In reference to the teachers au i’ve been reading I’m having a wonderful thought.
When they send the probe back with all the information I’m picturing everyone watching the tapes including all the information about taoameba and eridians like I FUCKING KNEW IT, WHAT DID I SAY. And then money starts getting passed around as some loose bets on wether or not Simon and Grace were/would end up a couple if they did get a probe back home (bc yk suicide hail mary mission lul hope this works)
I say this imagining clips of grace recording his research and then simon calls from somewhere “Love when are you coming to sleep the rock won’t stop talking” because with how often grace records surely shit like that happens.
Okay so fic idea, I saw an artwork recently that was like a baby shower photo of Carl and Grace together, with balloons, party hats, and a huge banner that said something like, “Congratulations on the baby!” (If anyone can find it, please tag me so I can tag the artist here.) Anyways—
What if that party actually happened on Stratt’s vat during the ending days before launch? Everyone heard the story. (Let’s be honest, it was Olesya’s idea, backed by Dimitri and secretly Stratt, who wanted to subtly get back at Ryland for giving her the most confusing heart attack of her life.) They decided to throw a baby shower just to tease Grace and Carl.
And it’s of course a hit.
Grace is stuttering and flustered, but also kind of annoyed he’s being pulled away from work for this, but weirdly touched by all the people that came to annoy him— while Carl is surprisingly having a good time (Olesya spared no expense ’If we are having baby shower then we’re having baby shower right, but with drinking yes!’.) It’s probably one of the better parties the Vat has ever had aside from karaoke night, and everyone remembers it fondly.
And that picture— Ryland looking surprised, smiling, maybe a little teary-eyed while confetti rains around them in the background, the “Congratulations on the Baby!” banner hanging behind him with blue and pink balloons and a stupid party hat that says “You are the father!” — is stuffed into his personal effects on the ship. Because his friend might not remember him, but at least Carl will have something to show that he was loved, that he was happy, that he had friends.
Maybe it’s a little selfish on Carl’s part, but he hopes this stupid, fun night is the last thing Ryland remembers of him. And if he doesn’t remember in time? Well, he’s sure Yao and Ilyukhina will give him the rundown.
Except four years from the Hail Mary’s perspective, no time at all and eleven years from Earth, Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up with no memory of anything. He of course searches through his personal effects to figure out who he is— who he was. And then he finds a picture of himself. (Maybe Carl put in several.) celebrating the fact that he was apparently going to be a father.
He proceeds, as anyone would, to curse (-the first time he’s done so since waking up) and then freak the fuck out.
And cry, a lot of crying. Over the supposed child he’d left behind to go die in space for. (It has to be for them what else could it have been for?) The child he evidently wanted enough he threw a baby shower for. That same baby he can’t even remember the name of. Maybe not even born by the time he left from the lack of baby photos or ultrasounds in his personal effects. A baby he will never meet and never hold and never get to say I love you too.
headcanon that Grace grades the other scientists work only if he’s focusing on something else or he’s tired.
Like. Imagine one of the scientists studying Astrophage gives Grace a paper detailing their recent findings and Grace being locked in on something else, he just looks up, skims the paper, then pulls out a red pen from somewhere and marks it, “B+, you forgot to account for…” then after a 5 minute lecture on how to improve, he goes back to typing or smth. The scientist just standing there baffled thinking ‘B+? What are we in? A classroom?”, and kind of bum hurt that they only got a B+ (bc ofc they want an A) so they go back to researching with a new ferocity cuz dammit they’re going to get that A. Cue the science team being fueled by Dr.Grace’s grades, them just rubbing it into each others faces if they get A’s or A+’s.
Headcanon 2 is that he just keeps gold star stickers in his pockets so for example: All of them are in a meeting, Dr. smth pipes up with a good suggestion and he goes, “Great job! You get a gold star.” And just puts it on their phone case or badge and moves on, everyone is flabbergasted and a bit jealous except for the scientist who is just vibrating with happiness and a bit of fear because the co-dictator of the world just gave them a gold star.
Extra: Grace also hits Stratt with the 1 2 punch of “A+! Here’s a gold star.” On one of her presentations after staying up for 36+ hours and slaps a gold star on her forehead before conking out on the desk.
Carl is in the corner desperately trying not to laugh bc Grace just did this in front of the entire Petrova task force while Stratt is just staring at him in confused amusement.
Extra-extra: The mess hall on Stratt’s Vat has a ‘Fridge-board” which is a magnetic board acting as a fridge for all of their papers with A’s on it. Grace just being mortified when he learns that he’s been grading and giving gold stars to the top minds of the world and Stratt having to assure him that it boosts morale and that it’s fine.
(Once he gets sent off to space, everyone in the task force keeps their stars to remember him, because he never said goodbye.)
(Eva looking at her star and throwing it away, because she couldn’t stand the thought of having a gold star from the man she killed.)
Grace: *has dozed off at his desk, waking up to-* ...Adrian?
Adrian: ...You didn't answer when Rocky came through earlier.
Grace: Oh, shoot I'm so sorry! It's just, I'm still not feeling my best and-
Adrian: I didn't ask for explanations, Ryland.
Grace: *mumbles a further apology.*
Adrian: ...Go lay down. I will observe.
Grace: Uh...are you sure? You don't have to-
Adrian: This is not a debate. Go.
