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He looked down at the dirt residing in the biggest pot out of the few. His right hand dug onto it, running it between his fingers. Simon exhaled.
He was finally getting used to the milder temperatures that Rocky and the team had fixed up for the both of them. Before, the temperature changed between the boiling submarine, where he almost couldn’t breathe, and then the sudden change to the ship, where Grace had had to cover him up in a hoodie that barely fit him and the blanket on top. So it was safe to say that being able to breathe in that slight breeze that softly hit his arm was more than enough.
He looked up, looking into the sea. He breathed in, and looked back down. Time to get back to work. They had finally managed to make the “atmosphere” good enough for planting, and Simon still had about seven small pots left from the little plants Grace’s ship had brought to Erid.
He raised an eyebrow, staring at the leaves on one of the samples. Unlike anything he’d seen before. But before his hand could reach for the small pot, his heart stopped.
“Hey, Simon!”
Simon nearly jumped, breathing as he turned around. Light eyes stared back at him. Ryland couldn’t possibly have anything to be smiling like that about.
But honestly, that was him. Had been him from the beginning. And Simon would’ve been way more spooked if he hadn’t been smiling like he was. “Can you be louder?”
Grace giggled before him, looking over his shoulder. “How are you doing? Has the planting been any fun at all?” He said, walking around the plants, staring at them.
“Am I supposed to leave them just like this?” He asked, pointing towards where the plants that had already been put in sat. Roots covered perfectly, peeking out just enough… Grace analyzed. He nodded.
“And they’ll… grow? Just like that?” He murmured, reaching for the small pot he had been eyeing before. Grace nodded again.
“Yeah. That’s how plants work, buddy.” He teased. Simon rolled his eyes slightly, walking up to the dirt.
“Funny. Forgive me for not knowing as much as you do, genius. I was never in charge of… this kind of stuff back in Eden.” Simon pulled the plant out with surprising gentleness, beginning to plant it around its other siblings.
“You divided the work?” He asked genuinely, looking at Simon as the man moved around the soil, the light from the biodome reflecting on his prosthetic.
“Yeah. How else were we supposed to get food?” He eyed Grace. Grace nodded quietly. “Right. You didn’t have supermarkets. Makes sense, yes. I can tell you, it is better that way, there’s no reason why you would ever want to live the feeling of standing in a supermarket line, specially during the sum-”
“Why do you have these?”
“Sorry?” Grace looked up, fixing his glasses.
“The plants. Why do you have them? It makes no sense. If they were sending you off to a one-way trip to death in space, why would they send you with plants? You already had food anyways.”
Grace looked at the plants for a second, swallowing saliva. He reached out, gently running his finger across one of the small leaves.
“I dunno.”
Simon looked up.
“You don’t know?”
“Yeah, I don’t know.” He looked at the plant. “I have no idea. Ambience, maybe? I don't know, maybe they just wanted to sprinkle in some cute deco.” He laughed quietly. “But yeah, it does theoretically make no sense. Plants are really hard to grow in space. You know, due to their main needs…”
“I don’t.” Simon glanced at Grace. “What needs do plants have?”
Grace stayed quiet for a few seconds, before giggling softly. “You know, you should really come to one of my classes one of these days. It would do you good.” He grinned. “Well, amongst others, plants require lots of sunlight, to put it simply. And as you could guess… There wasn’t specifically much sunlight.” He spoke softly. “I’m surprised some of them even survived. But now that we’re here, Rocky’s team will be able to grow them with artificial heat. How cool is that?” Grace smiled sweetly, sitting by the soil.
Simon walked up to him, sitting by him. Grace’s eyes landed on the green sprout. “That one you just planted is cilantro.” He said.
“What’s cilantro?”
“You don’t know what cilantro is?”
Simon groaned, standing up. Grace laughed, pulling his arm. “No, no, it’s okay.” He said, looking at him as Simon sat back down. “I’ll explain, don’t worry.”
“I know… I know something about the cells…”
“About the cells…?” Grace encouraged. His hand didn’t move from Simon’s good arm, instead, it stayed on top of it, rubbing his scarred skin carefully. Simon breathed out.
“I read it when I was barely a teenager. It was on some book I found hidden behind a bookshelf. I didn’t have that much time to read it through… I was scared they’d find me.” He spoke quietly. Quieter than usual. And Grace just listened. Like he had done from the beginning. Simon took a breath before continuing. “It was about some sort of process… I wasn’t able to read that much. The book was all scratched up, and the paper was thin…”
“Do you mean photosynthesis?” Grace asked, looking into his eyes.
“Is that what it’s called?” He looked back at him, his eyes softer than they normally were. Grace giggled quietly.
“Yeah. That’s how plants get their energy.”
Simon nodded thoughtfully, eyes focused on the soil. “I’m surprised I was able to remember that. It’s been a long time since that happened.”
Grace stroked circles with his thumb against the other’s skin, leaning his head on his shoulder.
“Si?”
Simon looked at him. “Yeah?”
Grace breathed, remaining quiet for a few seconds, before he eventually spoke.
“I don’t want you to feel stupid around me.”
Simon’s eyes met Grace’s. The sight did something to him.
“It’s not your fault that you weren’t able to learn like I did… But now that you’re here, with us on Erid, I can teach you anything you want.” His hand reached up from Simon’s arm, coming to his cheek, and stroking carefully where it sat. “Except English. God, I hated English as a kid-”
Simon laughed. “Don’t worry, angel. I’m not that interested on it.” He spoke. Grace couldn’t help but smile upon Simon’s laugh.
Grace looked into the sea, sighing quietly. “Erid’s not that bad, is it?” He said, his eys drifting towards him once again. “Cause you almost knocked me out when we told you we were taking you to-”
“Oh shut up-” Simon groaned, pushing him gently. Grace couldn’t help but laugh out loud, before leaning towards him again, his head laying on Simon’s lap. He smiled up at him.
Simon rolled his eyes, leaning down. “Keep talking about that stupid plant.”
Grace smiled, his eyebrows raising. “Oh, sure! Cilantro’s actually- Mmph…”
He was cut off as Simon leaned further down.