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/p>For Phil, it felt like just another day—except for the loud "BANG" he heard while hiding under his covers, hoping his parents wouldn’t catch him reading what they called "junk." They always said it would "rot his brain to mush." Honestly, Phil thought having his brain turn to mush sounded better than most ways to go. Still, after that weird start, he wasn’t as ready for the day as he’d hoped. He was tired and, though he hated to admit it, a little cranky. Everything seemed to annoy him, but he tried to shake it off. When it was time to get dressed, he realized almost nothing was clean. The best he could find was a pair of jeans, a pink polo, and a gray jacket. Phil hated pink—he worried it made him look less like a man and more like a sissy. After pulling on his clothes, he grabbed what he needed for the day: issues one through five of his favorite alien comic, some pencils for doodling, crumpled notes he’d probably ignore, and one more thing...
"Ugh fuck, where are you?" Phil starts to look up, down, and all around, above his dresser, under his bed, and in the drawers of his desk, until he notices the brown leather binding peaking from his closet. "Ha! Gotcha, you little shit...sorry, shouldn't call you that, you are my sketch book after all." Phil shoves it in his bag and takes off down the stairs. "Morning, Phil made you some pancakes if you want any!" Phil looks at his mom, then his sister Susie, who was already munching on them, watching the news with a glass of orange juice. “Thank you!” Phil quickly started to eat so he wouldn't be late to school.
But his attention was caught by the TV, “This just in, the following schools will be closed due to some safety concerns regarding the sound that was heard earlier in the morning." Phil perked up, “Mom! Come listen!” His mom turned her head. “Don't worry, Phil, I can hear it from here.” she barked from the kitchen. Phil stared at the screen, his heart racing as he waited for the announcer to continue. The list of schools scrolled slowly across the bottom of the TV, and Phil leaned forward, squinting to spot the familiar name. “There it is!” he shouted. “My school’s closed!” His mom, still busy in the kitchen, let out a relieved sigh. “Well, that settles it. Looks like you’ve got the day off, kiddo.”
Phil grinned, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the strange sound that had shaken up their morning. His mind kept going back to it, replaying the muffled noise and wondering if it was more than just a loud bang. After breakfast, he decided he’d look around town and see if he could find any clues.
He quickly washed off his plate, put it on the drying rack and went out the door until “Phil dear, I saw some new neighbors moving in across the street, could go deliver this to them.” She hands him an interesting looking cake. “Whats this?” Phil holds it out “Ah I saw it in my new cook book, it's called a pineapple upside down cake! It's really good.” Phil looked down and as the name suggests, it looked upside down with pineapples and cherries on the top, wouldn't the top technically be the bottom though?
“Yeah sure I’ll go deliver it.” and he was finally about to leave until his mom stopped him, again “Also I noticed that they have a son! He looks to be around your age? Maybe younger.” Oh great Phil thought, all he had to do was deliver the cake then he’ll be on his way.
Phil was finally able to walk out of the house, and he realized he didn't know what house to go to, until he looked around and saw a giant moving truck outside of the house diagonal to his house. Balancing the cake carefully in his hands, Phil made his way toward the house with the moving truck. The front yard was scattered with boxes, and a woman with paint smudges on her arms waved at him from the porch. He hesitated at the edge of the driveway, suddenly uncertain about what to say.
“H-Hello ma’ma, my mom wanted me to deliver this to you, as a w-welcome to the neighborhood!” Phil held out the cake. “Oh, thank you, you can just call me Mrs. Uris.” She takes the cake and looks at it. “Oh, upside-down cake! This is my husband's favorite.” Setting down the cake, she calls out to Phil, “You know I have a son! You look around his age.” Phil nods, “Yeah im 13.” She smiles, “I knew it, my boy just turned 13, Hmmm.” Mrs Uris looks around. “Where is he?” She goes behind the moving truck. “Yeah, I don't know-Agh!” She lets out a gasp and jumps, causing Phil to flinch and lose his balance.
But instead of hitting the concrete directly, he first bumped into someone, causing them to also hit the ground, and then Phil fell onto the concrete. “Teddy!” Mrs. Uris walks over to where Phil and presumably Teddy are. “How many times have I told you not to creep up on people!” Phil looks over still on the grown and-
Holy. Crap. Who is this kid? well its Teddy, but Phil hadn't seen anyone like this before. Teddy looked so… perfect? His hair was a mess of dirty blonde curls, the kind that looked like the sun had gotten stuck in them. His skin was pale; it almost looked translucent, like he’d never spent a day in the sun. And then there were his eyes—green and blue all at once. It was impossible not to stare.
“Uhmm, hi?” He sheepishly waved. Phil's face had gone red. Teddy looked down and nodded, “Hi..” Phil took his eyes off Teddy for a second to get up off the ground, and when he looked back, Teddy wasn't there anymore. Phil raised an eyebrow, “The fuck..?” Phil looked at two boxes that were stacked on top of each other.
