A few warnings before you read; This chapter contains language, as well as homophobic remarks aimed to hurt a character. Read with care! 

Zelo was learning fast-Too fast. He was advancing faster than anyone could have predicted, quickly picking up skills like walking in a straight line, talking in full sentences (though if he got worked up he seemed to lose language skills, Yongguk noted. He was unsure if this was due to a short circuit or if it was because he was young), or even learning complicated maths and sciences (though he seemed, as yet, unable to apply them to real life).

This was a much faster advancement in technology than Yongguk had originally intended; He seemed to be growing in some things at the rate of a year every few months, and in others there was no measure to age as to what he was learning; He was learning things most people never learnt at all, regardless of age.

“I don’t understand,” Yongguk mumbled to himself as he watched Zelo happily entertaining himself by memorizing the periodic table. Jongup was sitting with him playing a video game, only looking up once and a while to check on the over sized baby wearing a frog onesie pajama but carefully pronouncing all 118 elements with the utmost care.

It was actually fairly disconcerting, Yongguk decided.

“It only makes sense, Yonggukie,” Himchan assured Yongguk as he caught Yongguk’s whispered pondering as he walked through the door, putting his lover’s intent stair and whispered words together and assuming he was talking about the strange way the young robot seemed to learn. “He’s your creation...maybe he’s taken after you,” he suggested as he put down his shopping bags, unwinding his scarf and looking happily at the quiet scene unfolding in the living room.

Himchan wouldn’t admit it but his favourite thing about earth was the family atmosphere...they didn’t have to be soldiers here, they just had to blend in and seem like everyone else. Seemingly quite a difficult task, though it seemed to be playing out so easily for the most part.

“Taken after me?” Yongguk repeated, blinking up at Himchan as he came to curl up on the couch beside him.

“Yes, taken after you...you’re a genius, Yonggukie,” Himchan mumbled, laying his head in Yongguk’s lap as the elder began to absentmindedly come through his already messy and windswept hair with his warm and reassuring hands. “Maybe he’s just learning like you learnt,” he explained, smiling as he recalled baby pictures he had seen of Yongguk in a very similar scene to the one Zelo now seemed to be participating in.

Yongguk had learnt some things young too; Like the theory of relativity and the secrets of dark matter.

“It’s only natural for a kid to be like his father,” he finished, laughing a little at himself...of course Zelo was a robot, not really genetically related to Yongguk (much, himchan reminded himself...Yongguk had put some of both he and himchan’s genetics by way of blood and hair samples into the boy to try to bring him closer to real life...maybe that was the root of his strange learning abilities and his odd capacity for humanity).

“Like his father…” Yongguk repeated slowly, unsure of what to say. “I mean, am I his father himchan? I’m his creator...they’re not the same thing.”

“I think they are, for you,” Himchan said softly, running his hand over Yongguk’s hard set jaw. He looked deep in thought, his brow furrowed. He looked upset, but not angry...more sad. He looked sad. Himchan didn’t know why he looked sad-Because he couldn’t have had Zelo on his home planet? Because Zelo would never be flesh and blood? Did he not like the robot...no, Himchan knew that wasn’t true.

“What are you thinking?” Himchan asked, his raspy voice curious and concerned.

Yongguk shook his head.

****TSBABY****

Zelo coughed quietly, looking at the shiney page of elements laid out across his lap. He was curled into a blanket, leaning against Jongup’s warm body. He was having trouble pronouncing the names...they sounded so foreign and strange, even though he understood what they were he couldn’t pronounce them; It was frustrating.

The coughing which wasn’t ceasing was also beginning to frustrate him. He didn’t know how to make it stop and it was making it harder to read as his body was shaking. Finally he couldn’t help it, he started to cry, whimpering as he coughed harder.

Jongup shifted quickly behind him, and Zelo whimpered as the elder wrapped his arms around him; No, that wasn’t helping at all! He felt like he was being strangled. He tried to squirm his way out of Jongup’s arms, whimpering as he coughed harder until Yongguk noticed and told Jongup that he wasn’t helping.

“Let go of him!” Yongguk said harshly, rushing over, pushing Himchan off his lap in his hurry to help the youngest boy...his creation, sit up straight, patting his back softly as he coughed. His whole delicate body seemed to be shaking, and Yongguk was barking orders at both the other boys; Get water! Get him his toy! Do that, do this.

Finally, the coughing stopped, and Zelo was left clinging to Yongguk, whimpering. He felt himself shaking, his skin crawling. He couldn’t breath, even as Yongguk started to try and convince him to take a sip of the water Himchan had brought.

He couldn't tell what had happened; Why had he been coughing? Why couldn’t he breathe...it was scary and Zelo said so, looking up with watery eyes at Yongguk who had gently cradled him in his arms.

“I don’t like it,” Zelo whimpered, burying his face in Yongguk’s sweater.

