Between red and black

by Finitette

After a brief confrontation between Terezi and Gamzee, Tavros and Terezi become moirails, which is all fine until Gamzee, Terezi's kismesis, expresses his red feelings for Tavros, and Tavros realizes that he feels the same way. Rated M for language and some smut later on. Please comment, I appreciate positive feedback and constructive criticism!

1. Confrontation

Part I

Tavros Nitram yawned and stretched, wiping the last of the supor from his eyes. He had never been much of a morning person, but lately that had changed. Since he had run out on Vriska in the desert three months ago, the young troll's outlook on life had changed drastically for the better. He was happier, and more carefree. Sometimes he wondered about his abandoned matesprite, but... Well, he had done the right thing, hadn't he? She was manipulative and cruel. Maybe she had helped Tavros grow stronger in some ways, but really, their relationship was black. He despised her, and she saw him as a worthless weakling; someone to torment for her own amusement. It wasn't healthy for them to be together the way they had been. There would never be anything red between Tavros and Vriska again.

Tavros had returned to Alternia. He enjoyed it here, despite the fact that the neighborhood that contained his hive was practically deserted. It didn't have the same life and business that it had before Tavros and his peers had begun their session, seeing as many of the young people who lived there were now on other planets or dead (or in some cases both). Tavros still traveled a lot, visiting his friends and his dancesor Rufioh. At first the older dead troll had treated his relative as a troublesome brat, but eventually they had started to get along, and Rufioh had taken tavros under his wing (literally). Tavros was inspired by the older troll. He was a lot more confident, and had a sort of charisma about him. He tried his best to imitate it, but wasn't sure how successful he was. He stopped telling himself and others that he was confident. That certainly didn't work. But Tavros was okay with being shy and cautious. After all, in the past, taking risks had only gotten him into trouble.

Having gotten dressed, eaten, and ready to go, Tavos headed out from his hive. He didn't have any specific plans, but it was a beautiful day out. He wandered through the neighborhood that was populated mostly by lowbloods, weaving around lawnrings of friends and peers and trolls that he had never met before. Tavros drifted aimlessly until he saw a familiar set of horns and red glasses.

"hEY tEREZI," Tavors smiled at his friend. "wHAT ARE YOU UP TO?" He liked Terezi, and had always been grateful for her efforts to solve his murder and bring the guilty party to justice. Though in the end, that justice had never come. Not that Tavros really minded. He didn't want Terezi to do anything that would send Vriska after him again. "NOT MUCH T4VROS! 1 W4S 4CTUALLY JUST H34D1NG B4CK TO MY H1VE... HOW 4BOUT YOU?

"i, uH, wASN'T REALLY DOING ANYTHING, jUST, uH, wANDERING. sO, uH, sEEING AS YOU, wEREN'T DOING ANYTHING EITHER, uM, mAYBE WE COULD, uH, hANG OUT FOR A WHILE?

"OH Y34H! L3T'S K1CK 1T! DO YOU W4NN4 H3AD TO MY H1VE OR YOURS?"

"wELL, uH, wE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO MY HIVE, bUT, uH, iT'S SORTA MESSY RIGHT NOW," Tavros mumbled to the other Troll though he doubted that she would really care that much.

"W3LL 1'M NOT 3X4CTLY 4 N34TFR34K, SO 1 DON'T M1ND. OH! 4CTU4LLY TH3R3 W4S SOM3TH1 1 W4NT3D TO SHOW YOU. LOOK AT TH1S N34T TR1CK MY D4NC3STOR SHOW3D M3!" Terezi said, as she placed the falldown slat she carried on the ground, doing a sort of modified grind

"oH, sWEET," Tavros complimented her. He wanted to ask Terezi how she was doing, because he was concerned for his friend, but also because he was anxious to know about Gamzee. Though it was a stretch, Terezi was the person he figured was most likely to have news of him, seeing as he was her kismesis. But that being the case, Gamzee would be a touchy subject. He spoke anyways, but didn't bring up Gamzee yet.

