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"Grace ready to go, question?"
Ryland smiled as he buckled himself in. "Yeah, buddy, I'm ready."
"Then we will take off." Rocky frantically pressed the controls on the Hail Mary before hopping into his new seat that Ryland had designed for them. "Time go!"
Dr. Grace chuckled, taking one last look at the ship's status. "It's still go time, Rock."
"Words are stupid."
"Can't argue with you there."
As the ship began to take off, following the pre-programmed course that Rocky had computed into its system, the pair watched the stars go by.
"Rocky will never get used to seeing this," the Eridian mused, keeping his crystal pointed towards the window. "Always amaze."
"I could die happy right now," the astronaut agreed, not thinking too deeply about the comment he had just made until he noticed Rocky staring at him. "It's a figure of speech. I'm not actually dying."
"Good. Rocky not want Grace to die." They chirped and turned back to face the window. "Already got too close to that once."
"Yeah, no kidding. I -" He got choked up. Remembering that Rocky had nearly died to save him still was a bit overwhelming. Ryland cleared his throat. " - Sorry. I'm glad we're both still here."
"Rocky Grace alive and well," his alien friend said happily, sitting up taller in their seat. "Very very good."
"Absolutely."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars go by some more. Ryland began to wonder how the others from the Project would have reacted if they were here.
Colt would have loved to see this.
The sudden thought startled him. He hadn't thought of his brother since he had remembered him in a random vodka-infused haze.
He accidentally knocked his glasses off of his face, and swore under his breath. Ryland, you idiot, get it together!
"Grace okay, question? Item for sight is floating towards Rocky."
Ryland rubbed his eyes, and squinted in the general direction of where the Eridian was. "Huh? Yeah, I'm...I'm fine, I think. I just had a weird thought."
"Maybe Grace need rest," Rocky suggested, a strong hint of concern in their voice. "Get sleep. Rocky will keep watch."
"Are you sure that's okay?"
"Yes. Rocky do not mind. Rest." They caught Ryland's glasses in their hand as they spoke.
"Alright, bud." Dr. Grace yawned softly, and leaned back in the pilot's seat, letting his exhaustion from the expedition take him off to dreamland.
"Isn't this exciting?"
Carl raised an eyebrow. "You call getting drive-thru fast food exciting?"
"You know what I mean," Ryland replied, quickly shoving a french fry in his mouth. "I've never snuck around like this before!"
"What?" The agent looked at him in surprise. "Seriously? A guy like you has never gone on a secret date?"
"No," the scientist said matter-of-factly, now taking a large sip of the Dr. Pepper he had ordered. "Is that a requirement or something?"
"Not necessarily, I...I'm just surprised, 'cause, you know..." Carl vaguely gestured to Ryland's entire body.
Grace frowned slightly, and looked at the other man over his glasses. "I don't follow."
"Have you looked in a mirror, man?" he scoffed. "You are gorgeous!"
Ryland's eyes grew wide. "What? Okay, hold on..." He laughed slightly. "I've heard a lot of ridiculous things in my time, but that really takes the fucking cake --"
" -- Jesus, Stratt was right. You really can't take a compliment." Carl laughed, and ate a few onion rings. "I thought she was joking."
"Hey, wait a minute, you've been talking to our boss about me behind my back? What is your problem with me, man?" Ryland playfully shoved him. "Are you trying to get me fired?"
"There's nothing wrong with a bit of office gossip," the agent teased, snatching a fry out of his partner's hand. "Besides, if I was trying to get you off of the Project, I would have done it ages ago. You're in way too deep now."
"Oh, what, will they kill me if I decide to leave?"
There was a brief silence.
"...They wouldn't do that, would they?" Dr. Grace asked nervously, noticing that Carl seemed to be a bit more serious now.
"No," he replied instantly, "but they would keep an insanely close watch on you for the rest of your life. I don't think you'd want that."
Ryland shuddered, causing him to almost completely drop his drink. "Yeah, no, I really don't. The thought of every government in the world following my every move is not ideal, to say the least."
The scientist's phone began to ring. Carl glanced at it and chuckled. "Your big brother is calling you again."
"Ugh!" He sighed and turned off the ringer. "He's always so needy."
"Nah, you know that's not the case," the agent reminded him, taking a few bites of his burger. "He just cares about you."
"Yeah, well, I think he cares too much sometimes," Ryland sighed, letting his phone go to voicemail. "I'm not a baby anymore."
"You're my baby," Carl interjected, placing his hand on top of his partner's hand. "Or, well -"
" - That sounded better in your head, didn't it?"
