Ryland Grace with a single parent GN reader headcanons
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Always tries to pitch in money when he first meets you. If you complain about cash being low? He’ll scrounge together a few bills
Hates seeing you stressed out from parenting. He tries to babysit as often as he feasibly can, but his teacher schedule really only allows for the weekend to work
Helps you grocery shop! He loves getting your kid to search for certain items, or sending the with their own list
Attempts to make breakfast… it goes about as well as you can expect every single time :(
If your child is old enough to be in his class, he definitely has a bit of favoritism towards them. Adding a couple digits to their grade or helping them out on tests
Whatever relationship you have with him, he tries to be as active in your life as possible. Anytime he accidentally ghosts you (work gets stressful) he feels horrible :(
If your kid is interested in science to any degree, Ryland is easily ranting and over explaining theory’s and functions to them. You’ll never have a bored kid
I think he’d honestly try to take the both of you on trips. Like to local museums and parks to pass the time after hard days at work. Grace spends most of the time explaining what’s in said museums or spacing out at the park
Massages you after long days at work. This man definitely has talented hands after all the hands on experiments for his class. He’ll work out any tense areas
Tries to be as positive as possible around you and your kid. He knows complaining about things and having a negative attitude doesn’t rub off well on children.
Encourages your child in so many ways, they lie art? He’s taking them to art competitions or letting them draw in his whiteboard! The like gaming? He’s learning how to use a controller and headset!
During events like field day at school, he watches over your child like a hawk. What if they get hurt? Or if they want someone recognizable there?
Anytime you can’t make it to school meetings or conferences he’ll text you the details or call :)
Loves picking up your kid, it makes him feel incredibly paternal over them. Like horribly so. He’ll randomly just hoist them into his arms and pepper their face with kisses
Anytime your kid gets in trouble in school (it’s inevitable) he’ll immediately be protective over them until you can drive there. I’m talking standing in front of your child to protect them from the other teachers lectures
Isn’t too big on phones, I like to think his way of showing affection is by physical touch and gifts. He’d much prefer to tell you in person compared to a screen
Gets help from you when he makes projects and lessons. “Is this too simplified for them?” Or “don’t you think this is too complicated?”
Whenever your kid becomes a teenager, bless this man’s heart. I doubt he could take the whole hormonal stage where kids grow an attitude with their parents, it’d break his heart! The words, yes, but because your child isn’t small enough to pick up anymore :(
Goes big on the birthdays, it’s a bunch of homemade decorations or cheap stuff he could find at a shop. But he turns them into a brilliant sight! Whether it’s yours or your child’s, he’ll go all out to make the day about them
And when graduation comes? He’ll be crying his heart out! Thats the child he helped raise walking across the stage! Literally inconsolable for about five minutes :(
Summary: A little more insight into the Driver's life, and some insight into the life of Spider-Man!
Warnings: None!
A/N: Ignore that long drought of no posts shhh
Credits: First set of dividers made by @pixopix, the second set of dividers was made by @rmstitanics, and the third set was made by @sisterlucifergraphics!
WC: 4k!
Two years later
Driver never wanted to be involved in a life of crime, but what can he say? It pays well. Especially at a time where superheroes roam the streets… crime rises alongside them. He has a day job; it’s not like his whole existence revolves around helping bad guys. But he wouldn’t go so far as to say that he doesn’t like crime.
It’s hard to be caring towards the nobodies who request his services. They’re in the car and out of it within the hour. Thankfully, word of his business has long since spread amongst the big city known as New York. It’s pitiful, pathetic even, to watch the rats of the underworld scamper and scramble in his car with weapons and cash.
Is that too mean to say? Perhaps. But what else can he call them? They’re pests, scum of the earth, waiting for a chance to cheat in society. People who believe they’re backed into a corner and decide to take a sledgehammer and knock the bricks down rather than work their way over the wall.
He hates them, yet at the same time, it’s intoxicating to watch their minds work. To see them fidget and twitch in the backseat of his car while he leads them to a safe place. It’d be so easy to drop them off right in front of the Daily Bugle or near the police station. He listens to them on the radio, anyway. Details of patrol cars and the morning news provide a calm background. Yet that isn’t enough.
The boring radio talks and podcasts don’t cut it these days. Who would’ve guessed that listening to someone like Joe Rogan while escaping the police isn’t aesthetic and relatable? The rats have spoken up as to why he has the police scanner on during transports before; he usually responds with a hum or silence.
Answering would take a lot more explaining than being quiet, after all. How could he explain that he longs to hear the NYPD talk about a certain web-slinging hero?
Spider-Man. What a name. It’s so simple that it’s insane no one has come up with it sooner. Nobody in a million years would have imagined a spider to take over New York's crime problem and solve it by wrapping villains up in webs.
One would assume that the man agitates him, that it ruins his business and destroys his reputation… they would be wrong. Turns out, having an unnatural force stop crime only leads to more crime popping up. All it does is force the mice to play smarter, which is amusing to watch.
Ordinary drop-offs used to be in dark alleys or in quiet, dark parks. But because of the red-suited hero, the rats have taken a liking to more crowded places in hopes of slipping away in the mass. It makes driving a lot less fun. Driver had liked the turns of alleyways and the allure of dimly lit, desolate streets.
So here he sits, waiting on a new pair of rats to emerge from a bank heist. Don’t the idiots know they won't get away? Even if he drives them across town, crimes this big actually catch the eyes of Spider-Man.
Usually, so much attention would turn him away, but the thought of having his business busted by an insect doesn’t particularly bring him joy. What does pique his interest, however, is the chance of spotting the web-slinging hero in person.
Obsession isn’t the right word; it’s more like… repetition. Like always, seeing someone at the bus stop, and then they randomly stop going to it. Wouldn’t you like to find out why?
None of the forums online have any clue who the hero is. Most of them are teens and children anyway. They don’t understand how big this is, how much this hero means to the city, and in turn, to crime.
He can’t be somebody famous, it’d ruin his whole persona. He’s for the lower class, the people who ride bikes to work because they have to, not for exercise. The average Joe, one would say.
Unfortunately, Drivers' thoughts are interrupted by the blaring alarm from the building. Right, the bank robbery. He’ll just drop them off in some park and wait for the spider to pick up its food. Surely the super insect knows he’s helping it. Is it not obvious? Why else would its food be laid so bare? So easily and readily available?
“J–Just wait a few minutes, man, he’s comin’. ” Time truly is a currency, isn’t it? It’s one of the things the rats don’t understand very well. While hearing them beg does light a certain spark in his heart, denying them their pleas ignites a fire.
“It’s been five minutes.”
And just like that, the rat’s eyes fill with betrayal and fear. “The hell? He’ll be out in a couple of minutes, dude!” Bargaining is the next emotion to fill the pest’s body. Searching for a way to garner sympathy from their only chance of escape.
In a way, this is showing them that the world, in its truest form, doesn’t reward cheaters. It doesn’t let people who steal from the middle class suddenly shoot up in the ranks. Heaven won’t let a rat become a cute mouse just because it brings back a large piece of cheese.
Cars were the greatest invention of mankind. At least to Driver, they are. Running from crime has never been easier, and listening to rats squeal in a backseat wouldn’t be the same if he transported them in a carriage.
With that, his car pulls away from the bank and heads onto the main road. The NYPD is spread thin these days due to the increase in crime. They leave the bigger issues up to Spider-Man… which Driver can respect.
It makes leaving the scene of the crime all the easier.
Sadly, the night isn’t much more memorable. Spider-Man doesn’t even end up showing up, making Driver look like an idiot dropping the rat off in a park. Odd, the spider was active on weekends more than on weekdays. Yet it doesn’t want food handed to it on a silver platter? Maybe it’s being picky?
Or maybe he’s thinking too much about it. The truth is, he’d give anything to see who the spider is under that stupid mask. Not because he’s needy, or desperate, or any more important than the rest of New York. But because he’d cherish them. Let them know how much he appreciates what they do to be so earnestly devoted to a place like the Big Apple.
YouTube videos and Twitter don’t satiate him. It only makes him more wishful, if anything. He’d feel horrible if he wasn’t already this deep in. He’ll figure out who’s under that damn mask… they can only hide for so long.
Drivers home isn’t much, a small apartment that’s never seen the light turned on. He sheds his scorpion jacket and is left in an oil-stained white tee. This night is no different from countless others; it’s spent at his workbench. Silently, he hopes he’ll have a breakthrough, that he’ll understand the science behind the spider's web fluid. He’s ruled out semen (yes, he seriously considered that) and saliva.
The substance doesn’t come from Spider-Man's butt either, and it sure as hell isn’t from magic. Can something like that really come from someone's hands? Was Spider-Man really just that? A man spider? No, he couldn’t be. Something had to have happened to make him stop crime. Someone like this doesn’t hide their ability to save others for years and randomly decides to make it popular.
