Work Text:
~~~
Rocky let out a happy thrill as he saw his mate enter their side of the house.
“My heart song! Rocky happy happy happy to see.”
"Hello, my soul melody. Also lovely to see you. Rocky Adrian need talk.”
“Yes? What Adrian want talk about, question?”
“Want talk about Grace-”
“Want happen with Grace? Grace teach pebbles right now. Grace hurt?”
“No Grace alright. Adrian see how Rocky look at Grace. Rocky want Grace as mate also. Rocky want to court Grace.”
“You always know me best, my mate. Didn’t realize first, but now after Grace Rocky settle down from mission. Rocky has time to reevaluate feelings. Wanted to talk to Adrian first. Feelings for Adrian also change. Feelings deeper than ever. Rocky want to spend every second with mate. Rocky miss mate so so so much on mission.”
“Oh my dear mate,” Adrian made his way over to Rocky. He enveloped the smaller erdian with his claws. Adrian felt Rocky’s carapace tremble under him. “Rocky calm. Adrian here. Adrian never gonna leave. Rocky Adrain never be apart again. Rocky strong. Rocky safe stars. But now Rocky back home. Adrian never gonna let go again.”
Adrian felt how his trembling mate slowly calmed down again. The bigger eridian had learned to navigate these spirals his mate would fall into after coming back home. It pained him to see his mate suffer like this. The mission, even in its success, had taken a big price with it, leaving behind two deeply codependent beings. Two beings so deeply scarred by what they had to go through.
“Adrian think mate bond with Grace wonderful idea.” At that, Rocky perked up in his mate's arms.
“You like idea? Amaze amaze amaze!”
“Adrian love idea. Want to be part if it. Rocky Grace Adrian make mate cluster.”
“Adrian also want to mate Grace? Good idea! Best idea! Rocky mate so wonderful! Rocky could not be happier. Rocky don’t know how Rocky got that lucky. Wasn’t sure if Adrian like Grace like that.”
“How couldn’t I, my dear mate?. Grace so intelligent. Grace thoughtful. Grace wonderful with pebbles. Grace have such beautiful melody. Rocky Grace together most stunning symphony. Adrian sometimes problems holding back when hear. Grace also soft and small. Perfect anytime Adrian carry around.”
“Adrian surprise Rocky. Adrian whipped for Grace.”
“Hey! As if Rocky any better.”
“Adrian right. Grace so strong but also gentle. Grace perfect teacher. Parents of pebbles always talk to me about Grace. Always praising Grace. Sometimes Rocky jealous. Grace mine. Grace mine and yours, statement.”
“Rocky calm. Grace need to accept courtship first.”
“Adrian right. Need the best courtship ever. Only the best for Grace.”
“How humans court, question?”
“Rocky don’t know. Need to look up in human thinking machine. Wait, I’ll get.”
Rocky got up and hurried to get the laptop. A few moments later he came back triumphantly holding the laptop in his claws. He cuddled back up to his mate, and the two began their search.
The first thing they stumbled upon was something called “dinner dates”.
“So humans court with food? Eat together?”
“Yes, it seem like it. Look also here.” Adrian pointed at one part of the article both eridans were reading. “Is also customary to give flowers.”
“Right right right. Rocky also see in earth movie.”
“Adrian have idea. Saw Grace grow earth plans on Hail Mary.”
"Yes yes yes. Small part of ship only for that purpose.”
“Adrian built bigger one. Built right next to house. Built to better suit earth plants. Built so Grace can grow whatever Grace want.”
“Wonderful idea. Grace also talk about missing ‘coffee’. Rocky talk to nutritional team. Synthesize coffee for Grace. Search Mary, maybe has some coffee left. Amaze amaze amaze.”
“Also talk with team about different food. Human thinking machine says human go to ‘restaurant’. Have many options, not only slurry and me-burgers.”