"sO, uH, iT'S BEEN, uH, A WHILE SINCE WE LAST TALKED, hOW HAVE YOU BEEN," He began in a roundabout way. And it wasn't like he wasn't genuinely interested-and concerned- for his friend.

"OH YOU KNOW, FIN3... MUCH B3TT3R NOW TH4T TH1NGS H4VE C4LMED DOWN 4 B1T, BUT 1T'S PR3TTY BOR1NG H3R3 NOW!"

"yEAH, i AGREE." Tavros said, calming down a little. He was put at ease by Terezi's carefree manner. He giggled at the fact that she was bored now. His experiences over the past year had been plenty exciting, but he definitely preferred boredom to begin murdered and kissed and beat up all the time. And it was good to have an escape from Vriska. Looking back, sometimes he couldn't believe that he had actually had the guts to just get up and leave. And yet here he was. "hAVE YOU BEEN TALKING TO dAVE MUCH, wASN'T, tHERE SOMETHING GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO," Tavros asked, barely trying to hide his dislike for Strider in his voice. It made him a little annoyed that Terezi was so clearly head-over-heels for that guy. But it was her decision, of course.

"NOT R34LLY, 1 M34N... 1'M PR3TTY SUR3 H3 H4S SOM3TH1NG GO1NG W1TH TH4T J4DE CH1CK 4NYW4YS" Tezeri murmured, blushing a light teal and trying to hide her disappointment about that fact. Tavros flinched at the name of the human he once had a pretty strong flushed crush on, but Terezi didn't notice.

"wELL WHO NEEDS THE- uH, HIM," Tavros cried, speaking to himself as much as his friend. She pulled him in for a hug, which is a surprise because Terezi wasn't the huggiest troll.

Tavros and Terezi got up and headed in the direction of Tavros' hive. There was a silence between them, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. The carefree pair walked together, taking in the scenery. Alternia was beautiful in this area, with the pink petals of the trees overhead gently floating down around them.

"WH4T 4BOUT YOU, T4VROS?" Terezi asked. Tavros wasn't sure, but it seemed like there might have been a hint of concern in her voice.

Tavros shrugged. "nOT MUCH, lIKE YOU SAID, iT'S BEEN BORING HERE," He sighed, running a hand through his shaggy mohawk, which he had decided to grow out and style a little different after meeting Rufioh. Not completely like Rufioh's hair but you could see where his inspiration came from. "i'VE HARDLY SEEN ANYONE SINCE I RETURNED TO MY HIVE, jUST YOU TODAY AND, nEPETA BRIEFLY,"

"1T'S ODD, 1 H4V3N'T S33N MUCH OF 4NYONE L4T3LY 31THER. 3V3RYON3 S33MS TO B3 K33PING TO TH31RS3LV3S. 1 DID SORT OF H4VE 4 RUN 1N W1TH G4MZEE R3C3NTLY THOUGH." Terezi replied, the disgust for her kismesis evident in her tone.

Tavros went rigid, not expecting the name of his former friend to affect him in that way. He knew that he was angry with Gamzee for running around and acting all crazy when everyone had already been panicked. But he hadn't expected to be afraid of him. Yet a wave of panic had washed over him as he thought of his friend. But it wasn't like Tavros was afraid of Gamzee. So why was he suddenly freaking out?

"H3Y, SORRY 4BOUT TH4T T4VROS, 1 KNOW TH4T G4MZ33 1S 4 TOUCHY SUBJ3CT FOR YOU... 1 SHOULDN'T H4VE BROUGHT H1M UP." Terezi muttered apologetically. Tavros immediately felt bad, though he hadn't really done anything wrong.

"nO, i KNOW THAT IT'S, a TOUGH SUBJECT FOR YOU, aS WELL, bUT, i WANTED TO KNOW, i GUESS." His eyes met Terezi's and they both nodded, almost smiling at their newfound understanding for one another. In a way, she was the only troll Tavros could talk to about Gamzee, because she was the only one who felt as strongly about Gamzee as he did. Well, maybe a little stronger. After all, there was no quadrant for being scared out of your wits for one of your former best friends. "dO, uM, yOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT?" Tavros asked, doubting their was any comfort he could offer her, but still wanting to try.

