Things have been a bit better in the atmosphere at the Aldas home. Laius's stability had gotten better and he's making all the efforts to make up for his actions. Cooking more, cleaning more, taking his kids on trips down to the surface to spend sometime at the beach for them to enjoy themselves. Putting himself outside of his home puts Laius at great anxiety because so many things could go wrong. His senses were at peak to make sure every detail was good for his kids. Apius noticed the strain on his father but didn't speak up in fear it might upset him, that and he has a lot on his mind meant that he shouldn't bother him. But Laius always made sure to see if Apius was ok in a desperate attempt to try to mend every issue that comes up. It worried Apius like crazy but he couldn't deny how happy it made him feel that his Dad was moving around and caring for him. Even if it meant that his Dad would drop before him to tug on his penis to suckle on it while Apius gamed online. Apius had started to get use to his Dad's strange actions and new quirks like how his mandibles click when his eyes open wide. Or that he he'd awkwardly grin and huff softly at him if he needed to do anything to Apius. At least his Dad asked for permission, the videos he had been shown has the adult get rough, commanding or outright forcing the kid. It was relieving to see his Dad love him so much because the differences he saw in those videos were so striking to him. Caetia had been laughing even more of the late, getting special kisses from her Dad with her making him promise to kiss her asshole afterwards. She loved seeing her Dad happy as he kissed and licked her in those places, that said she was happy irregardless but it made her happier.

One afternoon Laius was smooching and sucking onto the buttcheeks of Apius ass he played a competitive game on the TV. His Dad behind him between his legs head first between Apius's buttcheeks was something he got use to, although rather distracting Apius got really good at playing this certain game. Blood from Soil was a game of which was set in a dysfunctional settlement that had every living creature there fighting for their survival and trusting no one. A certain amount of players also had a virus already infecting them from the very start that progressed in them but never becoming dangerous to the player. The virus was a risk for those who went shooting anyone and everything that if contracted from killing someone would eventually lead to death. Those who were already infected at the main goal of surviving and not coming into contact with another virus carrier, or else the virus will manifest into an organism that is very hard to kill and very hostile. Alliances are made with grim agreements of which usually comprised of "Don't kill me" "Don't touch me" and "We share materials and info while protecting each other." The ones with the virus from the beginning are stronger and more likely to level up but unable to use plasma weaponry or equipment or else the virus will get agitated and start actually doing damage. The non-infected are weaker, took longer to get stronger but able to use all tools and equipment that provided great security and defensive structures. Making a game that despite making everyone distrust and want to kill each other somewhat encourage those who are different to cooperate to a point. The goal eventually comes to an hour passing of which the surviving players are victorious by default. Death was caused by player violence, virus manifestation, starvation and dehydration or killed by the environment. Everyone loses when the virus manifests and claims too many infected followers and with how intelligent the AI was it meant it went for those who are close to death or alone.

Apius was a natural pro at this game, making sure to survive by staying hidden for long durations of the rounds and hiding in places at the right time to avoid conflict. He loved playing as the infected for the fact that if someone were to kill him something horrible would happen to them from that point onward. But he mostly enjoyed the fact as the infected you are able to survive wounds and able to lift certain objects, the kind that gives lifesaving medical supplies, food and water. This one game he was playing however he had gotten into an alliance with someone who was uninfected. Apius and the other player had agreed that cooperating was a good option when the announcer stated 20% remain and a virus is close to manifesting. Laius kept very quiet with his face between his son's cheeks to make sure nothing suspicious would go across the microphone. As Apius worked alongside this one survivor the two hit it off really well with a sudden discussion of the balance of the game. 
"I remember when this game first came out, it was too unfair towards the non-infected so they gave them a mechanic arm to make them stronger." The other player said, he sounded around Apius's age.
"Yeah, then they made the infected too weak and made the game easier to fail."
"Oh yeah? I can't remember how they fixed that bit."
"They made them to be not so hard to kill I think. I mean they use to be much easier to kill, now it takes a full clip of the Auto-Mechion cannon to kill them."
"Yeah, then they nerfed that gun to make the protocabal stronger and now it's just stupid."
"I like the protocabal but I don't like using it."
"Why?"
"Well. I just found it too easy. I like winning but I don't like the thought of using the same gun all the time."
"Yeah!" The two of them chatted until the game got serious. Apius was slightly losing his concentration as his Dad stuck his tongue deeper and deeper into his asshole. All the saliva and fluids started to build up immensely to which he'd just sucked it all up afterwards. He always made sure Apius was squeaky clean before he ever got into a firm rimming such as this, but then again Laius was terrified of catching something from something like this and everything being found out. Eventually the round ended with both Apius and his new buddy winning by surviving until the end. The virus had manifested and killed 14 other players as a mad dash attempt to stop the survivors from winning. Apius got to a hiding spot the infected could only get to but managed to get his buddy up there along side him. A hole in the roof that the infected could use their virus to evolve temporarily to gain super jump. Using it more than once or too long was fatal but Apius done so with haste successfully. 