“Yes yes yes. Also look up flowers. Maybe find seeds on Mary. Rocky make some himself as well. Metal flowers will look great in home. Grace love all of Adrian Rocky models and sculptures."
“Rocky mate so creative. Rocky mate so talented."
“Look look look! Human thinking machine also talks about jewelry.”
"Let Adrian see. Amaze! Look just like eridian courting jewelry. Rocky Adrian have work to do. Need material that perfectly resonate with Grace melody.”
“Yes yes yes. Just think about our Grace adorned with courting jewelry. Harmonize with his melody perfectly.” Rocky said dreamily.
“Lovely, beautiful, wonderful.”
The rest of the day till Grace’s return, the two eridians spent planning and taking first steps toward their courtship with their human. Both couldn’t wait to shower Grace in their love and intent.
~~~
It only took the eridians a few days to find materials that they thought resonated the best with Grace’s natural song. The first thing Rocky had made for Grace was a necklace. As it was tradition on Erid to start a courtship with a necklace. Adrian, meanwhile, had started construction on the new greenhouse. He had hidden the building site behind some xenonite walls. Grace had been suspicious but had let his curiosity go for the moment as Adrian explained that he was working on a surprise.
When Grace got home, he was greeted by both his roommates, who were excitedly greeting him the moment he opened the door.
“Grace finally here!”
“Greetings Grace”
“Hey you two. Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes yes yes. Grace sit down. Sit sit sit. Adrian Rocky have surprise. Have gift.”
"Oh, a gift? That’s sweet. Let me just put my bag away. Then I’ll be all yours.”
Grace didn’t know how close to home his words hit both eridians. They both hoped to be able to call Graces theirs in the future after all.
Rocky impatiently bounced up and down while Adrian sat next to him calmly. Soon Grace joined them in the sitting room.
“So what is this gift you promised me?”
Rocky pulled something out of one of his pouches on his toolbelt. It was a chain with multiple beautiful beads on it. Upon closer inspection Grace realized that it had to be a necklace. The most beautiful necklace he’d ever seen, to be exact.
“That is for me?!”
“Yes yes yes of course. Necklace is for Grace, statement.”
“Can Rocky put on Grace, question?”
“Yes, I’d be honored.”
Grace felt himself blush as the smaller eridian gently put the necklace around his neck. The necklace was pleasantly cool against Grace's skin. Grace felt goosebumps rise from his neck as he felt one of Rocky’s claws brush against it. He tried to push his rising feelings back down.
Ever since arriving on Erid, Grace had felt his feelings for his best friend change. But not only that, he’d also become fast friends with Adrian. Now his thoughts more often than not were a confusing mess that he could hardly decipher on a good day. A mess that had only gotten worse ever since the three had moved in together.
Don’t get him wrong, Grace wouldn’t swap the life that he had now for anything, but living so close with your two big fat gay crushes had been difficult for Grace to navigate. How was he even supposed to keep his feelings at bay when he was constantly subjected to Rocky’s protective personality and Adrian’s loving care?
And now they had gone a step further and presented him with such a beautiful gift. Grace didn’t know how much more he could handle.
He was shook out of his thoughts by Rocky’s excited words.
“Grace like, question?”
“Of course, Rocky. This is the most stunning gift anyone has ever given me.”
“Grace look lovely while wearing necklace.”
Aaand the blush was back with a vengeance. “Thank you, Adrian.”
~~~
What followed the next weeks was honestly kind of insane in Grace’s eyes. It seemed like a dam had been broken after he had been given the necklace. Both eridans seemed to have made it their mission to bury Grace in pretty jewelry.
He had been gifted multiple pairs of earrings, some bracelets, a whole stack of bangles, more necklaces, a set of anklets, and lastly, waist beads.
It had gotten to a point where he couldn’t even wear all the gifts at once. He still gave it his best shot every day. Not only were the gifts truly stunning, but it also seemed to be important to Rocky and Adrian that he at least wore one of their gifts at all times. Grace also loved the sounds all the jewelry made when he moved. He felt like a walking windchime.
