God im gonna be so fuckin annoyed at the incoming discourse of people denying that Jax is a trans woman.
Ppl are making the bow scene about. Her crushing on Ribbit??? Like guys no lets connect the dots. Jax was just talking about admitting something personal and deep to her mom that she reacted negatively to. Ribbit accepts her and places her bow on Jax's head. Why would Jax's reaction be her suddenly realizing a crush and not related to the extremely feminine bow that was just placed on her ear.
Like this is not even subtext. Its just text. But mfs are stupid as hell in ts fandom and refuse to accept the most obvious trans themes EVER if it isn't spelled out.
FLY is a story about a boy who gets a second chance. Help his story take flight June 9th 11am EST on Kickstarter. Thank you for being the wind beneath my wings I hope this story lifts the world to a brighter place.
A coming of age story about Black kids who finally have power to fight back against systems designed against them.
Grace's years of isolation from humans result in severe touch starvation. Rocky takes one look at this problem and says, "Hold my minerals."
Word Count: 3,687
Warnings: None
This is a SFW tickle fic, if you don’t like that then don’t read :)
Inspired by an adorable series on A03 focused on Grace being a wet cat and Rocky learning about human quirks (physical contact and mental health) Link Below!
Archive of Our Own: Platonic Cuddling Series
The journey to Erid was slow going.
Space. More space. Some stars. A little more space. And oh, hey, would you look at that! Space again!
During his lonely trek back to Earth, Ryland Grace had considered cracking out the cocktail of Knockout Juice to slip him into a coma until he was home. Now, however, he wasn’t alone aboard the Hail Mary. Heck, he wasn’t even going home anymore.
He’d been on such a rollercoaster of emotions over heading back to Earth. Despair, acceptance (not really), hope, then acceptance again (for real this time). With the finality of his choice to stay permanently in foreign space, something festered within Grace.
Despite the companionship he has, an awful emptiness latched its teeth into his core and wouldn’t abate. No matter how much time he’d spend with Rocky or watch clips of Earth in the Don’t Go Crazy Room, the feeling of wrongness stayed, and Grace has no idea how to stop it.
A shudder runs through his form, making Grace hunch further in on himself, gripping onto his arms. His skin ached something fierce, despite his hands rubbing along the surface in a meager attempt to self-soothe against the barrage of phantom needles.
What he would give to be bundled in his mother’s arms like he was ten again after tumbling off his bike and scraping his knee. Or being smothered in his dad’s all-encompassing embrace after a failed science experiment, a promise that one day, “He’d be the smartest and coolest of all scientists”. What he’d give for any form of hug at all whilst in deep space-
The invisible aches haunting his body intensify in a sudden surge. Grace freezes in place, struck by a daunting realisation.
…Oh.
It was cruel and unfair, but it made sense. The urge to cry welling up behind his eyes has Grace's breath shuddering out of him sporadically.
“Grace, okay, question?”
The doubled thudding of the Eridian’s back leg cuts through the static building in Grace’s head. He looks to the side and finds the alien ‘watching’ him intently, his carapace shifting in blatant concern.
Grace has to push the word out of his throat. “...No.” He rubs his palm along his arm with a disconnected fervor. It doesn’t feel as though the warmth of his own skin is even getting through.
“What problem, question?”
How could he even begin to explain the torrential emotions wreaking havoc on his wrung-out body? “There’s something wrong with me.”
“Grace sick? Question?” Rocky is growing restless, feet thunking against the xenonite shell of his ball.
Grace swallows back the lump trying to start an uprising of sadness in his throat. It was a persistent battle. “It’s a human thing,” he rasps. “I don’t know if it can be helped.”
“Explain. Rocky fix.”
Grace shakes his head as he burrows into his arms, both to hide his burning eyes and to escape this conversation. Rocky couldn’t fix it. Bless that alien’s heart of gold for trying, but he just couldn’t. What Grace needed, what he was craving, was human touch. It had been years since he left Earth, and his skin was growing desperate for an inkling of steady, warm contact. But by abandoning his journey to Earth in favour of saving his best friend - which he didn’t regret for a second, mind you - he’d robbed himself of the chance to ever experience it again.
Granted, the last memory of touch was being forcibly restrained to the ground, suffocating pressure pinning him down as he screamed for help that would never come. Not exactly a golden recollection of human connection.
A steady series of tapping filters into Grace’s ears, getting past the marching band thumping away. He peeks over his forearm. Rocky has rolled himself so close that he’s right beside his friend.
“Heartbeat fast,” the Eridian states, worry warbling through his medeloic voice. “Bad, bad, bad. Oxygen needed.”
He’s close enough that Grace can feel the alien’s warmth through the xenonite. His skin practically buzzes with the idea of leaning against the Eridian’s stone-like form, multiple arms encircling him with a pressure that could settle his racing thoughts and lonely heart.
Grace can’t help it. He gives in to his pathetic, human instincts.
His arms stretch out from his self-contained ball of panic to clutch around the xenonite, drag Rocky into his chest, and slump against the warm, glass-like surface. A sob tries to strangle his throat, but any noise is kept locked behind Grace’s pursed lips. Rocky tucks himself against the wall separating them, soft melodic noises rumbling from his form in an attempt to settle the erratic pounding he can hear within Grace’s chest. He’d only heard this in moments of extreme distress for his human, and it hurt every time. Though Grace is trying to stay quiet, soft plinks of moisture hitting the top of the zenonite were heard loud and clear for the alien.
Grace clings to the zenonite ball as tightly as he can, trying to trick his mind into believing that the smooth, warm surface was what it was after. That this hug shared between two species unable to co-exist within the same environment is enough for his human instincts.
