Summary: Well, Tubbo didn't get torn to shreds, so that's a plus. But now he's stuck inside a cell with a human. A human who is very gentle with him. And very warm too.

He thinks the human is confusing him for a child.

And he's fucking offended.

Also Tommy gets the cuddle he's been craving

-------------------

Trying to tighten the small, ragged blanket around him to preserve any heat is proving to be difficult. At least there's an upside to being small, compared to the human, these rags fit perfectly around him.

Doesn't mean they store much warmth though.

His species don't really have much to make or preserve heat, his home planet is near completely vegetation, Warm thanks to lack of clouds and hundreds of flowers and fruits everywhere. His species thrived on that planet and never needed a reason to try finding things to preserve or heat themselves up.

Unfortunately that means he can't produce enough heat to keep his body in check, especially if he falls asleep like this. He might hibernate, and stars know if he'll die in his sleep.

He looks over and finds that the human had turned on its side away from him. Sleeping away in its nest.

Briefly he wonders if the human is warm. He did notice when being thrown in this cell that it's slightly warmer than it is outside the cell. Is the human the source of that small percentage of heat?

He tilts his head thoughtfully, his ears flicking once.

Actually, now that he thinks about it, when the human touched his side to untie him, he felt how warm its hand was. Soft, warm and gentle. Maybe if he gets close enough he could leech some warmth from the human to keep himself stable.

Before he can convince himself that this is a terrible idea and it will lead to his untimely death, he's already gotten up and is slowly and quietly making his way to the sleeping human. Going painstakingly slow but he knows better than to rush this. His hooves make any quick stealth near impossible.

He also doesn't know if the human is a light sleeper but better to assume and not die than not assume and die.

After a couple of slow minutes he finally made it towards the human without waking them up.

....fuck, now what does he do? He honestly didn't think he'd make it this far.

He won't join the human in its nest, he's not got that much of a death wish. But even from this distance he can feel the warmth the human is emitting. Maybe if he just sits next to the nest and leans on it.

And that's what he does. He sits on the cold ground, puts the blanket around his front, and gingerly leans against the nest. His back and wings feel the heat radiating from the human and he nearly melts. He leans a bit further back to feel more of the heat.

He's read about humans. About their biology (As illegal as they were discovered through cruel methods that he's never and will never agree to) and how they are one of the strongest pack-bonders known. Course it's also been recorded how some humans will betray their own kind for survival. And when that happens well... he's seen the recordings. Humans don't take well to betrayals.

But what's also discovered was that humans, while lacking furr or anything to preserve heat besides what they create, emit mass amounts of heat that not a lot of aliens produce. The only other aliens that are known to produce more heat than the humans are creatures from colder planets and evolved to survive the frigid temperatures.

As well as the hotter species from hot core planets that are filled with blistering suns and lava. Those species have tough scales and rough skin. Some emit lots of heat but less to preserve and more cause they were just literally born in fire.

It doesn't make sense! Why do they make so much heat that nearly matches other sentient species when their planet doesn't even have a massive cold or hot ass biome? big ones sure, but not ones that cover half their globe. They have cold spots and hot spots, but they never evolved any extra fur or scales. Just keep putting more skins on them and invent inventions to warm their homes instead or wearing less skin and make ways to cool themselves off.

And why do they let so much heat escape them? The other warmer species have big feathers or thick fur that traps the heat inside them to keep them warm. But no, humans don't have anything but the literal skins they wear for themselves and from other animals.

They are so fascinating and so terrifying, and so fucking warm.

He didn't mean to, but he starts to doze off, comforted by the warm presence behind him that he slowly falls asleep with a light buzz-like purr coming from his throat.

A couple mites (minutes) couldn't hurt right?

—----------------------------------------------------------------

What the fuck is that noise?

Tommy was resting, peacefully, all in his dreamland dreaming about picking some flower in a field back on earth when he was woken by some buzzing sound. At first he thought a fly flew close to his ear. He goes to swat it away from him but it still persists.

