way, and Jaxx would continue to pretend that he was ignorant of what bound them together.  Life should have continued this way… but it never does.

“I remember you.  Sorry, little buddy, I’ve forgotten your name,” Captain Goodspeed said, crouching down to extend his hand to his new co-pilot.  The Greytrexian shook his hand half-heartedly, but the big human didn’t seem to care.

“You really don’t have to lean down,” Jaxx tried to explain, but John didn’t seem to notice as he stood back up to wave at another crewmate.

“Come on then, I’ll give you a tour, little buddy!”

“Little buddy…” Jaxx muttered distastefully under his breath as he followed his soulmate into the bowels of the ship.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Jaxx found himself warming to the human quite quickly.  Perhaps it was due to the soulbond, even if it was one-sided, or just John’s vibrant and trustworthy personality, either way, Jaxx enjoyed spending time with him.  As long as they weren’t around any females, of course. The moment John was around a woman of any species, he went into full flirt mode.

They were in the middle of a multi-level game of cyber chess when Jaxx first caught a glimpse of the mark on John’s wrist.  The captain was wearing a blue t-shirt that evening, rather than his uniform. 

“Is that a soulmark?” the Greytrexian found himself asking, only to blush when the other man’s eyes focused on him.

“That it is,” John said, turning his wrist over. 

Jaxx felt his heart skip a beat, before speeding up rapidly.  That was HIS name.  In Greytrexian symbols.  HIS NAME on his soulmate’s wrist.  It WASN’T a one-way bond, after all.  A relieved smile began to cross over Jaxx’s face as he focused on the mark.

“I haven’t met her yet,” John suddenly said, tracing the mark fondly.  “I’m not even sure what language this is in.  When it first appeared, my father searched the Infinity Guard database, but couldn’t find a match.  Still, she’s going to be a smokin’ hot alien babe, I just know it.”

A smoking hot alien babe.  SHE.  Jaxx was not under any illusion when it came to his species.  Most humans did not find Greytrexians attractive; at best they were considered CUTE. 

Once they were on the subject of soulmates, John wouldn’t stop talking about his search for the mystery woman, which, in a way, made his womanizing rather strategic.  How could Jaxx tell him the truth?  He’d lose his friend, for sure, if he did.  John would be devastated to find out that a stubby little MALE alien was his soulmate. 

Chapter Text

(Years later.  John and Jack don’t work together on every mission, but they’re on the same rotation/holiday schedule)

“Jack, I need help.”

Getting a frantic call in the middle of the night, from a man who had no idea that they were soulmates, was not something Jaxx had ever expected to happen.  The human captain rarely made contact over the holidays, even if they were technically friends. Still, the exhaustion was evident in his voice, even if it was hard to hear him over the wailing in the background.

“Alright,” Jaxx found himself agreeing, without even asking what John needed. 

“Thank goodness.  I didn’t know who else to call,” John admitted, his voice drooping with exhaustion. 

“It’s fine.  Give me your address, and I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Jaxx told him.  He took a moment to jot down the address, before ending the conversation to call a taxi. Luckily, John was only a fifteen minute drive away.

When John answered the door, Jaxx felt his heart twist at the sight of his soulmate’s disheveled appearance.  The poor man’s brown eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and there was more than a hint of facial hair on his normally-shaven chin.

“Thank goodness you’re here, Jack,” the captain said, practically dragging Jaxx by the hand as he led him toward the source of the crying.  As they entered the living room, the Greytrexian caught sight of the tiniest human he’d ever seen.  There was a dusting of blond hair on his head, and his sparkling blue eyes were wet with tears.  At least, Jaxx presumed it was a he.

“His mother showed up a few days ago.  She told me he was mine, and that he was my responsibility now.  I haven’t seen her since.” Jack gave a dry, humorless chuckle as he ran his fingers through his messy and unwashed brown hair.  “I haven’t properly slept or eaten since then.  He cries all the time, and won’t sleep for longer than an hour or two at a time.”

Jaxx drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly.  Turning to his soulmate, he patted him on the arm. “It’s alright, John.  You go take a shower and a nap, and I’ll see about quieting the little one down.”

“His name’s Gary. He’s 6 months old,” the man mumbled as he mounted the steps to the second floor. “What am I doing?  I can’t raise a child alone…”

But you’re not alone. You have me, Jaxx wanted to say, but he kept the words to himself as he watched his soulmate disappear around a corner. Making his way across the room, he knelt in front of the carrier, and quickly swept the little human into his arms. The hatchling’s cries cut off as blue eyes latched onto him in confusion and wonder.

“Hello.  You must be The Gary.  You’ve been driving my poor soulmate to the edge of sanity, sweetie,” Jaxx whispered.  The child’s eyes only widened as they stared at one another.  Grabby hands suddenly reached for his face, and Jaxx allowed it.  The little one was clearly amused by his skintone, but it wasn’t long before the hatchling gave a hungry whimper.

“Time to eat. Let’s see what we should be feeding you,” Jaxx said, shifting the child so that he was nestled in one arm while he fumbled for his comm. link. “C.A.S., I need information about human hatchlings.”

(John’s POV for a while, so Jaxx is “Jack”)

John must have fallen asleep half-clothed, as he found himself waking up to the smell of eggs and bacon in the air. The house was miraculously silent, and the man half-hoped that Grace had unexpectedly changed her mind, and returned to reclaim the kid.  It wasn’t a nice thought, John realized, as he rolled over onto his back to stare at the ceiling.  His parents always taught him to take responsibility for his actions — and Gary was his kid, whether it was convenient or not.

John paused in the doorway to the kitchen. His petite Greytrexian co-pilot was standing on a stool in front of the stove, scrambling eggs in a pan as he hummed cheerfully.  He was dressed in a long purple dress, which John hadn’t even noticed the night before. He was actually fairly cute… and rather than focus on that unexpected thought, the captain looked around for the boy.  Ah, there he was.  The blonde child was nestled in his carrier on the floor a few feet away, his blue eyes fixed on Jack. 

“Oh, you’re awake.  I was just about to come upstairs to check on you,” the alien suddenly announced, glancing over his shoulder at the man in the doorway.  “I’ve already fed Gary.  I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of making something to break our nightly fast.  I know how much you love pig meat,” the Greytrexian insisted, dishing out two portions of everything except the meat.

“Thanks,” John said, taking a seat at the dining room table.  Jack seemed to slide across the floor toward him, but it was obviously due to the fact that his feet were hidden by the hem of the dress he was wearing. The little guy reached up to place the plates on the table, and then returned to the kitchen to collect Gary’s carrier.  Setting it at the foot of the table, where the boy would be able to see them both, Jack climbed onto the opposite chair and gave him a glowing smile.

“He’s… uh, not crying,” John tried not to stutter, his breath unexpectedly escaping him.  What the hell was this feeling? 

“No, he calmed down pretty quickly last night. The little guy was just hungry.  Speaking of which, C.A.S. had a multitude of information to give me about human hatchlings.  Sorry, babies.  It turns out that humans don’t hatch from eggs, like Greytrexians do.  Who knew?” his co-pilot informed him, happily taking a bite of his eggs and toast.

“I-I didn’t know Greytrexians came from eggs,” John admitted, starting in on his own breakfast.  It was surprisingly delicious.  He should insist on Jack cooking more often when they were assigned a mission together.

“Yep.  We’re similar to Earth birds that way, it seems.  Human infants, on the other hand, have to have milk or formula until their old enough for mushy food.  It’s fascinating, really.  Oh, I will need to make a quick run to the store for diapers and more formula.  You… really don’t have much here, John,” the little man said, peering up at him through lidded golden eyes.

“Yeah, I haven’t had time.  I’m just amazed you got the kid to settle down,” the captain sighed, glancing down at the boy.  Sure enough, Gary’s blue eyes were focused on Jack. 

“I’m an only child, but I have a lot of cousins that are younger than me,” Jack explained. “I’m used to caring for hatchlings.  It just takes a gentle touch.”

