Chapter Text
Grace was thankful that the xenonite barrier separating their atmospheres was the same glass-like variety Rocky used, witnessing the reunion of his best friend and the love of his life was one of the most beautiful things Grace had ever seen.
Rocky had been so nervous when no messages came from Adrien, certain that something had been wrong even after Huston had informed him that Adrien was alive and well. His eridian friend had created increasingly unlikely scenarios to explain the lack of communication, from his mate not wanting to see him, to moving on with another eridian, and most absurdly, a case of, never before recorded in eridian history, memory loss.
Rocky had found telenovelas during the four-year trip and apparently watched way too many of them.
The eridian had desperately paced the ship during the five days it took for them to arrive on Erid after the initial contact. Tinkering with anything he could find, creating more and more complicated projects, and explaining his ever-increasing nervous theorizing.
It resulted in Grace gaining many new pieces of jewelry with many different meanings. Rocky insisted that he wear it all at their arrival on Erid.
Even Grace had been worried, his concern for his best friend growing every time new messages came without any from Adrien. Unlike Rocky, Grace didn't believe for a second that Adrian was intentionally avoiding or unwilling to speak with Rocky. He may not know the eridian, but from Rocky's besotted retellings of their story, Adrien didn’t seem like someone who would ignore his mate after so much time, even if they had somehow moved on.
Grace had worked with Statt enough to know when someone was deliberately keeping something from them, and that was exactly what the eridians were doing.
After their arrival on the planet, things had become clear, they were scared.
The actual arrival and docking processes ran smoothly, as previously discussed, they would be organizing to deploy the taumoeba as soon as possible. And, any need they had, medical or otherwise, would be addressed and fulfilled.
It was clear they were extremely grateful, during their messages, both Rocky’s and his own name gained the “saviour” honorific. The eridians were willing to extend any and all courtesy they could ever ask for. Just as Rocky had insisted they would do.
Grace understood that they had saved the planet, and their immense gratitude wasn't misplaced. However, he couldn't help but question if some of the generosity and gratitude awarded to them was because, sometime along the years without news, in some ways, Erid had lost its hope for survival.
The crew of the station had been wearing xenonite suits as they ushered them in, the corridors between the Mary and their temporary housing unit specifically maintained with Grace’s atmospheric needs.
Polite greetings and introductions were held, the crew manning the station all present to receive them, many colorful eridians in all shapes and sizes, reminding him of all the different minerals and gemstones on Earth.
Grace would make sure to tease Rocky later about it, that his colours were “boring”, retribution for all the times he was called a leaky space blob.
He carried the taped computers along with him, quickly realizing that after four years confined together, he wasn’t fluent in understanding eridian, but fluent in understanding Rocky. The tone shifts and different resonances of the other eridians made Grace unable to fully understand them. And, he couldn't just assume they would be able to understand English.
The doors to Mary were sealed behind them, Ryland noticed, a pinprick feeling crawling in his neck, telling him that something wasn’t right. But the exhaustion and fatigue from the malnourishment he had been experiencing won over any nervousness.
As they moved around the station, towards their temporary accommodations,Grace took the opportunity to look around. The corridors were made from a sleek form of xenonite, dark grey in colour, shining and reflecting the warm golden light that illuminated the corridors. Probably placed there because of him, or the other human.
♭♪˚♮♬♯♩ was the eridian in charge, slightly larger than Rocky with a deep blue carapace reminiscent of lapis lazuli. They walked ahead, explaining the situation to them, how the facilities worked, and their next steps.
They had used the information Grace had sent them and created a hospital-like room where Grace could stay and be treated, as well as a medical team with sufficient knowledge about human biology. All of this had been accomplished so quickly and efficiently because, of course, there was another human on Erid.
Before Grace could spare another thought, he and Rocky were being separated, the room was divided in half by a glass like xenonite barrier. His side of it was strange, containing all that would normally be in such a room, but designed in a completely new manner. Made by beings that had never seen what the items were “supposed” to be like.
And still, they went through all the efforts to ensure he would be comfortable.
The medical personnel kept him busy with questions and concerns about his health, all ecstatic that he could actually converse with them through the translator.
The eridian side of the room was similarly built as the one Rocky had on the Mary, and his friend was able to leave the dreaded xenonite hamster ball. After needing it for years, Grace knew Rocky hated the thing, desperate to construct a better suit like the ones the eridian were displaying, but they didn't have enough xenonite to spare, too afraid they would need it for the next time Mary broke down.
