As the sun falls and the sky darkens, Caelum finds himself wide awake. He can't sleep and he's tired of counting sheep. His mind is numb with exhaustion from the endless thoughts bouncing inside his head. But he just can't give in. It's hard to close his eyes and just... rest. It's too hard to quiet his shouting thoughts.

So, he sits by the window sill and stares outside, eyes drawn up toward the few scattered stars. He wonders what's out there, wonders about the other worlds still undiscovered. He wonders about the stars and endless planets sustaining life. Most of all, he wonders what it would be like to travel through space and time, wonders if he'd still be as miserable as he is here.

He puts a stop to those particular thoughts and tenses when he feels eyes at the back of his head.

Without looking he knows the alien is awake, is staring at him. He doesn't make the effort to turn around and face it just yet. He simply rests his cheek on his hand and rearranges the throw blanket over his legs.

After a few seconds, he asks softly, "Do you miss it? Your home, I mean."

"Sey," the aliens answers sincerely, just as quietly.

Caelum smiles, "Do you realize you do that?"

For a moment, it stares at Caelum in confusion as it asks, "Do what?"

"Switch languages," the human says, "it's your native tongue, right?"

The alien doesn't answer right away, but there's no point in denying it, "Yes."

It's then that Caelum finally returns the creature's gaze, "when we first met... you were different... when I touched you it was like you changed forms..."

"It's a defense mechanism of sorts," the alien explains, "it's to change appearance into something more fitting in order to protect ourselves. Although we can change our forms at will, the automatic reaction I displayed in our first encounter is more useful for an alien that is injured because their form will change subconsciously in response to the situation and stress. But as you can see, only my appearance has changed."

"What about your voice? I thought it was due to misuse but it doesn't sound like a sore throat."

"That, I can change as well."

Caelum gapes as the raspy deep voice gradually changes into one of an old man. It's the complete opposite of the picture of the young man sitting sleepily in his bed.

"Change it back," he whispers, "I prefer your normal voice than a grandpa's one."

The alien complies, but changes the pitch just so it won't sound as grating as before, "How about this? Is this more fitting?"

"Much more," Caelum nods, because it's true, it almost sounds human now, "Do all aliens do that? Camouflage?"

"No," the alien says, "just two species from two very conflicting and different planets. The Atabilefens and the Aixatarienos."

"And you are.."

"An Aixatarieno," it divulges.

And that's something that's been bothering Caelum lately as well. The fact that the being before him is an alien, but in his mind its an... it. And it's wrong, it feels wrong to continue viewing the alien as something and not someone.

"I don't mean to sound rude," he begins as politely as he can, "but as a shapeshifter and all... well even without that capability... what are you?"

The alien's confusion grows at that and Caelum realizes belatedly that he probably worded it wrong, "I mean, what... What I'm trying to ask is.. are you a guy or a girl? You look human, and you look like a guy, but that's not quite right, is it?"

"You are very perceptive," the alien laughs, the sound odd yet comforting in its new tone, "I am neither and yet I am both. Alien biology is nothing like yours. I can be considered as having both sexes, I know that some even have three. It's much more complicated and too difficult to set up a system like yours. It's why we prefer not to place labels upon ourselves. Thus, we separate sex from gender."

"So, what about pronouns?" Caelum asks, "How do you refer to one another? It feels wrong to refer to you as an 'it' and not a person or... you know."

"I'm well aware, eno elttil," the alien smiles, "with me you could refer to me as he. However, if it makes you feel any better, you can simply use the pronoun xe. Either is fine."

"Okay," Caelum agrees before his cheeks heat up and he's struck by a second thought, "I'm Caelum by the way... Caelum Novak."

"Aerglo, I am Captain Aerglo Halcyon."