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It has been decades since they last saw their beloved mate. They had counted every day since they had last saw their Rocky, remembered the promise they made to Adrian. They will return, they will.
Adrian didn’t lose hope. They couldn’t. What kind of mate would they be if their believed their song hadn’t kept their promise?
They’d be a bad one.
So Adrian waited. And waited. And waited.
They had pushed away suitors, worried family and friends as they waited for their Rocky. They wouldn’t find another, they would rather die!
They will wait until their dying breath, they will wait even as their body has eroded into the soil beneath their feet.
They will wait.
Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait much longer.
Their Rocky was brought home on an alien ship, they were safe and relatively healthy. Erid’s gravity had weighed Rocky down, the sounds around them had overwhelmed them. But it was still Adrian’s beloved mate.
But they weren’t alone.
Rocky was screeching and starting, stomping their feet and dragging the best Eridian scientists into the alien ship as soon as it landed. Adrian of course joined them, they are the best of the best.
There was a human, at least that’s what Rocky called them. They were squishy, leaky, loud. But Rocky said they were dying, they were meant to be louder and moving and be more squishy and leaky than they are now.
It was hard to grasp but Adrian very quickly got their team to work for their beloved.
Doctors and scientists worked together to try and heal the human, while Adrian had their team construct a home for them.
It took a little while to perfect, the human had to live in a toxic atmosphere that would kill any Eridian who walked into it. But Erid’s atmosphere would kill the human just as brutally (hence why they were staying on that ship as they healed), so it was only fair.
Whole they worked, Rocky had hardly left the alien’s side. Adrian was disheartened at first but when they got their mate to talk, they understand.
This human had found their solution, had rejected coming home to live comfortably with his (Rocky quickly explained what pronouns were when Adrian was cursed about the he/him usage) own species and live comfortably with them to save Rocky. Their Rocky.
He had starved himself on the way to Erid for Rocky. Had watched Rocky sleep, kept them safe, looked after them and ensured they wouldn’t die at the cost of his own life.
Ryland Grace will live. Adrian will ensure it. He will recover no sooner after the tall Eridian finished his biodome, he will heal under their careful claws, he will eat food they have bioengineered just for him.
He will live and he will thrive, Adrain will ensue it. He had saved their Rocky, Adrian will save him in turn.
Grace was in and out of consciousness for three months, hardly able to manage a coherent thought, hardly able to hear or see. He knew he was on Hail Mary, he is used to Armando’s whirling and clicking. He knew Rocky was nearby, the Eridian hardly left his side and was constantly singing for him.
Grace hopes Rocky leaves soon, he needs to eat and sleep himself. Grace will be fine.
Thats what he tries to communicate with his best friend, but his tongue is too heavy and his throat too dry. All he manages is a wheeze.
”Grace awake, question?” Rocky trills, tilting his carapace up to meet his friend’s gaze. The human’s hand twitches.
”Rocky watch Grace sleep, statement. Grace go back to sleep, demand.” Rocky stomps his back leg lightly on the bedsheets, Grace hadn’t realised the Eridian was hovering over his chest.
”Mm fnngg..” Another attempt at speech is just painful, Grace can feel every nerve in his mouth, chest and throat protest but he has to speak. Rocky has to take care of himself.
”No, Grace sleep now, statement.” Rocky had somehow understood what Grace was trying to say and isn’t having it. The human couldn’t even argue, his eyes slipping closed, mind drifting away once again.
He didn’t want to, but he isn’t able to fight it.
”Is savour Grace, asleep?” A beautiful song reaches Rocky’s carapace and he immediately whips around as carefully as possible, he’s still on top of Grace.
”Beloved mate!” He trills, delighted to hear them again. “Yes, Grace is asleep.”
”Very good.” They step closer, careful of their large size in the small human ship. They don’t know how the alien survived living in this for ten human years, it’s very claustrophobic. “I have many questions about Savour Grace’s natural environment.”
They settle beside the bed, legs tucked underneath them elegantly. Rocky hums in response, crouching above Grace to direct his attention to his mate.
If this were any other situation, Adrian would’ve been whistling and honking. Rocky is in a scandalous position, his ventral seam pressed so closely to another. But Adrian refuses to be jealous, Rocky is worried sick of his human and their relationship isn’t quite like that. Even if it was, Adrian still wouldn’t mind too much. Grave brought home their world.
The two Eridian’s talk for hours until Rocky’s body begins to tilt forward. When had he last slept?
”Rocky sleep, Adrian will watch.” They croon, picking their sleepy mate up and placing him on the perfect Rocky-sized crevice on top of their carapace. He tries to fight it, insisting he must watch Grace sleep, he must!
Adrian manages to soothe him with great difficulty, shuffling closer to Grace’s bed and resting a large claw on his limp hand. They can feel how cold he is through the xenonite suit Rich has graciously made for them and every researcher assigned to the delicate alien’s care.
”I will watch Savour Grace, the chord of my song, rest now.” How can Rocky deny them? He wants to be stubborn and watch Grace still, but his body has given up and forces him into a deep sleep while his wonderful mate watches.
Adrian’s claw lightly explores Grace’s arm, they can hear the bones and blood in his body as well as feel them. Apparently that’s not normal.
”You will live, my melody,” They sing to the unconscious human, claw still tracing along his arm, slowly moving to his face. “I will ensure it. You will live comfortably here with me and mate Rocky. You will be safe.”
Grace saved the stars, he sacrificed himself for Rocky.
He brought Rocky home.
Adrian will spend the rest of their life repaying his kindness.