so last night i had the WEIRDEST (sorta) tickle dream about 🦇
we were on a very cute date, a picnic by the water and we were just talking when she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me onto her lap, she kissed me and whispered to me "do you know how badly I want to tickle you right now?"
LIKE HELLO?
OUT OF NOWHERE MIND YOU
but then the dream gets... weird
like 5 moose (idk the plural chat) came right by us and I was like what the fuck.
🦇 either didn't notice or didn't care and just kept teasing me about liking being tickled while i was just freaking out bc the moose where coming closer she finally notices I'm panicking and was like do you want me to stop? and I said NO JUST GET THEM TO LEAVE and then 🦇 gets up and grabs a football ??? throws it and the moose just left to go get it?
she comes and sits back down by me and pulls me closer grabbing my sides and saying "where was I?" and just when I thought dream me was going to get tickled I wake up with the biggest lee mood ever because now all I want is my gf to tickle me
but what the HELL was this dream, everyone else has cute tickle dreams where they get tickled and I don't apparently 😭
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.
Get it? Like first aid… but it’s worst aid,,,LAUGH.
First fic back in like two years- so go easy on me guys,,, but it’s good to be back!! (This is so not proofread yall.)
This is a long one. Sorry LMAO
Written first person
Lee!Grace Ler!Armando
Ryland sustains a minor injury, due mostly to his own clumsiness. As Armando tends to him, Rocky gets a crash course on just how sensitive the human nervous system is.
1.8K Words
In my defense, I’d been trying to pry that darn door open for days. Can you blame a guy for getting a little reckless with the execution?
-
For the most part, I had rummaged through just about every drawer, door, and compartment available to me on the Hail Mary.
Boredom had gotten the better of me before Rocky came along, so I kept busy by rooting around in the crew cabin for whatever I could find - whether pertinent to the mission or not.
Most of it was useless to me, but the hunt was fun enough.
There was one door, though, nestled in the corner of the dormitory, that was sealed off with a number lock - the kind you’d find on a bike lock - and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out the combination.
I tried everything. The date of the launch, Yao’s birthday, Ilyukhina’s birthday… heck, even my own. No matter what four digits I entered, nothing worked.
“What Grace doing, question?”
I nearly jumped out of my pants. How didn’t I hear him approach?
“Nothing, buddy, nothing. Just trying this door again.” I huffed, sitting back in defeat.
“You try many times with door. Never work. Why question? What inside door, question?”
“I dunno. That’s why I’m trying to get it open. The curiosity is killing me- but I just can’t figure out the combination…” I mutter, now just spinning the number wheels in annoyance.
“Why not break, question? Break metal barrier off. Much faster.”
I pause, considering for a moment. “Good idea, but I don’t think they outfitted the Hail Mary with toolshed bolt cutters, Rock. And if they did…”
I flick the thick metal arch of the lock with my finger
“I don’t think it’d get through metal this sturdy”
Rocky wiggles in place, thinking for a moment.
“I make.”
“What?”
“I make 🎶 with xenonite. Very strong. Will cut through metal.”
I smile, noting the new word for “bolt cutter” in my mind. “Xenonite is incredible stuff” I say with a nod. “Yeah, okay! That’ll work!”
-
Just as I start to get bored of waiting, Rocky appears, bounding down his tunnel, with… incredibly accurate bolt utters. Impressive, considering I hadn’t given him any specifications
“Here! Try, try, try!”
Rocky slides the things through his side of the airlock beside my bed. I know better than to touch something fresh out of his atmospheric conditions, so I grab a spare pair of EVA gloves from the drawer just above and to the left of my mystery door, slip them on, and grab Rocky’s new tool.
“This’ll do nicely!” I say with a grin. I crawl over to the little door. Rocky scuttled his way beside me as I positioned the blades around the solid metal of the lock.
I’d like to think I’m a strong man. No bogdybuilder, but definitely not a twig either.
