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Ryland Grace has had – up until now – the most complicated, interesting and exhausting life story to date.
Seriously. If you had him write up an autobiography about his entire life, starting from his rough childhood where his older brother shot his abusive father and gotten arrested due to that, to him cursing out his fellow peer at a UNESCO conference, to him having a falling out with his twin brother, to him meeting, falling in love, dating and eventually marrying a famous A-list actor, to being shot up into space... well, it wouldn't fit into one book. At the very least, it deserved three books to be able to fit everything without condensing it all.
(Hey, he quite literally saved the planet from doom, so he deserves that at the very least. Three autobiographies is nothing to sneeze at compared to a freaking statue or monument named after him, though he hopes that nothing of that degree actually exists back on Earth, he'd be mortified.)
The point is, if you had told Grace almost two decades ago, that one day, he'd be shot off into space, meet and befriend an alien and save the sun from dying, he'd think you were out of your mind. Grace was not the most inclined person to take risks. That was all Colt, whose profession included him leaping off buildings and rolling around in cars. So telling him that he'd be shot up into space, well, Grace would just laugh hysterically.
As Grace once said, he put the 'not' in astronaut.
But whether past Grace would believe you or not was irrelevant, because it does happen and whether past Grace liked it or not, he was going to get on that ship if it was the last thing Stratt did.
There were very conflicting feelings when it came to Stratt.
Because, on one hand, she had chased him down, drugged him and nonconsensually shot him up into space. It was betrayal at its finest, but it goes without saying that Stratt trusted him immensely to complete the mission. It wasn't her fault that the explosion had taken Dubois and Shapiro in one go and it certainly wasn't her fault that Grace had happened to be her last salvation (as horrifying as the idea had been).
Because on one hand, Eva had betrayed Grace and knew that he could do the impossible. And on the other hand, she had been right.
The notion was still ridiculous to Grace. It hadn't settled in his bones just yet, the fact that he had done the impossible. That he had gone on this suicide mission and un-suicided it. That he had met an alien and became best friends with him. He had saved both Earth and Erid's sun and he lived to tell the tale.
It would probably take longer, more time for Grace to come to terms with it. But it was his life now – here on Erid, in his bio-dome with his simulated beach and waves and the house he called home.
“You took your sweet time coming back.” A sultry voice purrs as thick muscled arms wrap around Grace's body, trapping his arms at his sides once the scientist stepped foot into the house.
Grace squeaks and then laughs, squirming as Tom pushed his face into his neck, peppering kisses against the sensitive skin. “Tom-! Ack, stop, I'm only late by four minutes!!”
“Which means four minutes of punishment, sweetheart,” Tom simply remarks. It's the only warning Grace gets before the actor jams his fingers against his ribs and underneath his armpits.
The motion sets off a series of yelps, giggles and squeaks as Grace valiantly tries to fight off his husband's attacks. Thankfully, Grace had a trump card.
“We have guests!” He exclaims between heaving gasps, finally given reprieve as Tom ceased his tickling. Grace could feel the pout against his neck and giggles again – not from the remnants of tickling, but from the pout.
As if on cue, a series of musical notes and chimes erupts from the open front door, prompting the couple to glance over.
“Chill, Rocky, I'm just getting my designated time with my husband,” Tom drawls.
“Understand much, but must take extra care of pebbles,” the Eridian chimes, already used to the display of affection the couple was exhibiting.
“Human intimacy very interesting,” Adrian adds, musical notes dancing in the air.
“Okay, let's get inside, yeah? Before a draft comes in.”
Two small xenonite balls whip past Tom and Grace's legs, bumping into walls and obstacles alike as they sang musical notes and chimes, much more discordant in terms of grammar and words but still pleasing to the ear without needing to understand much.
“Wow, they're energetic,” Tom says, shifting his foot as one of the balls hits his foot.
“Yes, much excitement to visit human family,” Adrian chirps in agreement, squeezing past the doorway after Rocky steps in. “Food supply is sufficient, question?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah, it's great. Amazing job you guys are doing,” Tom nods. Food had been a concern for a while, but as it would turn out, being an actor and having to maintain a sculpted bod gave Tom a sufficient amount of knowledge about proteins and nutrients and what was needed for a perfect healthy body. They had started small, but as time passed by, they had figured things out.
Grace was fond of how passionate Tom was about food, almost as much as he was with acting. And, well, if he couldn't do one thing, he could most certainly do the other. So, food it was.
Tom was already rattling off ideas, making gestures with his hands as Adrian followed him. The Eridian was always eager to learn anything about humans, as were the other Eridians on planet Erid.
