heyooo!

he was already dressed in his usual attire; always the one to be up early. his head rested on the pillow next to yours, arms coming around your waist to wrap you into his hold and bring you closer to his chest.

"my darling, how did you sleep?"

one of his hands came up to comb through your hair, gently ridding of the tangles caused by a well-night's rest. you breathed him in, face pressed against his sternum as his body heat radiated and warmed you up.

a nod and a groggy hum from deep within your throat answered his question. he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your forehead and stroking your hair. eddie practically purred against you. "that's wonderful to hear, love."

there was a comfortable silence that fell over the bedroom, nothing but the gentle beat of eddie's heart and your soft breathing. you gladly rested in his welcoming embrace, allowing yourself to let your tiredness dissipate before gazing up at him and pressing a small kiss to his bottom jaw.

he grinned down at you, softly squeezing your figure as a thank you for the gesture. "are you fully awake now, sweetheart?"

you let out a tiny hum and nodded. "i think so," you giggled.

his grin widened. "how wonderful! shall we continue where we left off yesterday, then?"

instantly, that gave you a flashback to the events from the day prior, where you lied underneath eddie in a fit of laughs and begs. your cheeks heated at remembering, and you glanced back down to his chest, nervously playing with your lower lip with your teeth. "i...ihi just woke up..."

he smirked, bringing a hand to your chin and forcing you to look into his eyes. he noticed your already pinkened face and the bashful grin that threatened to show at any more mention of it. "if i remember correctly, darling," the hand on your waist scribbled gently, making you twitch and giggle, "you agreed to this. you'd never lie to me, right?"

gazing into his eyes, you saw that same sadistic glint from yesterday appearing, along with a shift in his expression as he suddenly turned more playful.

you had no time to retort before he sat the two of you up and switched your positions. you lied on your back now, eddie in between your legs as he sat on his knees. his hands found your hips, scooting you closer to him. your legs lied on either side of his frame, rendering you stuck.

"you'll keep these pretty legs still, right, darling?"

you squeaked at the sudden movement, giggles falling from your lips. "e-eheheddie!"

his hands squeezed your hips and you bucked up, a laugh ripping from your throat as you tried to sit up and grab at his hands. eddie raised a brow, smirk widening into that crazed grin. "oh? another ticklish spot? i haven't even started yet!"

your hands latched onto his wrists and tugged, but his strength far exceeded yours. he gently shushed and narrowed his eyes at you, giving a disapproving tut. he pinched your hips again. "now, dear. are these hands going to be a problem? i'm sure you wouldn't have me restrain them, yes?"

your face burned more at the thought of that, so with a giggly whine, you slowly retracted your hands and laid down, bringing them up to cover your embarrassed face. eddie cooed, rubbing at your hips gently. "aw, my pretty darling, always so well behaved."

his hands inched downward, landing on the tops of your thighs. his fingertips made small, slow circles onto your skin, and you silently cursed yourself for wearing shorts to bed the night before.

your breath hitched at the feeling, hand coming down to muffle your tiny giggles as your skin twitched underneath his soft touch. his hands swept up and down, just barely coming into contact with your thighs as he ever so softly glided his blunt nails across your warm skin. "how is this for you, my sweet?"

you shook your head, a tiny squeak slipping out as you tried to speak behind your hand. "...t-tihihickles..."

he let out a tiny chuckle. "your sensitivity is remarkable. are you just a walking tickle spot?"

there wasn't anything you wanted more than to have the bed swallow you whole. his words were a soft purr, undeniably teasy and undeniably flustering you to no end.

his fingers skittered to the underside of your thighs and you squealed, planting your heels into the mattress in an attempt to keep your legs from writhing. eddie gleamed at you. "tell me, darling, which tickles more?"

the tips of his fingers spidered up and down the backs of your thighs, the slow and nimble pace making you squeak and giggle into your palm. "when i softly tickle..?" he kept it up for a few more seconds.