This however, was making me look like a twig. I grunted, gritting my teeth as I used all the strength in my body to sever the metal. After an embarrassing 15 seconds, I resorted to using the wall for leverage, positioning one arm of the bolt cutters against the smooth steel wall, and with my body weight, I pushed on the other arm. Not wise, considering I was purring my full trust into one, thin, point of contact.
And I lost my balance.
With a sharp yelp, the bolt utters slipped out from under me, sending me careening into the wall, my shoulder blade banging against the… still open… drawer.
“AGH-! Cheese on rice-!” I so maturely swore, rubbing a hand over my shoulder.
“Grace! Grace! You okay, question?! Hurt, question?!”
Rocky chirped anxiously, tapping on the wall of his ball.
“Yes, yes buddy I’m okay- didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it looked like it would.” I was really saying that for Rocky’s sake. Truthfully, that hurt pretty bad. Nothing that a little ice and a break from activity couldn’t-
“Physical distress detected.”
I froze. Armando must’ve heard the commotion.
“No no Armando. I’m alright. No need for-“
“Yes! Grave, hurt!” Rocky yelped out, bouncing back-and-forth nervously in his ball, clearly still concerned. I have to admit, it is pretty nice to know that he cares about me enough to flip his lid over what can’t possibly be more than a bruise.
Without another word, along, sleek, robotic arm, approaches me, ready to drag me over to my bed for medical attention. “Fine- fine. But I can walk there myself. No need to drag me.” I mutter, standing up begrudgingly, and plopping down on my bed for Robo-Nurse to have a look at me.
Rocky parks himself at my feet, staring up at me with his… absence of eyes, clearly still worried. I smile at him, earning a trill in reply.
Armando tugs at my shirt, attempting to remove it. Stuff like that doesn’t work nearly as well on a patient that’s conscious and upright, so I help out, and slide my shirt off with a sigh, setting it to the side.
“Bruising detected.”
Armando announces. Sounds about right.
“See bud? I told you it’s nothing to worry about! Just a little br-“
“Scanning for additional injuries.”
“Huh-?” Before I can protest, Armando has lowered a robotic hand to the back of my shoulder. Three rubber knobs, make contact with my skin, not unlike one of those massage guns they use in physical therapy. Never was a big fan of those. Glad this one doesn’t vibrate. 
Oh. It does.
Without any sort of warning, the three knobs of Armando‘s hand begin to vibrate softly. Only strong enough to bounce some sound waves through my skin, but definitely quick enough for me to react
“GAH-! Armando- e-enough-!” I bark out, lurching my torso forward.
Rocky tilts his carapace, not entirely sure how I went from yelling in pain, to yelling in surprise, with a lopsided smile on my face.”
“ why Grace smile, question? Not in pain question? “ he asks, taking a step closer
I regain a bit of composure, sitting up straight, and breathing through the brutal med-bot checkup. “N-no, no- tch- no pain. ProhAh-aHA-!”
I let out a rather unflattering sound- something between a manic hyena and a frightened dog.
Rocky sits patiently. A bit confused, but patient nonetheless. Little guy must not know what to make of any of this.
“Please specify areas of discomfort.”
“NO-! Armondo, enough-! Y-you’re tickling me-!” I cry out, ducking and weaving away from the metal assailant.

“No understand. What that mean, question?”
Cripes sake. Now I’ve got us somehow find a way to explain what tickling is while in the thick of it…

“Please specify areas of discomfort.”
I ignore Armando.
“It- hahA! It’s essentially- a ph-phenomenon where *snort* the human nervous systehehem reacts to.beibg touched a certain way, in certain places.” I say slowly, shooting upright again as Armondo’s hand rolls across my spine.
“AYWHAHA-! It- it makes us- it makes us laugh. Wes aren’t sure why.”
Rocky trills in thought, swinging from side to side as he observes the scene before him.
“ very strange. Human tickle all over, question?”
I shiver, knowing it’s no use getting up or running away. Armando could drag me back here like a sack of potatoes if he wanted to.
“Please specify areas of discomfort.”
