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It all started with an innocent question.
It was a normal day, and Grace was enjoying his morning coffee. It wasn't the best drink he had ever tasted, but the Eridians were making progress. It almost tasted like Earth's coffee, and for Grace, that was good enough. He had already drunk half of his cup when Simon joined him in the open kitchen. Simon looked a bit sleepy, as though he had forced himself to get up. It was probably the case as Simon considered that if the sun was up, even an artificial one, then he had to be up too, otherwise he was being lazy. Grace had tried to argue against that, but his own relationship with sleep was far from great. Simon had quickly called him a hypocrite and wouldn't listen to him.
It was safe to say that the start of their cohabitation had been... Eventful.
« Morning... » Simon said, running his hand through his hair.
« Good morning to you, too. » Replied Grace with a smile. « Breakfast is ready if you want some. »
He pointed to the frying pan containing the closest thing to an omelette that could be found on Erid. If Grace was honest, it wasn't so much the taste as the texture that the Eridians had managed to replicate. The food in general lacked flavour, but Grace wouldn't dare to complain. Rocky and the others had done so much for him. They had built him a safe space to live on Erid, a home, and they kept trying to improve the food. Grace was very lucky to have them. The only thing the Eridians couldn't give him was human contact, and Grace had made his peace with that.
Peace that shattered the moment a half-dead Simon was found by Erid's radars.
It's been a year, but Grace will forever remember the vision of a submarine, dripping with blood, and floating aimlessly in space. It seemed to have appeared near Erid by magic, but Grace suspected some kind of wormhole. Still, a submarine had no business being in space. The teacher was even more dumbfounded when the Eridians told him they could detect a human heartbeat inside. It should have been impossible, but if someone was really still alive inside the submarine, then Grace needed to save them. He told the Eridians that he would go, and the Hail Mary was quickly prepared. Rocky insisted on coming with him, excited to meet another human. It wasn't easy to rescue Simon since the damned submarine was welded shut, but they managed to bring him onto the ship.
Simon had been unconscious and in a bad shape. He had just lost an arm and was covered in so much blood that Grace almost threw up. The teacher had feared that Simon wouldn't make it, but he had stubbornly clung to life. Grace had been so relieved to see Simon wake up. He hadn't even been upset when Simon had punched him in the face, thinking Grace was a hallucination. It was different for Rocky, who had wanted to throw the « Danger human » right back into space for hurting Grace. The teacher had stopped him as he could see how lost and scared Simon was. The man thought he was going to die in that submarine, and now he was on an alien planet in another universe where the stars were still alive. It was no wonder Simon would lash out, but Grace was nothing but patient.
Step by step, Simon had begun to trust him, and the house was now a two-bedroom one.
Simon grabbed a plate and muttered a « thanks » as he served himself. He sat down in front of Grace, but didn't start eating straight away. Instead, he placed his hand on his lower abdomen with a slight pained grimace. Seeing this, Grace frowned and set down his cup.
« Are you alright? » Grace asked.
Simon nodded, then picked up his fork.
«Yeah, it's nothing. »
« Nothing-nothing or' I have symptoms of radiation poisoning but I don't want to ask for help' kind of nothing? » Grace said, looking pointedly at Simon.
It was another thing the teacher would never forget. They had been living together for only two weeks when Simon suddenly collapsed on the floor and wouldn't wake up. Grace had dragged him to Armando, on the brink of a panic attack. He thought Simon was doing fine after they took care of his injuries. But the man had developed unexpected symptoms because of all the radiation he had been exposed to. Grace had cried a lot, first from fear of losing Simon, and then from relief that he was going to be fine. Perhaps it was because Simon was the first human Grace had seen in years, but he had become very attached to him...
Simon rolled his eyes at Grace's question before starting to eat. The teacher waited for an answer that never came. He stifled a sigh and finished his own breakfast. They stayed quiet for a moment until Simon finally decided to speak.
« I was wondering... »
He stopped, looking away as if embarrassed.
« Yes? » Grace encouraged him.
« Do you know how to make suppressants? » Simon finally asked, putting his hand on his stomach again.
The question took Grace by surprise. The term was too vague to ring any bells. There were multiple things used to suppress others. Back on Earth, Grace regularly saw adverts for diet products claiming to suppress hunger. The same went for medicines whose goal was to literally suppress illness symptoms. Grace waited for Simon to elaborate but he didn't say anything else. Perhaps in his universe, the term 'suppressant' referred to only one thing. If Simon was talking about some kind of medicine, then it wasn't Grace's area of expertise, but he could always find a solution.
« I don't, but I can always try and make some for you. » Grace promised with a smile.
Simon smiled back, a small thing which Grace liked a lot.
« Thanks. »
Grace nodded and got up to put his plates in the sink. He glanced quickly at the clock before gathering his bag. It was almost time to leave or he would be late for his class.
« I'll start looking after school. » Grace said. « Can you just tell me what these suppressants are supposed to do so I can already think about it? »
Simon snorted at his question, and Grace looked back at him in surprise.
« I know you're a beta, but come on. » Simon said as though the teacher had just made a dumb joke.
This only confused Grace further, leaving him standing still in their kitchen.
« … I'm a what now? » He said, blinking at Simon.
« A beta. » The other repeated absently, finishing his plate.
Grace knew the word ''beta'', he had encountered it at various points in his life. To him, it was a Greek letter, a radioactive wave, and a mathematical function. It was probably a lot of other things too. However, he had never been called a ''beta'' in his life. He didn't know why Simon was telling him he was one. The teacher frowned, completely lost. He had the strange feeling of being transported back to the beginning of their relationship when Simon had told him about the Quiet Rapture.
« Simon. » Grace said slowly. « What are you talking about? »
The other man finally looked at Grace, noticing his confusion, and he narrowed his eyes with a frown.
« I'm talking about your designation. » Simon answered like it was obvious.
Okay, Grace was now officially and completely lost.
« My what? »
Simon stared at Grace as though he couldn't tell whether the teacher was playing a trick on him or not. Grace had received that look countless times before. It had taken a lot of effort and patience to slowly gain Simon's trust. The man expected to be betrayed constantly, which was the saddest thing in Grace's opinion.
Grace must have looked confused enough because Simon's shoulders slumped in defeat.
« You... You really don't know what I'm talking about? » He finally asked.
« Not a clue. » Grace confirmed with a nod. « It seems we're faced with yet another difference between our two universes. »
Simon rolled his eyes at the note of excitement in Grace's voice. He rubbed at his face with his hand and muttered :
« Fuck, your universe is so much better than mine. Your stars are alive, and you don't have a designation system. »
« What do you mean by ''designation''? » Grace asked, intrigued.