His skin prickles. The tears keep falling. It isn’t enough. And it is going to stay that way for as long as he is away from Earth.
A shudder runs through the man at this bleak thought, the ever-expanding pit in his chest feeling as though it’s swallowing up his entire being.
As if he heard the emotional casam split further, Rocky’s warbles take on a mournful croon. “Grace, tell Rocky what wrong. Please?”
Grace presses his tear-stained cheek against the warm surface, sighing miserably.
“I’m touch starved.” He says it quietly, fingertips brushing over a surface that isn’t organic enough to trick his brain into thinking it’s skin. “Humans are social beings; we naturally seek connection, and with that comes physical contact. It’s common with anyone we’re close to, not just mates. It’s ingrained into us to co-regulate, so when we go for a long time without that, it causes us to experience skin hunger. It makes humans feel bad.”
Rocky cocks his body to the side, akin to tilting one's head. “Is hug helping badness?”
Grace wishes he could say yes, but then he’d be lying, and he didn’t want to do that to Rocky. Shaking his head miserably, Grace scrubs a fist across his eyes to stem the flow of tears. “No. I’m hugging you, but I can’t feel you hugging back. Pressure is a key thing with hugging; it feels safer that way.”
Rocky trills sadly. “Apologies.”
Grace shakes his head again, but this time it’s paired with a weak, sincere smile. “It’s not your fault. Just sucks that our biologies are so different. I bet you’d give really good hugs without this thing in the way.” Grace knocks twice on the ball, emphasizing the distance between them.
Rocky chitters, though there’s something contemplative about his tone now - an inquisitive warble rumbling through the plates atop his body. He leans away from Grace, his back legs thumping against the casing of his ball as he thinks. “Rocky has idea.”
“Yeah?” Grace lets his arms fall away, desperately ignoring the loss they feel as the warmth disappears from them. There was no need to be clingy. It wasn’t exactly like the hug was helping him in the long run. It was like putting a sticky plaster over a gaping chest wound and calling it a day.
Rocky trills again, more full-bodied. Determined. “Yes. Need to begin work now. Will show Grace when ready.” Rocky is practically buzzing. An eagerness tugging at his limbs as he fidgets in place, itching to start whatever ‘mystery project’ he’s begun cooking up.
“...You gonna tell me what your idea is?”
The alien gives Grace his version of a thumbs up and happily chirps, “No.”
To make it even more peculiar, he hasn’t allowed Grace anywhere near him as he crafts. Any time Grace sets foot in the lab, he gets hissed at. Forget Eridans being extraterrestrial lifeforms of complex intelligence. That sentient stone spider is a cat in disguise. Grace has it on good authority that the little guy practically purrs whenever he’s smug or has done something clever. There was simply no other way to describe the happy trills rumbling from his body.
So, Grace has been forced to amuse himself with other things on the Hail Mary, as his only companion is acting like a kid fresh into puberty and staying in his room to play video games. Fortunately, Stratt had been generous enough to provide enough stimuli aboard the ship to keep the passengers entertained while they slowly died in an eternal abyss of stars.
Unfortunately, he could only consume so many episodes of Star Trek in total silence before he felt an oncoming existential crisis about watching a space show in space.
Thankfully, just as he’s considering going into the lab and risking being cursed out in Eridian, a series of clunks from multiple legs echo through the ship. Only… it didn’t sound like it was coming from inside the hamster tunnels running throughout the vessel. Nor was the clunking dulled slightly by a xenonite ball following the demands of five limbs.
It sounds clearer. Closer. Concerningly faster than the ball as well.
Grace drops the Comfort Quilt™ from his shoulders and scrambles up from his crossed leg position. He doesn’t even know what he’s bracing for, but what greets him when it stomps into view is not what he’d been expecting in the slightest.
Rocky is encased in xenonite. Not a ball. His body is literally wearing such close-fitting xenonite that it follows every crevice, bump, and grain on his form.
“Hi, Grace!” He chirrups, sounding utterly exhilarated as he holds up a claw and splits it into the famous Vulcan greeting from Star Trek. “Surprise!”
Thank god Grace put down his mug of coffee before preparing for a potential ambush, or the inventory would be down a cup. His jaw has long hit the floor in place of ceramic shards, eyebrows high as if pulled by a passing moon’s gravity. “You’re- you made a suit,” he sputters out.
“So Rocky can fix starvation of skin!” Rocky bounces and wiggles in place, the thin xenonite moving with him flexibly. He eagerly reaches out with his two front limbs. “Can hug properly now!”
Grace stares. His ears heard it, but his brain could not comprehend the development. That being said, his heart definitely could, and it felt full enough to burst.
He practically dives for Rocky and slams his full weight into him, knees colliding heavily with the floor. Rocky’s three back limbs counterbalance instantly, and the other two wrap tightly around his human. His claws grip into the fabric of Grace’s cardigan and stay there, keeping the man close against his body heat.
After months of being on the ship - technically years, but Grace didn’t count the coma for his own mental health - with absolutely no physical contact from another being bar a ball of xenonite, this hug was everything.
It was tight, yet not enough for Grace’s deprived body. Every nerve was screaming from overwhelming warmth and pressure, but the idea of letting go only made Grace grip harder. He barely acknowledges he’s sobbing into the top of Rocky’s carapace; he’s too preoccupied trying to convince himself he isn’t dreaming.
Rocky stays put, soft notes humming out of him in a gentle, soothing coo. He’s seen Grace cry before - that man had earned the title of ‘Leaky Space Blob’ after all - but this is different. It’s relief, it’s despair, it's everything the man has been silently yearning for in the depths of his subconscious.