“So,” Grace starts, sitting down onto the couch and looking at Rocky with an easy smile. “What did you want to talk about?”
Rocky chirps, very enthusiastically pittering and pattering here and there. “Many things, yes yes, must discuss! How is Grace, question?”
Grace chuckles, always ever so amused by Rocky's attitude. “I'm great, Rock, thanks. How are you?”
“Trick question, Rocky always great.” The Eridian let out a series of wavering notes and combined with the shaking body gesture, Rocky was obviously enjoying his own humour.
As Rocky began to prattle off about updates around the planet, Grace lets his mind drift for a bit.
Grace's life, since landing on Erid, has been a whirlwind of chaos and normalcy that had settled in his chest like a truth to be carried.
It'd taken a grueling 4 years of travel, after Grace had decided to turn the ship back around despite Tom's endless questions about whether it was the right choice. Saving Rocky had been the right choice, because Grace couldn't bear the guilt of saving his sun and not Rocky's.
The risks were made aware and they had taken the leap.
Now, as a show of gratitude for their saviours (Grace still got mildly flustered when anyone referred to him as such), the Eridians had banded together and created the bio-dome, which was marvel of technology and science that Grace was always eager to understand and learn. Grace had done a lot of landscaping, though it was Tom who did the architecture of their house. Perks of living on a planet and building your house from scratch is that it's entirely free reign.
It wouldn't be anything on Earth. But it was theirs and Grace cherished it dearly.
The two-storey house was a quaint but very stylish home, with a built-in slide that ran along the staircase. That had been Tom's idea because, again, free reign, but Grace used it as much as the actor did anyways. There were picture frames on the walls, with printed photos and polaroids of people they knew and loved. Grace kept a frame of Colt next to him on the bedside table, though he always made sure to knock it down or turn it away when he and Tom got it on.
There were a lot of things that the Eridians had surprisingly been able to furnish together, cobbled together with pieces from Tom and Grace and the computer they had lent. Everything had a purpose and always ready for use.
Yes, Erid had given Grace many things – namely a job in teaching a class of eager and enthusiastic pebbles that adored him as much as he adored them, and a homemaker Tom Ryder. The thought makes the scientist chuckle often on occasion. Hollywood would have a conniption if they knew.
But without a career in acting anymore, Tom had taken to managing the house and finding things to do on his own. Which was why they had a small home-gym in the downstairs living room and why the sea had simulated waves for surfing. It was a lot of repitition, but Tom had surprisingly mellowed out far quicker than Grace anticipated. Probably something to do with the two decades or so they spent in a space-craft, most of which they spent unconscious and in comas.
So, yeah, a wonderful life. His wonderful life.
“Grace listen, question?”
Grace blinks, jolting back to attention. He looks at Rocky who gives him an unimpressed look on his faceless visage. The scientist gives a sheepish smile and the Eridian stamps his foot.
“Grace ignore Rocky, rude rude rude!” The Eridian huffs, very clearly unpleased at the fact that Grace hadn't listened.
“Wha- I wasn't ignoring you, Rock, I just zoned out! Promise!!” Grace exclaims, immediately jumping to defend his honour.
“Rocky heartbroken, Rocky dead, Grace kill Rocky.” A loud thump sounds as Rocky drops his heavy carapace onto the ground, limp like a dead body. Grace rolls his eyes, exasperated at his best friend's behaviour, but can't help and smile as Grace Jr. and Alioth immediately race towards their parent.
They hit Rocky's xenonite suit with the shells of their balls, chirping and chittering musical notes as they ran and sprinted. Rocky lets them hit his suit just a few more times before sitting up, the pebbles giving a sharp high-pitched chime before bolting off.
“Sorry,” Grace says sincerely. “Just a lot of stuff on my mind today. What did you wanna tell me? I'll listen this time, honest.”
Rocky whistles sharply before he chimes, “Rocky tell Grace that Eridian scientists finish with Grace ship for take-off.”
Grace blanks for a moment. “Really?”
“Yes. Rocky ask Grace if Grace and mate ready to go back to Earth, question?”
The topic of returning back to Earth had been tossed around. Of course, they never really did anything about it because at the time, it felt impossible – Mary had been curated for a one-way trip and had almost broken apart in an attempt to land on Erid. Plus, the trip would probably take another decade or so to travel and food was a high concern.
So, for the most part, they just never considered the idea of going back to Earth.
