Chapter Text
For an Eridian sixteen years was just a "drop in the hat." as Grace once told Rocky. Rocky wasn't entirely sure what that expression meant in all honesty, but he didn't need too. What he knew was that sixteen years was too short of a time for Rocky and Grace to have together.
And now Grace was dying.
Rocky knew this for a while now.
Not only did Grace's appearance slowly began to change over the course of those sixteen years. Gone was the dark blonde hair, but replaced with stark white. His skin began to droop, his vision got worse, and eventually his glasses no longer worked at all. His memory was still sharp, as was his tongue, which Rocky was relieved about. But, his mobility began to wane as he could no longer stand upright, and had to walk with a cane to help him get around.
It started about two months back. Grace and Rocky were walking the beach, with Grace's knobby hand holding his cane tightly. His legs were stiff, walking became a bit more of a chore in his elderly age. To be fair, a lot of things have become a chore for Grace. In the recent years, Grace couldn't even put his shoes on without needing some sort of assistance. Of course, Rocky was more than happy to provide this assistance when he could. Now, Rocky couldn't tie Grace's shoes, but Grace didn't mind. Not that he walked normally anymore. No, Rocky saw that Grace shuffled his feet when he walked. He didn't lift his feet and because of this, combined with the gravely sand in his biodome he was often slipping and kicking his toes against the harsh rocks.
Before, Grace would walk with Rocky for hours and not get tired, but this was the day that changed everything.
Rocky walked ahead of Grace, not even aware that Grace had fallen behind. Rocky was just so lost in his own thoughts at the time. When he heard a soft "Thump!" from behind. He saw movement with his echolocation and turned around where he saw Grace's slumped body sprawled along the ground. "Grace!" Rocky exclaimed in worry before hurrying to rush up to his friend. Rocky ran as fast as his legs would allow. "Grace friend!" and he quickly helped Grace to his feet.
He's seen Grace fall, he's seen Grace take worse hits, but yet, when Rocky got Grace sitting up. Grace had such a blank expression on his face. His brilliant blue eyes were dimmed, his lip was bleeding as it was clear he had busted it on his tooth when he hit the ground. Grace had tried to move his glasses, to adjust them, but he didn't have glasses anymore. When he touched nothingness, Grace's shoulders slumped and he looked so...tired. "Rock... I'm sorry, pal, I think...I think I just want to go back and lay down...is that okay?"
"Of course! Statement." And Rocky had Grace lean on him the whole twenty feet back to his home.
That was when Rocky knew Grace's time was starting to wane. Rocky should be happy, he got over sixteen years with Grace, and that's a long time for a human. But...for Rocky it wasn't enough time. It would never be enough time. Never.
Rocky laid Grace down in his bed, removed his shoes and tucked him in. "I'm sorry, bud..." Grace whispered once Rocky had him comfortable in bed. He reached a hand up and patted Rocky's carapace. "I'm not as spry as I once was."
"Rocky understand. Rocky make Grace comfortable." Rocky smoothed the small part of the blanket out. "Rocky talk to Adrian and other biodome team members. We remove the rocks. Make the ground smooth for Grace to walk along."
"Oh pal...I don't think you need to do that." Grace whispered.
Grace knew he was dying too and that made it worse.
After that day, Grace's heart began to sound weak.
Walking would put a lot of strain on Grace's weakened heart, so Rocky built him a chair with wheels, so he could still move, but didn't put too much strain on his body or heart. Grace appreciated the effort and with the help of another Eridian he was removed from his bed and lowered into the chair. Then Rocky would haul Grace as he had a harness around his carapace.
Grace, being Grace, often protested. "I'm not royalty, Rocky, you don't have to do this. It's too much." He often said but Rocky ignored him. Being trapped in a bed all day sounded horrid to Rocky, so he was going to do everything he could to make sure got out of his home and see the biodome, or the pebbles.
Grace long since stopped teaching, but the pebbles still asked to see him. Well, they weren't pebbles anymore, but that never stopped Grace.