Phil walked over to the boxes and peeked over to find Teddy hugging his knees to his chest. How cute was that? Phil couldn't help but giggle. “Why are you behind these boxes?” Teddy looked up at Phil, their faces close in proximity, then he immediately turned away. “No reason..” Phil walked around the boxes and sat next to Teddy. “Can I show you something?” Teddy shrugged, “Sure..” Phil got up and gestured for Teddy to follow him.
They slipped out of the yard and headed down the sidewalk, the sounds of the neighborhood fading behind them as they made their way toward town.
Phil slowed his pace so Teddy could catch up, glancing over with a small, hopeful grin. “Have you ever been to Main Street yet?”
Teddy shook his head, tucking his hands into his pockets. “No. Not yet.”
Phil brightened, trying to make the walk seem more exciting. “It’s kind of the center of everything here. There’s a bakery that always smells like cinnamon—sometimes Mrs. Porter, she’s the baker, gives out fresh bread if you ask nicely.”
Teddy’s gaze wandered, eyes on the cracks in the sidewalk. “I don’t eat bread much,” he murmured, sounding apologetic.
Phil shrugged, undeterred. “Well, there’s also the corner store. They have comic books. And sometimes weird sodas, like blue raspberry or pineapple.”
Teddy glanced at a storefront as they passed. “I don’t read comics, and soda sounds gross.”
Phil tried to keep his tone light, nudging Teddy’s shoulder playfully. “You might like them. There’s more than just superheroes. Some are about space or monsters.”
Teddy offered the smallest hint of a smile, but shook his head. “I don’t really like superheroes either.”
They reached a narrow alley between the bakery and the hardware store. Phil pointed toward it, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret. “Shortcut. You have to know the trick to not get flour on your shoes.”
Exiting the alleyway, there's a straightforward path to the standpipe, but it's across a street. “Now we wait. Once we are in the clear, we run. Got it.” Teddy nods but quickly grabs Phil's hand, causing Phil to go all red and stutter like a freak, “W-Why did you?” Teddy looks at him, expression still blank, “I just don't want to get left behind.” Phil nods.
A minute or two goes by, the street is now clear, so they make a dash and quickly get across the street, Teddy letting go of Phil's hand. Phil quickly opened a door and rushed Teddy inside. “Up we go!” Both of them go up the stairs.
Phil immediately finds a seat as soon as they finish getting the stairs, Teddy sitting beside him, silent and still.
“Mrs. Porter comes out soon to chase the pigeons,” Phil said.
They watched as an elderly woman stepped out of the bakery and waved at a flock of birds. Phil smiled, but Teddy just watched, unmoved. Pigeons scattered across the square. The sun was beginning to slip behind the rooftops, painting the bakery windows gold. He glanced sideways at Teddy, who was still quietly taking it all in.
“We could come back tomorrow, if you want,” Phil offered. Teddy hesitated, then gave a small nod. They quickly exited the standpipe, walking home as the streetlights came on.
But once Phil got home, and into bed, he couldn't ignore it; something was up with Teddy…Phil tossed and turned, unable to shake the strange feeling that hung in the air after meeting Teddy. It wasn’t just shyness—there was something about the way Teddy watched everything, as if seeing it for the first time. The way he hesitated before answering questions, or looked at ordinary things like doorknobs and pencils with a kind of fascination.
Phil wondered if Teddy was homesick, or maybe just overwhelmed by all the new faces. Still, he couldn’t help but notice how Teddy seemed to flinch at loud noises, or how his eyes seemed to shine, just a little, when the hallway lights flickered.
Phil promised himself to be extra kind tomorrow. Maybe, he thought, Teddy just needed a friend to help him feel less out of place?
All that tossing an turing caused Phil to not have the best of sleep out there, but also caused him to be late for the bus
When he came up the hill, he saw the last kid get on the bus, it was Teddy. "H-HEY! WAIT, PLEASE I'M NOT FAR." Phil was out of breath. Should he work out more? No, he's already good-looking enough, Phill heard the buses' engine make its "Roar." sound, and he knew...he had missed the bus, but instead of the bus leaving, it stayed, so Phil marched towards it, and surprisingly, he was able to get on the bus! "U-Uhm, thank you for waiting on me..." Phil looked at the bus driver, the driver was some dude who looked like even if the strongest gust of wind came, he'd still stay up. His hair was orange, and he dressed like a lumberjack but had the accent of a cowboy. It always confused Phil, "Oh, don't thank me, even though that is sweet of ya." The bus driver takes his hat off and leans forward, putting a hand to his heart. "Who you really should be thankin is that new kid, uh, Theo- no..” “Teddy?” Phil corrected “ye Teddy, he sits in the seat across from you. I didn't even notice you were there until he pointed you out." Did a needle just go through Phil's ego? "Yeah, thank you for telling me, I'll go down and thank him."
Phill scooted his way past the crowded aisle and into his seat, where he saw Teddy. "Hey, thank you for telling the bus driver to wait on me.” Teddy looks at Phil giving him a nod “Poof!” Phil's face was noticeably red now, so Teddy looked back to face him “You okay you look a bit red?”