Touching the fluid, it sticks perfectly to his finger. It almost feels like a taunt, a reminder of his inability to get close to the superhero. How he longs to do so; it drives him crazy (get it? drive?)
Under the moonlight from outside, Driver stares at the sticky liquid on his hands. Knowing he’ll most likely never get any closer to the hero and probably will never see the man under the mask… He brings the liquid to his mouth and tastes it.
It’s tasteless. Which brings him a bit of sadness. There’s nothing to remember it by, nothing his blank mind will keep locked away. And so, he lets a single tear fall from his heartless eyes. Because even a man as uncaring as he is can feel his inadequacy in the grand scheme of life.
Will he ever be loved by others? He doesn’t even have any memories of his young life. No parents to look back on and remember. No childhood friends to call in times of need. Nothing. He was lonely, plain and simple.
Maybe that’s why he hates the rats of New York.
They remind him of himself.
Grace wakes up with a wide smile on his face. It’s Sunday! He’s well aware of the hatred towards the day of the week, but he never truly believes in hating anything. How can people hate a day? What if they were gifted a million dollars on Sunday? Would they hate it then?
His morning routine passes by quickly. To be fair, he doesn’t do much. Some pushups, a shower, and breakfast go by in the blink of an eye. But this isn’t the highlight of his day! The highlight is protecting the beautiful place that is New York City.
Climbing up to his apartment's rooftop, he finishes the toast with jam and puts on his Spider-Man suit.
One of the best feelings in the world is the wind on his suit. Feeling the morning dew and cold against his handmade outfit is everything to him. If he could, every person in the whole city would feel this with him.
Crime never happens this early. It’s more like a treat for him. Doing the daily rounds in neighbourhoods, helping with a stranger's groceries if he spots someone who needs it, or even getting in a taxi driver's car to help their business! Little actions can decide the rest of someone's day, and he’ll gladly be the one to be responsible for them!
So, Rylands does just that. Getting into a random taxi’s car. What better way to start his morning?
“Hello, valiant taxi driver! How's the business lately?”
Driver isn’t known to be the kind of guy who gets surprised. Everything he does is within careful calculation. It’s a habit, really. Having Spider-Man climb into his taxi, however… is definitely surprising. His hero is right there.
Silence fills the car; he’d never been one to break the beautiful sound. Though perhaps this one was filled with tenfold the awkwardness it usually is. What would he say? Nothing that graces his mind could be of importance to such a humble hero.
“...Not one for talking? That’s okay! I’ll talk to you instead! Have you heard about the weather tomorrow? They’re calling for snow! Wonderful, right? I’ve only seen the people of New York City out and about building snowmen when I was a little boy. That’ll also mean schools are out, and probably less crime! This is because it’s harder to commit a crime without a getaway driver; cars and snow don’t mix very well!”
The lack of attention to the hero’s words would worry Driver if it weren’t for his zoning out. He needs to touch him, to know that the man's real. Even when he might’ve mentioned something about a getaway driver? He wasn’t paying much attention.
Pulling over to the curb, Driver unbuckles his seatbelt and slowly looks in the backseat of the car. Seeing the insect up close is a lot different from seeing it on TV or hearing about it via police scanners. Knooks and crannies of the suit are more pronounced; it’s obvious that it’s homemade and was put together with love and care. He can admire that, sharing the same amount of love for his car and general tools.
Since he isn’t much of a talker, he figured that just reaching out a hand would tell the hero enough of his intentions. He still expects a little confusion but is relieved to find none. Without any hesitation, Spider-Man graciously holds Drivers hand. Clad with his knuckle-free gloves and all.
“Is everything alright? Not that I mind the handholding! It’s just that the people of New York aren’t exactly this affectionate so casually… though you could also not be from New York. But you have a New York licence plate, and taxi drivers have to get them if they’ve been driving for –"
“Stay.” Saying one word compared to the superheroes' rambling ones seems a bit lacklustre, yet he’s proud of speaking up anyway. Ugh, he hates this feeling, yet loves it at the same time. Is this embarrassment? Is this the feeling that people feel when he responds with silence?
“Oh? Yeah, sure, man, I’ll stay here with you! Though I only got about ten minutes… I really can’t stay with a stranger longer than that; I’ve gotta spread my time out with all of you equally! Maybe I should call all of you my hatchlings? Ew, actually, that feels a little weird.” Driver doesn’t remember Spider-Man talking this much on TV. He doesn’t know if he loves it or hates it. At least the guy’s got a nice voice to listen to.
Feeling the softness of the hero’s suit is more comforting than Driver would’ve guessed. It surely doesn’t look comfortable when he watches videos online of the aforementioned savior. The linen gives way under even the smallest of pressure, but not in a weak way. Obviously, the material has to hold up against villains and such.
As the car's atmosphere, it brings the web-slinging hero’s ramblings to a halt. He doesn’t know if that’s a good thing. The sounds of the insect's voice were starting to fade into the background like a faint hum amidst the soundproofed car.
Grace, on the other hand, is enjoying this a lot more than he thought he would. It wouldn’t hurt to go over the time a little, right? This innocent patron just needs a little company. “If it’s not much to ask, has your day been good so far?” There! A simple question to lift the spirits of anyone!
A single nod graces the man's features, another silent response, which is fair. Some people don’t like talking so early in the morning. Rylands noticed the lack of response to his rambles, but he honestly wrote it off as the guy being introverted.
Would the man protest if he ran a hand through his hair? He just looks like a sad dog lying on a couch's armrest. As much as he wants to test it, the fact that the only form of contact is their hands says a lot about the man's willingness for physical affection. He can work with this! Multiple students don’t enjoy simple touches on their shoulder or head, and it’s easy to tell by how they react when he does it!
Shit! He still needs to greet Ms Linden! But how does he get out of the man's hold? Maybe if he just… gently pulls away?
Unfortunately, the action only causes Driver to focus back in the moment. His eyes lock onto the cartoonish ones of the Spider-Man costume. Why is he trying to leave?
“Listen, man… I’d love to stay here for a bit longer; I really would. But I’ve gotta help some elderly folks do their morning chores. I’d feel horrible if I missed it, even for one day. Maybe you have folks of your own?”
After another failed conversation, Ryland gently removes his hand from Drivers and gives him a nice pat on the shoulder. “Drive safe! Make sure to come to complete stops, and always prioritize safe driving over getting to a destination on time. Wouldn’t want any accidents, right? Don’t do any fender benders!” He swings out of the car once he’s done with his sentence. What an odd experience, yet it was strangely pleasant.
Hopefully that wasn’t too parasocial, was it? Spider-Man can be nice to strangers and get in their cars… Maybe the whole holding hands thing was too far, but who cares! He decides to mold his superhero image however he wants it; Batman should take notes!
Onward to his weekend chores! Grace stops by Ms Linden’s house and carefully gets rid of the spiderwebs plaguing her greenhouse. While he’s there, he also moves the trash dumpster so the garbage company can collect it better. Like always, he leaves a small sticky note on the woman's door so she knows he stopped by. Little things like this remind him why he does this, why he protects this city.
In fact, he’s done it so much that it’s become a way to calm down his brain. Well, it is whenever he doesn’t have to deal with crime.
A tingle in his spider senses alerts Grace to danger. Down there at a cozy diner, he can spot an altercation slowly rising between two gentlemen. One of them seems to be shouting profanities, and the other clearly has an object hidden in the back of his shirt. A gun? Would he pull it out?
Better not test it, and with that, Ryland descends to the building. He sticks to a wall to survey the situation further, making sure to stay out of sight. If it escalates, he’ll step in. But he usually tries to let the people of New York City figure out how to solve their own problems.
As the profanities and shouting increase, it seems more and more likely that the aforementioned man will pull out the gun hidden away.
No matter how much he hates violence, even Ryland can admit he loves feeling the thrill of stopping a crime. Not that he wishes for one to happen, but he’ll never turn down the opportunity to end one. So, he lets his body fall down the side of the building. The wind sounds like a freight train when he goes this fast.
He shoots one of his webs right at the man's gun, sending it flying to the ground. The man-made weapon of destruction is covered in a sticky substance, making it virtually impossible to clear out without a skilled hand.
They’re the worst to clean. It’s why Grace has forbidden himself from watching scary movies; he’ll shoot a web, and it’ll be at the top of his chore list for about a week straight.
He lands near the two men, putting on his signature Spider-Man voice. “Is everything alright between you two gentlemen? Watching the situation, it seemed like things were going to escalate. But if I’m wrong, please tell me.”
Both of the men look at each other for a second before grumpily walking away. Huh… Maybe those people don’t like Spider-Man.