But he still could seem to figure out why he got these gifts in the first place. When he asked, both eridians would only talk about how Grace deserved to be spoiled and how beautiful he looked in the jewelry. A sentiment that was always sure to make the human blush. Needless to say, Grace’s mess of feelings had only gotten more tangled up the last few weeks.
~~~
While all this jewelry was finding its way to Grace, the eridians also started the food element of their courting.
Grace woke up to Rocky slowly bouncing up and down next to his nest.
"Grace, awake, question?”
"Yes, buddy. Hello to you too.”
“Grace busy today, question?”
“No. I have my free day today. I gave the pebbles some free time. Why are you asking? Do you have some plans for us today?”
“Yes yes yes. Grace Rocky go meet nutritional team today. Talk about more food options for Grace.”
“That sounds promising, Rock.”
“Good good good. Grace get ready. Grace Rocky go on food adventure!”
On that day Grace and Rocky spent hours talking with the nutritional team. They wanted to know everything from Grace’s favorite meals to optimal growth conditions for vegetables and fruits. Grace wasn’t really sure what the eridians wanted with all that information, but they seemed to be happy with Grace’s answers, so he didn’t really question them.
~~~
It was a few days later that Grace woke up to a familiar smell. A smell he hadn’t smelled in years. Coffee! The last coffee he had had was years ago on the Hail Mary. He thought he had used it all up, but the scent was unmistakable.
He sat up in his nest and let out a questioning hum.
“Ah, Grace, awake!”
Adrian made his way over to Grace from the kitchen. In one of his claws he held what could only be Grace's old coffee cup. He must have brought it from the Mary.
“Adrian have surprise for Grace. Made coffee. Taste taste taste!”
“Where did you get that from? I haven’t had coffee for years. I thought I used all the supplies up years ago.”
“Rocky find some leftover coffee on Mary. Bring nutritional team. Scientists manage make more. Grace taste!”
Grace gently took the cup from Adrian’s stretched-out claw. The smell alone was heavenly. Grace hadn’t realized just how much he had missed coffee, but having it now back in his hand was almost nostalgic to him. It reminded him of his old life… of earth. He took a small sip.
As Grace felt the taste explode on his tongue, he let out a surprised squeak. The taste was perfect. Granted maybe his memories were a little bit unreliable as old as they were, but this still tasted like heaven to him.
“How Grace like, question? Is good?”
“It’s perfect, Adrian!”
“Grace like! Adrian happy. Rocky will be ecstatic.”
“Thank you both. This is amazing!”
Over the following weeks more and more food options were added to Grace's diet. Typically, he was introduced to them by Adrian cooking for him. Come to think of it, Adrian cooking him dinner had kind of become a tradition the last few weeks. Even if there wasn’t a new food for Grace to try, the bigger eridian still made sure to provide the human with one big dinner. Adrian and Rocky even started eating with him in the evening. A development that first had been rather disgusting for everyone involved had now turned into a small tradition. All three of them using their time together to share stories and talk about their days.
It was nice. Grace would even call in domestic.
And while Adrian cooked, Rocky made it a tradition to regularly bring Grace models of flowers made from different materials on erid. Rocky said he found an interest in them while browsing on the human thinking machine. And even if the flowers only seemed to be a creative output for the smaller eridian, they always made Grace smile. He had a whole collection of them now that he’d distributed all over his part of their house. Sometimes he even took some of them with him to his class to use them in lessons. The pebbles always loved to learn more about Earth. They especially loved to compare the models to the real photos of the flowers on earth. Even if the models from Rocky tended to be pretty darn close in Grace’s opinion.
~~~
The day Adrian finished with his mysterious construction near the outside of Grace’s half of the house, he and Rocky blindfolded Grace. It was necessary to not spoil the surprise, they said. Grace easily got along with their demands. If the last few weeks had shown him anything, then it was that the things the eridians surprised him with were always worth it. So Grace let himself be blindfolded and carried by Adrian to his finished project.
