Chapter Text
The trip back to Erid was going to be a long one, four years, 29 days, and 11 hours to be exact. The hard part of the whole mission was over. They found the predator, fixed the leak issue, and sent the probes to Earth. The rest of the trip to Erid would hopefully be smooth sailing, aside from the occasional fix to Mary.
Of course he mourned though, the decision to turn back around for Rocky wasn’t an easy one. It wasn’t like he was regretting his decision, certainly not, but in his mind it lingered that so much could go wrong. He would certainly run out of food, he couldn’t live in Rocky’s atmosphere, and worst of all, he was an alien. Would the Eridians capture him and probe him? Would he be dissected and taken apart?
He tried to remind himself that they weren’t humans, they were a curious species and Rocky wouldn’t let them hurt him… right?
“What are you working on?” Grace lingered in their shared lab space on his side of the xenonite barrier.
“Rocky work on gift for mate Adrian!” Rocky trilled out. He lifted up what appeared to be Eridian jewelry, similar to what Rocky wore during their small celebration. It was made with xenonite and had intricate textures with sharp spikes. Rocky tilted up his carapace in a proud way.
“Oh that's sweet, what's it for?” Grace dropped down to sit in front of the xenonite to inspect it.
“Rocky make gift for coming home!” He wiggled, before going right back to focusing. Grace was almost jealous of Rocky having something to do.
“Is made to signify a mate waited long time, each spike is year gone.” Rocky explained the meaning behind it.
But it was at least interesting to watch Rocky work. His little claws were surprisingly delicate and careful, which made Grace’s mind wander on how precise they could be. He knew the Eridians were very skilled, I mean they made the Blip-A.
Without even realizing it, he had been completely transfixed by watching Rocky work. His small tools to create the xenonite clinking together almost like little crochet hooks. Each delicate spike and ridge was perfected, if not he started it over.
“Grace not letting Rocky breathe” He grunted having to pause his movements. He shifted around to almost hide what he had been working on for Adrian. Grace felt bad as he shuffled backwards before-
“We aren’t even breathing the same air! Why can’t I watch? You always watch what I’m doing.” Grace argued.
Rocky grumbled and shook slightly in frustration, “Is cultural issue, gift for mate very very intimate process, Grace watch is ♬♩♪... Need word” Grace perked up slightly, they hadn’t needed to add new words recently so this was slightly exciting. He grabbed the computer translator and put it in his lap. Rocky continued, “is… uncomfortable in culture. Not allowed”
“Uh… culturally uncomfortable? Taboo! Yes, okay say your word again” Grace held up the microphone to type in the new word for the translator.
But slowly as Grace’s excited scientist brain turned off, his very lacking social skills kicked in. Oh… it was taboo that Grace was watching this moment so intently. He awkwardly flushed, thankful Rocky couldn’t see the red even if he could sense the blood flow changing.
“Yes! Yes, shoot sorry…. I can um… I’ll go back to just… being bored” Well, there went Grace's only entertainment. He glanced around for anything else to do.
Reluctantly, Grace left to wander around the ship aimlessly. He didn’t have any ongoing experiments to fumble with or even any movies on his to-watch list. Eventually he landed back in his main sleep area and bounced a ball against the wall. Stupid Rocky and his stupid mate. It wasn’t that Grace was jealous of Rocky having a mate, though he did picture him often. Was he bigger than Rocky? As big as Grace? What did he sound like? Were there different dialects or even accents of their language? Grace made a mental note to ask all these questions before they got to Erid so he didn’t look too stupid when he got there.
Grace slightly worried though, he had been pestering Rocky more and more. They had been getting closer which made Grace feel a little clingy towards the Eridian. Back on Earth he’d never had many relationships pan out. Sure he dated in high school and a little in college before working on his doctorate, but no one stuck. He didn’t mind not having someone, except it seemed to bother everyone else.
He fumbled with his glasses and rubbed his eyes. The lingering fear of abandonment was still present, what if when they got to Erid Rocky would forget about him? Excited to be back in the arms of his mate. This always happened to Grace, he’d think he found someone who finally gets him. Someone who makes him laugh, until they realize just how bad he was at relationships and they moved on. Was Rocky just humoring him because he was the only person around to talk to? Is Grace just a small blip in his universe-
“Grace! GraceGraceGrace hello Grace why leaking question? Grace injured question?” Rocky was in his little xenonite ball. He was bumping it into Grace’s leg, hurriedly scrambling around worried. Grace sniffled and- when did he start crying? He wiped at his eyes,
“Sorry Rock, yeah I’m okay… just thinking.” He fixed his glasses and attempted a very lacking smile. He couldn’t come clean to Rocky, what would he even say? Hey I’m being all clingy and sappy because I think you’ll ditch me even though we’re just friends and you don’t owe me anything.
Rocky warbled unsure but thankfully he didn’t pressure. He settled down right next to Grace, spreading out his limbs to lay in his ball. His warmth spread over and Grace leaned into the ball. It was a comforting presence to say the least. He selfishly let himself just relax into Rocky, attempting to ignore his lingering insecurities.
“Rocky finished gift,” Rocky trilled softly, “Will show Grace when Grace stop leaking”. Ryland huffed and rolled his eyes.
“I thought you said it was taboo for me to see it?” He tilted his head and tapped on the ball three times, a small habit he had picked up from Rocky, to let him know he cared.
“Grace not watch it be made, but Grace will look at it now. Is beautiful, yes yes yes.” Rocky got up to his feet and bumped into the wall as he scurried away to go get the gift. Ryland took the moment to compose himself. Rocky still cared about him, he was just getting excited to see his mate…. And family…. And other Eridians who will have so much more in common with him-
“Grace come in lab! Hurry hurry hurry!” Even on the almost opposite end of the ship, his insistent noise was heard. Grace smiled softly.
