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Grace always thought yearly checkups were unnecessary back when he lived on Earth, taking up his time and often causing unneeded worry that all but dwindled away once the godforsaken appointment was over. His yearly salary never allowed him to take trips to the Hosptial willy nilly either, and so, if he felt something was wrong, he would get it checked out.
Eridian checkups, however, were different, and he could confidently say that these had a real reason to be necessary. When he first started on the path of recovery after the Eridian Scientists synthesised his nutrients all those years before, the Doctors would assess him once a week to ensure that he was getting the needed three meals a day, 8 hours of sleep, and an hour of exercise to stay healthy, and though Grace found it annoying, Rocky was adamant that they stayed, refusing to listen to him when he said he'd tell him if he started to go downhill.
And now that it had been two Eridian days since Grace was transferred into his new body, the same routine occurred the moment Grace was deemed stable. It was a simple procedure, the Doctors first checking his senses before they moved onto his reaction time, and after a couple of minutes of what was essentially an Eridian cranial nerve exam, they were pleased to find that his body was working as intended.
Grace sat patiently during each test, his front arms tucked underneath his carapace, and he found himself hyperaware of each brief poke and prod they gave him, the Xenonite suit no longer separating the space between them. It wasn't as intense as when Rocky had first touched him, his friend's touch leaving his whole carapace warm anytime he gently lay his claws against him, but it was nonetheless something that made Grace wonder how long it had been since he last touched someone skin to skin.
In the end, the tests came back conclusive, and after a brief chat about what to do if any future issues arose, the Doctors gave Grace the clear to leave. Getting back onto his feet was simple with the few hours of experience that he had underneath him (not that it made much of a difference), and with Rocky's guidance, the two carefully left the room he had woken up in, beginning to make their way through the Eridian Hospital.
Grace had only briefly heard the outside world during the time he spent adapting to his Eridian body, the room they were in blocking most of the noise, but once the protection of the soundproofing had left, the change of input was stronger than Grace had been expecting. It wasn't an overwhelming amount, not in the sense that he had been thinking, but there was a wider range of information that was now available to his carapace as he wobbled his way through the building, steps echoing everything around right back to him.
For example, he was able to pick up on the sound of Eridians walking on the street outside, and the closer they got to the entrance, the stronger this internal knowing grew, their shapes becoming clearer with every step he took. Grace was still getting used to the ability to sense everything that was happening in proximity to his body, and there was more than once that the new sense had taken him by surprise, especially when it came to Rocky and his need to circle Grace multiple times to help him understand better.
They soon reached the main entrance, and once Rocky had led him through, Grace was quick to notice that the city was quite active, more than one Eridian scuttling around as they went about their day. No one paid any attention to either of them as they came out onto the main street, and Grace found himself silently delighted about this as he followed Rocky closely, his wobbling steps being a bit weird to those around.
Erid had yet to be told of Grace's transfer, to ensure that the first few days were as peaceful as possible, and so even if an Eridian was Grace's biggest fan, they wouldn't recognise who he was, even if he stood right in front of them. He thought that it would be rather awkward to meet someone new when he was barely able to walk, never mind having no real way to communicate at this point. It would be like going up to a baby and then expecting it to know perfect language skills despite it only being two hours old.
Getting through the city was easier than Grace expected, and it didn't take long until Rocky led him down a familiar path, clicking at Grace softly to help him find his way. Grace didn't really know where Rocky was leading him, the two of them having been so excited about the switch originally that they hadn't even talked about what would happen afterwards, but as he carefully followed the other Eridian down the path that led away from the bustling noise of the city, it soon dawned on him just where he was taking him.
This path led to where his Biodome sat, he processed as a whistling sound left his body.
Rocky was quick to pause when he felt the noise echo against his carapace, and turning around, he soon spotted Grace standing a few feet away, no longer following him and now clicking his claws together almost apprehensively.
"Grace?" Rocky asked in confusion, carapace tilted to the side as he tapped one leg to the ground in question.
"Home?" Grace responded awkwardly, his chords rough and almost sounding unfinished. He knew there was little he could say to get Rocky to understand, but there was one thing he knew with certainty when it came to their shared vocabulary, and it was that this specific word would tell him everything he needed to know.
And as Grace had predicted, Rocky jolted up when he recognised the word he had chirped out, but instead of agreeing and explaining what they were going to do once there, Rocky instead stepped forward with a fervour that Grace wasn't expecting.