A mother’s touch, John thought to himself.  He wondered what Jack would think if he could hear his thoughts.  Coughing, he changed the subject quickly. “So… the dress?” John said, sipping the coffee that had already been on the table. One cream, two sugars. Jack knew him better than he thought.

“It’s a robe.  Most clothing on Greytrexia is gender neutral,” Jack informed him.

“It’s a nice color on you,” the captain mumbled, uncertain as to why the Greytrexian’s answering smile gave him a warm feeling in his stomach.  Don’t be weird, John.  He’s your friend and co-worker, not a pretty girl — even if he IS wearing a dress.  Thankfully, the moment was broken when little Gary let out a cheerful giggle, his hands reaching for Jack.

“Yes, I do see you, Gary. As soon as I’m done, I’ll pick you up, okay?” the little man answered, giving the child a small wave.

“He really likes you,” the taller man observed, amazed at the boy’s change in temperament. Gary hadn’t smiled once in the entire time John had been his caretaker, but Jack had charmed him from the first glance.

“And I like him too,” Jack said.  “But don’t worry, John.  He’ll warm up to you soon enough.”

John sighed, putting down his coffee mug.  “I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to like me much.”

“Don’t be silly.  He just needs time to get to know you,” the alien insisted. 

“Really?  That’s how you hold an infant?” Jaxx gave the captain a skeptical look after he watched the man pick the baby up under both arms, holding him at arm’s length.

“I never had siblings,” John admitted, clearly still unnerved by the little boy in his grasp. Gary looked like he’d start crying again at any moment.

“Here, give him to me for a moment,” Jaxx sighed. His soulmate responded immediately, setting the child into his arms without delay.  “Now, go sit on the couch and I’ll show you how to properly hold a hatchling.”

Once the little boy was properly positioned in John’s muscular arms, Jaxx continued to give him pointers. “You need to cradle him against you.  Pretend that he’s a delicate sack of flour.  Support both his head and his bottom.  There you go.  You’re a natural, John.”

“If you say so,” the human answered, his dark eyes gazing down at the baby in both fear and awe.

“Now, I’m going to head out and pick up those groceries. Did you need anything other than diapers, formula, and some fresh food?” Jaxx asked. 

John’s head immediately shot up, his eyes locking onto him.  “Wait, you’re leaving?  What if he starts crying again?”

“You’ll be fine, John.  I won’t be more than an hour,” the Greytrexian assured him.

The human heaved a sigh, still holding the baby awkwardly in his arms.  “Alright then.  Whatever you want to buy is fine. I trust your judgement.”

Jaxx couldn’t help but feel a flutter of enjoyment at his words.  Shaking it off, he made his way out of the room with a tiny nod toward the other man.

The main door closed, leaving John alone with his son.  As if on que, the little boy opened his mouth and began to wail.  “Please come back soon, Jack,” John muttered, attempting to rock the child to calm him down.  It didn’t work.  Sighing, the man resigned himself to another unpleasant morning. 

“How long has he been crying?” Jaxx asked, setting the groceries down by the kitchen entrance.

“Ever since you left.  I should just face the fact that my son hates me,” John grumbled, eagerly handing the child back to his co-pilot.  Sure enough, the moment Gary locked eyes on Jack, he immediately quieted down. 

“You’re just a little troublemaker, aren’t you?  Yes, you are,” the Greytrexian told the little boy, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead.  The boy gawked at him, and then giggled happily, his little hands reaching out in an attempt to grab him.

“I have a guest room,” John found himself offering, eager to have another restful night of peace and quiet.

“I suppose one night wouldn’t be an issue.  I will need to go home to grab a change of clothes,” Jaxx answered, setting the little boy in his carrier.

“I could drive you,” John suggested quickly, his eyes unconsciously darting to the child.  The last thing he wanted was for Jack to leave again.

“Not until you get a proper car seat for Gary.  It just wouldn’t be safe.  Besides, I’m only a 15 minute taxi ride away, so I’ll be back before you know it,” Jaxx insisted, making his way out the door again.

“Not again,” John mumbled to himself.  To his surprise, the house was actually quiet for 5 minutes after Jack left. Then the crying began with a vengeance. “Maybe I should just ask him to move in with me,” the captain groaned, rubbing his aching temples. 

Chapter Text

Shorts

It took a lot of begging, pleading, and negotiating to convince Jack to move in with him. 

“Alright, John, but I have conditions.  I’m only moving in until Gary is old enough to take care of himself, or until you plan to get married, whichever comes first.  And no bringing woman back to the house.  Date all you want, but only introduce Gary to them if you plan to marry them,” the Greytrexian insisted sternly.

“You know I’m still looking for my soulmate.  I can’t wait to introduce her to him.  She’ll adore him, just as much as you do,” John said, rubbing the back of his head. 

Jack smiled back at him shyly, a light blush on his green cheeks.  “I’m sure whatever woman you end up marrying will be… the perfect mother for Gary,” the little man said.

  Picture Perfect Moments

 “And here his is, taking his first steps, and saying his first word.  And the time he found a stray kitten and insisted on sharing his goldfish crackers.”

Trishika nodded and smiled at the end of each mini video and adorable picture.  Just as she was about to say something, Jaxx’s console beeped at them.  “It’s an incoming message from Earth.”

“Hi, Jack!”

“Jaaack!”

On the screen were Captain Goodspeed and his little blonde son, both cheerfully waving at the camera bot. 

“We just wanted to wish you a good mission.  And Gary learned a new word today.  Tell Jack your new word,” John said, looking at his son.

“Pop!  Pop!” the little boy announced, giggling.

“That’s right.  We were popping bubbles today.  Come back safe, Jack,” the captain said, before the screen cut to black.

Trishika rolled her eyes at the expression on her friend’s face.  That was the look of someone utterly enamored with his family.  “You should just tell him.”

“I’m not telling him,” Jaxx said, throwing her an annoyed look.

“He’s a human male, Jaxx.  He won’t figure it out unless you tell him,” the Avianrian insisted, her crest feathers rising slightly. 

“I’m not telling him,” the smaller alien repeated.

“Tell who what?” Captain Zavocato asked, leaning over his two co-pilots curiously.

“Nothing,” Jaxx grumbled, pressing a button on the console. Clearly not paying attention, he managed to bring up the video of John and Gary, once again.

“Awww, is that John’s son?  He’s so cute!” the orange-furred Ventrexian said, his ears perked in amusement.

“He is,” Jaxx admitted, smiling as the video began to replay.

“He reminds me of my son.  In fact, I’m going to go send him a message now,” the captain told them, making his way off the bridge.

“Seriously, just tell him already,” the Avianrian repeated, narrowing her eyes at her friend.

“If he figures it out, he figures it out.  But I’m not telling him,” Jaxx stated, saving a copy of the video to his personal files.

Chapter Text

Dress Up

“Look, I’m Jack!”

The two adults immediately looked up from their cyber chess game, only to stare in wonder at the little boy standing in the doorway.  He had managed to get into the Greytrexian’s dresser, and had pulled out his favorite purple robe.  Of course, being unable to properly zip it up, the fabric hung open in the front, and one of the sleeves was falling down his shoulder.

“Gary,” John tried to scold, but Jack only shook his head at him.

“Come here, and I’ll zip it up for you,” the little man insisted.  Once he’d fixed up the outfit, he stepped back to survey his handiwork.

“Don’t you make an adorable Greytrexian,” Jaxx said, giving the boy a broad smile.  “You are still wearing underwear, aren’t you?”

“Yep!”

“Good.  It’s always best to wear underwear,” Jaxx told him.  “You know, I think blue might be a better color for you.  What do you think, John?”

“Hmmm… I do think purple looks better on you,” the captain agreed, looking directly at the Greytrexian when he said it.  He turned back to look over his son, clearly missing the blush that spread across Jaxx’s face.  “Blue or green would go better with your blonde hair, Gary.”

“Why don’t we go see if I have a smaller robe in my dresser.  This one is too big for you,” Jaxx suggested, trying to hide his pink cheeks as he led the boy out of the room.

Her

“Gary, I have a gift for you,” Jaxx said, after coming back from his latest mission. 

