Chapter Text
Punz had never intended to find himself responsible for another life, especially not one that had crash-landed from another server. His father had made it very easy for Punz to dismiss the idea of ever being a parent for fear he might turn out like that. He’d been more than grateful to settle down on the mainland, to build up a new life far away from the childhood he never really had.
That all changed one day when Punz stepped into his house and heard the rattling of someone going through his things upstairs. Punz’s eyes narrowed with annoyance, already assuming he knew who it was. But when he made his way upstairs, he wasn’t greeted by an annoying golden-blond. Instead, he was greeted by a young alien sifting through his jewelry, most likely for something valuable.
Punz grabbed the alien’s wrist out of habit from dealing with Tommy, earning him a harsh bite to his hand. Punz fussed in response, shaking his hand out before checking it. They’d drawn blood, that much was for sure, but what Punz didn’t like was the sight of some sticky substance coming out of the bite.
“What the hell is that?”
Punz snapped before looking up at the culprit of the bite, only for his expression to soften just slightly. His shoulders relaxed with a heavy sigh as he got a good look at who’d bitten him, and he saw nothing more than just a frightened kid.
Their antennae were glowing with a dark purple against fluffy white hair and purple skin, while four eyes stared back at Punz, wide and full of fear, in an attempt to seem dangerous. Punz rubbed his hands over his face with another heavy sigh before giving in to that part of his head that was screaming at him.
“Prime, I’m not gonna hurt you. Could you at least tell me what your bite is laced with?”
Punz watched the kid back themself further against the dresser, two eyes racing to find a way out. Punz hummed with the assumption that he wasn’t going to get an answer. He turned away briefly, looking around his room for something that might bring the kid comfort of some kind before whipping his head back around to the sight of them bolting.
“Hey! No, you don’t.”
Punz fussed as he grabbed them before they had a chance to reach the stairs. He ignored the struggle that followed, the kicking, biting, and hitting. Punz stood there until the kid finally wore themself out with one last kick and grunt of exertion. With a steady exhale, Punz lowered them both to the ground before pulling away and leaning against the wall, keeping a careful eye on the alien across from him as they scooted back into a corner.
“Do you have a name?”
Punz tried, getting nothing but a silent, fearful look that looked more like bitter anger now. Punz knew that look all too well, when fear turned into anger and exhaustion because there was nothing left to feel.
“No.”
Punz’s eyes raised in brief surprise before he leaned his head back against the wall and continued to study the alien in front of him, waiting for a further response.
“Where I’m from, we’re just named after our respective colors. I’m just purple.”
The alien mumbled with a bitter tone, pulling their knees to their chest and staring at the ground.
“Surely you have a name beyond that?”
Punz responded skeptically, earning a head shake in response. They sat in silence for a while before it was broken.
“It’s not deadly, the venom.”
Punz raised an eyebrow before looking down at his hands and arms and realizing what the kid was talking about. Reassuring, Punz guessed as he slowly stood up and dusted himself off before silently walking downstairs. Just as he expected, he heard the soft patter of torn boots following him to the kitchen.
“How about I just call you Purpled? I think that sounds much more appealing.”
Punz received a nervous hum in response before jumping slightly at the sudden feeling of claws reaching for his hoodie. He lifted his arm to find Purpled clinging to his side, watching him gather ingredients for something to cook.
“Is your species naturally clingy?”
Punz questioned with a teasing smile. Purpled shook their head quickly in response before pressing his face to Punz’s side. Punz started to snark out a response before shutting his mouth at the memory of being this same way when he’d been younger.
“It’s soft.”
“My hoodie?”
Purpled nodded quietly, earning a quiet sigh of surrender. Punz did the best he could to make a meal he hoped Purpled could digest before sending them on their way. He spent a few hours afterwards digging through his closet for a hoodie he could hand off to the alien that had found their way into his life.