Chapter Text
Grace sighed longingly, eyes glued to the storage that held the few “real” foods left on the ship. Knowing there was one more burrito for him to enjoy someday was incredible for his mental health… And a tad torturous. If he wasn’t the one experiencing it, he’d find that combination fascinating.
More coma slurry down the throat, another wince from Grace, and then something akin to relief for getting it done. He was hating this, but it beat being dead.
“Rocky,” he spoke up, not bothering to make eye contact. There was no privacy on the Hail Mary and at this point it was more convenient than bothersome.
“Yes, Grace?” He replied, busy with their Minecraft server. Rocky had done research and started creating something titled “the perimeter.” A horrifying engineering marvel Grace didn’t entirely want to understand, something which he wasn’t one to say lightly.
Why play a game so efficiently you don't have to play anymore…? Sure Rocky’s argument held water. That overcoming the challenge before him was a fair way to have fun. However, some games were absolutely more about the journey than the destination! …Although, guess Rocky was enjoying that too, just…
Ugh, he had to focus. The nutrients hadn’t settled into his body yet so he was still hunger-stupid.
“Do Eridians have favourite foods?” Grace asked.
“What?” Rocky rumbled. “Grace knows better than to ask.”
Grace pouted at that. He was aware it was a touchy subject, but he was having a rough time and deserved a little fun. This was his idea of fun.
“For science?” Grace attempted.
It didn’t always work as an excuse. Rocky was well aware of his right to say no, and even added counterarguments on occasion. Apparently what he could learn from a textbook or willing “alien fuckers,” on Erid were off the table …Grace had really crossed a line that time. Oops.
However, much like puppy eyes at grandma while in the lego store: it was always worth a shot.
Whether Rocky took pity on this sad sack he called his best friend, or actually felt the call of science: he said “...Fine.”
Grace resisted letting out a whimsical little “yahoo!”
“Humans have strong sense of taste, confirm?”
Grace nodded, turning his spinny chair Rocky’s way. “Relatively speaking, we’re pretty well-sorted, yeah. A few thousand tastebuds.” He then raised a finger smartly: “And I remember! Eridians can taste to an extent, but do not seek out specific tastes outside of nutritional needs.”
Rocky raised the hands non-occupied by minecraft for a little jazz hands moment. “Grace remembers!”
He accepted the praise with no hesitation.
“This means…” Rocky then mirrored the hand mannerisms that Grace brought out when teaching. Oh! He was telling him to find the answer with the evidence provided.
Right, yes, he was good at this, he–
“...So, no favourite foods.”
Rocky let out a sort of triumphant victory beep. It didn’t make Grace feel very victorious.
“Seriously?” Grace pouted: “Nothing?”
Rocky mimicked a human nod: “Nothing, statement.”
Well that was a let down! Guess he was cursed to remain a pitiful sad sack of a man…
“...Except,” Rocky continued, hesitant. “Need word… Like alchohol but edible.”
Grace blinked at that, before chuckling: “drugs? Er… an edible drug?”
Rocky shifted nervously: “...Yes, famous for great taste. Very addicting.”
Huh, that made sense in a way. If you were a species with very little sense of taste but were suddenly given the human ability to enjoy a lobster dinner, you’d definitely get addicted.
“Oh, huh!” Grace pondered it with a smile: “I wonder what it tastes like then. Is it a plant? A lot of earth drugs are derived from plants. Wait– no, it’s totally a crystal right? That’d fit Erid like a glove.”
“...Crystal.” Rocky replied.
“...and the taste?”
Rocky stood still, Minecraft paused.
“Rocky?”
“Safe word.” Rocky said then. “Will not talk about taste of ♫♪♫♩♩♫! Statement!”
“Oops!” Grace raised his hands, “I uh, forgot the connotations again. Sorry! Humans talk about tastes all the time– But I guess for you it’s uh… Comparable to a bathroom trip.”
“Yes.” Rocky stomped with a few legs, unpausing his game.
