New Experience
𖥔 Hey all! I wrote this based off of this drawing I did with the pebbles! I’m gonna try and draw a bit some more even if I just post some doodles for you guys! I hope you like and enjoy! 𖥔
𖥔 Slight spoilers for movie and book! 𖥔
Summary: Grace gets to see pebbles for the first time while Rocky and Adrian babysit.
Lee!Grace / Ler!Pebbles
Word count: 2,367
“Grace want help Rocky Adrian babysit pebbles today, question?” I perk up from my spot on the couch.
“You guys are babysitting? I didn’t know Eridians did that.” I look over at the two cuddling on the floor. Rocky has perched himself on top of Adrian, soaking in their heat.
“Obvious. Other Eridians get busy. Need help watching over pebbles.” Rocky clicks out. Two of his legs hang off the side of Adrian’s carapace and I notice they swing back and forth a bit.
“Well my bad.” I roll my eyes with a smile. “I would love to. I haven’t been given the chance to see baby Eridians yet.” I’ve only taught more adolescent Eridians in my class, not toddler and below age. I’m actually a little nervous at the thought.
“Grace must be gentle.” Adrian adds a bit sternly, shifting to stand. Rocky climbs off and stretches a bit, kinda like a cat.
I scoff “Of course I’ll be gentle! Who do you think I am?” I fake a shocked expression, hand over my chest.
“Grace is…clumsy.” Gee thanks. “Grace be more careful than usual.” Rocky adds as they both head towards the door.
“I promise to be more careful than usual.” I hold my right hand up like I’m giving an oath though I don’t think either one of them actually knows what that means.
I lean over the couch to watch them head out. Adrian lets out a low giggle. “Adrian Rocky be back soon with pebbles.”
They shut the door behind them as I slump back into the couch. I feel a bit giddy, my first time seeing little baby Eridians! I hope they’re as cute as I imagine them to be.
——————
Around an hour later I hear a very soft knock at the door.
“Coming!” I scramble over to let them in. As I open the door Rocky pushes himself in and then herds me out of the way.
“Grace move out of Adrian way.” He lightly taps at my shins. I stagger back a bit, trying not to step on Rocky in the process. Adrian walks in holding six little rocks in one arm, little sounds of random notes coming from them. They are all buzzing with life, little legs and claws moving and squirming about.
I let out a little coo as Adrian walked up in front of me, letting me get a good look, “They're so tiny! They look adorable!” They look like they would fit in the palm of my hand! A few are thick and stubby while others are thin. So thin it’s a little scary. I desperately want to reach out and touch them but decide not until I get an okay at the very least.
Adrian hums “Yes. They are.” They stop for a moment, letting me bask in their adorableness. “Pebbles will love you Grace.”
“Why me?” I smile a bit, leaning my face closer to the little babies in their arms. I see their claws reach up at me, their claws making grabbing motions.
“Grace is new. New sounds and new species. Grace is whole new experience.” They shift to move past me to settle on the floor in the house. “Also…Grace is cute and nice.” They add, making me a bit flustered. Me and Rocky quickly follow and Rocky curls up next to Adrian while I stand awkwardly. I’m not sure where I should sit.
Adrian makes a circle on the floor using their arms as a little fence to keep them in. They carefully lower the pebbles into the circle and they all immediately start moving. Adrian lifts a claw in my direction and I take it in my hand. They guide me back to the circle as Rocky shoos the little baby’s away from me so I can sit in the circle too. I lean my back against Adrian as I feel my excitement and anxiety rise.
”Pebbles not communicate well yet but still very curious. Can understand most of language.” Rocky explains but pauses “…Grace heart beat fast. Calm. You will do great.” He reassures as the pebbles make their way over to me. They are careful and cautious but their curiosity seems to be winning.
“O-okay…can I, um, touch them? Like, pet them?” I ask as they move closer and closer. Little legs scuttling in my direction.
“Of course.” Rocky takes my hand and places it out in front of me, low to the ground. It’s like if I were to meet a new dog for the first time. Letting them sniff my hand to make sure I’m not a threat. They seem to stop their advance towards me at the movement, keeping a distance.
