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Ever since his arrival to Erid, being left alone was quite rare for Grace.
At the beginning, that just made sense. He was half dead, starved and ridden with all sorts of vitamin deficiencies, and all the unsavory symptoms that came with. He needed Rocky at his side to communicate with anyone, and he needed assistance to do just about anything, including simple daily tasks like feeding himself.
But, that had been a while ago now, and yet he almost always had some sort of company, whether it be his medical team visiting him for a checkup, some scientists conducting research on him, or the biodome team performing maintenance. Twice a week he taught classes to a group of pebbles, and once a month he met with their parents. Most often, it was Rocky and Adrian visiting him. They'd come by just to chat with him, sit on the couch and watch a show together, or to tell him about the work they'd been doing on the other side of the barrier.
Both seemed incredibly busy, it was a wonder they made the time to see Grace at all. So, when they hadn't shown up yet again by Friday morning, it wasn't a shock. Not to say it wasn't a bummer. He'd been left alone for most of the week! He'd had only one class that week, and half the pebbles didn't even attend that day. Their peers excused them as 'busy', though no one could elaborate what that meant. There was something those kids were hiding, he could tell, and none of them would budge. Not even for an extra star on their report cards. Yeah, bribing kids with good marks probably wasn't great, but the cards were more about behavior than classwork- they had perfect memory, for goodness sake, even as children.
Grace couldn't recall anyone mentioning anything super important. Darn his fallible human memory. No holidays on his calendar, no big local events that anyone had mentioned... where the heck was everyone?
Noon had come, and he was going bonkers. He paced his living room, muttering to himself about the Eridian calendar and wondering if he'd properly translated holidays into their human day equivalent. Being on an entire different year cycle than the rest of the planet was a little weird, and he still hadn't gotten quite up-to-speed with converting the days back and forth.
The last time someone had checked in was the previous night, at sunset, through the speaker system in his home. Sunset this time of year was shortly after 8 p.m. Just the routine check-in, a small chirping voice asking how is Doctor-Captain-Savior Ryland Grace, and if he needed anything, just like every other night. The formality of it was so rehearsed and familiar that he sometimes wondered if it was a recording. Maybe that'd be better than somebody watching him in most areas of his house most hours of the day. Thank goodness for the privacy measures placed around his bedroom and bathroom.
Either way, that was the last check-in, and an incredibly brief one at that. He started to wonder if his care team was growing bored, if perhaps they were focusing on other projects rather than him? No, Rocky paid them way too much for that, and they all practically pounced at the opportunity to study a real, live alien.
Then what the heck was it?!
Maybe a crisis had happened outside the dome, some big, serious thing that required all the scientists' attention. Oh, geez. He really hoped it wasn't that. Did Erid have things like natural disasters or freak storms? He didn't think so, at least. No one had ever mentioned anything of the sort.
Okay, okay. If he kept thinking about it, he was gonna drive himself nuts with worry. He had to focus on something else, anything other than the bubbling worry and separation he felt from his friends. He had to find a task, something to occupy his mind. Back on Earth, he'd have recited difficult formulas, poetry, a song he hadn't heard in a while, something meaningless but difficult enough to catch his attention. Now, he had another idea. He'd practice his Eridian! Perfect, that'd keep him busy.
He lifted the heavy keyboard with a small huff and sat at the couch, the board sat across his lap. It was large, bigger than the usual keyboard instrument Grace was familiar with, and had pipes coming off its back like an organ. Well, perhaps it was more of a portable organ than a keyboard- so far, Rocky just called it his "voice instrument".
He practiced his basic phrases, the first things he'd been taught. Things expressing his needs, predictably. He played both the formal and informal phrasing, careful to note the difference after he'd accidentally spoken to a very important politician like they were old college pals. He still shuddered at the memory.
It... is nice... to see... you... he deliberately lifted the pitch toward the end of his sentence, to indicate speaking to an authority figure.
