Chapter Text
Going back to Erid took approximately 50-ish days, the journey back to Erid will take far longer than that. Not just because of the amount of astrophage wasted during Grace's original trip back to Earth, but also because the Hail Mary wasn't designed for travelling this far, it was supposed to be a one-way trip. Grace isn't an engineer, he's not sure how long the Hail Mary is able to last in space, but at least Rocky assured him everyday that it was functioning as well as the first time Rocky boarded it.
That makes Grace feel a lot better, he doesn't mind being stuck in space as long as Rocky is with him. Plus, the longer journey only meant he had more time to spend with Rocky, something that he wasn't sure he will be having after they get on Erid. Rocky didn't agree with that, in fact, when Grace mentioned this to him, Rocky almost looked offended.
"What Grace mean 'not a lot of time to spend', question?" Rocky's 'hand' tapped on the xenonite glass worriedly, "Grace going to die, question? Rocky will fix, don't worry."
"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that Rocky." Rocky's translated voice sounded almost hurt, despite the fact that it was robotic, perhaps it was because Grace could also hear the sad, musical voice of the Eridian that contributed to the way Grace interpreted the tone.
"I meant that you'll probably be super busy on Erid, buddy. Think about it, since I'm going with you, we'll have to think about places for me to stay, which is nearly impossible considering your ammonia atmosphere is impossible for me to breath in."
"No big problem." Rocky added, immediately after Grace finished his sentence, "I will talk with the Eridians, I will talk with Adrian, they work as architect, we will build home for Grace, Grace don't need to worry." He tapped his claw on the xenonite glass again, waiting for a reply. Grace was taken aback for a second, Rocky was so adamant, so straightforward, "Wow, you're really serious about taking me back," Grace sat down near Rocky's xenonite hamster ball, "Of course." Rocky continued, "Grace saved stars, Grace saved Rocky, Erid will love you, we will love you."
Grace was blushing now, he placed his hand on the glass that seperated him from Rocky's claw. "Can I show you one of my human traditions?" He asked, Rocky inched closer curiously, "What tradition, question?" Grace tapped on the xenonite glass, pointing at Rocky's claw, "You gotta give me your 'hand' first." Rocky pressed his claw on the glass, opposite to Grace's own hand. "There, done."
Grace smiled, "Just a quick heads up, I think you might find it disgusting."
"What Grace mean, question-"
Before the translator could finish Rocky's sentence, Grace gave a small kiss on Rocky's claw, through the xenonite glass. Both human and Eridian were quiet for a moment, and Grace almost thought that he had crossed a line, maybe hand-kissing was some sort of untold horror for Eridians, or maybe it did exist, but it was only intimately reserved for couples(or mates, as Rocky would've called it) that were bonded for life, and that he might've overstepped Rocky's boundaries and disrespected his relationship with Adrian, oh no what is he goingtotellAdrianohnoohno-
"Grace disgust when kiss," Rocky finally said, the translators voice came out mechanically smooth, but Rocky's Eridian voice was soft and almost amused, Grace's heart almost stopped beating when he finally heard it. "Oh, Rocky, please don't give me a scare like that ever again." said Grace, voice slightly shaky. Rocky let out a confused noise, "Scare, question? Was Rocky scaring Grace, question?"
"A bit, yes." Rocky's claw was still on the place where Grace kissed it, if he squinted, he could see his own kiss mark on the glass. "What I did just now, was a hand-kiss Rocky, it's usually done to show courtesy and respect." Grace didn't know it, but Rocky was examining the kiss mark left by him, now imprinted on his glass ball. Rocky could 'see' every molecule, every atom that formed it, every bond between said atoms. He was studying the chemical composition of the kiss mark left by Grace.
"Grace respect Rocky, question?"
The human nodded enthusiastically, "Very! When I first met you, I thought you were the smartest person, I've ever met." Rocky was glad Eridians do not have the biology provided to blush, or else Grace would've known he had successfully flustered him.
"Not a person, Eridian." Rocky corrected, he was examining Grace's mouth now, the lips to be more precise, he wondered how humans went about their day with a leaky, wet orifice just hanging out for everyone to see. Honestly, the entire concept of a kiss was not entirely foreign for Rocky, but it was an intimate, private thing, only done occasionally between mates that have been together for at least a century, he himself only did it with Adrian after marriage, it was scandalous to even think of doing it with someone you had no romantic feelings for.
Enter Grace. Rocky's partner in science. Rocky's saviour. Rocky's reason he was saved, the reason both Earth and Erid will be saved. Well, at least in the way Grace described it, he made it seem like it was a neutral and platonic thing to do.
Yes. Platonic. No need to be romantic for a... 'kiss'.
No need to be romantic for a hand-kiss anyways.
"Grace is the kindest person Rocky has ever met. Rocky is glad to have shared hand-kiss with Grace."