He swats again, this time further away and hits something soft and definitely not fly sized.

His eyes shoot open and adrenaline shoots through his veins, ready to fight whatever is this fucking close to him–

Oh my god he's right there.

There, leaning against the bed is Bambi.

He's clutching the blanket he gave him and he's making this weird buzz sound. He– is he *purring?* Oh he's way too deep in now. There's no going back.

He sees his hand is still on his head so he gently moves his hand through his hair, gently scratching, being mindful of the small goat horns on his head. Bambi starts leaning more into his hand and he shoves the urge to pick the bee up. He knew it was too cold for the little guy and he doesn't think the little guy would like it if he did that.

So now he's faced with a dilemma, keep staying the way he is, get up and let the alien guy take his bed, or grab him and warm the both of them up.

He really wants to do that last one. He knows it would be rushing things and he might give Bambi a heart attack, but he's gone so long without contact from anything or anyone. He'd even take a pet squid. Anything to stimulate being with someone.

There's a reason one of the most inhumane actions to do to a human is putting them in solitary confinement for long periods of time. With only hostile contact too.

And he's just a kid, not even 18, can anyone really blame him if he just wants to speed the process up and hug the small alien? And he *is* still sleepy, he'll use this as punishment for waking him up.

He quickly goes and moves the extra packages of water he has to the side so they don't spill over and arranges himself so there's enough space. Not like he needs to move much, Bambi is very small.

Gently, he slowly wraps his arms around Bambis small waist and picks him up, hoping that he stays asleep. All he did was lean into Tommy's arms, desperately leeching his warmth.

"Damn you really are cold, good thing big man Tommyinnit is a damn good heater" He mumbles and finally plops the little guy next to him and quickly covers them both with the rags, they barely fit him but he's more than happy to make sure they cover Bambi up. Being extremely mindful of the wings.

Before covering him he noticed a small deer tail, how did he not notice? He's a big man, but even the biggest of men would fall under a kittens gaze, in this case, whatever the fuck Bambi is.

He lays down and is startled when Bambi moves closer to him and curls up against him, making those buzz purring sounds again. No longer feeling the need to restrain himself, he puts an arm around them and holds them close, feeling tension that he had long since been accustomed to fade and relax now that he has someone to be with.

Warmth spreads through Tommy and some part of Tommys brain clicks and he tears up slightly, feeling so content and just– at ease really, to know he's not alone anymore, and he has this small kid that he knows he'd fight every single damn alien in this hellscape of a ship.

God, when was the last time he hugged someone? When was the last time he was hugged?

With all the tension that drains out of his limbs, he falls right back to sleep, holding Bambi against him protectively like he'd lose him if he so much as loosens up.

—----------------------------------------------------------

Tubbo is so incredibly warm, he's the warmest he'd been since traveling to space. Not even when Ranboo did his best to adjust the ship to a moderate temperature that would suit them both.

He buzzes louder and sinks into the warmth surrounding him. Something shifts next to him and he feels himself pulled closer to the warmth. He feels like honey goop, there's a light weight on him that feels grounding and safe.

Slowly his brain catches up to his surroundings. Last he checked he was in a cell with a human... and.. didn't he fall asleep on the ground leaned against the nest?

Wait...

He tenses and opens his eyes, looking up and hoping he's not– yup, he's pressed flush against the human with its arm around him and the humans' head in his hair. The hold on him isn't strong, he could worm his way out of its grasp, but he doesn't want to risk waking up the human.

That and he... doesn't really want to move. Fight him, the human is very warm.

So he just kinda... lays there. He's starting to get comfortable with the human, it– he should stop calling the human an it shouldn't he? Clearly it– he? He doesn't know human genders but he's going to assume he is until he can get a correction.

Anyways, clearly he's more than some feral animal those dreamons were hyping him out to be. Tubbo knows the human has killed some of the aliens on board, though he thinks they deserved it. They were most likely trying to experiment on the human.