Then, he repeated the process, more casually this time, like how he'd address his students. This time he used a much more neutral tone.
Last was an intimate conversational tone, like how he'd speak to Rocky. The sound of friendly speech was much more animated, lively and musical. The difference was subtle to him at first, but after a few months of learning, he'd gotten nicely familiar with different types of phrasing.
Grace smiled to himself, proud of his own progress. For such a complex language, he was making great strides in becoming able to hold a conversation! At least, he could handle basic small talk, enough to express himself as needed. When it came to important topics, he still needed Rocky's help for translating.
Oh, Rocky. He wished he'd had Rocky sitting with him to hear how well he'd done. He could just imagine the excited squeals and trills Rocky would applaud him with, and the way he'd wave his hands with pure enthusiasm, praising Grace for being so smart smart smart.
He wanted to impress Rocky whenever he showed back up. If he showed back up- no.
Ryland let out an audible groan, frustrated with his own mind for drifting into such a hopeless, pitiful ruminating. His best friend would never just leave him like that. Heck, this was the only instance Rocky had ever been gone so long without telling Grace ahead of time. He wished he would've been told that time, too. At least then he wouldn't be so nervous.
He never realized how bad the separation anxiety he felt was until it was too late, and by the time he got the chance to express it he'd have forgotten all about it the second Rocky walked in and sat with him again.
"Geez, when did I turn into a nervous dog...?" He muttered under his breath, his brows knit in disappointment with himself. He thought it pathetic that he couldn't even handle a couple days off alone as a grown man. He knew he should be kind to himself- the experiences he shared with Rocky bonded them incredibly close, and it was only natural to feel secure with him- yet, he figured it a burden to need Rocky's presence so regularly. He couldn't just interrupt Rocky's normal life to have him come visit all the time. Rocky was grown too, had a great mate, a busy job and an important position as one of two Saviors of Erid, and expert in taumoeba and astrophage. Surely that kept him busy.
A pang of guilt gnawed at his chest. Had he been keeping Rocky from his work all this time? Adrian too?
Just as Rocky had shot to stardom (har har) for being the one to return with the cure to the dying sun, Adrian had become incredibly well-known over the course of Rocky's absence. Their career had progressed into expertise, where they'd become one of the most respected biologists of their region. Atop of their scientific prowess, they'd gained quite the impressive skill in metalworks, inspired by their love for Rocky and the pieces he left behind before taking to the stars. If they were well-known for their scientific studies before, their artwork propelled them to borderline celebrity status. Eridians clamored for custom made pieces from Adrian, and their studio was often cluttered with different work-in-progress art.
Oh, fudge, he was distracting them from their work. Just how far behind had they trailed on their tasks? How many times did they come to him, rather than finish something important?
Without thinking, he started playing at the keys and dials, words formed without need for conscious conversion.
I missed you while you were... he paused, his fingers hovering the keys, searching his mind for the chords. Busy.
I am happy you are back and safe... was frightened... without you.
It was like he was speaking to the two, imagining their presence as he practiced what he wanted to say.
Wanted to... distract myself. Practice, practice, practice.
Want to make you proud.
As soon as his own words played out for him, Grace's hands flinched off the keys as if burned. Surprisingly enough, he still managed to blurt things out, even while translating through some massive speak-and-spell instrument.
He knew it was true. Thoughts off the hip often were for him, even if they came out wrong. He did want to make Rocky and Adrian proud. He wanted to impress them, to prove that he was worth all the effort they put toward him. If they were putting off real work just to lounge around with him, he might as well make it worth it. To show he was just as dedicated.
I love you both, he keyed.
I appreciate you two, came just as smooth.
The next line, his fingers twitched, and stilled. The phrase he wanted built there in his wrists, vying to be released. It felt like electric shock, increasing until he finally forced himself to play further.
I thought today if I am too much for you.
