"...oops? Uh, yes? We got you clothes. Figured you could do with more than two changes, only one of them really yours. And no offence, Zev, but your clothes really didn't seem like your style."

Zev's entire body relaxes. "Never mind no offence, that's a direct compliment," he chuckles.

"Though you didn't have to do that, you've given us so much already." He directs this at all three of them.

"No," Aaren agrees. "But we wanted to."

Pauses.

"This doesn't change anything, and if- when," (and doesn't that hurt to say?) "you leave, those clothes are yours to take with you."

Zev's heart sinks a little bit too. They were supposed to be leaving, that had been his plan. It doesn't feel completely like the right decision anymore. 

"In any case, thank you. You're all- all more kind than we thought we'd find."

'Chelle offers him her hand. "Seems to me like you two were well overdue some kindness. Maybe we're the world's way of evening things out for you."

Zev takes it. "Maybe so."

His smile is a little rueful, but he's hopeful that's true. Nova needs somewhere soft to land, just once.

She squeezes his hand gently. "Anyway, ocelot kittens."

"Ocelot kittens," Lan agrees gravely.

...Yeah. Nova's completely lost, doesn't know how they're supposed to pay this back. But-

But Zev seems happy. And that's something Nova hasn't seen enough. And Zev deserves to be happy, and Nova will do what he has to to make sure that continues.

"Any kind of kittens, let's all be truthful now." 

Zev wraps limbs around Nova again, tucking himself in closely. Heart in his throat, he murmurs quietly enough that only Nova should hear. "I think I want to stay."

"Remind me to find pictures of aye-ayes for you," 'Chelle declares "Especially baby aye-ayes."

Nova nods slightly, a tiny movement against Zev's head. (And he'll make sure they can stay.)

Zev sinks his head back into Nova's neck, feeling content. No almost, no maybe. Just...content.

Lan joins 'Chelle in front of the couch, snuggling against her and humming contently.

Aaren retakes his seat, and leans his head back against the back of the chair, closing his eyes, obviously equally content.

The rest of the day passes quietly, 'Chelle and Lan bickering on the floor in front of the couch.

Aaren gets them all into the kitchen for dinner again, and after dinner there's time for a few more documentaries before Aaren shepherds them all off to bed like the responsible dad he is.

Zev collects the bags of clothes before heading into their room. "Now to see what Lan thinks does look good on me," Zev says with a grin. He heads to the bed and upends a bag on it. 

"I think this bag is yours," Zev says, holding up a shirt that does look too small for him. Not by much, anymore, but definitely Nova's. He empties the other bag onto the floor, pawing through the items. 

Nova takes the bag, but doesn't empty it. He can tell the clothes will be loose fitting, comfortable, and they're dark colours, things that would be less obvious.

Zev's bag is more mixed, still comfortable looking, but there's bright colours in amongst the darker ones.

He holds up a burnt orange shirt to show Nova. "Do you think they're hinting something?" He grins.

He starts organising the clothes by type, putting them aside. "It's going to be nice to have clean clothes more often," he says softly.

"-Yeah, I guess," he agrees quietly.

Zev stands up and turns to face Nova. He pulls him into his arms. "It's okay. I know, they're- they're different." He laughs a little. "I keep thinking they're going to ask me to go and kill someone. But they won't." 

He presses his face into Nova's head. "They won't."

"No," Nova agrees, sounding a little more certain. (He was going to make sure that never happened again.) "Don't seem like the kind." (That too.)

"They really don't." Zev steps away from Nova for a moment, stretching. He does his best to cover up a yawn.