Rocky is more than content to stay where he was with Grace practically smothering him from his doubled-over position, all his strings cut and emotions raw. He would stay put for as long as Grace needs. He lifts one of his limbs from the floor and runs it through Grace’s hair.
He pretends he doesn’t hear the high-pitched, wounded keening that leaves the human in a cathartic, emotional release.
“How did you do this?” Grace asks. “This looks too thin- heck, it feels too thin to be safe for you.”
Rocky chitters, pleased. “Much trials and errors,” he says. “Important. Needed to make.”
Grace tightens his arms around Rocky for a moment before letting him go again. Well, kind of let him go, Rocky is lying over Grace’s legs with the man’s arms draped over his limbs. Yes, he was being a little clingy, but his entire nervous system was recovering from months of neglect. He needs this.
“It means a lot,” he swallows back tears that threaten to have another revolution and overthrow his ability to see. He’s already shed enough to fill a water bottle or two.
They’d moved to the dormitory once Grace felt reasonably steady to become a functioning human being again. (For those curious, it took a decent while for that to happen.) Now, he’s lying on his back atop the bedclothes with an Eridian carefully perched on his lower body as a steady source of contact. It seemed the small alien was enjoying the newfound freedom of touch without a ball getting in the way.
One of Grace’s hands is being diligently studied by the Eridian. “Humans soft.” Rocky remarks, something like awe filtering through his musical tones as he delicately handles Grace’s fingers. “Too easy to damage.”
Grace snorts. “We can’t all be sentient canon balls, Rock.”
“What is ‘canon ball’, question?”
“Projectiles we have on Earth. It was used in battle.”
“Rocky is terrifying space spider and dangerous ball, question?”
Grace thinks of when Rocky first barged into the Hail Mary and proceeded to almost cause irreparable property damage to multiple items and devices within the ship. “Yes.” He states with a laugh. “You’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Rocky perks up. “Good reputation to have!” He prods at Grace’s fingers. “Better than leaky, squishy, space blob.” He pokes at the softer skin of the man’s side to further drive his point home.
Grace yips, batting Rocky’s claws away from his torso instinctively. “Hehey!”
Rocky jolts upright, removing himself from Grace’s legs. “Hurt? Grace hurt? Rocky hurt Grace?!” His voice flits up several octaves as he panics, hands tightly curled against his body to keep them far from his friend.
“No. No, no, you didn’t- hey, come back here, you silly goose. Stop freaking out.” Grace grasps one of Rocky’s retreating limbs and gently tugs him forward with an exasperated chuckle.
Rocky hesitantly steps closer, but doesn’t settle back down. Grace’s legs mourn the loss of their weighted blanket. “Grace make hurt noise,” he states. “Make same sound when burnt with solder iron.”
Grace sighs and sinks deeper into his mattress. He didn’t think this would be a topic he’d have to explain to aliens, but here we are.
“Humans have a pretty complex nervous system that has evolved to alert us when we’re in danger, specifically through touch. When you poked me, my body was telling me something was digging into a place where vital organs sit. The noise I made was just a byproduct of that.”
Rocky considers this explanation, then makes a confused warble. “You laughed afterwards.”
Damn. Grace had been hoping Rocky didn’t catch that.
“...Yeah.”
“Why, question?”
“...It’s a human thing.”
“Explain. Grace live on Erid in future, need to know human biology.”
Well, no dodging the question now.
Grace sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “It just tickled a bit, that’s all.”
“No understand word.”
Double damn.
“...Tickling is when humans are touched in a certain way that makes us laugh. It’s attached to the nervous system thing, part of our fight or flight response.”
Rocky tilts his carapace and extends a claw to wiggle against Grace’s side again. The small squeak Grace lets out causes heat to flush his ears. Rocky chirps, delighted. “This make laughter on command!”
Grace opens his mouth to parry that point, only to gasp and fall into bouts of snickers when Rocky’s claws start prodding at his stomach insistently with both claws. “R-Rohohocky!”
It’s been years, even more than he’s been on the Hail Mary, since he’s felt this sensation. The scuttling, electric sparks spread through his nerves, causing him to flail helplessly. His hands scrabble to both grab onto and bat away Rocky’s curious limbs. Neither tactic got him very far.
“Grace sound very happy,” Rocky informs him. Thank you, Rocky. We’d be lost without your keen observation skills. “Are all humans this sensitive?”
Grace makes a strangled, embarrassed noise in the back of his throat and tries to yank his legs up so he can curl into a ball and hide.
“No, stay stationary. Rocky is not done exploring this.” Rocky’s claws grab onto Grace’s knees to simply push them away, only for Grace to yelp and kick his legs out.
“Nononono- Rohohocky c’mohohon!”
Rocky chirps, curiosity singing through his melodic voice. “Tickles happen all over, question?” He inquires, his back hand squeezing Grace’s knee and thigh twice in place of stomping.
“ROHOHOCK!” The hearty cackles that sprang forth like an exploded fire hydrant were answer enough.
Rocky scuttles and prods over the muscular limbs, little chirps of excitement emanating from the depths of his carapace with every new noise he draws from Grace. Scratching at the underside of the human's knees produced a series of breathy, unstoppable giggles that vividly reminded Rocky of the young Eridians back home with newly developed squeaks perpetrating their vocal cords.
Rocky relays that thought to Grace, and the temperature of the human’s face increased dramatically.
“Grace embarrassed, question? Sound cute.” Rocky reassures, wiggling his claws into Grace's lower abdomen.