Simon sighed and leaned back further in his chair.
« It's a biological thing. » Simon explained. « Around puberty, your body either stays as a beta or presents as an Alpha or an Omega. »
« And you thought I was a beta. » Grace said.
« Yeah. »
« Why? »
« Because you don't smell of anything. » Simon stated.
Grace wasn't expecting that answer. He was pretty sure that he smelled, at best, of his soap or, at worst, of sweat. Seeing Grace's really confused expression, Simon groaned in frustration :
« I don't know how to explain that shit...»
He stayed silent for a few seconds, as if gathering his thoughts. Grace waited, feeling slightly impatient, but he didn't rush Simon.
« You can identify someone's designation by smell. » Simon finally said. « Alphas and Omegas have very distinctive scents, but Betas don't. »
To Grace, it sounded like the humans in Simon's universe had more ''animal-like'' features, for lack of a better term. He never noticed if Simon smelled of anything in particular. It was probably because they didn't have the same olfactory sense. He wondered what other differences there were between them.
« That's so fascinating. » Grace said, feeling the scientist inside him stir like crazy. « I thought we were biologically the same since we're both human, but I was wrong. »
Simon just shrugged, but Grace barely noticed it. His mind was already filled with all the tests he wanted to run. He needed to study the differences between his body and Simon's. When Simon had been discovered, the nanny-bot never picked up on any biological anomalies. Grace wondered if the information about Simon's condition had just been drowned by everything else that was wrong with his health.
« And what are you? » Grace asked, curious.
Simon looked down, seeming a bit uncomfortable. Grace wondered if it was a sensitive topic and was on the verge of apologising when Simon sighed :
« I'm an Omega. »
« You don't seem so happy about that. » Grace stated, gently.
« That's because being an Omega sucks. » Simon scoffed.
Grace couldn't help but chuckle at how petulant the other man sounded. Simon glared at him, and the teacher lifted his hands in front of him as a sign of peace.
« Why does it suck to be one? » Grace said.
« There are a lot of reasons, but the first is the heat. » Simon admitted with a grimace.
Grace slightly tilted his head to the side, once again confused. He knew what the word meant, but he failed to see how it applied to the context.
« The heat? » He repeated.
Simon remained silent, but Grace saw a faint blush appear on the other man's cheeks. It took Grace an embarrassing amount of time to finally understand what his friend meant. He looked at Simon with big, wide eyes, and he could feel his mouth hang open dumbly.
Then he found his voice.
« You... You go into heat?! Like... Like a cat?! » Grace almost yelled.
He knew he was overreacting but he couldn't stop himself. Despite blushing harder, Simon looked very pissed off by Grace's words. He stood up quickly and walked past Grace angrily, shoving him in the process.
« You know what? Fuck off. » He growled, going back to his bedroom.
Grace realised he had messed up and followed Simon, calling after him.
« Wait! Simon, I'm sorry! »
The door slammed shut just an inch from Grace's face. The teacher nearly fell down with a yelp. Steadying himself against the wall, he immediately went back and knocked on the door. He apologised profusely for his stupidity. Grace hadn't meant to insult Simon, but he had been very surprised and his words just came out without any filter. Simon's only response was to tell him to 'fuck off' again before falling silent. Seeing that Simon wasn't going to open his bedroom door, Grace left the corridor with a resigned expression.
He didn't like to think about it, but it wasn't the first time that Grace had offended Simon. It was always by accident and Grace tried his best, but he wasn't perfect. The first time it happened Simon had yelled at him, too used to conflict to process his feelings with anything but violence. He had been very surprised to see how shaken Grace had been by his screaming. The teacher had never handled it well when people raised their voices at him. Fortunately for Grace, Rocky was supposed to visit that day, and he had rushed to the house. The Eridian had rolled between them before screaming and screeching right back at Simon for upsetting Grace. The other man had been chastised by the Eridian to such an extent that he was the one to apologise to Grace, even though he had been offended first. Ever since that day, Grace suspected Simon was a little scared of Rocky.
Simon never screamed at Grace again when he was angry at him, but he stopped talking to Grace instead. Being ignored by the only other person in the house was worse somehow. However, Grace had learned to wait for Simon to speak to him first. When he did, the teacher knew that Simon had forgiven him, and he would breathe easier.
Grace just hoped that Simon would forgive him once more.
Back in the main room, Grace suddenly remembered he was supposed to be teaching a class. He looked up quickly at the clock and swore under his breath. He was already ten minutes late. Grace left the house without looking back, almost running to the corner of the beach where he held his classes.
***
The morning passed in a blur.
Grace had tried his best to teach the Eridian children, his ''peebles'' as he affectionately called them, but he had been distracted all morning. He couldn't help but think about Simon, their universes, and their differences. Grace wanted to go back to his computer and find anything related to designations in his own world. He also wanted to talk about it with Rocky, but he knew he couldn't do that without asking Simon's permission first. He didn't know if the man wanted to keep his biology a secret, and Grace didn't want to make Simon even angrier at him.
At the end of his class, Grace walked back home slowly. He was ready to be greeted by silence and mentally prepared himself for it. Grace opened the door and saw Simon sitting on the couch with the computer on his knees. Simon used it a lot to learn about Earth, and Grace had made it clear that his friend could borrow the computer when Grace wasn't using it. Simon lifted his head towards him, and they looked at each other for a tense moment...
A moment interrupted by Grace's tendency to ramble when he was nervous.
« I'm so, so sorry about what I told you earlier! » He said, already forgetting about how he should let Simon speak first. « When you told me that Omegas could go into heat, I was really taken aback, and I spoke without thinking! Of course you're not a cat, that was so stupid to say! I didn't mean to offend you and I'm really sorry if I did! I should really learn to keep my mouth shut and... »
« Yeah, you should. » Simon interrupted him.
Despite lacking an arm, he made the gesture to cross them in front of his chest. Grace winced at his answer and looked down in shame. He shuffled back and forth awkwardly, wondering if he should just leave Simon alone for now. Something shifted inside Simon's eyes when he saw Grace's reaction. His expression softened, and he sighed deeply.
« Listen, I'm not really angry at you. » Simon said.
Grace lifted his head in surprise and looked hopefully at Simon.
« It's just that in my universe, Omegas are often compared to animals, and I hate that. » The other man explained bitterly.
Grace wanted the ground to swallow him. Had he used some kind of slur when he compared Simon to a cat? He opened his mouth to apologise again, but Simon cut him off with a shake of his head.