“Shuhuhut UP-! And no, not everywhere. Specific plahahaces. It’s different for everyone.” Ah what the heck. It can’t get much worse than this, so I tell Rocky the specifics. “For me it- it’s mohohostly the back, knees, and under here-“ I gesture under my arms. As I finish my sentence, Armondo pauses.
“Discomfort reported on: back. Knees. Pectoralis major.”
My eyes widen, and my muscles go stiff.
“Armando- no- no no no ABORT. ABORT. CANCEL-“ I shout at the robotic nurse as a second mechanical arm reaches towards me, completely and utterly ignoring my pleas. With skilled precision, the second hand found its way under my arms- I suppose the armpit muscle is called “pectoralis major”.
I crumple to my side, then onto my stomach, cackling like a madman, as my alien friend (who was doing NOTHING to help) continues to ask me questions.
“Why move like in pain, but laugh, question?” He asks, scooting his ball closer to my bed
“AHAHA- O- WE DON’T KNOHOW FOR SURE- aHA-!” I bark out. “LEADING TH-THEORY IS- HAHA- PRIMITIVE SELF DEFENSE RESPONSE.”
My words begin to slur together as my frantic babbling picks up speed. Armando’s vibrating sensors focus themselves on the center of my spine, circling like metal and silicone vultures, searching for nonexistent injuries. I bury my face into my pillow, cackling like a crow.
Definitely not my proudest moment.
“Where other humans tickle, question? You only mention where you tickle.”
Rocky asks. I’ve had just about enough of this. Plus, I really didn’t want Armando assuming my naming of other body parts was me telling him where else to poke and prod me.
“LATER. LAHAHATER. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER. JUST- HIT ARMANDO’S KILLSWITCH. OHOHON THE WALL.”
I all but command. I didn’t mean to sound so stern, but my chest was starting to ache, and I needed a break. 
“Grace no answer science question, question?” He sounded disappointed. I’ll make it up to him some other time.
“NOHOHOW ROCKY!” I shouted, voice breaking through laughter. Rocky chirped, a startled sound. He’s scuttled his way over to the wall, nudging his habitat ball into Armando‘s reset button.
The reset button wasn’t a permanent off switch. Essentially, it worked like a forced reset on a phone or a laptop, shutting down all running programs in returning him to a neutral, stable state.
And that’s exactly what happened. With a descending, electrical groan, Armando‘s arms went limp, allowing me to crawl out from beneath them. I sat up on the edge of the bed, catching my breath, head hung heavily at chest level. After about a minute, Armando powered back on with a series of beeps, clicks , and motor whirs. 
I weakly reached over for my shirt, which I discarded at the beginning of the whole ordeal, and slid it on. I did it backwards, but I couldn’t have cared any less.
“ Grace alright, question? You look tired.”
“M’fine. Overwhelmed, but fine.” I mumble, sitting up straight and calming a hand through my hair. 
“ Good, good, good.” Rocky paused for a moment, tapping one of his claws, oddly on the floor of his ball. “ Grace answer science questions later, question?” He asked meekly
I smiled softly, throwing myself onto my back on my bed, watching Armando’s arms slowly retract up towards the dormitory ceiling. “Yes, later, rocky. For now, I’m taking a nap. Feel free to watch.” I say with a heavy sigh. 
“Yes yes. You sleep. I watch. Science later. Good plan.” Rocky chirps happily, making himself comfortable beside the bed, as I drifted off.
And after everything, I still never got that stupid door open.
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…
Hello Everyone! As promised I have another PHM fic for you all to enjoy! Consider it a follow up to the previous fic I made “How to teach and Eridian” Oh and you know the poll I did? I sort of lied…because I liked both ideas so much. And a lot of you did…BOTH prompts are in this single fic! I hope you all enjoy it!