A flustered noise left the man, quickly buried behind his arms as he wriggled incessantly from the tickling. “E-Enohohough wihihith- my knees!” He pleads, the feather-light wisps of touch sending his brain into a haywire state of laughter.
“That okay, plenty more to try!”
Grace feels pressure firmly lay across his legs, keeping them still despite their instinctive desire to kick. Rocky has become essentially deadweight, using his higher body mass to easily pin Grace to the bed. At first, his heartbeat kicked up in learned fear from being pinned down amongst dead grass, but the gentle touches and familiar warmth of the Eridian dashes his anxiety instantly.
It was kind of hard to focus on the last memory of being pinned whilst Rocky's two front claws had taken to prodding all over the man’s torso. Light and experimental pinches being tossed in just for curiosity's sake.
“Grace should have informed Rocky of this sooner, could’ve cheered you up easily,” Rocky says, mirth filling his voice as he takes in Grace’s blinding grin, flushed cheeks, and bubbling laughter. He made sure to keep his touch light, not wanting to accidentally hurt his friend; however, in doing so, the tickling was simply more unbearable.
And as much as Grace's touch-starved body is relishing in this newfound, sorely missed companionship, it’s tiring quickly.
“R-Rohohock! Plehehease! No- Nohoho mohohore!” Grace wheezes out a laugh before slumping back into the rumpled bedclothes, all fight disappearing and leaving him in a puddle of giggles.
Rocky chirps, withdrawing his claws from Grace’s stomach. “This hurts, question?” He stomps his back foot into the mattress to punctuate his concern.
“No, not at all.” Grace drapes an arm over his eyes and takes in grateful gulps of air, the last of his laughter shaking his chest. “Just overwhelming, bud. It’s been a long time.”
“But Grace is okay, question?”
The hollowness is gone. Grace’s cheeks hurt from smiling. He feels good. “Yeah.” The scientist reassures. “Better than okay. I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a while.”
“Want me to do again, question?”
Grace’s arm that’s draped over his eyes shoots down to preemptively cover his stomach, an embarrassed grin spreading across his face. “Uh- no, no, that kind of touch is usually for play. Kinda wanting to get some rest now, Rock.”
Rocky chirps, leaning a bit more into Grace’s chest, akin to a weighted blanket. He wraps his claws underneath Grace in a hug, while one reaches up to scratch through his hair. Grace practically melts, a blissful sigh heaving Rocky up and then down in a slump.
“Better, question?”
“Yeh, feels n’ce,” Grace slurs out, eyelids long since closed, and wrapping his arms over Rocky’s warm, xenonite-enclosed form. It was like hugging a hot water bottle made of glass. Sleep was sneaking around the corner with a bat and a trip to Night Night Station.
A claw slips down his scalp, scraping close to the skin of his ear. Grace flinches with a small grunt. The claw pauses.
“Grace is serious? Here as well, question?” The amusement is abundantly obvious.
“Shut up,” Grace grumbles, gently taking Rocky’s front limb and guiding it back to his hair.
Rocky chuckles. “Humans are very endearing. Will be doing this again, statement."
Grace rolls his eyes, trying to pretend there wasn’t a blush practically living on his ears now. Rocky let him dodge answering that. After all, he plans to use this newfound information to keep Grace’s spirits up. There would be plenty of time to prove to his friend that humans were loveable space blobs.
“You sleep, I watch.” He murmurs, carefully scratching the man’s scalp in rhythmic patterns.
Grace’s fingers intertwine with Rocky’s and squeeze. “Thanks, Rocky. …And thank you for fixing this. You’re a miracle worker.”
“Will always fix for Grace. Grace family, statement.”
Grace squeezes a bit tighter, hoping Rocky understands the love being projected through the gesture. He pretends his voice isn’t choked up as he whispers, “You’re my family too. Statement.”
The rumblings of the Hail Mary almost match the lyrical purrs emitting from Rocky, sending Grace into the deepest sleep he’s had since being aboard. Safe. Protected. Loved.
Howdy Everyone! This is a fic I’ve had in the works for several weeks now and I’m so happy I can share it with you all! A gift for a very dear friend of mine they know who they are. And I hope this can be enjoyed by others too. PHM lowkey gets a grip on everyone eventually…
Lee!Grace
Ler: Rocky (and Armando technically…)
Word Count: 5,000
The astrophage powered ship drifted slowly into the dark abyss of space, eleven years, ten months, many weeks, and days away from human contact. Too far away from the sun to provide much if not any warmth to the uncertified astronaut that slept soundly in his berth. At least as sound as he could be after all. Mary the ship's AI or robot if you would call her had already set the coffee machine on its cleaning cycle. Armando grabbed a goofy mug from a storage compartment underneath the machine. It was caramel flavored in the way the man liked it. They knew of course. They both knew everything they possibly could about Ryland Grace. It was programmed into their data center after all.
The science teacher's leg was dangling off the side of the bed. He had really stupid socks on too. Mismatched with a rainbow pattern halfway off his foot, and a bumble bee pattern. Due to the tossing and turning he usually did in his sleep. He was definitely more comfortable compared to how he was months and even years prior. To be fair he did have a tube up his butt and a mask on his face so this was certainly an improvement. The tube down his throat also wasn’t great…This sleep however he had a new person to be by his side. Or in Grace’s case, an eridian. Watching him sleep for as long as he needed to. It was in his nature after all. And the human meant a lot to him. The alien had been keeping track of how long Grace usually slept for. He was told 29,000 seconds but he always seemed to be getting less sleep than that. It confused Rocky. Yet every time, after hours of waiting. Professor Ryland Grace always woke up.