« Stop saying you're sorry; you couldn't have known. »
« Still, no more animal comparisons. » Grace promised.
Simon rolled his eyes as Grace sat down next to him on the couch.
« Omegas are subject to discrimination then? » He asked tentatively.
« We've always been seen as the weakest. » Simon said, gaze filling with anger. « We're looked down on all the time, but the worst thing is that we're still considered valuable. Omegas receive better food and are protected, but only if they can fulfil their ''purpose'' as breeding stock. »
Once again, Grace was shocked by how dystopian Simon's universe sounded. The more he learned about it, the less he wanted to ever go there. Simon didn't talk much about his life before he came to Erid, but from what Grace had gathered, he had only known hardship. He was younger than Grace, yet he had faced more than anyone should. Grace was glad that Simon wasn't living in his dying universe anymore.
« That sounds awful. » Grace said quietly.
Simon let out a small, humourless laugh.
« I told you, being an Omega sucks. »
They stayed silent for a while more, until Grace dared to ask :
« Would you... Would you still talk to me about designation? I would like to study the differences between our biology, but if you said no, I would understand. »
Grace would just have to be consumed by curiosity for the rest of his life, but he would manage. Simon seemed to weigh up the pros and cons of Grace's request. He looked at Grace for a while before slowly nodding his head.
« Fine. But don't experiment on me. » He grumbled. « I'm not a fucking lab rat. »
« I won't! » Promised Grace.
Simon huffed, a sound suspiciously close to a laugh. He stood up, telling Grace he was going to make lunch. The teacher watched him search the cupboard for utensils when he suddenly remembered something Simon had said. He hesitated for a few seconds, fearing his friend's reaction.
« Simon? » He called.
« Yes? » Simon answered without looking back.
« Don't be mad at me, but... What do you mean by ''breeding stock''? »
Grace heard the sound of a frying pan falling on a foot and a string of swear words. Simon quickly turned towards him, face flushed red.
« I'm not explaining that. » He said defensively.
Grace knew he shouldn't push his luck, but he was far too curious.
« Come on, I just want to know. » He insisted.
« No. »
« Please? » Grace said with a whine.
He sounded suspiciously like his kids back on Earth. They often pleaded with the same tone when they tried to get something from him. Simon glared at Grace, but the teacher responded with his best puppy eyes. He was sure he looked absolutely stupid, but to his surprise, Simon's eyes softened a bit. Simon sighed in defeat and rubbed his face as though he was experiencing the worst headache known to mankind.
« I'm talking about pregnancy. » He said with a quiet voice.
« What about it? » Grace prompted him.
« Omegas are supposed to be only good at that because it's very easy for them to become pregnant... And when I say Omegas, I mean all of them. » Simon admitted without looking at Grace.
Oh... Oh!
Grace was very proud of himself for keeping all the weird questions he wanted to ask to himself. Questions like: Are male Omegas intersex then? How does your reproductive system work? How long does a pregnancy last in your universe? Grace had to bite his fist to achieve that, but it was beside the point. It must have been a very strange thing to do, though, because Simon seemed ready to storm off to his room again. Grace took a deep breath and apologised again, and again for acting like a madman. Miraculously, it worked, and they both calmed down enough to start discussing designation.
They ended up eating taumoeba-flavored ramen on the couch while Grace took notes on his computer.
« So if I've understood everything correctly, betas are basically the same as the humans from this universe. They make up the majority of the population and don't have a particular scent. »
Simon nodded and Grace continued, reading his notes :
«Then we have Alphas, who are seen as natural-born leaders, but they also can be territorial and prone to aggression. »
« And they are selfish assholes, too. » Simon added with a groan.
It was clear from the start of their conversation that Simon didn't like Alphas. Grace didn't know why, and was almost too afraid to ask for now.
« Right, selfish assholes, got it. » Grace said, typing Simon's words. « Alphas can go into a rut, which is kind of the same as an Omega's heat. When they are in a rut, they... »
« They fuck anything with a hole and a pulse. » Simon completed the sentence for him.
« … Need a mate to ride it out. » Grace finished, then laughed awkwardly. « But we're basically saying the same thing. »
The teacher still wrote his version and not the more... colourful one that Simon had provided.
« And finally there are Omegas, who have the reputation of being weak and needy. » Grace resumed. « They go into heat twice a year, but only if the conditions are optimal. Mating while in heat will result in pregnancy, but only if it's with an Alpha. »
Grace scratched his head at that. From an evolutionary point of view, it made little sense for Omegas to only be able to get pregnant from an Alpha. Betas were much more common, so that would make more sense. Grace was starting to suspect that Alphas and Omegas were a biological anomaly, explaining why they were a minority. He wondered if a specific gene was responsible for that and if he could study it. Grace definitely needed to convince Simon to do at least one blood test.
« Do you know why a beta and an Omega can't produce a child? Is it because only an Alpha and an Omega can become a bonded pair? » Grace asked, not looking up from his computer.
The concept of a bonded pair was fascinating, but Grace would think about it later.
« Maybe. » Simon said with a shrug. « Or maybe it's just because Alphas have knots and betas don't. »
Deep in his thoughts, Grace made a little ''uhm, uhm'' sound as he typed Simon's answer. He was about to ask another question when he suddenly realised what he had just written.
«... Did you just say that Alphas have a ''knot''? » Grace asked, his mind on the verge of short-circuiting.
Simon looked far too smug as he nodded, like he knew this information would overwhelm Grace. The teacher hated to admit it, but Simon was right. It was just too much information to process. Grace put the computer down on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch. He rubbed his face with his hands before looking up at the ceiling as if it could grant him strength.
« Simon. » He said after a while.
« Yeah? » The other man answered, sounding amused.
« You know earlier when I said 'no more animal comparison'? Please don't take it poorly, but your world has pack dynamics, heat cycles, and knots... To me, you all just sound like a bunch of wolves in human form. »
There was a long minute of silence where Grace half expected Simon to get up and leave. Instead, his friend laughed. It was just a huff of breath followed by a small smile, but Grace was relieved that he wasn't offended. He turned his head towards the other man, who looked back at him.
« I guess you're not wrong. » Simon admitted. « We do sound fucking weird when you put it like that. »
It was Grace's turn to laugh, and they continued to eat and speak. After a while, Simon began to shift on the couch, and Grace could see that Simon was growing tired of answering his questions. The teacher decided to ask just one more before leaving his friend in peace.
« You said that Omegas only go into heat if the conditions are optimal. » Grace said. « What does that entail? How do you know it's okay to go into heat? »
Simon took his time to think about it, frowning slightly as he tried to come up with an explanation.