Rocky passed it through his airlock and chirped at him to be delicate with it. It was some form of jewelry or rather clothing, sharp spikes that looked brutalistic in nature. It was meant to go around two arms, like shoulder straps that came down in swooping motions. There was a very detailed carved pocket that was fastened to the strap. Rocky seemed very proud of his work and skills.
“Pocket there for Adrian tools,” Rocky wiggled his carapace at Grace, “Rocky very smart and thoughtful mate, Rocky make useful gift that pretty” Grace smiled softly, almost mesmerized at how excited he was.
Grace was awful at gift giving. There was always some event he had to bring a gift for, and he seemed to always be out of the culture loop. He attempted to make lists of what girls expected, flowers, necklaces, dinner reservations, stuffed bears they'd keep on a shelf. But it never felt correct.
Rocky however, seemed to be an expert in gift giving. Was it cultural? Or was Rocky just a really good boyfrie- mate? Mate yeah.
“Its really intricate bud, you did good.” Grace ran a finger across the pocket part, it was made from a softer material than the xenonite, like a leather type of material. It was carved with the same markings Rocky sported. “Its…. really cool looking. Could you make me one next?” He laughed, it was meant to be a sorta joke. Though he definitely wouldn’t mind if Rocky would make him one.
Except Rocky went very still, stiff almost. He tapped his claws together in the way he did when he was thinking. Grace didn’t pick up too easily on his friend's emotion. He just silently passed the jewelry back through the airlock. Rocky took it and silently returned the piece to a little box in his xenonite habitat.
“Grace watch Rocky sleep question?” His notes were a little off. If Grace was better at social cues maybe he would have picked up on the awkward atmosphere, but unfortunately he didn’t.
“Yeah I’ll always watch you sleep pal. Goodnight Rock” Grace smiled and tapped against the xenonite. Watching as Rocky settled down like a cat and went motionless.
After about an hour of Grace attempting to clean his side of the lab, while checking glances at Rocky to make sure he was okay, an idea popped into his head. Grace wanted a way to thank Rocky for all that he’d done.
But what? Grace wasn’t exactly too skilled in arts and crafts, except the few models he'd make for his students. What did Rocky even like? He was a scientist… he liked bossing Grace around… he liked Adrian…
“Aha! I can make him jewelry like he made for Adrian!” Grace fist pumped and accidentally hit his hand on a corner. Once recovered he pulled up a chair to the lab table and decided to get to work.
Slight problem, he didn't have access to the little xenonite makers that Rocky used. He did however have access to leftover xenonite and a smelter device. He got to work sketching up an idea, writing out each intricate detail and fumbling with his device. He managed to only burn himself a little bit, a fact he decided not to share with Rocky. After a lot of trial and error he managed to come up with a simplistic bracelet. It was a bigger circumference than he needed so Rocky could loop it around and around until it would fit snugly as he couldn't work a clasp.
The actual bracelet itself was made of interlocking chains, similar to the predator collector chain they used. On alternating chain links Grace made spirals that stuck out like a corkscrew. Grace was decently proud of his work, it wasn’t super intricate or anything near perfect as he was very new to working with xenonite. But he actually made something semi pretty and useful for his friend. But his thoughts started to spiral again like the spirals on the bracelet. Would Rocky even like it? Would he wear it? Was it weird he made him jewelry?
Only one way to find out, wait until Rocky woke up from his sleep cycle. In the meantime though he put the bracelet into one of the xenonite capsules Rocky had given him in their first meetings. Grace was a complete ball of nerves by the time Rocky woke up, he kept chickening out and psyching himself up in his head.
“Grace act weird statement. What Grace do question?” Rocky was climbing around in his little xenonite tunnels.
Grace laughed and then shut his mouth getting more embarrassed by the sound of his own voice. He felt like he was going to throw up what meager calories he had been surviving on. He could sense Rocky was just going to get more and more pissed if he had to keep asking Grace.
Grace cleared his throat and put the xenonite container into Rocky’s airlock. He then promptly shut his eyes tight.
Rocky very impatiently took and opened the container, the bracelet fell out and Rocky was stunned. It was jewelry. Grace made him jewelry. He very gently picked it up and tapped it, sensing the delicate spirals and spikes. It was clumsy and had lots of imperfections but none of that mattered.
“Grace… made ♩♩♬ ♪ question?” Grace finally opened his eyes, and wished he didn’t. Rocky was completely frozen, and it didn’t help that his computer translator didn’t have inflections. Grace wasn’t totally sure what word Rocky used, and he mistranslated it as jewelry.
“Yes? Yeah I uh… I wanted to… give you something” Grace stumbled over his words, wiping his palms on his hands. “It's not good I know, I know Adrian has probably made you way better stuff-” He felt stupid.
“Grace is… sure of jewelry question?” Rocky shifted side to side, rocking slightly in a way that Grace came to associate with him self soothing.
He wasn’t sure of anything honestly speaking. He wasn’t sure about his prom date, he wasn’t sure of his thesis, he wasn’t sure of anything. But Grace was sure that he cared about Rocky.
“Yeah I’m sure… do you like it? You cant use clasps so it just loops around your arm a couple of times” Grace was good at rambling. “If you hate it thats okay too, I mean you don’t have to wear it-”
“No! Rocky accepts. Grace make beautiful jewelry statement.” Rocky looped and wrapped it around his arm, the same one that held the gemstone binding him to his mate Adrian. Grace tried not to focus on that detail, instead he smiled and attempted to relax. Rocky liked his gift! He put it on! That was good right?
Unknown to Grace however, was that he just gave Rocky an Eridian courting gift.