"or when i harshly squeeze?"

the gentle touch turned into a maddeningly intense sensation, fingertips replaced by his whole hand pinching like he was searching for the deepest bits of your muscles. a scream ripped from your throat, along with boisterous giggles as your thighs slammed down against the bed.

eddie retracted his hands, laying them in his lap as he gave you a disappointed frown. he clicked his tongue, nodding to your legs before gazing back to your out of breath figure. "i got such valuable information from that, but what did i ask of you? keep these up."

you lied there in front of him, face red and chest heaving as you fought to get air. you'd been staring at the ceiling, too flustered to even think of looking at him. he noticed though, and squeezed the top of one of your upper thighs.

another squeak emitted and your head snapped down to stare into his hungry eyes. you nodded your head wildly, legs slowly lifting back up as he eyed them again. his smirk softened. "thank you, darling. you know how to obey so well. now, where were we again?"

he stared at you expectantly, actually waiting for your answer. you bit your lip nervously, hands coming down to fidget with one another as you quietly mumbled. "u-um, the backs of my... t-thighs..."

eddie beamed. "ah! of course! we concluded that pinches are the most effective on the underside, yes?"

your face burned. "...yes."

he hummed. "and what about your inner thighs?"

oh fuck. your legs immediately tensed up, instinctively wanting to close, but you held strong. you almost whined, giggles spewing past your lips as you covered your face once more. eddie caught on, tilting his head sideways with a shit-eating smirk. "oh, sweetheart. will this be terrible for you?" he already knew the answer.

again, he left no time for your rebuttal as he spread your legs wider. everything within you screamed to fight back, to run, to do anything. but you knew eddie, so you knew that trying anything would result in something way worse.

his fingers descended tantalizingly slow, wiggling in the air at such a cruel pace that it almost made you groan. your skin itched as it waited for the inevitable, and you stared at his fingers in horror as they made their way down.

"eddie, p-plehehease!"

the man grinned down at you. "hush, darling. be patient."

you had to look away, stomach flooded with nerves as it anticipated those awful, precise hands. your hands covered your entire face, shoulders shaking as nervous titters refused to stay within your chest.

there were a few moments of dreadful silence before your erupted into laughter, eddie's hands crashing down onto the middle of your inner thighs and scribbling all over. they jerked under the intense feeling, nerves lighting up at the gentle touch as they burned in ticklish agony.

unfortunately, the sensation was just too unbearable, and your hands came down to pull at his. your legs tried their best to close, stuck by his broad figure sitting in between them. eddie questioned your movements, but kept his fingers skittering on your skin. "are you deliberately disobeying me? or is that your way of asking for more?"

no matter how much you yanked at his wrists or tried to wedge your fingers between his, they remained unscathed in their position. "e-eheddie, aha!"

"now i know you'd never defy me, darling. so you must be wanting more of this, hmm?"

you wildly shook your head, grin wide and cheeks a deep shade of maroon as you pleaded with him. "noho mohohore!"

"but i have yet to try our most effective method!"

your squirming doubled when he said that, upper half sitting up from the mattress and legs searching for any means of escape. eddie instantly shut it down though, reaching a hand up to squeeze mercilessly at your side until you fell back down.

he sighed, shaking his head with a small, faux frown. "my darling, i didn't want it to come to this, yet you leave me no choice."

one of his hands landed on your lower thigh, pushing it into the bed and holding it down with such force that it made you yelp. you tried to squirm your leg around, but found that he had it completely subdued.

"i'm s-sohorry, plehehease ehe-EDDIE!"

the utter scream that ripped from your throat almost took eddie aback. your whole body convulsed as his large hand squeezed relentlessly at your upper, inner thigh. you fell into cackles, head thrown back against the pillow while your hands tried to find his.

"oh, sweetheart. i told you it didn't have to go like this."

you could only howl as he kept up with his pinching, your unrestrained leg slamming into the mattress repeatedly. his fingers dug in as he squeezed, kneading the muscles and driving you towards absolute insanity.

eddie just grinned at you, his entire hand wrapping around your thigh so easily to work at your heated skin. "so soft, so sensitive."

your hands had no way of stopping his; just lightly slapping his fingers as you were being weakened with each passing second. you hiccupped between shrieks and laughs, back arching and hitting the sheets underneath you over and over again.

he switched methods, replacing the horrific squeezing for shaking his fingertips into the muscle and practically vibrating your entire leg. not that it was any better, as it just renewed your howling and had you nearing silent hysterics.

"which is worse for you, my darling? you can just nod your head. this..." he shook his fingertips in deeper, "or this?" they shifted to those god awful pinches again.

you nodded your head at that one, stomach aching as you hit silent laughter for a few seconds before gasping and cackling once again. eddie chuckled, easing up as he noticed your stamina quickly depleting.

his fingers switched to light and gentle tracing again, your writhing turning into little jerks and heavy laughter dying to bubbly giggles. "you're so well behaved and honest for me. thank you." he leaned down and planted a chaste kiss to your inner thigh.

after you gained some breath back, you glanced up at him nervously. "aha-are we almohost dohone?"