He watched his best friend as he interacted with his own species for the first time in almost half a century, nervous and ecstatic at the same time. Pointing out the changes he would have made to the suits and how he could improve it.
That is when Ryland noticed it.
The protective suits were maintained even around Rocky.
The room doors had been sealed shut.
“What is going on?” He asked the eridians around him. Rocky had also seemed to notice his nervous tone of voice.
Both his and Rocky’s medical team informed them of the need for quarantine, the Elders, as Rocky had called them , agreeing along. They seemed remorseful of their treatment, and Grace heard many “apologies” and "unfortunately necessary” and "previous mistakes” as the computer tried its best to translate so many eridians speaking at once.
Rationally, he understood, it was a valid concern. Emotionally, Ryland was a wreck. He had spent 4 years trapped in a spaceship, and just as he began to imagine what freedom would feel like, open spaces and room to run, he was being locked away again.
The feeling of hands holding him down started to resurface, he could feel his heartbeat on his throat. From the other side of the glass, he could see Rocky vibrating in place.
A commotion could be heard from outside their room, melodies and chips getting louder. The eridians quickly departed the room, leaving him and Rocky trapped on their respective sides. The feeling of nausea rising in his stomach, Ryland was not sure if it was from the anxiety or the malnutrition.
He tried to look outside, the entrance door was made with the same glass-like xenonite, attempting to gain a sense of what was happening there.
The crew was crowded around the entrance, attempting to stop another eridian from getting in, but they were unsuccessful. The unknown eridian stilled for a moment, chirping words Grace was too far away to hear, they were the biggest eridian he had seen, tall, with their two front claws being significantly larger than the others, with a turquoise carapace that angles at a point toward the top.
Grace knew who they were.
From the moment their cry echoed around the station, the stomp of their claws making the floor vibrate, Grace knew who they were.
He didn't know it was possible to feel so happy for someone else.
The harmony that filled the room after their reunion brought tears to his eyes.
After some moments, Grace attempted to get the attention of the eridians outside as quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb the couple. He didn't know what the cultural norm was in situations like this, but he knew Rocky would want some privacy.
“Will turn on soundproofing, Saviour Grace correct, harmonizing is private.” The eridian had the same feeling as him, their tone soft and hushed. “Best not to disturb, do not know how long it will take.”
They also managed to make the see through glass opaque, making sure they would be able to turn it off from the inside. They would get to have their moment without interruptions. Grace was glad for it.
The medical team came back to check on him, poking and prodding, shoving food towards him, and sternly warning him to eat only when they were gone. Asking incredibly personal questions about his biology, he would have been extremely uncomfortable to answer, had he not been a middle school teacher.
Grace had questions of his own, asking for them to explain the eridian perspective on Rocky’s situation.
“Normal after time apart.” Their tone shifted, and they spoke more softly. “But no eridian mates have been apart this long, worry.”
They would seclude themselves and share what had happened while they had been separated, significant events, people they met, interactions they had, injuries, feelings, and everything else.
Eridian mates shared everything, it was essential for them to be able to care for each other. In a way, the partner became an extension of themselves, they were ‘one’ together, knowing their preferences and being able to act on their behalf if necessary. That is why they mated for life, it was too significant, too personal, to be something that could be undone.
They lived a long time, and shared their lives completely, being distant from each other was unthinkable.
An Eridian that lost their mate was considered incomplete.
It had been a long time since a mated pair had been separated for such a long time.
Looking toward the opaque glass, barely seeing the colourful figures inside, still huddled together, Grace worried for his friend.
Sleeping that first night was difficult, he grew used to knowing Rocky would be watching over him. Grace would have to get accustomed to sleeping alone again.
As the days passed and he was left alone, Grace became close with the medical team responsible for him. Five different eridians that had specialized in human biology and care, though he had only been introduced to four of them, the primary medic was currently still on Erid’s surface.
Grace named all of them, asking for permission first and explaining that it would make it easier for him to distinguish them when speaking. They were all intrigued by the human names, adopting it as a human honorific.
He decided to name them all after famous doctors across the media he knew. He and Rocky had made a significant dent in Earth’s collections of medical dramas during the trip. He attempted to find some similarities before choosing the name, explaining who they were named after to the eridians themselves, and asking if they agreed before actually settling on the name.