« I guess it's instinctive. » Simon finally said. « The availability of food is important because heats takes a lot of energy. But mostly, I think you need to feel safe because an Omega is very vulnerable while in heat. »
Grace nodded in understanding. Being on Erid ticked all the criteria. They couldn't go outside the biome for long, but inside it, it was like living in a picture meticulously curated by the Eridians. They had a comfortable house and no shortage of food, even if it wasn't the tastiest. It was no wonder Simon would feel safe here with...
Wait.
Grace froze and looked at Simon with amazement.
« You... You feel safe? » He said with a quiet voice.
« Wouldn't have entered a heat cycle if I didn't. » Simon answered.
« No, I mean... You feel safe enough with me around to enter one? » Grace asked, needing to be sure.
He had to know if Simon thought he was an insignificant threat or if he trusted Grace not to hurt him when he was at his most vulnerable. If it was the last option, Grace was going to cry.
A variety of emotions flashed across Simon's face, like he was coming to terms with what his heat implied. Simon looked Grace straight in the eye with such an honest and soft expression that it made Grace's heart flutter.
« Of course I do. » Simon whispered. « Being here with you, on Erid, is the safest I've felt in years. »
It was too much for Grace, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Simon, who had been suspicious of him for such a long time, who expected every kindness to come with a price, felt safe with him. Granted, the bar was in hell since Simon had been in prison for a long time, but still. Simon trusted him enough to be vulnerable, and it felt like the most amazing present ever.
How could Grace not end up in tears at that?
« Hey, no, stop that.» Simon protested, a little flustered by Grace's reaction. « Why are you even crying? »
« Sorry... » Grace said, rubbing at his eyes and almost knocking down his glasses in the process. « I'm just so happy you feel this way. »
He bravely held back a sob, and Simon sighed before handing him a tissue.
« That's exactly why Rocky calls you a leaky space blob. » Simon stated with a mix of exasperation and fondness.
***
From that day on, Grace had been working on making suppressants.
Simon didn't want to go into heat, too much inconvenience, and they both hoped Grace could create something to stop the current cycle in time. Grace was surprised when Simon told him he had never had suppressants before. Their production was extremely limited, and they were only given to Omegas in special circumstances. Simon never had any suppressants wasted on him, and when Grace tried to ask why, he stayed silent. He still explained to Grace that suppressants were used to prevent both heat and pregnancy. To Grace, it sounded a lot like "the pill," which was good news. With the whole internet at his fingertips, he could research how birth control was made. This would provide him with a foundation on which to start experimenting. However, Grace still needed to adapt it to Simon's biology, so he did get to collect some samples. The other man had begrudgingly let Grace take blood, saliva, and sweat. Grace would have liked to do more, but when he had suggested doing a urine test, Simon had thrown a pillow at his face.
Never mind, the teacher could work with what he had.
Grace's days were divided between teaching classes in the morning and working on the suppressants in the afternoon. It wasn't easy, as pharmacology was far from his area of expertise, but he kept trying. However, it was a long process, and Grace started to notice something unusual. Simon had been gathering spare sheets and blankets from the cupboards and hoarding them in his bedroom, leaving Grace puzzled.
Just like today.
The teacher was testing a component when he saw Simon go straight for the couch. He didn't sit on it, but took the blue blanket that was placed on top of the couch. Simon examined it critically before briefly rubbing it against his face. Grace didn't say a word, watching him put the blanket down with a disappointed expression.
« Is something wrong with it? » Grace finally asked, curious.
« Not the right texture. » Simon grumbled before focusing on the two cushions decorating the couch.
Grace was confused by the answer. Simon had used this blanket multiple times before on movie nights and never had an issue with it. Forgetting about his work, the teacher watched Simon pick up a cushion and do the same thing. His friend looked much more satisfied and took the cushion under his arm. Simon then walked over to Grace, glancing at what he was doing.
« Making progress? » Simon asked.
« Yes, it's going well. » Smiled Grace. « I should be able to synthesise something soon enough. »
« How soon? »
« In a week at most, but it will only be a prototype. » Grace explained. « It would still require testing, and I need to make sure it won't be detrimental to your health. »
Simon stayed silent for a while before slowly shaking his head.
« I don't think I have a week. » He admitted quietly.
« What do you mean? »Grace asked, worried.
Simon tightened his hold on the cushion and sighed.
« My heat will come soon, I can feel it. » He explained. « I'm already nesting.»
Grace blinked rapidly at this, and suddenly the last few days made sense. Simon had been gathering soft, warm materials to build himself a nest. Simon had told him a heat lasted four days and could theoretically result in pregnancy, so an Omega needed to be comfortable. This behaviour also seemed instinctive. Simon hadn't experienced a heat in years, yet he still knew exactly what he needed for his nest.
Omegas had nesting behaviour. Grace needed to write that down.
« I'm sorry, I'll try to work quicker. » Grace said once he could focus again.
« Don't, you're already not sleeping enough because of this. » Simon said.
Grace opened his mouth to protest, but Simon beat him to it.
« Don't make me call Rocky. » He threatened. « You know he's going to chase you off to your bed and watch you to be sure that you sleep. »
The teacher couldn't help but roll his eyes. The friendship between Simon and Rocky had been a slow process, with the Eridian being reluctant to forgive Simon for punching and screaming at Grace. However, they both made an effort, and even if they would never be as close as Grace and Rocky, that was enough. Grace didn't care if they weren't best friends; he was just happy that they didn't fight. Otherwise, the situation would have become unbearable. He was less happy when the other two ganged up on him about his disastrous sleeping schedule. Worrying about Grace seemed to be common ground for Simon and Rocky, and they often scolded him for not sleeping enough. Rocky had done the same countless times on the Hail Mary. Before Simon joined Grace on Erid, Rocky would often come into the biome to watch Grace sleep. Needless to say, Rocky was particularly annoyed that Grace and Simon didn't sleep in the same room. It was just making it harder for Rocky to watch both of them!
« Okay, okay, but will you be all right? You told me that heat could be painful without a mate. » Grace asked after a moment.
« It won't be the first time I've done it alone. » Simon said simply. « I'll manage. »
He had confessed to Grace that he had never shared his heats with anyone. None of the Alphas around him had been trustworthy enough to let them get close to him while he was in heat. Being alone during this period was painful, frustrating, and uncomfortable, but thankfully it had only happened three times before. Grace was really distressed when he heard that. Simon was in his early thirties and had only been in heat three times in his life. Good God, how unsafe must Simon have felt to be in heat so rarely? Grace felt the desperate need to protect him from the whole world, however foolish the idea might sound.