"N-No, I'm fine! I'm just a bit hot! But I should cool down once we get moving," as if what Phil just said was a cue, the bus started to move. "Oh, okay, you're welcome." Teddy sat back against the window, facing towards Phil. Teddy still had confusion written on his face, almost as if he was trying to study him, "I haven't acquired your name yet. What's your name?" Phil looks at Teddy, "Weird way to word that....I-I'm Phil." Phil extends his hand, waiting for Teddy to do the same. Teddy looks more confused. "What are you doing?" Phil is now completely flabbergasted. "It's a handshake..?" Phil takes Teddy's right hand and gives it a firm shake. "Oh, thank you," Teddy pulls his hand away,
"I've never done one of those.."
'Whatdya mean?"
"I've never done a handshake."
"Ever?"
"Never."
Teddy shakes his head. The silence was awkward for around a minute until, "What are your classes?" Teddy, now on the edge of his it looked like he was just about to sit next to Phil, and Phil wouldn't really mind it. "Oh, I have Mrs. and Mr. Thompson for my first two hours, then I have gym, after that is lunch, and then my last three classes." Teddy tried to get closer, but couldn't since he was on the edge of his seat. "Phil...can I sit with you during class? We have the same schedule, except for the last three classes." Teddy tugs at Phil's sleeve, hoping for an answer. Meanwhile, Phil was trying not to implode in on himself. Without a second thought, he blurted out, "Yeah! yeah! Why not!" Teddy didn't smile; he just nodded and sat back like he originally was. Eventually, the bus came to a stop, letting kids off one by one. Teddy followed closely behind Phil, who didn't really care since he was being followed by one of the prettiest guys he had ever seen, "You got a locker yet?" Phil cocked his head over his shoulder, "No, not yet." Teddy had the same look that he had on the bus. Phil noticed that Teddy doesn't really use his facial muscles, which isn't the most normal thing, but hey, Phil can't really judge.
The two of them walk up to Phil's locker. "One sec." Phil opens his locker and grabs Teddy's bag, putting it in the locker. "Need anything else before I close it?" Phil looks at Teddy, who shakes his head no, giving Phil the all clear to shut the locker. They walk down the halls, making turns in every which way, eventually ending in Mrs. Thompson's 1st hour world history class, and just in time, "Hello everyone, today, as you have noticed, we have a new student here. Everyone, please welcome Theodore Uris." With that, everyone gave a quick hello to Teddy. "Now!-Oh! Yes, Theodore?" Teddy lowered his once raised hand. "May you can me, Teddy, please?" Mrs. Thompson grabbed a sheet of paper and crossed out Theodore and put "Teddy" beside it. "Thank you for telling me that, Teddy. Now, as I was saying-"
Phil's ears immediately tuned out Mrs. Thompson as he did in all his classes. But this time, he noticed something off, sorta off? Teddy, the kid who didn't know what a handshake was, somehow knows a lot about history. No, Teddy never raised his hand asking to be called on, but whenever Mrs. Thompson randomly selected someone to answer, and it ended up being Teddy, he always answered right, and Phil continued to watch Teddy's habits for the next two hours, only stopping to get to Mr. Thompson's science class during passing period, and as soon as Teddy sat beside him it was right back to watching Teddy, watching how Teddys hands hold his pen as he glides across the paper, Phil's eyes go to many different spots on Teddys body, since he couldn't pay attention to just one part of Teddy. Firstly, it was up the arm, Phil was just tempted to stay looking there wanting to count the freckles and moles that were scattered across his arm, then to his shoulders, next was his neck Phil tried not to but Teddys polo was unbutton to the point that at just the right angle you could see his collarbone, Phil's eyes wandered down to his chest, which was covered by a green, thick sweater vest, down to his torso also covered by the same sweater vest, then further down past where Teddy's belt are his jean-shorts a nice tan color and his- "BRRING! BRRRING!"
He quickly shakes his thoughts away and waits for Teddy to pack up his things for their next hour, gym class. Now Phil was good at gym class; he wasn't the best, but most definitely wasn't the worst. Phil was wondering how Teddy would fare. Just by looking at Teddy, Phil was doubtful. Later, during gym, while everyone was panting, sweating, and getting water, Teddy stood there observing everyone; not a single sweat drop dripped from his forehead the entire time. How could a short, scrawny kid not be tired out? Does he secretly work out? No way it would be noticeable, "Alright, today's class is over, go change back to your respective locker rooms, no funny business, and be quick, lunch is in ten minutes." Teddy quickly gets next to Phil, looking up at him, "Phil, could you help me?" Phil looks down, still out of breath, "With what?" as they enter the locker room, Teddy sits on one of the many benches. "Can you help me tie my shoes?" Phil stares blankly at Teddy. "Your shoes? I mean, I guess?"
Then it happened, Teddy let out a little smirk, "Thank you, Phil," as Teddy finished saying what he said, not even giving Phil a warning, he pulled his shirt over his head. "Oh-i-err yeah!! uhm ah-Rightletmegogetchangedaswellberightback!" Phil quickly scurried off to change, and after he had finished, he turned back around the corner to an empty locker room....besides Teddy, who was kicking his feet waiting, he already had all his clothes on, why is he-? oh right. "Sorry, let me help you real quick." Phil walks over and bends down, tying Teddy's left shoes. "You show the signs of being tired. Are you okay, Phil?" Teddy then puts his hand on Phil's head. "Huh?" Phil hasn't even responded yet. "Trust me, Phil." So that's what Phil did, he continued with tying both of Teddy's shoes. After he finished and stood up, he noticed something: his sour attitude was gone! completely! "I-I Uhm thank you Teddy....with whatever you did."