Clothes and blankets were left available in his room, he didn't have access to any of his things with the quarantine in place, and everything was still stored on the Mary. The clothes given to him were nice, loose, and simple without being too complex in construction. What made them special was the fabric, soft and with intricate patterns and designs, how a species without ocular vision was able to create fabrics straight from a 60s psychedelic dream Grace did not know.
They provided him with meals and nutrients he was so desperately needing, and monitored his progress. The food wasn’t so bad, a bland spam-like meat that was apparently synthesized from human blood and what he could only call the Erid equivalent of vitamin gummies.
Coming to terms with semi-canibalism was easier than Grace expected. Maybe he should be concerned with just how easy, soon after eating it for the first time, he caught himself questioning if different people had different tastes.
When questioned about the food during his journey, Grace explained his experiment with taumoeba and the comoeba-shakes, as well as the seeds stored in the Mary for future planting.
Soon, he found a group of excited eridian botanists questioning him about space growth rates, soil nutrition, and plant variety. What seeds were available in the Mary? What was their purpose? What could be made from them? Apparently, they had been able to grow and replicate an apple tree from a seed brought with the other human, and were excited for the possibility of more human plants.
It is staggering and humbling just how smart the eridians are.
The medical team was able to achieve an incredibly deep understanding of human biology simply from studying the other humans currently on Erid. From what Grace could tell, they weren't even able to properly communicate and still had managed to heal them, even with the extensive injuries, no access to proper medications, and no knowledge of what would be beneficial or not. Simply deducting as they learned.
They were extremely excited about the information contained in the Internet archives. Grace helped with explaining what he could, but he was not a medical doctor, and it soon became clear that their knowledge and focus on human biology far surpassed his.
The different branches of scientists and engineers were fighting over the control of the computer, eager to learn more about their respective fields of study, demanding that Grace show them more and more research papers and technical manuals.
In a strange and different way, it was like teaching again.
That many interactions all at once had begun to take their toll on Grace. After four years of just him and Rocky, he had become unused to it, meeting new eridians and having many important conversations was a little overwhelming.
Grace was still constantly tired and far too thin, he was aware recovery would take a while. He does acknowledge that it could have been much worse, without the plants, he could be lying in a hospital bed, too malnourished to move. Instead, he is able to walk by himself and eat the food provided to him normally, nothing more than a few ribs showing and a constant mild headache to bother him.
He was so glad to be here, to be alive. They were safe, Rocky had reunited with his mate, he was not going to die of starvation, and he would get to live the rest of his life on an alien planet with his best friend.
And the other human.
Because there was another human on Erid.
Learning about his new human companion was Grace's first priority as soon as he woke up.
Wilson and Bones were the ones assigned to look over him during this cycle, both came up to Grace’s waist in height. One was a deep red colour, and the other was similar to Rocky but with amber like veins all throughout their carapace.
They had been happy to answer any questions he had. The human had been found during a mission to study the astrophage that was leaving Threeworld, nine Earth months ago. They were unconscious, trapped in a single-room vessel that didn't seem to have any life support capabilities, floating in the middle of the Petrova line.
It was impossible.
Grace could not wrap his head around how a human managed to get to Erid in such conditions, much less before him. The Hail Mary was the most advanced spacecraft in their time, and Grace had barely made it.
They explained the extent of the human’s injuries and their process to treat them. Grace realized that, whoever they were, they came very close to dying, and should be dead for all intents and purposes.
After their recovery, they had been moved to a specially made facility on the surface of the planet, designed by Adrien, who apparently was the eridian they were closest to.
Ironic how coincidences worked.
How this person got here was beyond Grace’s understanding.
But, they had made groundbreaking progress with the eridian scientists without any of the technologies and equipment Grace had available, they found a way to communicate and work with the eridians to have access to living conditions. They, along with the eridian team, were the only reason Grace is not currently dying of starvation.
He was glad he was not the only human here, even without knowing them. For four years, he prepared himself to be the only human on Erid, knowing that he wouldn't have to be alone lifted an ache from his chest.
Rationally, he knew that just because they were both humans did not mean they would get along. But Grace hoped with everything he had that they did.
Grace asked more and more questions, about the biodome, how they had learned the necessary nutrients for humans, and finally, inquiring about the quarantine time they had used for the human, and if it would be similar to his.
The eridians became suddenly quiet, they informed him that he had arrived at a delicate subject, there had been no quarantine time with the other human, and they had suffered unfortunate consequences because of it.
The medical team consisted originally of six eridians, one had sadly perished due to an unknown illness, assumed to be caused by the human or their ship.