« And you're making a nest? » He asked, trying to keep the mood light and stop his thoughts from spiralling.
Simon nodded, looking down at the cushion still trapped against his chest.
« Do you need anything in particular to build it? » Grace said.
« No, just anything soft that feels... Right. » Simon answered, sounding a bit unsure.
Grace just nodded, still finding all of that fascinating.
« Oh, speaking of soft things. » Grace suddenly remembered. « I wanted to ask you if you've seen my cardigan? »
« Which one? You have lots of those things. » Simon said, amused.
It was, unfortunately, very true.
« The one with the foxes. » Grace clarified.
It was comfy and warm, and definitely Grace's favourite. He had been looking for it since the day before and couldn't find it. He supposed Simon might have borrowed it since they often exchanged clothes. It wasn't always possible since Simon was a bit shorter than Grace, but he had a wider chest and more muscles. Most of Grace's T-shirts had been stretched out because of that. Honestly, Grace didn't know how anyone could look at Simon's stature and call him weak just because he was an Omega.
« No, I haven't seen it. » Simon said, shaking his head.
« Okay, I will keep searching for it then. » Grace said.
Already looking down at his research, he didn't see Simon's cheeks turn briefly pink.
***
« Grace. »
The teacher lifted his eyes from his microscope to look at Simon. Grace was immediately struck with worry when he saw Simon's appearance. His friend was leaning against the wall of the kitchen like he was too tired to stand up straight. Simon's face was also flushed red and his eyes were a little glassy. Without thinking, Grace got up and gently put his palm on Simon's forehead to check for a fever. He mentally swore when he felt how warm Simon was. The other man made a little startled sound at the touch, but then he just closed his eyes. Simon pressed his face closer to Grace's hand as if he wanted more contact. Grace chose to ignore the way his heart clenched at the sight.
« What's wrong? Are you sick? » Grace asked, concerned.
« I've got about one hour before I really go into heat. » Simon mumbled, his eyes still closed.
"So it starts today..." Grace thought, panic rising inside him. "Okay, okay, cool... It's okay, we have prepared for this. No need to freak out.''
So, of course, Grace started to ramble :
« Do you have everything you need for your nest? I can give you my own blanket if you need more. Is your room warm enough? What about food and water? Did we pack enough for you? I can – »
« Grace? » Simon interrupted him.
« Yes? »
« Shut the fuck up, please. » He sighed wearily.
« Sorry. » Grace said with a sheepish tone.
He stopped touching Simon's face, and the other man looked disappointed. They remained silent, and Grace could sense the awkwardness between them until Simon told him that he had just come to warn him. The teacher nodded and accompanied Simon back to his room, talking about the rules once again. Grace promised, for the tenth time, that he wouldn't go inside Simon's room unless there was an emergency. This exception was narrowed down by Simon to « The house is on fire, or falling down, or the Eridians have decided they want us dead. » He was also very adamant that Grace couldn't come to his room even if he heard Simon scream. He didn't want Grace to see him in the – as Simon put it mildly - " fucking sorry state I'm going to be in". The teacher understood Simon's reasoning, but it did nothing to appease his worry. How painful could Simon's heat be if he needed to scream?
« Well... Good luck then? » Grace said a bit dumbly when Simon opened his bedroom door.
Simon rolled his eyes, but smiled a little nonetheless.
« Thanks, see you in five days. » He said while going inside his room.
From the corner of his eye, Grace could see a lot of covers, pillows, and some clothes forming an organised structure on the bed. He would be lying if he said that he didn't want to see Simon's nest. Grace wanted to analyse it and study how Simon had arranged it. However, his friend had been kind of defensive about it, refusing to show it to Grace. The teacher hadn't insisted despite his curiosity. An Omega's nest was probably something very private, only shared with a mate and...
Wait? Was that his missing cardigan he could see?
Grace tried to get a better look, but Simon was already closing the door behind him. The teacher stood still in front of Simon's door, his mind racing. He was sure he had seen his cardigan. Simon had told him he didn't know where it was, but he had obliviously made it a part of his nest. Why had Simon lied to him? Did he think Grace would refuse to let him use his cardigan this way? Grace didn't know what it meant for an Omega to use someone else's clothes for his nest, but he tried to rationalise it. The cardigan was warm and soft; it was probably why Simon had picked it.
It had nothing to do with Grace's scent being on it... Right?
Grace felt himself blush, and he shook his head to chase the thoughts away. He was just a regular human; he didn't have a particular scent like an Omega or an Alpha. Grace was just being stupid. The teacher went back to the main room and sat at the kitchen table where his current research was. Looking back through his microscope, Grace hoped that Simon would be all right.
***
Turns out Simon did scream, but it wasn't from pain.
The first two days were almost normal. Grace could sometimes hear Simon moan and whine when he walked past his bedroom. It was a bit embarrassing, and Grace would blush when it happened, but it was manageable. Most of the time, Grace couldn't even hear Simon. His friend was probably trying to keep his voice down. The teacher still decided to sleep on the couch to save them both from so much awkwardness later on. He was sure Simon would feel better if he learned that Grace hadn't heard him.
It was a good plan... So of course it backfired.
On the third morning, Grace was woken by a scream. He fell off the couch and sprinted to Simon's room on autopilot. Nightmares were recurrent for both of them, but Simon's often ended with him yelling himself awake and thrashing around. Grace had always been there to comfort him after a nightmare, rushing to Simon when it happened. Halfway to the corridor, Grace remembered he wasn't supposed to go inside Simon's room. Half asleep, he went back to the main room. Grace made himself a coffee and wondered if Simon wasn't suffering too much. He heard another scream, and that's when his brain finally understood what kind of noise Simon was making.
Pleasure sounds tinged with frustration.
Grace flushed bright red, and he abandoned his barely touched cup of coffee. Grace got dressed as quickly as possible, trying to block out Simon's voice. He left the house in a hurry and went straight to his ''classroom''. Grace arrived an hour early, but still sat in front of his desk. He let his head fall on it and closed his eyes. He knew he was probably acting like an idiot, but Grace just couldn't stay.
Hearing Simon was just... Too much.
Grace wasn't proud to admit it, but today wasn't his best teaching day. He tried really hard to focus, but he was just too distracted. His mind kept replaying the noises Simon had made, and he had to stop himself from conjuring up images to go with them. He was in front of a room full of children; he had to keep it together! Grace didn't know why he was reacting so strongly to the whole situation. He'd never been particularly interested in sex before, and it was always secondary for him when he was in a relationship.
