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A loud banging echoes off the walls of Grace's house, making him groan as he rolls over. Very few Eridians would wake him up like this and most of them would only do it if it's an emergency so that leaves only one person that could be at his door. "Rocky, I'm sleeping!" He doesn't get a reply, instead the banging just gets louder. He groans again, rolling over to look at the Eridian clock on his nightstand. It's not that early but it is his day off so he had wanted to sleep in a bit, it appears Rocky has different plans for him. Grace pushes himself out of bed and walks over to the door, talking before he's even finished opening it. "Rocky you know I'm sleeping right no-" He cuts himself off when he sees what's in front of him.
On the doorstep stands Rocky and Adrian in their xenonite suits, which in itself isn't that surprising, but what is surprising is what the two of them have. Adrian has what looks like arm floaties on each of their arms and Rocky is holding what looks like a pool tube. He blinks, confused at the sight. "Hello Friend Grace!" Adrian chirps.
"Hello… What do you guys have there?" He asks slowly.
"After see Grace in water, I do research on human thinking machine!" Rocky exclaims, doing jazz hands with two of his free hands. "Found float device. Made for me and Adrian, can now enjoy ocean together!"
"Turned temperature up and make soft waves!" Adrian adds excitedly.
Grace stares at the two of them in shock before smiling. "You guys want to go swimming with me?"
"Yes!" Rocky confirms. "But will stay in shallow end of ocean next to beach, more safe."
His smile grows. It's touching that the two want to do this with him, especially since it's obvious Eridians don't swim or float in the slightest and it's dangerous for them. They trust him, and the floaties that they made, enough to enjoy the water with him and it makes him unbelievably happy. "Okay, let me get changed and a towel!"
The two Eridians give him happy chirps in return and he closes the door quickly, rushing to grab a towel and the shorts he had decided would be used for swimming. He changes and is out the door in minutes. He often doesn't get to do a lot of "human" activities like this with others anymore. Most things that he does now are more Eridian because that's what Adrian and Rocky are used to, plus there's not many human things to do on a different planet. Most things that he's used to, like eating together with other people, just don't happen on Erid. This will be the first real human activity that they're doing together and it makes him so excited.
When Grace walks out of the house Rocky and Adrian are both still waiting for him. "Grace ready for swim, question?"
"Yeah!" He nods, starting to make his way down towards the beach. "But how did you guys make the floaties? Shouldn't you weigh too much for it to keep you afloat?"
The question is one that he usually wouldn't ask, not wanting to be rude, but he knows Rocky won't take it that way since the Eridian is quite blunt. "Rocky make special suit," Rocky explains excitedly. "Much more xenonite, special suit make gravity less."
Grace raises an eyebrow and looks closely at the suits. "I don't see any differences."
"Human sight inferior. Adrian and Rocky can hear difference. Thickness different."
He rolls his eyes at Rocky. "Maybe make Grace sight screen like Rocky have," Adrian chirps. "Give Grace better eyes."
"You are both so mean to me," He sighs.
They both chitter at him, obviously amused with themselves, and he shakes his head with a big smile on his face. The two of them are often like this but he doesn't mind at all, he thinks it's funny actually. As soon as they get to the beach he drops his towel and glasses on the sand. "Grace float with Rocky and Adrian, question?" Adrian asks.
Grace nods. "I'll float with you guys!" He walks into the water until he's knee deep before turning towards the Eridians still on the beach. The two are obviously nervous as they skitter around the edge of the water and he smiles at them. "It's okay! I promise that the water won't hurt you, it's nice and cool. And if you guys need I'll help pick you up and get you out of the water."
"Grace no pick up Rocky. Grace weak."
"What!" He exclaims, laughing. "I picked you up on the Hail Mary in case you forgot."
"No, human adrenaline made Grace strong strong strong on Hail Mary."
He rolls his eyes at Rocky. "I promise if you guys need help, I'll be able to help. Water can help make things lighter, plus salt water has a higher density then regular water."
Adrian lets out a string of cords, obviously nervous, as they stomp around on the sand. However, they suddenly jump into the water and Grace gasps before rushing over. Adrian bobs up and down in the water for only a moment before they stabilize. All of their arms are splayed out and the floaties on them seem to be doing a good job of keeping them up above the water but he can't help but laugh at the sight, Adrian looks like a water strider. "You got it!"
"Why Grace laugh, question?" Adrian chitters, still seeming nervous as they float.
"Sorry! It's just there's a bug on Earth that looks just like you do. It floats on top of water by using the surface tension and it has all it's legs splayed out, just like you do right now."
"Adrian will look at bug on human thinking machine later." Adrian chirps. "Floating very fun… Scary but fun."