“Jack, you’re back!” The little blonde raced to greet him, throwing his arms around the pilot in excitement.

“My, what a warm welcome,” the Greytrexian laughed, hugging his practically-adopted son back.

“What did you bring me?” the boy asked, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Why don’t you open it and see,” Jaxx suggested, handing the boy the gift bag.

Gary reached in, pulling out a nicely folded blue robe.  “It’s beautiful.”  The boy’s eyes suddenly widened as he remembered his important news.  “Daddy has a lady friend over, but I like YOU better.”

“Oh… thank you, Gary,” Jaxx said, patting the boy on the back.

“I’m going to go try this on right now!” Gary yelled, racing upstairs to his bedroom.

“Jack, is that you?  We’re on the patio!” John called from the back yard.

“I’ll be right out,” Jaxx answered, setting his bags by the foot of the stairs.  He took a moment to steel himself, but he could feel his stomach churning.  This was the first time John had brought a woman home.  It might finally be time to let his soulmate move on.

“Jack, you’re back from your mission early,” John said, smiling from ear to ear.  He and the red haired woman next to him stood up from the patio table.  “This is my girlfriend, Vanessa.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Jaxx said, shaking her hand. 

“John’s told me all about you.  In fact, he won’t stop talking about you,” the woman said, throwing the captain an amused look.  

“Sorry, I do talk about you and Gary a lot,” John admitted bashfully.

“It’s fine,” Jaxx assured him.  John’s new love interest seemed… nice.

“Up until this point, I wondered if there was something more than just friendship between you,” Vanessa commented offhand, causing Jaxx to gawk at her. “But now I can see that there obviously isn’t.”

“I’m sorry?” Jaxx wasn’t quite sure if he had heard her correctly. 

“Well, look at you.  Oh, I’m sorry.  You’re probably very attractive to other members of your species,” the woman insisted.

“Thanks…” Jaxx resisted the urge to grind his teeth.  This meeting was not going well. 

“John mentioned that you were in the Infinity Guard.  What do you do again?  Janitor?” the woman asked.

“I’m a pilot.”

“He’s a pilot.”

“Oh, yes.  You did mention that, John.  I’m sure he’s a very good pilot for someone his… size,” Vanessa said, reclaiming her seat.

“One of the best in the fleet,” John said, clearly missing her rather judgmental statement.

“Of course,” the woman replied, clearly humoring him.

Thankfully, they were interrupted by the pitter patter of little feet as Gary rushed onto the patio.  He’d changed out of his t-shirt and shorts, and was now wearing the blue robe — although it wasn’t properly done up.  Youngling clothing always required a little parental aid. 

“And who is this fancy young man?” John asked, walking over to crouch next to his son.

“It’s me, daddy!  Jack brought me my own robe.” Gary twirled, showing off the fancy blue fabric.

The captain laughed at the boy’s enthusiasm.  “It looks very handsome on you.  Here, let me help zip it up.  Or does it button up…”

“I can’t believe you’re encouraging that lifestyle.  What if he turns out gay because you keep making him wear dresses?” Vanessa stated abruptly, her green eyes narrowed on Jaxx.

“One, it isn’t a dress, it’s a robe.  Everyone wears robes on Greytrexia.  Two, I didn’t MAKE him wear it. Three, there’s nothing wrong with liking the same gender. I would love him no matter who he fell in love with,” Jaxx informed her.

“Well, when John and I get married, Harry will finally have the mother he needs. And he won’t be allowed to wear dresses or hang around with strange little men like you,” the woman answered in a snooty tone.

“His name is Gary,” Jaxx found himself hissing back, his golden eyes narrowed up at her. There was absolutely no way in hell he was going to allow a woman like her to be the mother of his… John’s son. 

“Everything alright over here?” John asked, striding over to them with Gary in his arms.  The little boy was clearly uncertain, his eyes flicking back and forth between the woman and his other caretaker.

“Everything is fine, John,” Jaxx insisted, pasting a smile on his face.  “Gary and I are going to go down to the ice cream shop.” John was quick to place his son on the ground, and the boy ran to the alien’s side to grab his hand.

“We haven’t even eaten dinner yet,” John commented. “I have steaks for the grill, and…”

“There are days when dessert should come first.  You two should stay here and get better acquainted.  Come along, Gary,” Jaxx said, lightly tugging the boy into the house.

“Are we really going to get ice cream, Jack?”

“That we are.  I need time away from that woman, and I’m not allowing you to be subjected to her hateful words,” Jaxx snarled under his breath.  

“I can’t believe you’re letting your boy walk around in public like that,” Vanessa snarked, her arms crossing over her chest in annoyance.

“Like what?” John raised a brow at his girlfriend. 

“It’s obvious, John.  He’s wearing a dress.  The poor boy is going to grow up thinking that crossdressing is normal.  And he’ll probably wind up gay,” the woman announced.  “It’s that roommate of yours.  I don’t approve of your relationship with him.  You probably only took him in out of the goodness of your heart, despite how bad of an influence he is on your son.  Although, you can’t really expect those kind of people to understand how things work on Earth.”

Well now, this explained the anger he’d seen on Jack’s face from across the patio.   Despite dating for several months, this was clearly a side of Vanessa that he had not been aware of until that moment.  A side that he really did not like.

“My roommate is a kind-hearted man who doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.  I think YOU should leave.  It’s clear that you would not be a good influence on any member of my family,” John told her, waving toward the door.

“Well, I never!”

By the time Jaxx and Gary returned to the house, along with a pint of mint chocolate ice cream for John, the little Greytrexian had calmed down significantly.  He could only hope that the woman had managed to stick her own foot in her mouth, but sometimes John managed to be especially oblivious.  For Gary’s sake, he’d have to say something — even if it meant jeopardizing his relationship with the captain. 

“Welcome back!  I already have the steaks on the grill, and plenty of vegetables to go with them,” John announced enthusiastically as they stepped onto the patio. 

“I had chocolate ice cream!” Gary yelled.

Golden eyes glanced around the yard, unable to find the initial source of his ire.  “Where’s your lady friend?” Jaxx asked, as casually as he was able to.

“She had to leave,” the captain said, shrugging his shoulders.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jaxx lied.

“No, you’re not,” John suddenly stated, his dark eyes meeting Jaxx’s golden gaze with an intenseness that made the Greytrexian freeze in his spot.   “But I’m glad she’s gone, too.  Between you and me, she wasn’t going to be a good influence on Gary.”

Jaxx managed a sympathetic smile, but inwardly he chuckled at the woman’s departure.  Someone like her had no right to try to take his place in their family.  He wouldn’t accept anyone who didn’t adore both John and Gary for who they were — like he did. 

Chapter Text

It was the annual Infinity Guard picnic, and little six-year-old Gary was eager to make some new friends.  He trailed after his father and Jack as they led him around the Futureland Amusement Park, which had been booked for the occasion.

“Zavocato!  Good to see you.  Gary, there’s someone we want you to meet,” his father announced, urging him forward. 

Gary gazed up at the tall, orange-furred cat man his father had gestured to.  Next to him was a boy cat who appeared to be a year or two older than Gary.  His golden eyes and blue fur drew the blonde’s attention immediately.

“Hi, Gary.  I’m Captain Zavocato, and this is my son, Avocato,” the older feline said.

“You don’t look like an avocado,” Gary blurted out.  “Avocados are green and wrinkly.”

“Gary,” Jack admonished, his hands on his hips.

“What?” the boy asked, uncertain as to why his other guardian was upset with him.

“We don’t make fun of other peoples’ names,” the Greytrexian informed him.

“I wasn’t,” Gary whined, but a look from Jack silenced him.  Taking a deep breath, he turned to the other boy and bowed his head.  “I’m sorry.  You’re very cute for an avocado.”

A light blush flooded across the older boy’s cheek, but he didn’t say a word.

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Zavocato chuckled.  The adults continued to talk, but Gary’s attention returned to the other boy’s exotic features.

“I like how BLUE you are.  Can I touch your fur?” the little boy suddenly asked.

“Gary!” both John and Jack snapped, narrowing their eyes at him.  Zavocato only looked on in amusement.

