‘ずっと変わらないよ,この願いは!’

And, while working together, you haven't been quiet. When you get something right, when there’s a breakthrough, (or when something literally breaks,) it’s always a loud reaction from you. A yell, a laugh, a wince.. But now? Not even a hum.

Ryland noticed immediately. And being stuck here, waiting with you and Rocky to arrive at Erid, he had nothing but time to figure out why.

You were working on something, something that was probably unnecessary and only in creation to keep busy, with Rocky sitting beside you on the floor only being sliiightly annoying.

“Is almost done, question?” He asks, leaning up.

“Not yet, Rocks.” You murmur quietly, not looking down from your work. You love Rocky with all of your being, you really do, but if he asks you one more question you might shove your head through your laptop.

“Friend grumpy grumpy sad. How long since last sleep cycle, question?”

“I just woke up, actually.”

“Is lie. Rocky see friend in science lab all night.” ..Right. You should know better than to try and trick an alien.

“Oh, do you hear that? I think Grace is calling for you. Yeah, definitely, okay, see you later, Rocky...” You ramble off in a low tone, beginning to turn away.

“Grace no call for Rocky,” Rocky replies in a confused trill. “Grace stand in door, statement.”

You flinched, whipping your head around, and of course Ryland was standing there. 

Maybe you hadn’t seen him today, but, it wasn’t exactly.. Okay, maybe it was avoidance. But it wasn’t personal! It’s just that you didn’t feel like.. bothering him? something like that, you guess.

You blink, before holding back a sigh and turn back away. “Stalker, much?” You mumble, starting to type again, even if it just was backspacing whatever junk you just wrote down that didn’t make sense.

“I wouldn’t say stalker.” Ryland hummed casually, moving to walk over and sit in the chair next to you. “Hey, kid. You busy?” And then he smiles, smiles like none of this mattered. You wished you could believe him.

“Mhm.” You just barely reply, barely move until he puts a hand on your shoulder and you don’t know whether to slap it away or lean into it, whether you were allowed to want to do either.

“You’re quiet today. I don’t know if I like it.” He jokes, or at least tries too. When you don’t do so much as crack a smile, he stutters back. “Not that you’re loud..” He chuckles awkwardly. When there was no reply, his face drops a little with a slight huff as he leans his chair closer. “..Something’s up, huh?” But it wasn't so much of a question, he already knew it. 

“Grace and friend sleep now? Rocky watch, question?” Rocky perks up, stepping taller as if he was puffing his chest out. You would’ve smiled if you weren’t so preoccupied.

“Yeah. It’s pretty late, we should get some rest.” Ryland says so softly, and there’s nothing in you to be annoyed at him. “And maybe it’ll help, yeah? Come on.” 

“Maybe after I finish up.” You say bluntly, suppressing the wince of guilt when you saw Rocky sink down back onto his feet.

But Ryland simply raised an eyebrow, like he was used to it all, nodding slowly and crossing his arms over his chest idly. “Right, right.” He dragged on, “What’re you working exactly? Must be important.”

“Important. Life or death.” You nod, trying to look serious. Rocky lets out a series of concerned trills, which you quickly shut down with a wince. “Kidding! Kidding, it’s- joking, Rocky, I was joking.”

“Not funny, statement. Bad bad bad.” Rocky replied, sinking more into his ball. “Rocky forgive.”

“Alright, alright you two.” Ryland chuckled, driving a hand between your shoulders to get you to follow. “Bed, you.”

“No-“ You huff, twisting away to stay seated. “I’m serious. I’m working, I’m.. busy.”

Ryland didn’t bother to suppress the eye roll your words produced, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. Then we’re talking.” He leans forward, hands in his lap. “What's the matter, hm? You’ve been moping around all day.”

You don’t say anything for a second, squeezing your eyes close as you try and think, maybe try to string out a coherent sentence? That’d be nice.

“..Rocky go sit in sleeping quarters, wait for Grace and Friend.” Rocky said slowly before rolling out the room, because, even for an alien he had a slight bit of social awareness. His friends needed space for a second. ..Even though he’d be able to hear anyways, but, he’s learnt that humans are strange like that.

“..I..” You try to begin, but the words seem to get caught in your throat. “I don’t really..- I don’t want to think about it anymore. Or talk about it, I just want to feel anything else. You know?”

“Then we won’t think about it anymore.” Ryland says in a firm tone. “But you’ve gotta let me in, kid.”

“Fine.” You manage, trying to keep at least most of the sass out of your tone. “Okay. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, just come here.” He tilts his head with exaggeration and tugs you into his arms. “And don’t do this again, okay? 

Your arms stay limp at your sides for a minute before returning the hug, your head pushing into his shoulder. You drop your weight, letting him carry you just for a second or two, before pulling back. Or, at least attempting too- Ryland had his arms firmly around your middle, resting as far as he could reach around you.

