Chapter One
Tavros yelped as he was shoved against the back of the elevator, and then reached out and pulled Gamzee against him, lips connecting hungrily as tongues battled for dominance.
Growling, Gamzee's hands tugged and pulled at Tavros' shirt, invading with a bit of skillful maneuvering due to the lack of space between their bodies. Thin fingers slid up caramel sides and around to his lower back, trying to pull him closer.
Ding!
Rufio looked up at the sound of the elevator, smiling as he watched his little brother walk calmly out from the doors, leaving behind a relaxed looking Gamzee, "Hey Tavros, did you have fun with your friend?"
"Yeah." Tavros smiled and they left, but not before he turned and shot his secret lover a predatory gaze right as the doors slid shut.
The affair had been going on for almost a year.
It hadn't exactly been planned or anything. Gamzee and Tavros had been the best of friends since they were toddlers and had done everything together, despite their vast differences on the social hierarchy scale. Gamzee was part of the Makara family, all the way at the top of the pyramid. The Makara's were very wealthy and had more than a foot in the baked goods business. One wouldn't assume pastries would make you a billionaire, but hey—everyone loves a good pie. Tavros, on the other hand, was right smack down at the bottom. His family, the Nitrams, weren't known for anything. His mother worked at a diner and his father had a steady, respectable job as a low ranking business man of sorts.
They met through day care.
It had been an accident; the Makara's had signed toddler-Gamzee up for a more 'well known' type of day care but sadly there had been a mix up and Gamzee had ended up with the lower class children. The Makara's, though irritated, decided to leave it alone since Gamzee seemed fine there and it was only for a little while.
While there, toddler-Gamzee was instantly shunned by the other kids. Children, as many will tell you, are extremely cruel. When they see something or someone different, they instantly isolate it from their 'normal' group. It's not really their fault though—just think of how children are raised. When they are in pre-school, a popular assignment is for a teacher to hold up a bunch of pictures and ask, 'which one is different than the others?'
So Gamzee, being from a wealthy home and never had to do without, was instantly selected as 'different.'
He played alone, ate alone, and took naps alone. That is, until one of the other kids finally approached him.
He was smaller than the other children, with big brown eyes and slightly longer hair than most boys. He picked up his favorite stuffed animal, a white bull, and walked over to Gamzee who was playing with a stuffed white goat.
Gamzee looked up and stared at him, wondering if this kid was going to try and get his goat. Nobody touched his goat. That was one thing all the other children learned rather quickly.
But instead, the little boy grinned broadly, showing a missing front tooth, and held out his stuffed animal, "Wanna play?"
Looking affronted, Gamzee only stared at him in shock. His flabbergasted expression matched the rest of the children's stunned looks. "Uh, why?"
"Why not?" The boy asked, tilting his head to the side.
"'cause I'm weird." Gamzee mumbled, turning back to his goat and slouching miserably, "Nobody will play with me 'cause I'm different."
The little boy thought about this for a moment and then said rather pointedly, "But you look like me! You're a people, right? I'm a people too! And look, we both like white animals!"
Gamzee watched warily as the little boy sat next to him.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Gamzee."
"I'm Tavros!"
"Tav…" Gamzee smiled suddenly, all teeth, and Tavros giggled at how ludicrous such a large smile was on such a small kid.
They played all day, and when the Makara's driver came to pick Gamzee up, the little Makara would talk of nothing but his new friend all the way home.
Time passed, and Gamzee and Tavros ended up going to the same elementary school. They grew even closer, and soon Tavros began to invite him over for play dates. The Makara's weren't thrilled by this, though at first they weren't aware. They didn't exactly pay attention to their only son—they had live-in nannies for that. But whenever they would see their child, Gamzee would only talk excitedly about his commoner friend.
It wasn't approved of, and for middle school Gamzee was sent overseas to learn how to be a proper Makara in some private institution where his father went as a boy. He loathed it and was kicked out after a month.
The Makara's tried a few other things, but once it became clear Gamzee was dead set on having his commoner friend, they decided it was alright so long as Gamzee knew what his little friend was; below them. They reminded him at every possible chance, but since they rarely ever saw their son, it rolled off the care-free boy like water over a stone.
In high school the two of them took art class together and would make up excuses to spend the night at each other's houses (almost always Tavros') because they had an 'art project' due or something.
One night, as they were curled up against each other in Tavros' too small bed, Gamzee finally got the nerve up to kiss him. It had resulted in turning Tavros into a blushing mess, but Gamzee told his friend (as he turned the color of a tomato) that he'd liked him for a while and wanted to be with him. To his undying relief, Tavros admitted the same.