CW: Mentions of Alcohol
Switch! Rocky and Grace
Word Count: 3000+
Ryland Grace floated around the Hail Mary with a straw in the corner of his mouth, leading to a bag of vodka. He hadn’t been drunk in a hot minute and needed something to feel a little less like himself. It was certainly a problem he had but at least some form of way to taste something nice and forget stuff for a bit. Be a little happier despite all that was going on around him. Making his way into the screening room where Rocky was staring at the screen surrounding him. What played was one of those videos you play for cats with ocean sounds in the background. All sorts of fish swim by, sharks, sea turtles. Something grace had taught the little Eridian not too long ago and seemed to have formed quite the likeness towards. Something so pure and majestic he could just watch for hours…almost seemed to have beat the tape measure.
Anti-Gravity had now been turned off to Grace’s request by Mary as he slunk to the floor. Awkwardly landing on his feet, waltzing over to his friend and sitting down beside him. Leaning his right arm against the xenonite ball. A bit wobbly from the amount of alcohol consumption but still functioning smoothly. He never let himself go that bad…well…most of the time.
“Hey Rock, what's got you watching this?”
Said alien chirped in delight at the sound of Grace’s voice, reaching an arm of his out from the mesh of his ball to hold onto his friend’s arm.
“Hello Grace! Rocky wanted to watch calm video. Rocky like fish.”
Grace smiled softly at his friend's words. Patting the top of the ball with his palm and setting down the bag of vodka.
“Do you have a favorite bud? Mine’s the manatee but if we are talking about actual fish. Then I really like basking sharks…such interesting creatures.”
“Grace has a dumb taste. Spider crab is an obvious choice.”
Grace snickered at that.
“Pfff, whahat? Why would you say that?”
The Erdian seemed to raise his claws up into the air. Letting go of grace and pinching his appendages in the air similar to how a crab would.
“Great big creature with many arm scary! Rocky look like this! Rocky very big. Very strong. Like spider crab.”
Grace couldn’t help but chortle and shake his head at the thought. He remembered now that Rocky had taken an interest in all things with many appendages like him. The giant squid, octopus, all sorts of crabs, spiders and such…If only he could see and understand what color was. Then he would really have his little rock mind blown.
“Whatever you say buddy.”
“Yes Rocky say yes, Rocky smart yes yes.” As Rocky spoke his arms pushed through the mesh of his xenonite ball, briefly going to reach up and skitter against the side of Grace’s neck. Making the poor guy squeal and squish his shoulders up to his ears. Quickly glaring at his friend and playfully giving him a push.
“Rohocky!”
The Eridian chirped and trilled at his friend. He loved the sweet sounds that came from his favorite human when he tickled him.
It had been several days since the little Eridian had learned what exactly tickling was. It was such an interesting and endearing concept to him. Something so simple made his friend laugh and smile so brightly just by touching him…He couldn’t help but chirp at the thought. Rocky had turned it into a normal thing to now sneak in a tickle or two while the teacher worked or was bantering. Always seeming to jerk out a new reaction from the man that always seemed to make the tips of his ears glow a warm shade of red. That be a snort, a squeal, a shriek. Whatever it was, it was something that swelled the Eridian's heart. That is if he even had a heart….You get the point
However Rocky couldn’t help but start to wonder something about himself after the events with Grace…Was he ticklish? As in himself…Something he would begin to ponder about for a few days…He tried doing what he did to Grace to himself but it didn’t seem to work. Maybe leaky blob humans are just far more sensitive than any other species…who knew. The Eridan was never shy of an experiment, however. All he had to do was ask his friend! Right?
A few days had passed before Rocky began to act on his thoughts. Finding Grace in the laboratory. His eyes fixated through a microscope, performing experiments on taumoeba. Adjusting the lenses as seen fit and squinting to try and notice any changes. The man hadn’t been seeming to sleep much at all recently. In the past three days Rocky had only watched him sleep one time…Grace was running himself dry. Nothing coffee couldn't fix. He eventually brought a pause to his work however as the Eridian rolled his way to be close to his friend.
“Hey, buddy! I unfortunately haven’t made any progress on well…anything today. So if you’re looking for further information I don’t have any”-
He was cut off.