Yongguk held Zelo close, unsure of what to do as he gently rocked him back and forth, pressing soft kisses into his curly blond hair. That had been scary-And worst of all he didn’t know how to explain it. Zelo was a robot..it couldn’t have been a cold or something caught in his throat or asthma or something, could it have been? He couldn’t be sure how far his DNA and programming could go, or if it could be fixed.

Yongguk hushed Zelo, rocking him back and forth. He wondered if he lacked the skills for this-If he needed to risk it and bring him to a human doctor-Yongguk wasn’t a doctor, he was an inventor; if it didn’t work out they could always just kill the doctor, or erase their mind.

Zelo cuddled into Yongguk, tired. Yongguk...he knew there was a word for it, but he didn’t know it. Yongguk was something important. Everyone had one…

Zelo was asleep in a matter of moments, Yongguk left sitting on the floor, the tall kid curled into his arms, spilling off his lap. Himchan sat across from him, a strange look in his eyes. Yongguk knew what the look meant; You love him. You’re his parent.

****TSBABY****

Youngjae had witnessed the whole event; the scared look in Himchan and Yongguk’s faces, how scared and fragile Zelo looked, how Jongup had started to cry. It tugged at his heart strings a little, and he found it hard not to jump forward and try to comfort the robot...he was a robot, he didn’t need comforting.

Youngjae was confused as to why Zelo had been choking on air-He was a robot, did he really have to breath? How far had Yongguk gone...was this a child or a machine? Youngjae didn’t know how to process the information he had just absorbed; Which was he? How could Youngjae hate him so much...even to himself this was starting to feel silly.

As Zelo appeared to fall asleep Youngjae slunk away, shaking his head. He didn’t know what he was doing...Zelo made him uncomfortable and he didn’t know how to deal with it. Zelo didn’t have a soul. He didn’t have a heart...but did he?

Youngjae didn’t even notice Daehyun walking through the door, attached to another boy at the lips. He nearly crashed into the couple, looking up just in time, his jaw dropping open…

“That’s sick, hyung! That’s sick!” he yelled, his face a contorted mask of surprise. Daehyun was glaring at him, the boy he had been kissing looking at Youngjae with disgust. Youngjae recognized him-Chanyeol, another member of an alien envoy living on earth.

“J-just...keep it to yourselves, can’t you?” Youngjae sneered, quickly turning away and walking towards his room. The look of disgust on Daehyun’s face was burned into his mind. He didn’t know why he could overlook Himchan and Yongguk’s love, but everything about Daehyun kissing anybody, not just boys, disgusted him and made him want to cry.

He slammed his bedroom door behind himself, flopping onto his bed, tears stinging his eyes. He knew why…

“I’m disgusting...I’m sick,” Youngjae whimpered, his stomach turning as he clutched his pillow to him. He knew why he felt the way he did; “i love you Jung Daehyun, you stupid idiot...Youngjae you’re such a prick, a ing idiot,” he told himself, tearing running down his cheeks.

“You’re so sick.”

****TSBABY****

“I’m so sorry, Chanyeol,” Daehyun apologized again, hugging his current lover to his chest. Even though he knew Chanyeol wasn’t the one for him, he was a good friend. He meant a lot to Daehyun...He’d taught him a lot. He’d taught him to be himself, that there was no black and white and that could be great with anyone. He taught him how to figure out how he was feeling…

“It’s ok, he just needs...I think he needs to sort his own feelings out,” Chanyeol mumbled, looking at his shoes. He felt awkward now, in this house. Sure, he could tell everyone was friendly enough (aside from Youngjae...speaking of whom, what was most disgusting was that he was obviously gay. Chanyeol forgave him-He knew how he felt), but the house now seemed deep and uninviting.

“I’m sorry, I think I have to go...you should talk to him,” Chanyeol said, giving Daehyun a smile as he let himself out the door, leaving Daehyun looked slightly stunned at the wall. He knew what would probably happen next.

Daehyun knew he should go talk to Youngjae, but he was too angry. He wasn’t sure he could forgive his close-minded friend this time around.

****TSBABY****

Zelo lay in bed that night, looking at the ceiling. He didn’t feel nice, his breathing still coming in jagged breaths. He couldn’t breath...oh, god, he was choking. He sat up coughing until tears rose to his eyes.

Jongup shook himself awake, staggering over to Zelo’s bed and helping him to sit up, mimicking what Yongguk had done earlier, patting his back and passing him a glass of water. Zelo was left shaking in his arms…

Jongup was scared. Zelo had quickly become his best friend and here he was in obvious pain and he didn’t know what to do about it. He settled for waiting until the younger’s breath was more even before pulling him close under the blankets and falling asleep with Zelo nuzzled against his chest.

In the morning he would ask Yongguk what was going on...

I hope you like this chapter, and I'm sorry I took so long to update! I've been very busy and tired lately, but I am dedicated to this story so I hope you don't mind the wait. Please read and review and tell me what you think! I enjoy learning your opinions and hearing your critiques :')