Chapter Text
When I woke up, Rocky was still there on top of me. I startled, face-to-face with his carapace, then blinked and grabbed my glasses. He sat up in interest. “You awake, question?”
“Ugh, yeah, that felt great. You need to sleep on top of me more often. I slept like a baby. It's cold in this ship.”
“Babies sleep often, question?”
“I think so, yeah. It’s coffee time!”
“Grace stay. Rocky bring coffee.”
Warmth spread in my chest, and it wasn’t even five minutes into the day. “Thanks, pal.”
Rocky skittered over to Armando and returned with the coffee pouch and I took a sip through the Capri Sun straw.
“Grace is turned on. Appendage is swollen.”
“It’s called a penis, and yeah, it happens in the mornings sometimes. Let me drink my coffee.” Rocky seemed to be more interested in sex than ever. I wondered if Eridians could even get horny. This was clearly beyond sheer curiosity at this point. And he had called me his mate. It made butterflies bubble up in my stomach. I wanted to be such a good mate for him. He deserved it.
“Why in mornings, question?”
I shrugged. Even I wasn't completely sure why humans got morning wood. “Sometimes you have a good dream, sometimes it just happens.” I looked at him a little closer. “You do dream, right?”
“Explain.”
Oh. Rocky didn't know what dreaming was. How do you explain dreaming to someone who doesn't dream? “Dreaming… like a made-up experience that you’re in while you sleep: pictures or sounds or both. Like being somewhere else, but it’s all in your head. Not real.”
“Only when you sleep, question?” Rocky tilted his carapace.
“Yes, only when I sleep, statement.”
"Every time?"
"Not always. And sometimes it's a scary dream or a sad dream. They're not all happy." I still dream about my kids and my classroom that someone else probably packed up and took over. I still dream about getting pinned down in the dirt and jabbed in the neck. I have way too many stress dreams about running the astrophage tests wrong.
Rocky thought for a moment. “Eridians all unconscious when sleep. No experience.”
“Yeah, I figured it’s a little different for you,” I said. “Come here. I want you closer.” As I sat on the mattress and drank my coffee, Rocky immediately crowded against me, settling against my side with two of his legs on my lap. I traced my fingers over his markings. “Okay, so I know you didn’t like the cats but did you want to see videos of spiders? They look like you.”
“Curious curious! Spiders friendly?”
“No, not really,” I laughed. “Most humans are afraid.” I was never one to be afraid of spiders, but they weren't exactly pleasant for me to be around. I always tried to move them outside with a cup. I wasn't one of those people who just lived with them in the house. They were still kinda creepy.
“Grace not afraid of Rocky.”
“No, you're not scary.” And he wasn't. Rocky wasn't creepy at all. He was cute.
“Rocky can be scary.” He said defensively.
“I highly doubt that,” I teased. “You’re too cute.” I put on the spider video, and Rocky made an excited noise akin to a gasp of delight.
“Very similar, excitement! Amaze!”
"Some of them are venomous," I put on a video of black widows. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to see first thing in the morning, but whatever. It was funny that he was afraid of cats but not spiders.
"Need word."
"Venomous means they bite and poison comes out."
"Eridians poison to humans," Rocky said. “No bite. Never bite. But contain Mercury, metals. Rocky burn Grace." he shrank in on himself a little bit as if to show he was still sorry.
"Yeah," I sighed. "I still wish I could actually touch you." I rubbed the top of his carapace through his suit.
"Rocky feel through xenonite. See pretty vibration. Grace want to touch like mate, question?"
I choked on my coffee. Rocky patted my back concernedly. "Rocky! Let me drink my coffee, you horndog. I'm not awake yet."
"Grace awake, statement. Grace stupid, question?"
I sighed. "It's just something people say when they're tired in the morning."
"Why Grace tired, question?"
"Because you made me cum my brains out last night. And we did science for like fourteen hours yesterday."
"Grace brains--"
"It's just a saying! It's fine. It means it was really good."
Rocky did a happy little wiggle. "Grace do good job also. Leaky human mate."
Warmth spread in my chest. "Thanks, bud."
"Adrian will like Grace. Grace make Eridians happy happy."
"Whoa whoa, I'm not mating with anyone but you, pal."
Sentences I never thought I'd say.
"Humans weird, statement."
Anxiety made a home in my gut. Of course Rocky wouldn't think we'd be exclusive. He'd already explained that Eridians just mate with whoever, and that Adrian and his relationship was unique because it was also emotional. It made me sick to think about Rocky thinking I'd want anyone else.
"Not weird, you're special to me," I said, hurt all too evident in my voice.
