Chapter Text
Finally, after 4 years of space travel, the Hail Mary crew, consisting of Dr. Ryland Grace, Rocky, and Simon, reached Earth. A crowd of people surrounded the landing zone, Eva Stratt ahead of all of them. Ryland’s stomach turned with something he couldn't place. Anger? Fear? Anxiety?
The spaceship touched down, people rushing to the doors of the Hail Mary. The airlock opened, Ryland standing in front, Rocky couldn't contain his excitement, running past him and into the crowd.
“Wait- Rocky!” Ryland called after him.
Scientists grabbed Rocky harshly, lifting him up by his limbs. Rocky let out high pitched wails as they carried him away. Simon ran out after them, not making it past Stratt before bodyguards tackled him and stabbed something into his neck. His body went limp, he stopped fighting. Ryland was frozen with fear, unable to breathe. Stratt walked up to the entrance.
“Dr. Ryland Grace, welcome home.”
Ryland couldn't breathe. He looked past Eva to see his partner unconscious, and his best friend being manhandled.
“What are you doing?.” He said under his breath, dreading the response.
“What needs to be done. ‘Rocky’ as you call it, is an alien. He must be studied. And your ‘partner’ is a human from another planet, if not, universe. We need to figure out how that happened.” She sighed, not really caring about Grace’s reaction to having his family stripped away, “Sorry.”
She walked away. Scientists and doctors and bodyguards swarmed Grace, grabbing his arms and constricted him.
“No! No, please! Let them go! They didn't do anything!” He cried, watching as they took Simon’s limp body and Rocky’s carapace to a van.
“Stop it! Don't touch me, leave me- leave them alone!”
He felt something stab into his neck.
. . .
Ryland shot up, heart pounding, chest tight. He wrapped his arms around himself, hyperventilating. He worked his eyes over to the clock. 8:16 am. Fudge, he was late to class.
Ryland felt like he was dying, the sharp pain of a needle still in his neck. He kicked off the blanket, pulling his legs up to his chest. His heart hurt, his head hurt, and oh… he was crying. Leaky human. Memories flashing through his mind. His thoughts conjure new ones.
He looks over to Simon’s side of the bed. Only the soft indent of his body lays there. Ryland tries speaking, yelling for Simon. Nothing comes out. He feels helpless, trapped, scared.
In a desperate attempt for someone to hear him, he knocks over a glass of water. The glass doesn't shatter, since it's not really glass, but xenonite. Still, it makes a loud enough noise. Simon peaks his head through the door.
“Ry?” He says, landing his eyes on a very anxious Grace.
“Holy shit, Ry, you okay?” Simon rushes over to his lover, slowly putting a hand on his shoulder, “Baby, I’m here, talk to me.” Simon brushes a tear from Rylands face. It doesn't work, Ryland is still hyperventilating, and Simon’s getting more worried by the minute. “Sunshine. Breathe. In…and out… In… and out.” Ryland can't hear him. Still stuck in his thoughts, eyes taking everything in. Overstimulate. Overwhelmed.
“Take me into that head of yours” Simon whispers, pressing his forehead against Ryland’s.
. . .
5 minutes later, Ryland is slowly calming down. Thanks to Simon’s nurturing manner, Ryland was able to speak.
“I had a dream- that- that-...” He stuttered.
“Take your time, it's okay. You’re safe now.” Simon reassured him, sitting next to his partner on the bed, rubbing his back.
Ryland turned into Simon, putting his head in Simon’s warm neck. Simon was always so warm.
Simon pulled Ryland into a lay position on the bed. Grace’s head in the crook of Simon’s neck, with his body slung over him.
“Tell me baby. What happened?” Simon speaks softly into Grace’s ear, running his fingers through his blonde hair.
Ryland was asleep. Softly snoring, his chest rising and falling with rhythm.
“You’re too cute..” Simon presses a kiss to his forehead, before drifting off to nap with his lover.
And oh, class was canceled.