Project Hail Mary au where everythings exactly the same except Grace plays guitar.
Maybe he learned so that he could play simple music games with his students. Maybe it was just something he did to keep his hands busy while he thought his way out of a problem. Maybe he just wanted a hobby that didn’t require so much thinking. Either way, Grace plays guitar, a guitar heavily decorated with chemistry stickers and tiny things his kids have given him over the years. Maybe he’s named it, maybe not.
But maybe Stratt knows this. Maybe he played something for her, or for the crew, in one of their late night parties. Maybe Carl caught him at it, and he told her. And maybe, just maybe, as one last clue to who he is, what he enjoys, she sends that guitar up with him. And now Grace, freshly awake and wondering what the hell happened, find this guitar, and realizes his fingers still know the thing, that this is his guitar, filled with tiny personal touches and marks made by so many of his students and friends.
And like. Guys mostly I’m just indulging myself now but like. What if Grace tried the guitar to communicate. Heard Rocky’s sing song and went ‘oh! I can do that too!’ Maybe Rocky fashions a little pair of drumsticks, or just taps the beat with his leg. Maybe they make music together. God you guys what if they made music together.