Was it because of Simon's Omega nature? Did he release pheromones while in heat that were normally ineffective on the betas of his universe, but which worked on the humans here?
Thankfully, the peebles didn't take advantage of their distracted teacher. They worked just as usual and were satisfied when Grace told them he was just tired after spacing out once again. Like all children across time and space, they were even very happy when Grace ended the class ten minutes early. Grace hated to do that, but he needed time to himself.
Once he was alone, Grace sat on the beach in front of the waves. The soothing scenery helped him calm down and think. He thought about Simon and how he felt about him since they had started living together. He liked Simon a lot as a friend, but Grace was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he was developing romantic feelings for him. This was unexpected, as Grace had always found it difficult to fall in love. Sometimes, he wasn't even sure if he had been when he entered a relationship. Maybe that was why they never lasted long... Being in love with Simon would explain why his heart always skipped a beat when he managed to make Simon laugh, though.
Grace wondered what he was going to do about it when he saw Rocky run towards him.
« Grace and Rocky need to go to Simon now! » Rocky said once he was close enough.
The slight panic in Rocky's voice surprised Grace, and he looked at the agitated Eridian with confusion.
« What, why? » He answered.
Rocky didn't reply and just pushed against Grace's legs, forcing him to stand up. The teacher obeyed, even more puzzled by Rocky's attitude. Grace turned his head toward the house, wondering what was going on, and Rocky let out an impatient hiss.
« Simon screaming, statement! » The Eridian said. « Like in pain! Heard him when Rocky entered the biome! Need to go and help him, statement! »
Rocky was already running towards the house by the time Grace finally understood what was going on. He blanched and quickly went after Rocky, trying to stop him from reaching the house. It was far from easy since his friend was incredibly fast thanks to all of his legs.
« Wait! No, Rocky! Simon is okay! » He yelled after the Eridian.
« No he's not! » Rocky argued. « Rocky can hear him! »
Grace mentally cursed the Eridian's super hearing and their limited ability to distinguish between good and bad human screams. If Simon had been loud to Grace, then it was no wonder Rocky could hear him so far from the house. Grace hoped that Simon wouldn't find out about that. If he did, Grace feared that Simon would never want to see Rocky ever again. Grace could understand why. Ifi he were in the same situation, his dignity would never recover, and he would die of embarrassment.
« It's not bad screams! Simon's just in heat! » He said without thinking.
This made the Eridian slow to a stop just in front of the house. He turned back to Grace, tilting his whole body to the side. Grace, panting slightly from his sprint, cursed himself for spilling Simon's secret. He hoped his friend wouldn't be too mad at him, but it was too late for Grace to take his words back. He made a mental note to apologize to Simon later.
« Humans don't go into heat. » Rocky said. « Grace told Rocky that on the Hail Mary. »
It was true.
While travelling towards Erid, they discussed a lot of topics, and reproduction had been one of them. It was fascinating to learn about the differences between their species. As Grace suspected, Eridians weren't mammals, and they produced eggs. Parents would take care of the batch until the eggs hatched. Sadly, not all of them would, so Eridian parents were very protective of their young. The little ones were able to walk an hour after hatching and began to talk two weeks later. For a species that lived so long, the children developed rather quickly. When Grace had told him about how human babies couldn't do that, Rocky had replied that they were badly designed. They couldn't even support their own heads at first. How ridiculous was that?
What a weak species humans were.
Rocky was even more confused when he learned that humans had sex without intending to have a child. Eridians only did it for reproduction purposes. They would go into some kind of heat state where an Eridian would produce eggs and would be very keen to have them fertilised by their mate. But sex just for pleasure? It was unheard of for Eridians.
« Humans from this universe don't, but it's different for Simon. » Grace explained.
« Simon different kind of human, question? » Asked Rocky, more curious than worried now.
« You can say that. » Said Grace. « Our two universes are very different, and Simon is currently in heat. »
Rocky pointed at the house with insistence.
« So why isn't Grace with Simon, question? » He said impatiently. « If Simon in heat, should be mating with Grace! »
Grace choked on air and waved his hands in front of him, looking flustered. »
« What?! I'm not going to mate with Simon! »
Even though he had no face, Grace felt that Rocky was judging him.
« Grace only other human around! Shouldn't let Simon go through heat alone! » The Eridian chastised him.
Rocky's words made Grace feel bad. He had thought, very briefly, about offering his – ahem – help so Simon wouldn't have to suffer alone. But Grace had never found the courage to do so. He feared that if he did, Simon would think he just wanted to take advantage of him. The teacher didn't want Simon to see him the same as the Alphas in his universe. He was also a bit scared of the whole situation, to be honest. Simon hadn't asked for his help either and had only talked about going through his heat alone. It could just be because Simon was notorious for wanting to shoulder everything by himself. However, the matter was so delicate that Grace didn't want to assume anything.
« It's... Complicated. " Grace finally said.
The Eridian gave the equivalent of a shrug.
« Humans always complicated. » Rockay complained. « Grace likes Simon? »
« Yes, I like him. » Admitted Grace.
And probably more than that, but he wasn't ready to tell that to Rocky just yet.
« Then not complicated. » Rocky said. « Still think Grace could do better, but Simon only other human option. »
« What do you mean ''I could do better?'' I thought you liked Simon now, » Grace asked, a bit amused.
«Yes. » Rocky said simply. « But Simon is a bitch, statement. »
« Rocky!» Grace said, scandalised.
Of course his friend had used the travel to Erid to learn about humans' swear words. Grace had tried very hard to stop him, but Rocky had done it behind his back. Ironically, he had also picked up a lot of insults from Simon.
« Sorry, sorry... Rocky mean Simon is a bitch. Sometimes. »
« Oh my god! » Grace said, hiding his face between his hands.
Rocky made a lot of quick sounds and Grace was sure his friend had just called humans ''weird leaky blobs''. Sighing, Grace sat up on the stairs leading to the house. He wondered what he would do if Simon was still loud tonight. The weather was just a bit colder at night, so maybe Grace could simply camp outside on the beach. Rocky joined him and nudged his arm.
« Is Grace staying outside because of Simon's heat? » Rocky asked.
« Yeah... I can't handle the noises. » He admitted. « It's very awkward to hear Simon like that, and I can't keep my headphones on at full volume all the time or I'll just hurt my eardrums. »
« Simon not screaming anymore, statement. » Rocky said, trying to help.
« Oh? »
If Simon has calmed down, then he can probably go back home...
« He's sobbing. » Rocky told him.
Okay, that was so much worse because now Grace was worried again.
He really needed to finish the suppressants so Simon wouldn't have to go through that again.
