Ryland Grace x reader, Rocky & reader
Reader who started calling Rocky pet names out of habit and, after explaining, Rocky loves it. But then reader and Grace start dating and you call him a pet name and suddenly Rocky is seething with jealousy.
“Rock, honey, be careful,” it slips out when he barrels past in his ball one day.
You’re writing on a white board when he squeezes past, knocking into the leg of the table and causing it to shake, sending some utensils flying. Obviously he’s incredibly sturdy (…rocky…), but he can be kind of reckless sometimes.
“No understand second word.” At least he stops rolling around to ask.
Grace looks up from his work bench, glasses sliding down his nose to where they’re almost falling off, and glances between the two of you. He’s in one of his stupid pun shirts that grip his biceps too tight, and you can’t think about that too much or else your mind will wander.
You realize what you said and that now you have to explain pet names to an alien. “Oh uh…” you look back at Ryland for assistance, but he just throws his hands up in a this-one-is-on-you gesture before returning to his work, slipping his pen between his teeth as he thinks.
You look back to Rocky who is eagerly awaiting your explanation.
“…It’s a pet name. A term of endearment,” you decide to go with, “Like something you call someone you care about.”
He’s quiet for a moment, then, “care about Rocky? Question.”
You’re shocked that it’s a question. You squat down to be semi-level with him, hand finding the top of his ball, “yeah. Of course I do Rocky.”
He extends himself so his carapace bonks the tops of the ball where your hand is. The ball does a great job at insulation, but you can still feel a little more heat seep through when he does.
“Amaze amaze amaze. Rocky cares about humans too, statement.”
You smile, but then remember something else, “Oh! Honey is also a food, though.”
He shrinks back down, you assume because he’s put off by the mention of eating. He takes a single step back, ball rolling a small amount.
You burst out in laughter, Ryland can’t help but join too.
“No! Rocky not food! Honey is sweet, so you call someone honey when their personality is sweet too.”
“Oh, understand. Rocky sweet!” He does his little happy chirps and jazz hands that always make you get a little cuteness aggression.
“…debatable…” you hear Grace murmur from his station, probably because Rocky rolled over his toe this morning.
“No, Rocky sweet, statement. Other human said so, Grace is dumb dumb dumb human, smart smart smart human call Rocky sweet.”
You stand and laugh, happy to gang up on Ryland with Rocky, “yeah, Ry, I’m smart smart smart.”
It’s months later after you and Ryland finally stop pretending that you only love each other as ‘crew mates’ that it gets brought up again.
“Ry, can you pass the p20,” you’re running more experiments on the taumoeba, at this point more out of boredom than anything.
He hands the pipette to you from across the bench. “Thank you, honey.” The word slides out without you even realizing it, but someone in the room definitely takes notice.
Rocky stops his ministrations with his xenonite, dropping it and rapidly tapping on the barrier.
“What. Grace not honey, Rocky is honey! Only Rocky get pet name, statement.”
You look up incredulously, unaware that Rocky felt so strongly about his pet name.
Grace seems fairly shocked at his insistence too, but he’s not one to pass an opportunity to tease Rocky. He tilts his head like he’s thinking before looking over at Rocky, “Well, no bud, I’m pretty sure I’m honey. Maybe when you can pass a pipette…” Ryland teases.
“No no no, Rocky honey, Grace is leaky space blob, other human knows Rocky better.”
You can’t stop your giggle. It feels a little mean because clearly Rocky is actually passionate about this, but his possession is cute.
“Okay! I’m sorry!” You say through the giggles, “It was an accident. Rocky is honey. Ry, you…we’ll workshop it.” You’re not sure if he even likes pet names, let alone which ones.
He pouts across the lab bench to you.
“No workshop. No special name for Grace, only Rocky.”
Ryland throws his hands up, “C’mon, man!”
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