“Can Grace tickle Rocky question?”
The rest of what Grace was going to stay immediately paused at the tip of his tongue. Processing what the Erdian just asked of him. First furrowing his eyebrows. Then leaning back in his chair. Eventually, a soft smile spread across his face.
“Wait wait wait. Whahat do you want?”
“Grace ask dumb question.” Rocky twittered and pointed at Grace. “Rocky ask Grace to tickle Rocky. Rocky want answer.” ‘
Now this was something that Grace didn’t necessarily expect the alien to ask of him. And yet he couldn’t help but hope he eventually was going to ask him. A small smirk spread across his lips. Pushing his glasses up upon his nose.
“How can I say no to something like that? Comere big guy.”
Grace got down onto the floor and sat upright on his knees. Arms open enough for Rocky to come towards him. Completely oblivious to what was about to happen.
“Not hurt right? Question…”
Ryland shook his head giving the side of the xenonite ball a pat.
“Noho no of course bro, buddy. Yknow hugging right?”
“Long thing that goes too long that Grace also like? Question…” Rocky deadpanned.
“Well- yes that. Think of it like that but added with a bit of extra. Just tell me to stop whenever you need me to, pal.”
Rocky was a bit skeptical, but he trusted Grace. Allowing the man to bring his hands through the mesh of Rocky’s protective ball. The texture was something familiar to dish gloves for Grace. He hated doing the dishes. Especially when soggy food got under his fingernails. The thought was enough to make him gag. But his fingers simply rested on the from appendages of the Erdian. Rubbing his thumbs along the rough surface. It wasn’t enough to cut him however. The xenonite blocked anything that could actually hurt him. But it did make his palms a bit warm. It was almost nice.
“You ready pal?”
Rocky chirped a yes, giving Grace the go. “What Rocky supposed to do? Que”-
Before Rocky could finish Graces fingers gently scratched experimentally at the top of Rocky’s back. Tracing his fingertips along the cracks and crevices. Rocky was genuinely so surprised he darted to the corner of his xenonite ball with a high pitched shrill. Almost sounding like a dolphin.. Not running away considering graces arms were still through the mesh. If he did so he was prone to hurting his friend. Grace couldn’t help but worry he scared his friend or started too quickly.
“WHAT WAS THAT QUESTION?!?”
“Thahats what tickling is buddy! I’m sorry did I scare you?”
Rocky came out from the corner and back to his friend. His little claws gently holding onto An his friends wrists. Putting them back on the top of him. The act alone was enough to make a FAT grin draw across Grace‘s face.
“No. Statement. Rocky does not get scared.”
“You sure about that, pal?” Grace chuckled softly.
Continuing the little experiment with his alien buddy. Gently tracing the little bumps along Rocky’s topside. Little chirps and tweets coming from said Eridian that didn’t seem to be translated. This was certainly his form of laughter….
“Who would have thought that Erdians could be tihicklish…this is really cute buddy.”
“Rocky not cute statement! ᯓ𝄞 ˎˊ˗ ♬⋆.˚!!”
“Yeah you are, pal.”
Grace traveled his tickling down the sides of his friend. Noticing, however, that Rocky’s assumed ‘laughter’ seemed to deminish…So Eridians have tickle spots like humans too.
“Why not work question?” Rocky disappointingly drooped.
“Well…As humans people have different places that are more…sensitive. Like I’ve told you, usually in protected places…maybe you’re similar…” Grace hummed.
“Grace ticklish everywhere statement.”
The straight up thought made Grace look off to the side. “Y-Yeah wehell…T-that’s different…”
“It is not.” Rocky twittered cheekily….was Rocky provoking the scientist?
“Yohou little- alright pal you’re just asking for it now.”
The Eridian chirped at the sudden fluttering of Grace’s fingers underneath his front two appendages. What would be considered his underarm, the joint of his body to his ball and socket would be. Not clamping his arms down however. Not wanting to pinch the man’s fingers.
