Chapter Text
Adrian sang to the sky. They had been doing this every λ(3) days for the past nearly V+VV completed orbits(608 Erid-years / Roughly 70 Earth-years), since the λV-crew(23-crew) left Erid to solve the Astrophage problem. The ship had carried the Eridian’s hopes, a team of the very best. Among them was Adrian’s soulmate. They had wanted to go along as well, but the team had bio-engineers, and Adrian was already working on the preparations for keeping the planet’s native species alive as long as possible while the crew was gone.
They were supposed to be back IVℓ+ orbits(700 Erid-years / Roughly 46 Earth-years) ago. λV(20) other soulmates used to join Adrian, singing to the stars a tune of safe return. Only λ(3) still did. The meager harmony, now missing the bulk of their tune, was hardly loud enough to reach wherever their soulmates were. Hope and optimism had faded, and Adrian sung now out of loyalty and desperation.
Adrian’s soulmark was a rough-textured strange shape made up of a symmetrical pair curves that met at a sharp point, with a single cusp between them(\2665), set right beneath their family crest. There was a small protruding circle at the very base of the shape, overlapping the mark and the rest of their carapace.They tapped a limb against the mark as they sang, listening to the resonance as it differed from their own, the way the grooves vibrated in a weak facsimile of their soulmate’s voice. Their soultune.
The soulmates that had given up often tried to convince the remaining choir that it was hopeless. That they should move on, join the grieving thrum to share memories and grief, maybe even find someone new. A mate other than your soulmate was uncommon, but hardly impossible, especially with a loss like this. Tragedy can form bonds almost as strong as the ties of fate. Adrian refused to give up. Rocky would return to them. He had promised. And Adrian had promised to take care of Erid while he was gone.
The song ended, softly ebbing into the background noise. Limbs clacked softly on the entry point as the other few left-behind soulmates gathered. The elevator had been built on a high rock, the highest point that was still close enough to the city—for easy communication. The building at its base held any scientific tools that could be needed when the crew returned. Adrian placed their small radio on the ground, in the center of the small congregation, and it crackled to life.
Chords of idle chatter came through the device, Erid’s astrophysicists still surveying the nearby space out of obligation, reading the output of the star as it continued to dim. The group listened for anything new from the team, but they announced that nothing had changed within the area they could scan. Adrian hadn’t even asked yet, but the scientists had learned the choir’s schedule by now.
They thanked the team, adjusting the frequency to the one the ship would communicate on.
[Adrian.] One of the others sang, halting and concerned. [Should we really keep doing this? There’s nothing there. My heart aches for my soulmate, but they are gone. Is the pain every time worth the hope, question?]
Static rang out.
[If you no longer wish to accompany us, you are under no obligation to do so.] Adrian’s tune was dismissive, sharp, and stern. The opposer cowered, humming a snippy apology. Silence usurped the conversation, still laid with an undercurrent of static. The sound was grating, a representation of loss, of doom, of the continued waiting.
The dissenter backed away, pulling their friend with them.
[We’ve waited long enough. You may cling to your foolish devotion to a long-dead soulmate if you wish.]
Adrian did not respond.
It was just them and a frail, older Eridian. She hardly sang, but her tune in the current held a wisdom and grief that had Adrian surprised she had stayed so long. Adrian wouldn’t question it. Later, Grace would name her Amber after her glossy, orangish-yellow hue.
Something shifted in the static. Both of them leaned towards it, carapaces rustling to take in more sound.
A sound broke through. Something with intent, almost like a pebble—one note at a time, warped in strange ways. It was unfamiliar, and the notes it did sing were nonsensical.
“•၊၊||၊|။|||| | |။||၊•” [Hello? Is anyone there? Come in, come in! This is Ryland Grace, of the Hail Mary, do you copy? Simon, go grab Rocky!]
Another voice, lower this time.
“•၊၊။⑉︲။၊၊•” [That sounded like the regular-ass noises we've been hearing for weeks. Are you sure?”]
[What is that…] Adrian mused. The small radio exploded with noise.