"Take Grace to RockyAdrian nest!" Rocky trilled excitedly, practically vibrating as he shook his hands towards Grace.
When Grace had been human, Rocky had specifically requested that his Biodome be created with his and Adrian's own nest in mind, a chosen area that was close enough to them just in case of emergency and wasn't too far of a walk. Grace had been there once or twice, his Xenonite EVA suit being designed with these little trips out of his Biodome in mind, but with the excitement that came with becoming an Eridian, he had completely forgotten that this path also led elsewhere.
"Oh!" Grace squeaked out quickly at realising that he had misunderstood, his carapace rising in surprise as he straightened his legs out. That made more sense. Going to his Biodome as an Eridian would be stupid.
Rocky just let out a chirping laugh in response, and extending out his claw, he gestured for Grace to follow, tapping his feet on the spot excitedly.
"Adrian is waiting at nest." Rocky told him, closing and opening his fist eagerly.
It had been a shock to Grace when Adrian bonded to him as quickly as they had, their excitement evident on their carapace the very moment they had met, and though Grace had been nervous at first, (after all, this was his best friend's beloved mate) that anxiousness was quick to dwindle the moment he saw just how equally eager Adrian had been to meet him.
Grace never thought another pea would fit into his and Rocky's pod, their friendship alone being created in a very specific way that Grace never imagined he'd be able to replicate again, but Adrian proved that there was always room for one more, their singular two peas soon turning into three.
Adrian had always been an Eridian who was deeply fascinated by Biology, and after being one of the main Biologists that worked alongside Rocky to ensure that Grace's Biodome had been perfect, their desire to study him was quick to present in their friendship. This similarity between the two led them to become quick friends, and there were many times when Rocky had to pull Grace away from their multiple hour-long conversations, saving him from missing out on his sleeping schedule and becoming incredibly sleep-deprived.
In return, Adrian was also one of the only Eridians to be told of Grace's transfer, and their excitement had been clear the very moment Grace saw the way they tapped around on the spot. He was certain that at least half of their excitement was based on the chance to study him in his new Eridian body, and he wouldn't be lying by saying that he didn't even really mind it all that much.
In the end, it took the two of them around five minutes to reach the area where Adrian and Rocky had dug out their nest, and the first thing that Grace noted as he stepped onto the slope that led down to the door was how different it was through his Eridian senses. It hadn't been a struggle for him to enter their nest originally, the half in the ground, half above design making it rather versatile for any Eridian, or human, for that matter.
Now, however, he found that he was way smaller than the door. Grace had realised on the way over that he and Rocky were similiarly sized, and while it didn't particularly bother him, it was a change he'd have to get used to. Most Eridians were around his size, maybe slightly smaller, but occasionally you'd get an Eridian who was almost twice as large. Adrian was one of these Eridians, and when Grace first saw them from a distance, it was all he could think about.
Rocky had never once mentioned that they practically towered over him in all of the years that they had spent together on the Hail Mary, with a carapace twice as thick and legs that could crush bones if given the chance, and it was slightly unnerving to him once he had finally been able to put a picture to his friend's mate. But, it melted into a comforting presence once Adrian and Grace bonded, and eventually their size offered a sense of safety any time they went outside the Biodome, Grace knowing he'd be thoroughly protected if anything were to happen.
Now, once again, years after their initial meeting, Adrian's size was all Grace could think about as Rocky stepped forward to open the door, a faint muffle being heard from inside the nest.
Rocky told him on the way there that Adrian had stayed back to prepare the nest for his arrival, because according to Rocky, he would get into some sort of stupid situation without supervision, and in the end, Grace couldn't find it in him to be offended because he had been right.
The main room was empty as Grace followed Rocky inside, the others' carapace raised high as he searched for where his mate had gone, but it didn't take long until a warble of greeting echoed from inside one of the side rooms, a blurry shape being seen behind the walls.
Adrian appeared through the doorway not long after, and the moment their eyes landed on Grace, their whole carapace began to shake with excitement.
Grace, however, could only focus on one thing as they stood.
They were huge.
"Grace." Adrian called out as they walked over, voice fond. " How are you feeling?"
Adrian spoke with proper Eridian Grammar, Grace noticed once his surprise had settled, and it was significantly harder to process the chords they had produced as he felt his mind struggling to catch up, lagging behind almost like how a pebble's would work after hatching.