The human they had rescued from space.
Grace had forgotten how the eridians did not know about radiation.
They had attempted another trip to space and rescued a human trapped in a vessel not at all capable of withstanding space travel. The astropage in the Petrova line would have diminished the radiation considerably, but eridians were extremely susceptible to radiation sickness.
Five of those involved had died.
He wishes once again that Rocky could be available, Grace shouldn't be the one to give this message.
Grace asked them to call their superiors, the others from the medical crew, all eridians involved on the initial contact, and anyone they could.
To the gathered crowd, he explained what he could about radiation, its sources, and how humans had discovered it, accounting for ionizing radiation in their space travel. That, while they were on the planet's surface, its magnetic field and atmosphere were protecting them from it.
He told them about radiation sickness, its effects on the human body, and Rocky’s own retelling of how it had affected the crew on the Blip-A.
That it had been the reason why the crew from Erid’s mission had died, he informed them that Rocky had managed to survive because he was housed next to the fuel tanks, and the astrophage had the ability to consume radiation itself.
It was a difficult conversation. The grief in the room as they absorbed what Grace had said was palpable.
They solemnly thanked him for the information and informed him that the quarantine was lifted.
Grace nodded, agreeing quietly.
Maybe it was for the best that he had been the one to inform the eridians, he didn't want to make Rocky relive the experience again.
He was still supposed to remain at the station until the medical team cleared him, and Grace had no intention of leaving without Rocky, patiently waiting as his friend took his time reconnecting with their mate in private.
Now free, he roamed around the station, asking if he could explore. The eridians had gladly agreed, giving him a tour. In exchange, he showed them the Mary, making sure to grab most of his things, as the curious crowd of eridians carefully examined every corner of the ship.
With the quarantine lifted, they allowed him to view the launch of the probe containing the taumoeba. The eridian crew on the station did not remain to observe, unable to preserve anything in the vacuum of space.
The probe was deployed from the station itself. Grace was blown away by the size of the structure. They were being housed in the lower part of the station and still experienced the planet's gravity, and the upper half of the structure, where the launch was held, reached into outer space.
As the small vessel departed, Grace could see the stars shining out in the fast emptiness, the blue rings surrounding Erid, and the Mary, securely docked on the side of the station.
It was the culmination of all their efforts, Erid’s salvation.
Grace wished Rocky could have seen it.
From Rocky’s explanations, the atmospheric elevator and the entire station were created after the discovery of the sun’s dimming luminosity, constructed in an effort to learn more about it, leading to the discovery of astrophage and the Petrova line.
The entire planet had mobilized to figure out the problem.
Just as the humans had done.
And now, after so many years, they finally had the solution.
Grace hoped that the Beatles had made it to Earth. Desperately needed to know that they did. No matter what had happened to lead him here, what had been done to make him realize what he needed to do, he wished with everything he had that they were ok.
Nine Earth days after their arrival, the dividing wall between his and Rocky’s rooms had become transparent again.
Rocky was asleep.
He seemed to be ok, Grace thinks Adrien would appear more concerned if he wasn’t, still, the pang of worry for his friend remained.
Rocky had comfortably curled close to Adrien, who sang slightly as they watched over him.
A gentle smile graced his face, it was a beautiful scene.
Grace decided to wave. Though he wasn't sure if he should disturb them yet.
Adrien turned toward him and slowly waved back.
He hadn't had the chance to properly be introduced to the eridian, though he really wanted to, Grace understood that there were much more important things.
He made his way over to the xenonite barrier, bringing the laptop with him so they could properly talk. Not bothering with being silent since Rocky wouldn't wake up until his sleep was done.
“Hi, I am Grace.” He sat down criss-cross applesauce, computer in his lap. “I heard a lot about you.”
“Friend Grace!” Their tone sounded excited.
“Heard a lot too, Rocky says many things, kind things.” The intonations in their song were similar to Rocky’s. Grace realized that he could understand most of their words without the use of the translator.
“Friend Grace brought Adrien’s mate home, giving up chance to go back to Earth, save Erid.” They held their front claws side by side, the same position the eridians that first greeted them had used. “Can not express how grateful, not enough words.”
“Please, he was exaggerating, he was the one to save me first, I would have died without him.” Probably many times.
“And I had to go back, he is my best friend.” He said in a quiet voice.
Adrien turned their attention to Rocky again, gently resting a claw in his carapace.
