Chapter Text
When they reached Erid, the crew of three immediately dealt with the astrophage problem before Rocky went down to reunite with his mate and report his findings. (As well as arrange a funeral, or rather "A return to Erid" for the crew members that Rocky lost, and the two humans told him to take as much time as he needed to do so.)
It wasn't until a week later that Grace and Simon were allowed to come down, after Rocky and the best engineers on Erid constructed a biodome for them. Much like Rocky had to hamster-ball it since meeting Grace to survive, the same was true here, but reversed.
Grace’s breath hitched when they finally could go down, somehow, someway (and of course thanks to Erid’s advanced tech) they managed to ‘land’ the Hail Mary on the planet by building a bottom to ensure it wasn’t damaged any more than it already was. Simon held Grace’s hand fiercely when the ship jostled, and Grace squeezed back.
Rocky was ecstatic, looking much better and his trills higher and more excited. By this point, Simon had gotten the hang of the language somewhat, but Rocky still created a translator of his own to put onto his xenonite suit.
The biodome’s surface was far softer than the ship’s metal floors. The air smelled faintly of salt, and a vast shimmering pool of water stretched out before them, with actual waves- proudly created by Rocky via a machine under the water- lapped against the shore. It wasn’t quite Earth-like as it moved in a slow, choreographed manner, but it still made Simon freeze next to him. Unlike Grace, Simon had never experienced Earth, and it made his heart swell even more seeing Simon wide-eyed and looking like a kid on their birthday.
The cliffside was beautiful, made with smooth and sharp, pale formations of limestone making an archway. While the biodome only held the beach for now, it was perfect.
You’re here! Rocky’s claws clacked together in excitement, his tone high and bouncing off the biodome walls, making Grace smile, seeing his best friend back home. Adrian!
Simon squeezed Grace’s hand, still taking it all in. “This is insane. They built this for us?”
It was then that the blonde realized something. While he couldn’t show Rocky one of his favorite visuals, he had described it to the eridan over the years, and when Simon came along, he was sure he’d said it even more times to see the gleam in the other man's eyes.
Then something on the coastline moved.
Or rather, a massive, mint-colored shape unfolded from where they had been nestled near the rock formations, having blended in.
Adrian stood in their own protective suit and was twice the size of Rocky. Grace knew of the height difference, yes, but seeing them in person, the size of a boulder was still a surprise. Their body was a darker mottled green, not as minty as he first thought, and of course, they had specks of amber that mirrored Rocky’s own mint markings.
As they moved closer, their movement were slow, deliberate, yet there was an undeniable elegance to their walk, and the sand softened the thundering steps. The two humans stared up at the larger Eridan while Rocky excitedly moved around them, almost like an excited dog showing off a toy.
“Hey,” Simon nodded in greeting, as his other hand was occupied with Grace, who was still in awe, before snapping out of it when Adrian spoke next.
You are Grace. Through the translator Rocky had made, the chosen voice was a deep, low hum. The sound vibrated through the sand and, oddly enough, made Grace feel less anxious. And Simon. Rocky speaks of you every day.
Grace thought of how close Rocky had come to dying because he had to save Grace. He knows that was something beyond his control, but nearly losing his best friend and meeting their mate made him nearly overthink before Simon nudged him. The ex-convict smiled at him with a patient smile, seemingly knowing when he’d spiral and how exactly to keep him grounded.
“Hopefully only the good parts, hah,” Grace managed to say while Simon snorted playfully next to him. “It’s an honor to meet you! Rocky told us all about you, too. I admit I didn’t think Eridans could be bigger than him.”
“I guess Rocky and I both like our partners tall,” Simon added on casually, and the implication wasn’t lost on Grace, even if the height difference between the two men was only a few inches of difference.
The Eridan's body shook, a motion Grace had learned from Rocky meant laughter. Rocky tells Adrian everything, even about custom Earth name. Another relief was that they liked the name the two had agreed to call him while on their mission. Then, to the blonde’s surprise, Adrian bent forward slightly in what would only be called a bow. Thank you for saving my mate and saving Erid. Very grateful.
Simon held his hand tighter, anchoring him, as Grace already felt his face going hot and the familiar burning in his eyes, but he tried his best to reel in his composure. (He would find out later that Rocky had told Adrian about how leaky Grace could be.)
