♡♡♡

Well... Yes and no.

The last time Ryland Grace was CONSCIOUS of any human touch was when he was knocked out. Absolutely true.

But the last human contact he would have had was Yao and Ilyukhina. Who were told that he was scared about panicking during launch and asked to be sedated. Who did all the pre flight checks before the Hail Mary launched. Who would have carefully, gently carried Grace to his bed in the dormitory, made sure he was secure, and initiated his coma procedure.

There would have been love there. Remember Ilyukhina throwing her hands high and saying "welcome to crew!" Remember Yao saying how he hoped Grace would say yes. Remember how much the crew trusted Grace, Stratt's First Officer, the guy who helped them so much, and was so kind to them, and was the one who they entrusted their preferred methods of suicide to. Who thought they were wonderful and brave.

They would have tucked him in. Maybe brushed his hair out of his face. Maybe said something kind to him before initiating their own coma procedures.

golden slumbers

Fifteen was another age his parents wouldn't get to see him reach. He wanted to hold onto what was left of that younger Ponyboy, the version of himself his parents would recognize. He worried that the older he got, the farther he would stray from the boy they raised.

But he knew that no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop time. He had to keep marching on, growing older in honor of those who didn’t get the chance.

—

It's the day before Ponyboy's fifteenth birthday, and he's feeling conflicted.

are you getting along with Pony and Soda?

-🍒

Peter Falk / Columbo