Rocky would even take Grace out of the chair and place him on the shore. So they could watch the waves like they once did.
It wouldn't be too much longer before Grace began to steadily drop in weight, his appetite being diminished. He could maybe eat one or two bites of food before stopping and saying how he was full. With this, his clothes began to grow loose, his frame becoming rail thin and his muscles, that were once full and strong, now gone.
When his muscles began to go, Rocky knew... he knew.
Of course, he was desperate to save his friend, everyone on Erid was desperate to try and prolong the life the man that had saved them all. So, Rocky got a team together. Rocky had a hope that they would make Grace's heart strong again, that they could fix him. Rocky promised Grace he would fix it so he wouldn't die. Yes, it was years ago, but he still held to that promise.
Adrian, sweet, kind, lovely Adrian understood Rocky. But, they still had their doubts.
"Humans don't live as long as us. Statement." Adrian had warned Rocky before he'd brought the team in. "Please remember that he's not Eridian."
Of course, Rocky knew Grace wasn't Eridian. Adrian was being silly.
Yet, when he brought in the team of five Eridians in to try and see if there was anything they could do, Grace surprised him. "Rocky..." he whispered to his friend. They all surrounded his bed, all looking at him.
"Grace friend, they'll help you. We'll get your heart pumping strong and you can go on many walks with Rocky again!" Rocky had declared in a sort of delusion. At the idea that maybe they could somehow make Grace young again and make him immortal sticking with him. Then, Grace's soft hand gently touched Rocky's carapace. That lone touch was enough for Rocky to pause. His carapace tittered and he was overcome with a sudden an intense feeling of sadness. One that didn't wane—but grew.— when Grace spoke again.
"You can't fix this," He had whispered to Rocky. His voice sounding heavy but weak at the same time. "Please, I'm...I'm tired."
"Rocky don't want to lose... no, no, no... sad, sad, sad..." Rocky had whispered in a hope that Grace would understand.
"I know, Bud," Rocky perked, thinking maybe this meant that Grace would allow the team to look him over. That's not what happened. "But the only thing I need you to do for me right here and right now is just to watch me sleep...can you do that?"
Rocky looked to the others, who waited on him. "...Go home..." He told them softly before he clambered into the bed.
At this, the other Eridian's paused, but in the end, they understood. One by one they left. Each Eridian giving Grace a tip of their carapace. Some even running their little claws up and down their arms in 'Goodbye.' as this would be the last time they’d see him alive.
"Grace sleep...Rocky watch...but Grace has to promise to wake up. Statement." He nestled right next to Grace, being mindful not to lay on him and break his brittle bones.
"I'll do my best, pal." Grace whispered and rested his hand on Rocky's carapace.
Thankfully, Grace would wake again after that, but he didn't have very much longer. It was just a matter of when. Rocky stayed around every day, Grace told Rocky many times to go home, but Rocky often turned deaf during those moments. Adrian understood. Adrian always understood.
Rocky tried to get Grace out of his bed, put him in the chair with wheels and walk him up and down the biodome. Grace appreciated the effort, but those were few and far between, namely as Grace slept a lot more. Rocky never disturbed Grace. He only watched. Watched and listened to the ever weakening 'thump-bump' of Grace's dying heart.
One day, when Rocky came to Grace's biodome, he was pleasantly surprised to see Adrian had beat him to it. His mate, who was a lot larger than Rocky, sat beside Grace. Grace wasn't sleeping, but was awake. They seemed to have been having a conversation when Rocky walked in and caught the tail end.
"—Can you do that? I know it may not be a easy request..." Grace had asked.
Adrian nodded. "Yes, if that's what you want, Savior Grace."
"Please, Adrian, don't call me that." Grace had asked of them. They asked that of Adrian many times, and Adrian refused to call them anything else. Because to Adrian, Grace was a savior. A savior of Erid and a savior of Rocky.
"What talking about?" Rocky inquired as he strutted in and sat next to Adrian.
