hi, if you don’t know me, you can call me thunder! i use she/her pronouns and i have been in the tickle community for a while now. i have an old blog, but i feel a bit detached from it, so i made a new one!
i am an adult. i’m fine with minors interacting and sending me asks, but please don’t dm me if you are a minor, sorry :>
i’m looking for mutuals, so come say hi! ask me things! i don’t bite. maybe i do. i dunno. :}
Author's note: Aliens and creatures learning about new human concepts, MY BELOVED. I wrote this fic in the span of a week, which is quick for me 😭, because I was too excited to write some silliness between these two! Shoutout to my friend who impulsively went to go see the movie with me last Sunday an hour before it started ✌️. Now we both are in love with this movie. This fic is also inspired by all the wonderful fics and headcanons I’ve seen so far! Enjoy!
(Also available to read on AO3!)
Series: Project Hail Mary
Characters: Ryland Grace and Rocky
Word count: 2,579
Summary: Rocky learns about the concept of “tickling” when he accidentally gets a giggly reaction from Grace. Rocky wants a demonstration of the new concept and, being the only human around, Grace is that demonstration.
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Living with an alien in the middle of outer space was not on Ryland Grace’s bucket list, but Rocky hasn’t been a terrible roommate. Sure, he can’t talk to himself without Rocky’s immaculate hearing picking up on Grace’s one-sided conversation, but he doesn’t mind being joined at the hip with his boulder-looking pal. They’ve been able to learn more about each other and their worlds this way.
They even take turns to watch over each other while they sleep (since it’s part of Eridian culture) like they’re a police duo on a stakeout, though when Grace mentioned that reference to Rocky one time, the human had to clarify that we was not, in fact, talking about steak as in the slab of meat.
Grace doesn’t mind teaching Rocky about human phrases or culture though. Honestly, it makes him feel like he’s back home and in a classroom teaching his students.
Like a usual day on the ship, Grace was supposed to be on ‘watch’ duty while Rocky slept, but Grace, in the quietness of the ship and his thoughts keeping him company, must have dozed off next to Rocky.
When Rocky wakes up, he rolls out in his xenonite ball to see Grace sitting on the floor, his head lying to the side on the wall of the alien’s see-through enclosure, snoring softly.
“Grace. Time to awake,” the computer voice translates Rocky’s foreign chirps. Rocky bumps into the scientist’s shoulder, but it has no effect on him. He tries again, then again, only managing to get an exhausted groan from Grace as the human nuzzles his head closer to the enclosure that he’s using as a pillow.
“Grace. Awake. Awake, statement,” Rocky persists. He taps on his ball to try and get Grace's attention with the glass-like cling of the taps. Nothing.
If the sound of tapping doesn’t work, then perhaps the physical touch of a tap will work. Rocky rolls right up next to Grace. Reaching through the mesh material built-in to his ball, Rocky taps on Grace’s side like he is tapping on a fish tank.
“Grace. Awake,” Rocky repeats, tapping Grace’s side even faster like he’s pushing a button.
Finally, Grace huffs out a breath of air through his nose, like a chuckle. It’s followed by a few more huffs, which is then accompanied by a soft giggle as he begins to shift from his sleeping position. “Rocky,” he says with another chuckle, “That tickles. Okay, okay, I’m up,” Grace slides an elbow to his side.
Rocky pulls back his arm into his ball, observing the human curiously. As Grace stretches himself awake, Rocky tilts his stone body to the side like a cat tilting its head. “Glad Grace is awake. But what does new word mean, question?”
“Hm? What word?” Grace fixes his glasses and blinks at the creature.
“New word when Rocky tapped Grace’s side, statement.”
“Huh? What did I-” Grace ponders for a moment, recalling what he may have said that is unfamiliar to the alien. “Oh, you mean when I said ‘That tickles?’” Grace asks.
Rocky stands up straight on his legs, thrilled. “Yes! That is word! Grace laughed when word was spoken. What does new word mean, question?”
“Oh, um…” Out of all things today when Grace woke up, this is not what he expected. It’s understandable that Rocky would be curious though. To the creature, it must have looked like a strange reaction to laugh out of nowhere.
He struggles to find an explanation. Ironic, he thinks, considering he’s a scientist who can solve complex mathematical problems, but he’s having trouble coming up with a definition for something as simple as tickling.