"Grace special, Rocky love Grace. Rocky Grace save stars. Grace no worry, command."
I gave a weak laugh. "Command, huh? Okay, whatever you say."
Rocky nodded his carapace. "Yes, Grace do what Rocky say. Show appendage and leaky. Enjoy."
I petted his leg, tracing the patterns etched onto him, and he gave a little shiver. "Does that feel good?"
"Grace, yes yes yes. Lay down, command."
I scrambled onto my back, coffee forgotten (it was mostly empty anyway) and kicked off my pants. "Rocky please?"
I didn't even know what I was asking for. I'd take anything he gave me. He settled on top of me like he did last night, and I sighed contentedly.
Until I felt a warm xenonite-covered claw gently trace down the length of my cock. I let out a shaky whimper.
"Pretty, pretty, pretty," Rocky said, voice softer than I'd ever heard him.
I touched the grooves in his carapace, and was rewarded with a low vibration. Fuck, that would feel good.
Rocky kept vibrating and nearly lost his balance, and I accidentally bucked up, grinding my cock into his underside. it felt incredible. "Aah! Fuuu-fudge, Rocky, holy. Rock, please--"
Rocky pushed back against me and that was the end of my conscious thought. I ground against him, desperate tears gathering in my eyes.
"More vibrate, question?"
"Oh my-- yes, yes, more!"
"Grace cum for Rocky. Sticky leaky human, good good good. Good boy Grace."
"Hnnngh," I moaned, tears leaking down my cheeks as I sought friction and delicious warmth. Rocky provided, just like he provided every solution. I would do anything for him.
"Rocky, please! Please, m'so close," I sobbed.
"What Grace need?" Rocky asked, voice low like a purr.
"Touch me? With-- with your hand?"
I was distantly aware that I was getting precome all over Rocky's suit. Rocky didn't seem to mind, though. He surprised me by bringing his hand to my mouth. "Research says human penis need reduced friction. Grace make leaky hand."
"Oh, fudge, Rock," I gasped, before sucking his claw into my mouth. I wanted to taste his skin but he said he could still feel this. He wasn't disgusted by me this time. I spat more saliva onto his claw and when he withdrew it to touch my cock, I actually kind of missed it.
But the warm, blinding pleasure of Rocky touching the part of me that needed him most, soothing the ache and making it better, had me spurting cum all over Rocky's hand and my own belly.
"Rocky, please-- please, thank you, thank you!"
"Grace is Rocky good boy, statement."
"Yes, yes, I'll be your good boy, only for you!" I sobbed. Rocky centered his vibrations into his claw, stroking me through it until he sensed I was done.
"So leaky. Beautiful Grace."
"Rocky," I whimpered weakly. He ran one claw through my hair while I touched my lip absentmindedly, lost in the feeling of Rocky on top of me, of being good for him, of needing and being needed. "Wanna make you feel good too."
Rocky gave a low trill that didn't seem to actually be a word. "Grace touch markings again."
I grinned. A way I could make him feel good! No wonder he liked me touching his arms so much earlier.
I trailed my finger through the grooves slowly, and watched as Rocky trembled. I moved my finger towards his eating hole (well. His everything hole.) and he jolted, making a long, drawn out noise.
"Oh, you like that?" I asked breathlessly.
"Rocky like very much. Good good good. Happy. Good Grace."
I moved back and traced the markings on his front legs again. "You're so pretty, Rock."
"Grace pretty too. Pretty when leaky leaky leaky, kind, gentle Grace. Grace is reason."
My breath caught and I stopped touching him for a moment. "Grace is reason for what?"
"Grace no stop!" Rocky demanded. I smoothed my hand over his leg, resuming my soothing motions, before Rocky answered my question. "Grace is reason Rocky alive. Grace is reason Rocky love Grace."
Fresh tears fell down my cheeks and I sat up to give him a proper hug. He understood what hugs were now, and he had even started to demand them himself. I wasn't sure if it was because he knew I liked them or if he enjoyed them as much as I did. Maybe both.
"Grace is reason Rocky leaky," he said proudly.
I laughed. "Oh yeah? Where are you leaky, bud?"
Rocky used one of his limbs to point to his hole. I really needed a better word for it.
"I can't see your mouth, Rock, the fabric doesn't let light through there. You'd need to make it out of the clear stuff," I tapped the clear material on his arm.
"Rocky fix later," he said decisively. "Grace watch Rocky eat, question?"
"Only if you want me to," I said. I knew eating was a delicate subject.
"Rocky want," he insisted. "Important to understand anatomy."
I grinned. "Are you gonna show me where you're leaky, Rock?"