“Okay, but only if I can touch your skin,” the cat boy finally answered, his golden eyes focused on Gary.

“Okay!” Gary quickly agreed.  Raising his hands, he gently grabbed the other boy’s blue cheeks.  “Fuzzy,” he said, enjoying the softness beneath his fingertips. 

The other boy reached out and mirrored him, running his paw pads over the human boy’s cheeks. “You’re very smooth.”

Gary giggled, squishing the other boy’s cheeks lightly, amused when Avocato did the same to him.  Focused on each other, neither noticed the smiling adults watching them. 

“I like you.  Wanna be friends?” the blonde asked, pulling his hands away from the other boy’s face. 

“Okay,” the golden eyed boy agreed, his tail twitching happily behind him.

Gary quickly grabbed his hand. “Friend-mode engaged!” he yelled, echoing Captain Shelley Star from his favorite cartoon, Galaxia Triforce.

“Can we go on rides now?  Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease,” Gary begged, grabbing his new friend by the hand. His big blue eyes were focused on his two guardians.

“Well, okay.  We can go on rides…” John was cut off when Gary shook his head.

“No, we want Jack to take us.  He’s our size, so it will be more fun.”

“Alright.  Why don’t you two finish talking while I take the boys on the childrens’ roller-coaster.  You can join us after that, and we can go on the tea cups.  They’re for all ages,” Jack said, taking Gary’s other hand.  

As they walked away, John turned to his friend with a sigh.  “Gary always picks Jack over me.  You should have seen him as a baby.  He’d start crying the minute Jack left the room.  It seemed to take him forever to warm up to me.”

“So, you and Jack are living together, I hear,” Zavocato said, smiling in amusement.

“We’re just friends,” John told him.

“Uh huh.  He moved in years ago, and you’re raising a child together,” the feline commented.

“It’s not forever.  He’s only staying until Gary is old enough to be at home alone… or until I meet my soulmate.  Or the woman I plan to marry, even if she isn’t my soulmate,” the human captain said.

“Mmm hm.  If you say so, John.  I don’t know many people that would do what Jack did for a friend,” Zavocato purred, giving him a wink.

“Jack and I are not dating!”

Chapter Text

“Is that your mommy, Gary?” the teacher asked, leaning over to look at his drawing.

“I don’t have a mommy, but I have a Jack,” Gary answered, putting the final touches of green on the little alien man on the paper.

“I see.  Is Jack your daddy’s soulmate?” Ms. Sally asked politely.

Gary paused for a moment. “He lives with me and daddy, and helped raise me. He and daddy have separate rooms, but we’re always doing family things together.”

“Sometimes soulmates sleep in different rooms,” the teacher said, giving him a patient smile.

The little boy felt his heart fill with joy as he smiled back at her.  Maybe Jack WAS his daddy’s soulmate!

“Look, daddy!  I made Jack a card for mother’s day, cause he wears robes, and he’s kinda like my mother,” Gary announced, getting into the car.

“I guess he is,” John answered.  It was a rather amusing thought.  Jack was definitely the mommy in their little family of three.

“Are you and Jack soulmates?” Gary suddenly asked.  Thankfully they were stopped at a red light, or John might have slammed on the brakes right then and there.

“What?” John stared at his son in wonder.

“My teacher asked if you were soulmates.  And she said that soulmates sometimes sleep in different rooms.  And Jack helped you raise me, and I love him lots, and…” Gary took in a deep breath, but John stopped him with a touch on the shoulder.

“I don’t think Jack is my soulmate, Gary.  We’ve known each other for a long time.  I’m sure he would have told me by now if he was,” the captain answered.  The idea of his little Greytrexian friend being his soulmate was certainly something else. It was a thought he’d never once entertained.  Jack was male, and John was clearly interested in women. Even if the other man was adorably petite, great with kids, and the sweetest person John knew.  And he’d better stop thinking about how amazing Jack was before he embarrassed himself.

“I’m going to marry Avocato when I grow up,” Gary announced unexpectedly, as they pulled into the driveway.

“Are you now?” John said, raising a brow at the little boy.

“Uh huh.  He’s going to be my soulmate!” the blonde shouted, unbuckling his seat-belt to slide out of the car.

“I’m not sure that’s how soulmates work, Gary,” John said, shaking his head.  

“But Avocato is a coolest person ever, so he HAS to be my soulmate,” Gary insisted, striking a superhero pose with his hands on his hips.

“If you say so,” the captain chuckled, tussling the boy’s golden locks. “Why don’t you go play in the backyard.  Jack is gardening back there, and I’m sure he’d love to see that card you made him.”

“Okay!”

John smiled to himself as he watched his son unlatch the gate, closing it behind him.  “Imagine that.  My son has a crush on a Ventrexian… and he thinks that Jack might be my soulmate.  Cute kid.”

“I made you a card for mother’s day!” Gary yelled, dashing up to Jack to give him a hug.  The small man was wearing blue jeans and plaid shirt that day, along with a big straw hat to block out the sun.

“Well, thank you, Gary.  It’s a very nice card,” the Greytrexian said, inspecting the lovely drawing of a little boy holding hands with a tall man and a green alien. 

“Do Greys have soulmates?” Gary suddenly asked, his blue eyes shimmering with curiosity.

“Of course, we do.  Most sentient species do,” Jaxx answered, kneeling in the dirt as he returned to weeding the garden.

“Do you have a mark like we do?  Can I see it?” the little boy asked, perking up.

“Humans are a tactile race, which is why they end up with marks on their skin. Greytrexians are a sensory species — we gain the ability to see color,” Jaxx explained, only focusing half his attention on the child.  The other half was trying to decide where to plant the pumpkins and zucchini. 

“What do you mean?” Gary asked, sitting down next to his father’s roommate.

“Before we meet our soulmate, everything is white and black and grey.  Lots and lots of grey.  But the moment you and your soulmate see one another, the world explodes into so many glorious colors,” the Greytrexian said, sighing wistfully at the memory.  Even if his soulmate didn’t accept him, at least he got the beauty of colors from the experience.

“What’s your favorite color, Jack?” Gary questioned.

“Purple.  The same color as my favorite robe, Gary.  Now where to plant the carrots…”

“So you DO see colors,” the blonde said, his blue eyes sparkling with joy.

Jaxx froze, glancing to the side to see his practically-adopted son smiling sweetly at him.  “Yessss.”

The boy clapped his hands together.  “Then you’re met your soulmate!  How come we’ve never met her?  Did she die?”

“What?  No, he’s not dead.  I mean… it’s a he, not a she.  And…” Jaxx trailed off, biting his lip.  He really had to be careful how he worded the rest of this conversation.   If John found out that Jaxx lied to him this entire time, he’d be furious.  He’d kick him out of the house, and refuse to go on missions with him, and… and he’d likely never get to see Gary again.

“And what?” Gary asked, interrupting his train of thought.

Jaxx sighed, getting to his feet.  Gazing up at the sky, he said, “He — he likes women, not men.  That’s all.  But that’s okay, not all soulmates end up mated.  It’s better that we’re not together.”

“Mated? Like making babies?” the child asked, giggling at the thought.

Jaxx felt a blush spreading over his olive skin.  “No, not like… Humans call it married, Greytrexians call it mating. Humans think of mating as… something very different. What I mean is that I won’t be marrying my soulmate.”

“You have a soulmate?” someone asked from behind them.

Jaxx sighed and turned toward the speaker.  “Yes, John, I have a… JOHN!”

“What?” the captain asked, quirking an eyebrow at his co-pilot’s shriek. 

“When did you come out?  Were you listening in on our conversation?” Jaxx asked, his foot tapping unconsciously in annoyance.

“I didn’t know it was a secret, sorry.  So, who IS your soulmate?  Do I know her?” John asked, glancing between the Greytrexian and his son.

“It’s a HIM,” Gary stage-whispered.

Jaxx watched as John’s eyes widened in shock.  The larger man suddenly focused on him.  “That explains the robes.  So, do I know him?”