He's starting to get comfortable with the human since he's never shown any aggression to him. If what he's been seeing is going by anything, the human likes him. He's read that humans are pack-bonders, maybe being alone for so long made him desperate to pack-bond with the first friendly being?

That makes sense, and the human has enough sense to not bond with their captors. Does that mean Tubbo became part of this humans' pack? That's... both scary and cool! Scary 'cause doesn't that mean if he so much as does the wrong thing it could be considered betrayal? Last thing he wants is to piss off his– the human.

And cool cause he's heard of stories of how protective humans are with their packs and whoever manages to befriend a human. A lot of aliens who have captured humans have tried to forcefully befriend them. All of them result in a crashed ship and a dead crew.

His thoughts are interrupted when he hears footsteps coming closer to the cells. Shit the guards! They'll be expecting him dead!

He looks at the sleeping human and decides he'd rather risk it with the, so far friendly human, than get spotted by the guards. He starts to roughly shake the human.

"Wake up wake up wake up! The guards are coming and they want to see me dead! Or eaten!" His talking gets rewarded with a huff and groan from the human, who sits up and towers over Tubbo even when they are both sitting up on the nest.

The human says something, looking confused. "The guards are coming and they want me gone, cause I'm useless to them! You know this cell, is there anywhere I can hide?" He starts getting desperate when he hears talking getting closer and closer.

The human seems to finally hear them too, 'cause he lets out a low hiss and his arms go around Tubbo protectively. It reminds him of a protective mother. But this isn't going to solve anything!

He pushes away and the human lets him. He gestures frantically at the door and the human gets this determined look and– WOAH hey! Hey!

"H–Hey! Don't just– Don't just pick me up so suddenly– Watch the wings!" The human picked him up and held him close while getting up quickly. The human looks around, searching around the cell and holding Tubbo like a child, having one arm under his legs and his hand holding Tubbos back– wait.

"You think I'm a child don't you! That's why you're acting so weird towards me! Trying to keep me close and warm. Am I fucking infant to you or something!?" You're fucking kidding him. The human must have thought of him as some toddler thanks to his size and awoken some parental instinct in the damn human.

Before he can say anything else the human gives him a blanket and puts him in the corner on the same wall as the door. From this angle, it should be hard for the guards to see him unless they are looking for him. The blankets are also for a good cover up.

After being put in the corner and human fussing over him for a quick second, putting the blanket over his head, he quickly puts one of his fingers against his mouth.

Tubbo glares angrily for being manhandled but stays put "Fucking human... treating me like a kid" He angrily mumbles to himself before hearing a sharp sound from the human and shutting up.

Honestly he should feel lucky for having confirmation that the human doesn't plan to hurt him because of him seeing Tubbo as a child, but he can't help but be slightly offended, is it because he's small? He's not an adult yet, but he's pretty damn close! He's not a child! Or a toddler! Or a fucking infant! He's naturally this tiny!

He would complain more on this matter but he hears the guards much closer and the human lets out an angry bark and talks rapidly in his language. Tubbo huddles under the blankets, staying as still as possible.

If he ever manages to communicate with the human in the future, he's going to curse and yell at him for confusing him for a fucking kid.

—----------------------------------------------------------

Notes: Ha! It's funny because Tubbo is older than Tommy.

While Tommy isn't really parental, he definitely doesn't like the idea of a kid being in space this far out with bad aliens, so there's a little bit of some urges, but nothing so grand as to a mother would (yet). Just human reactions, like if you were to see a kid in the street on their own. You'd want to pick them up and try to find their family or report to the police wouldn't you?

Same as when you see a lost kid in a mall, you get authority to help or you help the kid yourself, it would feel horrible to know there's a lost kid that some pedo could get to or anybody could kidnap. Better to check on the kid than let someone else w/ bad intentions nab em.

Same thing Tommy is doing here, taking care of a kid and protecting them. Course Tubbo is not a kid but Tommy doesn't know that. Tommy also wants a friend, leave him alone XD.