Rocky laughed, a high-pitched chirping noise. He was so pleased with himself. "Rocky show Grace. Grace need to understand Eridian mating so Grace can be good good good for Rocky. Pretty Grace need understand."
"Fudge, yeah, I think I do need to understand. Show me?"
"Yes yes yes. Eridians do not have orgasm, pleasure is constant. Stimulation from sound waves and from touch important. Grace make pretty noises and touches."
Oh. "You like my voice?"
Rocky nodded his carapace. "Rocky like Grace voice very much. When Grace in shower, Rocky leaky."
It took me a second to realize what he was saying. "You leak when I sing?" I asked incredulously. I didn't think he could hear me over the sound of the water, and my voice was objectively terrible, but wow.
"Grace sing so pretty," Rocky said happily.
"You know," I said, "We could put on some music while we work today. As long as you won't get too distracted."
Rocky perked up even more. "No no no, Rocky no distract like stupid human, Rocky remember task always."
I laughed. "Okay, pal."
Over the course of the next two hours, we found out that Rocky really liked opera music, literal whale songs, bird songs, slow ballads, and, for some reason, EDM. I think it was that the bass was loud enough for him to feel it and hear it. Maybe even see it. He was also fascinated by accents. He knew they existed from when we picked his translator voice, but he was captivated by hearing them in music.
"Rocky Grace have music party, demand!" Rocky exclaimed. I'd been teaching him how to dougie and he was loving it. Such a far cry from the bittersweet karaoke party from before the mission.
Oh. I still had some vodka left.
I had the Capri-Sun pouch equivalent of what I thought was four drinks, because why the heck not, and showed Rocky how to slow dance. He had a little bit of a harder time because he wasn't used to standing on two legs. We collapsed onto the floor in the middle of the lab, and I leaned my head back on his carapace as he ran his claw through my hair. "This is nice," I giggled.
"Grace stupid now from alcohol, question?"
I pressed a kiss to his arm and he made a happy chirp. "Yeah, m'a little stupid, pal."
Rocky attempted to grab me and succeeded in dragging me back to the mental health node. "Rocky fix."
"Wha-- what does that mean, Rocky fix?"
He deposited me on my mattress, dancing back and forth excitedly. "Rocky make Grace feel good, question? Grace have orgasm and feel better, and then Rocky watch Grace sleep, demand."
"Oh wow, okay," I struggled out of my clothes and laid back on the bedding. I shivered a little and Rocky pulled my quilt over me. It soothed me in more ways than one. I clutched it tightly as Rocky settled over my cock and started vibrating again.
"Happy Grace," he hummed, touching my face gently. "Grace be good boy and cum for Rocky then take nap. Move pelvis faster."
My mouth fell open as I rutted up against his underside, and he took advantage of that by sticking a claw into my mouth. I opened my eyes, spluttering. "Wha--?"
"Grace like claw in mouth last night. Why Grace no like?"
I kissed his claw. "I do like it. You just surprised me. When my eyes are closed I can't see you."
"Why Grace close eyes?" Rocky asked immediately.
"Because..." I let out a whimper as he somehow managed to make the vibrations more intense. "'cause it feels good, Rock, fuu---fudge, I love you so much. Please, please, m'so close!"
This time Rocky reached up with one of his claws to touch my nipples gently, and I came so hard my vision whited out for a second.
I came down from the high, gasping. "That-- that was-- you're the best. Seriously."
"Grace sensitive on chest," Rocky noted.
"Yeah, where did you learn that?"
"Rocky learn human erogenous zones with sex tips website," Rocky said proudly.
I fell back into the bed and laughed. "Sorry. Sorry. You're too cute." I'd never had a partner who was so interested in me that they took the time to research how to make me feel good. It lit a warm glow in my chest.
"Why Grace sorry, question?" Rocky asked.
"No, no, it's fine," I rubbed his arm. "I meant sorry for laughing."
"Rocky enjoy when Grace laugh. Pretty noise."
"Aw, thanks, bud. I like your laugh too."
Rocky made his chirpy giggle and I pressed a kiss to his carapace.
"Rocky Grace touch and enjoy every morning, question?"
"I mean yes, but it's usually something humans do at night."
"Science in morning and sex at night, question?"
I laughed. "You're speaking my language."
"Rocky not speaking English, statement."
"I know, buddy. It's an expression." I curled up under the quilt again. "Come be the big spoon."
Rocky knew what that meant, thankfully, and laid on his side with three limbs over my body. The weight was comforting and I could feel him purr against my back.
"Grace sleep. Rocky watch."
"You got it, pal," I closed my eyes and drifted off into a much-needed nap.