I slumped against the tiled wall of the shower room. I rubbed my eyes and slid down, the warm water running over me, warming me up. It had been about three days or so since I started teaching Gamzee how to write, and he has pretty much learned the whole of it.

He must be a genius or something, because his rate of learning is off the walls. In the few days of learning, he can now write his and my names, as well as a verity of words. We have been taking it slow with the reading, but he can read several words.

It was pretty crazy how he could learn that fast, and I wasn't even that good of a teacher! I was pretty impressed with him. But, how did he not know how to read? Well, obviously no one taught him. But why?

I ran my fingers through my hair and stretched my legs out. Why was Gamzee here? I shook my head, feeling like I was thinking into stuff way too deep. 'Why was he here'?

C'mon, just because he can't read doesn't mean that he's being neglected, right? Well, not teaching your child to read must be some form on educational neglect, but still. He was being fed. He never complained about anything before. But then again, he never spoke of what he did when he left the room.

Should... Should I go and ask him about it? I don't know... Maybe I should let it go for now...

I shifted to stand up, but noticed something down towards my feet. I furrowed my eyebrows, then grabbed my right foot and lifted it into my lap. I turned my head to look at the bottom of my foot.

My eyes widened in shock. All along the bottom of my foot where straight white scars, overlapping and slightly bumpy. I ran my fingers over the bottom of my foot, tickling slightly but still feeling the raised skin of the scars.

This was certainly odd. But I suppose it must've happened when we where attack that one time when Gamzee tried to help me in the forest. I let go of my foot and picked up the other one, inspecting it the same way.

There were scars on my left foot as well. This was very strange, but I just brushed it off as something that had happened in the past that I couldn't remember.

I stood up and washed up, lathering my hair in sweet smelling shampoo. I rinsed off and shut the water off, then grabbed my hair and wringing the water out. As I walked to the entrance to the shower room, I shook water off of my legs, like a dog. A tad silly, but I couldn't help it. I guess it was a old habit that I used to have in the past.

I walked into the locker-room area in the bathroom and picked up a towel that was sitting on a bench. I was a little grossed out by it, as it was heavily stained with something red, but was extremely faded from the multiple washings it has gone through. I wrapped it around my head and let it wring out the left-over water that still stuck to my hair.

After a bit, I unwrapped my hair and proceeded to dry the rest of myself off. Always the same pattern. Arms, then chest, then torso, legs, feet, back then, er, 'other' parts.

I tossed the towel into the dirty clothes hamper then put on the cloths that I had been wearing for the past three days. I thought it kinda funny to put on new clothes every single day, since I wasn't doing anything to get dirty so... I just sorta wore the same thing over and over again... I'd change out tomorrow, though.

I began walking around the large room, shutting off all the lights. Why did this room have electricity and Gamzee's room didn't have any? Oh, well. After most of the lights were off, I opened the door and stepped out of the room, turning off the last light and shutting the door behind me.

Gamzee laid on the couch in front of the fire, lazily reading Rumpelstiltskin with his left foot dangling off the couch, swinging back and forth slowly. I walked closer to him and folded my arms and rested them atop the back out the couch, leaning forward. I heard his gently whispering, and I closed my eyes and listened.

His voice is usually so deep and gruff, but like this... It's soft and gentle, and somewhat soothing. I opened my eyes and looked down at the top of his head, and I could kinda see his white nose from under his thick curls. My eyes traveled downward. To his wide shoulders, then to his big hands, which held the book delicately as he whispered.

I then examined him as a whole. Tall, wide shoulders, big hands, defiantly big feet. It seemed that everything about him is big. I shook my head to remove that previous thought from my head. He's my friend, I shouldn't be thinking of him like that. And besides, I'm not gay, so... Ugh...

I buried my face in my arms, as thoughts swam through my head. It was because Gamzee's the only one I've had contact with for who knows how long! And that's why... Stop. No. Don't even go there, man. Ew. Just ew.

Maybe it was hormones, that's it. Stupid hormones. I made a grumbling sound, and Gamzee stopping reading. He turned his head upwards to look at me. I glanced from over my folded arms and met his gaze, which I quickly broke by turning me head. I turned my eyes back to him, and I saw him grin that lopsided grin of his.

"Hey, shower good?" He asked me casually. "Uh, yeah..." I responded awkwardly. God, this was weird. He shifted himself, and he now sat upright, with his head resting on the back of the couch, still looking up at me with his purple eyes. I closed my eyes and sighed as I walked around the couch and plopped down on the couch.

"Hey, Tavbro, what's all up with you?" He asked me, leaning closer. I scooted away from him until my arm hit the end of the couch. He scooted a bit closer, and I rolled my eyes. "Nothing's wrong, okay? I just, uh..." I browsed through my thoughts for an excuse, because there was no way I would ever tell him that I was thinking that he was attractive. Okay, well, he is, just not in that way.

"I found some stuff on the bottoms of my feet!" I told him, and his eyes glanced down at my feet. "It's a little weird, but it's nothing to be concerned about!" I told him to reassure him. He looked back to me and smiled a bit. "Is that what's worrying you?" He asked. I figited a little. "Not really. Just thought it was weird..." I told him. I would do anything to get out of this situation right now.

I leaned forward to him a bit and looked at the book he was holding, and pretended to be surprised. "Oh, you're reading Rumpelstiltskin?" I asked him, and he glanced down and the book, then flopping it over to read the cover. "Oh, is that how you motherfucking pronounce it?" He asked me, and I was just a tad surprised at his use of a cuss word. It was alright, I just never head him cuss is all. From just the sound of it, I knew I would hate to be on the receiving end of any abuse from him.

