Here be Fluff...

Valerie Rose awoke with a gasp, her eyes searching the room around her. The last vestiges of her dream were fading from her consciousness, but the final image was grim. Even seeing her things and her space, Rose brushed a hand over her forehead, as if expecting to find blood. When her hand came back clean, she sighed in relief.

That relief curdled into frustration when she saw the time on the clock that Rocky and Adrian had designed for her. "Oh for fuck's sake, not again..." This was twice now just this week that she'd missed her intended time to have breakfast with Grace.

She knew full well that after his lessons with the Eridian kids, Grace would likely be spending time with Rocky and Adrian now that the three of them were an established triad. What was she going to do with herself all day?

The good Dr. Rose had never expected the life of a lady of leisure. Here on Erid, her only possible patient was Grace, and honestly, the Eridians and Armando were taking better care of him than she could anymore. Rose had been onboard the Hail Mary as ship's physician, and before coming on the project, her days had been full since the moment she went into medical school all those years ago. God, how long had it been now? Even with the biodome light cycle, she found her days starting to blend together.

At the very least, she knew nothing would get clarified in her still-foggy brain until she got some food into her system. She fixed herself a VAL-burger, and after her breakfast, she decided it was time for a swim.

Various members of the biodome team had contributed to making Grace and Rose's lives more comfortable - this had included new clothes. Rose pulled out the swimsuit and swim-cap that had been made for her, and even after several uses, she marveled at how well the suit fit. Something about the xenonite mesh fabric highlighted her curves and made her look majestic - like a reimagining of the Robot from Metropolis. Maybe this morning wouldn't be such a bust after all?

--

The air in the dome was crisp as Rose walked down to the beach from the duplex that she shared with Grace. When she stepped into the water, she sighed with relief. Adrian had finally gotten the temperature right.

For the first few minutes, the swim was peaceful and nicely strenuous. The Eridian gravity was going to catch up with her and Grace sooner rather than later - she wanted to be ready and build her strength while she had the chance.

It was on the back half of her third lap that Rose's pulse started jumping beyond her level of activity. OK, maybe this was a little more than she was able to do today - no problem, she would just flip over and backstroke the rest of the way to shore.

Rose's plan worked perfectly...for all of three and a half seconds. She'd looked up to the dome to help anchor herself, but instead of the cloudy sky she'd grown to love, she was seeing flashes of images she'd been trying to suppress for over a year...

...Grace staring at her in confusion and sorrow as she woke up, and then realizing not only that Yáo and Ilyukhina were dead, but that Grace had to send their bodies out on his own...

...the beauty of Planet Adrian, and that very beauty almost eating her and Grace and Rocky alive...

...trying to help Rocky drag Grace's half-conscious body to the medbay, even while dealing with her own leg injury...

...the hissing both of Rocky's body during the oxygen exposure and of Grace's burning skin...

...Rocky looking almost dead for days on end...

...her own nails falling out from scurvy on the way to Erid, and struggling to keep her sanity...

Rose's breathing was getting shorter and more ragged by the second, and she could feel her right leg starting to tighten. Surely she had to be almost to shore?

She started to try to stand - and she realized in a panic that she couldn't find the lake floor beneath her. What the fuck was happening???

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" Rose screamed, even as she knew no one was likely to answer. Grace was likely still with his students and who knew where Rocky and Adrian were...

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, and she felt herself getting pulled back to the beach. What a relief - Grace must have left class early and seen her struggling out there.

Rose was dizzy as her savior led her to the bottom of the stairwell leading up to the duplex. He helped her sit down on the first step, gently bracing her with one arm around her back. When she could safely look up, she said, "Thank you, I don't know what happened out there, I - what the FUCK??"

The man (?) supporting her weight was a beautiful stranger. His (his??) hair was graying, long in the front, but with enough volume to still lift off of his face. He was wearing one of Grace's T-shirts, but he filled it out differently than Grace did. His dark eyes rested behind a round pair of thick-rimmed glasses, reminding Rose of a child's impression of a mad scientist. And that smooth skin and those full lips? Holy shit....

Her staring must have seemed concerning, because the man lifted his free hand and brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers to get her attention. "Rose is ok, question?"

His cadence and tone of voice shocked Rose out of her reverie. "...ROCKY?!"

----

"Was supposed to be big surprise...", Rocky told Rose, describing his new body. He was standing outside her bathroom, turning his eyes away so that she could change into her favorite bathrobe.

