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It was the same nightmare as usual. Ryland was running through the field, running from the people chasing him. He fell onto the ground and begged them not to do it, begging Carl for help. He begged and begged as they plunged the needle into him, his world going dark again.
Ryland woke with a start and a sob, even though he hadn’t meant to fall asleep in the first place. His whole body shook as his breathing picked up rapidly. His mind was racing with the memory, his brain telling him to run.
They were coming to get him, they were gonna get him, they were going to drug him again.
“Grace okay, question?” Rocky’s voice sounded nearby. Ryland jumped at the noise as Rocky rolled into the room. Since Ryland wasn’t supposed to be sleeping, Rocky hadn’t been in here to watch.
“Ro-Rock.” Ryland sobbed out as he tried wiping the tears away from his face.
“Pebble Grace! Pebble Grace! Rocky go get Simon!” Rocky cheered out as he rolled out of the dormitory and back to the lab. Rocky had gotten use to identifying the signs of Ryland being regressed, and he knew at this point to get Simon to help, especially if Ryland was upset.
Ryland was able to calm down slightly by the time Simon and Rocky returned, though he was still sniffling and hiccupping. Simon, like Rocky, knew the signs of regression and immediately softened.
“Hey Ry.” Simon said softly as he approached Ryland’s bunk. Ryland looked up at Simon and made grabby hands towards the man at once. Simon sat next to Ryland and pulled him into his lap, wrapping his arm around him.
“Grace leaky leaky leaky, pebble Grace sad.” Rocky commented and Simon had to hold himself back from rolling his eyes.
“Yeah, I know Rock.” Simon said before he turned to face Ryland. “What’s got you all upset baby?”
“Nightmare.” Ryland sniffled, and nothing more needed to be said. The same nightmare had plagued Ryland the entire time Simon knew him, getting chased down and drugged before he was forced on the Hail Mary.
The time that Ryland had explained to Simon and Rocky about how he actually ended up on the Hail Mary was a bad one. Ryland had woken up from a nightmare and when Simon reached out to him Ryland had punched him in the face. When Rocky calmed Ryland down enough he realized Simon’s nose was bleeding, and freaked out again.
In the end he explained through lots of tears and apologies. Both Simon and Rocky grew angry at the circumstances, angry at Stratt especially. But it made sense for him to explain, because now they both knew what was upsetting him without needing much information.
“Pebble Grace dream of bad humans again, Rocky hate bad bad bad humans.” Rocky grumbled and it made Ryland giggle just a bit.
“Thanks Rock.” Ryland mumbled softly as he rubbed his face more. The tears had stopped but he was still wiping like they were there.
It continued for a moment before Simon saw Ryland was digging his hands a bit too roughly into his face, so he grabbed them and held them in his own. Ryland whined slightly, not liking he was being forced to stop stimming in that way.
“I know, but digging at your face isn’t good for you Ry.” Simon said in a low tone. He moved his hands from Ryland’s so he could start rubbing them up and down his sides slightly, giving a grounding pressure for Ryland to focus on instead.
Ryland appreciated the pressure, and after a few moments he began to sway slightly as another way to stim. Simon let him do it, both of them swaying slightly as he continued to run his hands up and down. When Ryland was fully calmed down, no more sniffles or hiccups, he sat up a little bit.
“What’s up baby?” Simon asked and Ryland looked around the bed a little bit, searching for something. “What do you need?”
“Paci.” Ryland mumbled and Simon reached over to the shelf in the wall next to the bunk, grabbing the pacifier and holding it out for Ryland. Ryland just opened his mouth so Simon slid it in for him, smiling when Ryland began sucking on it.
“Rocky experience ‘cuteness aggression’ for pebble Grace.” Rocky spoke up and Simon cackled. He remembered having to add that phrase in one of the first times Rocky say Ryland regress, and it still makes him laugh hearing it.
“Me too.” Simon agreed before he reached up to gently squeeze Ryland’s face with one hand before leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek. Ryland giggled at the action, the last of his remaining stress melting away.
“Pebble Grace go to nest for movie, Rocky and Simon comfort and protect. Yes yes yes, no more bad humans.” Rocky proposed and Simon hummed lightly.