"O-kay." It had taken Grace a moment to respond, his chord a little broken up, but it came out in an understandable way, regardless of how awkward it sounded. Speech was getting easier the more he used his vocal systems, but he still had a lot to learn, leaving him only able to say the most basic words. Adrian, however, just trilled at the sound, and stepping closer, they began to bombard him with excited questions, claws tapping together.
"How did the transfer go? Was it an easy process? How do you feel about being in a new body?"
Grace had hoped that he would be able to understand the next few sentences with ease, but the moment their words got more complex, it was like his brain had short-circuited and completely given up on him. He stood awkwardly as he tried his hardest to piece together the full sentence, but in the end, nothing came up, and only the soft, confused clicking that came from him echoing back to Adrian.
"Grace gets overwhelmed easy." Thankfully, Rocky came to his rescue, and Grace watched as he stepped over and raised his carapace in the air, a fond tone leaking from his chords as he explained the situation to his mate. Adrian let out a soft chitter of understanding after a moment, and soon lifting their claw, they gently took a hold of Grace's hand.
"That is alright. You can take your time." They say, thumb rubbing over the side of Grace's hand. The action forced a shiver through Grace's carapace again, but he didn't have the time to process it before Adrian led him forward, their hand warm against his as they walked deeper into the nest.
Grace didn't say anything as he suddenly found himself being sat in a pile of softly textured blankets, and feeling as Rocky came to settle down beside him, Grace watched as Adrian sat across from them, their large legs tucking underneath their body as they got comfortable.
"I noticed you were unbalanced." They said to him, extending one arm to rest it on Grace's. He ignored the warmth that shot through him.
"Grace like pebble when first woke up." Rocky told Adrian, and when Grace realised he was teasing, he let out a low noise of irritation, air forcefully leaving his vents. It was a noise that got Adrian's attention pretty quickly, and it didn't take long for them to begin to laugh. Adrian's chirps were different to Rocky's, Grace had noted the very first time he had heard them laugh, but they were no less pleasant. It was always like a reward whenever Grace managed to make them laugh, their calm and quiet demeanour being something they were known for, and he appreciated each moment greatly.
"Anyways, never mind that now," Adrian soon began once they all settled again, their excitement no longer able to be hidden. "Tell me, how did the transfer fare?"
"The transfer went well!" Rocky responded almost instantly, carapace wiggling around excitedly as he shook his hands. "Grace came around quickly."
He added as he moved to tap his claws against Grace's arm, and a squeaky chirp left Grace's body the moment he felt the touch connect, neither Adrian nor Rocky seeming to notice the noise.
They were too focused on each other's words to fully process it, taking it in like it was a part of their chat, and Grace was secretly glad that they hadn't noticed his reaction, allowing himself to settle back down to focus on the conversation.
"Good, good, good! I'm glad there were no complications." Adrian trilled, their tone pleased. It didn't take long until they turned their attention to Grace, and with a question bubbling at the end of their chords, they worded it in a way that he would understand. "How did you feel about it?"
"Str-ange." Grace whistled back. Understanding Eridian was easy, but gods, speaking it proved to be much more difficult than he had intended.
"Are you adapting easily enough?" Adrian asked next, tilting their carapace in a gesture that reminded Grace of someone cocking their head. He found it frustrating that he couldn't go more in-depth about just how weird it had been to wake up in a new body, feeling like he had suddenly become mute after years of being able to speak, but that frustration only lasted a few moments before it sizzled away. He had years ahead of him, and even if it wasn't right now, Grace would get a chance to explain all of this to both Adrian and Rocky eventually.
"Y-es." Grace finally chirped out, focusing his attention on getting the words he could say out successfully.
"Doctors said Grace should function normally in few days. Need to bring him back if anything wrong." Rocky added on to his words to help widen Adrian's understanding of what occurred, his arms now tucked underneath himself as he sat snuggly in his spot.
"Hopefully it won't come to that. This body was made with perfection in mind, it would take a lot for it to break down." Adrian warbled, and when Grace saw them moving closer, he thought they were just getting comfortable again, but once his hand had suddenly been picked up and twisted around in their palm, he realised that wasn't the case.
Oh.
They were touching him again.
Grace swore he was losing his mind the moment he felt his carapace burn hot, and feeling as his vents suddenly expelled the heat that radiated in his body, the only thing he could do was sit and allow Adrian to trace their claw along his hand, blunt fingers careful as they checked each joint to ensure that they were working well.
He briefly heard Rocky laughing beside him as this ordeal went down, chirping notes a pitch higher than his usual chords, but Grace ignored this as he felt Adrian moving to check another hand, their claws increasingly getting higher and higher up his arm.