Teddy nods and grabs his bag, then waits, "You coming, Phil...?" Phil gets his shit together and follows after Teddy, who was walking slowly on purpose as if he was asking to walk with Phil. "Are...you gonna tell me what you did...?" No answer. "T-Teddy?" Phil watched as Teddy turned his head to face him, Teddy's face, unreadable as ever, "Hmm?" Phil raised an eyebrow, "Did you not hear me?" Both of them continued down the hall. "Yeah, you said my name?" Teddy was obviously avoiding the conversation "...uh yeah...Sorry, I forgot what I was gonna ask." Teddy shrugs as he stands by waiting for Phil to open his locker. "And open." Phill steps aside, waiting for Teddy to finish putting his stuff in the locker so they can head on down to lunch
The food was gross as ever. At this point, Phil wouldn't seem fazed if they "Accidentally" served him a mouse in his chicken alfredo. "Listen, Teds, the food here is really bad, just a fair warning." Teddy didn't flinch. "I'm not hungry anyway.." Phil raises his eyebrow, confused by what Teddy just said. "What? How?" Teddy cocks his head to the left and hums "I'm just not hungry..?" Teddy then looks around at all the other tables. "Where do you sit?" Phil's arm extends, and he points to an open seat next to a girl with a long black ponytail and a brown-haired kid who looked to be around the same height as Teddy. "Right there, that's where I sit, the girl is Lilly, and the kid across from her is Matty, both of them are also my friends." Teddy nods, "Should I say anything to them?" Phil was once again confused. "Y-Yeah? Say hi, tell them that you're friends with me."
Teddy nods once again and hops out of line, walking over to the lunch table where Matty and Lilly are. If Phil were to be honest, something was definitely up with Teddy. Phil was captivated by him in more ways than just one. God, Teddy was a dream come true in Phil's eyes, but Phil knew better than to fall for the oldest trick in the book when it comes to aliens! That's right! But it's now settling in with Phil, Teddy could be something dangerous, world-ending even....Phil shakes his head, "No way aliens only exist in fiction comic books." Phil wasn't going to accept the fact that Teddy was an alien so quickly; he needed proof. As the line moved, Phil grabbed his tray sitting next to Teddy. "So Phil.... who's he?" Lilly tried her best not to sound mean, but she's not the best at covering her emotions.
Teddy turned to Phil, waiting as if he needed permission. "You gonna introduce yourself? You don't need my permission." Teddy turns to Matty and Lilly. "I'm Teddy." Matty offered a quick, friendly wave. “Hey, Teddy. You’re new here, right?” Lilly glanced at Phil, her eyes narrowing slightly, still trying to figure Teddy out. Teddy nodded. “Yeah, I just moved here.” He slid awkwardly into the seat, folding his hands in his lap. Lilly smiled, though the suspicion lingered. “Well, welcome. Hope you survive lunch.” She grimaced at her own tray. Matty laughed. “Don’t worry, you get used to it. Or you learn to bring your own food.” Phil watched Teddy carefully, trying to pick up on anything odd—any sign of the truth he was starting to suspect. But Teddy just sat there, looking as normal as possible, even if he was a little out of place. Phil wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved or more suspicious than ever. The table fell into a short silence, broken only by the low hum of the cafeteria. Phil finally cleared his throat. “So, Teddy, where did you move from?” Teddy hesitated, glancing at Phil as if searching for the right answer. “Uh… far away.” His voice was soft, almost uncertain. Lilly raised an eyebrow. “Like, out-of-state far, or…?” Teddy just smiled enigmatically. “Something like that.”
Matty shrugged, already digging into his food, unfazed. “Well, wherever you’re from, you picked a weird time to come here. because of the big boom early yesterday morning." Lilly perks up, "Oh yeah, does anyone know anything about that yet?" Phil shrugs, "Heard a bit of what happened on the news this morning, but I just can't remember it." Lilly nodded, frowning. “Yeah, my mom thinks it’s something with the pipes. Nothing ever works right around here.” Phil hesitated, glancing at Teddy. “You guys don’t think it could be, I dunno, something…weirder?” Matty rolled his eyes with a snort. “Like what? Aliens? Come on, Phil.” Lilly laughed, shaking her head. “You and your comic books, Phil. It’s just old pipes or a busted transformer or something.” Teddy stayed quiet, watching them all closely, a faint smile flickering on his lips. Phil tried to have Teddy slip a few words....seems like you can expect that, or he didn't slip any words since Teddy, SHOULDNT be an alien.