"almost."

it took everything within you to hold back a tired whine, already feeling exhausted again even though you had just awoken half an hour ago.

the grip on your thigh let up and you internally sighed with relief. hopefully he was done with that. instead, it delicately landed on your calf, his figure turning positions to better lift your leg up slightly.

you watched nervously as his eyes scanned your leg, anticipating his next movements. he glanced down to you before returning his gaze and placing a firm squeeze to your knee.

you yelped, leg kicking out in the air as you giggled helplessly. "h-hehey!"

your reaction made him smile. "even here? oh my..."

his fingers continued with their pinches for a while more before finding the underside of your knee. you squealed between airy snickers as he gently wiggled his fingertips into the hollow. "your sensitivity fascinates me, darling. how dare you hide this from me for so long?"

you shook your head at his silly accusing words, giggles bubbling up in your throat as you spoke. "ihi dihihidn't!"

he softly smiled at you, spidering his fingers up to the back of your thigh and back down. "well, i have so much lost time to make up for!"

you let out a tiny whine, hands covering your flustered face once again. "eddiehehe, i'm tihihired!"

the man hummed in thought before finally stopping his fingers and gently laying your leg back down. "then i suppose we will conclude here, my dear."

he climbed over your leg, scooting back up towards the head of the bed and gathering you in his embrace. "can i get you anything?"

you giggled and shook your head, sinking deeper into the bed and in his hold as you let yourself regain some of your stamina. "noho thank you."

eddie gently played with your hair, fingers combing through the mess he made of it and straightening it back up. he moved you further into his warm arms, your head lying against his chest as you sighed in content.

after a while of caressing your hair and the occasional kiss to your temple, he leaned down and gently whispered into your ear. "i know you enjoyed that."

your eyes went wide as you stared at the bed spread in shock, refusing to meet his gaze. "w-what do you mean?"

eddie chuckled, giving your torso a firm squeeze. "oh, darling. you had yet to even actually say stop. your joy was written all over your face."

heat radiated off your cheeks at his words as you squirmed slightly. "i...i don't know what you're talking about..."

his chest rumbled as he laughed at your sudden shyness, head resting on top of yours after giving a kiss to the crown of it. "sweetheart, lying will get you nowhere."

you held back a nervous giggle and bit your lip. there was a pause, followed by a grin from you as your hand came up to his side. your fingers wiggled gently on his vest, and it was met with a small flinch and a gasp from the man holding you.

you raised your head to glance at him, seeing the tiniest of an embarrassed smile crossing his face. your eyebrow raised and you giggled. "oh?"

you tried your luck again, hand this time pinching his waist. his own hand swept yours up and held it to your chest, eyes narrowing down at you. "darling, i have to advise you not to do that, less you're asking for more already."

you giggled, immediately getting the hint and shaking your head. he chuckled, hand rubbing up and down your back soothingly. a yawn escaped you and eddie hummed. "how about you get some more rest while i make breakfast?"

you nodded at that, letting out a small hum of approval. the man gently placed you next to him, fixing your pillow and pulling the blankets up over you as he got out of bed. he placed one last kiss to your forehead before turning out of the room.

“Rocky. I know you. What is bothering you? You can tell me.” They say in a soothing manner.

“…do you still love me?” I hesitantly ask. They make a surprise trill and shift my way. I know this is a lot to just drop on someone, especially after everything we have gone through.

“Of course I love you! That’s not even a question. Why?” A leg taps against the floor quickly. They seem a bit…frantic is the word I would use. They reach a claw over, like they're testing a boundary we long since crossed. Their warmth spreads through me and I melt into the touch before I can stop myself, leaning into the pressure I've been yearning for.

“I-I just—you seem distant. You don’t want to hold me or sing to me. You stay a distance away when you watch me sleep—“

“I wanted to take it slow for you.” They say softly, now rubbing soft circles with their claw. I shudder a bit but relax into the touch. I itch for more from them.

“Slow?” It doesn’t seem right. Slow. I want to make up for everything so fast, right now. I’ve waited so long to see them again, wondering if they would just become a distant memory. Now there here, warm and in front of me and very part of me aches to close the distance. I don’t want slow.

“I don’t know the extent of what happened in space. You were gone for 42 Earth years (sry I have no idea what the conversion for Eridian years is) and did not want to rush you. I…was scared to lose you again. To push you away or overwhelm you. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt that way.” They apologize pulling their arm back, their warmth fading against my skin. Their claws come together to fidget and pull at each other. “I’m sorry.” They reiterate like they're not sure how many times it will take for me to believe them.

