Chapter Text
Grace was busy with doctor appointments today, and not even the ones with needles that Rocky had to hum him through. It was just more boring physical therapy, measurements, and imaging. Rocky had the ability to request any copies of Grace’s imaging he wanted at any time, so he wouldn’t be missing out on much. Plus, the human had swore up and down that he was okay and that Rocky should go re-familiarize himself with his cave. Rocky had seen Adrian right after docking, but the human was adamant that he needed to spend more time with them.
Fine. It could be nice to see his cave again. He hadn’t been home in 50 human years, and he might be able to surprise Adrian while he’s at it! If he were more prepared or could stand the thought of being around large throngs of people, he might have brought them a gift. His hands tremble at the idea of entering a shop though.
His presence will have to be enough of a gift for his mate
He really hopes Adrian isn’t at work. Rocky hadn’t had time to familiarize himself with their schedule yet. He’s sure it’s had to have changed in all the years they’ve been apart. Many things on Erid had changed after |Vℓ+ years away which was unsurprising to him.
As he walked towards their shared cave, Rocky took a quieter path. He still wasn’t okay around crowds, but he was excited to actually go home. The excitement drained out of him, however, as he stood at the entrance to their soundproofed home. He could hear the key that had been ever-present on his tool belt since he left tinkling against his carapace in the light wind. He’d never taken it off. Doing so would have felt like admitting defeat, and though he’d come close to giving up in the all-consuming silence of space, Rocky was nothing if not stubborn.
What if it his and Adrian’s cave had changed as much as he had? It didn’t sound different from the outside, but he couldn’t tell much about the inside. Like most Eridian homes, the entrance and walls were covered in a substrate that muffled sound. For all he knew, the layout inside could be totally different. Adrian wouldn’t have any reason to keep his workshop with him gone.
Then a worse thought struck him. What if it hadn’t changed at all, but he couldn’t allow himself to relax in his own home?? What if it didn’t feel like his home anymore? What if it was too quiet or too loud or—
Rocky sways his carapace back and forth in front of the door, visibly upset. He must look like a madman to anyone passing by. At least he was a recognizable madman what with his name and image being shared far and wide via the planet-wide radio system, so no one was likely to call the authorities on him for acting suspicious in front of his own cave.
“Stop it. Grace will be expecting a story. Cannot lie to Grace. Do not want to tell Grace that Rocky turn around and leave. Must.. must do.” He mumbled to himself, and gave his carapace a quick shake. Oddly enough imagining telling each step of opening the entrance to Grace was the only thing able to propel him forward and put the key into the door and turn the lock.
At least they hadn’t changed the locking mechanism after all of these years, Rocky thought to himself as he flicked the latch, swung open the door, and broke the sound muffling of the cave for a moment. He stepped inside cautiously and clicked to sense the room before him to take in the changes— that is if there *were* any changes—
There was a pebble standing in front of him.
There was a pebble he did not know clicking up at him curiously in the foyer of his own cave
What.
What?!
Rocky and the pebble are locked in a stand still, each clicking at the other in wonder. Rocky thinks that maybe he needs to head back to biodome and insist that Grace’s doctor’s appointment come to a halt, so that he can have some imaging done. Sure he’s gotten trapped in his memories before, but he’d never hallucinated something novel before.
A strange pebble, bouncing side to side with excess energy certainly counts as novel.
They bother speaking at the same time “How the h—“
“Why in me cave?” The pebble cuts him off with a question, tapping twice with an impossibly tiny limb. Their limbs are no longer than one of Grace’s pencils.
It’s a good thing they had cut Rocky off too because for all of Grace’s chiding, Rocky still has a bad habit of cursing every other sentence. The pebble’s question is not a bad question either. In fact, Rocky was about to ask the same one albeit with a touch of inappropriate flourish.
Oh sweet fires within. Did Adrian move and not tell him? That had to be the case. He had waltzed into some stranger’s house and was terribly close to their pebble. Did the new owner not happen to change the locks?! Maybe somebody should call the authorities on him, recognizable image be damned.
“Because.. is me— is my cave.” He explains, words a bit gentler now that some of the shock is wearing off. At least his pebble babble isn’t detracting from the conversation for once. He doubts this pebble is any older than thirty. They might be onto understanding and making their half semitones, but talking normally might still challenge them.
“Is me cave!” The pebble stamps a foot as if that tiny, little thing could ever be intimidating. “Me cave. Me hatchmate’s cave. Me renren cave. Me me me!” They insist. Rocky tries not to melt into a puddle over it. He really does. It’s just been so long since he’s seen a pebble.
As if cued by the pebble’s words about their parent, a muffle between the foyer and what used to be Rocky’s relaxation chamber breaks. Said parent— this pebble’s ‘ren ren’ approaches, reaching for the errant pebble.
Rocky’s stomach cavity flips with recognition and his limbs feel weak.
No.
No! It can’t be. It’s—
“Adrian?!” He screeches at his mate.
Oh no..