Adrian gently set Grace back down once they arrived.
“Grace ready for surprise, question?” Rocky asked.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Grace felt the blindfold fall away. He couldn’t believe his eyes once he opened his eyes. Next to his side of the house now stood a big greenhouse. Grace was speechless. Once again Adrian had outdone himself. Grace was pulled out of his admiration by Rocky taking his hand and pulling him to the greenhouses' doors.
“Grace wait till see inside. Adrian build beautiful. See see see!”
Grace let himself be pulled through the doors. What he saw on the inside made him let out a stunned gasp. The greenhouse seemed to be even bigger on the inside. The walls were filled with shelves full of growth pots. On the ceiling Adrian and his team had installed multiple growth lamps that bathed the whole room in a gentle light. The middle of the room was filled with loose soil. There were already some small plants lined up in it.
“Where did you guys get all these plants?”
“Find many in Hail Mary growth room. Scientist tried replicate others. Have to wait and see if plants like plants on earth.”
“Grace like, question?”
“Like? I love it! How could I ever thank you enough for this?”
“Grace no need thank. Adrian Rocky happy when Grace happy.”
“Yes Adrian happy that Grace like. Is small design for now. Can make bigger when more plants.”
“This is so sweet. Thank you both!”
And so Grace added plant chores to his daily to-do list. The greenhouse quickly became one of his favorite places on Erid. Almost nothing made him feel as balanced as tending to all the different plants the eridians had been able to salvage from the Mary. The only thing making him feel even more at peace was when Rocky and Adrian were with him. But he tried not to concentrate on what that might mean in regard to his feelings. No, those he tried burying deep inside his mind. Not very successfully, but at least he tried.
~~~
One thing that Grace had realized in the last few weeks was that eridians loved to gossip. Ever since he started wearing the gifted jewelry out in the open, he could have sworn that the other eridians really started to stare at him.
Don’t get him wrong; as the only human on the planet, he was used to often being the center of attention in a crowd, but now the stares and the whispers were honestly getting out of hand.
Especially in his classroom. The pebbles were easily distracted on any day. They were just like earth children in that regard. But ever since he started wearing the jewelry, he swore that their concentration was worse than ever before. Especially every time he decided to wear something new that Rocky and Adrian had gifted him.
Now he wouldn’t be the teacher that he was if he couldn’t wrangle down a few distracted pebbles, but their distractedness still gave him pause.
It was a few weeks after the whole jewelry gifting had started that one of the pebbles stayed behind after one of his lessons. It was one of the younger ones named Leo. Her carapache looked like a small piece of banded jasper. She was also very very shy, so Grace was kind of surprised as he heard her come closer.
“Teacher Grace?”
"Yes, sweet Leo?”
“Leo have question for teacher.”
“Yes? What can I do for you? Do you need help with anything we learned today?”
“No, question more personal.”
“Oh ok. No worries, just ask away.”
Leo shyly taped her claws on the floor. “How does human-eridian mate bond work, question?”
“A human-eridian mate bond? What do you mean Leo?”
“Mate bond between human and eridian. Grace is Rocky and Adrian mate. How work? Teacher Grace always talking about earth culture. So different than erid culture.”
“Woah woah woah. Slow down, Leo. What do you mean I’m Rocky’s and Adrian’s mate?”
“Grace wear courting jewelry all the time. Even lives with Rocky Adrian. Leo thought you part of mate cluster.”
“Wait, there has to be a misunderstanding here, Leo. Rocky, Adrian and I are not mated. Yes, they gift me some jewelry from time to time. But that doesn’t mean that we are mates.”
“Oh, Leo, sorry. Didn’t wanna assume. Jewelry used on erid to make mate-intention clear. Is important part of courting.”
"Oh, no problem, little one. Is that what all the chatter has been about the past few weeks? I’ll have to talk to Rocky and Adrian about this.”