The little alien found his mouth dropping open in amazement. A moment later, he sighed and rubbed his forehead to ward off an oncoming headache.  Honestly, humans!  “Okay, for one thing, Greytrexians consider clothing to be neutral.  Guys wear robes as much as girls do.  And two… I really don’t want to talk about soulmates anymore.  Yes, I met my soulmate, but no — we are not going to date now or in the future.”

“His soulmate likes GIRLS,” Gary whisper shouted again. 

“Geeze, that really sucks,” John said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“If I was your soulmate, I wouldn’t care if you were a boy or a girl!” the little boy suddenly announced, turning his sparkling blue gaze on Jack.

“Oh?” Jaxx had to raise a brow at that.  Damn, his son was… his friend’s son was adorable.

“Uh huh.  Cause you’re really short and cute, Jack,” Gary informed him, with an innocence that only a child could pull off.

Jaxx buried his face in his hands, feeling like his skin was going to burst into flames.  Silently, he waited for the teasing to start.

“It’s true.  You are really short and cute, Jack,” John said unexpectedly, causing the Greytrexian to squeak.  

John just called me cute.  He just called me CUTE!  “I… I have to start making dinner!” Jaxx yelped, racing back into the house.  If he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to hide his embarrassment.

Chapter Text

“My teacher taught us about different languages today.  She said that every planet has their own language,” Gary said, sitting at the table as Jack made him an after school snack.

“Yes, they do.  I find planet Earth the most interesting. There are so many different languages and dialects.  I chose to study American English before travelling to Earth to apply for the Infinity Guard, because the headquarters are located in New York City,” Jack informed him, setting a plate of freshly sliced fruit, and a single cookie, in front of the boy.  Last but not least, a healthy glass of milk.

“Do Greytrexians have their own language?” Gary asked, picking up the cookie first.

“Of course, we do,” the alien told him, sitting down across from him with a cup of tea.

“Then why don’t you speak it?” the boy asked, but it came out muffled from the cookie he was chewing.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s impolite.  To answer your question, I suppose it’s because there are very few Greytrexians on Earth to speak to,” the little man sighed, smiling wistfully.

Gary thought that over as he ate.  It must be lonely for Jack, being so far away from his planet.  Decision made, the boy steeled his shoulders, and announced, “You can talk to me. I want to learn your language.”

Jack seemed surprised to hear this.  “You do?”

“Yep!” Gary said.  “Teach me!”

“Alright then,” Jack said, smiling happily. “Let’s start with the basics.  Greytrexian words are long, and, quite often, an entire phrase is held within one word. ‘Zeevahgreypargreylexxtravlovaxx’ is our daily greeting.  It translates to ‘I wish you a good day, and good health for your loved ones,” Jack said.

“Zuh-gray-lex-tran…” Gary attempted to say, but it felt like his tongue was trying to tie itself into knots.

“It’s a bit easier to learn when you hear it said every day.  Also, it’s easier if you piece it out into individual words,” Jack stated. “Zeevvah means I wish you. Grey is the word for Good.  In fact, the word Greytrexian itself translates to ‘Good People of the Water.’”

“Why ‘the water?’” Gary asked, curiously.

“My species used to have gills.  Of course, we evolved beyond the need for them, as we now live on land.  But many Greytrexians still tell tales of living in the oceans, and being protected by the Lady of the Water,” Jack informed him.

“The lady of the water?” the boy asked, his interest piqued.

“Yes.  It is said that she created our species from sea foam.  They are old tales, of course, and no one knows if there is any truth to them.  Back to our lesson.  Par means day, and Lexx is health, and Travlovaxx roughly translates to for your loved ones.  The full greeting is ‘Zeevvahgreypargreylexxtravlovaxx.’”

“Zeevvahgrey…” Gary trailed off, feeling an ache beginning in his head.

Jack smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay if you can’t remember the whole word.  Why don’t we start with the first part, and, over time, we can add more to it.”

“Okay.  Zeevvahgrey!” the boy announced, grinning happily. 

“Zeevvahgrey, Gary,” Jack replied, grinning back.

“Zeevvahgreypar, Jack,” Gary said, giving the Greytrexian a little bow.  Apparently Greytrexians bow quite a bit. It’s a sign of respect.

“Zeevvahgreypargreylexxtravlovaxx to you as well, Gary,” the petite alien answered, bowing back.

John blinked at them over his coffee. “What are we doing?” he asked, feeling left out.

“Jack is teaching me to speak Greytrexian!” Gary yelled, clambering up onto the seat next to his father.

“He’s a fast learner,” Jaxx admitted, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“I see.  What was it you said again?” the captain asked.

“I can’t say the whole thing yet.  It’s reeeeeally long.  But it starts with ‘Zeevvahgreypar’ and means… Um, what does it mean again?” the boy asked, blinking over at his other guardian.

“Zeevvahgreypar would mean I wish you a good day. The full phrase is ‘Zeevvahgreypargreylexxtravlovaxx’ and means I wish you a good day, and good health to your loved ones. It is the traditional Greytrexian greeting,” Jaxx informed them.

“That’s… definitely a mouthful,” John admitted.

“Yes.  Greytrexians are fond of saying what needs to be said all at once.  We’re also quite fond of the word ‘Grey.’ And, I suppose, of the letter ‘X.’ Most Greytrexian words have double or triple ‘X’s’ in them,” Jaxx said.

John choked on his coffee, attempting to hide an amused smile at the rather… adult meaning behind that statement.

Jaxx blinked at him in shock, then narrowed his golden eyes. “Don’t you dare make that joke.  Gary is far too young to hear it.”

“Sorry, sorry,” John wheezed, turning away in an attempt to hold in his laughter.

“What joke?” the boy asked.

“Never you mind,” Jaxx answered, setting a bowl of cereal in front of the child. “Honestly, vahlor soulmarexxxcoolorzentrenexx reetraexxconsalexx.”

“What?” the two humans echoed, blinking at him in amazement.

Jaxx couldn’t stop himself from blushing when he realized that he’d just said, ‘You, my soulmate, have a very dirty mind.’  Thankfully it was in Greytrexian, and John had no idea what it meant. “Nothing important.  Finish eating, Gary.  It’s almost time for school.”

“It’s nice to hear you speaking your language, Jack,” John commented, once Jack had settled into a chair on the other side of the table. The little alien glanced up at him, startled.  “What I mean is that you shouldn’t feel you have to hide your culture from us.  It’s great that you’re willing to teach Gary your language.  I’ll try to learn some too, but I can’t promise I’ll be much good at it.”

“Ah, yes.  I’m more than happy to teach Gary to speak Greytrexian.  And… I don’t mind teaching you a few phrases, as well,” Jaxx answered, doing everything he could to keep from squealing.  John wanted to learn more about him!  His soulmar wanted to learn about his culture!  Oh, how he wished he could just blurt out the truth. 

“And by the way, I’ll be back late tonight.  I have a date,” the captain said, tussling his son’s hair.

Ah yes.  The reason he kept the truth to himself.  Jaxx felt his heart sink at those familiar words. 

“Ugh, I don’t like it when you go on dates, dad.  I want you to stay home with me and Jack,” Gary groaned, dramatically flopping his head down onto his arms. A single eye peeked up at his father in annoyance. 

“Don’t you want a mother some day?” John asked, smiling at him.

“I don’t need a mother.  I have Jack,” the boy answered, sitting up quickly, his eyes meeting the alien’s golden ones.

“Thank you, Gary, but if your father wants to date… then we shouldn’t stand in his way,” Jaxx said, despite his inner voice screaming ‘No, he’s MY soulmar!  If anyone should be dating him, it should be me!’

“Fine, whatever.  Jack and I are going to have a great night WITHOUT you,” the little boy grumbled, glaring at his half-finished cereal. 

John threw the pilot an apologetic glance.  Gary could be fussy when he didn’t get his way, so he was probably going to sulk most of the night.  “Come on, kiddo.  I’ll drop you off at school.  Then Jack and I have to get to work,” the captain said, patting his son on the back.  He got up from the table to finish getting ready.

“I have flight simulations with the junior pilots today.  What about you?” Jaxx asked, following the human into the hallway.