“I did not think of it that way. Don’t apologize. You were being very thoughtful to me. I appreciate that.” I shift just a bit closer to them, missing the touch that was once there.

“You were gone for so many years and I waited. Of course I love you.” The notes are low but soft, reassuring. They pull me into their lap and I try my best to hold in my relief and excitement. Their arms, that are much much bigger than mine, hold me close and I feel the vibrations coming from deep inside their body as they continue to talk.

“Is this what you want?” They tease a bit, rubbing the top of my carapace again. Their warmth envelops me as I melt in their arms. I feel so safe, the tension I was holding finally loosens.

“Yes. Very much.” I sheepishly say, trying to hide myself in them. They let out a small snicker that only makes me all the more embarrassed.

“You are just as cute as the day I first saw you.” They murmur, amusement dancing through their voice. “Still tiny. Still loud. Still trying to act tougher than you are.”

Their claws lightly scratch over the top of my carapace as they continue before I can stop them again.

“So talented. So caring. So stubborn.”

“Stop, please.” I feel them staring at me and I know they know I’m embarrassed. They have a smug air about them and their laughter travels straight through me.

They just continue “And determined. So adorable and amazing and good at so many—“

“Adrian please.”

They only laugh harder, claws scraping lightly along my sides and down my legs. Heat floods through me as I shrink into myself more. I whine a bit. I can’t take compliments and they know it.

“What?” They feign ignorance. “I only want to make up for lost time. Think of all the compliments I missed I could have given you!” They beam at me while it only makes me feel all the more flustered. “Such a blushy mate.” That’s it.

“I’m leaving. I have work to do.” As much as I loved it, I try to shift out of their grasp, trying to hold onto any dignity I have left. A claw grabs onto one of my legs pulling me back into them.

“Aw, leaving so soon? I finally give you all the attention you want and now you leave me? So mean.”

“Me? I’m the one whose mean? You're teasing and making fun of me!” I accuse, pointing a claw at them.

“Making fun?” They fake gasp out. “I would never do that to my tiny adorable mate! How dare you accuse me!” They laugh out cheerfully. “You're also so serious. Too serious Rocky. I will help fix your touch problem and your grumpy problem together!” They trill out while pulling my arm up.

“W-what are you—“ I cut myself off as they take a didget and drag it along the joint attaching my arm to my body. “Wahahait nohoHOHO ADRIAHAHAN—“

“Just as ticklish as I remember.” They taunt as another claw holds another arm up. I feel my heat rise even more as I twist desperately in their iron grasp. Why did they have to be so much bigger than me, this is so unfair. They easily keep me trapped, strong enough that all they do is snicker as I fight back.

“ADRIAHahahan t-thihis ISNT-HAha whahahat ihihi mehehent!” I squeal, kicking my free legs out as giddiness takes over me.

“Are you too ticklish Rocky? You know, I think you might have gotten even more ticklish in space!” A claw comes up to claw roughly at my carapace as I flinch away. The feeling buzzes through my body in a way nothing has in a very long time.

“I-I dihiHIDNT! Ahahstohop!” This is stupid and childish. But I can’t lie, it’s fun and I love it. I feel all my worries about Adrian melt away as I cackle in their lap getting the much needed attention I wanted. A sharp hiss escapes my vents before I can stop it, thin streams of stream curling up in the air between us. Well that’s just wonderful.

“You get flustered so easily. So fast.” They state the unfortunate obvious as the claw that was tracing my joint comes up to trace around my vents as I desperately grasp onto their arm.

“NOHOT THEHERE-AHAH ADRIAHAHAN!” I push against their body but nothing helps. They whisp the steam around in the air as they circle and trace the crevices. Their touches are light and soft, making me squirm.

“You sound like a hatchling right now!” Adrian laughs. “Listen to you! So squeaky!” I make an offended but desperate noise and they seem to take pity on me and slow their fingers to a stop. They go back to rubbing and scratching gently as I compose myself but the puffs of steam leaking from me makes it hard.

“Your a t-terrible mate.” I gasp out trying to seem a little tough.

“I wait 42 years for you and now you call me a terrible mate? Very ungrateful!” Laughter laces their voice at my comment making me feel very not tough. “I love you Rocky! Should have told me sooner. I can tickle you all you want!” They flex two claws above me making me let out a squeak. I flinch further into them as they reach down to hold me close. “You want to sleep?” The offer sounds like heaven.