Whatever, he has a commercial to do anyway! Advertisements had been steadily increasing due to his accelerating patrols. He loves promoting whatever product he’s asked to! And he always gives it his best.
This time it’s for Coke! Now, he knows it isn’t the healthiest thing in the world. At least it’s better than Pepsi and Mountain Dew. His Spider-Man image won’t resonate well with the kids if he told them to eat healthy… sadly.
The people in charge usually let him throw in disclaimers about the products' healthiness anyway. It’s not like he’s directly lying and saying that Coke is good for kids; he just doesn’t want any parents getting the wrong idea. It’s times like these that he really wishes he could reveal his identity. Imagine his students hearing about him doing all this cool stuff! Sure, they’d go a bit overboard with excitement, but he’d enjoy it nevertheless.
Man, if only the Coke mascot were there. He’s only seen them in Georgia, aka the Coca-Cola factory. They could do a photo shoot! Kids love things like that: their favorite drink mixed with their favorite hero.
As expected, the commercial turns out amazing! All of the acting cast and crew members were extremely supportive and eager to work with him. When he first heard of the offer, he had a small amount of doubt. Mostly because big corporations tend to drain their workers of any energy related to their job.
Against all odds, the members were decently happy to work on the set. The whole ad was themed around superheroes, too. Some skit about kids dressing up for an event about cosplay. Then Ryland shows up in his Spider-Man costume and giddily suggests that the kids take Cola with them to the event. As mentioned before, he adds a disclaimer at the end of the ad about health concerns relating to soda for kids.
He’ll reach out to them to say that he’d love to do something like this again! Maybe the ad can be focused on the health side of Coke? Parents would be more inclined to buy the drink if they specifically said it was on the healthier side of colas.
After waving the crew members goodbye, Grace returns to swinging through the city. Next stop is the New York City police station. Another routine area he passes through on his patrols. Considering how densely populated New York City is, he holds immense respect for the police department. Without them, the city would fall into shambles! Ryland can’t be there for every single problem, after all.
A doughnut shop on Third is his go-to for gifts. The way they glaze their doughnuts… mmm. He orders two dozen and waits for about thirty minutes before they’re ready. Fresh out of the maker, too! With considerable care, he swings over to the department.
Cops get a bit of a bad rep around these parts, so most of them are eager to see him stop by. He can’t do it every day (teacher’s salary and all that), but when he does? They’re all grateful. He’s essentially crowded the moment he walks through the door, people greeting him while taking a doughnut.
‘Thank yous’ and ‘What’s up, Spidey!’ are thrown around among the sea of officers. Unfortunately, he can’t stick around for long. Lord only knows J. Jonah would jump at the mention of ‘Spiderman being a hypocrite to the justice system'.
Seriously, that guy has it out for him. Anytime he manages to get a positive mention in the New York Times? Jonah’s not far behind in putting a negative one in there as well. He stops a building from burning down? Jonah spins it into Spider-Man endangering the lives of civilians instead of waiting for the police to show up.
Mind you, the same guy idolizes Captain America! Which, yeah, obeys the law a bit more than he does… but still! Surely Cap’s gone out of his jurisdiction a couple of times. Surely all of the Avengers have!
While he loves The Avengers with all his superhero heart, some of them have dubious pasts. A black widow? A green smashing monster of sorts? Cool and flashy! But also oddly plagued with a bad past. Don’t even get him started on the Red Room shenanigans.
What can they do at the end of the day? They’re heroes at heart, and that’s all that matters. Breaking the law sometimes has to be done in order to get the right kind of justice. Sometimes, the law has a different version of dealing with crime that typically civilians don’t need!
Is that so hard to understand? Apparently, it is for Jamerson.
It turns out the world is still a bully to you even when you’re an adult. People complain whenever something is slightly out of the ordinary or doesn’t fit their definition of normal. The police were struggling with crime, so Grace made the Spider-Man persona.
Being a bit had been a gift, a way to help him go about life with a little extra help. Now he uses it to do the same for others. That’s all it is! People are twisting the narrative into him believing that the police aren’t good at their jobs and that the city needs a true protector.
Swinging away, Grace focuses his sights on doing what he does most.
Synopsis: After going through a bit of a dry period about his love life, Grace is ushered into hitting up a bar downtown. [Name] just so happens to be a regular and extremely good at picking up people to take home. What happens when the charmer meets the teacher?
WC: 2.1K
Warnings: suggestive but no smut happens, follows the events of Jacob and Hannah’s night spent at his home, just with a bit more kissing :)
a/n: Yes this is inspired by Crazy stupid love. Yes I love Jacob Palmer
Ryland lived a content life. Would he have liked to be paid more? Sure! But he’s content nonetheless. Teaching kids and going to school board meetings weren’t a complete waste of his time, plus, he loved the new people he got to meet in the process.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly leave time for his love life to blossom. There had been one, but she thought he had his head in the clouds. A fair assessment.
One day, while eating in the teacher's lounge, Ms. Riley came up to him. “So Gracy, is there a special someone yet?” The woman was clearly interested in his love life. It’d been a topic of their conversations before.
“I hate to say it, but I don’t really have the time for all that. What’s with you and love anyway, is it so bad to be single in this day and age?” Was there some invisible rule he missed that said all single men were to be exterminated?
His response only seems to draw Riley further in, a smug smirk adorning her face. “Have you heard about a certain bar downtown? All the teachers have been going lately.”
“Let me guess, Herald and Mark went and said it passed with sparkling stars?” The saying among the duo was… certainly something.
“That obvious? I’m sure me and you both know if Mark can find something there, it’s gotta be somewhat decent.”
Does he really have to go? Maybe it’ll get Riley off his tail. “I’ll check it out after school.” There, surely she’ll latch onto that.
“Wonderful!” The short response is filled with mischief, but Grace plays it off as Riley’s usual antics.
The rest of the school day goes by without any issues. At worst, he has to lecture a student on behavior. Though that’s become a norm for middle schoolers.
Considering the fact that he rides a bike to work... that wouldn't exactly pass in a bar. Even Grace knows that with his limited knowledge. So he walks. Trying to keep his head down in case someone recognizes him.
This is so embarrassing. Why did he agree to this? He could easily lie to Riley and turn around and just say he went to the club.
He'll just see what it looks like inside. That wouldn't hurt, right? See if they have some good decor and lighting. If he's lucky, they'll have those photos with a lot of writing, then he'll get lost reading all of them.
Even just walking up to the place, Ryland can see the attraction the establishment has. A full parking lot, and a couple of people are hanging out outside. At least they don't allow smoking indoors, then he'd really have to leave.
The doorway's pretty nice and grand. To be fair, a lot of places don't have enough care put into the entrance. It's what people see first when they walk in! This place has some photos and decor, great!
Sue him, he loves a great vibe! And this place certainly doesn't skip out on that. Even the damn music matches the vibe, a live pianist. He's starting to seriously doubt if this is even in his pay grade.
Whatever, he never said he'd order anything when Riley interrogated him. Getting drunk isn't fun anyway.
He finds a seat near the pianist, allowing him to enjoy the music while engaging in some people watching. Wow, people really dress up here, huh? His teacher's uniform feels a bit silly amidst the general attire in the room.
His badge is already removed; he isn't dumb enough to leave that on. No reason to go strutting the place he works at. Or worse, having someone recognize the school and think it's a negative reflection on their staff.
While he's lost in his mind, a certain someone catches his attention. A man, young, probably no older than thirty if Grace had to guess. Effortlessly charming woman at the bar area, or in seats. He makes it look easy, like Love is something to be played with.
It wouldn't be love then, would it? Playing love like a fiddle never sat right with Ryland. Hook-ups were never his thing; something about the culture felt repulsive and exploitative.
It's like a damn dance to the guy; he's just throwing his charming smile into the wild and seeing what bites! Grace knows exactly how it would go if he tried doing that. A bunch of fumbles and stuttering.
Should he try doing that? What do women like in men these days? Muscles, check. Probably a decent amount of smarts, double-check. Nerds? Not exactly—
"Something catch your eye?" The sudden appearance of said man catches Grace off guard. Was he that obvious? Shit, now he's fumbling like an idiot in front of a whole bar of people!
"N—No. Just watching, sir... person." It's a horrible response, and he knows it. But it's all Ryland can muster out of him.
"You're scaring away the ladies, you know? Looking all... like a sad wet dog. Yet you haven't ordered a drink to drown in your sorrows, so you can't be too sad."
Is this guy just gonna analyze his entire character? Doesn't he have a woman to charm?
"Anyway, don't tell me you're one of those men who go into bars just to stare at people they'll never have." The smirk on the man's face tells Grace he's probably already reached that conclusion.