“I’m in meetings all day, and then out for a dinner date.  I should be home around 9 to tuck Gary in,” the man said, adjusting his uniform in the mirror.

“Don’t worry about us if you happen to stay out later than that,” Jaxx said, trying to sound casual. 

“Thanks, Jack.  You’re a great friend,” the captain informed him, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Thanks.  It’s really no trouble,” Jaxx lied.  He adored spending time with Gary, but his heart longed for his soulmar to return his affections.  It couldn’t be helped.  They were just not right for each other, no matter what the universe chose for them. 

Chapter Text

Soulmarexxxcoolorzentrenexx = Soulmate: The one that brought the gift of color to my life. (Many Greytrexian have taken to saying the shortened version ‘Soulmar’ which is no less meaningful)  

Zelovvah = I love you

Grey = Good

Trex = People

Ian (ee-an) = of the Water

Greytrexian Greeting: Zeevvahgreypargreylexxtravlovaxx

Zeevvah = I wish you

Grey = Good

Par = Day

Grey = Good

Lexx = Health

Trav = for your

Lovaxx = Loved ones

Vah = You

Lor = My

Morvexxanazen = more than anything in the

Univartriinex = universe

Zelovvahmorvexxanazenunivartriinex = I love you more than anything in the universe

Chapter Text

They were just sitting down for an after school snack at the kitchen table when Gary suddenly rushed to his bag to pull out a piece of paper and a pencil crayon.  “My teacher taught us how to write our name today.  Here’s mine,”the child said, sitting back down at the table.  He scribbled his name in big letters with the blue pencil crayon.

G A R Y   G O O D S P E E D

“Very good, Gary,” Jaxx said, leaning sideways to look at the paper.

“How do I write my name in your language, Jack?” the boy suddenly asked, glancing over at him.   

Jaxx froze, staring back into the child’s big blue eyes. Honestly, those eyes should be illegal.  “I… well…” There really wasn’t any good reason to refuse him.  Not without looking like a jerk.  And he really had no hope of resisting those puppy dog eyes.

“Here,” the Greytrexian sighed, carefully translating Gary’s name into the proper symbols.

“So pretty,” the boy cooed, smiling happily.

“Greytrexian language uses symbols, rather than letters.  It’s a lot like Japanese and Chinese.  If you were to read your name literally in Greytrexian, it would be ‘Sun child of the stars.’”

“How do you write daddy’s name?” Gary insisted, kneeling on his chair to get a better look. 

Jaxx sighed, but wrote out the symbols.  “His name, in Greytrexian, translates to ‘Man of the stars.’"

“What about your name?” the boy asked, tilting his head at him curiously.

“My name…” Jaxx bit his lip nervously, his heartbeat becoming a booming drum in his chest.  “My name…”

“Yeah, what does your name look like, Jack?”

The little Greytrexian shrieked at the unexpected voice that came from directly behind him. His hand clutched at his heart, even as he willed the fluttering organ within his chest to calm down. 

“Daddy!” Gary shouted, smiling at his father happily.

“Hey, sport!  Work let me leave early today.  What are you two up to?” the captain asked, raising an eyebrow at his roommate’s startled look.

“Writing Greytrexian names,” the boy informed him, pointing to the paper on the table.

“That’s great, kiddo.  So these are Greytrexian…” John trailed off, lifting the paper up to his face to get a better look at the VERY familiar symbols.  “Hey, sport. You mind giving me and Jack some time alone?”  The blonde boy nodded cheerfully, and went to play outside in the backyard. 

John turned his attention to his friend and roommate, noting that the little alien was deliberately avoiding his gaze.  With a sigh, he took a seat across the table, setting the paper down between them.  “All right, spill.  You KNOW what my soulmark says, don’t you.” It was not a question. 

Jaxx nodded, his eyes downcast and his mouth clamped shut.  He knows, he knows!  This a bad!

 “Why won’t you tell me, then?” John asked, unable to keep the hurt out of his voice.   

“I can’t, John,” Jaxx finally said.  His eyes rose to meet his soulmate’s, only to find betrayal and distrust in the man’s gaze.  “Y-you should just forget about your soulmate, and find a nice human woman to marry and have kids with.” 

John stood up, his dark eyes piercing.  “I thought we were friends, but you’ve been lying to me this entire time.”

“John… I’m sorry.  I really CAN’T tell you,” Jaxx whispered, hoping desperately that that would be the end of the conversation.  It was not.

The human’s hands clenched at his sides as anger took over the rational side of his brain.  “I think it might be best if you start looking for your own place,” the captain gritted out, turning his back on the man he once called his friend.    

Jaxx could feel tears welling up his eyes, but he only nodded in agreement.  “I… I think I’m going to spend the next few days at a hotel,” he decided.  The taller man wouldn’t even look at him.

“Good idea,” John snapped, storming out of the room.

“What am I going to do now?” Jaxx wondered, cradling his head in his hands, his voice barely a whisper.  Tears flowed down his cheeks, dripping onto the tabletop.

The next few weeks flew by as Jaxx spent as much time as he could AWAY from the house, searching for a place to call his own.  He finally found an apartment on the other end of the city, but it just didn’t FEEL like home.  Still, he signed the lease, and arranged for a moving company to pick up his things.

“Are you moving out?  I don’t want you to go,” Gary said, clinging to Jack’s arm as he waited for the taxi to arrive.  It was later than he’d planned to leave, and the sun was beginning to set on the horizon.  Gary should be getting ready for bed right about now.

Jaxx shook his head and knelt down.  “It’ll be okay, Gary.  No matter what happens, I’ll always love you.”  The boy let out a sob and flung his arms around Jaxx’s shoulders.  Jaxx found himself embracing the little human with all the fierceness of a devoted parent.

“I need you to be a big boy now, okay.  Take care of your dad for me,” the Greytrexian said, standing back up and ruffling the child’s hair.

“I… No, I won’t.  Dad is horrible!  He’s the one who’s making you leave.  I hate him!” Gary suddenly shouted, stamping his foot as tears ran down his face.

Jaxx felt a surge of guilt.  HE caused this.  If he had just told John the truth all those years ago, they could have dealt with the uncomfortable situation, and moved on with their individual lives.  He never would have moved in, or been a part of Gary’s life, but that would have probably been for the best.  At least then the little boy wouldn’t be in so much pain.

“Gary, please don’t say that.  Joh… Your father loves you.  Here, I’ll give you my number.  If you ever need anything, just call.  I don’t… I don’t know if your dad will let us visit, but you’ll always have a place in my heart,” Jaxx whispered, leaning down to hug the boy one last time. “Zelovvah, Gary.”

“I love you, too, Jack.  Don’t go…” Gary pleaded, even as Jaxx got into the taxicab.  The door closed, and the driver began to pull away.  The Greytrexian buried his head in his hands to avoid having to see the little boy’s tears.  This was for the best, he told himself.  Maybe if he kept repeating it, he’d actually start to believe it.

John stood at the window, his arms folded across his chest.  He should be happy right now.  His friend had lied to him all these years!  He deserved this.  But a deep emptiness was creeping into his heart, leaving him uncertain what the future would hold from that point on.   

“What did you say to make Jack so sad?” Gary demanded, after slamming the door, and placing himself firmly in front of his father.  

“Jack isn’t sad,” John tried to argue, but it felt half-hearted, at best.

“He was sad.  Very sad.  And YOU made him sad.  And now he’s going to leave, and I won’t have him here anymore.  And I love him, and I don’t want him to leave!”

John reached out to comfort his crying child, but the boy only glared at him, and ran up to his room.  Why did he feel that HE was the one to blame for all of this?  Maybe he was being too hard on Jack.  Perhaps the Greytrexian had a good reason for keeping something as important as the identity of his soulmate from him.  For all he knew, his now obviously Greytrexian soulmate could be an evil warlord bent on universal destruction. 

It was all too much to deal with.  Rubbing his head, the captain trekked up the stairs to his own room.  A good night’s rest would help him figure out what to do.

Chapter Text

There was a small person in his bed.  A very small person, with olive green skin and a large head.  “Jack?”