"Yes. We pebbles very interested in earth culture. Want to learn more about human courting."
"Oh, I didn't think that this would be interesting to you. I'll keep your wish in mind when I plan my next set of lessons. Thank you for your input, little one. Do you have any other questions?"
"No that all. Thank teacher Grace."
"Ok. I'm glad I could help you. Have a nice day, Leo, and a safe trip home."
"Thank, teacher Grace. Also have nice day!"
Grace let out an affectionate sigh as he watched Leo run off. It had meant the world to him that the eridians trusted him to watch over their pebbles.
~~~
The moment Grace came back home, he was once again swept up by Rocky’s excitement. His plan to talk about what Leo had said almost immediately fell out of his head as Rocky herded him to the nest. Adrian was already waiting for them.
“Grace finally home! Have another gift. Excitement!”
“Wow wow wow. Let me settle in first. I just got back!”
“Grace get into nest. Fast fast fast.”
“Ok ok ok. I’m coming. Oh my gosh, what are you so energetic for today?”
Grace finally settled at Adrian's side into the nest. Rocky almost immediately handed him a small box.
“Open open open!”
Grace was stunned as he opened the box. In it he found a sturdy ring. It seemed to have been made out of two types of materials. Upon closer inspection, Grace realized that the material had a strong resemblance with both Rocky and Adrian. A ring made from pieces of both eridians.
And that’s when it finally clicked in Grace’s brain.
“Leo was right. You two ARE courting me!”
Following Grace’s exclamation was a stunned silence. It was Adrian who broke the quiet first.
“Of course Rocky Adrian court Grace. Grace not know, question?”
“Grace not realize, question?”
Both eridians were floored.
"No, of course not! How could I have possibly known?!”
"Rocky Adrian looked up human courting. Did dinner date almost every night with Grace. Made sure Grace never hungry and have new foods in greenhouse. Gifted Grace flowers. Gifted Grace jewelry. How Grace not understand?”
When it was all laid out like that, the courting the two eridians had done was indeed the most obvious thing in the world. Grace felt like such an idiot.
“Grace not like? Grace not want mate Adrian Rocky, question?” Rocky asked with a sad thrill.
“No no no! Of course I want you both. How couldn’t I?! You are the most intelligent, caring, and sweet people that I’ve ever met. But why would you want to mate with me? I’m just a leaky space blob.”
“Stop. Grace not talk like that. Bad bad bad. Grace most wonderful human.”
“Yes yes yes. Grace stunning. Grace intelligent. Grace best teacher to pebbles. Grace soft and gentle. Grace also make the most beautiful melody. Rocky Adrian would be lucky to call Grace theirs.”
“I would be the lucky one if I could have you.”
“Grace have us.”
“Yes yes yes! Grace can have whatever Grace wants.”
“And what if I want you both to be mine?"
“Easiest request Grace has ever made. Rocky Adrian will be best mates to Grace.”
“Adrian Grace Rocky will be best mate cluster.”
Needless to say the three of them spent the rest of the night cuddling in their nest. And if Grace had to have a very awkward conversation with his students the next day, then so be it.
A small price to pay to be part of the best mate cluster he could’ve ever hoped for.
~~~
After Grace’s courting revelation, he immediately got to work. Now that he knew that he had for weeks been unknowingly courted by Rocky and Adrian, he wanted to return the favor. He was over the moon that both eridians shared his feelings. He hadn’t even thought it was possible for his life to get even better, but now he had not only one but two doting mates that would do anything for him and showered him in courting gifts.
Now it was his time to make something for them. He already had a plan. While he wasn’t as talented as his mates, he had learned to work with metal in the last few months. With an almost fully fleshed-out plan, Grace had made his way to the Mary.
While searching the ship for a suitable material, Grace stumbled across the gold plaques that decorated the walls of the Mary.
