Chapter Text
Adrian smuggly put on the suit that their Beloved had made them, flexing how it fit compared to what the government lackeys put on. Rocky of course made them the best of the best, remembering just their size.
What a wonderful mate they had.
Adrian suppresses the shot of worry that runs through them. Rocky would be fine, the government wasn't stupid enough to let their Star Savior die. Especially with all the outrage out how they weren't going to tell anyone someone was back and had already set something up to fix the stars!
Whistleblowers from communication centers can be more impactful than any politician would ever consider.
When the airlock finishes cycling and they can finally hear the inside of the human ship, their heartbeats pick up in alarm at the commotion coming from deep in the ship.
"No one was supposed to enter without us! You will be hearing from our lawyer," Amber shreaks as Adrain tears off into the ship, clearly hearing the same thing they are. "If the pebbles are further traumatized in any way-"
Adrian turns the corner and rams full speed into one of the Eridians holding one of their humans down while the other yells in the background. "Get off my pebbles!"
They can hear a crack, and don't even care that whoever they just rammed now has a damaged suit. The human who was not pinned scrambles over to the one who was now that he has been released, using one of his limbs to hold the other to his chest. Adrian raises themselves up to their full height and starts making warning growls to stay away.
Thankfully, the other Eridians back off as Amber and House rush in, clumsy in their less-than-perfect suits.
The two humans turn what Adrian knows from Rocky's diagrams are their heads towards them, tense as a string.
"I'm sorry, dear ones, they were never supposed to be in here without me. I am Adrian, would you-" Adrian cuts themsevles off in shock as the slightly larger one launches at them, wrapping their upper two legs, no, arms, around them. The other scrambles after, trying to tuck themselves against both Adrian and other human.
"thank goodness it's Adrain okay we're okay Rocky is going to be okay," the one holding Adrian mutters, and ah, this one is Grace. Simon takes near-silent, stuttering breaths.
"May I introduce Amber? You both spoke with them over the radio. I also brought House, they are a doctor who can start working on food for you both, as well as looking over any injuries that those idiot Edidians might have caused." Adrain asks gently, not wanting to overwhelm their humans.
"Grace, what are they saying?" Simon asks, moving his head around like he's searching for danger, trying to keep the two new Erdians in his 'sight'.
"Adrian brought a doctor and that counselor we talked to, they want permission to come closer." Grace slowly lets go of Adrian. "Adrian promise no leave question? They take Rocky and talk fast fast fast, Grace no understand. Simon think hurt Rocky, no watch they hurt Rocky, Simon thrash, Grace thrash, scared, want Adrian stay."
Adrian's heart broke a little. Even knowing they couldn't stop an Eridian, they still tried. "Yes, I will stay. I promise I will never let the two of you be alone ever again. And I'll make sure that Rocky is well taken care of." Adrian has more claws in crevices than anyone realizes. nothing will happen to their beloved.
"Good good good Grace no talk star-eater fix good, Rocky need talk." Grace looks relieved, and turns to Simon. "They say that Rocky will be well taken care of, and they are okay with staying here to watch us. Said something about us never being alone again, which is what I assume the doctor is for. You okay with them coming closer?"
"Yeah, I guess." Simon taps his fingers in a nervous pattern.
Grace rests a hand on his ankle. "I'll tell them to narrate what they are doing and I'll translate, okay? Plus, I think Adrian nearly killed someone for us. They'll protect us."
Simon grunts in response, using what Rocky had labeled 'hair' on the human diagram to hide his face.
Grace force a fist and raps it against the ground like they are getting someone's attention, and Adrian realizes that they have been completely deaf to the conversation that House and Amber have been having with each other. "Can come, Simon want 🎶" he points at House while making the new noise "to tell what do before do. Grace no like uh what's the word…"
"Needles? Amber has told me the medically relevant information you told them. And I can do that, Simon. Is the translator somewhere so you don't have to act as a go-between?" House asks.
Grace groans. "the translator, I'm such an idiot."