“What do you think baby?” Simon asked as he watched Ryland begin to sway again. “Movie and cuddle with me and Rocky?”
“Yes!” Ryland cheered behind his pacifier. Simon smiled and gave him another kiss on the check again.
“You’re so cute.” Simon told him and he slid off the bunk. Once he stood firmly on the ground he turned around and grabbed Ryland off the bunk, causing him to squeal with delight. “Let’s go huh?” Simon said as he adjusted Ryland onto his hip, holding him up with just one arm. Ryland was always fascinated with Simon’s strength.
“Rocky’s turn to pick movie!” Rocky declared as he led the way out of the dormitory.
“As long as it’s something Ryland can watch.” Simon reminded him as they reached the ‘don’t go crazy’ room.
“Yes yes, Rocky find cartoon pebble Grace enjoy, make tiny human happy!” Rocky said as he rolled over to the small area they deemed “the nest”
Simon had helped a regressed Ryland at one point drag a couple mattresses to the room, along with any spare blankets and pillows. Rocky had helped Ryland organize it into a nest like structure, nests for pebbles being an important part of Eridian culture. It made movie nights comfortable for all of them.
“Si, Si!” Ryland called out as soon as Simon set him down in the nest. He wiggled around slightly where he sat, Rocky coming up to settle next to him.
“What’s up baby, I’m right here.” Simon reminded him. Ryland looked up at him and had a slight pout on his face.
“Big blankie.” Ryland mumbled behind the pacifier. It took Simon a second before he understood.
“The quilt is back in the dorm, I’ll go grab it.” Simon told him, bending down to kiss his forehead before standing back up fully.
“Simon forget pebble Grace’s favorite blanket, dumb dumb dumb.” Rocky chastised. Simon rolled his eyes as he turned towards the door.
“You didn’t remember it either Rocky, so I’m not the only dumb one.” Simon pointed out. Rocky never wanted to share the blame, it was always all on Simon.
“How Rocky supposed to grab blanket question?” Rocky said as he gently tapped the xenonite ball with one of his legs.
“Well you could have reminded me.” Simon shot back as he left the room. Ryland giggled at the banter between the two of them, finding it silly.
Simon returned back with the quilt that Ryland requested, the one he had been sent up with from kids on Earth. Ryland smiled as Simon spread it out over him. After Simon settled down next to Ryland he took part of the blanket and put it over Simon as well.
“Thank you baby.” Simon praised before he gave Ryland another kiss on the cheek.
“Simon stop squishing face against pebble Grace and grab human thinking machine, Rocky chose movie.” Rocky spoke up and Simon rolled his eyes again, Ryland giggling again.
“Alright Rock, what did you choose?” Simon asked as he reached over to the laptop next to the nest.
“Rocky want to see SpongeBob SquarePants movie!” Rocky cheered and Ryland clapped his hands in agreement. Simon held back a groan, that’s the same movie they watched the last three times. It was a favorite for both Rocky and Ryland.
“Fine.” Simon half heartedly grumbled as he pulled it up. He put the movie on the large screen in front of them and set the laptop aside. He wrapped an arm around Ryland and pulled him close.
“Simon no hog pebble Grace statement.” Rocky demanded as he moved his ball closer to Ryland.
“I’m not hogging him.” Simon shot back lightly. He was kind of hogging him, but it’s not his fault Rocky couldn’t cuddle like they could.
“Simon pull pebble Grace closer and away from Rocky.” Rocky said as he pushed himself lightly into Ryland’s side. Ryland loved being cuddled between both of them and smiled.
“He’s my boyfriend, I can pull him close if I want to.” Simon pointed out.
“Rocky best friend, Rocky here first.” Rocky tried to pull, like either of them had a choice in when they showed up in Ryland’s life. Simon opened his mouth to speak but stopped.
“Shhhhhhhhhh.” Ryland shushed behind his pacifier as the movie began. Both of them fell silent for the sake of Ryland but Simon still shot a slight glare at Rocky, and if Rocky had eyes he’d be glaring right back.
“Spongebob SquarePants.” Ryland vaguely mumbled along to the opening credits. Simon leaned over and gave Ryland one more kiss on the forehead. He was cute, he’d agree on that.