“Aw! Hey little guys! My name is Grace—“
I suddenly realize I have absolutely no idea if they can understand me. Heat creeps up my cheeks as Adrian gently repeats what I said beside me. Right. Of course they can’t speak English.
Not my brightest moment.
I keep my hand as still as possible, hoping one comes up to me. I feel my anxiety rise even more as the thought of them hating or being scared of me crosses my mind.
I tense at a feeling on my head and I glance up. Adrian has started petting me softly, I think to calm my nerves but also to show the pebbles I mean no harm.
One brave pebble scuttle up and places a single claw on one of my fingers. It squeezes softly and chirps excitedly. God, there so cute!
That seems to be enough to convince the others and they all rush towards my hand. Little claws grab at my fingers, squishing and pulling. I giggle a bit, clenching my fingers ever so slightly. They seem to like it and they all let out little squeaks and trills.
I hear Rocky and Adrian giggle from somewhere above me.
“I think they like me!” I whisper excitedly grinning with a goofy smile. I carefully tip my hand over letting them explore. Tiny claws rub over my knuckles curiously, feeling the difference between my soft palm and the bonier top of my hand.
One pebble wanders past my wrist and grabs onto my pant leg. I tense instinctively, fighting the urge to pull away and accidentally shake them off.
Apparently, once again, one brave pebble is all the encouragement the others needed. They swarm my leg almost immediately. I let out a startled laugh as claws climb up my jeans and into my lap, forcing me to lean back against Adrian for support.
“See. Grace is natural.” Rocky teases a bit, chittering in my direction.
One pebble climbs up the front of my shirt, surprisingly quickly. It grabs at my collar and hoists itself on my shoulder, two arms grabbing my neck for support. I gasp slightly and the tickly feeling and hold as still as possible, my body going ridged.
“A-ah wahait! That tihickles!” I fight every bone in my body to not scrunch up my shoulders but my hands to fly up to grab at the air around my neck. I realize the other little ones go still. I carefully glance down and they are all sitting, like they are waiting. Then I suddenly feel the claws at my neck slowly trace and squeeze experimentally and I jump.
“Noho dohont doho thahat!” I giggle softly and a symphony of chirps and trills follow my laughter as the pebbles start moving again with vigor. They all start trying to climb up my shirt now.
Fudge.
“Adrain think they like Grace laugh.” Adrain chuckles out, still softly rubbing at my scalp. Little legs claw at my stomach as they try to reach the baby perched on my shoulder that is still clawing at my neck.
“AH—guys wahait!”
I squirm helplessly, unsure of what to even do with my hands. Instinctively I curl forward trying to protect my stomach while I laugh which is a huge mistake.
My shirt rides up in the process and the pebbles immediately notice the new exposed skin. Apparently they decide this is a much better route to my neck than climbing over my arms. Tiny claws hook into the fabric before several scuttle below.
“NANOHO NOhohot underNEHEATH—!”
I slowly slide down Adrian’s carapace, forcing my arms up and out. I don’t want to hurt them but I don’t know what else to do. They go still again for a moment and suddenly they're digging into the pudge on my stomach with purpose now, trying to force out loud laughter from me. I squeal as I feel Adrian let out a laugh against me.
“H-Hehelp meheHEHE ADRIAHAHAN! ROHOCKY!” I yelp, my arms slowly lowering back to my stomach against my will. I can’t help it, it’s their little legs, the way they vibrate with sound and excitement against my skin tickles more than I can handle.
“Adrain help Grace.” I silently thank them but I don’t hear Adrian or Rocky tell them to stop or even any action to grab at the little guys. Then I feel a large claw scoop up my hands and stretch me up and out against my will with my back half on the ground and half leaving against Adrian. The pebbles slow a bit at my sudden movement, balancing themselves.
“Adriahan w-whahat are yohou dohOHOING—NO WAhahAIT!” I hear happy trills from under my shirt as they dig in more. Some pinch, some claw, some vibrate, all experimenting to see what can bring the best noises from me. A few have travelled up towards my ribs, feelings round the bones with their legs while other push into my hip making me arch up with a squeak.