"Shut the hell up, man," he laughed before quickly kissing his cheek. "You're smart enough to know what I meant."
"Well, I better be, I have a doctorate, for crying out loud," Ryland chuckled, blushing slightly from the kiss. "If I lose my mind, I'll be no good to anyone."
"What is with the constant self-depreciation, huh?" Carl sat up and fully faced him. "Seriously."
"Uh - " He was a bit taken aback by this. " - I have no idea what you mean."
"Ryland," the agent said in a strict tone, "don't."
Dr. Grace sighed, and put his soda back in the cup holder of the rental car. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I can't help it. It's just...something I do."
"Why?" his partner pressed.
"Well..." He hesitated. "...I guess it's just a defense mechanism, you know? I've never really been the kind of person that people easily get along with."
Carl stared at him for a minute. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."
"Excuse me?"
"Ryland, everyone in the Project liked you immediately, whether they outwardly showed it or not," the agent said matter-of-factly. "You are exactly that kind of person."
"No, that's not true."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn't!"
His partner looked him square in the eyes. "Ryland Grace, I swear to God -"
" - Ah, sorry, I can't help it; I love messing with you," Ryland grinned, giving him a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. "You should've seen your face!"
Carl scoffed and threw a french fry at him. "Prick."
"But I'm your prick, remember?" he teased.
"You're annoying as hell."
"And yet you're still here!" Ryland laughed triumphantly and ate the french fry that had landed in his lap. "I win!"
"Jesus," the agent muttered, yet there was a smile on his face.
Dr. Grace's phone lit up again. Another incoming call from Colt.
"You better answer that," Carl said as he took a quick glance at his own phone. "He won't stop."
"Alright, alright, fine, but I'm only doing it 'cause I love you." Ryland teased, kissing Carl's cheek before picking up, putting his brother on speaker. "What is it now -"
" - Oh my god, finally! What the hell are you doing at 12am?" Colt interrupted, sounding more like a concerned parent.
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever I want? I'm an adult, remember?"
"Okay, well, anyways, I'm calling because I wanted to tell you about something important."
"If this is about another invitation to a movie set, I told you, I have work -"
" - Jody and I are getting married."
Carl gasped, and him and Ryland exchanged a surprised but excited look.
"WHAT?"
"Yeah," Colt chuckled. "Oh, and hi, Carl."
"Hey man! Holy shit!"
"Are you serious?!" Ryland asked excitedly. "Oh my god!"
"I'm very serious," Seavers said, sounding a lot happier than he had a few moments ago. "I proposed to her last night and she said yes."
"NO WAY!"
Carl pumped his fist in the air and laughed triumphantly as if he had won an award, while Ryland sat there, a bit stunned but nonetheless still happy.
"Congrats, Colt, that's huge!" the agent said, leaning forward towards the phone. "You guys are perfect together."
"Thank you, that means a lot," the stuntman replied, sounding very enthusiastic. "Well, now I'm wondering when it's your guys' turn."
Ryland's eyes grew wide. "Huh?"
"Oh, don't worry, I've got a plan," Carl laughed. "We just need to wait for the astronauts to go up and then it'll all fall into place."
"Hey, woah, wait a minute -"
" - I knew you'd have something in mind," Colt laughed. "Well, anyways, I hope you two have a good rest of your night."
"Thanks, buddy." Ryland's partner sat back in his seat, taking a sip of his Diet Coke.
"Yeah, um, y - you too, Colt, and - and congrats again!" Ryland squeaked out.
Colt hung up.
Dr. Grace turned to Carl. "You have a plan for us to get engaged?"
Carl shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean, might as well, right?"
"What the f -"
" - Look, Ryland, I know that's a lot, but...since the world is in danger and all...wouldn't it be nice to have something to look forward to?"
He let him stew on this for a minute. The agent could see the flurry of racing thoughts in his head as they sat there.
"Yeah. Yeah. I mean - yeah." Ryland smiled a little.
Carl sighed. "Okay, what's wrong?"
"Well..." The scientist hesitated. "...I - I don't know, I just feel bad, you know? I mean, we get to stay on Earth while they go up there on a suicide mission -"
" - Ryland, they know what they signed up for. That's why they're living it up before they leave." Carl gently took his hands and squeezed them softly. "They want you to enjoy what you can, too."
With this reassurance from his boyfriend, Dr. Grace felt himself relax. He nodded slowly, and took a deep breath. "Okay."
"Okay?"
He nodded. "Okay."
"Good." Carl leaned forward and kissed him. "We'll be alright."
"If you say so."
"Dude!"
They exchanged a look, and then burst out laughing.
Ryland woke up with tears running down his face.