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The Cohen Icosahedron

Chapter 3

copyright comidacomida 2020

Kaiden awoke early Saturday morning. Usually one to sleep in on the weekends, it was an exception for him, most likely because he'd also gone to bed early the prior night. Reaching up to rub his nose, the young man's arm movement was impeded by a large feathery blanket. Quickly snapping out of the early-morning haze of just waking up, the Human realized that a wing was draped over him. He also quickly came to understand that he wasn't in his own room.

Vetlyk's voice spoke up from beside him "Kaiden. Good morning. I was wondering when you were going to rise."

The prior night snapped back into focus. He'd gone to Vetlyk's room to lend him a book and ended up getting far more involved; before he knew it he'd given his gryphon partner a hand job, and then been treated to his first time at anal sex. Head still a blur, he was astounded that he'd actually been inside a Viddin. Thinking the thought in his head, it almost sounded more like he'd been eaten.

The gryphon's tone was, as usual, accusatory. "Your thoughts are flying away without you again, aren't they, classmate?"

Not usually the kind of college student who had his mind wander, it was almost always Vetlyk who called him on it. He also noticed that the gryphon used his 'official tone' to berate him, going so far as to return to using the unfamiliar title of 'classmate'. "Oh? Huh? What?"

The large lion/eagle Viddin lowered his head and began preening Kaiden's hair; it was an intimate gesture that the Human had only recently been exposed to by the usually stand-offish, proper Gryphon. "I greeted you and you did not respond. Do you need me to greet you again or are you going to provide a reply?"

Kaiden managed to squirm out from beneath Vetlyk's wing; it turned out to be surprisingly easy sine the gryphon made no attempt to restrain him. Only after falling out of Vetlyk's bed did the Human realize he was still naked. Despite the Viddin being more than capable of going another nine or ten rounds, once they were done with cleaning up all they had done was cuddle; the young man was honestly surprised at how adept the usually cold and distant gryphon actually was at it. He looked back at his classmate who lay sprawled out on the mattress, head propped up in an almost humanlike way with one of his talons.

They remained in their respective poses looking at one another for quite some time; Vetlyk ultimately rolled over before he spoke up again. "Well? You still have yet to greet me. Are you feeling unwell? Sleep walking? Should I be offended, or is the issue that brain has not returned to roost in your skull yet?"

The statement was offered with a surprisingly light and playful tone though, to be honest, if Kaiden didn't know Vetlyk as well as he did the human might have mistaken him for serious. Quickly clearing his throat, the young man started looking around for his clothes. "Oh... right... um... good morning."

Satisfied by the response, Vetlyk perched atop his bed for only a moment before hopping adroitly off, landing on the floor with barely a sound. "You were greatly fatigued last night, Kaiden. I trust you slept well enough considering the hours you spent doing it?"

Vetlyk was playing with him again, Kaiden realized. "I slept fine... I just need to figure out what happened to my clothes."

The gryphon circled him, padding along at a steady gait as the Human searched around on the floor for his various garments; his leonine tail flicked, trailing along the human's thigh as he passed. "You normally do not awaken this early and yet you are eager to start your day? Why are you in such a hurry?"

The young man finally stopped and straightened up, turning to regard his classmate, who had also halted. "I... just don't normally spend so much time naked, that's all."

Vetlyk rotated his head slightly, cocking it to the side far more than a Human could manage. "That is a shame. I very much like seeing all of you."

The Gryphon leaned forward, bumping Kaiden's sternum with his beak. Although Vetlyk had more than enough strength to knock him over the gesture was only enough to get him to about-face, at which point he was able to catch sight of the final piece of his clothing laying next to the side of the bed where the gryphon had been lounging. Seeing right away that it was partially torn, the young man remembered the events of the prior night leading to its destruction. "Oh right... the buttons are gone."

The only response he got was "Indeed."

As he strode to collect his damaged top, Kaiden let out a sigh. "It's not exactly ruined, I guess... just missing all its buttons..." he paused when he stuck a finger through a two inch tear in the shoulder, "...and plus a talon hole."

Vetlyk, who had padded after him, sat down beside him on the floor, meaning that his head was only just slightly higher than Kaiden's. The gryphon began preening him again. "You have other clothes and I am a Viddin of my word; I used my tablet to transfer credits to your PIF account while you slept."