“Yawn!  Good morning, John.  You’re up early,” the Greytrexian said, greeting him with a cheerful smile as he sat up in the bed.  The blankets pooled in his lap as he stretched, revealing his rather unclothed state — at least from the waist up. 

“Uh, you’re… in my bed,” John stammered, his brain feeling rather foggy despite the morning sun shining through his window.

“Of course, I am, silly.  I’m your sou…”

John felt his eyes widen as he watched a dark stain begin to spread over the smaller man’s chest.  The captain had patched enough of his co-pilot’s wounds over the years to know exactly what it was.

“John?” Jack sounded so terrified, his golden eyes wide as he clutched the spot where the blood was dripping out of his chest.

“Jack!”

RING

         RING

                   RING!

The captain sat up rapidly, his heart beating like a drum.  His cell phone was ringing on his bedside table, calling for his attention.  A quick glance was enough to confirm that there was no one in his bed except for him. 

What a weird dream.  Reaching out, John picked up the phone and held it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Is this Captain John Goodspeed?” the unfamiliar voice at the other end asked.

“It is.  Who’s calling?” John picked up the clock on the table.  It had only been a few hours since he’d fallen asleep. 

“My name is Nurse Lancaster from the Infinity Guard Main Hospital.  I’m sorry about the late hour, Mr. Goodspeed, but you were his emergency contact,” the man on the other end stated.

John felt a jolt of liquid terror surge through him as the nurse began to explain the situation. “Why is he in the hospital?  A car accident?  The driver passed away at the scene?  He’s sustained head injuries?” John put the phone on speaker as he rushed to dress. 

“Captain Goodspeed, are you still there?”

“Yes.  I’m on my way now,” John insisted, barely remembering to grab the phone and shove it into his pocket as he raced to get Gary. 

John thanked his lucky stars that his elderly neighbor was willing to take care of his son for the night.  The little boy shouldn’t have to see his favorite person in the hospital. 

Not that he was jealous of Jack being Gary’s favorite adult.  Not anymore.  The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much the little man had sacrificed to live with him.  Jack had taken on the most difficult tasks that came with raising children.  John didn’t know how he did it.  Goodness knows, he did not have the infinite patience that the little alien seemed to have when it came to dealing with Gary’s temper tantrums, and his sometimes overly-energetic temperament.

The guilt was back.  He’d forced his best friend out of the house, robbing his son of the other man’s companionship.  All because he felt betrayed over something so stupid.  Jack had to have a good reason for his silence, John decided.  And if the other man made it out of this alive, then John would insist that he move back in with them. And he’d drop the soulmate topic altogether.  He didn’t need a soulmate when he had someone as wonderful as Jack in his life.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, captain.  I need you to fill out some paperwork.  Now, it’s my understanding that Jaxxtrixx riiandra neek is living with you at this time,” the nurse said, stumbling a bit over the lengthy name, even as he handed John the forms he would have to sign. 

“Yes.” John began looking over the paper, his eyes barely able to focus on the writing.

“If you could just verify some information,” the nurse was saying, but John’s eyes had caught sight of a very familiar set of symbols next to Jack’s name.  Turning over his wrist, he quickly compared them.  It was a match. 

“OH!  Oh my, I’m dreadfully sorry.  I didn’t realize you were his soulmate.  If I’d have known…” the nurse tried to apologize, bowing his head.

“It’s alright.  I… I recently found out, myself,” John admitted.  Damn it, Jack.  Why didn’t you tell me?  We’ve been living together for years, and you never once told me that YOU were my… No, this is no time to get upset.  I need to make sure he’s alright.

“What room is he in?” John immediately asked.

“He’s in a coma.  I’m sorry, Mr. Goodspeed, but the doctors aren’t sure if he’ll regain consciousness.”

That was what the nurse had said once he’d led the captain into the single room.  John had waved him away, taking the time to get a good look at the condition his soul… his Jack, was in.  The little Greytrexian was laying on the hospital bed, his entire body limp.  Bandages were wound around one his eyes and most of his head.  There were dark stains on the white fabric. 

Pulling a chair close to the bed, John found himself reaching out for Jack’s hand.  The man didn’t even twitch when he took it, his larger fingers entwining with the little alien’s green ones.

“It says here that he doesn’t have any immediate family, but if you could notify his friends, captain…” the nurse suddenly interrupted from the doorway.

“I’ll take care of it,” John commented, his attention focused entirely on his soulmate lying comatose next to him. 

Chapter Text

“I’ve had Gary over at my place all week, John.  Avocato loves having him over, but your boy misses you dreadfully.  It isn’t easy for a child his age to be without his parent figure during a difficult time like this,” Zavocato said, shooting a glance at the children across the room. Gary had managed to climb up onto the bed to snuggle next to the Greytrexian, careful not to touch any of the cords.

“Jack is his parent, too,” John argued, following the other man’s gaze.  It broke his heart to see Gary curling close to the unconscious man.  Neither one of them deserved this. 

“I know, John,” the Ventrexian captain sighed, “but staying at the hospital every day isn’t helping your son or Jack.  I want you go home tonight and take a shower.  Spend some time with the boys.  Then you can bring them both back to the hospital for a short visit tomorrow.  Oh, and Trishika, Jack’s pilot friend, has offered to stay overnight on Saturday.  You NEED more rest.” 

Jack was still unconscious, and the doctor had recently informed him that the Greytrexian’s left eye might be permanently blind from the collision.  No one knew when… or if he’d wake up.

John groaned and stretched as he got up from the rather uncomfortable hospital chair he’d dragged over to the bed, his mind drifting to the hot shower that was awaiting him at home.  Zavocato would be back with the boys from their little trip to the cafeteria soon, and then the other captain would be taking the night shift at the hospital. 

A groan from the bed cut through his thoughts. “J-J-John?” The man’s voice was dry and raspy from disuse.

The captain sat down quickly, immediately reaching out to grab the little alien’s hand.  “Jaxxtrixxriiandraneek… you’re awake.”

“That… that’s my full name.  You never call me by my full name,” Jack whispered, his single golden eye focused on the human sitting in the chair next to him.

“Trishika’s has been teaching me,” the captain admitted, chuckling nervously.

“Trishika?” His voice trailed off into a sudden fit of coughing, and John rushed to find him a glass of water. The Greytrexian chugged it down. 

“What happened?  I feel… sore.  My head hurts, and I can’t see well,” the little man whispered, his free hand reaching for his face. 

“You were in a collision, Jack.  You’ve been unconscious for nearly a month,” John informed him, refusing to let go of the other man’s hand.  He needed to touch him to be sure that this was really happening.

“Unconscious?  I don’t remember…” The alien’s gaze landed on him again, this time appraising him.  “John, you look horrible.  When was the last time you slept?”

John’s lip quirked up into a smile as he said, “Off and on for the last few days.  Zavocato and Trishika have been ganging up on me.  They make me go home at least twice a week to sleep in a real bed.”

“Are they both here?” Jack asked, glancing around the room.

“Zavocato took the boys to the cafeteria for a snack.  They’re supposed to be back soon.  By the way, do you know how hard it is to sleep when your soulmate is injured?” John stated, throwing a half-hearted glare at the man on the bed.

Jack sucked in a trembling breath, his gaze dropping to their entwined hands.  “You know about that?” he whispered, clearly uncertain about the news.

“Your full name is on your hospital forms.  Why didn’t you just tell me?” the captain asked, hurt evident in his voice. Silence stretched between them, thick enough to cut with a knife. 

“Tell you what, John?” Jack finally answered, his voice taking on a condescending tone. “Tell you that your soulmate is a little MALE alien from another planet?”

“Do you think I would have cared about that?” John asked, his eyes narrowing at the other man.

“Yes.” Golden eyes rose, piercing him with a firm glare. “You were always talking about meeting HER.  SHE’S going to be amazing, SHE’S going to have a perfect figure, SHE’S…”

“I get it,” John couldn’t help but snap, rubbing his forehead against the oncoming headache.

“You never wanted someone like me,” Jack said, his voice dropping to a hopeless whisper. 