"Would saying no even matter? I'm sure you have a version of me in your head." A bit rude, but he isn't exactly looking to be friendly with a womanizer.
"Owch, how long did you think about that?"
"Long enough to say it?"
A silence falls over the booth, and almost as quickly as it falls, it's lifted when the man slides in across from Ryland.
"Are you gonna stay there and look sad or let me teach you how to bag a woman?"
"Bag? You talk about them like they're Pokémon!" Sadly, the laugh isn't shared with the other man. Instead, Grace just gets a look of smugness.
"What? Is that term out of your time period? You look about mid-thirties anyway; the older you are, the fewer women approach you in places like this."
Now Graces is the speechless one. Did this man just call him old to his face? He isn't even middle-aged! Sorta far from it! Is it the school teacher's attire? He can't help that!
"Number one, rude. Number two, you make it sound like I've never talked to someone out of my time period. Lastly, you don't exactly look like a sparkling young man yourself."
Feigning offense, the charmer pulls back in hurt. "How old do you think I am? Oh, wise gentleman?"
"Definitely older than thirty." Grace mumbles his words, knowing damn well the womanizer is younger than the mentioned age.
"Close, baby, but no. I'm twenty-six. "
"Don't call me that."
"Why? Do you think I'm treating you like one of the women I take home weekly?"
That actually never crossed Ryland's mind. But now that the guy mentioned it, it is. Is he treating him like one of the women he picks up? Better yet, is this guy flirting with him?
It would explain the eyes that keep drifting to their table. He thought it was people just being curious. But it'd make more sense if it's because this guy never flirts with men.
"I don't know. Are you?"
The silence sits for a bit; neither of the two men seems content to be the one to break it.
"How about this. You tell me your name, and I'll tell you mine. Does that sound good to you?"
"Why does everything have to be an exchange with you? Is that not just how you exchange names?" A chuckle finds its way out of Grace's mouth. This time, it's matched with one from the man.
"Dirty talk is rhetorical questions, unless of course... You don't know that?"
...Moving on from that, Ryland clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair to get rid of the flustered nerves. There's no way he'll let this man see him blushing.
"Ryland. Or Grace, I suppose."
"Is Grace your last name? Or do you just tell people to call you a feminine name?"
"Would it be a problem if the answer to the latter was yes?"
"Of course not, Mr. Grace. I don't mind if you're a little gay and zesty. I hope you know what zesty means?" He wants to wipe that smug smile off the idiot's face.
"Just tell me what your name is."
The man halts for a moment, seemingly considering whether sharing his name is worth it. Something makes him relent, because he lets out a sigh and puts the charming mask back up.
"It's [Name]."
Of course, that's his name. He'd have a charming name like [Name] to go with his charming looks and personality. Is anything wrong with this man?
"So are you flirting with me?" Might as well take a shot in the dark, what does he have to lose?
"That's a bit forward, Ryland. Shouldn't you take me out to dinner first? I'm sure that was the norm back in your days."
I feel like you're ignoring my question. Maybe I'm being forward, whatever. Are you trying to get me into your house or what?"
[Name] laughs for a moment, then takes a few more to restrain themselves. "The correct terminology would be 'trying to get me in your bed'. And yes, I'm trying, and hopefully succeeding in flirting with you."
Was that so hard to admit? God, this guy liked beating around the bush. At least he has something to tell Riley tomorrow!
"Do I need to be more explicit, or are you interested?"
"Excuse me?"
"I want to make love to you, Ryland. That would be the best way of saying I want to have sex with you in your nerdy little way."
Cut to thirty minutes later, Grace has somehow found his way into [Name's] home. It's modern, definitely styled by someone professional. Not that they couldn't do it, seeing as they're certainly creative with how their mouth works its way over his neck.
"S—Shit [Name], Just, ah, give me a second..."
"I'm not letting you geek your way out of this, Grace. Surely you can handle a tongue on your neck."
He probably could, it's true. But something about this Playboy is different. To be fair, Grace hadn't been the dominant one in his previous relationship all those years ago anyway. He'd also never been with a man before, but [Name] didn't need to know that.
The two fumble their way to [Name's] bedroom. It's adorned with a couple of paintings, none remarkable in any sense. Notably, none of them rest near the bed itself... huh.
"Sit on the edge of the bed. Wouldn't want you getting my sheets dirty, yeah?" [Names] voice has taken on a more gentle tone. Still carrying an undercurrent of confidence, but it's softer.
Do hookups typically take off your shoes and socks for you right before you potentially have sex? Ryland wouldn't know.
"This feels a little silly. Do girls swoon over you when you do this? I imagined a rougher and tougher kind of experience, no offense."
Grace is promptly shut up with a rough kiss, his inexperience clear with how his lips fumble on [Names]. They don't seem to mind, either that, or they don't comment on it.
"Relax and let me take care of you, baby. When's the last time someone told you that?"
Who knew that within the hour, Ryland Grace would go from halting the use of 'baby' on him... just to be called it while [Names] tongue was spelling letters in his mouth.
"I don't know. Just, maybe like two years ago?" Yawn. "I don't keep track of how many days it's been since I've had sex with someone." He feels really tired. Not from... drugs, hopefully. This is about the time he goes to sleep normally.
Maybe a disadvantage of going without any late-night rendezvous is the inability to stay up for one in the first place. Sitting here yawning his head off in a hot man's bed isn't endearing, he's sure.
[Name] pulls away once they notice Ryland gradually slipping under. A sigh leaves their mouth before they press a kiss to the teacher's exposed collarbone.
"Get your beauty sleep, amazing Grace. But not without some payment."
While Grace is too busy dozing off, a hickey is marked right on his collarbone. It's made to be seen, where hiding it is more of an inconvenience than letting the world see.
Ryland Grace doesn't manage to have sex that night. But he definitely checked out all the boxes for it without doing the act.
Synopsis: After a less-than-great day at college, Grace is borderline forced to abruptly leave the semester feeling gloomy and sad. Driver just happens to come across a very sad-looking scientist and offers him a ride back home. Little do the two of them know, later on in the future, they’ll meet again under different circumstances! This is merely a recounting on how the spider bite happened!
Credits: First set of dividers made by @pixopix, the second set of dividers was made by @rmstitanics, and the third set was made by @sisterlucifergraphics!
Wordcount: 4408
Chapter number: 1
Warnings: Slightly angsty at some parts, Grace doesn't have the best time in the beginning :(
Parts: 2!
“Hey kids! Have you ever seen something nefarious going on in your neighborhood? Bullying or attacks? Well, we’ve got just the toy for you! The Batman symbol projector! Just turn it on and watch how it lights up the night, sending alarms to your favorite hero! Batman lurks in the shadows and stops crime, and someday, you can do it too!”
Sometimes, even the simplest words can have a profound impact on others' lives and mindsets. Younger minds, for example, don’t retain a lot of information unless it’s received in a stimulating way. What better way to stimulate the mind than to show them superheroes? An even better way is to help them internalize the idea that they can become one.
Most kids grew up on cartoons, even more on anything involving superheroes. You could ask any kid in New York, and they’d say their favorite superhero is probably Batman. Lurking in the shadows… beating up bad guys… It's certainly appealing.
Ryland was never a Batman kind of kid. From a young age, he shifted more towards people like The Flash or Wonder Woman. Something about them being more upbeat and kid-friendly… lurking in the shadows? That’s scary!
Take this, for example: years ago, when a young Grace was shopping at Trader Joe's with his parents, a power outage happened. Thinking it would cheer the young man up, his mom mentioned that Batman was coming to fight the bad guys. The opposite happened: Grace ran in fear and sent himself headfirst into a freezer door.
So… it’s safe to say that Batman wasn’t appealing to him at a young age.
Sure, Superman was a lot more uplifting and cool… but in a world of Batman lovers, Superman was cast aside in a way. At least he was in Queens; nobody seemed to like the Krypton alien. He needed his own shtick, his own hero…
It all sounds crazy, right? Wanting to be a hero?
Little nerdy Ryland, whose backpack was always too tight or too loose. Ryland, who loved horticulture in high school because he could see the bugs crawl around on the plants. Sounds like he lived a peaceful early life, right? Wrong.
Those were by far the worst years of Ryland's life. It wasn’t even the bullying aspect of it, just the part that meant he had no friends. Nobody to nerd out about superheroes with, too. After years of being told you’re a nerdy geek… It starts to hit closer to home over time.
But it’s okay, he accepted that he would be known as that. After all, college came eventually, and god, was it miles better. He had a friend group, other nerds that would talk about molecular biology and other sciences alike!
He had a home.
Nothing truly lasts forever, though, does it? Not for Ryland Grace. Just when he starts to settle down in life, fate plays a cruel hand. It started small, oversleeping a few times, missing a couple of lectures because of traffic… Then it became big.
