Chapter Text
Simon (just Simon) could hardly believe it was finally over.
After what felt like years of questions, near constant moves, rehashing the same memories over and over for each new police officer, lawyer, judge, and their mothers, it was over.
Simon stood on the steps of the courthouse, feeling like he was starring in one of those awful Tom Ryddler movies Rocky had insisted he watch (to catch up with the world he had never known, outside of Eden). He watched as Eden’s lawyer was shoved into the back of a waiting police car, the journalists covering the trial reporting on the downfall of the cult after years of terror.
It was finally over.
It was finally over and Simon didn’t know what to do now.
He’d spent his entire life being taught two different ideologies, watching his parents clutch the truth of themselves, where they came from, and the world outside Eden’s wall to their chests, hoping they could somehow keep themselves together if they didn’t let it go.
And now, here Simon was, alone, missing an arm, and ill-prepared for a world outside of the cult he’d been trapped in.
Two familiar forms settled to his left, protecting what was left of his arm from those around him, leaving the space to his right free for him to escape if he needed to.
Rocky and Adrien Tau-Ortiz stood with him as if they had always been there. Like the space they held had been waiting for them to fill it.
Their presence settled around Simon like a blanket, comforting and warm in an unfamiliar way. Simon decided he liked it.
Adrian settled their hand on his shoulder gently, giving him a slight squeeze before releasing Simon. Simon didn’t let them get very far before his right hand held Adrian’s to his shoulder, returning the squeeze with one of his own.
The three stood in silence, watching the police van merge into traffic before disappearing into the lines of cars.
Adrian hummed, keeping their hand on Simon’s shoulder until the young man let go.
”….What do I do now?” Simon hadn’t meant to speak, hadn’t meant to break the silence that settled into his bones more peacefully than Simon had ever experienced.
Adrian hummed again, giving one last squeeze as they pulled their hand away, other arm slung comfortably over their partners shoulders.
”The movie answer is ‘whatever you want’,” Rocky chimed happily, half leaning into Adrian’s side. “But if you would prefer a realistic answer, I would go with ‘pick a name’.”
Simon looked at the pair standing at his side.
They had saved him, stayed by him as he healed, given him shelter while Eden and the COI were dismantled, offered him a place ‘as long as you need it’, and had settled into something warm inside him.
He would never have the words to thank them properly.
He was positive they wouldn’t want thanks anyway.
”Yeah,” he turned towards them fully, a smile spreading across his cheeks, the ache it brought was still unfamiliar. “I’ll need it on my acceptance paperwork for my engineering program.”
The pair stared at him for a moment before the hollering began.
Simon stood before them as they jumped around like children, enthusiasm shouted to the clouds.
”I think ‘Anguilla-Fiesher’ has a great ring to it, don’t you?”
Rocky’s face settled into a knowing smile while Adrian nodded.
”Your parents would be proud.” The couple shared a look. “Your older siblings certainly are.”
***********************
Dr. Ryland Grace smiled at Simon, looking up from the microscope he was using to study the newest batch of metals and alloys shipment they had received from the Task Force’s supplier. Something was off about the latest batches and it was driving Ryland crazy that he didn’t know what it was.
“I love hearing you talk about them. Rocky and Adrian, I mean.” Simon smiled shyly, cheeks growing hot as the younger man watched him. “You always seem so happy talking about them.”
Ryland ducked his head back down to his microscope as he caught himself staring at his boyfriend, a matching flush decorating his own cheeks.
”You talk about them like I do Colt and Court. Like their family.” He looked up over the top of his glasses, a cheeky grin slipping onto his face as he heard Simon chuckle.
”Yeah, they really are.” The Korean man paused to mark another note into the margins of the schematic he was working on before turning back to the metal sample Ryland had plopped in front of him. Taking it into his hands, he tested its rigidity and thickness before trying to bend it.
The metal immediately bent out of shape.
”Another failed piece, Ryland.” The engineer tossed it to the ever growing pile of bent metal. “Rocky and Adrian took me in during the whole ‘Eden trial’ madness. They weren’t cleared Foster Parents yet, but I was almost 18 when I turned up in their hydrangeas. They offered me a place with them as soon as I understood what happened. I’d been in and out for a while, building trust with them. By the time I was being released from the hospital, I only had two demands for the FBI in exchange for my help.”
Simon worked through several more pieces of metal, each flimsier than the last, as he spoke. He looked up as he continued.
”I wanted a completely clean slate, meaning no connection between me and Eden or the COI, and I wanted to stay with my new older siblings. They were young, Rocky was 25 and Adrian was 28, with steady or promising careers and both had solid educations. The FBI basically jumped at the offer. - What, exactly, are we testing here, Ry?”