“Rocky is a good eridian, good mate, cares a lot about others.” Their tone was soft, tender. “Worth the wait to have him back in my life, never gave up on seeing him again.”
Grace was going to cry again. Rocky had so much anxiety about coming back, about Adrien being gone, or having moved on in his absence, or about too much time having passed. He was so glad to see them together that his friend could be happy and safe with the one they loved.
“Grace friend leak! Rocky said it would.” They pointed at him. “Did not mean to upset, the creature does not leak as much.”
The what?
“The creature?” That sobered him up.
“Yes! Other human friend." The excitement was back. “Could not communicate very well, the human thinking machine is very helpful.”
“You have been calling them ‘The creature’ every time you refer to them?”
“Adrien knows the creature's name, can not pronounce it, had to choose an eridian word for it.” And Grace thought his eridian name was bad.
He understood, and it did make it easier in conversation, explaining that he has also been using human names to refer to the eridians. Grace told them how he had started to call Rocky “Rocky” and the name they had chosen from Adrien themselves, thankfully, they seemed to like it.
“Exited to introduce Grace and the creature.”
Grace had already heard from the medical team about the human, but asked that Adrien tell him as much as they could about them.
Adrien explained that they had become friend with the other human, how they had been part of the mission that rescued them, and were the first eridian they came to trust. That they had been the one to design and help construct the biodome, making an enormous effort to be able to communicate with the human and get their input on everything.
They told Grace about the advancements the eridian scientists made, of the replication of apple trees for the enclosure, and the human's dedication to maintain them. Of how they had been willing to listen to Adrien, making sure to try their best to understand them even without knowing eridian.
“Adrien is also very grateful for the creature, was feeling alone without mete, other eridians did not like to talk about Rocky coming back, the creature did not mind.”
“Like Rocky and I.” They sounded off in agreement.
They stopped for a moment, examining Grace. Their main body slightly tilted to the side, before starting to speak again, their tone more subdued.
“Adrien is glad Grace is here, eridians are very dependent on community and socializing, and Adrien did not know if humans were the same.” They went back to gently petting Rocky’s sleeping form. “Was worried for the creature.”
“I am also glad they are here too, I had made peace with being the only human on Erid, but humans are not really meant to be alone, knowing that I don't have to be is such a relief.”
“No understand.” They sounded intrigued again. “What does ‘make peace’ mean? Question.”
“Mean lie to self.” Rocky answered.
Great, this was the time he chose to wake up.
“It does not.” He clarified to Adrien, who was now too engrossed with their mate waking up.
Rocky had gotten up from his position on the floor, making his way towards the glass barrier and sitting close to Adrien’s side.
“Nice nap you had there bud. How are you feeling?”
Rocky snuggled closer to Adrien, holding their claws in his. ‘So much for not enjoying hugs’, Grace can't help but think, amused.
“Whole.”
His best friend was a sap.
Adrien nuzzled this carapace against Rocky’s, doing what Grace could only describe as “purring” at the contact.
“Still no understand.”
“Is human expression, ‘to accept a difficult situation’, Grace uses it to lie.” Rocky responded.
“Human language is needlessly difficult.” Not Adrien too. He needed to stop them before Rocky gained traction.
Accepting the superiority of most eridian things was a constant topic during their trip.
“What I meant was-” Grace cut Rocky off, deciding not to start this discussion again. “Humans are social creatures, we are pack animals. It is unnatural to be isolated like this.” As Grace started to explain, he realized he already had the lecture memorized.
He had taught his students several times about the intricacies of how humans evolved as a social species and how that led to them becoming the dominant species on Earth. Teaching it to an eridian wouldn't be so different.
“Lack of contact with others could lead to depression in some cases. We have a psychological state called touch starvation, that is how important human contact can be.”
“It all varies from person to person,” He took a big breath. “But, to put it simply, we weren’t built to be alone, it's ingrained in our biology.”
“I had come to terms with being the only human here, I was ok with it if it meant I got to save Rocky and Erid.” He concluded.
“But I do miss having other humans around, someone to share being human with.” How he missed touch, and hugs, God, he really missed hugs.
Adrien seemed to understand. They listened carefully as Grace spoke, ‘nodding’ along, and didn't have any questions after Grace finished. It was a challenge to teach and explain humans as a whole to a completely different species. Grace only hoped he didn't end up creating an interplanetary conflict by the end of it.
Grace told them about the probe’s launch,
“Adrien has been gone many days, the creature must be worried, doesn't like other eridians much.” They say, despondent. “Wish could explain everything, tell it about mate coming back and new human Grace.”