The man slowly slid open from his drowsy state, his blue eyes meeting the darkness of the ship. Another reminder that he wasn’t home yet…except he was never going home. This was his life now, and he had to make the most of it.
“Grace Awake!” The eridian enthusiastically chirped yet was translated through the computer system. He hovered around Grace in his hamster like ball. “How sleep, Question?”
Grace rubbed his eyes gently and yawned with a wide open mouth, a voice crack along with a squeak or two slipping out in the process. Taking his time to fully gain his consciousness back before responding to the eridian. Rocky would usually wait as long as he needed anyways.
“I slept good pal…had an interesting dream…”
Rocky seemed to tilt his head to the side like a curious puppy. Something the alien seemed to do when he had inclined interest. “Rocky not understand new word.” He huffed out softly, rolling around a little bit in his ‘ball’
“Ah right, dream. Well I guess they're what we see when humans sleep. Like a memory or want that we think about.” Grace pulled himself out from the sandwich of blankets on his bed and slowly walked over to the computer on a nearby table. Scratching his side and grabbing the glasses that laid next to it, placing them on his nose bridge and along his ears. Rocky followed him like a puppy wherever he went, always close behind the teacher. Grace didn’t necessarily see him as such after all. He had grown very fond of him and saw him more so as an equal over a pet. That’s just not what he was to the man.
“Rocky not have dreams. Sounds interesting. What Grace dream, Question?”
Grace ran a hand through his locks of hair at the question, trying to piece the dream back together. “It wasn’t anything very special, it was almost like a memory if anything. Just something simple I guess. Leaning out the window of my old apartment and watching the sunset…It was a little blurry but I could almost smell everything. I miss it.”
“Rocky bedroom had window too. It beautiful when look out.”
The man smiled softly. “I can only imagine my friend.”
The astro(not) sluggishly slipped out of his sleeping quarters with Rocky close behind. Happy for a cup of coffee to help wake him up and get him going. A taste that reminded him of the periods before he began to teach for the day. A cup already brewed and ready by the help of Mary. The smell was enough to already get the sleepiness buzzing out of his brain. Rocky plopped himself on the ground and tapped his claw onto the glass.
“Grace teach Rocky today?”
Grace took a sip of his coffee, wiping the creamy residue from his mustache. “Hm? What in particular do you wanna learn? You need to be a little more specific buddy.”
The eridian seemed to be making noises which the computer system was unable to translate. It could almost be taken as he was thinking. Similar to how a human hums…
“Grace promised human anatomy.”
Grace chuckled softly under his breath, patting the top of Rocky's multi sided ball as he made his way into the medical sector of the space ship. “Right right, I suppose I did.” Should not be much different than teaching a middle school anatomy course for health class…right? The school teacher had promised Rocky that the next time Mary and Armando gave him a physical exam that he would let Rocky watch and answer any questions he had lingering in his little rock head. Leaving the alien to wait impatiently for several days, but now was finally the time to do so. Ryland Grace was often trying to avoid these check ups as much as he could, for they were deemed unnecessary and “childish” for him. Even though deep down he knew he needed them. Especially when he was so engulfed in his experiments with Rocky that he forgot to eat and would fast more regularly. Needing help to get back on track with his eating habits and general wellness needs. He had the mentality of, ‘If I don’t eat then I’ll be able to survive longer!’ Which was not healthy in the slightest….
The alien chirped in delight as he skittered around Grace and pushed past him to their destination. Getting launched into the air just a few inches as he ran over a thick binder filled with lots of papers. Anxiously awaiting his lesson from his favorite human. Grace weaved through all the objects scattered across the flooring, making sure not to spill his coffee and burn himself. He really needed to clean some time soon… Eventually finding his spot on a chair next to the robot-like appendage better known as ‘Armando.’ voiced over by the AI Mary. .
“Hello, Ryland Grace. Thank you for remembering your medical exam today. Would you like the eridian to remain present?”-
“Rocky want to watch! Statement.” She was quickly cut off by the eager rock-like-alien. Almost shushing her with a waving claw in the air. Bouncing up and down on his many appendages inside his ball. Nearly knocking over a desk in the process.
“He’s more than fine staying, I don’t mind really. Please just start the procedure. I've been dreading this…” Grace was very aware that he had been fasting a lot as of recently and it had led him to be far more fatigued than usual. He wasn’t necessarily skinny just yet, for the amount of time he was in space unconscious his body had burned a lot of the belly fat he had. Which wasn’t necessarily a horrible thing he thought. If you ignore the fact that the coma was forced onto him…at this point and time however, Grace was unaware of this. After a blood drawing from Mary and a scan of his glucose levels. As well as many questions from Rocky. Mary could quickly take note of the fact that Grace was not getting enough nutrients that was enough to sustain him. Leaving the man exhausted and anxious. Not good for anyone, especially an isolated astronaut.
“Ryland Grace, you haven't been meeting your protein and vitamin intake properly since our last check in. We will need to do an abdominal ultrasound before we continue to the next step of the check in.”
Said man's eyes rolled so slowly to face the AI like an exaggerated girl denied to visit her boyfriend's house. Before a shyly smug smile spread across his face. “Can I promise you I’m not pregnant?” A fading and forced laugh coming from him. The Ai provided no response.
“Is Grace expecting young? Question” Rocky asked excitedly, rolling around and pent up with too much energy.
Grace couldn't help but burst out into a genuine chuckle. Hiding his smile behind his fist. “Noho- no I'm not. I was making jokes. Mary has to do something that is usually done to expecting mothers. But it can be done for other procedures. She needs it to look at my intestines to see if everything looks the way it's supposed to. However I’m not very excited about it…”
Rocky seemed to nod his head or body in understanding. “A joke, yes, Rocky understands now. Statement. ♫♩♬~♫♩♬” Followed by a series of untranslated sounds that could almost be interpreted as laughter even if Rocky didn’t necessarily understand the initial joke very well.