Since the day they met, Rocky had been fascinated by Ryland's body (- or more accurately, the human body). It was weirdly vertical, perhaps due to the lack of gravity compared to Erid, and had so many odd eccentricities that complicated it's shape.

One such oddity, was what Ryland called 'ears'.

Rocky had noticed them after Ryland had begun sitting and sleeping near the wall that separeted their ships, and once Rocky became mobile due to the ball he designed he was able to get an even closer look.

Seemingly random curves and hollows surrounded the epicentre, forming an overall lopsided conical shape with a small dangling circle at the base (that still confused Rocky to this day).

However, as often happens in science, one question quickly led to another discovery.

Ryland had been hunched over on the floor, scribbling in a notepad about their most recent attempt at solving the Astrophage problem, and Rocky had been crouched next to him tittering away about everything from their science mission to "Grace writing messy."

After a few moments of Ryland tuning Rocky out, the little rock creature had decided to turn his attention to the side of Ryland's head. Given they were so close, with Ryland practically lying against Rocky's ball, surely it wouldn't be difficult to Rocky to reach out and investigate his ear.

And reach out he did.

Rocky gently pushed his hand against the mesh of his ball towards Ryland, outstretching his claw and making sure his touch would be gentle as to not hurt Ryland. He got closer, and closer, and right as he made contact-

"HUH?!" Ryland flinched, ducking his head backwards into his shoulders and slapping at the air as if some extra-terrestrial mosquito had tried to take a bite out of him.

"Grace hurt?! Question?!" Rocky chirped, jumping back himself and retracting his claw.

Ryland rubbed his ear, a slight red tinge on his face. "No- no... You just... surprised me."

Rocky, relieved, settled back into his ball and let Ryland continue. Given his pressure wasn't enough to hurt Ryland, surely he could try again.

As Rocky's claw touched the shell of Ryland's ear a second time, Ryland stifled a giggle and slapped Rocky's arm away again.

"Rohock don't."

"Why Grace hit Rocky? Question?" Rocky wriggled, mildly disdained. "Grace said touch not hurt."

Ryland blushed further "I- uh- Well it didn't hurt, it's..."

"Rocky going to touch again. Statement." Rocky announced, reaching out through the mesh again.

"Rocky will not!" Grace yelped, swatting at Rocky's claw and dodging his head from side to side.

Rocky persisted. "Why Grace fight?! Question! Rocky want to touch ear! Why Grace not let Rocky touch?! Question! No surprise!"

After a moment of back and forth, Rocky widthdrew his arms and Ryland was able to settle back to his spot and pick up his notebook in peace.

At least, he thought so.

"Rocky touch again. Statement."

Without a moment to lose, Ryland scrambled to his feet. "No! No, Rock you can't!"

"Rocky touch Grace!" Rocky chirped, beginning to chase after Ryland. "Rocky learn about human ears! Rocky do science!"

Ryland giggled as his feet pounded through the Hail Mary. "Rohocky stop it!"

"Grace come back! Come back for science!" Rocky tumbled after him, clanging against the wall of every turn and surprisingly gaining on Ryland. "Rocky learn how to make humans make sounds!"

The hail mary had never been louder, footsteps pounding throughout the ship, metal clanging against metal, Ryland's nervous giggling echoing down the corridors, and Rocky's endless chirps chasing after him.

Ryland felt Rocky hot on his heels, increasing his giggling tenfold.

Rocky chirped in excitement and sped up. "Rocky not even have to touch grace! Rocky make grace make sound anyways!"

"Stohop chasing me then!" Ryland shouted back.

Rocky beeped. "No! Rocky want to find more sound! Rocky want to find why sound!"

With that, Rocky's ball smacked into Ryland from behind, sending the pair of them tumbling to the floor. Ryland, already in a fit of giggles, frantically tried to push Rocky off - but the little rock alien was far too determined in his pursuit of knowledge and rolled himself high onto Ryland's sternum.

"Rohocky Rohocky nonononoNONONO!" Ryland squealed as he watched his friend's claw extend out of the mesh again.

"Grace hurt? Question?" Rocky asked, pausing his attack.

"NOPE!" Ryland answered far too quickly. "Nope I'm fine just let me g-"

"Good! Rocky can continue science."

Ryland panicked, giggles bubbling out of his chest as Rocky reached out for his ear again. His sudden shift in movement made Rocky's ball slip, and Rocky grabbed out for anything to steady himself.

Unfortunately for Ryland, that happened to be his side.