The popular scholar in the school took to picking on him for his beliefs about water and how it isn’t needed for life outside of Earth. Which is understandable. Why would it be? Aliens could be made up of things scientists don’t even have names for! But water is where everyone is certain the line stands. Everything has to be made up of water!
It wasn’t like he declared his view to the whole school! Okay… maybe his papers were a bit forward and aggressive, but can you blame him? If he were meek and shy, they would walk all over him! And even when he was forward, they did it anyway!
That day is forever ingrained in Ryland's mind. He remembers every detail vividly and clearly. His alarm rang at exactly six fifty on the dot; he needed to be in his class by eight forty-five. Showering went the same as usual, along with his hair routine… except something was missing. His document on how life forms outside of Earth don’t need water.
Had his roommate, Jacob, accidentally taken it? Or did he misplace it the night before? Ah, he shouldn’t dwell on it. Their reports on it weren’t due anytime soon, so it’ll probably show up eventually.
Boy, did he have a surprise waiting for him in class.
When he got there, everyone was dead silent. Even the professor watched him as he walked to his seat. All the attention made him adjust his glasses before hugging his arms to his body. Did he have something on his face? Or maybe he smelled funny?
“Hey Grace! Why don’t you look at the board!” One of those frat boys yelled, causing Grace to look up at the projector screen. There, in all its glory, was his document. His very forward document, complaining that it’s stupid to assume every living creature outside Earth would need water… is not being shown to his whole class of intelligent, stubborn-minded people.
Laughter erupts, and suddenly, he wants to be anywhere but here. Why him? Why can’t he just live his life normally? “V–Very funny, guys…” Yes! Play it off! That’s how his bullies in high school got bored with him.
“Do you actually believe in that? Jeez… how dumb can you be, Grace?” The top scholar heckles on even more, raising the laughter in the room. Why isn’t the professor doing anything? Does he side with the scholar?
Maybe leaving is a good idea… yeah, he should leave. There's always tomorrow! Though that idea doesn’t work very well when applied to a campus that won't let you live this down. Just as Grace is about to leave, the professor speaks up. “Ryland Grace, I do believe this is a great moment to learn from Michael. The top student on the campus?”
“Not really in a l–learning kind of mood right now… S–Sorry, Professor Rind.” The stutter makes a series of giggles break out among the class, ugh! Why didn’t his parents take him to some speech therapy so that he wouldn’t be ridiculed?
“I wasn’t suggesting it; take a seat. This document has made quite an… outrage amongst your fellow peers. Surely even you can understand a little reasoning on why it’s wrong?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? How do you even know I’m wrong? This is why I made that document in the first place… everyone here is so stubborn and close-minded.” Grace hugs his arms closer to his chest, as if it’ll make him seem smaller in the room of laughter.
“Isn’t it obvious, Professor Rind? He doesn’t want to sit through the embarrassment of being proven wrong! We all knew something was off about you, Gracy, but this is totally insane!” Michael's speech only makes a ripple of sneers shoot across the room, all directed at Grace.
They knew something was off about him from the start? Had he never truly fit in? Suddenly, Grace feels like he’s back in high school, eating alone in classrooms to avoid being shoved into lockers. Like he’s that same stuttering, nervous kid who could barely stomach the pacer test.
“I-I’m leaving…” He tries to sound stern; he really does. But the only thing that comes out is a mumble of words within a shaky voice. Heat runs down his whole body, making him itchy and sweaty. The exit door is just fifteen steps away; it shouldn’t be so hard to move!
“I will fail you if you leave, Ryland Grace. This is a great moment to set an example to your peers!” Somehow, Grace doesn’t feel like Professor Rind has good intentions.
Michael moves in front of Ryland, blocking his path with a smug smirk. “Little Gracy, you just couldn’t go with the norm, huh? It seems you do that in more ways than one!”
At the new wave of laughter, Ryland reaches a tipping point. He balls his hands up into fists before he speaks. “You know what, Michael? I think that you and everyone in here are a waste of space. Actually, a waste of carbon! Keep those pretentious and stubborn beliefs that don’t get you far in science.”
For a moment, nobody in the room makes a sound. Not even Professor Rind seems to have something to say. Then, a cup of coffee is hurled at Ryland, spilling all over his outfit. The same one with the knitted foxes…
“What the hell?” His voice is loud, but his attitude quickly changes from aggressive to meek at the sight of his classmates.
“Get the hell out of here, Grace. I think everyone in here can agree your… presence won’t be missed.”
An overwhelming urge to be with his parents floods his body. Back when he could simply run into his mom's arms when he feared an interaction. They don’t tell you that you can’t do that anymore when you grow up.
Years ago, when he was little, he had an experience at the playground where he tried to show a kid his rock collection. They were really cool too! The kind that shows your reflection! Sadly, the only response the kid gave him was pushing him to the ground. Turns out, the kid had no ill intent; he only wanted to play with him. But in Ryland's little mind, it didn’t seem that way.
At the time, it seemed natural to run to his mother for safety, crying into her chest when she picked him up. It was his safe space, all physical affection had been. Then his mom fell ill, with his dad already out of the picture by then, and he lived with his grandparents for some time.
Basically, Grace was used to fate bullying him. Having it done by some douche in a college class shouldn’t make him want to cry.
But it does.
This wasn’t something new; any yelling or mocking made him feel pins and needles in his heart. His mom used to say it was because he cared, that he always was a caring boy who unabashedly showed himself to those who would listen.
Now look at him, in clothes that are a size too small, wearing a badge full of ideals he doesn’t believe in. Is this his future? Was this what his mom would have wanted? Or even his dad?
“Dude, did you go deaf or something? I said to get the hell outta here.” Michael's voice breaks Grace out of his mental spiral. Right, he’s in a college class that hates him enough to drench him in coffee.
“Y–Yeah, I’ll just–um… go…” His voice, quiet and shaky, matches his steps to the exit sign. He won’t cry, he won’t cry, he won’t cry—
“You look like you’re about to cry! Holy shit, are you that much of a bitch that you can’t handle a little yelling? God, you’re like a fucking dog!”
Yep, he’s crying. At least Michael can’t see him because of the exit door. With heavy steps, Grace walks himself all the way back to his dorm room. Tears roll down his face in waves; he had always been a bit of an ugly crier. His dad made sure to remind him every time he cried, but it never stopped him from doing it.
Does anyone on this campus actually like him? Now that he thinks about it, those friends would never come to his dorm to hang out or invite him to anything. Maybe hearing the words ‘we didn’t think you’d want to go’ shouldn’t be normal after the third time they came up in the conversation.
What if he dropped dead the next morning? Then, would they care? If he took a swan dive off the dormitory building or overdosed on some street drug? They would care because everyone always cares after the suicidal person succeeds. Only then do they realize the consequences of their own actions, when there's no way to make amends.
Once Ryland reaches his room door, he ends up dropping his keys onto the now-soaked carpet. Life isn’t making this any easier, huh? Is fate trying to tell him to just pull the trigger? With a sigh, he picks up his now-wet keys and fumbles with the lock.
Now that the door is open, he stares into the dark apartment. There are no pictures up on the wall or gifts from friends in his three years of going here. Wow, he’s really made a name for himself.
Grace gets packed quickly; he never felt comfortable enough here to decorate the space with much anyway. Hell, he hasn’t felt comfortable in any place since his mom passed.
But Grace isn’t leaning over his mother's hospital bed listening to the flatlined heart monitor. Barely being tall enough to see his mother's face, even amidst the bright hospital lighting. He’s in college.
He’s all grown up.
Maybe going to this palace was a mistake, a horrid attempt to find his true calling in a space with like-minded people. Was he the issue, or were other people? How the hell does someone get bullied in college? Everyone's an adult now, meaning their words actually have a sliver of thought put into them.
Even staring at the park doesn’t lift his mood… and that’s usually a game-changer. Seeing people have fun without any cameras or public eyes.
Except now it just seems like he’s some creep watching people in the park. The dead look in his eyes, along with the coffee-spilled sweater, isn’t helping the picture. Man, should he just end his life? How the hell is he supposed to get a job now?
Science is his world, and he wants to help people on top of that. If he isn’t blacklisted as a scientist now, then he’ll definitely be before the sun sets. Professor Rind isn’t one to let go of stuff like that.
Why does he even care? He never had a plan B if college never worked out. This is what happens when you put all your eggs into one basket and then miss the pan entirely once you get home to cook them.
Finding a bench, Ryland closes his eyes and thinks back on similar times. Back when his mom would run bubble baths for him, or even further back, when his dad was actually around.
