Human!Jack and Alien!Robby blurb
"I could regrow it for you?"
Jack blinks, looking up from restocking his med kit, "What?"
Robby's pupilless brown eyes stare back at him, unblinking, "Your leg. I can regrow it."
Okay yeah, that's exactly what Jack thought he said.
It's been five years since he lost the damn thing. Three since he started wearing his prosthetic.
He's been on the PTMC ever since he mastered walking with it. In all that time not once has Robby ever mentioned limb regrowth. In fact, Jack never thought about it as an option.
He's seen what the medicine Robby uses can do. Watched it reseal a gaping wound with a single suture. Clear an infection in mere seconds. Hell, he even helped retain eyesight for one soldier who'd gotten too close to a blastoid.
Not once has limb regeneration been a topic of discussion.
Jack doesn't even know if he wants it. Yeah, having his leg back would be cool, but his prosthetic is pretty cool too.
It's neo-tech, a design Garcia and Park collaborated on. It moves with him like it's his actual leg. Not too heavy, not too light, responds to terrain change and almost never slips if he's on a water planet.
It's also a wicked green color with blue sensors that inform him when he's worn it for too long.
Jack likes the damn thing, if he's being honest with himself.
Robby shuffles his suture sets, rolling them into new packs before replacing them in the storage hold's open drawer.
Jack realizes he's been staring at his prosthetic for several moments, not responding.
"Uh, I think I'm good."
Robby's ears twitch, a subtle movement relaying his surprise. If you didn't know Robby as well as Jack did, you wouldn’t have noticed.
"Thanks though, brother." He quickly follows before Robby could second guess his offering.
Robby drops his chin, "Of course. Should you change your mind—" He waves his hand, fingers spread wide.
Jack smiles. Robby is the only Ethanari he's met who uses his hands to talk. Sometimes he makes great sweeping gestures when all he's saying is hello. Other times, he holds his arms around himself in a hug as he leans close to listen.
Jack likes watching his ears, though. All of Robby's physical mannerisms are his way of mimicking what others do.
Most beings are fearful of an Ethanari — their rigid way of talking, how they hold themselves, the way their pupilless eyes bore into you. Robby does everything he can to assuage these fears.
But his ears are where the real emotion is.
Which is why Jack notices how they twitch close to Robby's hair.
"You're surprised?"
The Ethanari bites his lip, pointed teeth digging into his flesh, "Wouldn't you prefer having your own appendage? One you would not need to remove or have worked on?"
Jack kicks his prosthetic out, rocking its foot side to side, "You don't think the robot leg is cool?"
Robby's large, brown eyes widen, his cheeks flushing red which spreads across his face like fire.
"I didn't mean to insinuate it's not fashionable, I just—"
"Mikey." Jack turns to him, stepping around his medical bag, "I know what you were asking. It's sweet, but like I said, I'm cool with this. Gives me a great story to tell."
He stops in front of his friend. Robby's arms have come around himself. Hands cuffing his biceps, gripping his scrubs sleeves.
Jack stops before touching him, arms falling to his side. He hadn't even noticed himself lifting them. The urge to comfort Robby like a nagging itch under his skin.
"Thank you, Mikey. If I ever change my mind, I'll come to you."
Robby's ears tighten, pulling back against his head before relaxing. The tips curl inward, no longer pointing straight up.
"No one else would be able to perform the regeneration process, Jack." He smiles at him, something Jack greatly enjoys.
Robby's smile is rare and infectious. It reminds Jack of a rabbit, how his pointed teeth meet in the middle to rest over his bottom lip.
"Show off. Let's finish restocking so we can get some grub." He takes a chance and playfully shoves Robby's shoulder.
Robby's cheeks darken a deep, cherry red once more before he spins around to finish stocking the drawer.