Chapter 14: Galactic Chocolate

The steam from the bath swirled around Sacha, carrying with it the scent of his favorite lavender bath salts. He sank deeper into the warm water, letting the soothing heat melt away the lingering remnants of sleep. The encounter with the Galactic Federation, the bizarre conversation about Stefan's potential attraction to shapeshifting alien cats, the mysterious chocolate bar – it all felt like a strange, vivid dream. He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all. Maybe I am dreaming, he mused, the thought oddly comforting.

After his bath, Sacha padded downstairs. The chocolate bar, tucked safely in his pocket, felt strangely heavy. He found Stefan, as expected, sprawled on the sofa, engrossed in his alien documentaries. Sacha approached him, holding out the chocolate bar. "Here," he said simply, not wanting to draw too much attention to it.

Stefan, without missing a beat, reached out and took the chocolate. He didn’t ask where it came from, or what kind it was. Sacha was constantly bringing home new snacks and treats, sharing them with Stefan as a matter of course. Their dynamic was comfortable, easy, built on years of shared meals and inside jokes. Stefan simply unwrapped the chocolate and took a bite, his eyes glued to the television screen as a narrator described the alleged discovery of alien artifacts on Mars.

Sacha, relieved that Stefan hadn’t questioned the chocolate's origins, headed into the kitchen. Lunch was long overdue, and his stomach was rumbling in protest. He turned on his phone, blasting his favorite KPOP playlist through the kitchen speakers. The upbeat music filled the air, and Sacha found himself swaying his hips to the rhythm as he chopped vegetables and seasoned the chicken. He was making his specialty – a spicy Korean chicken stew, perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon.

As the stew simmered on the stove, Sacha hummed along to the music, his earlier anxieties fading into the background. He glanced over at Stefan, still engrossed in his documentaries, and a smile played on his lips. Despite their differences – Stefan’s love of the practical versus Sacha’s penchant for the dramatic – they fit together perfectly. They were family, bound by a shared history, a deep affection, and an unspoken understanding.

"Lunch is ready!" Sacha called out, turning down the music. Stefan ambled into the kitchen, his eyes still slightly glazed over from his documentary-induced trance. He sat down at the table, and Sacha served him a generous portion of the steaming stew.

"So, how’s the chocolate?" Sacha asked casually, taking a seat opposite Stefan.

"A bit sweet," Stefan replied, taking a bite of the stew. "Did you make it?"

"What? No," Sacha said, waving his hand dismissively. "Just got it from an acquaintance." He kept his tone light, hoping Stefan wouldn’t press him for details. He wasn’t ready to explain the whole alien encounter just yet. He needed time to process it himself, to separate the dreamlike from the real.

Stefan simply nodded and continued eating. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he asked, "Are you on a diet?"

Sacha stared at him, bewildered. "What? No! Why would you even ask that?"

Stefan chuckled, enjoying Sacha’s confusion. "Just kidding," he said, before returning to his lunch.

Sacha rolled his eyes, a mixture of exasperation and amusement swirling within him. Classic Stefan, he thought. Always teasing, always pushing his buttons. But beneath the teasing, Sacha knew there was a deep affection.

At least the alien chocolate was edible, Sacha mused, taking a bite of his own stew. And it had passed Stefan’s discerning taste test, which was always a good sign. He wasn’t going to tell Stefan where the chocolate really came from, at least not today. Maybe someday, when the whole alien encounter felt less like a bizarre dream and more like a strange reality, he would share his secret. But for now, he would keep it to himself, a strange and wonderful secret tucked away in the back of his mind.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a comfortable silence. As the sun sets, their parents finally returned home. Maman, smelling faintly of expensive perfume and radiating an aura of relaxed contentment, greeted them with a warm smile. Papa, his cheeks flushed from the golf course, clapped Stefan on the back and ruffled Sacha’s hair.

"How was your day, mes enfants?" Maman asked, sinking gracefully onto the sofa.

"Uneventful," Stefan replied, his eyes already glued to the television screen, where a new documentary about the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle had begun.

Sacha, however, couldn’t resist a mischievous grin. "Oh, you know," he said, his voice laced with playful sarcasm, "just the usual. Alien encounters, chocolate bars, the usual Sunday stuff."

Maman raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Alien encounters?" she repeated, her tone a perfect blend of skepticism and indulgence.

"Just kidding, Maman," Sacha said, winking at her. He wasn't ready to reveal his secret just yet, not even to his ever-supportive mother. He would keep it to himself, a strange and wonderful secret, a reminder of the day he encountered the Galactic Federation and their shapeshifting feline emissary.

The aroma of roasted chicken filled the dining room as the Jacques family gathered for dinner. The table, laden with steaming dishes and colorful salads. Conversation flowed easily, punctuated by the clinking of silverware and the occasional burst of laughter. Tonight, the topic du jour was the future.

"Just imagine," Papa Jacques said, his eyes gleaming with excitement, "robots doing all the household chores. No more dusting, no more vacuuming, no more scrubbing toilets!" He gestured expansively with his fork, a piece of chicken momentarily forgotten.

"A robot chef would be nice," Sacha mused, twirling a strand of spaghetti around his fork. "Imagine, perfectly cooked meals every time, no effort required." He shot a playful glance at Stefan, who was meticulously dissecting his chicken breast with surgical precision. "Maybe it could even teach you how to cook something other than instant ramen."

Stefan, unfazed by Sacha’s teasing, simply shrugged. "Ramen is efficient," he retorted, his tone matter-of-fact. "Nutritious, too."

Maman chuckled, shaking her head fondly at their banter. "Your father is right, though," she said, her voice thoughtful. "Technology is advancing at an incredible pace. Who knows what the future holds?"

"Remember AIBO?" Papa Jacques asked, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "That robot dog Sony released back in ’99? So advanced for its time. Now, look at us, talking about robots doing our chores, humans living on Mars…"

Sacha found himself strangely fascinated by the idea of humans setting foot on another planet. It felt like something out of a science fiction novel, a testament to human ingenuity and the boundless possibilities of the future. He wondered, briefly, if the Galactic Federation was watching these developments with interest, or perhaps with a touch of amusement.

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The rhythmic clang of metal against metal had been a constant soundtrack to breakfast for the past few days. "New neighbors," Maman had announced, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Moving in next door." Sacha hadn’t paid much attention, too preoccupied with the complexities of perfecting his latest culinary creation – a kimchi and gruyere soufflé, a fusion dish that was proving more challenging than he’d anticipated.

Today, however, the construction noise had ceased, replaced by an almost eerie silence. As Sacha pulled his sleek black Porsche Taycan into the driveway, he noticed a figure standing by their front door. A young man, dark-haired and neatly dressed, seemed to be admiring the rose bushes Maman meticulously tended. Probably a salesman, Sacha thought, rolling his eyes internally. He’d dealt with his fair share of persistent door-to-door salespeople, hawking everything from encyclopedias to high-end vacuum cleaners.

As he approached, Maman emerged from the house, a welcoming smile on her face. "Sacha, welcome home!" she chirped. "Here’s our new neighbor. Meet Jules."

The young man turned, and his face lit up as he saw Sacha. "Sacha?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with what Sacha could only describe as… admiration? "What a beautiful flower!"

Sacha blinked, momentarily stunned, he was used to getting admiring glances. He definitely thinks I’m a girl, Sacha realized, a mixture of amusement and exasperation swirling within him. It wasn't the first time his androgynous features had led to such a misinterpretation. He'd even been accidentally cast as Juliet in a high school production of Romeo and Juliet, much to the amusement of his classmates and the utter mortification of the boy playing Romeo.