Just like Human students all of the gryphons had tablets they could use for information, granted, the Viddin tablets were easily twice the size of the Human ones and built of sturdier stuff to accommodate the taloned grip of a gryphons. Credits are also something relatively new to Plateau Earth, as the natives had done most of their trading on the barter system. Fortunately they had taken to credits quite well and all students had a "Paid In Full" account that they could use for various expenses.

The Vetlyk had promised to pay for his shirt and he'd apparently been good to his word. Slipping his mostly-ruined shirt on, Kaiden nodded. "Okay... thanks."

The Viddin watched with an obvious mirthful glint to his eye as the human tried and tried again to figure out how to keep his shirt closed. Eventually, after watching the young man fumble with it for far longer than Kaiden appreciated, the gryphon stood and casually trotted over to a shelf, thwacking the human's elbow with his tail tuft as he passed. "Come. I have a solution."

The young man sighed before asking "Oh? And what's that?"

Turning to regard his classmate, Kaiden saw that Vetlyk had opened a large wooden box; within which were any number of small clasping devices ranging from paper clips to alligator clips, and even some safety pins; it was the last set to which the gryphon indicated. "I believe these will assist with your problem and allow you return to your quarters with your human sensibilities intact."

Kaiden took three from the offered box and, as he began closing his shirt with careful application of the metal clips, the young man couldn't help but wonder "What is a Viddin even doing with stuff like this? I can't imagine that they'd be easy for you to use."

Vetlyk clack-clacked his beak in response to the question, the ear-like vertical feathers on his head falling flat before rising again; it was a sign of irritation, usually reserved for questions the gryphon considered stupid. "I do not use them. They are useful for trade with the Ilsit."

The young man was well aware that Land Earth wasn't the first 'other world' the gryphons had met but Kaiden knew very little about the people of Sand Earth aside from the fact that they were reptilian; supposedly some Humans had chances to interact with them but nobody that Kaiden knew from the Unity Centre had, thus all they had to go by were rumors. Rumors and, of course, most of the manufactured goods the Viddin used. Approaching the subject carefully, Kaiden tempered his numerous questions and near-endless curiosity by forming his thoughts into one question. "Oh... have YOU ever met the Ilsit?"

Vetlyk offerd a succinct nod as he closed the box and placed it back on the shelf. "Yes. Many times. My father deals with them often and he wishes that I learn to do the same. Interacting with both Humans and Ilsit means that I am a valuable component to the Viddin way of life as it relates to our varied allies."

Kaiden lost the fight and the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I'd really like to meet them some day."

Vetlyk picked up a leather harness that Viddin used to carry items and slung it over his back, turning around to present the buckle to his Human classmate; Kaiden began to affix it by reflex as the gryphon stated "That is not for me to decide, or for my father, or for any Viddin. Nathan Cohen is the only Human who has met an Ilsit, and none of your people will meet one until he believes it is safe."

The young man was taken aback by the statement. "Why? Are they dangerous?"

The gryphon flicked Kaiden's sternum with his tail. "No. Humans are."

"I--"

Before Kaiden could offer up a counter-argument Vetlyk headed for the door. "Since you are awake and clothed it will save me the time of a lengthy farewell. While you were sleeping I received a message from my Aerie indicating that I am needed at home."

The statement was a change from what Kaiden had known to be his classmate's weekend plans. "Oh... I thought you were going to stay here."

Vetlyk's talon hovered over the pressure plate which controlled the door as he regarded the human. "Yes, I was. I would very much have enjoyed spending time reading the book you have lent to me or, better, kept you here with me to please and be pleased by you several times more... but I have obligations which must be fulfilled."

Just as Kaiden's face started to turn red by the implications of the gryphon's statement Vetlyk pushed down on the control plate and the door opened. The human's heart sank for just a moment when he realized that, after such a close, intimate connection with his classmate it would likely be days before he saw him again. "Then... I guess I'll see you in class on Monday then, Vetlyk?"

The Viddin paused for a moment, leaning down as if to preen him but paused at the last moment, changing it to touch his beak to Kaiden's forehead. "I may be back as early as tomorrow morning, classmate... but if not then yes, I will see you for class."

The formal tone that Vetlyk took was a clear indicator that what they had shared behind close doors did not apparently extend to the space beyond; Kaiden honestly didn't know if he was relieved or disheartened but he didn't object. The gryphon turned and headed off toward the exit while the human went in the opposite direction back toward his own room. The weekend suddenly seemed like it was going to be a little longer.