"Took eight Earth-months to calibrate so I wouldn't get sick - sight and bipedal movement AND taste-touch is a lot lot lot - and hormone production, ugh...Grace and Adrian helped."

Normally, this would be the kind of thing Rose would love to talk about in her medical capacity, but as she walked out swathed in her robe, she remained quiet. In fact, she didn't even look at him while she crossed the bedroom, got onto her bed, and promptly curled into a ball.

Rocky crouched next to the bed, trying to get into Rose's line of sight. Rose lifted her head slightly, and Rocky could see her eyes were red-rimmed with exhaustion - and the beginnings of tears? She reached out to him. "Can you...can you hold me?"

"Of course!" It took some adjustment, but after a moment, Rocky was sitting on the bed with Rose in his lap. He folded her into his arms like a dragon securing his treasure under his wings, and she could feel some of the tension leave her body.

"Rose can talk now, question?"

Rose nodded, nuzzling closer into his body. He felt like everything warm and solid and strong that she'd been missing since she left Earth. "Yeah...I can talk...but I might start crying."

"Rocky and Rose know Grace and Grace cry plenty, not worried about Rose leaking." Rose allowed herself a small despondent laugh.

"I...um, shit..." she gulped, trying to gather her thoughts. "I...had a really awful dream."

Rocky hummed in acknowledgment, and he began tracing a soothing pattern up and down Rose's back.

"I dreamed I was back on Hail Mary, making the trip back to Earth - but I was all alone. There was no Grace, no you, no Yáo or Ilyukhina ... and the loneliness felt like it went on for centuries..."

Here her voice started to shake. "The dream didn't end until I found Yáo's pistol - and I shot myself in the head."

"Oh honey..." Rocky tilted his mouth down to kiss Rose's forehead. He must have picked up the endearment and the gesture from Grace - and if Rose felt the slightest twinge of envy, this wasn't the time to examine it. "You know we won't let that happen..."

"I do know!" Rose promised. "And I'm so grateful to you and Adrian and everyone else for looking after Grace and me, really, I am..."

"But, question?"

"I don't know what to do with myself anymore! I knew my purpose on Earth and on the Hail Mary mission - but I've been completely useless since I woke up from the transport coma!"

"No no no, not useless, never useless-" Rocky protested.

"Yes, useless!" The tears spilled out of Rose's eyes, trailing down her face and staining Rocky's shirt. "I'm supposed to be a doctor, but I couldn't save Yáo or Ilyukhina! All I got for trying to co-pilot during the fishing expedition was a leg injury and nearly losing you and Grace! It was Grace who figured out the orbital mechanics to come find you, not me - and I couldn't even manage a nutrition plan to keep us from getting sick on the way to Erid! And now that we're here..."

Her voice sharpened into a wail. "I've been nothing in the last eighteen months but another burden, another mouth to feed, another human to keep entertained... Grace at least teaches - I've given nothing to this planet but a fucking headache!"

Rocky cupped Rose's cheek, forcing her to look at him. "Rose - do you want to die, question?"

Rose shook her head fervently. "No, I really don't! ...but I think it’s what WILL happen if I try to make the voyage to Earth, so now?....where the fuck do I belong, Rock?”

"With me, statement." Rocky said it as simply as if he were observing the changing weather projections outside.

Rose had an idea of what he was offering - and she'd be lying if she said the thought of joining him and Adrian and Grace had never occurred to her. But if that was what Rocky really meant...

"I don't want to be kept like some shiny toy..." she said.

Rocky looked almost offended at the comparison. "Of course not kept - loved."

Rose couldn't find the words to answer him. Had he REALLY just said "loved"?

Her eyes must have betrayed her confusion and half formed hope.

Rocky said, clearly making an extra effort to speak her language correctly, "I love love love you, Valerie Rose."

"I...but..."

"Rose requires proof, question?" Rocky drew his fingers slowly down from her cheek to cup her chin. Rose was certain that her pulse must be vibrating against his fingers. God, his eyes on hers were so tender...

"...please..."

Rocky tilted his head slightly, just sharing Rose's breath for a moment.

The kiss came suddenly but with tenderness, like Rocky was a professional at kissing already. Rose sighed with relief into his mouth, tangling her hands into his shirt. She could only guess that he'd learned this from Grace, but she couldn't bring herself to be jealous, not if it meant she was now wrapped in the arms of someone who loved her.

