Adult Content Warning
This work could have adult content. If you continue, you have agreed that you are willing to see such content.
-
Ryland Grace vs. The World-Building Implications of Scenting by Aster_MacGuffin
Fandoms: Project Hail Mary (2026), The Fall Guy (2024)
26 Aug 2026
Tags
Summary
Ryland Grace, savior of humanity, is invited to a gala celebrating the 5th anniversary of solving the Astrophage Crisis. It is a mandatory scent-neutral event requiring everyone to wear heavy-duty blockers. Which is why when he is approached by Tom Ryder stinking the room with his alpha scent, he considers two explanations.
One: Tom Ryder is an entitled jerk who thinks he is above even the mandated policies of the Petrova Foundation.
Two: Since no one else seems to be reacting to Ryder, this means that only Ryland can smell him. Which means their compatibility is so high that it bypassed industrial-grade blockers.
Or in more romantic terms, they are soulmates.
But if that's the case, why does Ryder smell so repulsive to him? Answer: Definitely Option One. Right?
OR:
Scenting is usually taken as an afterthought in Omegaverse. This is an attempt to explore the biological, cultural, and sociopolitical implications of such an ability if taken seriously in our world-building.
An exercise in speculative biology, delivered through the medium of Starstruck (Ryder/Grace).