At the end screen Apius kept talking to buddy that helped keep them alive.
"My name's Apius, what's yours?"
"My name's Sel, short for Sel'ren. Nice to meet you!" Apius never thought he'd make a friend online for some reason, he felt strangely undeserving and also compelled to stay by his Dad's side. Even though Laius didn't say or ask him to do so Apius just assumed because of how unwell his Dad was. "Hey can I add you to my friendlist?"
"Sure!" Apius couldn't help but feel excited and the sudden shake from the thrill of making a friend snapped Laius out of his concentration. Laius only realized what was going on and suddenly felt scared, like he was going to lose his son to some random on the net. But as he rested his head on his son's buttocks he quickly reflected on how important it was for Apius. He didn't want to control or devoid his son of anything, even if he was afraid of losing his son. Apius said his goodbye to his new friend, closed down the game and turned off the TV. Laius sat up rubbing his chin and mandibles with his arms smiling sweetly at his son.
"So you made a friend?"
"Yeah! It was a close game as well but I'm glad we met each other. We kept each other safe and it was so cool!" Apius couldn't hold his excitement and his face lit up like a light. He kept going on and on what his game felt and how it went and Laius kept smiling as he listened. Apius stood up and hugged his Dad and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad I get home schooled so I could make that friend." Laius couldn't help but feel like his son would have more friends if he kept going to school, but he remembered that he didn't get along with the others. Laius was in too deep in reflection that he didn't say anything as his son kissed him on the cheek, Apius noticed he got no response and suddenly got really worried. Worried that his Dad didn't like him having a friend, or unhappy at something. "Dad, is something wrong?" Laius snapped out of his deep reflection in admist a bit of panic.
"Oh no no, no no no son. I'm sorry I was just thinking."
"You were?"
"Yeah, I'm glad you made a friend and that you had a good time."
"But?"
"No but. Well..." He paused, he wasn't sure whether to say anything or not but decided to say it anyway. "I am very glad you made a friend, but I'm afraid I might be losing you."
"Huh? How would you be losing me?"
"I... don't know. Nevermind."
"No, how would you be losing me? All I did is make a friend."
"...Daddy just wishes to be the most important thing to you, like how he sees you and Caetia." He paused and sighed a bit, "He's being selfish and knows it, so he's glad you made a friend."
"Daaad.. I love you. I'm just glad to have a friend who isn't you and Cae."
"I know.. your Dad is just being selfish and silly."  He felt compelled to change the tune, "Now Daddy needs to cook something for lunch for everyone. What do you want?"
"Pizza! I want a victory pizza!"
"Now you're talking!' Laius got up and went to the kitchen while Apius rubbed between his buttocks, the saliva was deep inside of him and felt so unbelievably dirty all of a sudden. He shuddered and went to have a shower to clean himself up, he's been starting to feel less enthusiastic, less caring. He was feeling confined but not knowing what that meant, any moment that he could get away from his Dad was starting to feel like a blessing. He didn't want to admit that though, he was afraid of upsetting his Dad if he found out. The shower felt like one of those sacred places, to remove any fluid evidence of what his Dad does while also being a place Laius especially vowed to never be intruded on. It was also a place for Laius to cry, he would just sit down and stay under the water for almost half an hour alone. Caetia would join to make her Dad laugh, smile, or any kind of positive reaction from him. Even in his most desperate moments of deep built up loathing and frustration he couldn't stay that way when Caetia came in, he would lie and force a smile though but at the same time it somewhat helped. One time Apius stumbled into the shower room to see his Dad almost motionless under the shower, but he looked back at him with acknowledgment to his son with a grave look of shame all over him. Laius that day promised that the shower room was the safety room for everyone and outright refused any option of doing anything to Apius despite wanting to. That moment still haunts Apius to this day as he saw his father's expression, much like the day he thought his Dad shot himself. Most of all the shower room made him wonder what life would have been if his Mum came home, if his Dad wasn't falling apart. What 'he' could have been. He's felt at times that the mirror was like a doorway into an alternative world where things were better.