After thinking about it, he provides an answer, “Well, it’s like a tingling sensation in our nervous system that makes humans laugh when we’re touched in certain places. Kind of like a reflex, but we laugh from it. It’s called being ‘ticklish,’ but not all humans are ticklish.”
“It doesn’t hurt, question?” Rocky asks.
“No, no. It doesn’t,” Grace clarifies. “This might be a weird description—but it’s like the opposite of pain. Instead of feeling hurt, it feels…tingly and funny? And that funny feeling makes us laugh.”
“Why does it make humans laugh, question?”
“Not sure, really. It’s a scientific mystery.”
Rocky tilts his body to the side again, trying to process the new information. “Rocky still confused. Could Grace show demonstration?”
Grace huffs out a laugh at that. “Sorry, buddy. I can’t tickle myself. It’s another one of those scientific mysteries. The only way to see it is if you tickle me. That is unless you see any other humans around.”
“Only human Rocky see is you.”
“That’s the joke, Rocky,” Grace smiles at him.
“Oh, yes. Joke. Humor. Can be confusing,” Rocky replies before getting back to the topic of interest. “But can Rocky try on Grace?” Rocky shakes with excitement like he’s wagging a tail.
Grace pauses at the question; his muscles already stiffen out of reflex. “Well, uh…” he babbles out. Although, now that he thinks about it, he doesn’t know why he’s babbling. After being away from others for so long, he’s forgotten how ticklish he actually is. Clearly, he’s somewhat ticklish due to feeling Rocky’s pokes from before, but the extent of it remains unknown to him.
Oh, heck. What’s the harm in it? Rocky seems curious to learn about it and this opportunity, Grace guesses, will be a good reminder of his own nervous system to answer his own personal curiosity.
“Alright,” Grace smiles and nods. “Go ahead.”
“Amaze! Amaze!” Rocky cheers, and in an instant, the creature rams into Grace with his giant hamster ball, pinning the scientist with an oof against the wall of the clear enclosure behind him. Grace adjusts his glasses that nearly jumped off his face from the impact.
Rocky’s form rattles with joy. “Where should Rocky start? How to make Grace laugh? Question.”
“You’re asking me???” Grace keeps his wobbly smile and the giggles already bubbling up inside of him at bay. He is not in a position to try and explain to Rocky why he’s already giggling before Rocky even starts touching him.
“Is Rocky not supposed to ask, question?”
“No, you can. Just um…” He can’t believe he’s about to tell a rock alien where and how to tickle him. What is his life…
“You just wiggle your fingers—er claws at the spot. Like this.” Grace shows the creature the dexterity in his fingers by wiggling them above his side, almost looking like he’s acting out a monkey. “Start at my sides. We already know they’re ticklish.”
“Rocky understand! Commence at sides!” Rocky chirps. He reaches through his mesh ball with both arms and presses them into Grace’s sides.
To both of their surprise, Grace coughs out a giggly yelp, suppressing it just enough so Rocky doesn’t worry that he hurt him. His instincts activate, telling him to hold in his laughter, but that quickly fails—a crackle of snickers is followed by giggles tumbling out of the scientist like an avalanche.
What Grace realizes is that, yes, he is still ticklish.
Really ticklish.
Rocky hops on his back legs with delight. “Grace is laughing! Means Rocky is doing correctly, question?” the creature asks, still gently scratching at the ticklish spot at Grace’s sides with, shockingly, accurate precision.
Grace could just combust red right now from embarrassment. He tucks his head near his shoulder and folds his arms closer to himself, hovering his elbows over his sides. At the same time, he pulls his knees in towards him, only to be blocked by Rocky’s ball like a toddler sitting on his hips.
“Yehehehep! Yohohohou gohohohot it,” Grace says sarcastically, but he realizes Rocky will just take it as a compliment.
“Amaze! Rocky like seeing Grace happy! Grace said other places make humans laugh. Does Grace laugh anywhere else, question?”
“Nohope! I’m nohohohot telling you that!” Grace replies and wiggles in place—not that he actually remembers where else he’s ticklish, but he can make an educated guess based on the potency of current ticklishness at his torso.
For a moment, Rocky leans his body to the side, wondering why his human friend is refusing to answer his question. Then, it hits him. “Oh! Starting to understand. New word is like game. Grace is stubborn, so Rocky has to discover! Like seek and hide.”