"NONONO ROHOCKY!!!" Ryland squealed, legs curling up and kicking out in the air. 

"Oh! New sound! New sound!" Rocky beeped excitedly. "All humans make sounds when squished? Question?"

Ryland shot his hands up to cover his burning face with a giggly groan.

Rocky continued, poking and prodding his claw into the softest parts of Ryland's torso. "Why grace no answer questions? And why Grace face red? Question."

"SHUHUT UHUHUP ROCKY!" Ryland begged, feet drumming on the metal floor.  

Rocky decided to investigate further, adjusting his position so he could access Grace's neck. "Why Grace say bad words to Rocky? Rocky doing science! Grace like science! Statement!"

"THIHIHIS ISNT SCIEHEHEHENCE!" Ryland squeaked, shaking his head from side to side.

Rocky jumped up and down in his ball. "Is science! Is science! Rocky experiment with squishing Grace! Rocky find out why!"

Ryland slapped his hands against Rocky's ball in a futile attempt to free himself. "OKOKOK ITS CALLED TICKLING!"

Rocky paused. "New word? Question?"

"Uh..." Ryland stutterred, residual giggles still tmbling out of his mouth. "So, when humans are touched in particular spots, we tend to move away and... laugh."

Rocky seemed to ponder the thought a little. "Oh. Why tickling? Question?"

With another giggle, Ryland continued his explanation. "It's usually considered a social bonding activity, potentially for an evolutionary self defence-"

Seemingly out of nowhere, Rocky vibrated and bounced around excitedly. "TICKLING FOR FRIEND? QUESTION? ROCKY TICKLE GRACE GRACE BE FRIEND !"

Ryland shrieked as the vibrations rumbled through Rocky's ball and into his stomach. "ROHOCKY Rocky we're ahalready friends you don't have to tihihickle me!" 

"ROCKY BE MORE FRIEND WITH GRACE GRACE AND ROCKY FRIEND FOREVER ROCKY WANT TO TICKLING GRACE!" Rocky sang, intermitedly interrupted by happy beeps and chirps as he reached his claw out again.

Ryland began sliding his feet on the floor, trying to gain some kind of traction to get away again. "Nonono Rohohcky please!"

But there was no deterring the Eridian, Rocky somehow wormed his claw up under Ryland's arm (evoking a quite embarrasingly high pitched squeal).

"ROHOHOCKY QUIHIHIT IHIHIT!" Ryland begged, clamping his arm over Rocky's claw.

"Grace not want to friend rocky?" Rocky asked as he tickled, moving his claw down Ryland's sides again. "Grace not like rocky anymore? Question?"

Ryland groaned through his laughter, covering his face again. "Nohoho Rocky I do I dohoho I swear, just plehehease let me gohoho!"

Rocky vibrated again. "Grace friends with Rocky! Rocky tickling grace forever!"

"Nohohoho!" Ryland tossed his head from side to side. "Whahahat happened to sahave Earth save Eheherid???"

dialogue inspired by @wren-kitchens fic!! this was so stinkin cute and the dookiepost comic does not do it justice. i took the liberty of making gracehorror bc i found it funny.

“Stratt.”

I nodded in greeting, pushing my way into her office, and flopping down on one of the chairs.

“Dr. Grace.” Stratt nods back, typing away at her desk.

“Im bored.”

“I’m very sorry to hear that, Dr. Would you like for me to find some more work for you to do?” Stratt’s tone was flat, and she didn’t look up from her laptop.

There was next to nothing to do on Stratt’s Vat after hours. Once the labs closed for the night, it was either drinking and shouting in the lounge, or bedtime.

I spent a little while in the lounge already tonight, but nothing particularly interesting was going on, and I had already reached my two drink limit, so here I am. Bothering the only other person I knew would be awake at this hour, and not getting wasted.

“Oops, sorry…sorry about that…” I mutter as I knock a book from the shelf in attempt to pick out another one.

Stratt sighs at her desk.

“Trigonometry… wow. Tough stuff.”

“You are an expert in physics, molecular biology, and astronomy.”

“Yeah, but trig is still… pretty tough stuff…” I slide the book back into place, but jostle the others in the process, creating a domino effect down the row. I manage to catch it before everything falls over, standing like an idiot, arms outstretched to full wingspan, holding the books together on the shelf.

“Is there something I can help you with, Dr. Grace? Or are you just planning on knocking down and rearranging everything on my shelves and making noise while I try to get world-saving work done?” Stratt’s tone snapped, slamming her laptop close and meeting me with a cold gaze.