Things were easy back then. Problems would go away if he just cried, always able to hide in his mother's safe arms. Or if he was scared, he’d cry for his dad, and the man would show him how to face it. ‘Be a man,’ he said. 'You need to prove that you’re stronger than this.'
He never really outlived that, even when his dad decided he didn’t want to raise a family. Of course, his mom assured him that he never needed to work out. Muscles don’t decide a man's dignity… yet a shameful part of his mind still determined that was why he was ruthlessly bullied in high school.
So he bulked up, getting to the point where helping move couches and furniture was easy. And then, when his mom got sick from an overdose, he was strong for her too. Always turning down the lights or sneaking her some of her favorite food.
Living out of a hospital wasn’t as bad as a lot of movies portrayed it. You have to be right next to the person you love, and you have to be there for their ups and downs. It wasn’t the best when his mom forgot who he was or randomly got mad at him for tiny things… but he always waited for his patient, loving mom to come out again.
One of the few things he took with him to the hospital was a tiny knitted earth ball. When he was eight, he’d helped his mom knit it for a science day project. The feeling of outperforming his classmates felt nice… and doing so with a handmade creation felt even better.
“When you become an astronaut, you’ll take this up to space, won’t you, Gracy?” She’d said when he came home with the award. That nickname had always made him melt; unfortunately, it became the very same one his bullies used on him.
Grace, ugh, such a feminine-sounding word. That stupid thought never even crossed his mind until sophomore year! And of course, the bullies could never let it go, such a promising insult.
None of the teachers cared; granted, he never spoke up. At those school assemblies, they would always look at him extra closely, but nobody ever came up to him and asked if he was okay. To be honest, he would’ve lied.
The fact that they asked would be more important than his response.
Shitty high school life, now a shitty college one. Fate really doesn’t want him to succeed, huh?
Beep!
A taxi stops right in front of the bench. Grace is on, windows tinted a little darker than usual. Is this guy some beggar? No taxi stops for people who aren’t waving them over.
The window rolls down, and a man about the same age as Ryland lets his arm rest outside the window. For a moment, nobody says anything. Nature allows them a few moments of silence to listen to the depressing sounds of New York.
“You looked a little sad. Want a ride?” First things first, the guy has a soft voice. That’s… definitely not common around these parts. Let alone for a taxi driver, isn’t their whole business run on cutthroat timing? Second of all, he’s got a jacket on in the middle of summer… Granted, Grace himself has a sweater.
“Don’t think I waved you over…heh.” Another long pause of silence. Okay, this guy's definitely weird. Maybe he has an auditory processing disorder or has some form of autism. Waiting that long before you answer someone isn’t normal. But then again, thinking that he has one of those feels a bit mean.
“What can I say? I see a lonely Joe, and I rush in to help. Almost like a knight in shining armor, eh?” Yeah, he’ll let that one sit for a bit.
“Lonely Joe? That’s not my name.”
“It’s a saying.”
“I know it’s a saying, it’s just not appropriate for this context—Whatever! Why should I get in your stupid taxi? What sets you apart from all the other ones, huh?” A small spark of joy flashes in the driver's eyes, and then it quickly calms down.
“Soundproofing for our lovely loud city, tinted windows for any and all outside distractions, and, of course, a small knitted Earth. New York is essentially a mini Earth, after all.”
“...Can you just give me a second here? That’s… really nice… You just had to have that stupid Earth…”
At Ryland's newfound tears, Driver’s eyes widen before going back to their relaxed state. Had he upset the young man? The young, pretty man with a coffee spill on his shirt, mind you. Was this a social cue he was missing? Crying at knitted Earths?
“Did I upset you?” He shouldn’t care this much about a customer, let alone one that doesn’t have anything to do with crime. It’s just a sad man crying on a bench with all his items… totally a normal sight in the Big Apple.
“No, it’s just… my mom and I made one of those when I was super young. It was for a science project and…and she k–kept it with her in the hospital—oh god….” Grace can't finish his sentence before a new stream of tears falls down his face. The driver tightens his grip on the wheel ever so slightly. Tears, God, he can’t stand them.
“Get in; I’ll drive you around somewhere nice.”
Ryland listened almost immediately, sitting in the plush seats of the taxi like he wasn’t allowed to. He sets his backpack down on the right side and lays his head against the left headrest of the car. The guy wasn’t lying… it really is soundproofed and dimmed in here.
Man, this reminds him of the hospital, at least the dimmed lights do. Heart monitors, flatlining, still play like a broken record in his mind. His mom was calling him ‘Gracy’ before being whisked away from an emergency surgery she wouldn’t return from.
“...What’s your name?” The driver glances up in his rearview mirror at the question. Eyes softening for a moment at the sight of Grace's wet-cat state. He’s just a customer; it wouldn’t hurt to give him his name… it seems like the guy needs a bit of softness right about now.
“You can call me Driver.”
“Driver? C’mon, that’s not really a name. Unless your parents named you Driver from a song or lyric! That’d be pretty cool!”
Driver doesn’t respond, letting the silence sit over the car. The quietness isn’t awkward to him; he’s made peace with the silence life brings in more ways than one. Whether it be from a break in a conversation or a person's last breath.
Grace, on the other hand, finds the quietness awkward. He lets out a nervous chuckle and forces himself to relax in the back of the car. “M–Mines Ryland, by the way… if you were wondering.”
Still no response; maybe he should stop beating around the bush and get out of this random taxi man's car. “Y–You can just drop me off, uh… here. Here is fine!” Another failed attempt at conversation.
For a moment, it doesn’t seem like Driver is going to respond, calmly looking between the road and his rearview mirror. Grace can only imagine the guy enjoys seeing him squirm from the silence…
“Tell me your address.” It’s hardly even a request, and to be honest? Grace needs commands right about now. Where others might stiffen up, he relaxes at the easy task. After cleaning his lenses, he responds. “It’s forty-one Maple Drive, the one near the park.”
Another wave of silence washes over the car, this one more comfortable than the last. This guy is silent. Grace can absolutely work with that! Better than insulting him.
Turns out, when you get super comfortable after being super stressed for the whole day, it’s extremely easy to fall asleep! Which is exactly what happens to Grace; with a smile on his face, his head slumps onto the car window as Driver glances back.
Whatever, not his problem.
All he does is drive; no emotions or connections thrive in this field. On or off the clock.
Pulling onto the street, Driver takes a moment to observe the surroundings. It’s alright, nothing special. In New York, practically every middle-class apartment looks about the same. Cramped but homey.
After parking the car and turning off the engine, he takes a look back at his customer. A coffee-stained shirt and tear-streaked cheeks—what was this guy's story? Actually, why does he even care?
“Here’s your stop, Ryland.” The use of his name makes Grace perk his head up. Driver’s (stupid name) voice is super gentle… like he isn’t used to having to speak to people. It’s a far cry from earlier… one that's appreciated.
“T–Thanks, yeah. Sorry for just… bringing the mood down.”
Again, no response. At least for about fifteen seconds. “Why is there a coffee stain on your clothes?”
Looking down, Ryland spots the stain. Right… he’d honestly begun to forget about everything that happened earlier. The driver's car just feels too safe not to. “I just said some things that people didn’t like… I deserved it, honestly.”
And with that, Grace gets out of the car. He can just barely see how Driver's eyes seem to follow him as he walks away, tiny dots hidden away behind the windshield. What an odd guy; sure, he seemed reasonably nice. But he sure as hell wasn’t too approachable.
Would Ryland have even talked to him if the guy didn’t practically demand that he get in his car? Probably not. The interaction brightened his day up a bit, though. To think his mind could become so dark in such a short timeframe!
Focus! He just needs to go into his apartment and lie down for the rest of the day. Yeah! That’ll cheer him up! A good old nap always helped the day pass, both literally and figuratively.
Just as he walks into the alleyway, a man comes sprinting by. Unable to discern if he has hostile intent, Grace tenses quickly. Fortunately (or unfortunately?), he gets away with being knocked to the ground. Ew! Now he’s got… He doesn’t even know what he has on him now! Someone's leftovers from last night? Throw up? It could be anything!
What he does feel, however, is crawling. Hesitantly, Ryland looks at his right arm and lets out a shriek. “Ew ew ew!” Right there, in all its glory, is a spider! Not even a small one; it’s fairly large! Why him? Why does it always have to be him? Even worse, a shot of pain immediately rings out in his body; the damn thing bit him!
After his initial reaction, Ryland scrambles to get up from the dirty alley floor. Then, he checks where he’s been bitten. The bite is on his right arm, already turning red and irritated. Not good… even his limited knowledge of spiders can tell him that that’s not a great sign.
Well, he still needs to just get in his damn apartment. Shitty spider bite or not.
Grace reaches the door after about fifteen minutes since the bite. The spot is already starting to hurt. Was the damn thing venomous? With the way the wound is turning red and blue… It seems like that might be the case.
