BLOODYmary fic premise idea:
Dr. Ryland Grace is part of the crew of the SM-7, one of the last science teams to be sent down before the COI switched to utilizing convicts after the equally-tragic loss of the SM-8.
He fought the whole way down, an involuntary position yet one he adapted to immediately in a fit to survive. When supernatural happenings beat out science for the final time, Ryland Grace perishes to the ocean, but not without having documented every moment for the sake of data. For the sake—the hope— of being heard.
Some months later, the SM-13 is hoisted down. Simon comes across the SM-7's black box, seemingly hot-wired to auto-transfer its data to whoever goes near it, thanks to the quick-thinking of its late pilot.
Simon spends the majority of his time down in the ocean listening to Dr. Grace's brilliant recordings, letting them play in the background as he works the deck.
Simon witnesses Grace's ups and downs, his fascination with finding life in the blood ocean, his distress when things go wrong, Grace crying and pacing the sub, Grace laughing to himself in an attempt to self-soothe, Grace finding failsafes in the submersible that save Simon's ass once or twice.
They're his only solace. The only human connection he has. The recordings and Simon's experiences eerily align. Things get more dire for Grace as things ramp up for Simon. They get scared together, they root for each other, even across a screen.
Simon, after being isolated for so long (or perhaps from a lack of oxygen), finds himself talking back to the recordings. Sometimes, he sees things that disturb him, and he walks away for a bit, but he keeps getting drawn back in to see more.
Dr. Grace is a great comfort to Simon, until one of the recordings address him by name. It's subtle—an accident—in the middle of a rant while he's distracted with navigating...
Holding down a panic attack, Simon investigates the SM-13's terminal, opening the computer panel to check inside, only to discover that the terminal's speaker was never plugged in.
Anyway, psychological arthouse Hivemind!Ryland x Simon whump where Simon befriends a ghost via recounted stories and shared experience.
Something something "can you keep talking to me?" Something something "I can't save you, but I'll meet you on the other side."
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