Apius washed himself well and vigorously, digging into his ass to get all and everything out from it. He left it alone and stood still trying to get his body to clench up, for his ass to return to normal. When he did turn off the water he still didn't feel quite right, but that feeling and sense has been forgotten to him. He kept thinking to himself "Why can't you be better, Dad?" What 'better' meant to him was something he was very unsure about, he just wished and hoped for something better. He dried himself off and go down the hall afterwards to sit with his sister.
"Api!" Caetia called out with a plate of pizza on it, her smile was so big and her eyes so joyful. Apius couldn't help but feel envious of his little sister, but he also felt so relieved that she is well. He walked in and sat next between her and Laius. Caetia put her plate down and hugged her brother tightly and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hey! I just got washed." Caetia giggled and rested her head on his lap looking up at him.
"I'm sorry, Api. I just wanted to give you a big kiss!" Apius then saw a plate with several pieces of pizza on it held in front of him. This one had extra ingredients on it, something that he actually wanted to try.
"I finally got those lamb meat chunks and dextro-barbecue sauce for you. In celebration of you making a friend online you deserve something special and something you wanted." Apius looked at his Dad with a grin forming on his face, he loved normal pizza but something new was something he was really looking forward to. Laius's tired expression had the warmest smile Apius has seen in so long, he felt strangely anxious and dreadful about meeting and making a new friend that he just expected his Dad to get worse. Finally something really good has happened.
"Thanks Dad." He excitedly grabbed his first piece and took a sizable chomp, the extra flavours was so nice. Something he didn't really know that he needed this so much. He ate all his pizza faster than he has eaten pizza before. He felt the juices roll down his cheeks and under his mandibles that he slipped his fingers to catch it all to suck on them. Caetia held onto Apius and didn't let go the entire time, it was nap time soon and was just trying to get comfy with her big brother. Laius ate his pieces with some slight difficulty, his face twitched and scrunched due to the different flavours.
"I'm so glad you loved your pizza, Apius. But I found that god awful!" He coughed and slapped his own chest, something that Caetia started up a long giggle as she watched. Apius watched concernedly which caught Laius's attention pretty quickly, "Don't worry. This just means you get to have your very own pizza."
"M-my pizza? R-really!?" Apius was actually shocked. He often had to share just about everything with his sister, but he noticed her pizza was original. "She didn't like it?" he thought loudly.
"So Caetia and I can share a pizza together when we do have pizza."
"The Api-Pizza!" Caetia cheered loudly. Apius giggled back at it all, feeling slightly overwhelmed with all the good that has happened. 
"I like that name, Caetia. The Api-Pizza, special for a very special boy."
"Aw now I want my own pizza!" Caetia complained, Laius rubbed her head and rested his hand on her.
"What? The father-daughter pizza isn't yours?" Caetia jerked upward with a smile and squealed in excitement. 
"The Daddy-Caeti pizza!" Laius laughed and picked her up, pulling her from Apius and into his lap.
"Now that is a special pizza for the both of us." Caetia kissed her father on the nose and then on his lips, getting too enthusiastically happy at this strange celebration of having pizza's named after them. She kept kissed her father to which he had to pull her away for a bit. "Easy, Cae." Laius chuckled, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Caetia could feel his member slightly twitch and harden under her.
"Daddy's thingy is hard and moving!" Apius watched his Dad go from happy, cheerful, warm and collected to awkward and embarrassed. Laius moved Caetia back to her brother for her to hold onto him, Laius rubbed his face from all the places his daughter had kissed.
"Yes. Yes it is. Daddy is going to do some daddy stuff now. Apius can you take care of your sister for now? I believe nap time is soon." Apius nodded with a smile, still feeling the effects of the excitement from before. As concerned as he was about his Dad and what he could be feeling he still felt relieved that his Dad doesn't start anything. A promise that Laius made to Apius and has so far kept, that was important to the both of them. Laius left the room with a hand on his own neck rubbing it obsessively as he disappeared to his bedroom. Apius took his sister back to her room to which she held onto his hand and refused to let go. She looked at him tiredly but with a smile of peacefulness and sweetness that he didn't want to force her off him. 

"Can you sleep with me, Api?" He didn't want to say no, in fact he couldn't. Even with all the excitement from before he couldn't just leave his sister when she asked so nicely. He strangely felt tired himself and wanting to keep her company so he nodded with a smile as they climbed into bed together. Normally Caetia would fidgit when trying to sleep but this time they were both tuckered out. As Apius held his sister close as they laid together he kept thinking how much he loved his sister, he imagined her doing the same about him. It felt like they could stay together forever.