“Ihihihit’s hide and seek!” Grace corrects through his laughter, “Ahahahand I am nohohohohot stubborn!”
Rocky chirps out a chuckle. “Rocky disagrees, statement. Grace just prove why stubborn. Try here now.” Rocky moves his claws closer together to test the reflexes of Grace’s stomach.
“GAH-ha!” Grace jolts forward, bouncing right off of Rocky’s ball and leaning back on the enclosure’s wall. He instinctively goes to wrap his arms around himself but he’s interrupted by the placement of Rocky’s ball. Right… Rocky is still on top of him.
If Grace thought his sides were bad, he had another thing coming when Rocky’s tiny appendages started scratching at his belly.
“Rohohohohocky!” Grace paddles his legs behind Rocky as the alien paws at his stomach like a puppy digging in the dirt. He folds his arms to his sides again and leans his head back, letting out wheezy, gravely cackles.
“Squishy middle makes more laughter!”
“Yehehehes it dohohoes!” Grace, embarrassingly, admits.
“Then Rocky will focus here, statement!” Rocky chirps and quickens the pace of his claws. Grace and his big mouth…
“AH! Nohohoho, wahahahait!” Grace calls out of reflex, but he amends his statement so he doesn’t confuse his friend, “I mean- yohohohou’re not wrong, buhuhuhut my belly ne-hehehehe-needs a break! Mohohohove somewhere else!” Grace waves his hands in front of Rocky’s ball.
The alien listens, “Understand. Rocky will try new place.”
Moving from Grace’s stomach, Rocky reaches up to examine Grace’s ribs.
Grace barks out a loud giggle followed by more overflowing laughter. He leans forward and squishes his arms to his sides, though it does little to stop the curious alien. He bumps the front of his forehead on Rocky’s ball to hold up the weight of his giggling head, as if Rocky’s ball is a pillow Grace is face-planting in.
“Better for Grace, question?” Rocky’s computer voice beams at the closeness of Grace’s smile.
“Nohohohot much better!” Grace compacts his head closer to his chest with his giddy smile, suddenly letting out a snort.
Startled, Rocky immediately pulls his arms back into his ball.
“Grace make snarl! Grace not angry, question? Did Rocky hurt, question?” The creature frantically asks.
Grace snorts again, catching his breath. “Nohoho, no. I’m okay,” he puts up a reassuring hand and takes the opportunity to adjust his glasses. “It’s called a snort, not a snarl. It happens when I-” Grace stops himself. He did not want to make himself out to be the most ticklish human on Earth to Rocky. “-When humans are laughing a lot.”
“Oh! Then Rocky like when Grace makes sound! Means Rocky is doing good!” With confirmation that his friend is okay, Rocky happily pounces back onto Grace, alternating between the human’s sides, belly, and ribs, now knowing where the scientist bursts out laughing.
Grace nearly jumps out of his skin, “AHA! Yehehehes! Too good!” Grace playfully shoves at the giant hamster ball on top of him. “How are yohohohou so good at this?!”
“Had good teacher!” Rocky praises.
“Great, sohoho I only have myself to blahahahame.” The scientist takes another two-handed shove at Rocky's round container, “Gehehehet off me ya tickle monster!”
“Rocky is not monster. Rocky is Eridian”, Rocky says like he’s stating a fact.
“It’s juhuhust a phrase, Rohohocky!” Grace laughs, letting out another snort. “Seheheheriously though! Cuhuhuut it ohohohout! I need to breheheheathe!”
In an instant, Rocky stops his tickling and scrambles off of Grace. He looks up at him, alert. “Did not mean to near suffocate Grace! Grace, okay, question?”
Grace wraps an arm around his torso, still giggling out the remaining tingles. “I’m okay. I was being dramatic, heh. I did need a break though hehe…”
Rocky relaxes knowing Grace isn’t hurt. Now with the worry out of the way, Rocky’s curiosity comes back. “If Rocky not using new word on Grace, why is Grace still laughing?”
Rocky’s question even makes Grace giggle. “It’s just the after effects. I’ll be okay, just give me a sec, hehe.” Grace rubs a hand on the side of his face and through his hair, a giddy smile still lingering on his face. He fixes his glasses to their proper position. “Heh, I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. They probably heard me all the way on Earth with how much I was laughing.”
“But Earth is long way away. And sound does not travel through space,” Rocky replies.