Ryland looked over the metal pile next to Simon with increasingly growing concern.
“The metal shipments for the hull and fuel bays from the last 5 months.” He pulled away from the work bench slightly so he could look at Simon more fully. “The latest shipments have felt wrong. They started out slightly too light. And now…” Ryland motioned hopelessly at the pile of metal scraps next to Simon. “The component element levels have changed from our initial orders and aren’t as structurally sound.”
The scientist pushed his glasses up his face and into his hair, groaning to himself.
”If we continue to use this stuff, the ship won’t make it past construction at the ISS, let alone Tau Ceti.”
The pair stared at each other in horror before Simon’s expression turned to considering, looking down at his left arm.
He’d worn short sleeves for the first time since joining the project, the arm now clearly visible. The outer plates glinted darkly, hiding the delicate wiring and mechanisms beneath. It was one of Rocky’s….greatest…creations.
Simon snapped his gaze back up to Ryland’s, excitement replacing the horror.
”Ry, I think I have a solution for this! I need to make a call!” Ryland studied him for a second, pushing back from the table, snapping his gloves off as he strolled towards the door.
”Make your call, Si. I’ll get Stratt raking the metal supplier over the coals. Send anyone who gives you trouble to me. I’ll sort them out.” He looked back as he was stepping through the doorway. “Love you, babe. I’ll meet back up with you at dinner.”
Simon blew him a kiss before turning his attention to the contact he had pulled up. He hit the call button and waited impatiently for it to connect.
”..Hey, Adrian, it’s me.” Simon slipped the phone to his shoulder, cradling it between his neck and ear as he marked a couple more things on the materials testing report he was filling out. “Listen, if I arrange transport, how soon could you and Rocky be ready? I think you both would be perfect for this project I’m working on.”
He chuckled at the surprised squawk he heard on the other end.
“Rocky, darling, pack a bag and grab any tools you cannot do without! ….NO!…..Rocky, just pack the stupid bag with your work clothes and whatever tools you can’t work without. Simon may have something for us!”
Simon chuckled at the familiar antics of his chosen siblings. They were perfect for each other.
”When do you need us, Si? We’ll be ready in a couple hours.” Adrian’s voice came through smoothly, excitement tinging their words.
”I’ll get it sorted and let you know when the transport heads out. I can’t wait for you to get here! I’ve missed you both.” Simon heard his voice lower to a soft whisper, the familiar calm of family soothing the rough edges of being trapped like sardines on this carrier. “And I can’t wait for you both to meet Ry! I think you’ll like him.”
He felt his face flush as Rocky’s voice came through next, Adrian huffing something that sounded like a reprimand as the excitable engineer stole his spouses phone.
”Oooh, ‘Ry’, is it? When did that happen, Si-si?”
Simon leaned back against the work bench, an easy smile settled on his face.
”Well, Rock, you’ll just have to get here and find out, won’t you?”
With that, he hung up, chuckling to himself as he imagined Rocky’s indignation at being hung up on. He had to get transport ready, otherwise the older engineer wouldn’t get there to rant at Simon in person.
*****************
Simon, Adrian, Dimitri, and Court all looked on in abject horror as Ryland and Rocky worked on….well, it was certainly something.
The two had met maybe an hour ago, Simon having introduced the couple to Ryland, Dimitri, and Court as soon as they arrived on the Vat.
While Adrian had offered polite greetings to the three, eyes lingering on Ryland before returning to Simon, smile in place; Rocky had hugged Simon swiftly before whipping his gaze across the trio standing before them and settling on Simon’s boyfriend.
The others had watched on in horror as an almost audible click settled in the air and Rocky spoke.
”…So…the greenhouse?” Ryland’s face had lit up and started explaining what he’d originally planned. Turning slightly to motion the group to head back to the lab spaces.
Between one step and the next, the two were off, bouncing ideas off each other so quickly the only thing the rest heard were fractured bits of sentences that didn’t give any context to what they were working on.
Simon, growing increasingly concerned the farther away from their partners the pair got, urged the group to go faster. Court and Adrian looked vaguely terrified after only witnessing the initial reaction and were speedwalking behind the pair in growing concern.
By the time the group had gotten to the lab, it was like an explosion of unbridled genius had gone off.
And at the center were Ryland and Rocky, working with an efficiency that almost made Simon jealous. Until Ryland caught his eye.
The smile on the Biologist’s face lit the room with more intensity than the sun at full luminance.
And Simon could only grin back helplessly and think vaguely, ‘Engineer Simon Grace has the perfect ring to it.’