[vine references at 3 a.m.]

grace + saying goodbye to earth 🌱

i cant be normal about anything i like ever . it has to consume me like evil mold

I just wanna live. Is that so wrong? Why doesn't anybody else want that?

Ryland visits Colt on set sometimes, and lately he's been visiting a lot more because Jody's working on a sci-fi/horror film and she's asked him to consult on some of the science because she wants it to be As Accurate As Possible. Ryland loves teaching science! Of course he's happy to help!

Except. You know. This also has the unintended side effect of Ryland seeing Tom Ryder a lot.

Tom Ryder is...fine.

Kind of.

He flirts with Ryland a lot, which, whatever. Ryland brushes it off. But now he's starting asking Ryland out on dates, and it doesn't matter how many times Ryland says no, Tom Ryder just Won't Drop It. So Ryland tells him he has a boyfriend, actually. Simon. They've been friends for a while now, they spend a lot of time together, they call each other a couple nights a week, so Ryland doesn't really think much of it when he says Simon's name. And it's not like Simon ever has to know. Ryland is sure this won't ever come up again, especially since, well. Tom Ryder doesn't seem like he really believes him, but he does drop it. Sort of. He keeps flirting, but he's stopped asking Ryland out at least.

Yay!

A win win situation!

Ryland's little white lie worked!

But then they finish filming the movie.

And Jody invites Ryland to the premier.

Ryland says yes, of course he'll go. He wouldn't miss it for the world. And when Tom Ryder very snidely asks if Ryland will be bringing Simon with him Ryland says "he should be back from his dive by then, so probably." And Ryland doesn't quite register his words for a second. Doesn't totally comprehend what just came out of his mouth.

But then Ryland realizes what he said.

Just now, they kindly offered to play with Mouse (3), taking them by the hand and inviting them to play trains. Mouse leapt happily on the chance. As they left, I heard Bug say, “can you teach me how to play trains? I don’t know how to play trains. Can you show me?”

This moment is so dear to me I want to cry. First of, Grace is so gentle with him? Something something kindness literally saves the world (two worlds, in this case). Also, you just KNOW that Grace is that teacher in whose classroom the kids go to cry when they feel like the whole world has turned against them.

But secondly, "I'm a science human"! Because yeah. None of them is the other's weird alien dog. None of them is the "smart one" (or rather, they both are). They can't do this without each other. They complement each other. They need each other to succeed, there's no other way. That's the whole point! Cooperation! Connection! Working together!

Hope core at its finest.

They just started Star Trek.