The quarantine, Grace had forgotten to inform them.
“We are no longer being held in quarantine.” He was starting to get better, but the brain fog was still one of the malnutrition symptoms that was plaguing him. ”I have actually been roaming around for a few days now.”
He doesn't know if, during their time sharing, Rocky had told Adrien about radiation, and thought it best not to ask. He made sure to inform them of what had happened, of the gathering they had, and of Grace explaining what he could about radiation to the eridian council.
Both Rocky and Adrien asked for more details, most of which Grace didn't have.
He called over the primary doctor, Grace called them Bailey. They had arrived at the station a few days ago after a disciplinary hearing, something about sharing confidential information. He asked if they could explain everything that has been happening, preferably with more official information than Grace had given.
Adrien decided to go back to the surface to check on the other human.
“Will need to borrow the human translation device, to speak with creature, explain the situation. Please.” Adrien requested.
Grace started to explain how the computer and translation system worked, asking Rocky for the xenonite mechanisms he used for the computer.
“We should give you a human voice! Rocky has a specific one and I have been using the default voice for all other eridians.” And wasn't that getting on his nerves. “You should have your own!”
He opened the voice files, ready to start the same process he had once done with Rocky, maybe they would be the one to choose Meryl Streep.
“Rocky already has chosen Adrien's voice!” His friend interrupted, loudly. “Even made the file, Grace only has to select it.”
“Buddy you can’t just choose things for people, I know they are your mate but they should get a say.” He was looking over the voice files, there was indeed one named ‘Adrien’s voice’. He clicked on it. “Ok, it's set, just say anything.”
“Anything.” He had walked right into that one, their amusement was palpable even in the translated voice.
A very familiar voice.
“Did you-?” He spluttered. There was no way. “Is that Zachary Quinto’s voice? Did you give Adrien reboot Spock’s voice?” He was cracking up.
“Logical choice, Commander Spock is also from 40-Eridani, intelligent respected scientist.” He had that explanation rehearsed, Grace was sure of it. “Best character in Star Trek.”
And Grace agreed, but preferring the reboot version over the original was blasphemy. He grew up with the shows, he had strong opinions about Star Trek.
“Sure bud, keep on justifying your mancrush… Eridiancrush?” Rocky was embarrassed, he could tell.
Grace was going to tease him about this for the rest of his life.
It was a best friend's job to embrace each other in front of their mate.
“I like.” Adrian commented.
Just as they were about to leave, Adrien stopped in their tracks.
“Can one computer connect with another?” Grace immediately saw where they were going.
“There is a video call mode, it allows the person on one end to talk with another, it's a way that we could meet before I am released by the medical team.” He answered far too quickly.
Grace showed how the video call function worked, and Adrien left with one computer.
Knots were forming in Grace’s stomach. He hadn't met anybody new since Rocky, he was never what could be described as a ‘people person’. Usually, it took some time before others warmed up to him, and he desperately needed the other human to like him.
It would certainly be a few hours before they called, almost an hour and a half had already passed, but the descent to the surface was long, and it would surely take some more time.
He was holding himself back from pacing the room.
Rocky didn't seem happy with his mate’s departure, standing close to Grace and working on one of the new xenonite suits, speaking a mile a minute. Grace understood, as Rocky had told him before, if 187 years had not been enough time to be together, a few days certainly weren't.
Grace wished he could be a better friend and comfort Rocky, but he was extremely nervous.
He set up the computer, leaving the video call app already open. Fighting back flashbacks to the COVID pandemic, teaching middle schoolers on Zoom had been hell.
He looked at his image on the screen. Did he look weird? His hair was a mess, and he still had his earrings on, his glasses were probably dirty, and-
Incoming call.
The first thing he notices as the video call connects is deep brown eyes staring at him with apprehension.
“Hi”. He hoped he could make a good first impression. “I am Grace, Adrien told me about you but never actually said your name.”
Because they were an eridian and physically couldn’t, stupid. Grace felt he was already fumbling this.
Behind the screen, the man looked at him with a strange expression. Perhaps surprised to see another human face, Grace certainly was.
A strip of fabric, with the eridian made colorful patterns, was tied around his forehead, keeping the long dark hair from his face. A deep scar ran from just below his left eye, covering his cheek and the bridge of his nose and down to his neck, extending past what Grace could see. He looked tired.
“My name is Simon.”