“•||၊║||||║║၊||•” [Oh fudge! Oh my gosh! Hello! That was Eridian! That was---I know what that meant! Oh, jeez, I wish I could speak it---Simon, hurry up! (I'm going, I'm going!)]
Adrian flinched back, Amber following suit. Low mumbling tones continued over the radio, accompanied by clicking and stomping that seemed not to follow any real pattern.
And then…
[Hello! This is Rocky from Astrophage Mission, who is there, question?]
🩵 🩵 🩵
Dropping the Taumoeba off on Threeworld hadn’t been too difficult. It added a few months to their travel, but more than that… it was a sign that The Hail Mary was getting close to Erid. Rocky found himself getting more and more nervous. Grace and Simon were doing about as well as Grace had predicted. Malnourished but surviving. They spent most of their time asleep these days. He would watch.
It worried him. Even though Grace said it was perfectly normal, expected for their lack of nutrition. His crewmates had slept more and more during their mission. Until they didn’t wake back up. They’d found the solution, but they’d lost Iλλ•λ╗(95.65%) of their original crew. It had been a steep price to pay.
Grace had taught him about relativity, too. Rocky didn’t know exactly how long it had been for his home, but he knew he was cutting it very close. Everything would be so very different. And Adrian…
He tried not to be jealous of Grace and Simon. They deserved to be happy, having found their soulmates after so long believing they didn’t have one—not one that was alive at least. Perhaps, if he hadn’t met Adrian before he left, it wouldn’t be so terrifying to come back and wonder if they’d waited. IVλℓ years(414 Eridian years / 58 Earth years) was already an unbearably long time for him, and Adrian had waited longer, with no way of knowing he’d ever return. Grace tried to convince him that they’d wait. But the nearer they got to Erid, the more the fear and dread grew.
He wasn’t the smartest Eridian. Far from it, honestly. Having squishy, leaky, stupid space blobs on board made him seem particularly clever, but he knew better. He was hardly qualified for this mission, chosen mostly for how quickly he could build. He was an engineer, not a scientist. And yet he couldn’t even fix what had killed his crew.
He tapped his soulmark softly, moving it back and forth just enough to play his soulmate’s ‘voice,’ warped now from the brush with death. It still sounded like them, but there was something else, something familiar accompanying it. Grace had called it ‘teal,’ middle-light-rough on his display. It was a circular patch, with two rays coming from a common point at its base, arrows pointing upwards.
He had told Grace what frequency Erid used to communicate with Blip-A during launch, and he’d turned it on permanently. The fuzz of static warbled over the intercom, quiet enough not to interfere too much with Rocky’s ‘vision,’ but loud enough that it was an ever-present addition to the ship’s soundscape. It seemed to bother Simon, but he didn’t say anything about it, just flinching when the static adjusted itself.
Rocky was in his cove in the observation room, humming a melancholy tune of longing like the dramatic little rock he was. It was soundproofed enough to block out the static, which he appreciated. The gesture was nice, and it was certainly a good idea, but there was a reason Eridians never developed radio technology as much as humans did.
He heard shouting. Footsteps pounding towards him—Simon’s.
“Rocky!” Knocking against the xenonite barrier. Just this one was opaque, to give both species a sense of privacy. “Are you in there? We need you in the cockpit, fuckin’ radio shit’s goin’ off!”
[Coming, coming, coming!] He clambered out of the sectioned-off room, scuttling quickly through his tunnels until he got to the cockpit. No time for the ball, he’d need to translate. He’d need to explain. Grace was rambling on about something, and Simon was leaning from side to side, nearly bouncing. It was nice. At least Rocky wasn’t the only one nervous.
[Hello! This is Rocky from Astrophage Mission, who is there, question?]
There was a long pause.
“I swear there was music, I heard it, someone said, um… well it was a rhetorical question, I know that much, a sound of confusion, uh—I can’t remember exactly what it means right now, but—”
[Rocky?]
Rocky let out a high-pitched trill that had Grace clamping his hands over his ears. He shoved his whole carapace against the tunnel wall, getting as close to the radio as he could.