“Jack… I’m sorry for making you feel unwanted,” the captain said, pulling the little man’s hand closer, so he could press his lips against the soft green skin.  Jack winced at the movement, but his single eye was wide from the unexpected kiss.  “You’ve gone out of your way to be there for me, even when you didn’t have to.  You moved into my house, helped raise my child, and put up with my idiotic ways all these years.”

“You’re not an idiot, John,” the Greytrexian said, shaking his head.

“I AM an idiot, Jack.  I should have figured it out.  In all this time, I never once asked about your language.  That was rude of me.  I just… I want a chance to start over,” the human sighed, his dark eyes meeting the little alien’s golden ones.

“I… I would like that,” Jack admitted, smiling back at him. 

How had John never realized how adorable his little soulmate was?  And not just in the ‘he’s so tiny and huggable’ kind of way.  His mind drifted back to the beginning part of THAT dream.  Yes, he would like to wake up to Jack in his bed someday.  He’d like to cuddle the little green man close, and press kisses to his soft-looking skin.  Trail his fingers down to his cute, pudgy belly, and tickle him until he laughed.  God, that was a sappy thought.  He’d never once considered any of that with the women he’d dated over the years.

“You’re lost in thought, John,” Jack suddenly announced, pulling the human from his thoughts.

“Sorry.  Look at us, we’re practically an old married couple already.  Unless you’d rather be the sexy maid, of course. I’m sure I can find a cute costume for you to wear when you’re cleaning around the house,” the captain purred, wiggling his eyebrows.

Jack’s entire head went bright pink, and he pulled his hand away so he could attempt to hide his face. “You’re horrible.  Such a dirty mind.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.  You’d look cute in a frilly dress,” the taller man said, chuckling. The little Greytrexian only turned and stuck his tongue out at him, cheekily. 

John was tempted to swoop down and pull the other man into a kiss.  That would teach him a lesson when it came to teasing him like that; but they were interrupted by the sound of the hospital door opening, and a familiar head of blonde hair coming into view.

“JACK!  YOU’RE AWAKE!”

Gary thrust the jar in his hands into Avocato’s arms.  He was across the room and climbing onto the bed a moment later, half-hugging the little alien as he snuggled close to his side.

“Ooof.  Careful there, sweetie.  I’m still sore,” Jack groaned, letting his arm drift around the boy to hold him lightly back.

“I missed you sooooo much!  I thought you’d never wake up.  Daddy hasn’t showered for a long time, cause he’s at the hospital a lot,” the boy said.  He leaned up to whisper, “And he’s kinda smelly.”

“Hey,” John protested, raising an eyebrow at his son.

“He is kind of stinky,” Jack agreed, but he tossed the man a smile to take the edge off the words.

“It’s good to see you back with us, Jack,” Zavocato said, striding into the room with his son at his side.

“I’m glad you’re awake,” Avocato blurted out, smiling. There was a little green something in the glass jar he was holding.

“I’m glad to BE awake,” Jack agreed.  He suddenly found himself coughing again, and John quickly handed him another glass of water.

“So… when can we get out of here?” Jack asked, once his breathing had returned to normal.  “I’m sure my landlord is wondering why I haven’t paid the rent yet.”

Zavocato and John exchanged a look.  Turning to the other man, John couldn’t resist the urge to rub the back of his head as he told him, “I… er, took the liberty of moving your stuff back to my place, and ending your lease.  It was pretty stupid of me to kick you out in the first place, and I thought, well, since we ARE soulmates…”

“I… I’d be happy to move back in with you, John,” Jack said, his single eye welling up with unshed tears.

“You’re my daddy’s soulmate!  That makes you my mommy!” Gary nearly yelled, hugging the little man tighter.

“Or your other daddy,” Zavocato said, resting his hand on his son’s shoulder.

“You call him ‘pop’ and ‘papa’ all the time,” Avocato piped up, his ears twitching.

“OKAY!  Papa Jack it is!”

(Bonus)

“This is Mooncake.  He’s a caterpillar.  Daddy gave him to me, cause he said I needed a friend while you were in the hospital.  I’ve been taking very good care of him, and Avocato has been helping me a lot, and someday he’s gonna turn into a butterfly — not Avocato; Mooncake will turn into a butterfly, and then…”

Jaxx chuckled at his son’s enthusiasm, nodding politely as the boy continued to show off the strange green creature in the jar.  HIS son.  Warmth spread through his chest as he reached out to pull the boy close, hugging him as tightly as he could, despite his injuries.  Gary was truly HIS son now!

“Papa, are you crying?” the child asked, running a hand over Jaxx’s wet cheek. 

“Happy tears, Gary.  They’re happy tears.  Zelovvahmorvexxanazenunivartriinex, my child,” the Greytrexian said, smiling at the little boy. 

“Oh, I understood ‘I love you’… but what was the rest?” Gary asked, hesitantly.

“Zelovvahmorvexxanazenunivartriinex means ‘I love you more than anything in the universe,’” Jack told him.

The child’s eyes widened. “The WHOLE universe?”

“Yes, Gary.  I love you more than anything in the WHOLE universe.  You and your daddy, both,” the alien told him, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you, too, Jaxx,” a familiar voice interrupted, causing the Greytrexian to snap his head up in amazement.  John was standing in the doorway, carrying a tray with two coffees and a juice.

“How do you keep sneaking up on me?” Jaxx huffed, letting go of Gary, so the boy could reclaim his jar.  “Wait… what did you just call me?”

“’Jaxx.’  Trishika said you prefer to be called that.  It’s kinda like ‘Jack,’ I suppose, but with the ‘xx’s,” John said, handing Gary the juice box. 

“Yay, juice!”

“I… you…” Jaxx suddenly found himself speechless.  There was so much happening at once. John had found out they were soulmates, AND he wanted to continue their relationship, which meant that Gary was his son, and now John was actually using his name...

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to upset you,” John insisted, sitting down on the chair next to the bed.  “I can go back to calling you ‘Jack,’ if you’d prefer.”

“No!  No, it’s fine.  It’s just — it’s been kind of an overwhelming day with everything…” Jaxx trailed off, his hands clutched in his lap.

“I know.  As soon as the doctors discharge you, I’m going to take you home.  And then we’ll — well, we’ll figure things out from there.  One step at a time,” the captain said, passing a coffee to his soulmate.

“One step at a time,” Jaxx agreed.  I love you, my soulmar.

“I love you, too, Jaxx,” John said, before taking a sip of his coffee. 

Jaxx felt his face heating up when he realized he’d said those words out loud. To cover up his embarrassment, he began to chug his coffee down with a gusto. 

Chapter Text

“I can’t wait to be free of this walker,” Jaxx sighed, pouting down at the metal contraption as he made his way up the walkway toward the house.

“The doctors want you to take it easy for a while. We have to go back in two weeks, so they can keep an eye on your recovery,” John told him.  The taller man was carrying several bags, while Gary trotted ahead of them with Mooncake’s jar in his arms.

“Whoa!  Watch that first step,” the captain warned, stopping the little man before his walker hit the stairs. 

The Greytrexian grimaced, his teeth gritting as he grumbled, “I hate this walker, and I hate this eye-patch.”

“I think you look cool, Jaxx.  You’re like a pirate!” Gary said, spinning around to smile at the smaller man.

Jaxx couldn’t help letting out a laugh at his son’s adorably bright attitude.  “Thank you, Gary.  Although, I’m not sure what a pirate is…”

“They’re really cool.  Actually, they’re normally the bad guys, but sometimes they’re the good guys, too.  Dad, can we watch Pirates of the Caribbean tonight?” the little boy pleaded.

“As long as Jaxx is up for a movie,” John told him.  Setting the bags down on the sidewalk, he helped his soulmate up the short flight of stairs. 

“I’m all for relaxing on the couch tonight.  It’s good to be out of that hospital,” the pilot sighed.

“Alright then.  Pirates of the Caribbean, it is.  I haven’t seen that movie in years.  It’s a classic, you know,” the captain said, opening the front door.  Gary ran into the house, and Jaxx followed at a leisurely pace, leaving John to collect the bags. 

“It’s good to be home.”