“Feel funny-‧₊˚♪𝄞࿐₊˚⊹ statement! ‧₊ ♪˚⊹”
Rocky tapped one of his feet onto the ground, curling up like a cat and loafing around Grace’s hands. The man simply followed Rocky. Keeping his touches as feather light as he could. Not wanting to overwhelm his friend. Rocky was enjoying himself quite a bit. He wasn’t entirely sure about this concept before but it sure was interesting to him. Human culture is so interesting…
“Yeahhhh that’s how it is, bud! It’s completely harmless. Are you sure you're still okay with this?” He asked Rocky.
“No worry Grace! ˖ ݁♬⋆.˚𝄞༄࿐༘⋆ Can keep going statement!”
His playful attributes travelling to trace the under sides of the alien. An even higher pitched noise coming from the Eridian. Swatting one of his paws at Grace and using another to hold onto the human’s wrist. Almost in a way acting like a puppy getting its belly scratched. It was so endearing to see… Especially for Grace. He himself was very much enjoying himself. Smile wide, biting his lower lip just enough. Glasses slightly off his ears. His heart swelled with affection for his dear friend.
“I wonder if…” The teacher paused for just a moment.
Giving Rocky a bit of time to recover before taking one of his paws in his hands. His arms are still inside the xenonite ball. Such a shame that such material had to separate the two…Really limited the tactics he could have used…He wished he could teach Rocky what a ‘raspberry’ was. (No not the actual fruit…You reader. Yes you. Know what I’m referring to. Ticklehead) But the two different types of environments they could be in really limited that. Grace gently began to poke and prod around the place Rocky's fingertips had a crevice to his palm. A slight and yet genuine twitter and tweet coming from the rock.
“Nohow THIS is sweet. Your little paws are sensitive.” Rocky couldn’t resist closing his paws around Grace’s fingers. Holding his friend's hand and shaking up and down just a bit from all his chittering. The astro(not) adjusted his glasses on his face. Letting go of Rocky’s paw and pulling his arms from the xenonite ball’s mesh. Sitting criss-cross now from his friend.
“Glad you seemed to enjoy yourself pal.”
“I like ! Repay Grace statement.” Rocky rolled slowly towards his friend.
Grace's big smile shifted…his eyebrows changed his expression. One of now…nervous worry, Processing what Rocky said. Slowly standing up and backing away towards the door. Rocky followed close.
“R-Rocky…dohon’t….”
The alien raised his claws up into the air quickly picking up the pace to match Grace’s backwards walking.
“Rocky tickle Grace now! Thanking friend and run experiement!”
Grace quickly turned around and began to bolt out of the laboratory for anywhere to hide. As fast as he could however…considering how exhausted he was. His body was finally starting to feel the effects. Crap. Rocky being close behind and quickly catching speed. The man nearly fell due to the fact he wasn’t wearing shoes and his socks made his friction on the floor being far less than with shoes. Catching himself on the wall sliding into a nearby room. He hadn’t really thought out this plan well..Rocky was incredibly fast and had intense hearing…He eventually was going to catch up and find him. Maybe secretly that's what he wanted. Rocky was so gentle with him all the time, and affectionate. He wouldn’t mind it in the slightest. After all, it made him and Rocky both happy. As he was lost in thought however, he didn’t notice his friend in the doorway to the room. Grace had practically trapped himself in his bedroom now with Rocky at the entrance.
“Hey Grace!” He rolled closer to his friend.
“Uhhh…H-Hihi Rohocky…” He waved towards the Eridian, slumping to the floor in the middle of his room. Accepting his fate.
“Rocky want to help Grace relax. Rocky know how statement. And Rocky wants to try things!”
Grace began to curl his knees up to his chest. Hugging them as the Eridians sat right in front of him.
“I-I don’t think that’s necessary pahal…” Rocky pushed his from appendages out of his protective hamster ball. Tapping at Grace's arms as a way to ask the man to let go of his legs and instead hold onto him. With a sigh, the man obliged. Holding onto the ball and wrapping his legs around it. His shoulders scrunched tight and up against his ears.