Lunch passed quickly, now Phil has to make a plan on how to catch Teddy, get some evidence, or lack of evidence. Teddy is everything to Phil. If Teddy is an actual alien, what would Phil do? Phil lingered outside the noisy school cafeteria, his lunch tray still in hand, watching Teddy disappear into the crowded hallway. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment, but the thought of confronting Teddy made his hands tremble. He pulled out the battered leather notebook he uses for drawing, scribbling ideas: follow Teddy after class, look for clues, maybe even… follow him? But what if he was wrong? What if Teddy was just an ordinary person, and all of this were a wild misinterpretation? The thought hit Phil like a punch in the stomach. He pictured losing Teddy’s friendship forever, imagined the look of hurt and betrayal on Teddy’s face if he ever found out what Phil had been doing. Guilt twisted inside him, but hope flickered too: maybe, if he found proof or lack of, everything would make sense, and he would finally be able to trust Teddy without fear. Phil shook his head. He needed answers. He needed proof.
Phil opens his locker for Teddy again. "You gonna ride the bus home?" Phil asked, turning to Teddy, he shook his head, "No, I'm just gonna walk home." Once again, that was strange, but Phil didn't decide to question it any further. Phil then found himself walking into fifth hour with no plans to listen to the teacher and only hypothesize ways to get evidence against Teddy, but soon he finds himself struggling to come up with a plan on how to catch Teddy and gather evidence of his alien identity. Nothing came to mind during this particular class period, leaving Phil feeling frustrated and anxious about the task ahead. Thoughts of how Teddy's peculiar behavior and unusual way of getting information, always knowing everything, was Phil jumping the gun here, or should he wait?..... Phil shakes his head. He wants to know the truth. He can't let it go; he needs to act now.
t was now the seventh hour, and Phil realized he had wasted far too much time—until a memory resurfaced: a casual conversation with Teddy before they split for their separate classes. Teddy, had mentioned he’d be walking home that day. At the time, Phil hadn’t thought much of it, but something about Teddy’s demeanor had stuck with him. As the final bell rang, Phil couldn’t shake the curiosity that had been gnawing at him since their exchange on the bus. On impulse, he decided to follow Teddy, keeping his distance as they navigated the familiar streets of their neighborhood. The setting sun cast an eerie orange glow over the quiet suburb. Phil watched as Teddy moved with an almost unnatural grace—fluid, deliberate, otherworldly. Phil’s heart pounded as he wondered what he might uncover. Could Teddy really be an alien? When they reached where Teddy lived, Phil ducked behind a tall hedge, careful not to be seen. Teddy stopped in front of his house, and his demeanor shifted. Without hesitation, Teddy bent down, picked up a rock, and took a generous bite out of it.
"Phil, wanna step inside for some baked goods? Mama made them herself," Teddy asked with a mouth full of rock. Phil didn't know what to say to that. Yes? No? Maybe so? Phil needed to be careful here, but he just didn't want to; Teddy can't really hurt him right...? So Phil emerges from the bushes. "Fine...I'm willing to trust you." Phil walked closer as Teddy opened the door for him. "What makes me not trustworthy?" Phil turns to face Teddy as he closes the door behind him. Phil looks and doesn't notice things out of the ordinary...yet. Phil looks at all the paintings and portraits of Teddy's family. Do they know and simply live with it or...? "Sit." Teddy was now at the dining room table. Teddy sat silently at the table, his hands resting on the surface, eyes flickering with a strange, distant curiosity. The faint smell of baked goods lingered in the air, but Teddy seemed uninterested, his gaze fixed on something far away. He looked over at Phil with a calmness that felt almost unnatural for a kid his age.
"Finally, Phil broke the silence, voice flat and measured. “You wanted me to sit here,” he said. “So I did.” Phil hesitated, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. His gut told him more than Teddy was letting on—that there was something he wasn’t saying. But every time he tried to ask directly, Teddy would dodge or change the subject. “Look,” Phil finally said, voice strained, “I know you’re not from around here. I can tell. And honestly, I don’t really care where you’re from. Just—why did you crash here! Or do you want to tell me what you really are?” Teddy’s eyes flickered, and he looked away, silent for a long moment. Then, with a calm, almost robotic tone, he said, “I’m just a kid. Like you. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Phil’s heart sank. He clenched his fists, frustration and exhaustion washing over him. “Don’t lie to me,” he said, voice cracking. “I see right through it. You’re not just a kid. You’re… something else. I can see it. Feel it.” Teddy’s face remained blank, unreadable. “I don’t know what you mean...I crashed here? You don't have proof, nor do I have a reason to hide anything.” But Phil knew he had proof; he had to figure out how to make Teddy slip up his own words.
Phil looks around and notices how pristine it is, "You have a nice house, Teddy, very clean, if my mom saw a singular sock on the ground in my house, she would immediately go looking for whosever sock it was." Phil got up and walked past Teddy into the living room. "Messes slow me down. I like things where they belong." Teddy shifted in his chair to face Phil, who was still looking into the really open living room. "So has your mom ever yelled at you for being an idiot and misplacing something?" Teddy's voice got faster, almost as if Teddy took offence to what Phil just said, but his voice was still monotone as ever. "I always remember where I put things. Forgetting doesn’t really happen for—" Teddy catches himself "For me." Phil chuckles and turns to face Teddy with a raised eyebrow. "Never? That’s kinda freaky, dude." That ended up with Teddy starting to talk faster than a hose sprinkler. "It isn’t freaky. It’s just how my brain works. Some people have better memories. Some… pick up new stuff fast. Especially if you aren’t—" Teddy tried to save himself, but he couldn't. "Aren’t what, Teddy?" Phil had a sly grin as Teddy finally admitted to being an alien, "Human, Phil. Especially if you aren’t human." Teddy looked at Phil, then at the ground in a way trying to show some sort of sadness, but Phil was feeling three things at the same time: joy, excitement, but also sad.
