the gloomiest gloworm to exist

Colt showing up and answering questions and being a general chaotic nuisance but proving that the stuff they're learning can be applied to jobs that aren't just working in a lab - he uses a lot of what they're learning basics of in stunt work!

It's a yearly thing from the very first year of Ryland teaching.

Fast forward to the year that Ryland disappears on his class, gets sent to space against his will while the world at large is told he volunteered.

Colt shows up the same time he had every year to see Ry's kids. The looks of hope in their eyes cut to his soul, as do the fallen smiles when they realize it's Colt at the front of the room, not Ryland.

I especially love the few I've seen where there's no imminent danger and it's either a happy reunion or they were never separated and the twins get the sillies. Coooourt Colt's being annoying make him stop.

I love that stuff bc Court would be so happy to hear it. So happy that they still see him as their big brother.

Close up:

Coltland twins as texts!! this did numbers on my Tik Tok so I figured Tumblr would like it too 😂 the Coltland twins genuinely consume most of my thoughts

Rocky finds some words that absolutely mess with Grace's ears like a dog whistle. Adrian overhears them start to argue, and then they hear Rocky start saying random words really loudly and long, causing Grace to move funny. Like-

Rocky: "SPAAAAAAAATULA! SPATULA SPATULA SPATULA! LITTERING! LIIIITTTEEEERRIIIIIING!!"

Adrian: "[Rocky], what the hell are you doing?"

Grace: *undecipherable frustrated yelling while covering ears*

Rocky: "They're being an [asshole] so they get the words that hurt their stupid squishy [ears]! DOCUMENTATION!"

Adrian: "Hey, stop hurting [Grace]- they can't help being squishy!! (Also how- ??)"

(...Bonus Grace: "*human yelling* [BITCH] *more human yelling*!!"

Rocky: 80

Adrian: >:U "WHY did you teach the hero of Erid that???"

Rocky: "I didn't do tha-"

So it’s clear that Adrian is part of the teams working to keep Grace alive.

But. What if Adrian is on this team because he was already a part of a bigger team working on domes across the planet to protect the live that Erid has with their dimming star making the world colder.

What if Grace wasn’t some special one-time dome user and there are so many towns and nature preserves locked away in these controlled domes to keep the contents safe and cared for.

Rocky saves the stars. Adrian saves Erid. Grace saves the stars and Rocky, Rocky saves Grace and brings him home, Adrian keeps their partner and pet alien safe and happy and cared for in the same way he’s been caring for their planet for over four hundred Eridian years now.

A Bookmark Near the End