Over the years their relationship had developed, but it was hard. Naturally, if the Makara's found out about their son's little 'fraternization' with the lower class teen, there would be some severe punishment done. Even Tavros' family wouldn't approve of him dating someone like Gamzee Makara. Mingling between classes just wasn't done.
So, naturally, Gamzee loved it.
Anything that would defy his parents, even in secret, was the best damn thing in the world to him. He even went so far as to begin to smoke pot, although he quit soon after when Tavros found out and screamed at him for an hour straight. That had been…fucking scary. After that Gamzee curbed the illegal side of things, but his affair with Tavros satisfied it all.
Whenever Tavros came over to hang, they'd chill out and watch movies and sometimes (never) do homework. Then the other stuff worked its way in there. Though they almost never stayed at Gamzee's house, Tavros had found out rather quickly how 'frisky' his lover could be when they did.
So the two of them, each on the opposite ends of the social latter, went from best friends to lovers.
"Hey motherfucker, watcha doing?"
Tavros grinned and adjusted the phone on his shoulder, "Trying to make dinner and talk to you at the same time."
"What's for dinner?"
"Small children," Tavros said innocently, a smile tugging on his lips, "why? Are you gonna come over and have dinner with us?" His voice rose slightly with hope. He loved it when Gamzee dropped by for dinner. His family even liked him. But there was always that invisible line…
"Nah I can't make it this time bro. Dad's coming in from a business trip we gotta put on the happy family routine."
The bitterness in Gamzee's voice was poorly masked, and Tavros sighed softly, "Okay, try not to aggravate him any more than you need to this time."
"Sure thing bro."
Tavros smiled softly and glanced around the kitchen to make sure he was alone before whispering, "I love you."
There was a surprised silence on the other end; they usually never said it aloud when other people could hear. Then came the, "Right back atcha bro, more than you could ever motherfucking imagine."
They hung up and Tavros went back to making dinner.
"Young master, dinner is ready. Your parents request your presence in the dining room." The head of the staff said, head bowed in proper respect to the heir of the Makara family.
"Hold the fuck up, I can't get this god damn tie on." Gamzee grumbled, fidgeting with the irritating piece of purple silk.
"Do you require assistance, young master?"
Gamzee sighed, dropping his hands in defeat, "That'd be motherfucking fantastic…"
The Head of Staff, who also served as the butler and was the most trusted of all the Makara's servants, walked behind Gamzee and undid the knotted mess around his neck. With a few graceful twists and turns he had the tie looking pristine against the darker purple collared shirt.
"Thanks bro." Gamzee said, grinning at the reflection of the man in the mirror.
The Head of Staff suddenly looked very flustered and stepped back, "Dinner, young master?" He bowed and held open the door, waiting patiently for Gamzee to head down to the dining room. He'd stand there all night if he had too…
With a stifled sigh Gamzee walked past him and down the grand staircase, resisting the urge to kick the banister and scuff up his newly polished shoes. He felt confined in his form fitting suit that had been flown in, handmade, from Italy for his last birthday. The sharp click on his shoes on the floor made him twitchy, but he kept up his 'perfect son' charade easily. It was a game, almost a dance, when it came to behaving the way his parents wanted him to.
The double oak doors opened before him into the dining room, and the music inside Gamzee's head struck up a tune for his dance.
After the proper greetings were exchanged, Gamzee sat directly in the middle of the table meant for twelve, his parents on each end. The dinner was enough for the amount the table sat, and Gamzee glanced at his see-though china plate with a dread. He always felt like he'd break the fucking things every time he touched them.
"So, son, how are your studies?"
Step one of the Makara Waltz, "Fine, father, I got the highest score in my last math exam." Thanks to those study sessions with Tavros, of course…and the heated make out that followed every time Gamzee got a question right on the take home study packet. It had worked wonders…and made taking the test a little uncomfortable with the memory.
"I heard the Ampora's are holding a ball, you know their son, right?" His mother asked, "Handsome young man, engaged to the heiress of the Peixes family."
Betrothed from birth, actually, Gamzee mentally corrected. Aloud he responded, "Eridan, yes I have a class with him."
"Wonderful, it's so good to hear you're socializing with someone of equal status." His mother said simply, and Gamzee felt his fist tighten around the silver fork in his hand.
"Speaking of which, are you still keeping company with that low class boy?" His father suddenly asked, and Gamzee carefully schooled his features. Time for step two.