Phil was happy to find out that aliens were real, and that he was friends with one of them! But the way he found out left him feeling unsettled. He didn’t doubt his friendship with Teddy for a moment—if anything, he wished he hadn’t learned the truth in such an abrupt way. The excitement of discovery was overshadowed by the awkwardness and confusion of the moment. Phil found himself wishing things had unfolded differently, but he was determined to stand by his friend, no matter what. "Are you not freaked out by me?" Teddy looked at Phil, his gaze still emotionless. Phil just wanted to spill his heart out about how much he liked Teddy, how he had always thought about Teddy, even though they met today. "No..never."
Phil stepped closer to Teddy he then closed in a Teddy he was finally able to wrap his arms around the shorter one. Teddy stood stiffly in Phil’s embrace, uncertain of the expected response. He registered the increased pressure of Phil’s arms and the rapid rhythm of Phil’s heartbeat, but none of it stirred any corresponding feeling inside him.
Teddy tilted his head, his voice flat.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Phil hesitated, loosening his grip slightly. “I’m… giving you a hug. It’s something humans do to comfort each other when someone is upset.”
Teddy blinked, processing the information. “I do not experience being ‘upset.’ How does this help?”
Phil gave a small, understanding smile. “Sometimes it just helps to know you’re not alone, even if you don’t feel it the same way.”
Teddy nodded, “It's nice, I can tell by the signals.”
Phil looked at Teddy, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “Teddy, what do you mean by ‘the signals’? I want to understand.” Teddy’s eyes shifted, searching for the right words. “I mean… I can sense the changes in your body—your heartbeat, the warmth of your skin, the way your breathing changes when you’re close. I know these are signs of comfort or affection for humans. I don’t feel them myself, but I can recognize them.” Phil nodded slowly, a mix of wonder and empathy on his face. “So you don’t feel what I feel, but you can tell what I’m feeling?” Teddy gave a small, thoughtful nod. “Yes. That’s the best way I can explain it.” Phil sways holding Teddy in his arms, He looks away embarrassed about what he's about to say "Erm..are you not gonna hug me back..?" Teddy shifts his head to face Phil "Am I suppose to?" The taller one looks down "Thats what you normally do." Teddy nods and hugs Phil.
Holding Teddy there helped Phil stay somewhat grounded, but Phil still had that ich at the back of his mind, he still wants to know everything about Teddy it doesn't matter if he's an alien of not Phil wants to know every detail of Teddy, Phil held Teddy more firmly, sensing Teddy’s heart beating evenly through the cloth of the shirt. That moment caused everything else to fade. Phil’s gaze swept across Teddy’s face, imprinting every detail: the shape of his jaw, the specks of color in his eyes, and the subtle way his lips tightened when he was simply present.…
The rhythm of his breathing. Was Teddy nervous? Was he happy? Phil’s mind buzzed, desperate to capture every sensation, every unspoken word. He wanted to freeze time, to hold onto every tiny detail so nothing would escape him. The need to know, to understand, to possess every part of this moment was overwhelming.
Phil’s mind meandered as he watched Teddy, vividly and achingly imagining what lay ahead. He saw them years from now, sharing a small apartment filled with sunlight and laughter. In his imagination, Teddy knew exactly how Phil took his coffee, and Phil could read every mood in Teddy’s eyes without a word. He envisioned them traveling together, collecting inside jokes and memories, building a life layered with trust and understanding. In Phil’s dreams, there were no more secrets—just quiet mornings, shared glances across crowded rooms, and a love that had grown deep and familiar.
Every unanswered question faded away in this imagined future, replaced by the steady comfort of truly knowing and being known. Phil knows how cheesy he’s being, but he can’t help it.
Phil smiles, but it soon crashes. Teddy isn’t real; he is just not human. He’s an alien with no sense of emotion or awareness. Teddy looks human. Is it the plant Teddy’s from just another Earth? Is he able to camouflage? What’s going to happen if the nearby military base finds him? Phil’s anxiety became an undeniable, roaring tide as his chest tightened with each quickly escalating question.
"My signals for you have changed...they feel fast and unpredictable... does it feel bad?" Teddy slowly lets go, but Phil holds Teddy tighter. "No, Ted, I'm...fine." But Phil reluctantly let go of Teddy. "You're the first to know...besides my parents, you have questions, I know you do."
Phil nods, "Yeah, a lot." Then an idea popped into Phil's head, "Erm.. sleepover here? I-It'll help us talk comfortably." Teddy stares at Phil for a long time. "I've heard of those, never had one because..." Phil already understood why, "Teddy, we should talk about this with your parents first...they should know, they've had you for like...a day?" Phil was trying to sound like he knew what he was doing, but failed.