« And saying Grace's name. » The Eridian added.
From his tone, it was clear Rocky thought that was a good enough reason for Grace to join Simon. Maybe it was for an Eridian, but the two humans had never talked about what Grace should do if Simon called for him. Simon had explained that heats could make an Omega delirious with lust. For Grace, it sounded a lot like Simon wouldn't be able to really consent to anything in this state. It was safer for both of them if Grace stayed away.
« I think it's time for you to go, Rocky. » Grace said hurriedly.
« Is Grace angry with Rocky, question? » The Eridian asked, worried. « Didn't mean to offend. Sorry, Sorry! »
« No, no, it's okay, I'm not angry. » Grace reassured him. « The situation is just... A lot. I need to think about it alone. »
Rocky made an understanding noise, telling Grace that he would be back soon. He watched him go, and then he looked back at the house. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he slowly opened the door. Grace walked inside and was relieved when he heard nothing. The teacher closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it.
Just one more day, and it would be over.
***
On the morning of the fifth day, Simon emerged from his room.
Although it was Grace's day off, he was already working at the kitchen table. He did have a small lab in the house, but he just loved to work in the kitchen. It reminded him of his flat on Earth. Grace was instantly relieved to see Simon up. The other man was wearing one of Grace's silly science pun t-shirts and sweatpants. Simon's hair was still a bit damp from his shower. Simon looked tired but not ill, like at the start of his heat.
« Hey. » Grace greeted him as he stood up. « How do you feel? »
« I'm fucking hungry and my body is aching all over. » Simon replied with a deep sigh. « Also, I think I've sprained my wrist. »
« What? How did this happen? » Grace said, both worried and confused.
Simon looked at him with a raised eyebrow and answered in a deadpan voice :
« Take a wild guess. »
Grace glanced at Simon's hand, then at his face, then at his hand again. He blinked a couple of times before blushing. Hard.
« Oh... » He said, rubbing the back of his head.
Simon snorted at Grace's reaction and walked closer to him. He stopped in front of the teacher, but didn't say anything else. Grace gave him a questioning look, but Simon turned his head to the side, avoiding his gaze.
« Can you...? » Simon began before stopping.
He closed his eyes as if gathering the courage to finish his question.
« Yeah? What do you need? » Grace prompted him with an encouraging tone.
Simon took a deep, slow breath before looking at Grace.
« Can you hug me? » He whispered.
His tone was almost pleading, breaking Grace's heart.
It had taken them a long time to be able to touch each other casually. They were both starved of human contact, but neither of them had dared to cross this invisible barrier. Simon was especially guarded about his personal space, and he avoided getting too close to Grace. The teacher wasn't really any better. He missed being touched so much that he feared he might break down in tears if Simon touched him. However, everything had changed when Grace had put his hand on Simon's shoulder without thinking, as he was rambling on about his thesis. Both had frozen and Grace quickly apologised. But before he could pull his hand away, Simon had whispered a ''It's okay'' that broke the tension between them. From that day on, things had slowly escalated. They touched each other more freely, but never by surprise, as Simon reacted badly otherwise. Hugs were frequent between them, a source of comfort they couldn't seem to live without now. It wasn't unusual either for Rocky to find them on the couch, Simon dozing off on top of Grace while the teacher was reading.
« Of course. » Grace said softly.
He took Simon into his arms and held him close. The other man was still warm, but at least it wasn't due to a fever. Simon sighed and practically melted against him. He tucked his head just under Grace's chin, shamelessly exploiting their small height difference. Simon slightly rubbed his nose against Grace's skin, making him shiver. For the sake of his sanity, Grace ignored the feeling that Simon acted like he was scenting him. He was probably just doing it out of instinct. Grace needed to calm down. Once he was done, Simon closed his eyes and let out a satisfied groan. Simon grabbed the back of Grace's cardigan and tightened his own hold on Grace. The teacher gladly did the same, squeezing Simon as much as he could without causing him pain.
« Thanks, I needed that. » Simon murmured.
« Happy to help. » Grace answered.
« I woke up feeling fucking needy and I hate that. » Simon admitted bitterly. « It's like I'm giving reason to all the bastards who said that Omegas are weak. »
« Your body and mind have endured a lot over the last few days; it's normal to want comfort after that. » Grace reassured him. « It doesn't make you weak. In fact, it's quite the opposite. »
Simon lifted his head just enough to look at Grace. Their faces were very close, and Grace had to remind himself to breathe. He wondered if Simon could hear his heart with how hard it was beating inside his chest. Still, Grace smiled at Simon and said :
« And you even went through all of this alone... You really are the strongest person I know. »
Simon froze for a moment and looked at Grace, searching for lies. He only found honesty in Grace's blue eyes, and he was totally overwhelmed by Grace's words. Simon took a deep, shuddering breath, and Grace could see his eyes shine with tears. He was visibly fighting them back, and Grace stayed silent, letting Simon process his emotions. Still wanting to help, Grace started stroking Simon's hair, loving how soft it was compared to his own. Focused as he was on the man in his arms, Grace heard a soft rumbling sound. He frowned, wondering where it came from, but it didn't take him long to find the source.
« Are you purring? » Grace asked, amazed.
The sound stopped abruptly, and Simon hid his face against Grace's neck.
« Shut up. » Simon groaned, making Grace chuckle.
***
They were eating, Simon wolfing down his second plate, when Rocky knocked at the door. Without waiting for an answer, the Eridian entered the house. Grace rolled his eyes but chose not to comment. At least, Rocky remembered to knock now, unlike the first few months when he would just barge inside.
« Simon not in heat anymore, question? » Rocky asked, walking towards them.
Grace was glad he had taken the time to brief Simon about the situation with Rocky. Simon wasn't happy about it, but he understood why he hadn't wanted to worry Rocky about Simon's absence. Grace still omitted the part where he had to talk to the Eridian because he had heard Simon scream. The teacher didn't like lying, but he also wanted to preserve Simon's dignity as much as possible.
Now, he hoped that Rocky wouldn't slip up.
« It's over. » Simon confirmed with a nod.
« Good, good, good. » Rocky chirped. « Rocky worried! Told Grace to help Simon with heat but Grace didn't listen! »
Simon looked back at Grace with a raised eyebrow, and the teacher smiled awkwardly at him.
« Don't hold it against Grace. » Simon said. « I told him not to come. »
« Why, question? Doesn't make sense. » Rocky said, sounding a bit frustrated.
« Rocky... » Sighed Grace.
« Already acting like mating pair but don't want to mate. » The Eridian grumbled. « Dumbasses, both of you, statement. »
Simon almost spat out his food at that, and Grace leveled Rocky with a stern look, even though he couldn't see it.