“Adrain make sure Grace not hurt pebbles on accident. Still let pebbles play and experience Grace.” The playful trill in their voice tells me I’m doomed. I tug helplessly against their grip but Adrian doesn’t budge.
I turn my head towards Rocky in a last desperate plea for mercy only to find him sitting comfortably beside us, cooing at my distress.
I feel my face burn bright red.
I squeeze my eyes shut trying to block out any tickly feelings. One pebble makes its way up to my collar and carefully starts tracing my clavicle making my chin shoot down to my chest with a squeak. I fidget at the new sensation as the other pebble still stationed on my shoulder traces the shell of my ear.
“This is human version of tickle.” I hear Rocky explain over my cackles. “Hunan touch sensitive. Have common ‘tickle spot’ but Grace very sensitive human. Tickle spot everywhere.” I feel the tips of my ears go red at Rocky’s very helpful commentary.
I’m about to say something dumb probably when a certain curious baby decides to explore my belly button. I shoot up as straight as I can, feeling a small claw reach in and scratch at sensitive skin hiding there.
“AHAHA—NAHOHOHO *SNRK* NAHAHAT THEHEHEHEREAHAH—!” I screech out and flail hard.
I’m actually worried the noise that ripped from my throat would scare the little pebbles but it only seemed to make them more determined. The other three little Eridians on my stomach and ribs immediately went to investigate this new very sensitive spot.
I kick my feet as I feel twenty little arms claw and trace at my bellybutton, making tears quickly well up in my eyes. I buck my hips up, I can’t help it anymore. My erratic movements do nothing to stop them.
“PEHEHEBBLES *SNRK* P-PLEHEHASE!” I beg, kinda forgetting they can’t understand me anyway. They trace around the sensitive spot, reaching in a poking making me laugh hard, my face hurts from the smile.
I squeal, “ROHOHCKYEHE PLEAHAHASE! ADRIAHAHANONO—!” I feel my body get increasingly more exhausted, my arms going slack against Adrian as I slump down, hunching into myself, shaking my head softly.
“Okay. Enough.” I hear Adrian say rather firmly. The pebbles slow their torment to a stop but don’t move off of me. There are little movements to balance and hang on, still making me squirm with giggles.
“Give Grace room.” Rocky adds, getting up to pluck a few pebbles off of me while the other skitter off.
“Heheha thahank yohouhehe.” I wheeze, my eyes closing in relief.
Once they're all off Adrian finally lets go of my arms and I immediately pull them close, sliding all the way to the floor. I rub at the skin of my tummy, trying to get the tingles out of my skin.
As I huff to get my breath back, the baby’s crawl up and watch closely around my head. I feel a small movement and I jump. But then I feel more and more. The pebbles start petting me, mimicking what Adrian was doing earlier. Not sure if they're doing it to be soothing on purpose or if they're just curious about what hair is but I don’t care. They let out purring and cooing noises as the continue. Little claws scratch at my scalp making me melt a bit under the touch, relaxing my tense muscles.
“Told Grace. Pebbles love you.” Adrian shifts closer to me, pulling my shirt back over my stomach and fixing my glasses, pushing them up the bridge of my nose. They take a digit and carefully wipe at the tears on my cheeks making me giggle and scrunch up softly, pushed at their arm.
I sigh, “Well they could at least express it in a different way.” A smirk makes its way to my face as a pebble climbs on my forehead, feeling my eyebrows then reaching under my glasses to graze the tear soaked eyelashes of my one eye.
Anxiously Rocky trills “Careful! Human eyes very important and delicate!” I see him shift to quickly grab at the baby but I hold my arm up.
“It’s okay. I’m okay.” I peek out with my other eye and hear Rocky give an annoyed huff as Adrian lets out a soft laugh. Sometimes I forget I’m just as fragile as a pebble to them, always needing to be looked after and new things to be added to the dome. It makes me feel loved but the thought of them seeing me like a pebble embarrasses me a little bit more.