Simon snorts. "I'll go get it. Also, don't think I didn't catch you naming our doctor after that one guy that was medical Sherlock Holmes." He stands up, using Adrian's caprice as leverage, and stumbles through whistling. "Simon get."
Adrian's first instinct is to stand up and follow him, to make sure he's safe. But Grace is laying against them, and obviously they can't disturb him. "Amber, please go with Simon, I'm not comfortable with either of them being alone right now."
"Of course, I don't trust those scientists as far as I can kick them," Amber huffs, trotting after Simon. "House, feel free to start Grace's exam without us."
House shuffles closer, making sure to not make any sudden movements. "Well Grace, can you show me any places where those… government employees hurt you?"
Adrian curls their legs underneath them as Grace sticks out one of his legs, pointing to an area on it and stumbling through an explanation. Might as well get comfortable.
Simon didn't trust easily. It took days to sleep in the same place as Grace and weeks to be fully comfortable around Rocky. So while it didn't shock him that he reacted so poorly to seeing Rocky being taken away without an explanation, nor that he didn't appreciate Amber's prying, nor House's exploring claws, and especially not how relient they are upon these beings for help, he is bemused by his immediate trust in Adrian.
Well.
That's not entirely true.
Rocky loved to talk about how perfect and kind and wonderful his mate is, and you can't help but buy into it a little bit.
Plus Simon is pretty sure Adrian just almost-murdered someone to protect them.
Of course he latched on to the other kind thing in the room, Grace was actively having flashbacks too! Simon kept seeing his mother being taken when the Eridians were pinning Grace and taking Rocky, and Grace has only just started allowing Simong to be the big spoon a week ago because of the fuckers on Earth. So yeah. Stability and all that.
Grace being as clingy is a bit of a surprise, but he also has only really talked to Simon and Rocky for the past five years or something, so makes sense. Simon just wishes that they would let them help in some way, prove their usefulness. He knows it's making Grace anxious too. But Adrian insists they rest until nutrients are made.
"Grace scientist, scientist of small things, help with food!" Grace tries arguing for the third time. "Simon scientist of plant, help Grace Adrian Scientist!"
Simon is eternally greatful that Grace would stick out his neck for him like that. He knows he should be arguing too, but he just can't keep up with the language. Plus, his throat is fucked, he has even less range than Grace. Which is ironic, considering the mutated ear can hear slightly more registries than Grace can.
"no, you two must rest, please, I can't lose you, I don't make me tell Rocky that he got so close and lost you right at the mouth of the cave!" Grace wilts, and Simon knows they can't win. Maybe they could be useful in another way?
"Grace, Simon, please just let us take care of you. You have done enough, simply getting here. You can rest now," Amber whistles gently, the feminene voice Ryland chose coming from the translator almost sounds gentle.
"…okay, Grace Simon help later," Grace conseads, curling up next to Simon. "Well, it was worth a shot. I hope they don't decide that because they have a computer they don't need us."
Simon shrugs. "I guess we will have to see if being Erid's savior really does put Rocky in the power position he thinks it will." Simon feels a stab of guilt. I'm going to have to tell Adrian that I'm the reason Rocky is hurt. Can't even pilot right anymore.
"Yeah. Might as well take a nap, right?" Grace glances over at Adrian, before looking back at Simon. "Want to head back to the sleeping pile?"
Simon nods, slowly making his way to his feet.
It doesn't surprise him when Adrian follows. Guess the unnatural attachment goes both ways. He can't help but get the feeling that Adrian knows more than they are letting on, but Simon is too tired to really care. As long as Grace is taken care of, he doesn't really care what they do to him. He can deal with it.
When they reach the medbay, Grace says "Grace Simon sleep." Grace pauses, then tentitily asks "Adrian watch question?"
"Of course, I'll always be willing to watch you both." Simon didn't know that he was worried about not being watched, but apparently he was. Strange how fast you grow accosted to things.
As he and Grace curl up together, Simon swears he can almost hear what sounds like a lulaby out of his mutated ear.