[Adrian!?] He sang, a couple octaves higher than his normal tune. Grace's jaw dropped, eyes immediately sparkling and then tearing up.
Simon looked between the two before leaning towards Grace and whispering, “what just happened?”
Rocky trilled elation, anxieties momentarily forgotten in lieu of the joy and relief of hearing Adrian.
[Adrian! Amaze, amaze, amaze! Rocky coming home now on ship Hail Mary! Happy, happy, happy! Adrian!] Rocky looked towards his new friends, overwhelmed by how much he had to tell his soulmate.
His soulmate who was remarkably quiet over the radio at the moment. Rocky warbled a sad apology, carapace drooping, clicking against the xenonite barrier.
[Great apologies for taking so long. Crew died. Spend long time alone, not know what to do. Rocky not scientist or pilot.]
Grace looked over empathetically, understanding most of those words. He placed a hand on the barrier in solidarity. Rocky shook slightly, lifting himself back up.
[But then! Find leaky space blob alien! Name Grace, very brave, very stupid–]
“Hey!”
[Very kind! Friend Grace help Rocky find solution so save stars! And then Grace save Rocky! And Grace Rocky save friend Simon!]
Simon still looked bewildered, not knowing nearly enough Eridian to understand Rocky's frantic chords.
[Grace Simon Rocky almost at Erid! But leaky space friends need different atmosphere! Can build place, question? And make food, question? Is also very different!]
The radio continued its grating static.
The anxieties came back with a vengeance. How stupid of him, how callous. Hearing from his soulmate after almost IVλℓ years(414 Eridian years / 58 Earth years)—even more for Adrian—telling them how badly he failed his crew, and then immediately asking for favors? If they had been waiting for him, they probably wouldn’t stick around much longer.
“Maybe we lost the connection?” Grace mumbled. “We're still pretty far. I didn't even expect to connect this fast.”
[Adrian…] Rocky warbled sadly. [Very great apologies. Rocky miss Adrian very much.]
[What atmosphere Rocky friends need, question?] Adrian’s notes, muffled by the distance, were matter-of-fact. Not dry, not upset, but not the relief that was playing constant chords under Rocky’s. He perked back up regardless, the sheer joy of hearing his soulmate was more than enough. He rattled off data, listing pressure and air content, getting unembellished affirmatives in response.
[Understood. Adrian relay information to astrophysicists, make team. Build biodome. Rocky bring friends and solution to Astrophage.]
[Yes, yes, yes! Bring Taumoeba, bring Grace Simon! See Adrian soon!] Anxiety wavered the chipper tune. Static filled the room.
Grace leaned forward, concerned. He took a breath, surely preparing something comforting but stupid.
[Rocky?]
[Yes!]
[...Adrian miss Rocky terribly. Very happy almost home.]
🤎 🤎 🤎
Adrian switched the radio to the scientists’ frequency, containing their excitement as best they could. Amber had stayed silent throughout the conversation, but the news of the loss of most of the crew surely hurt. Still, though, they shook with anticipation. Rocky would be home soon! He had made friends with extraterrestrial life, and he was coming home! It felt unreal.
[Amber very happy for Adrian,] the older Eridian chimed softly.
[Thank. Deep condolences for your loss.]
[No need. Amber accept many years ago. Had plenty of time with soulmate. Will join soon anyways.]
Okay. How are you supposed to respond to that?
Adrian clicked V(2) limbs together in a deferent gesture. Greetings came back over the radio, mildly amused by Adrian’s persistence. Well, they wouldn’t be laughing long.
[Change frequency to V+Iℓ⑆(216 GHz) now, statement.]
[Copy.]
Adrian switched back to the “Hail Mary’s” frequency, hearing those strange sounds again. Those must be Rocky’s alien friends, then.
“•ılıılı။⑉lıılı၊ı” [--lot better than I did when I met my soulmate, yeah?]
[Yes. ‘Simon’ loud and leaky. Adrian would never. Adrian very cool, keep all calm when things go wrong. Very smart, always know how to fix. Perfect mate.]
“•၊၊||၊|။||” [Awww, that’s so cute! You really love them!]