"Yes, we study together most nights. That was how I got the highest grade." Gamzee's tone was even and polite, strongly resisting the urge to mention what else they get up to most nights.
"Mmm…" His mother said passively, taking a sip from her wine, "Well I shall enjoy going to the Ampora's ball. We must have them over for tea sometime."
God no.
"Indeed."
Oh god no please no.
"Would you like that?" His mother asked, turning to Gamzee, "To have some time to converse with someone your own…age?"
No no no no no no no no, "Yes, thank you, mother."
And so the waltz passed its first dance without incident.
After dinner Gamzee headed upstairs, waving off the Head of Staff's offer to assist him with the removal of his clothes. I can remove the fucking things just fine, Gamzee thought sourly. Closing the door with a snap, he turned the lock and instantly shed each article of the accursed monkey outfit he'd been forced into. Lastly was the tie and Gamzee paused, looking at himself in the mirror, clad in his boxers and tie. Smirking, he took out his cell phone and snapped a picture, then sent it to Tavros.
At least someone would get something enjoyment out of tonight.
"A ball?"
Gamzee nodded glumly, "And I'll give you one guess who's it is."
Though Tavros wasn't one of the upper class, he'd listened to Gamzee rant about them long enough to know what that expression he was wearing meant, "Ampora."
"Bingo! The sea protégée!" Gamzee sucked in his cheeks, making his thin face look shockingly gaunt, and puckered his lips in a fish impression that made Tavros laugh. "Yeah, fishy and fishy Jr. are holding a ball. Guess what the theme is?"
"Um, underwater tropic?" Tavros tried, earning a grin from his best friend and lover.
"Ha! No, sadly not—that'd be hilarious—it's a masquerade."
"Bless you."
"A masked ball basically. You get all dressed up and then slap a mask on your face so nobody can pin the blame on you when you set the whole place up in flames."
"Or step on your dance partners toes." Tavros added brightly.
Gamzee snickered and lay down across the small love seat in Tavros' room, cuddling up against Tavros' midsection and nuzzling his lover's stomach, "You only did that once."
"You screamed." Tavros reminded him.
"I did not—okay yeah I did. But I was barefoot and you wear wearing those monster shit kicking boots!" Gamzee protested, his voice muffled by his lover's shirt.
"Heh, sorry about that." Tavros chuckled, "So what sort of mask will you wear?"
"I dunno…maybe something freaky. Like a harlequin mask." Gamzee mused, already planning on upsetting his mother and earning a stern look of disapproval from his father.
Tavros grinned and ran his fingers through Gamzee's hair, "Sounds like you."
Looking up, Gamzee winked cheekily at him, "Why? Would you prefer something different, Tav?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"Well…I was all up and thinking about having a nude painting done of you, shrunk the fuck down, and then plastered across a blank mask. I could parade around with that little miracle if you'd prefer?"
"Oh god no." Tavros laughed, his cheeks darkening slightly.
Gamzee chuckled and pushed himself up on his elbows, stealing a kiss from his lover, "I'd motherfucking enjoy watching the painting being done though."
"You'd enjoy any activity as long as I was naked." Tavros muttered, pushing Gamzee down with mock irritation.
"Guilty as a motherfucker!" Gamzee grinned up at him, his eyes softening slightly as he reached up and pushed his fingers through Tavros' Mohawk. "Wanna come with me?"
"To watch a nude painting?" Tavros arched an eyebrow.
"Nah bro, to the ball."
Tavros' eyes widened slightly and then he sighed, catching the hand in his hair with one of his own and bringing it down, "You know I can't do that Gamz…"
"Why not?" Gamzee insisted, "It's a masked ball! Nobody would know. I could say you're the second cousin twice removed from the Peixes family and nobody would know any different!"
"Peix—Gamzee come on," Tavros scoffed at the mention of the royal family, "that's a completely absurd idea, even for you."
"I could teach you," Gamzee mumbled, "I could show you how to act, and it'd only be for a night."
"And what? You'd dance with me the entire night? Don't you think people would find that odd?"
"…men dancing together is acceptable…"
"The same two men? Over and over?" Tavros looked incredulously at his lover.
"I…I just want you to be there." Gamzee said quietly, looking away. He always felt so incredibly alone in the massive, Makara mansion, but the feeling grew ten times worse when they went to other families' balls and other formal events. It was incredible how one could feel completely cut off while surrounded by hundreds of people. Gamzee felt Tavros' hands in his hair, petting him softly, and he looked up to see sad brown eyes.
"I know, Gamz."