“…you didn’t save what you were working on.” I mutter, pointing to her computer. She groans, opening it back up again, grumbling something in German under her breath. Probably something about how cool I am, I’m sure.

“No one else is awake-“

“The majority of the crew is awake, and in the lounge.”

“-Hold on! Lemme finish! I was gonna say, no one else is awake and not blackout drunk, or halfway there. I don’t feel like being in that scene.”

“You drink.”

“Yeah, okay, but like… occasionally- like one drink every once in a blue moon. I literally watched Ilyukhina drink an entire Grey Goose by herself in two hours.” I say, controlling the slight slurring of my speech while I righting the books on the shelf.

I back away slowly, making sure everything is stable, before taking my seat back on the chair.

“Well if you do not feel like being in the lounge, there is a small library and an adjacent computer lab on level two, port side.” Stratt suggests.

“Why can’t I just hang out with you?!” I slouch in my seat, rolling my head back, and spinning the chair in a circle with my legs out in front of me.

“Because, Dr. Grace, I’m busy.”

“You hate me.”

“That is not true.”

“No, I think you do.”

I sigh dramatically, continuing to spin around and around. I know I’m probably being excruciatingly annoying, but I don’t care.

“You’ll make yourself sick spinning like that.”

“So you do care about me!”

“I care about you not throwing up in my office.”

I sigh, skidding to a stop on my heels. I stand up, meandering over to Stratt’s desk.

She looks up at me without raising her head - a sort of Kubrick stare, as I lean over the front of her desk, peering at her computer from above.

“Whaddya doing, anyway?” My beanie slides off my head, onto her keyboard.

“You smell like vodka.”

“I had a half a glass, leave me alone.” I had two glasses… “You ignored my question.”

“So you’re drunk and you thought bothering me was better than staying in the lounge.”

“I’m not drunk!” I giggle like an fool, still leaning over the desk.

“Lightweight. No wonder you are here pestering me like a little brother. I am trying to finalize plans for the launch site pad-“

“Holy crap is that you?!” I blurt, cutting her off, distracted by a framed photo on Stratt’s desk that appeared to depict a young, teenaged Stratt standing in the front of a group of other kids, all wearing Jiu Jitsu gis.

I pick up the photo before Stratt has the chance to take it off the desk.

“No way! You know Martial arts?!”

“Yes, Judo and Jiu Jitsu, does that shock you, Dr. Grace?”

“Not in the slightest. If you told me you were an army ranger and a Kung fu master as a side job, I’d believe you.” I chuckle.

“Look how tiny you were!” I coo, pointing at the young redheaded girl in the photograph.

“Put that down, please.”

“Can you still fight?”

“If I had to, I could.”

“Who’d win, me or you?” I ask with completely unfounded confidence, setting the photo down.

Stratt looks up at me with a flicker of fire in her eyes.

“I would. You aren’t a fighter.”

“Oh come on, I’ve got a fighting chance!” I shrug. I sure did not.

Stratt stands up, closing her computer again, without saving, and comes around the other side of the desk.

“Then let’s see.” She gestures to the empty area of carpet behind me. I turn to it, then back to her.

“Wh- here? Now?”

“Yes. You’ve possed me off and now I’d like to prove you wrong. Lets go, grappling stance.” She shrugs off her cardigan, and gestures for me to assume position.

“What’s that mean?!” I put myself into a sort of movie ninja defense pose, admittedly a bit nervous.

She shakes her head, lowering herself into something of a crouched position, and gestures for me to follow suit. I do, to the best of my ability.

“It’d be smart if you took your glasses off.” She warns.

“What? AaAAH-!” She doesn’t even give me a chance.

Stratt runs at me in a few, long, calculated steps. She grabs my left arm, slinging it over her shoulder, her head under my arm.

She drops to one knee, and in a powerful yank, flips me over her back, straight into the carpet with a thump.

I wheeze, the wind momentarily knocked out of me as I lay there in shock.

“Good Lord-!” I cough out, one hand on my chest. My other arm still in Stratt’s grasp.

“You almost killed me!”

“I flipped you from a low point, you’ll be fine. I could have flipped you standing up.”

I groan, as Stratt stands up, dusting off her pants.

I take the opportunity to grab her by the shin, attempting to… flip her somehow..? Knock her down..? I’m not too clear on the objective, but it didn’t work.

She kicked free of my grip, grabbed my arm, and spun me onto my stomach, bending my arm behind my back, a leg swung over me to keep me down.