[Yes. Too good for Rocky.]
“•〣║║||၊၊||║||၊|” [No! (You shut the fuck up, talkin’ like that) Language! But he’s right! You–]
[Incorrect. Rocky go on dangerous mission to save stars. More important, Rocky come home. Rocky wonderful. Aliens mean to Rocky, question?] Adrian was losing composure fast. What were those ‘squishy space blobs’ saying to their soulmate that had him singing so sadly?
A note of embarrassed surprise.
[No! Friends simply asking about Adrian. Did not know Adrian return already.]
[Okay, lovers,] another voice cut in sarcastically. [Science Team require information.] They didn’t seem nearly as overjoyed as Adrian felt to hear about Rocky’s return.
Rocky explained over the radio, interspersed with comments he translated by ‘Grace’ and ‘Simon,’[Translator’s Note at the end] about the solution they’d found to the Astrophage, about the long journey and wait, about an invisible deadly force bouncing through the assumed-empty void, and about the friends he’d made. V(2) teams were created as quickly as possible: one dedicated to the study of Taumoeba—including scheduled checks on Threeworld—and one dedicated to a biodome for the other saviors of the stars.
Adrian volunteered to pioneer the biodome’s development. It was something to do while their soulmate was still in space, something other than dwell on what he’d gone through, all alone out there. They heard the accompaniment when Rocky sang to the aliens, the soft hum of comfort, of family. They would keep his alien family safe, even if they weren’t sure he should be trusting them.
Their language was relatively simple. Adrian began figuring it out quickly enough, especially considering they didn’t turn their radio off anymore, and with Rocky translating most of it. But they needed more sleep than Eridians did, apparently. Not to mention the apparent malnutrition that Adrian was supposed to figure out a way to solve.
Whatever. They’d do it. Because Rocky was coming home. And somehow, that was thanks to a ‘squishy space blob.’
[‘Grace’ very smart for squishy-alien! Scientist! Brave and crazy and stupid! Save Rocky even though not enough food. ‘Grace’ Rocky best friends!]
The aliens had apparently gone to other rooms within the ship. Rocky spent as much time as possible by the radio, wherever it was. It had only taken λℓ rotations(18 Eridian days / Nearly 4 Earth days) for the outer dome to be built, and Adrian was currently working on the interior, following plans they’d already developed with the rest of the team.
[What about other squishy-alien?] Adrian asked. They heard a lot about Grace.
He chirped the way one might over a pebble, charmed and fond. [Simon Grace soulmate! Very cute. Rocky Grace find, save Simon in space! Happy, happy, happy!]
Adrian didn’t fully understand. [Grace also find, question? Squishy-alien planet send V(2) ships, not tell Grace Simon?]
[No, no, no! Is complicated. When Rocky meet Grace, Grace have no soulmark! Not normal for squishy-alien, but normal for Grace! Then—]
“•၊၊||၊ Rocky, when║||၊၊|| last time you ate? Simon║ asleep, if you want〣eat |၊|||၊ sleep, I can keep watch.”(Hey Rocky, when was the last time you ate? Simon’s asleep, if you want to eat and sleep, I can keep watch.)
[Later! Rocky talk to Adrian!]
“You need sleep, too, Rock. I’၊⑉ sure Adrian’||၊ understand.” (I’m sure Adrian’ll understand.)
[Yes,] Adrian replied quickly. How long had it been since Rocky had left the radio to eat and sleep? They assumed he’d been doing so when Adrian did, but… [Rocky sleep. Friend Grace watch. Adrian here when awake.]
The conversation between Rocky and his alien friend continued, but Adrian was hit by the realization of what Grace had said. He’d offered to watch Rocky sleep. He was making sure Rocky took care of himself, something Adrian remembered he had a tendency to forgo.
Maybe the squishy-aliens were alright…
[Goodnight Adrian. Rocky love, miss very much.]
“Goodnight, Adrian!”
[Goodnight Rocky. Adrian love, miss very much. Goodnight, Grace. Thank you]
“Yeah, no problem! Can’t have my best friend staying up too late, can I?”