"Yeah. Do you like the story?" I asked him. He shrugged in response and leaned back. I tried again. "Um, how come you always whisper to yourself when you read?" I asked him. He set the book down next down to our empty plates on the coffee table. He pulled one of his legs up and rested his chin on his knee.

"There was... A girl..." He started out. Did he have a girlfriend or something? "It was a long, long time ago. I remember she was always crying. But she'd read to me sometimes." He said, looking out into the fire that rose above the burning wood and gave off a good smell. "What happened to her?" I asked him. He shrugged. "Dunno. All up and motherfucking disappeared one day. Then it was just me and my older brother." He said, then he stretched, his legs dangling far out in front of him, and his arms hanging behind the couch. I stared at him in shock. He had a brother?

"Um..." I hesitated for a moment, not knowing if I should push the subject or not. I decided to not press further, since it was really none of my business. But this was going on to long, the silence was starting to get awkward. And so, not being able to control myself, I leaned forward and...

Stuck my finger in his bellybutton, shouting "Bellybutton!" as I did. Silence. Gamzee stared at me in amazement and horror. I stared back, completely embarrassed of my actions. Then we both busted out laughing. I doubled forward from laughing (taking my finger out of his belly button, or course) and Gamzee clutched his stomach as he laughed. It was a great feeling, and being able to hear him laugh made me smile.

After we had a good laugh, we calmed down and were able to talk normally. We chatted about stories and the books he had, and I praised him on how quickly he was learning. After I told him that, he was very eager to start some more learning, and we got to work. I had him read a thin book, Mulan, out loud to me. He read it correctly, although he hesitated before every word, possibly nervous that he would get something incorrect.

Afterwards, I had him write some more, and taught him some more words. He was a good learner, but teaching him enough words to spell to be able to write a letter to someone or something would obviously take a long time. But, if he continued reading, I think he'd be able to spell with ease. After I taught him five new words, he looked up from his paper. He put his pencil down and stood up stretching. I looked up at him, wondering what he was doing. Did he have to go to the bathroom?

Then it clicked. It was time to go to bed. I stood up with him and scooted out of the little opening between the couch and coffee table. I stretched and yawned, sleepy for some reason. I hadn't been doing anything all day long. I walked around the bed and crawled in on my side (we had already brushed our teeth when we were in the bathroom).

Gamzee went around the room blowing out the candles, leaving the one on his bed side stand the last one lit. He slid into the bed on his side and put out the last candle, with matches resting beside the candle. I laid on my side facing the wall, slowly feeling the sheet warm up to allow me to stretch out my legs. Soon, I felt the bed shift and felt long, muscly arms wrap around me.

My eyes flashed open in shock, and I felt extremely uncomfortable. I attempted to wiggle away from him, but he held me tight. "Uh, Gamzee?" I started out quietly. "Hmm?" Was his response. "You know there's, uh, more room on the bed so, um..." I trailed off, not sure what to say to continue my sentence. Gamzee snuggled closer to me.

"Can't sleep without holding onto a motherfucker." He said to me, his mouth right next to my ear, and I swallowed thickly. This was making me uncomfortable, but I couldn't move from his hold. So I stayed still. Time passed, and I was sure it had been hours since we went to bed, but I was still wide awake with Gamzee snoring lightly next me, finally flopping over so where I had my own space on the bed again.

I still didn't move, scared that I might wake him up. But why was he being so clingy all of a sudden? I closed my tired eyes and sighed. Maybe he isn't on good terms with his parents, or he doesn't have any friends. Or maybe... I felt my face go red. No, no way! There was no way he had a.. A crush on me... But did I have one on him...? Ugh, now was not the time or the place! But there was no doubt that he was attractive, hot even. But I was not gay. No way!

God dammit, why am I even thinking about this! I've only known him for what, a week? A little more than a week? And I'm thinking about crushes? Hah, right. I decided that I should just ignore it and ask him not to snuggle with me the next night. I rolled over and looked at Gamzee. He was laying on his back, with his right hand flopped over towards me, and his left hand draped over his bare chest. I wiggled down and sneaked my left hand out, and placed it in his large right hand.

His hand was way bigger than mine, and was much more rougher than mine as well. The warmness and closeness soothed me and started to make me sleepy. As my eyes fell, I thought that, even though I don't know why, I clearly have some sort attraction to him. I figure it's hormones, and that's why I'm... Craving his attention or something...

But I decided to not push this, and leave it as it is. It means nothing. His affection towards me is just because he is trying to help me and protect me. I sighed and pulled my hand back under the covers, along with the rest of my body.

My eye lids finally gave in, and I fell asleep. Wrapped in warm sheets, and the comfort that Gamzee was with me, I slept, dreaming about something horrible.


Wow, sorry it took so long to update! It's just that I've been busy with school and such. And usually when I get home, I wanna play Harvest Moon, or Sims, or read fanfics, or watch anime or SOMETHING besides work on this, just because I'm tired mentally.

Also, I feel like the ending to this chapter is really... Weird. Like, this is the direction I want it to go in, I just don't want it to go... bad... But I feel like it's also justified that Gamzee feels like it's been long enough and has gained Tavros's trust enough to pursue physical contact with him.

Due to the... Environment he grew up in, he never had much physical contact, and now that Tavros is here, he can finally have that physical contact he always wanted! :D

But I dunno if I should have made Tavros's reaction is what it is... But I do enjoy the idea of Tavros being gay, but not remembering it. LOL, that'd make an awesome show. Like, "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant", make a show for idiots, "I Forgot I Was Pregnant" or "I Forgot I Was Gay".

eel em oh freakin' AY!