Obsessive Wombat

Dr. Ryland Grace is part of the crew of the SM-7, one of the last science teams to be sent down before the COI switched to utilizing convicts after the equally-tragic loss of the SM-8.

He fought the whole way down, an involuntary position yet one he adapted to immediately in a fit to survive. When supernatural happenings beat out science for the final time, Ryland Grace perishes to the ocean, but not without having documented every moment for the sake of data. For the sake—the hope— of being heard.

Some months later, the SM-13 is hoisted down. Simon comes across the SM-7's black box, seemingly hot-wired to auto-transfer its data to whoever goes near it, thanks to the quick-thinking of its late pilot.

Simon spends the majority of his time down in the ocean listening to Dr. Grace's brilliant recordings, letting them play in the background as he works the deck.

Simon witnesses Grace's ups and downs, his fascination with finding life in the blood ocean, his distress when things go wrong, Grace crying and pacing the sub, Grace laughing to himself in an attempt to self-soothe, Grace finding failsafes in the submersible that save Simon's ass once or twice.

They're his only solace. The only human connection he has. The recordings and Simon's experiences eerily align. Things get more dire for Grace as things ramp up for Simon. They get scared together, they root for each other, even across a screen.

Simon, after being isolated for so long (or perhaps from a lack of oxygen), finds himself talking back to the recordings. Sometimes, he sees things that disturb him, and he walks away for a bit, but he keeps getting drawn back in to see more.

Dr. Grace is a great comfort to Simon, until one of the recordings address him by name. It's subtle—an accident—in the middle of a rant while he's distracted with navigating...

but it was clear as day.

Holding down a panic attack, Simon investigates the SM-13's terminal, opening the computer panel to check inside, only to discover that the terminal's speaker was never plugged in.

Anyway, psychological arthouse Hivemind!Ryland x Simon whump where Simon befriends a ghost via recounted stories and shared experience.

Meanwhile, the starvation and loss of muscle mass means Grace is even more susceptible to Erid's intense gravity. By the time they meet, Grace is already using a wheelchair to move around.

Simon's there four years before Grace's body gives up. The Eridians have no choice but to place him in stasis until they find a solution.

Simon's life the last four years has been a beautiful dream. For the first time in a long time, he's safe. He has people — well, one person and multiple aliens — who care about him. They find him funny! They seek out his company!

There's always food. When Grace finds out he's not from Earth and has never had cake or spaghetti or french fries, Grace moves heaven and Erid to make those foods for him. Simon cries the first time he tastes strawberry shortcake.

Simon gets to see trees and plants and can pick fruits and vegetables from the greenhouse.

On his dark days, though, he feels undeserving. Grace and the Eridians have given him everything, and he can give them nothing in return.

He can fix things, but he's no engineer. He's not able to teach the Eridians science they haven't discovered and change their society. He's just a freeloader.

But then Grace is put in stasis, and Adrian wonders aloud why it is that Simon isn't impacted by Erid's gravity. They ask for a sample of his blood, and Simon doesn't hesitate — he'll bleed himself dry to see Grace smile again.

And they discover a lot of things. How Simon was made less human by The Blood Ocean, but how it's this terrible thing that happened to him that will save Grace, that will allow him to thrive in Erid the way Simon has.

He's been treated less than human his whole life, and then he finds a place where he's respected and valued, and it's there that he finds that he's now the Less Than Human he's always been treated as.

who up curlin’ up they markeplier into ryan gosling’s arms

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