“OooowwWWWWW OW OW, OKAY!”

“Do you tap?” She droned.

“NO- nnNNEVER!” Now was not the time to be stubborn, Ryland.

I used my free arm to try and inch forward on the ground, desperate to wriggle free without giving up.

“AAAAHAHA! ThaHAT IS NOT FAIR!”

I shout as Stratt pinches me under the arm, sending my arm straight back to my side.

“It does not matter, this isn’t a teal match.” She says, pinching all the way down my side.

I sputter and snicker, kicking my legs behind me.

“IT IHIHIS A MATCH!! A-AHAHA!!”

“No, it is more like sparring with a stuffed animal.”

“RUHUHUDE-! AH AH AH! N-NOT THERE NOT THEHEHERE!” I gasp frantically, back arching off of the floor as Stratt drives a knuckle into the muscle of my low back. I let out a sort of raspy, out of breath cackle with the little air I have left.

“My god you are ticklish like a child. Your back? Seriously?” Stratt groans.

“I CAN’T HELP IT, I- AHAHA OW!! LET MY ARM GOHOHO IM LOSING CIRCULATION.”

“No you’re not, I’m not cutting off blood flow.” She scoffs, not letting up at all.

“AAAAAAAAAH IM DYING.”

“Tap out.”

“OKAY OKAHAHAAY I’LL SAY IT. LEMME TAHAHALK!”

Stratt pauses, lifting her hand from my back, giving me a chance to speak.

I take a moment to catch my breath…

“…You forgot to save your document again.” I mutter into the carpet.

Stratt growls in annoyance, shifting her hand to squeeze my hip. Hard.

“AAAAAAAHAHAHA IM SOHOHORRY!! IM SORRY PLEASE! YOU WIHIHIN! OW, WOMAN! MY AHAHARM!”

“I don’t win until you tap out.” She moved up to the back of my shoulder, where it meets the curve of my neck, vibrating her fingers into the flesh through the thick yarn of my sweater.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! ALRIHIHIGHT I TAP. I TAP.” I slam the ground with my free hand feverishly, and as promised, Stratt let go of me, sitting back, with a leg still swung over me.

I heaved for breath, turning my head on the ground, facing the door just as it opens.

“Everything All Right in Herr? Heard… screaming…”

“Carl…” I wheeze.

“We are fine.”

“Get her offa me Carl…”

“He challenged me to a spar and I proved to him I can beat him.”

“She tried to kill me…”

“Oh hush, you.” Stratt drove two fingers into either of my sides.

“AaaAAH! I TAPPED. I tahahapped! Stohohop that!”

Carl chuckles, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I’m not helping you with this. You picked this fight. I know my place.” He said.

“I could beat you if I wasn’t drunk.” I mutter into the floor.

“He’s drunk?” Carl mused.

“On ‘half a vidka’ apparently.”

“Okaaay it was twoooouh…”

“That’s all it took? Lightweight.” Carl snorts.

Stratt pushes herself up, using my back as leverage, probably just to stick it to me. I wheeze, rolling into my back as Stratt stands up.

She reaches a hand out to help me up.

“No, you’re gonna rip my arm off.” I mumble, pushing myself up with some effort. “Devil woman…” I mutter.

“What’s that?” Stratt shoots me a look.

“I’d like to apologize…” I squeak out, flinching before fully standing myself up.

I wobble a bit on my feet, standing disheveled with my sweater rumpled, one pant leg hiked up my shin, hair a mess, and glasses hanging by my chin.

Stratt tosses me my hat from her desk. It hits me in the chest and I don’t react.

“Yeesh… Carl, walk him back to his bunk please, I think he’s done for the night.”

Carl nods, waving me over. “Come on. Go sleep off those two vodkas.” He says.

I nod sheepishly, shuffling off.

“Rematch when I’m at 100%?” I murmur as I walk to the door.

He was totally cool about it! But then it just got real smutty in a way I didnt love

Bleghhhhh i just ugh I feel so deficient -- like am I the weird one for being turned off when guys always wanna jump straight to it?? Everything was going so well he was so nice and funny and charming and then just paragraphs of what he likes in bed. We've only been talking for a couple days. And like, beforehand he made it clear that he wants a serious relationship then starts talking to me like we're gonna start hooking up straight away. Kinda caught me off guard but i tried to be cool about it when i told him lets take it slow. And he just kept going. Maybe im overreacting or maybe im just bad at dating. I havent replied to him, idk if I want to