He sat there, bathed in the silence after the final note whispered away. For a while he just sat there, staring at the instrument in his lap. Not once in his life had he ever had someone so dedicated to him, not nearly as loyal and loving as Rocky and Adrian. He felt so privileged to gain so much all at once; he'd been reassured time and time again that he'd *earned* this life, but he still felt undeserving. In one fell swoop, he'd found a home, a community to welcome him, a planet that adored him, and two loving individuals who dedicated their days to taking care of him.
He could barely fathom the depths of their care. Even the chair he sat on, the instrument in his lap, everything surrounding him was a testament to their dedication. Textiles they'd never encountered before, accommodations newly invented for his sake, and a custom-made slice of Earth to enjoy every day.
After all this, what could he possibly do to repay them?
He knew what they'd say if he said that aloud to them. Grace saved Erid, we owe Grace. No matter what brought him to Erid, he still felt so, so very lucky to have Rocky, Adrian, and the support of the public.
Perhaps this distraction wasn't strong enough. He was still thinking too much, he needed something else. It was only half past one.
Grace stood, carefully put away his keyboard, and lingered in the center of the living room, unsure what to do with himself. Cleaning? Organizing?
He checked his laundry- he'd just done it a couple days prior. Not worth doing again just yet. Dishes were all done, his desk was actually in order for once, and he didn't have any report cards to write out. Shoot.
A walk would have to do. Maybe he could just find a nice spot on the beach, meditate a little... so, he pulled on his windbreaker jacket and stepped out, careful to close the door behind himself. If Rocky showed up to an open door, Grace would be in for a scolding.
His footsteps crunched against the grainy, gravely sand, faded beneath the sound of the waves and wind. It was still a marvel to him how the Eridians managed to fake the quiet whisper of a breeze, and the scent of crisp, salty seawater. It was perfect, thanks to the diligent research and tweaks made to initial attempts.
Grace first went down the slope from his home to admire the sea, watching the waves lap at the beach, closer and closer to his feet. He carefully shuffled backward, not wanting to get his shoes wet. Just to admire for a while.
He let the soft sound of the waves wash away his thoughts; no matter how stubborn, the lull of the water managed to chase away even the most frantic ruminating. His mind gradually became quiet, and soon, all he focused on was the sounds and sights. His beautiful home, and the peace it provided.
So, with a clearer head, Grace began to stroll the water's edge, all the while his eyes lingering on the waves. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and meandered on, not in any particular hurry. It was a little difficult to hurry anywhere anyway, since the gravity on Erid was a tougher than Earth.
It wasn't long until the questions returned, however.
What is so important today that has everyone busy? He couldn't stop wondering. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the questions to stay quiet for long. Where did they all go?
The beach began to curve, and Grace followed. He didn't visit this part of the beach often, near the edge of the biodome where the xenonite panels met rocky landscape. He knew the beach lead into cliffsides there, that his little slice of paradise was etched into a cove, and wondered what lay beyond the rock walls surrounding his home. He knew Rocky and Adrian lived nearby, but that only happened when he was placed in the biodome. They moved to be close, to monitor him and visit him whenever they pleased. He wondered what their home would be like. He knew it was pretty big, compared to other Eridian homes, to accommodate for Adrian's size, and to give both partners a work space from the comfort of their den. He hoped maybe, someday, he'd get to visit their home like they visited his.
Perhaps soon. He hoped soon.
He recalled back to the previous week, when Rocky excitedly explained that the labs had been testing methods for allowing Grace to free roam. The thought of it was thrilling. Someday he'd be able to visit the outside world, to learn about Eridian technology and architecture, and maybe get the chance to see some of the plants and animals Rocky had told him about. He wanted to see their roads, their offices, their homes... he could only imagine them being absolutely gorgeous, if Rocky's descriptions were anything to go off of. From underground halls with curved walls to amplify voices, to looming metal buildings that pierced the skies.
Just when Grace had sank into the train of thought, theorizing about what the outside world might have looked like, a sound disturbed him from his trance. Footsteps in the sand. He yelped, and whipped around so fast that he nearly toppled over.