"Just...unpleasant requests..." Grace whispered to Rocky. "Don't worry about, pal."
Rocky pressed into Grace's soft hand at that.
"Adrian will start making preparations. Will leave you two alone. " Adrian then stood and Rocky turned towards them.
"Adrian can stay." Rocky quickly said. "Rocky don't mind. Rocky sure Grace don't mind either. Right Grace? Question?"
Grace only smiled as he ran his thumb gently over Rocky's carapace. He didn't say anything.
"No. Adrian go. Lots to do. Lots, lots, lots," and Adrian pressed against Rocky. A show of affection "Rocky stay, stay, stay."
Rocky watched Adrian go shortly after that.
It wouldn't more than a moment later before Grace spoke again. "Rocky? If it's not a hassle, can you get something for me?"
"Yes, friend Grace? What need? Rocky here." Rocky would immediately shift his attention back to Grace. Back to his friend who was nestled along a bunch of pillows. His body small, thinner than before. His skin sallow and sickly pale. Not that Rocky could see that for himself, of course.
Grace's face looked rather confused for a moment, as if he was fighting with himself. His brow would furrow. "In my nightstand—no..." He rose a hand, shut his eyes, and went quiet. His the wheels in his head twisting and turning in thought. "No. Down the hall, where the lab is. There's a closet to the left. In that closet is my old duffle bag. Could you get it for me?"
"Yes!" and Rocky scurried away. He rushed down the old halls of the Hail Mary, the once rocket ship that was turned into a home for Grace. He went down the hall, towards the old lab. The lab that has long been collecting dust as Grace stopped doing scientific theories a long time ago. Rocky went towards the hall, turned towards the left, and found the duffle bag in question fairly quickly. He returned to Grace, handing him the bag.
"What need? Rocky get?"
"No. It's fine, I should be able to find it," Grace told Rocky. "Thank you." and he opened the bag. Grace started to rifle through it. Rocky folded his legs underneath his carapace and waited patiently. Grace started to pull things out and gently set them to the side. "I know she packed it..." He whispered. "I saw it once... not only that I always—" and he trailed off. Stopping his mutterings. Grace then paused, turned, grabbed his glasses and put them on his face. Once on, he looked back into the bag.
He reached in and pulled out a folded up piece of paper.
There was a silence as Grace stared at it.
"What's that?" Rocky asked.
"A letter."
"Oh," Rocky's carapace tilted. A little confused. To him a letter was just that. A letter. A simple thing for spelling out words. So, clearly, this wasn't that. This was a human thing. "What's a letter?"
"Do you remember those video messages we used to do when we were in space?"
"Yes. Grace silly. Rocky remember like just happened." To Rocky, someone with a long life it did just happen.
"Well, a letter, is kind of like that. Only it's hand written and this is what the other person is thinking, written on a paper. You don't see them. You just see their words."
"Oh. So, you read it?"
"Yes. Letters are often erm... personal. To humans that is. They're often given to loved ones. Though, when I left earth, the art of sending letters was dying. Being replaced with text messages and email."
Eridians didn't do that. Because Eridians couldn't see, not like humans. They didn't write things out, they sung them, tapped, and they...speak. They don't write.
"This letter is interesting," Grace said and he unfolded it. "I just want to see if maybe now it could be different."
"What be different?"
Grace didn't elaborate. He instead unfolded the paper. It crinkled, the paper itself sounded old. Grace opened it with care as if he was afraid it would tear. Once it was fully opened, Grace's eyes began to move.
Rocky tried to peek at the letter, but as there was no risen surface, and he didn't have his detail gun, he saw nothing.
Grace was quiet as he read. Rocky could see the way his eyes moved, hear them flicker as they moved along the lines, between words.
Then, just like that, Grace was done. He lowered the paper into his lap, gently interlocked his fingers. For a moment, all was quiet. It was like Grace was processing something. His brow furrowed and his frowned for a moment. Just one moment. Then it was like something clicked. A light sparked behind Grace's blue eyes.
