Chapter Ten

"Well?" Karkat asked, not even waiting for Tavros to shut the front door.

Shutting the door, Tavros just shook his head and retold the past events, omitting the part about himself being unable to lie.

"Well shit. I guess we'll just have to wait until fish face is occupied with something before you try again. I'll go with you too next time, Feferi knows me." Karkat didn't seem too surprised by this turn of events as he moved around, making a tuna sandwich.

Tavros made a face, "You work with fish but you can still eat them?"

"Part of the fucking food chain. This tasty bastard right here is at the part labeled 'dinner'." Karkat held the sandwich up and then took a large bite out of it. "Anyway," he mumbled around the mouthful, "your fish face friend is downstairs."

"Thanks." Tavros smiled and walked down the hall, finding the basement door through trial and error, before proceeding down into the cool room below.

It was a large room set up as a lounge area. A TV was hung on a wall surrounded by comfy looking armchairs and a big couch. The couch had been pulled out to make a bed and the sheets were in disarray as if the person who'd slept there weren't quite sure how to do it. A door at the far end was open, showing part of a full bathtub. But on closer inspection Tavros realized the water held no sign of his friend.

"Hey Tav!"

Tavros turned and smiled at Gamzee, who was hanging out in his wheelchair by the side of the stairs, "Hey, what're you doing in the corner like that?"

"I dunno, feels more comfortable here." Gamzee shrugged and wheeled himself over. He'd been practicing with the chair and by the look of things he hadn't gotten into the tub once. "So how was work?"

Tavros bit his lower lip, "Fine. I wasn't able to talk to Feferi though."

"Ah, that's cool bro. There's always tomorrow."

It may have been just Tavros' imagination, but it seemed like a cloud was lifted from around Gamzee after that. Had he been worried about being taken back? Tavros shook his head and gestured at the bed, "Did you sleep in that?"

"Yep. Weirdest shit ever. Clings to you and makes it hard to move around. Kinda soft and squishy too…" Gamzee eyed the bed like he couldn't make up his mind if he liked it or not.

Tavros felt a grin unfurl across his lips and he leaned down, pressing his lips against Gamzee's cheek, "I missed seeing you at work today."

Gamzee chuckled and pulled him back, kissing him properly, "But you're here now."

"Mhm." Tavros moved to get closer, his lips curling into a more mischievous smile, and then jumped back in shock as Karkat shouted down the stairs.

"Break it up fuckers! I'm coming down!"

Gamzee snickered as Tavros hastily moved back, messing with his shirt and looking ten times guiltier than necessary as Karkat tromped downstairs muttering to himself.

"What's up brother"? Gamzee asked, flicking the tip of his finned tail at Karkat as he came into view.

"I got a call from fish face. Apparently I'm needed at work tomorrow if I'm 'feeling up to it'." Karkat's expression said precisely what he thought of that. "Fucker was kind enough to mention that there was some things I've been putting off that suddenly need to be done."

"It's cool bro, go in and do your job." Gamzee said, only to pause as Karkat made an exasperated noise.

"Is your brain overgrown with allege? Tavros and I will both be stuck at work, and you'll be stuck here. It's not like you can do much of anything by yourself. So, try and use that sodden sponge of a brain and tell me what's going to happen."

Gamzee blinked and glanced at Tavros for help, who just shrugged in confusion.

Karkat stared at them both, "Seriously? God you're both idiots. They'll come when we're not here and take Gamzee." He said slowly and carefully, as though speaking to a couple of five year olds.

"But we're in your home, brother. They can't come here, right?"

"They also can't threaten to fire me if I don't come to work." Karkat said dryly, "I think fish face operates on a different level than most people."

"So what will we do?" Tavros asked, "I can't stay either, that'll just confirm Eridan's suspicions."

Karkat swore and rubbed his eyes, "We're gonna have to move him again…"

"Where? He'll probably check my house too."

"Dammit I wish you'd gotten Fef…" Karkat growled, "I don't have her number…oh! Oh wait I've got an idea. Let's call the Aquarium."

"What?" Tavros frowned, "They won't connect us to Feferi."

"They will if we're another aquarium looking to trade animals." Karkat retorted smartly, smirking, "Feferi deals with that stuff all the time."

Gamzee, feeling a little left out, brought up a rather glaring hole in their plan, "How will you trick them into thinking you're another aquarium? You gotta mention animals and some shit, get your research on so you can all up and be a convincing motherfucker. And don't they know what you motherfuckers sound like?"

"Oh yeah…" Karkat scowled, "Shit."