"AH-!"
He was met with a squeal in turn, and looked down. A small Eridian stood a few feet away, crouched down in alarm, their little legs shaking. He recognized their forest green and red speckled carapace; Crash, the biologist, named for their clumsy nature.
"Oh, fudge, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you, Crash!" Grace hurriedly apologized and held out his hands in a nervous gesture of harmlessness. Crash stood up straight and shook their body like a dog, as if to shake off their fear. Their small stature left them prone to being startled by particularly louder voices and bigger bodies- which was a good portion of the population.
"Is okay, Doctor Grace," Crash whistled, and padded just a few small paces closer. They were only a bit smaller than Rocky, but their legs were markedly short, making them look even smaller. They managed to be brave around Grace, which was flattering to him; he was happy to know they felt safe around him. They spoke with Grace with some familiarity, as they worked with him directly quite a few times over the months. By now, Crash was like a close coworker.
"What brings you here, bud?" He asked as he sat down to face Crash more directly. Crash skittered over to stand right in front of Grace, making a soft, bubbly chirp.
"Benefactor Rocky has sent me to collect you," They answer, their limbs tapping at the sand rhythmically. Their excitement was palpable, which had Grace even more curious than he already was.
"Collect me?" He echoed.
"Yes yes yes, want me to bring you somewhere," Crash bobbed their carapace to mimic a nod, and did a spin. Grace chuckled, endeared by their enthusiasm.
"Am I allowed to know where?" He asked. Crash didn't answer, and simply charged off, skittering as fast as their little legs could carry. Well, that answered his question, he supposed. He hurried to stand, and followed after.
Crash lead the way up the slope, their steps sending waves of sand and gravel slipping down the incline. They seemed to have a little trouble with the angle, but managed anyway, giving Grace enough time to catch up.
"I was worried when Rocky didn't show up this week... so everything's okay?" He pressed, glancing down at the bloodstone Eridian. They chirped and bobbed again, and tilted toward Grace to indicate listening.
"Yes, everything okay! Why would not be okay?" They hummed.
Grace stammered, unsure how to explain himself. "Well- I... I mean, Rocky doesn't usually disappear for a few days at a time without explaining himself," he muttered, sheepishly rubbing at his sleeve. "He usually tells me when he's gonna be busy. And my class got canceled, and no one came to check on me all day... no doctors, no scientists, y'know?"
"Oh. That makes more sense, yes. But no, everything is okay," They reached the peak of the hill, quite near the airlock door on that side of the biodome. "Rocky just had something to prepare for."
"What is it? I've been wondering where he's been all day," Grace questioned, eyes lighting up at the prospect of finally getting some answers. He'd always had a bit of a nosy side, and he wanted to know so badly what Rocky seemed to be hiding.
"Crash not allowed to say! Just keep moving!"
As Grace glanced down to look at Crash, he paused, noticing a disturbance in the sand. A drag path lead from the direction of the airlock, off toward his home. He hesitated, squinting at the shape. What the heck was that?
Crash didn't give him any time to think, as they grabbed a fistful of Ryland's pant leg and tugged him along. "Must come! Crash have a hard time keeping secrets, this is unbearable!"
So it was some kind of secret. For sure. Grace hurried along, which Crash was visibly pleased about, scrambling as fast as their legs could manage.
From the fog, Grace could see the shape of his home come into view. He squinted, and saw a bunch of obscured shapes, little Eridian figures gathered outside his house. His brows shot up, and he raised an arm to wave at the little crowd. He received a symphony of chirps, whistles and squeals in return, quite a few of the smaller figures waving wildly with a fervor that was incredibly familiar. Were those his students?
He sped up a bit more, though reluctant to leave Crash behind- until they warbled a wordless encouragement and nudged him ahead.