Rocky had no time to prepare himself— or Grace for that matter.— When Grace turned and nearly threw himself out of bed. "Grace!" Rocky gasped as he managed to catch and hold Grace up. Grace's heart was beating fast and this wasn't good for it. For a moment he thought Grace wasn't thinking. That Grace had forgotten he couldn't stand all that well. But no. When Grace wrapped his arms tight around Rocky's carapace in a hug. "Silly human!" Rocky huffed and a trill left his carapace at this. "If human wanted a hug, all had do was ask. Statement." Rocky patted Grace's back. "Human could get hurt."
"I'm sorry..." Grace whispered. "I know. I just..." And a laugh left Grace's mouth. It wasn't a happy laugh, but one that sounded weirdly sad. Grace sniffled then, no doubt his eyes had started to leak. "You'll understand one day. Just know this, you truly are my dearest friend, Rocky. And I know you're going to miss me when..." He trailed off, the words unspoken between them. "But please, Rocky, please, please, please...don't do anything reckless. That's all I ask of you. I know death hurts, you know the sting just the same as me. Don't let it consume you."
Rocky paused. If he had a brow, it'd be furrowed in confusion, but he didn't have one. So, he settled on silence. For a moment anyways. Then he deflected. "Grace being dumb. Rocky won't let...Rocky won't let anything consume him."
After that, Rocky would gently help Grace back into his bed. He then tucked Grace in. Once Grace was back in bed, Rocky rested his two front arms on the side of the bed. "Grace not in pain?"
"No pain."
Rocky took his word for it.
Grace turned his head and glanced at Rocky. He had a smile on his face, the letter was now resting under his hand. "Rocky?"
"Yes, Grace?"
"I won't... I'm not going to be around much longer," Grace whispered.
"Yes, Rocky know... Grace's heart is weak. Get's weaker every day."
"I know, and while I put off talking about what's going to happen after I die...especially to...you. I know how sensitive you are about death—"
"—Not a pebble." Rocky huffed a little. "Rocky can handle it."
Grace smiled a small smile. "Of course. I just have one request. When you bury me...bury me with the letter." He rose the letter up so Rocky could see it. "Can you do that?"
"It means that much to you?" Rocky asked as he held his hand out. Grace handed him the letter.
"A lot more than you realize, I believe."
"What say on it?" He was just curious. As he stared at the paper. "Words of encouragement?"
"More than that..." Grace was gentle when he pressed his palm against Rocky's carapace. "But you'll know in due time. Just not yet." He whispered.
Rocky stared at the paper that was folded in his claw. Then he looked to Grace. "Rocky will be sure you are buried with letter, Grace friend."
"Good...I'm glad. I'm...getting tired, that was a little too much for one day. I hope you don't mind me sleeping so early." Grace's eyes began to droop. Rocky put the letter up on the nightstand. He then grabbed the duffle bag, put all the things Grace had taken out back in and moved the duffle bag to the side.
"Is there anything else you need taken care of? What about the ship?" Rocky inquired.
"Adrian is taking care of it." Grace's voice dropped as his eyes started to shut. "I put them in charge of everything else."
Rocky nodded, of course, if anyone was going to take care of the biodome once Grace was gone, it was going to be Adrian.
Grace would fall sleep shortly after that, Rocky turned towards the letter, almost tempted to get his detail gun, to see it for himself. To see what was so special about it that Grace asked to be buried with it. But, when Grace let out a sharp gasp in his sleep, Rocky's mind immediately forgot about snooping. He instead ran his own claw up and down Grace's arm. To comfort his dying friend the best he could.
The next night was when it happened.
Grace had woken up at one point, looked at Rocky, and just spoke. He said "I don't think...I'm going to make it past tonight, bud..." His voice had a breathiness to it. His chest wheezed, and his heart beat started to stutter.
Even Rocky knew his time was coming to an end. Rocky shook his head. "No..." He whispered with a sad trill. "Grace strong."
Both of Grace's hands touched his carapace. Those soft fingers gently rubbing and touching along Rocky's body. "Not strong enough, and that's okay. You'll be okay."