[Grace be quiet now.]
“Aw, but I thought I was cute.”
[Grace never speak again.]
Maybe… not?
🩵 🩵 🩵
Adrian had been an independent pebble, preferring the company of elders with their seemingly infinite wisdom over their peers. They found meaning in research, in diving deep into the burning questions in any young mind. Why? How? They consumed information like they were starved, and soulmates were just one of many topics they turned attention to. The way the elders sang about soulmates, timbres deep and full, was a source of interest. Someone to stay by your side, to understand you.
As one research topic always leads to another, the branches from ‘soulmates’ were endlessly interesting. Grieving rites, celebrations, whole customs formed around this unexplainable phenomena. When soulmates met each other, joining voices for the first time, the symbols would form grooves, small vents that mimicked their voice. When a soulmate died, there was no indication. The grooves remained, a key to a missing half that no longer lived. Those close to the bereaved would gather, playing goodbyes while the soulmate played the tune of the ridges. Adrian had gone to a funeral like that once, a close friend of their parents’.
They were young when they met Rocky, only λVℓℓ orbits(828 Eridian years / Roughly 96 Earth years) old. That was considered quite lucky. Erid was a large planet, with cities all around it. Usually, one would go on a journey to find their soulmate when they were around Iℓℓℓℓ orbits(1296 Eridian years, a little over 150 Earth years) old. Adrian had been researching, as per usual, and had just managed to track down a particularly interesting record of an oceanic species that had matching markings—potentially indicative of soulmates in other creatures.
On their way home, they heard a skittering coming towards them on the path, and paused. The shorter Eridian seemed frantic, clearly in a hurry, and they maneuvered around Adrian in a clumsy spin, whistling multiple tunes overtop of each other, as though their very communication was tumbling over itself.
[Hello, excuse me, sorry, good day, nice to meet you, you’re very pretty, goodbye!]
They hardly had time to whistle back a surprised [Hello,] before the panicked Eridian was out of hearing range.
Nearly λ+λ revolutions(136 Eridian days, roughly 28 Earth days) later, Adrian met them again.
[Hello!] He had trilled, swaying back and forth as if holding too much energy, [I am Rocky! Nice to meet you properly! Do you remember me? Are you visiting the elders too?] Neatly tucked into his toolbelt were prosthetic limbs and assistive canes, which he hurriedly passed to some of the elders with missing limbs. It was sweet.
[Hello, Rocky. I am Adrian. It is nice to meet you again, indeed. I wanted to ask Beatrice about Songfish.]
[Amaze, amaze, amaze! Adrian! Such a pretty name!] Rocky trilled, spinning around Adrian and waving his limbs. They trilled a soft laugh while he whistled odd rambles.
Both of their soulmarks cracked. Rocky fell backwards in surprise, and Adrian trilled a surprised laugh. He shook the limb in the air, and it played the same laugh back.
🩵 🩵 🩵
The Eridian scientists assisted Grace with landing the Hail Mary atop the space elevator, needing very little translation help from Rocky thanks to the extensive translation software they’d built by now. Which was good, because Rocky was a little preoccupied panicking with Simon in the corner of the cockpit—though for very different reasons.
Simon had started shaking as soon as the gravity lessened, tucking himself into a corner between the cockpit walls and the xenonite ones to keep himself from floating too much. Rocky had joined him, both flush against the barrier he’d made. He itched to do something to dull this sense of dread, but everything was already set up. Simon had worked with him to create a xenonite ball on wheels, attached to a backup oxygen generator, to get the fragile squishy space blobs to their new biodome-home. It had a sensor for reading the outside atmosphere as well, so they’d be able to know for sure that it was safe. Things had been neatly packed and protected from the ammonia and heat to move everything, even Grace’s pet doctor robot had been disassembled to be relocated.
So all they had to do was wait. Which sucked big-time. Rocky had waited for years. He didn’t want to wait anymore.
The ship jolted as it connected with the elevator, the sounds of speedy construction outside the airlock passed through the metal exterior. Simon flinched closer to Rocky, and he hummed encouragement. Grace spun in the pilot’s chair, over-shooting and spinning a few too many times before pushing himself over to the two huddled in the corner.