* * * * *

It was mid-afternoon before Kaiden bothered to do anything aside from waste away his day, and it was not due to any action on his own part. Lost to a rapid gauntlet of surfing the extranet, reading, and playing 10-15 minutes of a various assortment of e-games, the young man finally snapped out of his time-wasting by a notification bell indicating a change to the attendance roster: one of his classmates had returned early.

Changing over to the attendance application Kaiden saw that the vast majority of his classmates were gone and, as he observed it, Vetlyk's name moved from the 'present' to 'absent' column. Nittik, however, had just returned. Out of his group of seven gryphons the smallest of the bunch was the only one around, which was out-of-sorts since the 'little fellow' was usually away from the Centre as much as time would allow. 'Little fellow', of course, was the name that his other classmates used for him since he was "only" about 160 pounds and the size of a large male Great Dane.

Sighing, Kaiden set his data pad off to the side and splayed out on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he thought back to his night with Vetlyk. The eagle-and-lion gryphon was among the nobility of his kind and his usually stoic demeanor was dramatically different from how he acted when out of the public eye. There was a comfortable, warm familiarity that the Viddin student showed. It made the Human feel warm and wanted, and it felt good. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a chime from his apartment's entryway, indicating he had a visitor.

Sitting up, the young man made his way to the door and opened it; he was surprised to see Nittik there. "Um... hi, Nittik... did you need something?"

Unlike Vetlyk, Nittik was almost never formal. The smallest of the seven Viddin species, he was a giant feathered cat with the build and coloration of an ocelot while his feathers matched the plumage of a Kestrel. The gryphon's beak parted in a Viddin equivalent of a smile as he announced "It would be pretty silly of me to show up at your door if I didn't!"

As the 'class clown', Nittik rarely if ever made anything easy. Taking in a deep breath, Kaiden maintained his composure and slowly exhaled before asking "You're back early. Is everything okay?"

The gryphon was seated with his tail wrapped around one side of his body; as Kaiden stood there the tail twitched, flicking around to the other side before flicking back. "Okay? Yes-- I am 'okay' enough. My sire and mam thought it best if I came back today because the new hatchlings were making a mess last night and this morning... me being there made things worse... so... here I am!"

To accentuate his return Nittik balanced on his hind legs, spreading his wings and his forelegs out wide in a presentation-like pose. Despite himself Kaiden almost smirked. "So... are we going to get to the part about what it is you need?"

The gryphon slowly placed his talons back on the floor and folded his wings, beak clicking closed. "Humans a social species, right? Viddin are. I thought we could spend time together. You are always so friendly during class but it's always with all seven of us soI thought spending time with each other be better than being alone all weekend..."

Kaiden strove to be accessible and approachable to all of his group of gryphons but it was Nittik who was the 'so friendly' one, almost always sitting against the human or, when space allowed, laying in his lap and pinning him in place. The other Viddin often got a kick out of the antics but Kaiden didn't much care for the distraction it caused. Regardless, Nittik usually got away with it anyway, if for no reason other than getting him to stop used more energy and time and, if the human was being honest, the gryphon had incredibly luxurious fur and it was greatly enjoyable to feel when Nittik wasn't being distracting.

Stepping aside, Kaiden banished his thoughts in favor of being welcoming to a fellow classmate. "I'm not really up to much... just hanging out."

Nittik took the silent invitation to heart and padded right in, tail lashing one way then the other as he announced "I always liked that turn-of-phrase.... 'hanging out'. It sounds like the right way to explain it-- relaxing."

Kaiden smirked at the statement. "I never really thought about it... but I guess you're right. I'm not even really sure how that term came into being."

The gryphon moved over to the human's sofa and hopped up onto it, rotating his body in a half-circle until he was aligned to lay down. "How do you prefer to spend your 'hang out' time, Kaiden? My last partner tried to teach me Dive Ball, but most Viddin do not spend a lot of time in water and I did not enjoy it."

The human didn't bother hiding his laughter that time and he sat down on the sofa next to his classmate. The discussion went on from there as Kaiden explained the many things he'd been up to that afternoon. While Nittik interjected questions or comments occasionally the gryphon seemed more than content to just listen, slowly drawing closer to the young man until, as was his way, the Viddin ended up with the front of his body in the human's lap. Content to continue the conversation, Kaiden paid him no mind, even going so far as to absently run his fingers through the feathers atop Nittik's head.

