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"Will Earth miss Grace, question?"
Grace let out a groan at the question, really not walking to think about that. He watched as Adrian pulled themself onto his bed and sat beside him with their legs tucked under them, like a cat loafing. The human pushed himself into a seated position while rubbing his eyes. His blanket fell into his lap as he looked at the Edirian.
Adrian was bigger than Rocky. Almost double the size, and it was the first thing that Grace noticed about him. He was surprised to see that Rocky was actually on the smaller size for an Eridian. Adrian's rocky body was a deep shade of blue that reminded him of the ocean, and when first heard Adrian speak, he knew that Rocky was right. Adrian has the most beautiful song that Grace had ever heard.
"Grace?" repeated the Eridian, shrilling at him.
Grace placed a hand on his xenoite suit with a light pat. "I heard you, buddy," he said, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Just,, thinking about how to reply."
Adrian shrilled again, pulling themself closer to the human. Their mate. They were surprised at first when Rocky introduced the alien as his mate. While it was common for Eridians to take on more than one mate, nothing could have prepared them for Grace. It didn't take long for Adrian to understand what Rocky saw in him, and they were soon no longer the odd ones out for just having each other.
"Why Grace think? Will Earth miss Grace, question?" They repeated.
Grace absentmindedly ran his fingers against the xenonit as he started ahead at the walls. He licked his lips, followed with a smacking noise as he opened his mouth to speak. He paused again. What could he say? That Earth didn't care about him? Not like how Erid thought about Rocky and his crew. That there was no return plan.
"Grace-"
"I know, Adrian," Grace cut him off before sighing. Adrian pushed against his side as Grace wrapped his arms around the blue alien. He rested his cheek against the xenonite, taking a deep breath.
"Okay, okay," he stared at the wall. "It's just,, No, I don't think Earth will miss me."
Adrian let out a cry as they nudged Grace. "But Erid miss Rocky. Why Earth not miss Grace?"
",,, They never expected me to come back, Adrian. They sent me into space to figure out the problem,, to send the information back to Earth,, then die in space."
Adrian shoved away from Grace with a loud shrill. Grace sat up, turning to face him as he shook. He stomped one of his legs against the plush bed.
"What?! They leave Grace to die?! Our Grace?!"
Grace gave a sad smile, grabbing the blanket in his lap and wrapped it around his shoulders. "I know,, It's,, we didn't have enough astrophage. We couldn't make enough on Earth-" He tried to explain.
Adrian shrilled again. "Then wait! Why not wait to make more, question?"
"We couldn't, Adrian. We,, I wasn't even supposed to be on-" He stopped, choking up. He never mentioned this before; he never talked about the days leading up to the launch. It was better that way, it hurts less.
Adrian let out a cry as they pressed their body against Grace, pushing- almost shoving- him down against the bed. Grace let out a noise of surprised as the Eridian nuzzled into his stomach.
"Adrian-"
"What Grace mean, question? Grace not supposed to be on what, question? Mission? Ship? Question?" Adrian tried to get an answer out of him.
Grace let out a breath as he wrapped his arms around the rock alien. He stared up at the ceiling as blurry memories rushed through his head. The conversation with Stratt telling Grace that he was needed in space, being told that he didn't have a choice, the running, trying to get away. Waking up with mush for brains in space.
"I told you and Rocky before, I was a school teacher," Grace started. "Well, I am also a scientist, but I kinda got shunned from my field for,, a bad take. So I became a teacher, and I loved it."
Adrian let out a purr. He had seen Grace teaching the young Eridians before. The hatchlings loved him. The parents loved him. He knew how good with children Grace was.
"But one day, Stratt came up to me and asked for my help with the astrophage. She wanted me to study it, so I did. Which lead to me joining Project Hail Mary. There were other scientists that was supposed to join the launch,, then there was an accident."
Grace closed his eyes. He remembered that day well. The explosion, the running, the news that the scientists were dead, being told that he was going up to space. Given three hours to think about it, only to be told that he didn't have a choice.
"Grace leaking," Adrian reached one hand up to press against his cheek. Grace leaned into his hand with a sigh.
"They died, and I was the only other option. I didn't have a choice, Adrian. They made me go."
Adrian sent silent, causing Grace to look down at them. They pulled their hand away from Grace's cheek, letting the tears fall down.
Grace let out a shaky breath. "I was a coward, and I said no,, But,, they-" he rubbed his face, wiping away the tears. "- I ran. Tried to get away,, then it went dark,, and I woke up in space without my memories."
"No."
"What?" Grace looked at him as Adrian cupped his cheeks in his claws.
"No, Grace not coward. Grace brave. Grace scared, but Grace save Earth. Grace save Erid. Grace save Rocky and return Rocky to mate,, Grace very brave mate. Best mate."
Grace stared at Adrian for a long while with tears continuing to fall from his eyes. Adrian chirped at him before suddenly slamming forward.
"Ah- fudge- Adrian-" He slammed full back against the bed, taking a moment to process."What was that for?"
"Adrian kiss Grace. Kiss make mate feel better, question?"
A laugh left his lips as he leaned forward to kiss the Eridian, who pulled at him. He laid back down against with Adrian on top of him, one arm behind his head and the other around the rock alien.
"Adrian not like Stratt. Stratt bad bad bad," they huffed.
"She wasn't that bad-"
"Force Grace into space. Bad bad bad. Rocky know about Stratt, question?"
"No,, she never came up."
Adrian shrilled again. "Will tell Rocky. Bad bad bad. Grace safe now. Grace safe on Erid with mates."
The human smiled at that. "Yeah,, I'm safe now."