"Y3S... NO... M4YBE." Terezi growled. "1 DON'T KNOW! UGH, 1 JUST H4T3 H1M SO MUCH. 4ND K4RK4T K33PS TRY1NG TO H3LP M3 ST4Y 4W4Y FROM H1M, BUT 1 KNOW TH4T HE DOS3N'T R34LLY W4NT TO. 1 M34N, 1T MUST B3 R34LLY H4RD FOR H1M, S1CE TH3Y US3D TO B3 P4L3 FOR 3ACH OTH3R AND 4LL. 4ND 1 DON'T W4NT TO HURT K4RK4T OR M4K3 4LL OF TH3 TROUBLE HE'S GON3 TO 4 W4ST3, BUT SOM3T1M3S 1 TH1NK, W3 H4V3 QU4DR4NTS FOR 4 R34SON, R1GHT? TH3 H4T3 1 F33L FOR H1M, 4ND TH3 1NT3NS1TY OF 1T, 1S ONLY N4TUR4L."

Tavros bit his lip, mentally stumbling for words. He had never been good at giving advice. But he did have experience with kismesisship.

"wELL, i SORT OF, cAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT, i MEAN, yES, kISMESISSHIP IS A NATURAL THING FOR US, aND I DO THINK THAT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS BLACK FEELINGS FOR SOMEONE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT, bUT, sPEAKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I CAN DEF1N1TELY SAY, tHAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO TAKE IT TOO FAR, aND THAT'S A VERY FINE LINE TO WALK. bUT IF YOU STOP BEING CONFRONTATIONAL OR AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS HIM, iT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE WOULD BACK OFF AS WELL, i MEAN, tHAT'S SORT OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH ME AND vRISKA,"

Terezi smiled. "Y34H I GU3SS TH4T M4K3S S3NS3, TH4NKS T4V!" Tavros nodded, happy to be of some help for once. He hadn't talked to Terezi much since their session started, but before that they had been pretty good friends. It was nice to get to hang out with her again.

Tavros and Terezi moved on to other, more cheerful topics and spent the day together, the teal blood often showing of tricks she had learned form Latula, Tavros making up ridiculous raps about their exploits. Tavros was a lot happier than he had been in a long time, and Terezi seemed to be enjoying herself as well.

"D4MN IT, NOT TH1S 4SSHOL3." Terezi muttered, pulling Tavros out of his reprieve. The troll boy looked up and to his horror, the face that had been in his nightmares for a whole sweep had appeared before him.

Gamzee walked right up to the pair, blatantly ignoring Terezi. "HEY THERE MOTHER FUCKER. how you been doing, Tavbro?"

"i, uH, i'VE BEEN, fINE, i GUESS. h-HOW, hAVE YOU BEEN DOING GAMZEE?" Tavros' heart was hammering against his chest. But why was he so nervous?

"oh, you know. I'VE BEEN DOING ALL MOTHERFUCKING RIGHT. whatcha up to?

'nOT MUCH, uH-" Tavros muttered, painfully aware that Terezi was glaring daggers at Gamzee and Gamzee was intentionally avoiding her gaze. He knew he'd better get Terezi out of here before things escalated. He would have to wait to talk to Gamzee. "aCTUALLY, tEREZI AND I HAVE TO GO," He said, grabbing Terezi's arm and taking a step back, dragging her with him.

Gamzee said nothing, just continued to glare Terezi, but after a moment they broke eye contact and Terezi turned, heading with Tavros in the direction of her hive.

Tavros hurried Terezi back to her hive, his heartrate still accelerated from the confrontation. He kept stealing glances at the female troll, but knew not to say anything until she had calmed down.

Tavros at Terezi spent the evening at Terezi's hive, chatting with her about whatever and amusing her with more silly raps. Gamzee wasn't mentioned again, and eventually Tavros drifted off to sleep, feeling happy and safe, the earlier incident feeling more like a distant dream than reality. For the first time in a long time, he was truly happy.