Page 10 of Snowed in: With the Alien Tentacle Monster

"Don't even think about it."

Logan retreated to the kitchen, needing space and food. He rummaged through his cabinets, painfully aware that his supplies weren't exactly fit for alien royalty. Canned soup would have to do.

From the living room came the sounds of the movie, punctuated occasionally by Valen testing out new words. His pronunciation was improving rapidly, though Logan didn't think he'd ever sound entirely human.

Logan dumped the soup into a pot and turned on the burner. He'd have to figure out if Valen even needed to eat. Did beings of pure light require sustenance? And if they did, would Campbell's cut it?

When he returned with two bowls, Valen had shifted back to his tentacled form and was hovering near the couch. His eyes fixed on the steaming bowls with obvious curiosity.

"It's soup," Logan explained, setting them on the coffee table. "Chicken noodle."

Valen drifted closer, examining the bowl. A tentacle delicately lifted a noodle. "This is... sustenance?"

"It's food, yeah."

Valen did not seem entirely convinced of this.

Logan offered him a spoon. "Just... try it."

Valen's tentacles manipulated the spoon with surprising dexterity. He took a taste, then went completely still.

"That bad?"

"It is..." Valen seemed to search for diplomatic phrasing. "Different from meals I am accustomed to."

Logan snorted. "Yeah, well, sorry it's not fit for royalty."

"The texture is most..." Valen paused. "Interesting." His speech was so much better already. Logan couldn't help but admire the speed at which this alien learned.

He tried to take the bowl back from Valen. "You don't have to eat it."

"No, no. I will... appreciate this cultural experience." Valen's tentacle lifted another spoonful with what could only be described as an adventurer's determination.

They both settled on the couch and ate in silence for a moment, the movie still playing quietly in the background. Finally, Logan asked the question that had been nagging at him.

"What happens when your people find you?"

Valen set his spoon down carefully. "I hope they know of a way to fix my mistakes."

"Your mistakes?"

"Our bonding."

Logan's chest tightened unexpectedly. "Oh."

"I won't make you leave your world," Valen continued softly. "And I... I cannot stay. The bond would make leaving... difficult."

"Difficult how?"

"Painful," Valen admitted. "For both of us. But my family might know a way to break it cleanly."

Logan stared down at his soup, no longer hungry. "Right. That would be... that would be best."

Valen's tentacle twitched, as if wanting to reach out, but remained withdrawn. "Yes," he agreed, though his voice held an odd note. "Best."

They sat in heavy silence.

After a few minutes, Valen spoke up. "This soup," he said, "does it typically contain such high levels of sodium?"

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