Full crew au where everyone wakes up a-okay but they still meet Rocky and then Simon.
Both times Grace is the one who does first contact, he’s the one who ‘talked’ to Rocky first and the one who pulled Simon out of the bloody submarine.
Because he’s the one who pulled Simon out and helped care for him when he was still on the verge of death, Simon has practically attached himself to Grace.
Since the COI and Eden aren’t exactly conversations Simon wants to have plus with the glaringly obvious fact of the stars and planets still existing, for privacy reasons as well as hoping not to sound utterly crazy, Simon leans into his mutations and claims he’s an alien.
(Which is true, he was born on Mars, after all).
Yáo and Ilyukhina are hesitant towards Simon, not just because of the frightening mutations he has, but because Simon doesn’t care for anyone but Grace.
And he’s made that very clear to everyone except maybe Grace.
Yáo: Grace? May we speak with you for a moment?
Ilyukhina: Just you and us,
Simon, clutching tightly onto Grace from behind: no
Simon, literally growling: No!
Yáo: *gives Grace a pat on the back*
Simon, eyes narrowing: Oh hell nah—
Ilyukhina, watching as Simon clutches onto a sleeping Grace: Uh, what’s happening here?
Yáo: you do know that you can’t stay physically attached to him forever
Simon: you stay out of this!
Rocky: Grace spend too much time with Simon, statement.
Grace, literally with Simon koala-hugging him: I wouldn’t say that
Rocky: Rocky would say. Simon hog Grace.
Rocky: Simon sleep with eye open, threat.
(If anyone would like to continue/make a fanfic, please just credit/@ me so I can read it too!!!)