Eventually the discussion came to a close as Kaiden finished with "And it's kinda silly-- it's already mid-afternoon and I haven't had breakfast or lunch yet. I guess time kinda flies when you're hanging out."

Nittik was not his usual verbose self, responding only with "Mmm. Yeah."

Most Viddin had a selection of phrases and terms they used in whatever Human languages they were speaking that served as placeholders, almost like a parrot saying something they heard without putting any thought into it. Kaiden knew that 'Mmm. Yeah.' was one of Nittik's. "Okay... you're distracted. What's going on?"

The black feathers framing the side of the gyphon's face puffed out slightly as he rotated his head, regarding Kaiden. "I can't help it. Your smell is distracting, Kaiden... I keep smelling Vetlyk on you."

The statement came out of left field and caused Kaiden to freeze, not just because he hadn't really expected it, but also because of what he knew he and the other gryphon had been doing the previous night. Then again, he reminded himself, he'd bathed since those 'private matters' so there was only one possible thing that Nittik could have been smelling. "Oh... yeah. I stayed over at Vetlyk's last night after I dropped off a book for him to read. I'm lending him the Count of--"

He fell silent the moment Nittik's beak came to rest on his shoulder and the gryphon's lungs huffed twice as he drew in a breath. "His outside scents aren't what I smell on you, Kaiden... is there something else to your story you're not telling me?"

Kaiden spontaneously remembered that some breeds of dogs were supposedly able to hear Human heartbeats and he half-wondered if Viddin could do the same but he quickly reminded himself that the gryphons didn't have exceptional hearing. "W-what are you smelling... exactly?"

Nittik gave him an appraising glance as he stated flatly "I think you know what it is I smell, Kaiden."

Clearing his throat nervously, the young man went to stand but he realized that, with his classmate still half in his lap, that was next to impossible. Ultimately, Kaiden came up with a half-truth. "Well... I... might have walked in on Vetlyk using his Jiyjah... so maybe you're smelling some of that?"

The wry grin that Nittik gave him revealed that the gryphon wasn't buying it, but not as much as his follow up statement. "Not unless you were rolling around with his Jiyjah after he finished using it."

Not really one to kiss and tell, Kaiden was caught in something of a no-man's-land between discretion and honesty; as a member of the Unity Programme it was his responsibility to maintain a degree of openness and transparency with his classmates. "Well... I... might have explored a little with Vetlyk after... um... encountering... that."

The dog-sized gryphon's feathers puffed out immediately as he sat up. "That is so unfair that I can't even laugh at the situation! You're saying that Vetlyk got to you first? Hurr... cut-my-pinfeathers!"

The exasperated release of breath followed by a mild Viddin explicative gave the Human a moment's pause. "What? First? What do you mean, exactly?"

Rather than answer Kaiden's question, Nittik started a line of his own, offering them rapid fire. "He is a big Viddin... how did you handle the size difference? He didn't hurt you did he? What was his mounting style? What worked best? How many times did you rut? He was your first Viddin, wasn't he?"

The young man knew that the vigorous verbal assault with questions was the sure sign of an excited Viddin dialogue but it was far too fast for a Human and, more than that, it wasn't really a conversation he felt comfortable having. "Slow down, Nittik; I'm not a Viddin and I don't talk that fast... or even listen that fast. Besides, he didn't mount me, so you're way off base."

The term 'off-base' was a relatively new turn-of-phrase he'd taught his gryphon partners so he knew that Nittik knew what it meant. The Viddin didn't miss a beat, however, flopping more fully onto him before pressing the matter further, albeit, at a much slower pace. "Well you still smell strongly of him, so I doubt your words."

Rolling his eyes at the pushy, inquisitive gryphon, Kaiden stood his ground. "Well we didn't rut... and he didn't mount me exactly."

It wasn't quite the right thing to say. Nittik shot him a pointed glance. "What do you mean 'exactly', Kaiden?"

Letting out a long sigh, the human realized he wasn't going to be able to get out of the discussion without lying and that was something he didn't particularly want to do, so he kept his answer simple. "We didn't rut. I walked in on him using his Jiyjah and after we discussed it a little I... used my hand."