Just his luck! He has a horrible day at college, gets coffee thrown at him, and now has to deal with a spider bite?
Closing his eyes for a moment, Grace goes through the steps of cleaning up the raw skin. He’s played in his fair share of playgrounds as a kid, so he’s well aware of what his mom did to clean his wounds. Soap and warm water, an ice pack, some ointment, and then medication for any pain.
This day was a whirlwind, yet for some reason, it almost feels like fate wanted it all to happen. Maybe college wasn’t his destiny; it isn’t like that’s some insane idea, after all.
Whatever the future holds, he’s sure that fate will guide him to the correct path.
Ryland Grace dating hc’s on the Hail Mary with a GN reader
When you first wake up, Ryland had already been awake. Not for long, but he’d moved you off the table and covered you in blankets
Even in his altered state you felt familiar to him, like his body knew to protect you at all costs… huh
Extremely gentle with you when you first wake up. He sits there and helps you catch your bearings. Mumbling “mhm” and “yeah?” And “take it easy, okay?”
Most of the clothes packed in your bag were Rylands, and vice versa for him.
Before dating comes into the picture, you’re both very casual with each other. Moving around the lab quietly and figuring out new things about the ship
Grace only figures out that you both were dating right before Rocky’s ship comes into sight. A fleeting memory of you smiling at him while nagging him about going to bed
Once he knows you both used to date, this man doesn’t let you out of his sights. The ship is big! Who knows what could happen?
Shares about all of his meals with you, you both giggle while trying to remember how to properly eat them!
His absolute favorite pastime is sitting down with you and talking about your past lives, or what you can remember of it
Doesn’t want you touching anything without him present. His teacher antics will spring up and he’ll be like, “[Name], my hand is up! Just let me protect you, okay?”
Decided to sleep with you to conserve body heat… or so he says. Definitely not because he loves cuddling or anything 🤫
When Rocky does enter the equation, Grace isn’t as casual when the alien sends his art over. Quite literally makes an attempt to cover your body with his because he thinks it’s a bomb!
One time when you both went out of a space walk to get Rocky’s art, Ryland faked tripping so you could catch him. Can you blame him? He just wants to be in your arms :)
LOVES coming up with items to send to Rocky with you. He could sit there and plan it for hours!
Avoids cursing, even when he has limited memories of what his past was. He'll say things like, “What the fudge was that?” And tries to maintain a mostly cheery aura around you
Initially, he was extremely cautious about letting Rocky around you, but the little rock alien charmed him.
Loves working on stuff together! He'll love it even more if Rocky decides to join
The two of you sometimes end up sleeping against Rocky's ball. Grace had done it once, and you soon followed suit. For this reason, Rocky refers to you both as mates
You helped Ryland shave his beard and cut his hair for him. You had done it before the Hail Mary, after all. Grace loves running his hand through his hair to feel the uneven angles. At times, it reminds him of you :)
While searching through voices to give to Rocky, you both have a little laugh at the options, but it actually takes a few hours because of this. "Why Grace and [Name] laughing, question?"
When Rocky first moved in, he knocked over a multitude of items and creations that the two of you had made. That was really the only time you've been annoyed with the alien
Let’s you hang around Rocky without him there. He trusts the alien to be respectful and… semi-normal? Sometimes, he catches you trying to feed Rocky some food from Earth
Of course, since there’s two humans, Rocky’s questions have doubled in the amount. “Why no mating mark?” “Why Grace sleep with [Name]?” "Why Grace body heat up when [Name] speaks?
When the events of Rocky’s ‘death’ happen, both of you try to care for the creature in its broken state. You're the one responsible for the heat lamp, and Grace caters to drawing positive messages and pictures to greet the rock when he awakens
Grace ends up crying in your arms a couple of times, remembering all the happy moments you two had with Rocky. You do too sometimes, but Grace's comfort and general support easily guide you through it
Come time for Rocky’s revival, and you two are showing him in love. Well, as much as you can with a ball separating the alien
Much more time is spent in the whole ship on the way back to Rocky’s vessel. Maybe some games of tag and hide and seek! Rocky isn’t allowed to be the seeker (for obvious reasons)
I’d like to think that Rocky quickly makes a gift for you and Grace when you all reach his ship. Maybe a pair of jewelry from his planet or tiny figurines of you two
Cut to life on Erid, and morning walks on the beach are a must! Grace has made designated shoes just for the sand because he hates making Armando clean up the tracked sand that gets in the house
Rocky visits multiple times a day, hanging out with you both, or simply to check in. Adrian says he's 'obessed with the local humans'
Grace Showers you in love all the time now that the probes are sent. He'll cuddle with you during blank moments in the day, or paint mugs that show states and countries for fun!
He ends up taking you to class one day because the tiny Eridians wouldn't stop asking about you. They all erupted into chirps and melodic sounds when you greeted them
With the help of Adrian and Rocky, he makes a ring for you and him! Not exactly marriage per se... but merely a promise ring. At least, that's what he tells himself
You both figure out a way to do tattoos, sort of like how Rocky has Adrian's mark on him! You have little designs of rocket ships and Grace's glasses on your body, and Grace has your eye color and a couple of things you like
Here's my masterlist for other works about Ryland :)
Ryland Grace HC’s with a teacher GN reader (non-dating)
The moment Grace hears the schools getting a new teacher, he’s ecstatic! What subject could it be? What’s your personality like?
So when he finally meets you, and you tell him what you teach and such… he’s nearly jumping with joy
Tell him everything about what you teach! This man will inject all of that info into his brain like a drug!
Helps you decorate your classroom with a bright smile on his face. He’ll give you tips on some budget friendly options too, he knows a teacher salary isn’t exactly extravagant worthy
In turn, he’ll help you take everything down during tests or state testing. You do the same for his room… it’s always a bittersweet process. Sure, you get to bond, but your bonding while stripping your rooms bare :(
He brings food for you during lunch, anything he can microwave, that is. Listen, he’s not chef material quite yet, but he’s trying!
Adding onto this, he’ll put whatever food he has for you next to his in the teacher lounge fridges or cabinets. It’ll be labeled “Would [Reader] like it if you ate this? No!” Yeah… this man’s corny.
Gently teased you about your teacher badge, he knows nobody ever looks good in ‘em. However, If you tease him about his, he’ll give you a sad little smile and walk away :(
After stressful days where the students aren’t exactly into the lesson, he’ll always come to your room to vent or talk about it. Laying across your desk like some model as he speaks too
He’s a coffee addict, which means you’ll get roped in on it. Told him your order? He already has it remembered! Does it add a few extra minutes to his morning routine? Yes! Does he care? No!
Genuinely will cry if you start doubting your teaching abilities. He’s probably the worst at hyping people up, but the best at general comfort. So, he buys some drinks from the vending machine and gently puts an arm around your shoulder so you can speak to him
Hangs around you during field trips. He tries not to make it obvious… but he always drifts over to your presence. It sucks when you guys aren’t in the same class group, but he’ll manage
Literally only gets your number because he offhandedly mentioned how he doesn’t have a lot of friends. Then you go, “I’m always free to talk.” When I tell you this man’s world lit up seventy degrees
Probably extremely dry over text, I can’t imagine he enjoys how little he can convey emotion behind a screen. Grammatically correct though, even if it’s useless in context
Helps you on any lesson or activity you have planned. You don’t think the kids will like it? He’s coincidentally asking them tomorrow if any of the would like to an activity sounding an awful lot like yours
Probably hates drills, not just because of the loud noises, but because it makes the kids panic. Now that you’re in the picture? He despises them. The first thing he’d do in a real one would be to round
Having problems with one of your students? Grace is there when you talk to them. He helps keep the situation simple, no escalations. If their grades are dropping, it's an easy fix of less work to get them back on track.
If you ever.... and I mean ever, surprise him with... I don't know... grading papers for him? He'll freeze on the spot, then suddenly burst into a large smile. "You just saved me thirty minutes off my routine!"
Goes all out for holiday decorations. He most likely has your rooms connected as well, like you do it Rudolf-themed, and he does it Dasher-themed. Or for Halloween, he'll be Michael Myers, and you'll be Ghostface!
Anytime you two notice a kid getting bullied, it stops immediately. On Graces end, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was bullied in his school days… he absolutely doesn’t want a kid going through the same thing
You miss a day? He’s immediately text you to see why. Literally, the moment you’re a minute late to when you normally clock in, he’s worried. If he doesn’t have your phone number yet, he’ll just be in a sulking mood the whole day
Adding onto that, this’ll be the first time he comes over to your house. He’d bring his attempt at warm soup and some medicine, if the sickness lasts days, he’ll check in on you with his phone inbetween classes :)
Avoids any teacher gatherings like the plague , he’s just too awkward. Even if you end up going, he’ll probably just sit in his car and offer to drive you home
Anytime you guys go out in public, he tries to be more nonchalant than he actually is. You guys pass a cute cat? He’ll just mutter a “I guess it’s cute” and walk buy.
