Sit down, Stay a while

Rocky is ENTHRALLED with this new human and his mutations and despite their less than perfect start, Rocky is determined to be his friend. Grace finds it so heartening at first seeing his best friend trying to make their new companion happy, even if said companion is (trying) pushing Rocky away with everything he's got until finally Simon relents. Grace has also been attempting to do the same but he has not had as much luck as Rocky has, which he tries to rationalize as much as possible. Simon has obviously been harmed pretty badly by other humans for a long time, of course it's going to take a while for him to trust another human. That's FINE! Grace can be patient. Plus, Rocky is there to give him company and friendship, which is a GOOD thing (he keeps having to remind himself of that and not feel jealous that Simon warmed up to Rocky but not him.) Grace was prepared that this could have been an outcome for the trio and learns to accept it for the time being.

What he doesn't expect is how much Rocky would like Simon. Or vice versa. They begin to spend a lot of time together, both being mechnically inclined. They're personalities mesh better than anyone thought, both being a little crude, a little sarcastic, a little dirty. The mutations give them similar playing grounds in terms of strength and hearing, meaning Simon can hear notes from Rocky that normal Grace ears cant. They both share the same dry humor and the first time Simon makes Rocky laugh, it's spoiled by the green monster so viciously that he needs to leave.

Grace is seeing in real time how Simon and Rocky just fit. Leaving Grace to the sidelines. It's an odd feeling to watch Rocky, his best friend + possibly something more and Simon, the handsome mutated stranger that has him questioning things, together in a way he could only hope. The feeling comes with a lot of late nights staying up realizing that he isnt just losing his bsf and new friend, he's also losing someone who he loves so deeply and someone he wants to know so he can give his love.

Sure, Rocky and Grace still do everything as they did before and it's not as if Rocky lost any of his enthusiasm in doing those things with Grace, but that gnawing monster inside of him, telling him that Rocky would be happier if he was more like Simon, if he was with Simon. Whatever happiness of Simon finding his way onto the Hail Mary was left vanished the longer Grace noticed these interactions.

Grace is neck deep in his own self loathing that he's blind to Rocky's concerns over him. He can't help but feel like all of their interactions are now tainted by a layer of performance, that Rocky is doing this out of obligation for their mission, not out of genuine concern or friendship. Somehow, someway, Grace has once again become the 3rd wheel in his own 2-man/alien friendship. Its a hard pill to swallow knowing that he's being left behind in a 51 meter ship.

It's Simon that eventually kicks down the door of his self loathing and rattles him out of his funk. But Grace is still Grace and puts his foot in his mouth, leading to an argument. Eventually it leads to Simon telling Grace that he's been jealous of Grace this whole time, thinking all of Grace's thoughts except about Grace and Rocky. And Grace tells him what he was jealous because Simon and Rocky fit so well. They cant stop themselves from realizing how stupid they've both been this whole time.

However, what neither of them could have anticipated was Rocky announcing that becoming close with Simon had ulterior motives. Specifically, Rocky was vetting Simon to make sure he could be a possible mate for Grace, and making sure that Grace got the best of the best.

Rocky is also jealous that Simon and Grace are both humans, meaning that Grace would leave him for Simon as a friend and possible mate. His means to be Simon's friend were genuine and also selfish, hoping to find a reason that Simon can't be friends or mates with Grace but the longer he stayed friends, the more he realized how perfect he was for Grace. And how imperfect Rocky was.

Anyway, this all ends with Grace crying and hugging Rocky and giving him one billion kisses because he loves him so much and everyone apologizing to each other and fresh starts.