“Perfect”
The next few hours Grace spent first prying off some of the plaques and second cutting some of the carvings out of it. After cutting out all the pieces he’d need, he started work at making necklaces for both his mates. It had taken Grace the whole rest of the day, but as the artificial sun of the biodome set, he had made two necklaces that he now looked at with a proud shine in his eyes.
He made his way back to their house, his excitement carrying him there in no time at all. He opened the door with a flourish.
“Honeys, I’m home!”
“Little Star! Welcome home. How was day?”
His bigger mate greeted him from the kitchen. Not many seconds later Grace heard his other mate from the other side of the wall.
“Grace back! Amaze amaze amaze!”
The smaller eridian made his way over to Grace’s side of the house. Meanwhile, Grace had made his way to Adrian. Adrian had already started cooking Grace’s dinner as he did most evenings. Grace gave his mate a hug in greeting. He also gave his smaller mate a hug as he joined them in the kitchen.
“I have a surprise for you! Come come come to the nest!”
“Calm down, Grace. Grace first eat. Have plenty of time. No rush.”
“But I want to show you now. I can eat in the nest. Pretty please, Adrian?”
Grace knew he was being unfair. He knew that his mates couldn’t say no to him when he begged like that. Adrian let out a resigned thrill.
“Of course, whatever my little star want.”
And so all three made their way over to the nest, Adrian with a full plate of human-safe food in claw. Grace was excitedly bouncing up and down. When both his mates had made themself comfortable on their nest, he pulled his bag open.
“So you know how we talked about this whole courtship that I am involved with without knowing about it? Now that I know that you two feel the same as me, I wanted to make courting gifts for you. So I was in the Mary today working on that.”
“Grace so sweet.”
“Rocky Adrian honored.”
Grace gently pulled out both necklaces. He gave each one their respective gifts.
“So these are some carvings that Earth decorated the Mary with. I wanted the first gift to be a necklace just like you gave me. The material is one I haven’t seen on Erid yet. Humans call it gold. I know you can’t exactly see it, but it’s really shiny. On Earth, gold is one of the most valuable materials there is. It’s used for jewellry and trading…”
Both Rocky and Adrian were speechless as they listened to their mates rant. It was always adorable when Grace lost himself in his teaching side.
Rocky was the first who found his voice again.
“Grace share something so valuable with us, question?”
“Of course! You two are the most important people in my life. Nothing could ever be as valuable as having you two as my mates. I want to court you properly. Do you like it?”
“Rocky love it. So beautiful. Mate so thoughtful-”
“Mate so creative,” Adrian threw in. “Mate make wonderful courting gift.”
“So you accept my first gifts.”
“Yes yes yes. Love love love it!”
“Yes of course! Amaze amaze amaze! Grace help put necklace on Adrian?”
“Of course.”
Grace gently took the necklace from Adrian's claws and put it around his carapache. Next he helped Rocky put his necklace on. Once he sat back and let his eyes linger on his mates, he finally understood why both the eridians liked it so much when Grace wore his courting jewelry.
The gold reflecting on both his mates' carapaces was stunning. And the thought that his mates were marked as his satisfied a small, primal part of his brain. His mates were now truly his, and everyone on Erid would know it.
As Grace watched his mates get comfortable with their new necklaces, his brain already worked on more ideas for the next gifts he could make for them.
But first he’d eat his dinner that Adrian had once again lovingly prepared and spend the rest of the evening cuddling up to his beautiful mates.
***
When Rocky and Adrian got home a few months later, both eridians were confused by what they walked in on. Grace was standing in front of his mirror. In one hand he held his courting beads, and with the other he was scratching his head. He seemed to be deep in thought. So deep, in fact, that he didn’t even realize that both his mates had come back earlier than expected.
The human took his courting beads into both hands and tried putting him around his waist. The ends were still connecting, but the chain seemed to almost cut into his belly. Grace let out a disappointed sigh.
“What Grace do, question?”
