Clearly Grace’s first moment of adoring Rocky was when they start to dance together. Rocky’s willingness to play gave him joy.
And I think Rocky begging to watch him sleep made him trust him more. Rocky wanted to protect him. Grace needed that safety. Rocky knew loneliness. Grace knew it too.
Then Rocky learning about Earth with him made him fonder. Rocky was willing to help hold Grace’s memories, his love for his lost world. And Rocky being a romantic who still wanted more time with his mate made Grace feel very tender to him; Rocky knew love, too.
Rocky’s horror that Grace would die opened Grace’s heart to the core. Someone would grieve him, someone loved him. Someone needed him to live.
So when Rocky almost dies to save him Grace is horrified, but he understands why. They love each other now. Love is brave.
Which is why he goes back for Rocky, and could never have done anything else. The love is the courage, the reason, the answer, the joy and the end.





