Grace smiles, happy that Adrian is having fun doing the human activity. He loves getting to share human culture and activities with them, even when they aren't much fun for the two. "Come on Rocky, it's your turn," He says, turning back to Rocky. Rocky is still on the beach, skittering nervously in an inch of water while holding the tube. "Here, I'll hold it so you can get in," He offers, walking as best as he can through the water to get to Rocky.
He takes the pool tube from Rocky and places it in the water in front of him, holding it in place so that Rocky can properly get on it. "Okay… Rocky get on."
Rocky carefully gets on the pool tube and Grace tries to hide the smile as he holds the tube still. The sight really reminds him of kids learning to swim, when they're still scared of the water and unconfident in doing anything themselves. This is Rocky's first experience with deeper, safe, water. He's only ever thrown himself into a few inches of water so getting into deeper water when he's only ever known danger with water must be nerve-wracking. "I promise I'll be right here if you need me Buddy. I wouldn't let you or Adrian get hurt."
"Rocky know. Grace would not let Rocky get hurt… Prove this on Hail Mary."
"Exactly, so I wouldn't put you in danger here either," He assures as Rocky completely settles on the tube. When Rocky is settled he carefully pulls the tube into the water, settling Rocky next to Adrian in the water so they are with each other. He gently lets go of the tube and allows the two of them to bob with the waves. "See? It's nice, right?"
"Very nice, waves fun!" Adrian chirps excitedly.
"Hm… scary but fun," Rocky answers, though Grace can tell he's still nervous since he hasn't gotten used to it like Adrian has.
He smiles at the two and begins floating on his back with a sigh. "I told you. And there's no worry about a sunburn or anything biting you in this ocean either."
"Sunburn-" Adrian begins before getting cut off.
"Bite question?!" Rocky squawks.
Grace laughs. "Yes, in oceans on Earth there are many different types of things in the oceans! There's plants all over the bottom and there's different animals that live in it too. Some of those animals are predators and will accidently bite humans while searching for their food," He explains.
"And humans swim in this? Stupid stupid stupid! All Earth stupid!"
He snorts and Adrian lets out a matching amused tune. "Nothing in Grace ocean, completely safe unlike Earth ocean. But what is sunburn, question?" Adrian asks.
"Well since the atmosphere on Earth isn't as dense the light from the sun can get through the planet, in fact that's where most vitamin D comes from, but when humans are in the sun too much without sunscreen the radiation from the sun causes burns on the skin." It's silent for a moment before both of the Eridians let out scared, high-pitched notes. The sound makes him move so quickly his head dips under the water as he straightens up. "What? What happened!?"
"Radiation?! Humans get vitamin from radiation?!"
The question makes him realise he probably should have worded that better and he sighs softly. "Well it's a small dose of radiation. And while being in it for long periods of time can give bad side effects like sunburn or sun poisoning if you consume it in the recommended amount it makes your body produce vitamin D. Humans have many different uses for radiation as we've studied how to make it safe. We can even see bones by using radiation to take pictures of them. Radiation in small, controlled, amounts is fine. But some types of radiation, and large quantities of it, is bad for everyone!"
"Humans scary. Use danger for things! Even ignore danger to swim," Adrian chirps, wiggling some of their arms.
"Grace get no radiation on Erid! We find safe ways to do all things humans use radiation for!" Rocky exclaims, shaking his carapace.
He smiles softly. "Of course Rocky, no radiation for me," He assures, going back to floating. "I don't need it anyway, you guys can do all sorts of things without radiation."
As he floats he's overwhelmed by how grateful he is to the Eridians for giving him this life. Sure, it's different then what his life on Earth was but it's different in the best way. He gets to experience so many fun things and experience introducing others to his culture while experiencing another culture at the same time. Plus the Eridians really would work to give him anything he asked for, shown by the giant ocean they made just for him. When he gets to enjoy his life in Graceland it always overwhelms him how much the Eridians care for him. He's extremely grateful.
They float in the water for a while as Grace explains things about the Earth oceans and swimming but eventually his stomach growls, a side effect of him not eating breakfast in his rush to join them, and Adrian and Rocky quickly usher him out of the water. "Grace must eat!" Adrian chitters.
"I'm going, I'm going," He assures as he dries off. "Can we have more beach days? This was really fun."
"Yes, many many many more."
"Next time I'll teach you guys all about sand castles, I bet you'll enjoy building them."
Rocky lets out an excited tune. "Grace say sand castle, question? What is, question?"
Grace laughs softly, rushing towards his house. "Nope! You have to wait for next beach day!"
He can hear Rocky scuttling after him. "Noo! Grace tell Rocky what is now!"
Adrian chitters behind both of them as they rush after them and Grace glances over his shoulder. "No no no! Sand castles have to wait for next time!"
Rocky lets out an angry chirp and starts coming at Grace even faster so he in turn starts running even faster towards his house while laughing. "Grace come back now!"