“Just be soft alright bud?”
“Rocky understands.”
Grace’s nose scrunched up as his expression turned into a wobbly smile. The slowness of Rocky's arms wrapping around his sides and resting on his back filled the anticipatory feeling inside his chest. Rocky remembered the first place Grace had tickled him. Imitating the same place now on Grace. His fingers gently began to trace and flitter across the teacher's back. Dragging up and down his spine as well. An almost immediate mouse-like squeak coming from him.
“EEE! R-Rohocky! Oho goodnehess!”
Grace tried to wiggle and squirm from his friend arching his back just a little bit even though it did literally no good. Squealing as Rocky experimentally scratched underneath his shoulder blades.
“GYEHahaha! *squeak* W-wahait nahat there R-Rohock!”
“Grace so noisy statement” The alien chittered and gently stayed at that spot.
Grace tapped his feet on the floor and squirmed a bit against Rocky’s tickling. Pressing his forehead against the xenonite and letting his soft genuine laughs spill from his lips.
“Ihi cahan’t help it buhud!” He hiccuped.
Rocky couldn’t help but think again…He learned that his sides weren’t ticklish and he already knew that Grace’s were so there was no need for experimenting there. He already had his answer there. He also knew just how ticklish the man's underarms and stomach were. But a little time in those spots wouldn’t be a waste in the slightest. With a few more pokes and prods against Grace’s back the tickling traveled down and across the human's belly. Sliding his paws underneath his shirt and pinching at the soft skin. Grace immediately bit down on his lip, squeezing his eyes tightly and holding in his laugh. His cheeks puffing out.
“Why Grace not laugh question?”
Rocky was confused. Maybe human spots change over time? He instead changed his methods. Gently skittering his fingers against the lowermost part of the man’s belly. Causing Grace’s protest not to last very long as he erupted into adorable laughter.
“PfffHYAHA! *snort* NahaAHAHA!”
He sucked his belly in to try and protect himself from Rocky’s tickling fingertips. You would think he would have learned by now that it does literally nothing. But alas.
“Rocky fix Grace laugh statement!” The alien enthusiastically trilled and dragged his curled paws up and down the sides of Grace’s belly.
The man’s shoulders shook as he let go of the xenonite ball. Lightly pushing with little effort against Rocky. Being given the grace of a break however as rocky pulled his paws out from under the man’s shirt. Patting his sides. Before asking an interesting question.
“Can Rocky see Grace hand question?”
After rubbing his cheek with a bit of confusion he agreed. Resting one hand on his tummy, rubbing out the butterflies that fluttered within. Giving the other to Rocky.
“Why do you need my hand?”-
The Eridian gently held Grace’s wrist with one hand and used the other to gently circle a singular finger along the man’s palm. Tracing the creases and soft padding.
“Gyeheh H-hehey buhuddy!”
“Grace very ticklish statement.”
Grace curled up around himself the very best he could. Lots of giggles coming from the man as his hands were tickled oh so softly. He didn’t even know his hands were ticklish. He wasn’t surprised however. Like Rocky stated very clearly and despite how flustering it was. He was a very ticklish individual.
Not too long after Rocky ceased his gentle and playful actions. Closing up graces fingers into a fist and giving his hand back.
“Rocky done statement. Eridian and Humans share ticklish areas.”
Grace sighed as he hugged himself around his mid section.
“Must you hahave to p-pohoint it out?”
“Yes.”
Grace shook his head, catching his breath. Using Rocky’s ball to help push himself up and walk towards his bed. Rocky follows close behind to prepare to watch him sleep.
Rocky helped push Grace up into the bedding. Pulling the blanket across the man. His arm dangling off the side of it for Rocky to hold onto. Laying down next to the bed, loafing like a cat.
“Thanks buddy…”
“Ill be here when you wake, Grace.”
Not long after Rocky said those words he was out like a light. Proceeding to sleep for 18 hours…He needed it anyway.