All language is in universal interplanetary (UIPL) unless otherwise specified.

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There’s a buzz, and Faja looks down at aer watch. It’s Kell, the human ae has been getting to know as they both work aboard the Yenna. 

Kell: You’re on-planet this cycle, right? Faja: Yes. Kell: Great! My parents are going out on a work trip and we’re looking for someone to watch my sib. Faja: Um Kell: They know ASL, you know ASL, you’ll be fine! Faja: What about UIPL? Kell: …they know a bit but they’re mostly still learning. Best stick with ASL I'd think.

===

Somehow Faja has ended up in the human settlement that Kell was raised in. While ae’s not the only alien there, the amount of humans is astounding. Ae follows behind Kell as they lead aer to their home. It’s one of the many low, sloping huts built into the ground, leaning with the flow of the constant wind, instead of trying to fight against it. Larger buildings stand starkly against the horizon, unrelenting in their rectangular geometry, made of concrete and rebar. Kell, ever interested in engineering, explains their deep, sliding foundations, massive dampeners that allow them to remain upright even in the daily gales.

All too soon, a small human—Faja’s own hight—bursts out of a hut and dashes towards them, hands flying.

“Kell! You’re back! Who’s this?”

“Faja, this is Steffen, S-T-E-F-F-E-N. Steffen, Faja, F-A-J-A. They know ASL. Use A-E/A-E-R/A-E-R-S pronouns for writing and speaking, OK?”*

Steffen nods seriously. “OK! They sign?”

“Yes, pretty fluent.”

Faja jumps in here. “No, still learning! But nice to meet you, Steffen.”

Steffen ducks their head into Kell’s shoulder, and Kell smiles fondly.

“Ok, lets go inside.”

===

Faja should never have agreed to watch after a human youngling. Ae knew human's were much more sturdy than Faja’s own species, but Faja really didn’t want to learn to what extent that sturdiness reached. Steffen, however, seemed happy to find out.

“It’s ok,” they sign from the second floor balcony railing, “I do this all the time!”

Faja isn’t so sure.

“This is what juvenile humans eat,” they sign as they pull out a fourth cream-on-a-stick from the freezer, “it’s important to regulate body temperature.”

The look on Steffen’s face is the same as Faja’s siblings when they have been sneaking animals into the house. Faja decides that be the last ice. Steffen tsks and runs outside.

“It’s fine!” they unlock the sand tricycle and hop on, “Kell would let me if they were here.”

Faja squints. There is no way Kell would let Steffen ride the dunes without a helmet and the heat of the day. Right? Humans could overheat, yes?

“Maybe next time,” ae signs back tentatively. Steffen pouts but hops down.

“Let’s go shopping, then!”

===

Faja slumps down on the seat of the transport that will take ae back to aer temporary housing, mercifully juvenile human free. Kell laughed when Faja regaled them with all Steffen had gotten up to. It wasn’t funny, though. It wreaked havoc on poor Faja’s nerves. Ae will never, never, watch a juvenile human again.

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