Work Text:
Grace could handle a little cold
Except, working for hours on end while being sick with said cold didnt help in the slightest.
Grace knew he should probably be resting and Rocky would kill him for working while being sick if he hadnt been asleep, but he had planets to save dang it, and the taumeoba just wouldnt cooperate with the nitrogen at all.
"Grace?"
Oh and then there was Simon.
It's not like Grace didn't like Simon! He enjoyed the company of another human for the first time in, what 6 years?
The thing is...Simon didnt really talk to Grace much. Grace knew Simon didnt hate him but he seemed...cautious.
Simon would ask a question or two about the ship or their research but then he'd stray as far away from Grace as he could doing his own thing.
Grace understood that Simon was deepy traumatized from wherever the heck he came from, but man he wished he'd show atleast a little more affection towards him.
Until now
"Grace I really think you should rest, you look like you're dying."
"M'fine just a little cold, nothin I can't handle" Grace muttered not taking his eyes off the computer that held the data from the breeder tanks
"Grace. You've been working for almost 9 hours now, and you haven't eaten anything in that time"
"Just 30 more minutes I'm so close to getting the taumeoba to adapt to the nitrogen I can feel it in my bones."
"You said that 2 hours ago."
Grace groaned at that statement. He felt horrible, like he was moving through honey, his throat burned every time he ate or drank and his head had been pounding all day. He'd give anything to rest right know, to slump forward and sleep for 1000 years, but he had work to get done and didnt have time to waste.
'God what was past me thinking when I signed up for this mission'
"Ryland I swear to god if you dont get your ass up and into bed I'm gonna take you there myself." Simon said, the frustration very obvious in his voice
"Just wait I'm almost do-OONE"
Grace yelped as Simon grabbed him and hoisted him over his shoulder.
"SIMON, YOU IDIOT, PUT ME DOWN NOW!"
Grace shrieked as Simon carried him to the dormitory
"This is what happens when you're a dumbass and don't take care of yourself." Simon said, his voice dripping with triumph.
Grace gave up, he couldn't do anything, and now his and Rocky's planets are gonna die because of a stupid cold. Grace slumped his head in defeat, and prompty burst into tears.
"Fuck." Simon said while hoisting Grace back off his shoulder. "Shit Grace, I-I didn't mean to make you cry, I just wanted you to go to sleep.....I didn't hurt you did I.?"
Grace shook his head while he buried his face in his hands.
"N-no it's not that its just....I need to get the taumeoba to be nitrogen resistant so it can kill the astrophage in our Petrova lines, but I can't get it to adapt, and it keeps dying, and I can't even think straight because I'm sick! Rocky's asleep so he cant help, you barely talk to me or know anything about astrophage, and our planets are gonna die because I'm not fast enough!"
Simon said nothing, just hugged Grace tightly as he sobbed into his shoulder.
After Grace's sobs and hiccups quieted down Simon finally spoke,
"Grace..you have time, you don't need to figure everything out now, your planets won't die if you don't work for a few days. No one's mad at you for being human it's okay to be tired and I'm sorry for ignoring you I'm so, so very grateful for you and Rocky for giving me another chance at life."
Grace's sobs started all over again and Simon walked (carried) him to the bedroom and placed Grace on his bed
"Can you maybe ummm......stay with me...?" Grace asked, his face turning beet-red with embarrasment
"Already ahead of you man." Simon said before clambering into bed next to Grace
Simons arm grabbed Grace pulling him into a tight hug, Grace's back to Simon's chest and Simon's chin resting on Grace's head.
"You're very warm." Graced mumbled, his eyes felt like bricks, begging him to close them and drift off to sleep
"You're very cold." Simon replyed "Now sleep, you need it"
And Grace did just that without any argument. Finally in the arm he was desperate to be held in.