“..Ryland?” You question, trying to look up.

“You know,” He hummed, resting his chin on top of your head in that too-calm voice that always makes you feel slightly nervous. “I think I know a couple ways to help you stop thinking.”

“..What, gonna hold me captive?” You blink, confused. “I mean, there’s not much.. oh.”

You tense up, freezing but not exactly stuttering out threats or excuses. He wasn’t serious right? 

“Oh?” Ryland repeats, and you can hear that stupid grin on his face. “What? It’s not like you’re too old for this, you’re basically a baby.”

You probably had a comeback ready, Ryland knew you worked fast with your words, but all that flew from your head when you felt his hands just barely starting to graze over the backs of your sides. You swallow nothing, pushing away the shaky smile on your face as you roll your shoulders back to cope.

“Whats this?” He almost laughs, leaning back to try and get a glance of your face which you quickly turn away from. “Doesnt tickle? Not even a bit?”

“Mmmh- No.”  You force out, voice strained and high pitched trying to sound at least slightly normal. You didn’t.

“Is that right?..” He chuckled out, voice thick with tease as his hands trailed up your ribs slowly. “Well, then it must be something else then, right?” Ryland stood at the top of your ribs, drumming his fingers against the top bone. “Maybe you’re missing a rib or two. You should really get that checked, you know. In fact- I’ll check for you! I am a doctor, you know, it’ll be my pleasure.”

“You’re not evehen that kind of doctor!” You spit out, a couple giggles slipping between the words.

“Oh, so you think my profession is funny, hm?” He replies, ignoring your point completely, and this is so stupid, but you’re having the most fun you’ve had in a while. “I’ll let it slide this time, I suppose.. We’ll start your exam, it won’t hurt, but it might be just a little ticklish.” 

Before you have a chance to reply, to tell him this is ridiculous, he lightly squeezes up and down both sides of your ribs. You couldn’t hold that in even if you tried, so, you let out a string of childish giggles and roughly pulled back from his tight hold, to no avail.

“Woaaah! Hey now, you gotta atleast try and stay still! How else am I meant to finish? Maybe I should start again…” He shakes his head with a tut.

“Noho-! Okay okay! Ohohokay-“ You giggle softly into his shoulder, toning down the immediate thrashing and fighting for your life to light squirming. Hard, but, you’ve had to do worse.

“Theeere we go. See? You got it, just like that.” His hands end up at your sides, skittering his fingers quickly before dragging his hands in a claw shape back up to the top of your ribs. “Alright, you ready? ‘Course you are. One.. Two.. Three.. Five, Eight, Twelve- Yep, you’re missing a couple all right! Silly thing, you should’ve come in sooner!”

“that ihis- nohot how yohou count!” You yell out, before falling back into the familiar fit of giggles as his hands drop down to idly scratch and squeeze at your hips.

“Ooohh, someone’s giggly.” Ryland cuts you off, head ducking to whisper into your ear. “You sure you aren’t feeling just a little ticklish?”

You grin and duck your ear away, shaking your head. “You’re sohoho stuhupid.”

“And you’re sohoho adorable, you know that?” He mocks you just a little, which you’ll tell him off for later, one hand keeping itself firmly around your middle as the other hand comes up to scribble the back of your neck and upper back. “The cutest.” And, fuck, you feel like you’re going to pass out with all the attention. 

“I like this spot, don’t you?” He comments idly, hand trailing up and down your spine now. “It makes you get aaallll squirmy. Isn’t it fun?”

“I’m-“ You cut yourself off with a short whine, knees almost giving out between giggles and squirms. “Rylahand I cahant-“

“Hmmm.. Alright. I’ll let you go...” He hummed, hands slowly sliding down to rest at your sides again. “..On one condition.” -And you almost groan out loud instead of in your head as usual.

“You promise me that you’ll come to me when you feel like this again.” He says simply in a light tone of voice. He holds you upright as you catch your breath, leftover laughter still escaping. 

Well.. Could you promise that? You mean- Promises are promises, and, most likely, this would happen again. Apparently, you’re taking too long to think, and you realise that when Ryland's grabbing at your sides again. 

“I said,” He chuckles along with you, probably finding this as dumb as you are. He pulls you tighter, squeezing with every word. “You’ll. Come. To. Me.”

You squirm back with a squeal, ducking your head and nodding. “Okay! Ohokay, whatever, yes!”

“Good.” Ryland grins, obviously proud as he lets go. You stumble back into the wall, catching your breath and running a hand over your face as if you could just wipe the stupid smile left on your face.

“Alllright,” Ryland yawns, as if he didn’t just tickle you to pieces, stretching his arms up. “Time for bed. Come on, I bet Rocky will have loooots of questions about what was so funny.”