Grace was for some reason dragging out the procedure as long as he could. His fingers pinching and fiddling with the orange pants that covered his legs. He knew it wouldn’t hurt…that was apparent. Mary never did anything to intentionally hurt Grace on purpose at least. There was an accident here or there but this test would be entirely painless. So why were the sides of his head slightly damp with sweat? Because he had done this weeks back before Rocky was not in the picture. And it tickled. And he knew Rocky was going to ask about it. There was no way to get out of it either.
The mechanical arm Armando from the ship grabbed some supplies off to the side of where Grace was sitting. The only noise in the room being the patting of the man’s hands on his thighs. A form of stimming he began to do again once he became more comfortable around Rocky. No reason for him to judge after all, he was just an alien with a kinder spirit than most humans Grace had ever met.
“Ryland Grace, please lay back in your seat and lift your shirt for the abdominal exam to begin.”
Great he was going to have to do it himself…that made his ears turn a little red. Just from the inner anticipation of it all. This was just making him feel stupid. There was nothing to be worried about.
“Must we really have to do this? I mean come on don’t you have enough information?”-
Rocky came close to Grace, his protective ball coming in contact with the teacher's leg. “Grace scared Mary will hurt Grace? Question…”
Now he was really backed into a corner, something he couldn’t get out of. “No bud It’s just…” He paused and corrected himself. “N-No not at all buddy.” It took Grace a few seconds but he pinched the hem of his “I make science jokes periodically” shirt and pulled it up to let his stomach show to the robot, as well as Rocky. Armando grabbed a bottle of gel nearby and with precise accuracy applied the cold gel onto the end of the wand. Before slowly lowering it onto the man's bare skin. A brief squeak coming from Grace at the sudden cold touch. Armando was completely unfazed as Mary took in data on the nearby screen and slowly began to circle the wand around his abdomen. Rocky however had a different reaction…
“IS GRACE OKAY? What noise question!?” He chirped, worried that Grace was trying to hide his pain from him. Yet when Rocky looked at Grace again there didn’t seem to be any signs of discomfort, at least in a way showing pain. Grace's knees were slightly lifted off the ground and unconsciously trying to protect his torso…interesting. He was holding his breath and his ears were turning a strange hue…funny. Rocky couldn’t see this however of course. Due to the way he sees things. Color was something he couldn’t. Only white and black. His glasses were sliding down his nose bridge and his shoulders shook. But what would have been triggering such a reaction from the man?
“Ihi’m fine pal I-I promise. Mary are we almost dohone?”- He snickered through his teeth as Mary made no changes to have Armando move away from Grace’s middle. Seeming to actually be spreading the gel and wand around in bigger circles. Grazing his belly button for just a second, making the man slap a hand over his mouth.
“No Grace, the procedure will be done in no more than three minutes, it has been forty five seconds. It is normal for you to feel ticklish during this procedure but please remain still or we will have to restart.”
The way that Grace reacted was very much so how a child would react to such a grown procedure. It was rather endearing to see a full grown man act this childish over something so simple. Rocky couldn’t help but make a connection to the pebbles back on Erid. It made Rocky’s curiosity only grow bigger and form more questions.
“Why Grace laughing? And what is new word….Question…”
Oh god now Grace was only getting more embarrassed as the time kept ticking and ticking and more things were being added to it all. A long groan came from the man as he dragged his palms down his cheeks. His tummy sucking in just a little trying to get away from the cold gel and wand. Yet still trying his best to stay still as possible.
“I-Ihit’s a huhumahan thing! Ihi don’t know ihif I cahan do this, Mahary!”- Grace hiccuped as he held his forehead to his palm.
“Just twenty more seconds, Ryland Grace. We will be done soon.”
From Grace's words it became confusing for him to tell whether or not Grace was disliking this. Yet when he looked up at Grace through echolocation he couldn't help but notice everything. The wide smile. The genuine and soft laughter coming from him. Not making an effort to physically stop Mary…was Grace enjoying himself?
After what felt like an eternity to Grace the ultrasound was over and Mary needed all the information she needed to improve Grace’s health. She gave him the run down on what he needed to do for the next few weeks to get him feeling healthier and better. Yet everything she told him was practically going in one ear and out the other. It took some time for Grace’s cheeks and ears to fade from their pinkish hue and to get his breath back. All he could do now was hope Rocky wouldn’t ask about it…Not like he would have minded of course. He missed such affections especially if it wasn’t coming from a robot. He had memories of being tickled by his friends in grade school. How happy it made him…He missed times like that. When he was able to just for a moment look back at his life on earth and remember what he was really doing this for. His students. He missed them.
It had been a few days or so since Grace’s medical exam from Mary and Armando. Yet for some reason he was acting…off…not in any bad way that mattered of course. Rocky just couldn’t help but notice the little behaviours he had never seen the science teacher do before. When he was watching him sleep before Grace had actually drifted off, he had been tracing his fingers along his arm and down his sides. So slow and so softly…interesting ...Tracing his face and sides of his jawline with a pencil while he was working on a formula for astrophage…familiar…Tapping his sides while he seemed to be pondering something…his foot tapping on the floor…intriguing...Rocky wanted to try something.
At this current point in time Grace had his feet propped up onto a table, he had literally no motivation to do anything at all for this mission. He sometimes had days like this. He wasn’t going to force himself. Simply having a computer laid across his lap and a manatee documentary playing. He missed going to aquariums and seeing them. Fat little sea cows that made him smile. The way they ate sea grass always got a chuckle out of him ever since he was little. Watch a video of them eating and thank me later.