“Besides, it’s not like I know what most drugs taste like.” Grace admitted, “I have smelled weed, dorms are a wild place.” He was deeply thankful of the fact that Rocky didn’t know how much of a dweeb what he just said made him sound like.
Rocky paused the game to speak quickly: “Have had some.” Followed by returning to the game like nothing happened.
Grace couldn’t help his rising eyebrows. “You’ve been a naughty boy?” Ok now even Rocky had to know he sounded like a massive dweeb.
“Wanted to be popular.” Rocky replied with pretend nonchalance. “Bad bad bad idea, never again.”
“Can’t blame you.” On both fronts. If Erid was at all like Earth, their social lives may have been quite similar before Tau Ceti.
“...Only share to show Grace empathy.” Rocky explained, “humans addicted to not only taste but texture and variety. Grace in withdrawal.”
He blinked at that, kicking a bit to spin himself around on the chair. “I? I guess? By that logic breathing is an addiction.”
“Metaphor, statement.” Rocky supposed. “Rocky means he sort of understands. Grace pitiful for a good reason.”
He spun about some more: “I do appreciate that, buddy.” Spin, spin, “...You don’t want me to tell Adrian about your drug experience?”
“They’ve seen Rocky do way worse.” He snickered.
Grace laughed: “Right, of course. You’ve known me only three years and watch me poop every day, I can only imagine what a century with someone entails.”
“No, bad comparison."
“Its a great comparison." Grace argued.
_
Grace had successfully convinced Rocky to go fishing with him in Minecraft. He’d built a lovely little dock and decorated the surrounding area with lilypads…! None of that being the thing to actually convince Rocky, of course. No, what got him was he learning about the loot pool. Turns out fish-themed gambling was something Rocky enjoyed.
Grace was glad he’d never see Rocky loose in Las Vegas.
While the two stood fishing in game, they sat back to back in the real world. Grace on his mattress using the laptop as intended, and Rocky behind xenonite loafed like a cat. His precise hardware clicking about as he cast the line again.
Rocky wasn’t having much luck, but seemed relaxed by the quiet instead. Success!
In that peace and quiet, Rocky asked him something unexpected. “What is Grace’s favourite food, question?”
“...In game?” Grace asked
“No. In real life.” Rocky clarified.
“You hate food talk.”
Grace could feel the warm form of Rocky lean more against the xenonite between them. “Yes. Gross gross gross.” He confirmed, “But love Grace more than hate food talk. Food talk important for human well being.”
“Awh… buddy.” Grace leant further against the xenonite in turn. “I love you too.”
A little joyous tune played out of Rocky’s vents.
Grace closed his eyes in thought, the warmth of Rocky and nostalgic sounds of Minecraft were too wonderful to let go. Despite trying to fall into memories and dig out his favourite food, his mind wanted to stay right here instead.
Maybe he’d been up for too long, but something made him feel oddly like a poet.
“...Something like this.” Grace decided, leaving Rocky to wait for an explanation.
When none came, Rocky huffed: “What, question?”
He laughed, he couldn’t help it, “my memory still has more holes than swiss cheese…” Grace admitted, “But I think my favourite food must’ve been something like this. Y’know, the warm feeling of sharing a moment with someone you care about?”
That left Rocky silent for a solid few moments. Grace couldn’t blame him, culturally speaking this was probably comparable to your bro waxing poetry about using the same urinal as you.
“Rocky understands, statement.” He said instead. “Glad Grace can have this feeling with Rocky.”
Grace grinned. “Yeah. I’m really lucky.”
In the end Rocky didn’t fish up the enchanting book he was aiming for, but he did silence his ego long enough to accept one of Grace’s.
All in all, a much better fishing trip than their first.
_
“Is there Earth drug that would let Grace echolocate?” Rocky mused before sleep took him.
“Not functionally,” Grace responded, curious about it too, “But I’m sure some could make me believe I can.”
“Silly.” Rocky said as he drifted off to sleep. Not needing to check if Grace would watch, because Grace wouldn’t miss it for the world.