The human let out a startled shriek at Rocky’s question.
“Rocky! Stop sneaking up on me like that!”
“Rocky, sorry. Humans hear so little. Inefficient design. Rocky forget forget forget.”
Grace turned to the eridians.
"Oh, hi Adrian. I didn’t know that you’d both be home so early.” Grace resumed his nervous head-scratching from earlier.
“Hello, little star.” Adrian greeted his mate happily.
Rocky tried to get them back to his earlier topic: “What Grace do, question?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. The waistbeads just don’t fit like they used to. I’ll just have to watch my weight for a few weeks. Thanks to the lovely food that you two provide me with, I’m starting to get kinda chubby. No worries, I'll burn the fat in no time. A little more working in the greenhouse and less eating will have me back in shape in no time.”
“Why eat less? Grace need food to survive, statement! No no no, bad idea!” Rocky asked, outraged.
“Yes! Adrian also confused. Why watch weight, question? Grace healthy. Grace just got strength back.”
“You guys don’t understand. I’ve let myself go.”
“What phrase mean ‘let self go’?”
“It means that I’ve become lazy! All I do all day is lie around, sometimes tend to the greenhouse, and give a few classes! You do almost all the heavy lifting around here. I’m basically useless, and now my body also shows this.”
“Grace stop stop stop! Talk bad! Talk stupid! Grace not lazy. Grace dedicated teacher to pebbles. Grace loving mate to Rocky and Adrian. Grace deserve peace.”
“Yes! Grace part of mate cluster. Everybody play part. Grace perfect. Grace deserve rest.”
“But just look at me! Who would want a fat slop like me?! On earth people would mock me if they could see me now!”
“Earth stupid. Earth disgust. Grace not on earth anymore. Grace never go back there! Earth rot human minds. Grace beautiful.”
“Adrian agree. Grace strong. Grace lovely. Earth opinion stupid. Earth opinion worthless. Rocky Adrian love love love Grace.”
Both eridians made their way over to Grace, who at that point had once again started leaking.
“Yes Adrian Rocky love love love Grace.”
Adrian gently took Grace in his arms and brought him to their nest with Rocky right behind them. In the nest, both eridians made sure to cuddle their human from both sides while Grace slowly calmed down again.
“A-Are you guys sure? I could understand if you’d not want me while I look like this.”
“Grace talk nonsense. Grace beautiful inside and out.”
“Yes Grace only softer. Only more Grace for Rocky Adrian to love.”
As if to prove their point, both eridians started petting Grace with a few of their claws. Grace blushed at the treatment but let out a content sigh at the almost full-body massage. He let his eyes wander back to the courting beads that had been left by the mirror.
“It’s a shame about the waist beads. You know how much I like your courting gifts. How much I like showing everyone I’m yours.”
“No problem, little star. Rocky can always make longer.”
“You can?!”
“Of course! Just like fishing. Rocky make courting beads himself. Can always change to fit Grace. Is honor for Rocky.”
Rocky slowly detangled himself from his mate cluster to retrieve the courting beads. When he got back to the nest, he started adding more length.
“Rocky don’t have beads right now. Will add later. Should fit Grace comfortably now.”
Adrian helped Grace from his relaxed position between both his mates into a sitting position. Rocky gently put the courting beads back around Grace’s waist where they belonged.
“Grace like, question?”
“Yes Rocky, thank you so much.” Grace cuddled back down into his mates.
“Rocky glad. Grace deserve only best. If any problem just talk to us. Rocky gladly adjust courting beads. Means Grace getting stronger. Means Grace getting better. Means Grace getting healthy. Rocky happy when need to add beads.”
“Agreed. Means Rocky Adrian take good care of mate. Grace make Rocky Adrian proud. We love love love Grace.”
And with that, both eridians cuddled closer to their human mate. Both lowly singing their mate song while petting Grace again.
The human soon fell into his sleep cycle, feeling more loved than ever before.
~~~