Chapter Text
After moving into the dome, Ryland figures Rocky’s visits would slow and his students would will most of his days however, instead, his house has been nothing but quiet in the last year and a half. In between: Rocky and Adrian coming after work, their kids spending almost every weekend at Uncle Ryland’s place, and his new roommates. Nothing that Ryland couldn’t handle but that doesn’t mean things have been easy.
Mark Watney – who was apparently kidnapped from Mars – have been interesting to live with. Most days, it feels like Watney completely forgets where he is: spending days in his ‘greenhouse’ and rarely come back to the house to eat. Other days, Watney is in every space of the house. From the living room to the bedroom to the kitchen, it’s like Watney lives in his walls. And that’s not even mentioning Pathfinder because he completely forgot about the existence of Transformers. (There’s also the whole thing where every Eridian only refers Watney as a Martian but Ryland hasn’t had time to sort that out yet).
There's also Simon. Ryland still isn’t sure what to make of the man, who have spent so long in a dark pocket of space and dealing with something called the Blood Ocean. For most part, Simon tends to sit by the ocean and spend the whole day there, only eating something if someone brings him anything. There’s been a few times where Ryland found Simon and Mark hanging out together in Mark’s ‘greenhouse’. Adrian had built a new arm for Simon but it’s not complete yet.
And then there’s Jazz who only shows up in between deliveries; stealing food and watching TV. Ryland did try to get some information about her but she’s tight lip about everything in her life. Simon had managed to get some information but refuse to share which is fine by Ryland.
Pulling off his glasses, Ryland leans back into the couch since he needs to take a break from grading. He tenses up for a second before relaxing when he realizes that it’s just Rocky nuzzling into his side since his friend had taken one side of the couch, forcing Grace into the center. On the ground next to the couch, Adrian sleeps peacefully even though she still hasn’t warmed up to him quite yet. Though, Ryland hope they could be friends one day.
He rolls his eyes when a snore cause Ryland to jump; completely forgetting that Mark had put his legs over Ryland’s lap and have been sleeping peacefully along with Peacemaker, who basically the rest why the couch is a bit bigger than it normally would. It acts a bit more like a single bed than a standard couch which Ryland isn’t complaining since he has fallen asleep on it a few times already.
It’s still a shock to learn about Cybertron which Rocky only waves off, not surprised due to having a good standing with the Transformers. Those that weren’t of Cybertron had continue life as normal, completely ignoring a whole going on at their Capital planet. Ryland wanted to know more by Rocky, and specially Adrian, had told Ryland to drop the matter since it’ll be nothing but wasted time. (Specially whenever someone called Teletraan-X keeps getting mentioned. If he remembers correctly, X was a friend of Mark’s that never made it off Mars).
Ryland wince when he accidentally kicks Simon in the side, not realizing that he’s on the floor. Luckily, Simon just turns onto his side and curls into himself but never woke up. Over on the arm chair, Jazz has completely taken it over with one of those fancy Cybertronian data pad laying on her chest while she’s also fallen asleep despite wanting to watch the random sitcom that she had found in Mary’s media drive.
Grabbing the remote, Ryland turns the brightness down while also turning the lights off causing the room into a soft darkness where everyone can sleep a bit more soundlessly. He leans more into the couch while putting his feet up onto the coffee table so he doesn’t accidently hit Simon again. He’ll finishing grading tomorrow.