new human calls friend grace ryland. rocky knew this was part of grace name, but nobody used. not even old crewmates. not even human "stratt" who rocky thinks he must have been close with. not even grace students, and students grace favorite humans (said many times).
maybe because not very close, rocky first thought, grace lets new human call him name he uses less. but rocky not stupid. grace smile when other human say ryland. rocky gets more smiles total. but simon say ryland, get grace smile every time. every time.
smile when simon touch, too. human courting weird weird gross, rocky know. grace has held rocky hand before. kissed rocky before. through ball. kiss gross gross gross human mating custom where openings press together. ... rocky like, though. grace probably like kiss simon better. can do more than press against the xenonite and hum. more than rocky. gasp ryland, baby when grace touch his waist, turn around in his arms like human dancing and kiss and kiss and kiss his lips, call grace pretty and perfect in a language made of sounds my voice cannot form.
rocky also think grace pretty. rocky also think grace perfect.
rocky hate simon.