Her head was starting to spin, and when she pulled away, the gasp she let out wasn't merely a reflection of Rocky's prowess.

Rocky was still holding her like she was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. "What do you need?"

"Please keep touching me..."

Rocky had reached out instinctively for the sash of Rose's robe, but his hand paused before he touched the fabric.

Rose undid the sash knot and shrugged the robe off of her shoulders. The air temperature was cool, but she barely felt the chill. Even so, she didn't argue when Rocky began undressing too. Rose couldn't say she was upset when it turned out he wasn't wearing any kind of underwear.

Rocky didn't let her stay unprotected for long. Pulling her back to him, he grabbed the blanket near to them and wrapped them up together, lying down with her on the bed. For a few moments, they just held each other, Rose taking the opportunity to revel in the warmth of Rocky's body.

The embrace might have stayed innocent - if Rocky hadn't begun to drag his fingers further and further down Rose's chest.

She was no blushing virgin, but it had been so long since someone had touched her with desire. Hell, she'd barely attempted to pleasure herself since arriving on Erid, instead focusing on the other physical aspects of her recovery.

As such, when those perfect fucking fingers danced their way across her breasts and down her stomach, she found herself getting wet as quickly as she had the first time a boyfriend had kissed her with tongue.

"Rock...Rock, lower, please..."

"Yes, yes, I know, saw Earth movies!" Rocky sounded almost indignant. "I try to prepare!"

"You found the porn files on the computer??" Rose asked. "That's not exactly the best info - SHIT!" The curse slipped between her teeth as Rocky began to firmly rub between her legs.

"Is good start," Rocky retorted. "Grace had minimal complaints, STATEMENT." He punctuated the last word with pushing a finger just inside Rose's opening.

The jolt of pleasure and pain was so sudden that Rose nearly stopped breathing. Whatever prep he'd done, Rocky was obviously a quick study, and he was clearly paying close attention to what worked for her and what didn't.

"The...oh fuck...the wetness doesn't bother you?" she asked.

"I know it means getting ready, so no," Rocky said. "Same way Grace mating leak is also not bothersome."

The mental image of the two men together lit up some synapse in Rose's hind-brain, and she started moving her hips desperately to hump Rocky's hand.

"Oh, Rose LIKES that, question?" Rocky smiled in a way that would scare Rose if she didn't know he cared for her. "Rose likes thought of seeing Grace bent over and bred..."

Rose nodded fervently, and Rocky chuckled. "Maybe another time, my love - but need to focus on you now."

Rose had been so blissed out that it took her a second to notice Rocky's prominent erection. When she felt it poking against her thigh, she shivered in anticipation...and perhaps a little bit of fear.

Rocky looked briefly panicked. "We can stop, don't want to hurt you..."

"I'm ok," she promised. "It's just been a long time, that's all."

"How long, question?"

She told him the time frame, and his eyes widened behind his glasses. "Is ridiculous! You are beautiful, why not a line of mates, question??"

A strand of hair fell across his face, and Rose tucked it away so she could look him in the eyes. "Nothing felt right for a long time - I think...." She took a deep breath. "I think I was waiting for you. I love you too, Rocky."

"Then...you will be my mate, question?" Rocky asked. "Don't want to assume..."

Rose pushed herself up so that she could kiss him properly. When their mouths separated, she said, her hand still on his cheek, "Rocky of Erid, as long as it won't hurt Grace and Adrian - it would be an honor to be your mate."

She squeaked in surprise when Rocky pushed her back on the bed and peppered her face in kisses. "You've - made - me - so happy!" he said between pecks to her nose, her cheeks, her jaw, and she couldn't help giggling along with his enthusiasm.

"You..hehe... know how to make a girl feel special!"

"My most special girl!" Rocky promised. He slowed down, his kisses now lingering on the curve of her cheekbone. "My girl who needs me, question?"

Rose curled her hand into the back of Rocky's hair. "More than you know, Rock..."

Rocky hitched one of her legs over his hip. "Promise to say if it hurts." Rose nodded, and she made sure to take gentle breaths as Rocky pushed his cock inside of her, inch by inch. She groaned a bit with the stretch, and he swallowed her noises with more kisses.

When he bottomed out, he pulled his mouth away and leaned his forehead against Rose's. There was already a sheen of sweat across his perfect chest - Rose could only guess what was happening with his body temperature right now.