Grace: Sure, okay...*gets ready for bed, watching as Adrian gets settled with something to work on.* ...I'm sorry for inconveniencing you.
Adrian: You are not.
Grace: *getting into bed, unable to get to sleep.* ...Adrian?
Adrian: What.
Grace: Thank you. I know you don't like me-
Adrian: What gave you that idea?
Grace: ...I mean, this is the most we've talked in months, and you always seem like you want to leave whenever I'm around?
Adrian: That's not...Grace, I do like you. Very much...I leave because I thought you didn't like -me-.
Grace: What?! I like you so much!
Adrian: ...Hm...come here, Grace. Bring your blankets and pillows. *Rearranges their limbs to make a nest.* Tomorrow, we will have a better discussion about this. You need to sleep.
Grace: I'll hold you to that. *Settles in their 'lap'.*...Y'know, Rocky's gonna be very jealous of you.
Ryland who's so used to tagging along with Rocky and Adrian, essentially third wheeling their dates, errands, etc.
If we're in the scenario of Simon arriving on Erid after the events of phm, I think it's silly to think about Simon asking Grace about what he does for fun n stuff like that, and then Grace is js like "Oh, I always follow Rocky and Adrian around."
Eventually, Simon joins in on tagging along and eventually everyone on Erid just kinda views them as a pack. The Eridians learn that where one is, the other three usually aren't far behind
So we all know the fandom is treating Grace like this soft boi who stutters and blushes and can't defend himself (I've been guilty of that).
But it would be hilarious if all the people in-universe thought the same thing and Grace was just fully taking advantage.
Like Jody posts a candid picture of a shocked, petrified Ryland, and a laughing Colt who is pointing at something, on instagram one day and the caption is: "One of these twins is the sweetest, kindest, most empathic person in the entire world <3 The other one is Colt." Colt replies in a comment: "This photo was taken 0.5 seconds after Ryland punched Tom Ryder in the face btw", to which Jody replies "No, I don't think Ryland would do that", and Colt goes "YOU LITERALLY SAW IT HAPPEN??"
Ryland is innocently sitting in a corner silently pondering if he should feel bad or be proud.
Grace learning about how young Simon was when everything happened to him and being horrified is my favourite thing about bloodymary actually
Grace staring at Simon after he mentions his age at the time offhandedly, Simon thought Grace looked horrified before but now he may as well be completely white in the face with how pale he is.
Grace who brings a hand up to his eyes, using his elbow to lean against the lab table, his toes barely touching the ground from his stool. “Rocky- Rocky can you go? Human privacy.”
For once, Rocky doesn’t object and rolls away into the dormitory. That alone sends Simon’s pulse sky high, has he done something wrong?? Is Grace upset with him?? Did he say something offensive on accident? He doesn’t know old earths customs!! What if he-
“It’s fine!” Simon insists, his palms facing outward. “I’m sorry Ryland I shouldn’t have brought it up-“
“What? No no- Simon I’m not mad at you. Jesus Christ- you were a child.” Something about the words, or the sincerity in which he says them, cracks Simon’s chest open down the middle.
His body hums with adrenaline, the mere topic setting him on edge. He feels impossibly small suddenly, like he never grew up from being the butcher at all. His nails dig into his calloused hands by his sides.
Simon hadn’t noticed Grace getting up, which is truly something. He jumps just barely at his sudden appearance, and yet he forces himself to look Ryland in the eye.
“Simon? Did you hear me?” Ryland asks gently, his expression soft yet set. He’s standing close, but not too close to be threatening. Simon doesn’t feel alarm bells of danger from the proximity.
Okay maybe a little bit.
Simon opens and closes his mouth a few times, he doesn’t want to sound like he wasn’t listening but also he has no idea what Ryland said. “Something- uhm-“
“It’s okay.” He’s got his teacher voice on, as Simon likes to think of it. That calm composure he can switch into in the blink of an eye. “Do you uhm-“ he falters for a second, before pushing on. “Can I hug you?”
Simon stares at him dumbfounded, Ryland is usually very easy to read, sometimes Simon reads Ryland before Ryland reads himself, but the words leave him star struck. Why would he want that right now? He catalogues his shaking hands, did it start before or after he asked? Simon doesn’t know.
“Bad wording- sorry. Do you need a hug? Only if you want one- oh okay!” Ryland ends with a soft exclaim as Simon pulls Ryland in. His arm wrapping around Ryland’s waist in a tight embrace. Ryland uses one arm to hug him back and the other to hold the back of Simon’s head.
That’s the straw the breaks the camels back apparently, the bridge of his nose finds the crook of Ryland’s neck as the tears start, he fights himself to keep his breathing even.
The vulnerability feels odd, he isn’t sure what he’s supposed to be doing. Is he doing it right? Is he crying too much? “Sorry- sorry I’m getting your neck wet.” He mumbles, sniffling.
“You don’t need to apologise to me Simon. You didn’t do anything wrong. Not now or then, okay?” Ryland’s voice comes out in a whisper, breath grazing against Simon’s ear.
Simon gets the knee jerk urge to reject it, to pull away and walk off and never speak of it again but Ryland’s hand in his hair and the hand rubbing his back are very convincing, he feels too safe to go anyway. To ruin it.