She cowa on my bummer til I bunga

now I’m NOT saying he should have had a partner on earth or whatever because I do think it’s awesome that he’s (implicitly at least) aro/ace/both, but it would have been a great aside to see the cloud of yearning that follows him everywhere which he either has to deal with or has decided to be permanently ignorant of. like the comedy potential of objectively the most fuckable man any of these strange science geeks have ever met being like oh um :) thanks for the coffee and the flowers and stuff and you guys are all so nice to me it’s great to work with you all :)

Part 2 where I put Grace in the dress

There’s so many of you!

Stratt: "hmm what do you think dr grace?"

Grace: wow what a crazy plan that would take an absurd amount of power to accomplish and have far-reaching impacts "yeah it's feasible, i'd go with it"

Stratt: "alright, you heard him, do it"

blellow drawing dump

The Eridians figure out how to safely dock the Hail Mary to the top of the space elevator structure. A greeting party of Eridians gathers to welcome Rocky back. Introductions to Grace are made (if this is a version of the story where Grace is in a state to introduce himself, health-wise). The Eridians escort Rocky further in and down, leaving Grace safe in the Hail Mary for the time being.

At the exact point where Grace's heartbeat starts to peter out of Rocky's constant spatial awareness, Rocky just. Stops walking. Completely stops dead in the middle of a hallway with no warning. The other Eridians keep going for a step or two before realizing he's stopped and also stopping, confused. They ask him what's wrong. He doesn't answer.

From the instant that the outer hull of the Hail Mary came between Rocky and Grace, Rocky has been fighting the impulse to sprint back into the ship and double-triple-quadruple-quintuple-check that Grace is still okay. That impulse has been growing stronger and stronger with every step he takes, until this moment, when one more step will carry Rocky out of the range where he can keep tabs on Grace without even consciously thinking about it. It feels like Rocky physically can't move his legs. What's happening to him? Is he going to sleep, and that's why he can't move? He can't be -- he just woke from sleep barely 1.5 Earth days ago.

Adrian steps toward Rocky with a croon of concern. Their carapace tilts away, in the direction the group had been headed. Aren't you coming?

Old instincts kick in and Rocky automatically moves toward his mate, one step, two steps, three--

Grace's heartbeat is gone.