"Wait, they don't know what all of us sound like." Tavros replied slowly, "They know you, Karkat, but Feferi probably doesn't know me."

"That doesn't matter, Eridan is the one who's gonna pick up the phone." Karkat said shortly.

"I'll do it."

Tavros and Karkat turned to look at Gamzee.

"What? They don't all up and recognize my voice box. You just tell a brother what to say and I'll make the call." Gamzee said simply, shrugging.

"…that might work." Tavros mused slowly.

"Hell no, this fucker doesn't know anything about aquariums!"

"We'll have to teach him." Tavros said, "We don't have much of a choice. We've only got tonight, so we'll have to make the call tomorrow morning. We know everything about the Aquarium, it'll be our information but coming out of a different mouth. Then once we get a hold of Feferi, we tell her what's happening and have her meet us somewhere to take Gamzee to a secure location."

Karkat obviously didn't like it, but there was nothing better they could do. "Fine, what the fuck are we gonna use as our cover?"

"Well…the Lemon shark is gonna have pups soon, we could be another aquarium looking for a couple pups?" Tavros tried, looking at Karkat for his opinion.

"Fine, we've got a reason to call. But what aquarium are we from?" Karkat sat down in one of the chairs and crossed his legs thoughtfully, "We could be from the Mituna Cooperation."

"Me tuna?" Gamzee said blankly.

"Mituna, it's run by one of Feferi's cousins or something I think. You can be a secretary calling on her behalf." Karkat waved his hand, "Okay, now, we're going to have to practice. I'll be the fucker you're calling, Tavros will help you. Ready?"

Gamzee nodded.

"Ring ring motherfucker." Karkat rolled his eyes, "Hello this is the Aquarium, how can I help you?"

Tavros felt inclined to tell Gamzee the real person wouldn't sound so cynical.

"Hey motherfucker, I'm all up and calling about—"

"Stop." Karkat said, "You can't fucking swear. And for fuck's sake try and use some god damn grammar."

"The fuck is that?"

Tavros grinned, "Try saying this; Hello, I'm calling on behalf of the Mituna Cooperation, can I please speak to Feferi Peixes about an animal trade?"

"…say that shit again, but slower." Gamzee said, and listened intently as Tavros repeated himself.

"Let's try again; Hello this is the Aquarium, how can I help you?" Karkat drawled lazily.

"Hey, I'm calling from Mituna, can I speak to Feferi Pixy about an animal trade?"

Tavros raised his hand as Karkat opened his mouth, "Just go with it, keep talking."

Karkat rolled his hands, "What's your name?"

"Gamzee."

"No, you need a fake name. Use something else." Karkat said.

Gamzee blinked, "A different name?" He seemed to drift off, lost in thought, "I…I don't know many other names…" Something tickled the back of his mind, a long forgotten word that might've been a name…but no matter how he tried he couldn't seem to grab it.

"Call yourself something like…oh hell I don't know, Tavros, think of something."

Tavros blinked, "How about Rufio?" He frowned as they both turned to stare at him, "What? You asked for a name!"

"Yeah but…okay whatever, can you remember that?" Karkat turned back to Gamzee.

"Rufio? Sure." Gamzee grinned toothily, "That's a pretty wicked name."

They launched back into the mock phone call, trying those few sentences over and over until they had it down, and then moving on. They went late into the night, running over different scenarios, different questions that might be asked, and a crash course on grammar. It wasn't until two AM did Karkat call it quits.

"That's enough, if this shit is gonna work then we're as ready as we'll ever be. Let's get some sleep." Karkat stood and stretched, his face scrunched up and then smoothing out, "Tavros, you might as well spend the night. Hope you don't mind crashing with the fish."

Gamzee's exhausted expression brightened, "Yeah bro you can all up and share my bed."

Karkat's eyebrow twitched, "You fuckers better not do anything you shouldn't. We've got a big fucking day in a few hours so sleep!"

Tavros felt his cheeks heat up as he hurriedly assured Karkat that nothing was going to happen, and then glared furiously at Gamzee as he started snickering into his hand.

Rolling his eyes, Karkat muttered something and climbed the stairs, shutting the door loudly behind him.

Turning around, Tavros opened his mouth to scold Gamzee only to yelp as the merman grabbed him and yanked him forward, sealing his lips over Tavros'.

Pulling back with a small grin, Gamzee winked at Tavros, "Sorry bro, but I couldn't promise anything to my best bro that I might not keep."

Flushing, Tavros moved back and bit his lower lip, "Gamzee…Karkat was right. We, especially you, need some sleep."