They were talking about something with Rocky, an excited lilt to their voice as the two of them chatted away happily, but Grace was unable to focus on what was being said as his mind hyper-focused on the warm touch that was radiating from their hands. They had moved to grab his limbs with both hands now, being careful not to hurt him, and the extra touch froze Grace on the spot, carapace warmer than he had remembered, and his vents expelling air every few seconds as Adrian continued to talk.
His new biology seemed to be the main topic of the conversation now, after all, Adrian had been most interested in seeing how he would fare mentally when going from Human to an Eridian, and even though Grace tried his hardest to stay focused, the words just did not enter his mind, instead flying straight past and missing the mark altogether.
It had been way too long since he had felt real touch, but he had never thought he would crumble like this. Even though it was rare that he got affection back on Earth, he had long been able to touch Rocky now, and even though it was debatable about whether or not touch between a Xenonite suit could be classed as true contact, it had been enough for him.
It wasn't like Rocky was averse to affection in any way, shape or form, either. The Eridian practically cuddled with him every time he fell asleep, adamant about watching him sleep every chance he got.
But the more the thought raced around Grace's mind, he realised that this was different. He was actually able to feel each inch of the warm hand that pressed against his new skin, feel the way Adrian carefully pressed their claws against each joint of his limb and sent shivers running through his carapace.
God, even when Rocky had first touched him back in the Hospital, Grace nearly melted on the spot. It had been so long.
Grace was soon dragged out of his thoughts when a new sensation pressed up against his carapace, and turning his attention away from where Adrian's hand was, he noticed that it was Rocky, the other Eridian now sat closer to reach over to his mate.
"Adrian, he doesn't know what you're saying. You've overwhelmed his little pebble brain." Rocky spoke with an amused trill, words almost a laugh.
Grace noted that he was speaking with proper Eridian Grammar again, but it didn't stop him from understanding exactly what his friend had said.
He was purposely teasing him.
Air huffed out of Grace's vents as he realised what Rocky was trying to do, and lifting his 'back' leg, it didn't take long until he was using it to smack down against Rocky's carapace, voicing his displeasure without even using words.
Rocky had been quick to find Grace's retaliation to be funny, but Adrian, however, let out a chord of surprise when they realised they had rushed ahead, and pulling their hands away from Grace, they were quick to tuck them back against their carapace.
"I apologise, I got a little ahead of myself." They said sheepishly, tapping their claws together in a nervous gesture.
"Is okay." Grace responded softly once he had gotten over his brief moment of irritation with his friend, still aware of the way his carapace was pressed against his. The other Eridian had yet to move away from him, and honestly, Grace wasn't sure if Rocky ever would.
"I'll wait until you're able to communicate properly before asking you any more biology questions." Adrian trilled out as they raised their legs, pleased that Grace wasn't upset with them.
Rocky just laughed again.
"Grace need more practice." He said, reverting to his English way of speaking Eridian as he turned his attention to him. Grace knew he was teasing again, but he was right either way.
More practice was needed before Grace could hold a full conversation.
A soft warble left Grace's carapace as he deflated at this realisation, legs falling to the side and his body slumping as he forwent sitting up normally. The action made another chirp leave Rocky's mouth, Grace's terrible emotional turmoil clearly amusing him. Adrian soon followed at seeing what was Grace's equivalent of a giant Eridian sigh, their own chords coming out as a chirping breath as they re-tucked their hands under their body, and Grace could only find himself sinking deeper into one thought as the two teased him fondly.
"Mean." He whistled out, words akin to a pout but still holding the feigning tone that could be found underneath if one knew what they were looking for.
"Grace loves teasing." Rocky retorted, knocking his carapace against Grace's in jest.
"Do not." Grace huffed playfully, bumping his carapace right back. He had intended to be gentle, but the action didn't come off that way as he ended up knocking into Rocky a little harder than he wanted to.
A squeak left both of them as they toppled to the side, and it didn't take long before Grace was chirping out an apology, limbs scrambling around as he aimed to pull himself back up.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry." He chanted as he pulled his front 'arms' against his carapace, now having righted himself and trying to pretend that he hadn't done that.
"Is okay." Rocky accepted the apology immediately, still just as amused as he was beforehand. "Still learning to not be a weak human anymore."
He then added on playfully, and it was at that moment that Grace wished he still had the ability to roll his eyes.