CoffeeControl21



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  1. Public Bookmark *

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    “Grace. What are you testing, question?”

    Rocky. I can’t put this all on the guy right now. He should be happy. We are going to Erid. We are going to save his planet.

    “CBC. A complete blood count.” I answer, hoping he doesn’t ask me why.

    “Purpose, question?”

    Rocky, please. I’m trying to spare you right now.

     

     

    Basically, Grace gets exposed to a dangerous amount of radiation during an EVA and doesn't want to tell Rocky bc of what happened to Rocky's crew <3

     

    THIS IS A REWORKED VERSION OF "TEMPEST" - after some comments, I wanted to keep the soul of the story, but make it more scientifically plausible. While there are still probably some inaccuracies, I still hope this isn't as messy as before.

    Language:
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    22/?
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    08 Apr 2026

  2. Public Bookmark *

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    Rocky is up to something.

    It probably won’t kill us—we’ve put far too much work into keeping each other alive for that—but every time I try to get closer to see what he’s doing, he acts like I’m trying to murder his firstborn or something and shoos me away so I don’t “ruin Grace surprise”. Jerk.

    Series
    Language:
    English
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    2,106
    Chapters:
    1/1
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    1
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    06 Apr 2026

  3. Public Bookmark *

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    "Hey...can I ask you something kind of weird?"

    "Shoot," Rocky says, his voice sounding amused. "But not actually shoot."

    Grace wants to laugh at the joke (he's been getting better at joking and sarcasm) but instead he swallows, his fingers tracing idle patterns on the blanket. The ache from earlier at the classroom, the beach, the constant invisible wall feels closer tonight.

    "What does it feel like... to touch you?" he asks. "I mean, if we could. Your carapace. Your claws. What would it feel like to me?"

    Rocky is quiet for a long beat. When he sings again, his melody is thoughtful and gentle.

    "Hard. Rocky, like name. Like...strong stone that is alive. My claws are sharp but careful. My body pulses a little when I am happy. Like singing Grace can feel instead of hear." He pauses, then adds with a soft, almost shy trill, "What does human skin feel like, question? To me, I wonder."

    He imagines it.

    In his mind, the xenonite shell vanishes.

    Or: Grace is touch starved and Rocky wants to make it better

    Language:
    English
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    Chapters:
    8/8
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    06 Apr 2026

  4. Public Bookmark *

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    Eridian brains shut down completely when they sleep, that’s why they watch over each other during their sporadic sleep cycles. There’s absolutely no activity going on in there, except for the individual worker organisms going around and fixing things up. Eridian’s brains “reactivate” once their bodies are good and ready to wake up, and not earlier. The point is, they don’t experience anything remotely similar to human dreams.
    So, how do I explain nightmares to someone who literally cannot dream?
    ---
    OR, Ryland Grace is more deeply affected by their experiences with life and death than he lets on... at least while awake. As his and Rocky's mission progresses, sleep becomes something Grace dreads, for fear of what his unconscious mind will put him through. Rocky, in typical Rocky fashion, approaches the problem with the best solutions he has to offer.

    Language:
    English
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    Chapters:
    2/3
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    4,121

    06 Apr 2026

  5. Public Bookmark 84

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    “I dunno if you could fix this problem, buddy,” I say.

    Rocky twists his carapace in a way I know means he thinks I’ve just said something stupid; it’s the Eridian equivalent of rolling his eyes. It’s an action I see a lot.

    “How you know if I can fix or not if you not tell me problem, question?”

    I chew on the inside of my cheek. He’s incredibly stubborn, I’ll give him that. For some reason, my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

    “I want a hug."

    -

    Ryland Grace comes to terms with the fact that he'll never be hugged again. Rocky is determined to fix this.

    Language:
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    Chapters:
    2/3
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    06 Apr 2026