#solwilling

@solwilling || cont.

Needless to say, Rocky’s going to be particularly thrilled when he learns the sentiment of someone losing their head if it wasn’t attached is a common Earth expression . . . considering he’s thinking it right about now. Letting out a louder click, he manages to detect the cut on Grace’s finger, and Rocky leans in as close as he can get to that xenonite barrier between them. The harsher way one of his feet taps beneath him is a pretty universal display of frustration.

“Need to be more careful! Open wound bad bad bad. You disinfect, question?” He assumes that’s what the original wipe may have been for, but considering his friend’s propensity for missing important steps, Rocky has to make sure. Even if Grace presumably should know more about what his body can or can’t handle—what he needs to do to address injuries—than Rocky would.

He’s lost a little bit of faith. —especially now that Rocky’s had to force him to sleep on many occasions.

But, as soon as Grace covers the originally open injury, Rocky’s focus shifts. “Something break, question?” He lifts his carapace some, leans side to side as if to get a better look at the surrounding lab. “No important, or you make bigger fuss.” And just to be extra sure, he squares Grace with a final, “Correct, question?”

“ You kinda do look like an imposter when you're all stretched up like that. I'm just sayin'. ”

@solwilling || >:| NO YOU !! saw grace vent!

Listen.

Rocky comes from a planet where the whole staring is rude thing doesn't exist. Isn't even possible, much less under any sort of consideration. But enough time passes of someone sitting there, motionless, clearly facing you but saying nothing, and he figures even if humans don't have that decency yet, they should create it.

It's with a slight huffiness that he almost barks at his friend to stop being weird . . . before Grace beats him to the chase and extends the weirdness in a different way.

Maybe the silence was better.

“What, question?” It comes out sharply. That huffiness persists in his speech. “You talk stupid. No make sense. Stop 'just saying.'” Because, really, he ought to put some thought behind his words before spitting them out. . . . What was that long, awkward quiet between them for if not thinking?

@solwilling || cont.

“Don’t explain.”

He doesn’t even ask nicely. Just tells him. But of course it’s a fruitless attempt, as no matter what Rocky says or does, Grace will, sure as anything, go into full detail. It’s reached the point where Rocky can’t even tell if he just doesn’t know how to be concise, or if he’s purposefully prattling on with full intention of being bothersome.

Rocky’s confusion is always taken as an invitation. Maybe he should pretend to understand more often.

Nevertheless, and extremely begrudgingly, he listens. Obviously he listens. Grace knows he’ll listen. Which is exactly why he does this. Slowly, Rocky’s carapace sinks, finding a comfortable position for himself. And there he remains in that annoyed (but unfortunately attentive) silence while he digests what he can understand of this “game.”

It’s only at Grace’s final statement that he shoots up again. Unintentionally matching the spacesuit silhouette, but really he’s offended. “Why alien always imposter, question?” He stomps a foot. “Maybe crewmates bad. Out in space doing bad things. Alien stop them.”