Grace found his gaze flickering towards the kitchen, where he could see Tom talking animatedly to Adrian. For a moment, Grace wondered if Adrian had told Tom the same thing – that returning back to Earth was a possibility.
“Can I...” Grace pauses, “can I get some time to think about it?”
Rocky, who had fallen quiet, suddenly chirrups energetically. “Yes! Yes, think about it for long time.”
The sentence makes Grace quirk a small smile, because of course his best friend was reluctant to let him go. Grace would feel the same if the roles were switched.
“Course, bud,” he says and raises his fist. “Fist bump?”
“Fist my bump!” Rocky's fist knocks against his.
And Grace laughs, feeling something in his chest do a funny little thing. It's a small thing, but he feels it regardless, as they go through the rest of the visit with friendly voices and a camaraderie that had formed in cramped space-crafts and the end of the world looming over them.
He feels it as he waves goodbye to Rocky and his family. He feels it as he retreats back into the house. He feels it as he gets ready for bed. He feels it as he lays next to Tom and stares at the picture frame.
Colt stares back at him, crooked smile that Grace had seen on himself several times and that unruly look he always had to him.
Grace didn't know if Colt was still alive. If the beatles had gotten back in time. If the sun had been saved. Questions swirled around in his head and Grace hated not being able to answer any of them.
“Y'thinking about somethin'?”
Tom curls around Grace from behind, tucking his face against the scientist's shoulder. The actor was a deeper sleeper than Grace was, so for him to be awake right now, it could only mean that Tom had been awake for some time already.
“Something,” Grace murmurs back. Tom hums, not prying.
Grace plays with it for a minute – the idea of not telling Tom. Then regrets it almost viscerally immediately, because not telling Tom meant not giving his husband the same choice Rocky was giving him.
It was a question of choice. Whether Tom wanted to stay in this little life that they called their own or go back to Earth and go back to the life they had before. Whether Tom wanted this quaint little house where it's just him and Grace or if he wanted stardom and spotlight again.
Grace rolls over, turning to face Tom. “Rocky told me something.”
“You guys talk a lot about 'something's,” Tom remarks softly, curling his arms around Grace. “What was it this time?”
“He said the ship was ready.”
Grace watches Tom's expression shift, the way his eyebrows jumped and his lips pressed together. Clearly he hadn't been expecting that.
“He said that the Eridians figured out how to remake Mary. Make her stronger, more durable for the trip back home. He asked if we wanted to,” Grace trails off.
“If we wanted to go back.”
Grace just nods his head and tucks his face into Tom's chest, breathing in softly. “I asked if I could have some time to think about it.”
There's a silence that fills the room, stretching between the pair. Most nights were quiet because most nights had Grace's thought running wild and Tom being non-talkative.
Now the silence felt heavier, with the recent revelation hanging between them.
“And?” Tom prompts. “Have you thought about it?”
To that, Grace simply shrugs. “I don't know. There's a lot of things that could go wrong. A lot of things that just...”
He didn't want to think about it, the idea of going back and only finding Earth dead and the sun no longer shining. It was a hard pill to swallow, that Grace's efforts had been in vain. He didn't want to go back and find that after everything, he couldn't do it.
“Well,” the actor hums, “good think we have time then.”
At this, Grace looks up, searching Tom's face. “You're... not gonna say anything?”
Tom shrugs this time too, a smile playing on his lips. “I mean, I'm not the captain. Or the lead scientist. Or the saviour of two suns.”
Grace flushes at that last title and lightly shoves at Tom's chest with a huff. “Yeah, but you're Tom. You're my husband.”
Tom makes a noise like this was a monumental piece of information. “You're right, I am.”
“And?” Grace raises an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
The smile that comes across Tom's face is soft. Unbelievably so. If Grace wasn't so used to the sight of it and Tom had been Tom Ryder and not Tom Grace, it would've been unsettling or uncommon to see, at the very least.
“I think,” the actor says, brushing Grace's hair from his face, “that I'll follow you, wherever you go, whatever you choose to do.”
And wasn't that a lovely sentiment? Wasn't that proof enough of who exactly Ryland Grace fell in love with, all those years ago? It'd been a funny revelation, when on Mary, that they'd been married for well over two decades and had barely gotten to celebrate any anniversary up until then.
Now, here on Erid, this was their life together. Their home. And while not the one Grace or Tom had envisioned, it was their life regardless.
“You're so sappy,” Grace laughs. Tom merely smiles.
“Yeah, love you too, babe.”
And so Grace falls asleep, with the vague idea that his life had been and is hectic. But it was his life, so what was there not to love about it?