Chapter Text
“Happy happy happy.” Rocky squealed as they stumbled ahead of Adrian. Adrian resisted the urge to scoop their mate up and carry them the rest of the way when Rocky dangerously wobbled for a second, almost falling over, before righting themself. The doctors said that Adrian couldn’t carry Rocky everywhere. Rocky needed to get used to walking around in normal gravity, and if he didn’t move he wouldn’t get better.
Adrian understood, but that didn’t stop him from panicking at every small stumble or wobble Rocky made. What if Rocky actually fell and got hurt?
“Adrian will like Grace. Grace is smart smart smart science human.” Rocky happily chirped.
Adrian wasn’t as sure that they would like the alien, but they had to try. Even if they hadn’t saved Erid’s star, they brought Rocky home to Adrian. That alone would have been enough for Adrian to try and get along with them—but Rocky was also so excited for them to meet. Adrian couldn’t let their mate down.
Rocky’s descriptions of the alien were. . . discomforting, but Rocky had gotten used to them, had lived on the same ship as them for years on the trip back to Erid. Adrian could handle a short meeting.
Rocky had wanted to be with Grace for longer, but they were both recovering from being in space for so long, so the doctors said they could only meet for an hour.
In their nearly starved state, Grace needed as much rest as they could get while the scientists worked on making food that he could eat.
Adrian shivered in disgust at the thought of the alien eating. Eating was a necessary biological process, but it was also disgust. Adrian was sure an alien eating would be disgust disgust disgust, and Rocky had mentioned just how regularly they needed to eat too. It was so inefficient.
Pulling away from such disgusting thoughts, Adrian refocused on their clumsy mate who was teetering side to side as they approached the special hospital that was built for Grace. With their experience building biodomes Adrian had been consulted when building the hospital to contain Grace’s atmosphere—the fact that they needed to breath a highly flammable gas to live was horrifying. It also gave an explanation for why Rocky’s vents were burnt. The doctors discovered Rocky’s burnt vents while giving Rocky their initial check up when they were sleeping. (Adrian paid attention to their every move the entire time. They wouldn’t let their mate get hurt again.) Rocky’s vents were mostly healed now, but the scarring still remained. According to the doctors, if the scars interfered with Rocky’s ability to cool themself then they would have to refrain from more strenuous activities or risk overheating. If their mate needed it, Adrian would happily carry Rocky everywhere. At least then they wouldn’t have to worry about Rocky falling over and hurting themself.
Adrian couldn’t bring them to ask their mate how they were burnt, but it was obvious considering that the alien’s atmosphere was mainly oxygen.
Entering the hospital Adrian and Rocky were greeted by the staff who explained the alien’s condition. They were still starving, but the scientists had managed to isolate several important vitamins and feed it to Grace. They were still missing many important nutrients, but they were doing better. Grace had also woken up only a few hours ago, but would likely fall asleep again soon.
“Grace more tired tired tired as we reach Erid. Grace sleep so often, Rocky always watch. Rocky cannot watch now.” Rocky sadly said.
Adrian let out a low, soothing hum and Rocky began to relax. “Rocky did good good good, but Rocky needs to rest rest rest now. Friend Grace is safe on Erid, many Eridians will watch him sleep.” Adrian said, reassuring their mate.
“Rocky scared scared scared that Grace die while Rocky sleep. . . many crewmates die when Rocky sleep.” Rocky lowered their carapace, their tone turning mournful. “Rocky try try try to fix, but Rocky repair Eridian. Rocky repair machines, not know how to repair Eridians.”
Adrian intensified their soothing hum. “Not Rocky’s fault. Rocky is amaze amaze amaze engineer, but not a doctor. If doctors could not solve, then Rocky could not solve either.”
Rocky was quiet for a few seconds before quietly saying, “Hard to believe.”
“But true true true.” Adrian said. They weren’t going to let Rocky ever think the rest of the crew’s deaths were their fault. Rocky had already explained radiation to them—there was no way Rocky could have figured out that the radiation was what was dangerous if none of the science Eridians could figure it out either. Adrian would never let Rocky take the fault for what happened. If anyone tried blaming Rocky, Adrian would fight them. “Adrian will remind Rocky if needed.”
“Rocky may need many reminders.” Rocky quietly said.
“Then Adrian will remind Rocky many times.”
“. . . Okay.” Rocky quietly said before perking up. “Rocky Adrian here to see Grace. Adrian must meet friend Grace before they sleep.”
“Yes yes yes, introduce Adrian to Grace.” Adrian said, happy that Rocky was distracted from their earlier sadness.
That happiness faded when they were lose enough to finally hear Grace. None of Rocky’s descriptions were enough to prepare Adrian for how. . . squishy the alien was.
“Are you sure Grace is supposed to be this squishy?” Adrian asked. Almost everything on Erid had a hard outer shell, and most things that didn’t were smaller life forms, so seeing something so large without any type of carapace was unnerving.
“Is normally squishier.” Rocky said before running over to Grace. “Grace, Rocky is here with Adrian!”
Half of Grace’s body moved up at that declaration and turned to face in their direction as they began speaking in a language that Adrian could not understand.
Alright, Adrian could do this. This was Rocky’s friend who risked their life to bring Rocky back to Erid and save their planet, not a creature that was going to melt Adrian’s carapace to eat their squishy insides. They could do this. Walking closer to Grace Adrian said, “Hello Grace, I am Adrian. Thank you for bringing Rocky home.”