Things are a bit weird between Grace and Adrian at first (how could they not be?) but they gradually grow very close. Adrian is great, and once the initial awkwardness is over they get on together like a house on fire. One day Adrian says that they feel like Grace is their “eggmate.”
Grace immediately feels a little weird. He’s never heard this word before but the context clues are pretty clear, aren’t they? Eridians have sex by laying eggs with their mates. Is Adrian attracted to him? If so, he’s… well, he’s sort of flattered, but mostly uncomfortable, since he definitely doesn’t see Adrian that way. He’s explained the concepts of aromantic and asexual to both Rocky and Adrian so they should know that he doesn’t feel that sort of thing. Besides, he’d never want to come between Rocky and Adrian. Do eridians have polyamory? Is that a thing here? Oh god he’s never fully figured out the relationship dynamics of eridians—
Eventually he’s panicking about all this and Rocky notices, and Grace hesitates but eventually it all just comes spilling out. Rocky stares at him for a long time before reaching out very gently to take his hand.
“Grace,” he says slowly, like he’s talking to a 4 year old, “English word for ‘eggmate’ is ‘sibling’.”