“Joke, Rocky,” Grace clarifies for his friend.
“Oh, yes. Another joke. Still confusing.” Rocky looks up at Grace. “But Rocky like using new word on Grace, statement. Can make Grace laugh without confusion. Makes Rocky happy.”
Grace huffs out a soft chuckle at that.
The alien rolls forward, closer to the human. “Did new word also make Grace happy?”
Grace pauses. He leans his head back, facing away from Rocky, and he blinks at the air ahead of him.
Like he said to his friend, he hasn’t laughed that way in a long time. He was too busy re-learning his own nervous system to think about it at the time, but now that it’s over, it was…nice. He wouldn’t expect himself to admit it, but he liked the feeling of letting himself go. To lose himself completely in his own uncontrollable, goofy smile. To forget about the vast unknowns of the world around him.
For those few minutes, it was just him, Rocky, and the play they were sharing.
It made him feel, well, alive again.
“Yeah,” Grace reveals his answer in a relaxed breath. He turns to his friend and shows him a soft smile, “It did.”
Rocky bounces on his legs, filling the room with energy. “Amaze! Amaze! Rocky overjoyed! Can Grace input new word in translator, question?”
“Sure, pal.”
Grace stands off the floor and makes his way to his laptop on the table. After hearing Rocky’s versions of the word ‘tickling’ and all its variations in his Eridian chirps, Grace makes a showing of pressing the enter key, placing the new words into the system.
“Alright, you’re good to go,” Grace says and leans his back on the table.
“Amaze!” Rocky cheers. “Rocky is pleased. Now Rocky can say Grace is ticklish!”
Grace jokingly cringes at actually hearing Rocky say it for the first time. He lets out an airy chuckle, “Let’s not do that.”
The alien happily shakes. “Grace is flustered. Does saying Grace is ticklish make Grace flustered, question?” The computer voice makes Rocky sound as if he’s putting on the widest smile.
“W-What? Noho, of course not.”
Rocky’s excellent hearing picks up on Grace’s tone. The alien puts his claws near the front of his face like he’s about to cover up a laugh. “Rocky is going to have fun with this.”
“Okay, you’ve been given too much power,” Grace states. Rocky chirps out squeaky giggles into his claws as a response. The scientist rolls his eyes, having trouble holding back a smile of his own.
This is one lesson about human culture that Rocky certainly won't forget, and Grace, like all their other lessons about each other’s worlds, doesn't mind in the slightest.
I am skipping your ads as fast as I can. I'm skipping past your sponsor read. I'm muting the tv. I'm muting the tab. If they get too annoying I will simply stop trying to watch.
If advertisers can use every manipulative trick in the book to get me to buy their product, I am fully within my rights to do everything I can on my end to make their job impossible
Oh man. I like laughter. I like when humans laugh. I like when people make each other laugh. I like when people enjoy laughing and seek out the things that make them laugh. I like it when people laugh so hard they cry. I like when people make that strangled squeak noise as they push out the very last of their air and then draw in a big gasp. I like it when people wheeze and cough and make silly noises. I like it when people can barely talk through their laughter. I like it when people enjoy mirth and togetherness in such a human thing. I like giggles and snickers and huffs and cackles. I like laughter a normal amount and I *don't* think excessively about it every day. I definitely don't get really really flustered when my friends or anyone I admire is giggling really bad and they can't even talk because they're so lost in mirth and their words are barely more than squeaks and OH MY GOD if it's because of ME? I will die. I love it when two people were laughing but they finally calm down and then they look each other in the eyes and immediately start laughing again. I like joy and happiness and laughter and friendship. I'm so normal. I love it when people enjoy other people's laughs. I love it when people want to make other people laugh. I love it when people tickle each other in order to make them laugh. I love it when people can just let everything go and relinquish control of their body and mind in a moment of pure, real, unadulterated love and laughter. the trust it takes to give someone the power to make you laugh yourself sick. the absolute reward it is when it happens. the vulnerability of it. ohhh man my face is red. i like laughter i like tickling i like human behaviors i like them a lot. ok. p. post over
i’m so happy because i worked up the courage to tell one of my friends about my interest recently and not only were they chill with it they’re regularly letting me yap about it and indulging in my headcanons and adding onto them GUYS this is genuinely so so awesome. it’s got me locked back into thinking about tickling super often this is so so so AWESOME!!!