« Rocky, that's enough. » Grace said.
The Eridian grumbled something incomprehensible, and Simon looked more amused than offended.
« You're right, humans don't make sense. » Simon admitted. « I mean, I still go into heat despite being sterile. There's no fucking logic to it. »
Grace's eyes widened slightly and Rocky tilted his body to the side, looking curiously at Simon.
« What does sterile mean, question? » The Eridian asked.
Simon froze in his chair as if he had just realised what he had said. His heat must have really tired him if he was letting this kind of information escape him. Simon looked down, remaining silent and motionless. Grace could feel the easy mood between them vanishing. Rocky shuffled closer to Simon and gently patted his leg with one arm.
« Why Simon sad, question? » Rocky asked.
Simon didn't answer, but he suddenly got up. He went back to his room, but Grace was reassured not to hear the door close. It was still far from perfect, but that meant Grace could try to talk to him. He took a deep breath before turning towards his Eridian friend.
« Hey, Rocky, can you leave us alone, please? »
The teacher could tell that Rocky was hesitant to listen from the way he was shifting around. After making a few clicking sounds, he did the equivalent of a nod.
« Rocky come back later. » Rocky said. « Grace comfort Simon. »
It sounded like an order, and Grace would gladly follow it. Grace watched his friend leave before walking to Simon's bedroom. The other man was standing still near the window and looking outside. Grace could see how tense his shoulders were. The teacher walked slowly towards him until they were standing next to each other.
« You're alright? » Grace asked softly.
Still not looking at him, Simon shook his head, clearly angry with himself.
« I don't know why I still react like that. »Simon muttered through clenched teeth. « I've known for years that I'm infertile, I shouldn't fucking care about it anymore. »
« Simon... » Grace tried to say before the other man kept going.
« And it's not like I was the only one. There were a lot of fertility issues on the stations. Some said it was the Quiet Rapture slowly finishing the job by rendering humans unable to have children. »
It was an interesting piece of information, but Grace was more focused on Simon. He gently put his hand on Simon's shoulder, hoping to give him some comfort. The other man sighed wearily, but he didn't protest. He gestured towards his lower belly, looking frustrated.
« When I presented, the people around me were happy. » Simon remembered. « They told me Omegas were rare, that I had been chosen to help the human race survive. I was... Happy, I guess? I was young, and I wasn't really interested in getting pregnant, but they made it sound like it was a good thing. Omegas always birth Alphas or Omegas; that's why they are so important, why they were needed. I wanted to help, to be more than an orphan, to be useful. »
Simon's voice broke on the last word. He shook his head and let out an ugly laugh that twisted Grace's heart.
« Then I had the mandatory fertility test and they were all so fucking disappointed that I couldn't do the one thing that Omegas were supposed to be good at. » Simon said, voice infinitely bitter. « I had lost all value in their eyes. I was thirteen and told I was a fucking failure because I couldn't get pregnant. »
Grace was invaded by an intense feeling of hatred for Simon's universe. The way the people in Simon's life had treated him made Grace so angry. They had no right to put this kind of pressure on a child and then act like he was good for nothing just because he couldn't meet their expectations. They should have worked on how to solve the infertility problem instead of judging the person suffering from it. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't surprising that Simon still reacted so strongly when he talked about it. For Grace, it was obvious that Simon never had the chance to process the information without being surrounded by negativity. For the umpteenth time, Grace was glad that Simon's submarine had found its way to Erid.
Simon's world truly didn't merit him.
« Being infertile wasn't your fault. » Grace said firmly. « They were wrong to be angry at you for that. If they couldn't see beyond your designation, then they were fucking idiots. »
They both looked surprised by Grace's last words. The teacher was so unaccustomed to swearing that he felt a little silly.
« Woah... They made you swear. » Simon said, amused.
He looked less tense, and Grace counted this as a victory.
« But you're right, they're fucking idiots. » Simon approved. « But without that, I wouldn't be here. »
« What do you mean? »
« It was because I was a ''failure'' as an Omega that the C.O.I. deemed it acceptable to send me to die in that damned ocean. » Simon explained simply.
Grace still found the C.O.I.'s reasoning awful. They shouldn't have the right to play with people's lives just to serve their own interests. Grace didn't want to think about what would have happened if Simon hadn't been infertile. The other man's life would have been very different. Simon would most likely have been exploited from a young age, and Grace hated the idea.
« Probably the only good thing they ever did. » Grace said softly. « I would have preferred if you didn't have to suffer so much to get here, but I'm glad you're on Erid with me. »
Simon looked at Grace with a warm look in his eyes. It made his heart beat faster in his chest. The other man took a small step forward, getting much closer to Grace.
« Yeah... I'm glad to be here, too. » He whispered before kissing Grace.
The teacher stood still, a dozen thoughts rushing through his mind. Firstly, the sensation of Simon's chapped lips on his own was overwhelming and made his whole body burn. Grace hadn't realised until now how much he had missed kissing someone. Secondly, he realized that Simon, too, had developed feelings for him. He wasn't just calling for Grace's name because he was delirious from lust, but because he wanted him. Grace was sure, now, that Simon had made Grace's cardigan a part of his nest because he really wanted Grace's scent close to him while in heat.
Thirdly, Simon was pulling away, and Grace couldn't let that happen.
Not wanting his lack of response to be misinterpreted, Grace quickly raised his hands to cradle Simon's face. He kissed back, driven by the need to be closer. Simon groaned and wrapped his arm around Grace's waist until they were flush against each other. They kept kissing until they couldn't breathe and Grace could feel his legs shaking.
Simon was looking at him with something that Grace could only describe as love. The teacher wanted to weep from happiness, but he stopped himself with a lot of effort. He never thought he would find love when he woke up on the Hail Mary all those years ago.
« Ryland. » Simon whispered.
God, Grace would do anything just to hear Simon say his first name again.
« I think I want you to be my mate. » Simon admitted.
It was the equivalent of a love confession, and Simon's eyes shone with the fear of being rejected. It must have been hard for him to voice his feelings out loud. Despite himself, Grace cried a little at that, tears silently falling down his cheeks. Rocky was right; he was really just a leaky space blob. But how could he not? Grace knew how important having a mate was in Simon's universe, and Simon wanted Grace to be his.
Simon looked taken aback by Grace's tears, but the teacher quickly smiled at him reassuringly. He slightly bent his head down until their foreheads were touching.
« I think I want you to be mine, too. »Grace whispered.
The smile he received in return was the most beautiful thing Grace had ever seen.