“He saved me just as much. I owe a lot to him,” He got out, voice rough, as Rocky stood beside his mate, looking between the two of them happily, his claws tapping together.
A moment passed between them before the boulder-sized Eridan straightened back up. Adrian hopes you like new home. Rocky and other engineers create this for you, and for Adrian to learn about Earth.
Grace wondered how many other Eridans would be just as curious about them and how he’d probably be telling his stories yet again in detail, of which he didn’t mind. It almost felt like teaching again in a way, yet before he could linger on the spark of an idea, the next words said made him choke.
Rocky describes many things! Especially human mating rituals, very different from Erid. Does face contact bring humans closer together?
Simon momentarily let go of Grace to groan and push his hair back in playful exasperation. “Rocky, you didn’t.”
Rocky defended himself instantly, with his claws up. Rocky needed to tell Adrian so Adrian wouldn’t think Simon eating Grace. You humans make such noises when embarrassed. On Erid, mating is-
“Okay! Hold on, we do NOT need a comparative anatomy lesson right now,” Grace interrupted, beet red.
Adrian tilted their head, as if confused why Grace would be flustered. But it is very fascinating. Rocky says humans reproductive methods involve-
Grace grabbed onto Simon’s hand, dragging him a step towards the entrance back to the ship. “Abort mission, we’re NOT about to have our first discussion with Adrian be about- that!”
Simon laughed, the sound bright, and he tugged Grace closer into him, looking up at the blonde with amusement. “Sorry, Angel, we’re stuck with them as our nosy neighbors. And honestly?” He grinned at the two Eridans. “I like them over a shitty space eel any day.”
Grace pressed his forehead against Simon’s, promptly ignoring the curious trills from the two who would no doubt note this down. Rocky, even without a face, held an air of adoration for their mate around him as he moved about to adjust something on Adrian’s xenonite suit, making sure Adrian was still comfortable.
It made Grace’s heart swell again, this time so happy that he could help the two reunite. He couldn’t imagine not having Simon by his side now.
Adrian let it go, for now. We prepared area for your nest. They said and gestured to father up the shoreline, where sand turned into smaller, gravel-like rocks, but a patch of land was flattened out. There was even some xenonite material beside it. Rocky says human nests require walls. And ceilings. And solid foods. Eridan scientists will see if they can replicate soon.
Rocky moved forward then, using his legs to draw blueprints into the sand quickly. The two humans took a step back to avoid getting any in their eyes before they widened when seeing what exactly the smaller Eridan was drawing. Grace described human nests during trip, and Rocky created perfect one!
Rocky’s blueprints were interesting. It reminded Grace of a children’s drawing of what a house looked like with geometrically impossible angles where there were windows scattered about, the front door a bit too short, and what he thought was a bathroom, albeit missing a makeshift toilet.
Nest has many comforts! Sleeping platform, waste elimination chamber, and kitchen!
Grace really was touched by how generous they all were; it was the thought that counted after all, even if the ‘nest’ Rocky seemed more like a funhouse. Simon, on the other hand, was struggling to keep a straight face. “Buddy, this is great, but maybe we could work on it all together? The platform is, uh, a little high for us to reach.”
Rocky stilled a moment, as if blinking in confusion despite not having any facial expressions, before he looked at his schematics. Ah, Rocky forget humans can’t crawl on walls. Yes, yes, we work together to build!
Adrian nodded, their massive body casting a shadow over the drawings. Adrian and Rocky wish to build correctly, they rumbled happily. Grace and Simon deserve nest that feels like yours.
Simon then offered some advice, even if his knowledge was limited to what he’d seen in the movies Grace had shown him, but to see the trio getting along almost made Grace teary-eyed again.
Earth would always hold a special place in his heart, as did everyone he’d left behind, even Eva. He didn’t think about her as much anymore, and he doubted even she’d expected this outcome of what his supposed suicide mission ended like. Regardless, a part of him was grateful for the forcible push; otherwise, he would have never met Rocky or Simon. (Not that he’d ever admit it aloud.)
Grace still thought it surreal that it took being shot into space to find others who could understand him in ways he never thought possible, both platonically and romantically.
He thanked the two profusely before reaching out to Simon, who laced their fingers together immediately, squeezing once in response.
They were home.