If Kaiden had expected the explanation to placate his classmate he was mistaken; if anything Nittik got even more excitable over the reveal. "Oh! I have heard about that! It must have been a very new experience for Vetlyk to be touched like that. Without hands, Viddin can't experience such a thing for themselves but the thought IS amazing. Tell me, Kaiden, how did--"

The Human interjected. "Nope. That's all. We don't need to discuss this any further."

Nittik flopped onto his side, his ribs resting against Kaiden's thighs, still pinning him to the sofa. "Need? Oh, no, you're right... but I do WANT to discuss it. I want to hear everything!"

Feeling his cheeks redden, Kaiden gave his classmate a shove in an attempt to free himself from the gryphon's bulk. "No."

As if sensing he had overstepped his boundaries, Nittik immediately withdrew, sitting up so that his weight was no longer holding the Human in place. "I believe I offended you... I can't remember the last time you pushed me. I am sorry if I did, Kaiden..."

The Human cleared his throat, looking away from his classmate as his cheeks continued to burn. "It's fine... just... that's not the kind of thing Humans normally talk about."

Nittik remained quiet for several more moments before speaking. "I understand... but I'm not Human. I'm a Viddin, and we DO discuss this kind of thing. Often and freely."

Kaiden appreciated the apology and the explanation but it really didn't get him to open up further. Instead, he simply responded with a noncommittal. "Mmm."

The gryphon leaned forward and gently rubbed his head against the Human's shoulder. "Anyway, I am glad that Vetlyk didn't mount you... I don't want you to get hurt, Kaiden."

The young man was surprised by the apparent heartfelt statement from the Viddin; it wasn't Nittik's usual approach to conversation. "I'm surprised you're worried about something like that."

Looking back to his classmate, Kaiden saw that the gryphon was looking at him, feathers around his beak puffed up inquisitively. "Of course I would be worried... I know how large Vetlyk is and I have no doubt that he's probably very excitable... the quiet, proper ones usually are."

Before Nittik could go any further Kaiden quickly interjected. "You're talking about it again, Nittik."

Although he didn't drop the issue, the gryphon did redirect it. "Did you and Vetlyk discuss it, or were you both silent?"

Exasperated, Kaiden stated "It wasn't exactly something we could avoid discussing considering what I walked in on."

The gryphon responded with a twittering, growly snicker. "That makes sense, since most Viddin enjoy others watching, but not as much as others participating."

That was new information for Kaiden but, then again, mating habits of Viddin weren't really gone over in detail within the Programme. "I... didn't know that."

Nittik nodded vigorously. "Yes. It's true. Now that I'm back here at the Centre for the weekend I'll be going to go use my Jiyjah."

The Human sighed. "Again, not something I need to know. That kind of thing is usually private among Humans and we don't--"

The gryphon interjected "You can come watch me use it, if you like, Kaiden."

The young man was ready to chalk the statement up to Nittik's joking nature but, at that moment, his eyes drifted down when he felt something warm and wetness soaking through his pants leg; he ended up gazing at proof that his classmate was dead serious. Before the Human could say anything, the gryphon stated sheepishly "Viddin have a great love of hearing stories of sexual conquest... you have said little though, which is more teasing than anything else."

"Nittik, I--"

Nittik reached out and rested a talon on the Human's hand. "You don't have to be alone for the weekend, Kaiden. Come back with me to my apartment and we can spend time together."

"I'm not--"

The gryphon didn't relent. "You do not have to do anything if it makes you feel uncomfortable, but I would like to spend time with my favorite Human partner."

"I'm your only Human pa--"

Yet again, Nittik didn't give him a chance to object. "The administrators are always saying that you shouldn't choose favorites... right?"

Kaiden wasn't so much resistant due to not being interested as he was resistant based on general principal. When his classmate brought out 'fairness' it made objecting harder. Sighing, the Human stood slowly, tugging at his torn shirt he declared "Alright... we can go to your room, but that's not a promise that we'll be doing something sexual together."

The Human followed after the happy gryphon, eyes drawn to the reddish flesh hanging freely from Nittik's sheath which was blatantly visible from the young man's position behind his classmate. The fact that Kaiden's own erection strained against his pants was a stark reminder that 'doing something sexual' also wasn't completely out of the question.