Rocky rolled into his friend’s space, sitting down next to the man and curiously watching the computer next to Grace. A smile forming on the human’s face.
“Hey pal, you screen peaking?”
“Yes, very interesting animal. Rocky have question for Grace. Statement.”
Said man patted the top of Rocky's ball, pausing his documentary and coming down from his chair to sit criss-cross in front of Rocky at ‘eye level’. “Go right ahead, my friend.” He replied whilst taking a sip of yet another cup of coffee. His second one for the day. One would think that he would take it more seriously to drink water more but the taste was so bland he couldn’t enjoy it much.
“Would Grace like Rocky to tickle Grace? Question…”
The simple question shocked Grace so much that he stopped mid drink and shook his head a bit. Taking a concerning amount of time to properly respond to the alien. Holding the coffee in his mouth before swallowing. His speech became just a bit noticeably stuttered and slurred.
“I uhum- why would- AHEM what’s got you asking me that?” Now this was a question he was dragging out for the past few days and it had finally caught up to him. Crap.
Rocky rolled closer to the man and sat right in front of Grace. The xenonite ball touching Grace's knees.
“Grace seem sad lately. When Mary tickle Grace, Grace look happy. Rocky want to make Grace happy.”
The astro(not) simply sat there for some time, pondering the question and the idea. The way Rocky was being so genuine about it with his reasoning. If he had the time to think about it he never actually tolerated the idea. He actually did enjoy it…but the idea of being embarrassed on top of it at his big age was enough to make him fidgety. Yet how could he say no to his friend? Sliding his glasses back up his nose bridge and nibbling at his lower lip he gave a response.
“Well if…youre genuinely curious… and you w-want to… I suppose…”
The eridian perked up instantly onto his appendages. Tapping his claws onto the flooring of his ball vibrating in excitement.
“Grace teach Rocky how!”
Grace couldn’t help but worry that he was going to regret this…well too late now. His thumb pressed and spread across his eyebrow with a huff of air coming from him. How on earth was he supposed to TEACH someone to tickle him? He had no idea, but he would figure it out as he went along.
“Well I guess you kinda just uhmm…” He cleared his throat. “Lightly touch someone in a place they're sensitive. And the uh, louder they laugh the more ti…sensitive they are in that place.”
“I see. Where should Rocky tickle Grace?”
That dreaded word. Rocky was going to keep saying it over and over and Grace could hardly mutter the first few letters of it…
“I think that anywhere would work really- I’m well…I don’t think it matters where”- Gods how hard was it for him to simply speak right now. The poor guy.
Rocky seemed to laugh at Grace's actions. Not in a negative demeanor in any way. Instead one of interest and curiosity.
“Grace is acting funny. Grace’s face is red. Statement” Grace’s cheeks were in fact painted with a warm shade of pink.
‘Y-Yes Rocky I am very aware…It’s a thing humans do when they are embarrassed….”
“Is Grace embarrassed? Can Rocky try to tickle Grace? Question…”
Grace didn’t answer. Simply pushing his look outwards and looking at a nearby wall. Getting a twitter from the Eridian, he moved closer to Grace. His front claws push out of the mesh like material in the Xenonite ball. Hovering over the tops of Grace’s knee caps momentarily. The teacher's heart beat was seemingly louder to Rocky than a few minutes ago…humans are so interesting…After a little bit of time however, the man nodded to both of the questions. Giving Rocky the go to.
The aliens' claws were softer when peeking through the mesh, it made them have a bit of cushion. Not as much as human hands however. Rocky’s claws oh so gently grabbed onto the tops of Grace’s knee caps. One of his claws accidentally dug into the soft dip of his knee. Not expecting much of any reaction at first. Being rather surprised however at a squeak from the man and a kick of his knee. A noise that Rocky had never heard from the human before. Rolling backwards from the force of the kick being followed by many apologies from Grace.
“O-OH MY GOD!- Sorry! I’m sorry bud I promise you I didn’t mean to do that, honest…”
Rocky quickly came back to his feet and rolled over to Grace.
“What was noise! Rocky, try again, Please! Yes!”
He had gotten up so fast his glasses had fallen down his nose bridge and dangled on his ears. Quickly getting backed up into a corner by Rocky as he followed him around. Sliding down the wall and nervously chuckling.
“Ihi uhum….hey Rohocky buhuddy why not um…”
“Yes Grace?”
He was unable to get any more words out of him at the time. Instead, slowly taking his time to pinch the end of his shirt. Fiddling with the hem of it. Before very….very slowly lifting it. His soft skin showing to the alien and sinking into his shoulders. His happy trail peeking out, a soft warm glow similar to his cheeks. It was rather endearing…
Rocky was overjoyed by this act. It reminded him of when he was doing the medical procedure a few days ago. Rocky rolled closer to Grace and made sure to sit down firmly in his ball so he couldn’t get rolled away. He was heavy enough after all. His claws coming out from the mesh again and slowly going to grab onto Grace’s sides. The slow motion of it made the man unconsciously suck in his belly. Rocky didn’t even KNOW how to tease and somehow that made what he was doing worse and worked on the poor guy so well. The Eridian’s claws made their descent on his sides and gently did as Grace said to do earlier. Almost kneading his paw pads into the soft skin. Tapping the tips of his fingers. This resorted to pulling a squeal from the man. Throwing his head back a little and darting his hands to hold onto the ‘wrists’ of Rocky’s paws.