Grace jogged up, and was greeted by Rocky and Adrian at the front of the pack. Surrounding them, his class, and the closest members of the biodome team, including biologists, doctors, and environmental scientists. Each wore an environmental protection suit, and wore their celebratory outfits beneath, their metal charms and carved gems twinkling together.
"Surprise!" They all cheered, their voices sweet and high. Many students practically stormed him; pawing at his legs like a pack of excited puppies, their voices overlapping wildly, each using all five vocal chambers at once.
"Is Teacher Grace's birthday!"
"Is birthday! First birthday!"
"First birthday on Erid! First Eridian birthday!"
Grace blinked in shock, his eyes flicking across the crowd. Each did their own shimmy or waved happy jazz hands, apparently aware of something he wasn't.
"My... birthday...?" He muttered. It was something that hadn't come to mind at all in the last few years. He'd completely forgotten it at first, in fact, and couldn't recall the exact date up until the Hail Mary had announced it during his first waking year on-board. That was all well and good, until he started fiddling with the date readout on the ship to bypass medication limits... the ship had no real read on what day it was anymore, and thus it didn't announce birthdays either.
"Ship research team found Grace 'crew file', and found birth date," Adrian explained, stood tall with excitement and pride. "Biodome team translate from earth date into Eridian date, and plan celebration!"
"And when pebbles heard about celebration, of course wanted to congratulate Savior Grace as well," one parent chimed in as they gently reined in their incredibly enthused pebbles, using both forelegs to scoop up their whirlwind young.
Merlin gently nudged past their companions, and stood tall to be seen. They were named after their pointed, conical shape, rich blue coloring and sunny yellow crystalline points that resembled twinkling stars. Basically, they looked like a wizard hat. Grace couldn't resist such a perfect name.
"We held a special lesson on earth birthdays," they explained even further. "The pebbles are all very amaze, amaze, amaze. Wanted to wish Savior Grace a very happy birthday, wanted to participate in the celebration."
"Wow, guys, that's... that's so nice of you all!" Grace felt as though his heart could burst, so filled with love and joy, surrounded by friends and loved ones. He knelt down on the ground to be more level with his students, and was immediately bombarded with tight hugs and little legs clambering over his body. He laughed aloud, hunched beneath the weight of an adventurous little pebble who scaled his shoulder, up to perch on his upper back.
"Open presents!"
"Look at presents!"
"We made stuff!"
Their cacophony would have been overwhelming in any other situation, but Grace could only feel incredible happiness as his students clamored, cheered and chirped.
Merlin whistled worriedly, their limbs striking the ground in attempt to catch the pebbles' attention. "Please be careful with Savior-Teacher Grace! Is very fragile human!"
Most backed off, and the one on his back let themself slip off and clatter to the ground. Grace whipped around to look at them with concern, but they simply scrambled away to rejoin their peers as if completely unaffected. What a little trooper.
Adrian and Rocky worked together to push a big box toward Grace, one nearly the size of his body. Rocky clambered atop the side of it and reached in, handing Grace the first package with an eager trill. Curiously, Grace peered past the side, and was amazed to see the sheer amount of gifts. He'd never received nearly this much in his whole life, he doubted most people on earth had either. Each student had made him a little something, their names inscribed onto the top of each box. The amount of love and care put into his tribute made him feel absolutely adored.
"Oh, guys... this is precious," Grace breathed out, his heart warmed by the grand gesture of care.
"Eager to see what the pebbles have made," Rocky commented as he settled in to sit at Grace's side, leaned against him with a content purr. "We will have to find a way to display all their lovely gifts, hm?"
"We will, but not today," Adrian agreed, and took their place at Grace's opposite side. "Today is just for fun."
"Today is all for Grace," Rocky cooed, affectionately nudging his way under Grace's arm, worming into a snuggle.
Grace swept Rocky and Adrian into a squeezing hug, and opened the first package of many, his heart full and his eyes already glistening with joyful tears.
That was the day it finally began to sink in for him. He would never be truly alone again. He was fully surrounded with loving community, one who would never leave him all alone.