Teddy shakes his head, "They've had me my entire life." Now Phil was even more confused. What was that big "BOOM" the other day about? So that's what Phil asked, "Then what was that 'BOOM' sound?"
With his hands behind his back, swaying side to side, Teddy said: "Probably a pipe.." Phil nods, "Okay, now back to the conversation at hand, the sleepover." Strange, but the least of his concerns
At that moment in time, Teddy's parents walk through the door holding bags of groceries. “Oh, hello, you two. Teddy, would you mind helping your father?” Mrs. Uris sets a bag down on the counter. Teddy nods but perks up, knowing what he has to do, “Mama?”
Mrs. Uris turns he head and looks down. “Hmmm?” She raises an eyebrow, “I want to talk, Phil included.” Mrs. Uris freezes, seems like she already knows what this is about.
“Okay…after the groceries are put away, you two go sit on the sofa.” She walks off, leading the two boys to stare and eventually go sit on the sofa. Waiting there felt like an eternity, but after a minute MR. and Mrs. Uris sat down on the other sofa.
“Eh-Hem.” She starts, “So Teddy, you told your friend Phil about your secret?” Teddy nods, “He knows.” Mrs Uris gives that ‘Fuck’ smile. “So Phil, how do you feel about this?” Phil shifts nervously on the sofa, searching for words. “I’m…honestly not sure what to think yet. It’s a lot. But Teddy’s still Teddy. That’s what matters, right?”
Mr. Uris leans forward, his elbows on his knees. “We know this is unusual, Phil. It’s important you feel safe to talk and ask questions. We want you to understand as much as you can.”
Teddy glances between his parents and Phil, then quietly says, “I didn’t want to hide it from you, Phil. You’re my friend.” Phil shifts in his seat, glancing at Teddy, then at the floor. He clears his throat. “Um, can I ask something?”
Mr. Uris nods, “Of course, Phil.”
Phil fidgets with the hem of his shirt. “Well, I was thinking… I mean, since there’s a lot to talk about and, um, it might help Teddy feel better, maybe I could stay over tonight? Like, a sleepover?”
Mrs. Uris and Mr. Uris exchange a look. She studies Phil for a beat, then looks at Teddy. “Is that something you’d both want?”
Teddy nods quickly, hope flickering in his eyes. “Yes! I’d really like that.”
Mrs. Uris considers, then offers a gentle smile. “Alright, as long as it’s okay with your family, Phil. We just ask that you respect the house, and the things that might be different here than any other normal house, but you’re welcome.”
Relief washes over Phil, maybe also Teddy? The tension in the room finally softened. “I live across the street. I’ll go over and grab what I need.” Phil gets up, but Teddy follows, “Can I come?”
Phil nods, and they both make their way to Phil's house.
“MOM!” Phil calls out, but he sees a note on the fridge, “Mom and Dad away <3” but underneath the heart, there was an erased message “From you little shits.”….ouch. “Nice, let's grab my stuff and go. Susie's probably at a babysitter's. “Who's Susie?” Teddy asks while going up the stairs.
“My sister,” Phil says, rifling through a drawer for pajamas and a toothbrush. “She’s a few years younger than me. Total brat, but I guess I miss her sometimes.”
Teddy scans the room, eyes lingering on the posters, the mess, the stacks of comics. “Is this what a normal kid’s room looks like?” His voice is careful—almost rehearsed, as if he’s trying to sound curious.
Phil shrugs, suddenly aware of the chaos. “I dunno. My mom says I’m a tornado.” He stands at his dresser, stalling as he looks for a shirt for Teddy. His fingers hover over one he likes, and he feels his ears warm. “Um, you want to borrow a shirt? If you want. It’s clean.”
Teddy hesitates a beat too long, then nods, imitating Phil’s earlier smile. “Yeah, sure. That’s what friends do, right?” He takes the shirt, holding it up, watching Phil closely for cues. He hugs the shirt to his chest, mimicking the gesture he’s seen in movies, but his expression is more focused than sentimental. “Thanks.”
Phil grins, hoping Teddy can’t see how flustered he is. “It’ll look cool on you, since that's what…friends do.” Picking up a few more items as Teddy messes around with a few knick-knacks Phil has on top of a shelf, he picks up a snow globe and gives it a good shake, watching the fake snow and glitter swirl.
“So, what do you and your friends usually do at sleepovers?” he asks, voice careful.
Phil shrugs, tossing pajamas and a toothbrush into his backpack. “Eat junk food, watch bad movies, scare ourselves with dumb stories. Sometimes we try to stay up all night, but I always crash early.” Teddy nods…”What room is the sleepover in?”