"Fuck...you already feel so good..." Rocky muttered, almost more to himself than to Rose. "Can I move, question?" His voice took on a strained quality that almost sounded like native Eridian, and Rose thought her heart might just burst with affection.

"Please... please please please!" She begged.

Rocky's first full thrust was achingly slow, and Rose could tell he was analyzing her face to make sure she wasn't still in any pain. When she nodded her assent, he picked up her leg that had been on his hip and placed it on his shoulder. His eyes lit up with passion, and he fucked into Rose with the precision of a perfect engine designed for her pleasure.

In her previous life, Rose had considered herself a fairly attentive lover. At the very least, she'd never had any complaints. However, with this new angle and pace, all she could do was hold on tight to Rocky's arm.

"So...beautiful...wish...wish I could give you eggs..." Rocky groaned as his thrusting continued. "We could have...ugh...our own clutch...they'd be perfect..."

For half a second, Rose let herself imagine it - little hybrids of her and Rocky popping out of eggshells like the children of Leda and Zeus.

Her imaginings were broken by another harsh thrust, and a wail punched its way out of her throat. "Sssshhhh, hush hush hush, is all right..." Rocky gently rested a hand over Rose's mouth.

Rose involuntarily clenched, and the harmony she and Rocky made in that moment was obscene perfection. "Oh, I understand," Rocky said with a note of triumph in his voice. "Rose likes being quiet for me..." Rose nodded furiously, and Rocky pushed his hand to cover her lips completely.

"MY perfect, lovely, leaky honey..." The possessive edge in his tone, combined with the slight oxygen deprivation, was driving Rose to madness. "All mine, mine, MINE!" Rose couldn't help the whimper that still found its way out of her covered lips.

"Rose can come for me, question?" Rocky asked. "Rose can let me take care of her? Rose will let me love her?"

He took his hand away, and barely had enough time to move her leg off his shoulder before Rose was saying, almost through tears, "Please! Please, Rocky, I want to come!"

"Show me," he ordered.

With how mushy her brain felt, Rose was glad of a little direction. Reaching down, she rubbed her clit hard in time with his thrusts, trying to find the right friction within the wetness that Rocky had brought out in her.

She stumbled across the correct combination almost by accident. "FUCK, that's it! That's it, oh fuck, Rocky, I love you, I'm gonna come..."

"Love you too, love you love you love you-" Rocky poured the endearments on, clearly also getting desperate himself.

Rose's orgasm hit her in a combination of relief and near pain - she wasn't really surprised at all when she felt a few tears leaking from her eyes. "GOD, fuck, oh fuck..."

Rocky gritted his teeth, and with a few more erratic thrusts, he spilled inside Rose's body.

Rose didn't fully disassociate, but the next thing she noticed was Rocky's concerned face as he stroked her hair. "Come back to me, Rose, PLEASE...."

"I'm ok, I'm here...fuck me, Rock, that was..." Rose could barely find her words. "That was...Jesus, I really needed that..."

"Was good, question?" Bless him, Rocky sounded almost shy now.

"So good - but I need to clean up - help me?"

"Yes yes yes!" Rocky helped Rose to her feet, making sure to brace under her arm. "Shower would be better, question?"

"It would...want to join me?"

--

Even with Rocky continuing to lavish kisses on Rose's skin between soap rinses, the two of them did manage to get clean and warm. Soon they were wrapped up in each other again on Rose's bed, and it felt as natural as if they'd been together for ten years.

Rocky was drumming his fingers on the hand that wasn't wrapped around Rose, and she smiled indulgently. "What are you pondering?" she asked.

"Was just thinking that you don't need job, but if you want...this body I have will need a doctor, question?"

Rose lifted her head and kissed Rocky's cheek. "I think it's a good idea, just to make sure everything works. Maybe we talk about it later? I'm exhausted."

"Need to sleep, question?"

"Need to sleep, STATEMENT," she told him. "You really did a number on me, lover." Rocky made a pleased little chirp in his throat at the nickname.

"Ok - you sleep, I watch," he promised. "I love you."

"Love you too..." It couldn't have been more than sixty seconds before Rose's breathing slipped into the even rhythm of sleep.

Rocky looked down at his new mate in combined wonder and concern. He had researched human physiology so that he could properly tend to Rose's physical needs - but he'd also looked into psychological matters.