“GYEEhehe! Oho jeheeEEZ!”
Rocky trilled almost like a feline, something the alien didn’t know anything about. His little claws opened and closed on the man’s sides like a claw machine awaiting to grab its prize. Yet the only prize Rocky wanted was Grace's smile and laughter. By the way it was going. This was working.
“Why are humans ticklish, question?”
Grace knew what the answer was but it was a little difficult for him to get the words out through his giggling. Bitting his lip as Rocky’s fingers kneaded at the tops of his hip bones. A genuine and hearty laugh coming from the teacher. Throwing his head up and back just a little. Rocky stopped briefly so he could get a clear answer from Grace. He was using this as a learning lesson after all.
“Ihihit’s a defehense mechanism *hic*! Thaht lhets us protect our impohortant places. L-Like our intestines or areas that have easy access to the heart. Like the stomach or underarms…It’s not inherently a bad thing however. It can be an act of play…well…trust bonding I suppose. I guess it’s a bit of a social behaviour.” Grace rubbed his now glowing yet prickly cheeks.
The alien was listening intently to Grace’s words, analysing and applying everything to what he was saying. He remembered the anatomy lesson Grace gave him a few days ago…And Grace had practically just handed Rocky a scroll of where to tickle him…
“Rocky understands. Human Culture....” The way the computer picked up the way he said it…it was almost high pitched and playful in a way. Funny.
As soon as Rocky finished his sentence Grace practically jolted as Rocky's digits traveled from his sides to his belly. Pinching and prodding at the squishy skin curiously.
“GYAHA- *snort* ROHohocky!- Thahat whahasn’t an ihinvitAHATION!!-” Grace chortled and slid all the way down to the floor now. Hugging onto his shoulders as his glasses slipped off his nose. Only dangled only on one of his ears now.
“WHAT NOISE? Grace made a funny noise statement!” He was absolutely elated at the sound! He just had to hear it again… “Humans are so soft…why Grace soft squishy, question?”
Grace was far too flustered by the bombardment of questions from his friend. Pulling his glasses from his face and hiding his eyes and mouth the best he could behind his hand. His belly bouncing up and down against Rocky's claws and paw pads. Rocky wasn’t able to directly touch Grace due to the xenonite unfortunately separating them. Yet there was a joyful closeness that radiated from the alien. His incoherent chirps sounded like an excited animal that was a mix of so many different species. Grace was hardly able to focus on anything other than the electric tingles that scattered across his middle and the butterflies swirling around his tummy.
“Oho gohosh! Ihit tihickles buhHUHUDDY!- *snort*!” Grace whined into his hands, curling his legs around the xenonite ball and scrunching up and into his shoulders. Shaking with laughter. He didn’t ever think he’d be tickled by an alien rock…now that was an original thought….
Rocky gently poked at the soft spot underneath Grace’s belly button. Pinching at the soft surface and squishing the side of the man’s belly. A high pitched squeal coming from the man. Not a very manly sound, followed by a loud snort as he scrunched up his nose. The noise only made Rocky want to tickle said spot more. Gently poking at the man’s tummy button a few times.
“Why Grace have hole in stomach, question?”
“DYEE- *hic* HEHE! Ihit’s *snort* Aha bihHIRTH THIHING!”
The Eridian’s fingers patted on Grace’s belly, giving him a bit of time to get his breath back. Happily tapping all his paws on the ground.
“Ihit’s nahat a bahad thihing…ahall *hic* people hahave it…at leheast usually…” Grace wheezed softly, rubbing his tummy.
Grace removed his hands from his face and took a few deep breaths. Placing his glasses back onto his face. His leftover giggles still made them slide down his nose bridge. He had to admit he was actually rather cheerful…the most he’d felt in a long time since being on Project Hail Mary. It was a good change of pace.
“Yehes buddy…I’m hahappy…”
“Can Rocky tickle Grace a little longer, question?”
Grace propped himself up onto his elbows, letting out a long breath of air. Thinking…his ears are definitely burning with heat by now.
“Ihi uhmm…” He pondered for a moment…he was really enjoying himself…almost as much as Rocky was… “Goho right ahead pahal…I don’t mind..”
Rocky almost in an instant shot his hands up into Grace’s armpits. Gently scratching his digits into the following area from an unsuspecting Grace. Rocky thought that his friends' laugh was loud before. He was mistaken.
“DYAHAHAH!- *snort* ROHOCKY!- N-NOHO WAIHAIT!”
Grace was terrified of tossing Rocky across the room again, yet needing some way of grounding himself. Quickly deciding on hugging onto Rocky’s ball and wrapping his legs around it. Like a kid hugging onto a Target bouncy ball that was much too big for them. The downside to this however was he exposed his underarms more to the relentless little alien. Not like he minded however…maybe he did it on purpose. Who knows…
“Grace laughter is louder. Is more ticklish question?” The alien asked while the poor man belly laughed, smushing his cheek into the xenonite glass.
“YEHEHES!- GYEHAHAH!- *hic*!-”
Rocky's paws fluttered and danced around the hollow area. Quickly picking up on the areas that were more sensitive due to the escalation of laughter and quick jolts. Grace rubbed his face against the ball Rocky was kept in. Kicking his feet just a bit as a form of stimming. After a bit more time however Rocky stopped his attack, instead hugging Grace through the ball’s mesh. Chirping and purring with delight.
“Happy Happy Happy…Did Grace have fun question?”
Grace kept his embrace against ‘Rocky’, taking in slow breaths of air and with one arm wrapping around his belly. It was now filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling. One that didn’t compare to the ones he got when he was drunk. This might be his replacement for Vodka for a while…
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