He gently coaxed Simon towards the airlock, the two getting into the little ball-car (as he called it) as Rocky got back into his ball-suit, pushing a few of the ‘necessities’ cases with him, as well as what the scientists on Erid would need to study Taumoeba, proof of their success.
Gravity steadily increased as they descended towards the planet, objects settling on the base. Rocky let out a nervous trill, and Grace responded with an approximation of comfort—the best his vocal cords could do. It still worked wonders. As the atmosphere outside the elevator thickened, Rocky began to ‘see’ the crowd of Eridians surrounding the entrance. He let Grace and Simon know that they’d have an audience.
Within the actual building at the bottom of the elevator, there were only a few scientists, elevator operators, and… Adrian.
Relief and apprehension swirled, and Rocky began shifting from side to side, wishing this thing could go any faster. He positioned himself closest to the ‘doors,’ ready to roll out as soon as he could. As much as he wanted to leap straight towards Adrian, he had a ball around him right now. Still, he waved as many limbs as he could at them, and they did the same. Grace was waving sheepishly at the scientists, trying to keep up with their questions. Simon was tucked securely under Grace’s arm, scowling.
Rocky disassembled a pane of his suit, climbing out of it haphazardly before running full-tilt towards his soulmate, coming to a screeching halt in front of them.
[Adrian! Amaze amaze amaze! Hello! Love Adrian, miss Adrian, hello Adrian!] He sang their name over and over, relief flooding him as they leaned towards him, gently clicking their carapaces together.
[Rocky.] They sang, and Rocky understood why humans ‘cry’ when they’re happy. Hearing Adrian’s voice again, unmarred by static, real and here, and he was home and everything was going to be okay. The crowd outside could surely hear him by now, but he took the moment he was given, drinking in the affection to make up for years alone. He lifted V(2) limbs, wrapping them as far around Adrian as he could. This, too, he understood now better than ever. The closeness, the assurance.
[What Rocky doing, question?]
[Human display of affection. Rocky learn.]
Adrian hummed, before wrapping one of their own limbs around Rocky in turn. He chirped, joy and comfort bleeding out from his voice, something far older than language, just pure emotion. Adrian responded with the tune of safe voyage, the proper ending of the age-old song; of coming home.
🤎 🤎 🤎
Rocky’s soultune didn’t sound right anymore. It was one of the first things Adrian noticed. Parts of his carapace had crumbled, and the grooves weren’t the same. They could still hear their own laugh reflected in the marking, but it was off somehow. Like there was something else, like the layer of static that had separated them.
He spent a lot of his time with the squishy-aliens he had bonded with out in space. Adrian understood. So long alone… they shuddered to think about their poor, sweet soulmate, with only the company of memories. How long had it taken before his soultune went off-key? They hoped he at least had that comfort for most of it.
He invited Adrian along, of course, and they always took it. Their own feelings of the aliens aside, they’d take any chance to spend time with their soulmate. They’d had enough time apart.
Grace was… awkward. A scientist, and very smart, yes. But he had a hard time asking for things. It frustrated Adrian. They were trying to make a perfect biodome for their beloved’s pet alien, and he wouldn’t even tell them what they wanted?? He would go quiet, worrying Rocky and his own soulmate alike, only to wave off their concerns and act like it was nothing.
Simon didn’t trust much. Grace had to test new foods first, and not many Eridians were allowed to get close to either alien, or Simon would start making a threatening human noise. It was honestly adorable. He was good at reading Grace, too, and would often tell Adrian what Grace had been wanting, which made their life a lot easier. And he didn’t fall over and hurt himself as much. Which made the missing limb an even bigger mystery…
In fact, all λ(3) of them had mystery injuries. Grace had explained human soulmarks, seeming surprised by the fact that they were ever-so-slightly indented into the skin. Adrian could ‘see’ it. They could also ‘see’ Rocky’s handprint burned into Grace’s arm just above it, and the ‘x’ burned overtop of Simon’s. Other burn marks littered both of their skin, which they had to explain was not normal human skin texture. They didn’t seem to want to talk about it very much.