Eridians don't cry, not like humans. They didn't have eyes, therefore they didn't produce tears. No, Eridians sang. Their tunes going into a sorrowful whistle. Rocky stared at Grace and the sadness sat heavy in his carapace. It made him tip downwards. "🎶" He whistled.
"None of that," said Grace in the most 'teacher' voice he could muster. "Listen to me—" Grace then winced visibly. Rocky heard it, his heart sputtered. It was going to stop. Still, as Grace rubbed at his chest, he continued. "—I know I never said these words and it's not because I never meant them. I always have. I just always had a hard time saying them: I love you." He told Rocky. "You are my best friend and I will always love you. Even after I'm gone. Yes, I'm—" and he stopped, his eyes going wet and his breath hitching. He tried another way. "Meeting you, was the best thing that ever happened to me—"
Grace winced again and he fell back on his bed. "Grace!" Rocky carefully clambered on to the bed. "Rocky get doctor—"
Grace was smiling at Rocky. "—You were the best thing to ever happen to me, Rocky. In more ways than I think you realize..." Grace then started to drop his smile. Tears rolling down his cheeks started to slow. "Rocky." and Grace opened his arms. His hands shook as it was clear this was taking a lot of effort for him to do. "Come here."
Rocky climbed into the bed. He let out another sad whistle before he rested against Grace. He had to be careful as to not crush his friend. He wrapped his arms around Grace's side and let his carapace on the bed. With him this close, he could hear the slow and weak thump of Grace's heart.
Grace rubbed at his chest. His breath hitched and wheezed. "Grace, talk to Rocky." Rocky asked of him.
Grace laughed, but there was no mirth. "Still so bossy... what do you want to kn—" Grace gasped then.
Rocky tried to think. What would Grace know? What would get Grace talking, keep his mind off of the pain. "Tell Rocky—!" Rocky floundered for a second, just trying to think of a question. "Tell Rocky the speed of light! Go!"
"Speed...of light..." Grace laughed. "You're an engineer for a space craft and you don't—
" his heard Grace's heart sputter some more. The beat now erratic and out of time. There was no "Thump-bump." But more of a "Bump-thump-bump-bump-thump." "—You don't know the speed of light...."
Rocky pressed his carapace into Grace's side as he held on a little tighter. His heart was slowing again, but it was still out of rhythm. "Bump-bump-thump."
Grace gasped, his head went against his pillows and he stared at the ceiling. He swallowed thickly before a hoarse cough left his mouth. Then, he gasped. His mouth was opened as he gasped as if trying, but failing, to catch his breath.
"🎶" Rocky trilled softly with sadness as it sat heavy along his body. Grace was left gasping loudly and there was nothing Rocky could do, but comfort him. So, that's what Rocky did. Rocky gently ran his hand up and down Grace's arm. "It's okay... you don't have to tell Rocky..." Rocky whispered. "It's okay. Grace okay. Grace strong. Grace brave. Grace bravest human Rocky knows. No humor. Statement."
Grace stopped gasping as he went still against his pillows. Not limp. Not dead. His heart, however was getting even slower. "Bump... bump..."
Rocky lowered his carapace, if that was possible. "🎶"
Grace's hand pressed against his carapace and Rocky stilled. Then... his hand slid down and didn't get back up.
"Grace?"
There was no longer a bump.
"🎶 Grace?" Rocky asked.
Grace was still now. His face at peace. Rocky tried to look at him, but he was having a hard time seeing him now. There was no noise. "🎶🎶... Gr—🎶🎶 Grace?"
Rocky sang.
Rocky sang all night.
When Adrian found him the next morning. They sang with him. Then that set off the others.
All of Erid sang for three days and three nights over the death of their Saving Grace. The planet coming together to mourn the lost of their one and only human. The human that they all loved.
But none loved more than Rocky and none mourned more than Rocky. For Rocky didn't just lose a friend, he lost his best friend and unofficial brother.