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When Grace first arrived on Erid he was in no shape to make a good impression on his best buddy’s mate. Especially since he and said best buddy kinda fell in love on their journey to Rocky’s home. Grace felt guilt despite the reassurance that Eridians were culturally polyamorous.
Rocky and Adrian had never taken another mate, Grace was the first one Rocky had considered since Adrian. Adrian was… wary of Grace. They trusted Rocky implicitly, but the alien was squishy and dying and did they have to use so many resources to try to bring it from the brink?
The three of them settled into semi-easy routines, especially when Grace started to get better and his biodome was completed. Grace and Rocky loved each other, Rocky and Adrian loved each other, Grace desperately wanted to please Adrian and Adrian tried to tolerate Grace.
Weather on Erid was pretty wild sometimes, Grace had discovered. Rocky had explained to him that the wind and storms were regularly earth hurricane force and thunder and lightning was violent.
One day, a violent storm started up in the area of Graces biodome. He couldn’t see it, but his care team had warned him to go in a bunker the architects had made for him in order to wait out the storm. Grace grabbed his quilt and his laptop and a book and tried to be brave.
He couldn’t see the storm with the panels of his dome simulating earths sun and sky, but he could hear it, creaking and groaning and whistling all around him. He felt so alone, Rocky was off somewhere thrumming or building something amazing. He felt stupid, like a little kid hiding under the bed.
The storm was so loud, he couldn’t hear the alarm of the airlock, but he did hear when someone entered his house above him. He cowered, thinking about the time Adrian told him there were some eridians claiming he was a deity, would they use the storm to take him away?
Just as he started to look for a place to hide, heavy footsteps clunked down the stairs, too heavy to be rocky. But then grave breathed a sigh of relief as teal legs came into his view. “Adrian?” He called hopefully.
A series of notes answered, “I am here, Grace.”
Adrian was barely down the stairs when Grace leaped up to hug them. “Adrian, I’m so glad you’re here!” Grace felt tears. “Fudge, I’m sorry, I know you think that’s gross.” Usually Adrian reacted with disgust to Grace’s fluids. They weren’t used to them like Rocky was.
Instead of their usual reaction, Adrian carefully palmed Grace’s jaw, manipulating his head this was and that, as if getting a better view of his teary face. “Why do you cry?”
“Oh, this is my first major eridian storm.” He tried to think of a better reason than a pathetic, I'm scared.
He was silent way too long and Adrian hummed, “I imagine the storm is quite different for you. Rocky asked me to be here with you while he is indisposed. He regrets that he himself could not be here”
“W- where is he? Is he safe?” Grace tried to keep the desperation out of his voice.
“Rocky is at the capital building attending meetings, he is safe. The storm is worst in this area, but no need to worry, storms are quite routine on Erid.”
Grace blew out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Rocky was okay, he sent Adrian so Grace wouldn’t be alone.
“Thank you for being here, Adrian.” Grace whispered, feeling the familiar pang of guilt that always accompanied talking about Rocky when Adrian was around.
“Of course, shall we watch a movie?” They tapped Grace’s laptop. Grace and Adrian picked a movie and settled in.
Halfway through, a loud crack of thunder shook the biodome. Grace squeaked and burrowed into his quilt.
Adrian hummed a note of understanding. “First storm, you are scared.”
Grace groaned. “I’m a grown man, I shouldn’t be.”
“But you are,” Adrian countered.
“Here,” they patted their carapace. “I will make it better.”
Grace didn’t even think before he dragged himself and the quilt closer. Adrian paused the movie, put two arms around him and started to sing. It wasn’t any lyrics that he recognized but after a moment, he felt relaxed. The song lulled his panicked body and he felt it warm in his gut. His eyes drooped and words cut through the melody.
“Sleep, Grace. I will watch.” So Grace followed the words. When he woke, Adrian was still there, but the sound of the storm was gone.
“Whoa, it’s over?” He grumbled. “Thanks Adrian, you being here really helped. That song put me right to sleep.”
Adrian purred. “Song for pebbles so they’re not scared, so they feel safe and comfortable.”
“A lullaby.” Grace supplied and he felt warm from the top of his head to fingers.
“Do you need to be anywhere?” Grace asked, suddenly aching for more of Adrian’s presence.
“No.” Adrian answered quickly.
“Do you want to finish the movie?” Grace asked shyly.
Adrian hummed an affirmative. “The couch is more comfortable for you, yes?”
“I don’t mind staying here, it’s cozy.” Grace sighed and started the movie again.
----
Adrian didn’t know quite when their feelings changed. Grace was disgusting, impractical, brash, but seeing him in his state during the storm shifted something. The tears in his eyes which usually sent Adrian recoiling, was their responsibility to fix, the unrestrained concern for Rocky echoed Adrian’s own, the way they jumped at a minor thunderclap made Adrian want to bundle him up and tell him everything was okay, so they followed that instinct.
He fell asleep to Adrian’s song so quickly, comfortable with Adrian even with their slightly strained relationship. He was so open and trusting, it broke something in Adrian. He woke and immediately asked if Adrian could stay even though the storm, the source of his fear and the need for Adrian's comfort was gone.
Finally, when Adrian left, several hours after their original intention, they felt an emotion they had not felt since Rocky left for space. It dawned on them as quickly as the thunder clap. They rushed to the capital, they had something to discuss with Rocky...