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“Grace! Rocky heard other human singing!” The familiar sound of the skittering Eridian startled Grace out of his focused state.
“Rock, for the last time, you should give him a proper name not just other human- wait- you heard him…singing?” Grace shook his head as if to wake himself up.
He and Simon had been making their way steadily through different genres of music in the data banks provided by Stratt. It was certainly a large catalog so they went by genre instead of artist by artist.
There really wasn’t a lot of music where Simon came from. Just a few banged up CDs that skipped too much for anyone to enjoy. They were just something for the others to remember what used to be. What they can never afford to have ever again.
So far, Simon’s favourites had been jazz (particularly Ella Fitzgerald), Slowdive and Radiohead. Though Grace had made the mistake of not skipping ‘My Iron Lung’ and spent the rest of the night apologising. Simon said it was fine but Grace had a feeling it wasn’t. He tread more carefully after that.
Grace was shaken out of his trance yet again by excited notes from Rocky.
“Yes yes yes, singing earth music you were playing! Was beautiful, grace must hear!” Grace was silent for a moment
‘Simon, singing?’
“He must be pretty shy about it if he’s not doing it around me…not surprised you heard it….” The concept was so foreign to him. Simon of all people, even if it’s just the two of them for light years. Oh he had to hear that man sing. The mere thought made his heart melt. Could that mean that he was finally feeling safe on the ship? Safe with Grace?
“Rocky tell grace next time…Simon…singing and grace come and listen, question?” It was like Rocky could read his mind.
“Nooo we shouldn’t. I don’t think he’ll want that….weeeeell? Alright tell me but don’t tell him I asked you to!” He pointed a finger warningly at the Eridian. The offer was just too tempting to pass up.
“No no Simon not know Rocky hearing good. Simon sometimes say in his sleep…no shouldn’t say.” Oh what a bad time for Rocky to heed Grace’s teachings on the intricacies of human privacy.
“What. Rocky now I HAVE to know.” Grace was determined.
“Mmm…no. Privacy important.” Rocky tilted his carapace up like he was proud of himself for his restraint.
“Come oooon. You can’t just start saying something and go back on it! You have to tell me.” Grace shook his hands in front of him in mock frustration.
“Tell you what?” Came a familiar voice from behind Grace. He jolted so hard he elbowed the microscope he had forgotten was on the table.
“HOLY F- crap!” He growled as he clutched his injury. “Simon! How come you’re so quiet…” he said, half under his breath. Simon shrugged. He was a man of few words.
“Tell you what?” Simon repeated, glancing at Rocky in his tunnel. The Eridian sank in on himself, a gesture that said ‘uuuh what do I say?’. A stretch of uncomfortable silence followed. Grace decided to be the one to break it.
“Ah it’s nothing, just…science…stuff…” he waved his hand dismissively and turned away before looking back to see Simon staring at him, eyes narrowed. Grace could feel his face heating up. Oh he was not good with scrutiny.
Simon seemed to let it go for the moment, eyeing Rocky and Grace suspiciously as he crossed the lab and exited the other side.
“Sometimes Simon say Grace name in sleep.” Rocky blurted out in his version of a whisper. The blond man choked on his own spit. His ears burned as he coughed. “Grace ok, question?” Came the few notes laced with humour.
“Yeah bud-“ he managed before coughing again. He hacked out one final cough before taking a deep breath. Rocky’s highly sensitive hearing was both a blessing and a curse these days.
“OH! GRACE, GRACE SIMON SINGING NOW!” A harsh string of trills erupted from the Eridian, causing Grace to shush him immediately lest Simon hear him. Though he was excited despite himself.
“Where is he?” Grace kept his voice to a whisper, already standing up.
“Is in plant room!” Rocky chirped in his version of a whisper-shout. He was already scampering through his tunnels to get to his ball, Grace wasn’t far behind.
He wasn’t far from the door when he heard it. After a few lyrics, he recognised ‘How Long Has This Been Going On’ by Ella Fitzgerald. Simon would go back and forth between singing and humming what he couldn’t remember.
Oh it was so unexpectedly gorgeous. Grace tiptoed over to the doorway (if you can call it a doorway), keeping to one side so he wouldn’t be spotted immediately. And just stood and listened. It went on for long enough that Grace decided to make his presence known.
He stepped out from his hiding spot and leaned on the curve of the doorway, arms folded. He was sure he had the goofiest grin on his face but couldn’t find it in himself to care.
Simon had his back turned to him, staring out the window at the stars. He finally finished singing.
“Fuck…” He sighed before seeing Grace’s reflection on the darkened glass.
“FUCK!” He jumped and whipped around so hard he almost catapulted into the shelves of plants. “How fucking long have you been standing there?!” The man was completely red.
“How long has that been going on?” Grace couldn’t help but crack a joke. Simon furrowed his brows and stared for a moment before turning away to look out the window again.
“Seriously, you sing so beautifully.” Grace pushed off the wall and made his way over to stand beside the shorter man. Simon looked like he wanted to run away hide, staring at a spot low on the wall in front of him.
“Sorry…I didn’t mean to…make you uncomfortable,” the blond man nudged Simon lightly with his shoulder. Simon shook his head, eyes closed.
Another all too common stretch of silence filled the room as they both gazed at the expanse of stars.
“My- my mother used to sing to me…when I was a kid,” came Simon’s emotion strained voice.
“Taught me some of the songs when I got older…but-“ his voice broke and he stopped to try to regain control.
“Don’t remember any of them now.” His words shook and rose in pitch at the end. He fully turned his head away from Grace, though he would be able to hide forever.
Grace lifted a hand to his face, gently turning it towards him. Tears rolled down his cheeks, catching on the teeth that jutted out on his left side.
“Oh, Simon…” Grace swiped the tears away with his thumb and placed his free hand on the other man’s back, guiding him in for an embrace. Simon was not about to resist any form of physical contact, especially from Grace.
He practically fell into him, wrapping his arm around the other’s waist and gripping his shirt like he might fall off a cliff otherwise. Sobs shook Simons shoulders as Grace just waited him out.
“It’s ok, Simon. It’s ok, I know. You’re safe. Always safe with me.” Grace’s words were like a warm hearth in a snowstorm. A bright, full moon in a starless sky. Guiding him, grounding him. As far as he was concerned Grace was all the stars in the sky.
Simon didn’t want to let him go, lest he get lost again. Maybe they’ll just stay for a moment longer.