Chapter Text
“Hey Ry?”
“Hmm, yeah Mark?”
“What’s, like, the plan?”
“For what?”
“Getting back to Earth?”
“Oh yeah! So NASA is kinda pissed I stepped in the way of their plan to get you but not pissed enough to not let us dock at the ISS cause Mary would not make it through reentry. I almost blew her up once just in the upper orbit of a planet so no need to try actually entering the atmosphere. Plus that gives time to figure out the whole not killing all the Eridians in Earth’s atmosphere thing.”
“I think we should put them all in Xenonite balls and give them free reign over all of Earth, it would be funny to watch at least.”
And it would be funny, watching all of them roll around Earth, finally people would be able to understand Ryland’s ever present frustration with the Eridians. Honesty, mainly Rocky who didn’t understand personal space, not because he couldn’t, he just didn’t want to.
“Although, I am kinda curious, what happens to us once we get back?” Mark continued.
“Well I’m sure we’re going to be experimented on and all of that, lots of tests, lots of interviews, not really looking forward to it.”
“No, yeah, I got that part. I meant, like, us?” He put emphasis on the last word.
“Oh,” Ryland blushed, cute, “I mean I guess it depends on what you want.”
“I thought I made it pretty clear what I want, I want you. I want to hold your hand, and kiss you, and take you on silly dates to coffee shops, and learn what makes you happy once all of this space shit is done.”
“I’d uh, yeah I’d like that too, if you do really want that.”
“I’m not lying to the man who rescued me from starving to death, plus he’s super cute if you ask me.”
“Mark,” Ryland protested.
“No no, you can’t argue with me on this one, I’m right.”
“Fine,” Ryland turned away, trying to hide the blush that he couldn’t fight. Mark grabbed his chin, turning his face back towards him. He spent a moment looking into Ryland’s eyes, the blue reminded him of the sky on Earth. A color he desperately missed, although he’d give up ever looking at the it again if faced with the choice of Ryland’s eyes or the sky. Leaning forward he pressed a gentle, short peck to his lips, before pulling back.
“Good, now, as your boyfriend I say we get to work on figuring out how to safely get all of us home so we can get all the probing done with.”
“Why are you obsessed with being probed, you’ve mentioned it like eight times. You got something to tell me?” Ryland giggled at his own joke, and oh what Mark would do to hear that noise every day for the rest of his life.
“I had a lot of time to come up with some fantasies when I was on Mars,” he winked.
“Gross, gross, you are gross and I hate you,” Ryland smacked playfully at his arm.
“No you don’t,” Mark sing songed as he moved to exit the room, actually intending on getting so work done.
Ryland trailed behind him, both stopping in front of the computer and looking over the information NASA had sent.
“Hey, I know it's technically my ship and all but do you think you could pilot it when docking at the ISS?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I’m actually a terrible pilot and I nearly got killed several times trying to fly.”
“For real?”
“Yep.”
“I’m not a pilot either but I guess I do have a bit more training than you got so yeah, I can, no problem.”
“Oh thank god, I really thought I was gonna have to do it on my own and end up exploding everyone on this ship and the ISS.”
“I can imagine the headlines: Ryland Grace, Savior Of The Sun, Blows Up ISS And Several Astronauts Because He Is A Shitty Driver.”
“In my defense no one ever taught me how to pilot a space ship.”
“That’s fair, but you got me now so you won’t have to worry about navigating the stars alone again.”