Turing his head to look, Phil raises an eyebrow. “Any room?” Suddenly, his face is all flushed again. “May-Maybe even your room if you want that..?” his voice is noticeably weak. “Hmm, yeah, that sounds nice.” Teddy drifts away from the shelf and sits on Phil's bed. “Mmmkay, done packing lets go.” Phil throws his bag over his shoulder and walks out of his room, leaving Teddy following his trail, down the stairs, and out of the house. After crossing the street and re-entering Teddy's house, they were met with a few snacks on the table, normal snacks like pastries and other stuff. Meanwhile, Teddy had a bunch of rocks from big to small. After grabbing everything and bringing it upstairs into Teddy's room, Phil felt off…His room was very clean compared to Phil's room. bed made, nicely, clothes put away, and if anything was on the ground, it was a book. Phil sat on Teddy's bed as Teddy tossed a rock in the air and caught it in his mouth. “Want one?” Teddy asked, offering another stone with a mischievous glint.
Phil laughed, shaking his head. “I, uh, think I’ll stick to the chips.”
Teddy shrugged, chewing thoughtfully. “Suit yourself.” He sat next to Phil and held out the shirt he was given, “Want me to try it on?” Phil's face was even redder, but now steam was coming out of his ears; Teddy probably had no clue what he was doing to Phil right now.
Phil managed a small, nervous laugh. “Yeah, sure. Go for it.”
Teddy pulled the shirt he was wearing off and quickly put the shirt Phil gave him over his head, his hair mussing up in the process. For a moment, he fumbled with the sleeves, twisting awkwardly until the shirt was finally on. He looked at Phil expectantly, arms outstretched. “How’s it look?”
Calling the shirt big would be an understatement; the collar is so loose it reveals Teddy’s collarbone. He puts his arms down, and the collar slips off his shoulder. “It’s comfy, I like it,” Teddy says, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
Phil watches, grinning despite himself. “It looks good on you,” he manages, his voice a little shaky.Teddy pulled off the shirt he was wearing and quickly put the one Phil gave him over his head, his hair mussing up in the process. For a moment, he fumbled with the sleeves, twisting awkwardly until the shirt was finally on. He looked at Phil expectantly, arms outstretched. “How’s it look?”
Calling the shirt big would be an understatement; the collar is so loose it reveals Teddy’s collarbone. He puts his arms down, and the collar slips off his shoulder. “It’s comfy, I like it,” Teddy says, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
Phil watches, grinning despite himself. “It looks good on you,” he manages, his voice a little shaky.
Teddy flops backward on the bed, arms splayed out. “This is the comfiest shirt I’ve ever owned. I might never take it off.”
Phil laughs, finally letting some of the tension go. Sunlight spills across the room, and for a moment, there’s only the sound of their breathing and the distant hum of traffic outside. Teddy breaks the silence, staring up at the ceiling. “You know what’s weird?” he says quietly. “Usually, my signals are slow. Like, I don’t really notice when I’m nervous or whatever. But lately, around you, everything’s just… faster.” He glances at Phil, frowning in confusion. “I keep getting jittery, and my skin goes all weird and red. I don’t even realize it until I’m already acting strange. It’s kind of annoying, honestly.”
Phil’s face flushes, and he opens his mouth to say something, but the words get stuck. He’s not sure if Teddy understands why—but the admission makes Phil’s own heart race even more. "Y-Yeah..? Phil lets out a shaky laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I get that. I mean, I… I kind of feel the same, if that makes you feel any better.”
Teddy tilts his head, still staring at the ceiling. For a moment, his eyes flicker with that faint, otherworldly glow—a signal, Phil has learned, that means Teddy is thinking. “I do not feel, not the way you do,” Teddy says, voice gentle. “But I sense your signals. They are… comforting frequencies.”
Phil smiles, nudging Teddy’s arm. “That’s close enough for me.”
Teddy is quiet for a moment. The faint flicker in his eyes grows steadier, more inquisitive. "Phil," he says, "What is love?" He turns his head, studying Phil with open curiosity. "I have read about it, and some of your signals match what I have learned. But I do not know what it is in full. Can you explain it to me?"
Phil blinks, caught off guard. The question hangs in the air, bigger than the room itself. He sits back, considering. "That's... not easy to answer," he admits. "Love is a lot of things. It's wanting someone to be happy, even if it means you have to try really hard. It's sometimes about caring about someone more than yourself. It's being comfortable together, but also nervous, in a good way."
He glances at Teddy, searching for understanding in those bright, alien eyes. "It's when you want to share everything—not just the good stuff, but the weird, confusing stuff too. It's not always clear, or easy, but... when I'm with you, I think that's what it feels like."
“Can..I..?” Teddy leans closer, face to face with Phil, and without hesitation, he wraps his arms around him and pulls him into a cuddle.
Phil stiffens in surprise, then melts into Teddy’s embrace. He feels the warmth of Teddy’s arms and the faint, almost imperceptible hum—Teddy’s signals, calm and steady, pulsing through the contact. Phil closes his eyes, letting the foreign-yet-familiar sensation wash over him.
Teddy buries his face in Phil’s shoulder. “Is this right?” he asks quietly. “Is this what love feels like?”
Phil smiles, his voice muffled by Teddy’s hair. “Yeah. At least, it’s one part of it. It’s wanting to be close, to hold someone, and know you’re safe. I think that’s a good start.”
Teddy nods, his grip tightening just a little as the signals between them settle into a gentle rhythm—alien and human, learning each other’s language, one heartbeat and frequency at a time.