Rocky, on the other hand, was eager to explain the adventures the makeshift crew had gone on.
[So Grace go on hull of ship, collect sample from Adrian-planet atmosphere. Then bad, bad, bad! Drop sample! Almost fall! Very scary! Rocky try tell Grace, ‘come back! Forget sample! Try again later!’ But Grace not listen. Very stupid, very crazy.]
“Hey!” Grace seemed… nervous for Rocky to tell this story. The +(4) of them were on the floor of the humans’ new home, atop a soft layer Grace had brought from his ship—a ‘blanket.’ The humans were both wrapped in a second one, and Simon was leaning on Grace’s shoulder, listening to Rocky’s tale. That was another thing Adrian liked about Simon. He listened. Grace and Rocky were always talking over each other, interrupting each other. Simon was patient, like Adrian.
[Is true! But also brave! Grace retrieve sample and come back. Disaster! Ship too close to Adrian-planet, and start burn and spin! Grace try to fix, but hit face on wall and fall asleep!]
Adrian looked at Grace. He really didn’t look like he wanted Rocky to tell this story. Simon placed a hand on Grace’s wrist, pressing fingers in the center. He had explained once, that humans can’t hear inside each other like Eridians can, but there are specific places where they can hear the heart beat. And that the heart beat was a reminder that someone was alive and real.
[So Rocky leave xenonite tunnel. Try to grab Grace, but bad, bad, bad. Burn Grace arm. All very bad, smoke everywhere.]
Wait, what??? Grace’s atmosphere was toxic, deathly cold and made of highly flammable elements. Rocky pushed closer to Adrian as he continued.
[Rocky finish fix, pull lever. Try to hurry, hurry, hurry, back to tunnel. Very hurt, very bad. Fall down. But okay! Because Rocky live! Because Friend Grace bring Rocky to tunnel!] He shakes his limbs in joy, playing that slightly-off soultune again. Grace smiles softly.
Rocky could’ve died. He could’ve died and left Adrian all alone—left Erid all alone with no way to save their star. For this alien he’d just met.
But he didn’t. Because Grace saved him. The scars all along his back… Just as their environment was deadly to Eridians, the Eridian environment was deadly to humans.
“And you still thought you were a coward?” Simon was almost whispering, reverent but playful. Grace scoffed, then stuttered, unable to form a proper reply. Rocky made one for him.
[Yes. Because Grace stupid. Squishy alien space idiot.]
“You guys are so mean to me!” He cried out, but it was in jest. Adrian could at least recognize the way they teased each other now.
“No we’re not, you’re just dumb!” Simon grinned as he spoke, still holding Grace’s wrist. Grace was trying to hold back a smile. Failing, yes, but trying nonetheless. It was certainly endearing. They supposed Rocky could’ve picked worse aliens to pack bond with.
“Okay, Mr. Thought-I-Was-An-Angel-For-Months. Sure, I’m the dumb one.”
Rocky whistled lowly, a human tone he’d picked up. Simon just shrugged.
“That’s not stupid. You still basically are.”
Blood rushed to Grace’s cheeks and he looked away from Simon. He was embarrassed. It was very endearing. Adrian started to understand the urge to tease him.
[And now Grace have V(2) soulmarks!] Rocky chirped, delivering the final blow. Grace let out an embarrassed shout, falling sideways onto the blanketed floor. Simon, still leaning on him and holding his arm, went down too.
And then he was laughing. Rocky was trilling laughter, but Grace was laughing, sheepish and genuine. And it was so familiar. Adrian shifted slightly.
Oh.
Oh, that was adorable.
[Rocky also.] They hummed.
[What?]
[Rocky also have V(2).]
Adrian pointed at Rocky’s soulmark, then at the still-laughing Grace. Experimentally, Rocky shook the limb, allowing the warped sound to play. It sounded like Adrian, much younger and ever-so fond. But underneath it, a quiet accompaniment, was Grace’s laughter.