If any faculty member gives you problems, they’re dealing with him. And lord, he’s petty. He is t scared one bit to take this up to the principle
Surprises you with ordering pizza to your class sometimes. Then your class can have a pizza party!
Goes with you to the annual blood drive that the school does and damn near passes out. The only reason he doesn’t is because he stared into your eyes the whole time
Might fish for compliments a little… but what’s the harm! He’ll be like, “I don’t know… I feel like the kids don’t like me sometimes…” The sound of your voice hyping him up is just too good to pass down!
The students in your classes definitely think you two have a thing. They’ll do little bets on what your relationship is. Of course, Grace tries to get them to stop… and maybe plays into it ever so slightly
He’ll peek int your class every now and then just to see what’s going on. The students are used to it, it wastes their class time… so they won’t complain :)
Somehow turns grocery trips into a mini adventure. You don't like asking employees for help? Ryland will wander the store with you to find it independently! He'll always bring a list of groceries that he follows religiously
Fidgets with his ring when he's nervous. It reminds him that you're with him, physically or not. Bounded by a small ring clasped onto his ring finger. It's a promise.
Will call or text during lunch when he’s at school teaching. Hearing your voice, or even seeing your messages bring him all the joy in the world!
While he already had good hygiene before meeting you, he definitely ups his game when you two marry. All of a sudden he’s keeping his stubble maintained and keeping his chest hair however you like it
Hands down takes charge in taxing season. He doesn’t want you worrying about any of the math in general… if you beg him enough he’ll reach out his expertise to your friends
Ends up getting roped into Nintendo from his students, and falls down a rabbit hole of Smash tournaments and Tomodachi life gameplays. After a few months go by you eventually feel bad for letting the man’s fixation go untreated :(
Adding onto the last hc, when you buy him an old switch one, and then Tomodachi life, he’s quick to thank you. By that I mean peppering your face with kisses!
Makes the two of you nearly instantly, and gets extremely agitated when your Mii doesn’t want to fall in love with him. Once he breaks the news to his students about the game, they practically beg to be added in.
So now Ryland has an island of kids and the two of you… he may have set you two as parents. Shh don’t tell 🤫
Textbook definition of a gentleman. He’ll open doors for you, hold your bags when you two go shopping, and more often than not, he’s the one driving you around… Yet he still screams loud AF if they’re a an insect around
Knits types of planets or cells for you, it’s his weird love language, okay? He’ll be like “I made you a fifty five Cancri AE ball! Because you’re just like a diamond to me!”
By this point he’s probably got cooking down a little better. So when you get home from work, there’ll be a small meal already made. He treats every occasion like this as if it’s a date, candles and all
Definitely a type of person to always research what he’s buying at the store. The company has to be ecologically good. His insistence has increased since the marriage, he needs to keep you safe!
Tries to be the big spoon when cuddling, but I’d like to think his body naturally curls into its own ball… so you always move to cuddle him instead
Loves everything about you. He doesn’t care if you want to complain to him about your insecurities, because he’ll always reassure you that you’re perfect to him. That’s all that matters, right?
Takes you stargazing all the time! He points out different constellations, and probably makes some up for the heck of it to amuse you
The two of you always binge the most random shows together. I like to think that Grace finds any show that has science in it fascinating, and explains anything you don’t understand in a more simple way
Chronically offline in the social media aspect. This man is a huge YouTube nerd! Love documentaries on science, or any topic! Tries to rope you into watching some
Loves going on walks! Once you two got married this only increased tenfold. When you joined him on them? He felt his heart stop. Seeing someone achieve the best version of themselves makes his heart beat in joy
Probably tried to start a garden of sorts, but kept forgetting to water the plants. You left him sticky notes to remind him to do so… and now it’s thriving!
Pauses a little during parent teacher meetings when he sees the family walk in. This totally has no reasoning behind it
Stands up for you with no hesitation, even if you get mad at him afterwards. He won’t take yelling at all, from a teaching view and personal belief
Tries to buy as many matching things as possible! Definitely a matching kind of husband, he wants the world to know you two are in it together
Anytime something reminds him of you, he'll immediately text you about this amazing discovery.
Here's my masterlist for other works about Ryland :)
This man takes every holiday seriously… and I mean seriously. Christmas? He’s finding the most budget-friendly green and red LED lights he can get. Valentines? He’s surprising you with chocolates and a date in the park!
Only mentions you at work when his students ask him. A coworker? He’ll just say you’re his boyfriend. A student? He’ll get into a twenty-minute-long rant about how amazing and great you are
Forgets you’re dating sometimes?? In the sense that he forgets he can just walk up and kiss you. The longer the relationship lasts, the more often he does it
Loves seeing you in his clothes; this also extends to his glasses! Bonus points if you wear glasses already anyway, he’ll be wanting to buy matching ones
Want to hear him talk? Just ask about a scientific process, and he’ll talk for hours. He won’t even register when you start saying ‘uh-huh’ and ‘yeah.’
Has thought about having a family multiple times, but doesn’t want to pressure you in any way. His income, area of living, and personality leave him believing it would be a bad idea :(
One thousand percent shows love through physical touch. This man wants to have his hands on you as much as possible. Holding hands while you walk to the park, an arm around your shoulder on the couch, he’s a golden retriever personified
Dad joke king! WILL say a dad joke just to annoy you if you’re grumpy.
Used to be more of a night person from studying late and writing reports in his college days, but since he found you, he’s become a morning person. Not in the enthusiastic way, but he definitely wakes up with a smile on his face now :)
WILL surprise you with kisses anytime he sees you. WILL get upset if you fake kiss him and pull away at the last second. So mean!
Adores any and all animals, but probably has some sort of fur allergy keeping him away from owning furry creatures. He’s made up for this by puking pictures of his favorite animals and treating them like they’re there
The first time you met, he ended up spitting out his water from something you said. He was trying to be nonchalant and quiet… and it didn’t work. It later became an inside joke for the two of you
Doesn’t get possessively jealous, just gets really pouty and petty? He’ll be quieter than usual and give you short-lipped responses if he does speak. Of course, a quick ‘love you’ will fix this!
The whole apartment and classroom are decorated with stuff his students have made. On another note, he’ll genuinely sob if you ask him to talk about the first class he taught. (Acts like they’re all dead when most of them are in nth grade??)
When you were first together, he probably called his students his ‘kids,’ and it confused you. He’d mention them casually, not clarifying that he doesn’t actually have twenty-something children
Tries to help with cooking and actively watches some cooking videos in his free time to get better at it. He doesn’t want to be a burden, and he doesn’t want to feel lazy, making you cook
Absolutely thinks TikTok is Satan's workshop. His students keep quoting this Triple T and six seven???
Proposed with a stupid science-themed ring, man can’t do anything normal in his life
Tries his hardest to spoil you. You can send a text asking for something, and he’ll be like, “Baby, my wallet is going through precipitation right now!” With some angry emoji. He buys whatever you ask for every time
Probably decreases his time at the gym when he starts dating you. Your affirmation of his body makes him comfortable with how it is
That being said, he’ll absolutely flex his biceps or abs. He’ll be a little shy if you try to take a photo of them, but he’ll flex in front of your eyes all day!
Easiest man to ragebait ever! Anytime you do it, he’ll look at you with sad eyes and put his face in his hands in disappointment
Agreed to get a car when you started to live with him. Biking is good for the environment, but he can’t exactly sustain a life of only biking
Makes student gift bags with you for their birthdays or special events in their life! He’ll say that his lover put their luck in them
Messy kisser, it comes from inexperience… but at least he’s eager!
LOVES pizza date nights. He’ll turn on Fargo, and you guys try to figure out what the mystery is during them
You’ve worn his ‘I had potential’ shirt, and he always feels his heart skip a beat
CALL HIM HONEY PLEASE. THAT MAN WANTS YOU DESPERATELY
ADORES that morning feeling on waking up next to you and getting ready. He tries to get up early to practice his cooking. He can make pancakes now!
Knits his own beanies. You started joining him in his knitting after a few months in the relationship. He wears any of them you make like badges of honor
You’re his ADHD medicine timer. Where would he be without you?
Genuinely needs to nerd out over Disney; his knowledge is never-ending
Anytime you cuddle, you always have to take a five-minute break… Grace is like a heater!
Here's my masterlist for other works about Ryland :)
dailybridgerton
vaporwave
andulkaphoto
pixelskylines
baratheonpilled
dededos
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