Rolling his eyes, Gamzee smiled at him, "Yeah bro I know, I just all up and wanted to kiss you." Chuckling, he wheeled himself over to the bed and situated himself next to it.

"Need a hand?" Tavros offered, starting forward only to pause as Gamzee's hands gripped the arm rests and the muscles on his back and shoulders rippled as he heaved himself up and onto the bed. With a small grunt, he sat up and flipped his tail onto the bed, then grinned at Tavros.

"Nah bro, I got it."

That maneuver brought back a few memories, making a small smile appear over Tavros' features. He walked over and kicked off his shoes and, after a pause, removed his shirt as well. He slid into bed and watched as Gamzee tried to situate himself with the unfamiliar sleeping materials. Finally he was settled, and Tavros reached over, sliding his arms around Gamzee and nestling down next to him.

"Hey, Tav?"

"Yeah Gamz?"

"I…do you think I'm ready for tomorrow?"

The uncertainty in Gamzee's voice made Tavros raise his head to look at him, "I think you can do it." He said firmly, "You know what to say, we went over it, and Karkat and I will be right there with you the entire time. We won't let anything happen to you, Gamzee. I promise."

A small smile lifted up the corners of Gamzee's lips, "I know you won't, Tav. I trust you."

Tavros felt his heart twist at the words, his eyes moving to the three scars crossing Gamzee's face. It made him feel nauseous to think someone had done that to Gamzee when he was younger. He didn't know the story, but those scars said enough. Leaning over the merman, Tavros pressed his lips softly against Gamzee's.

The tenderness of the gesture made Gamzee smile against his lips, running his hands up Tavros' arms and around his back, pulling him closer. He slid his hands to Tavros' lower back and then up again, just feeling the smoothness of his soft skin.

He loved the feeling of Gamzee's hands on his skin. They felt dry and gentle, exploring his body with the same care and fascination that Tavros himself did for his sharks. He pressed closer, their chests brushing as he tried to get closer. Tavros made a soft sound as he felt Gamzee's lip part, his tongue flicking out curiously, tracing the seam of his lips.

Deepening the kiss, Gamzee moaned quietly as he felt Tavros shift on top of him, trapping him beneath his body. The heat that radiated off his skin onto Gamzee's cooler body was delicious, and the merman couldn't get enough.

Tavros' hands roamed down Gamzee's chest, fingers dripping into the familiar curves of his body, pausing as the skin faded into scales. He rested his hands at Gamzee's waist, rubbing small circles with his thumbs, the kiss becoming more passionate as Gamzee continued making those little needy sounds.

"Mnh, Tav…" Gamzee let his head roll back as Tavros kissed down this neck, running this tongue over the collarbone. He shivered as he felt Tavros' lips and tongue move down his body, tracing the white lines over his torso until they faded and disappeared at his sternum.

It was different somehow, having Gamzee on a bed instead of in the water. It felt more…real, somehow. Like those times in the pool were something out of a fairy tale, while this felt was solid, like running your fingers over reality. But it was starting to get out of hand when Gamzee's tail moved up, rubbing between his legs accidentally and making him gasp.

Gamzee, hearing the sound, mimicked the action with his tail again, his eyes darkened as Tavros let out a low moan. "Tav…"

"G-Gamzee, stop…" Tavros panted, "We can't…I mean it's…" He didn't know how to say it, how to try and explain how badly he wanted him but at the same time how they shouldn't. He didn't even know why anymore, but that look Gamzee was giving him made delicious chills run over his body.

"Tavros." Gamzee said softly, his golden eyes dark. His hands moved up and down Tavros' arms, nails gently scratching and making Tavros shiver, "It's okay..." He bit his lower lip and then ran his hands down to where Tavros' was, "I want you to…I…" he stopped, his sentence trailing off.

"Gamz…" Tavros pressed his lips against Gamzee's, loving how they molded together, before moving back and sighing softly, "I don't know how it's going to work…"

Gamzee's eyes flickered and he sat up, moving back so he was resting against the couch. He watched as Tavros straddled his lower tail and then moved his hands to the center of his tail, around upper thigh level, "It's…I'm sure it's different but…"

The worry was back in his voice, and Tavros felt a pang go through his chest. He moved up and kissed Gamzee sweetly, running his hands through that wild, thick curly hair until he felt the merman relax again. Pulling back, Tavros gently moved his hands back to that spot and felt the scales there. They were different, he realized, softer and more pliable. There was a slight dip, almost like there was a groove in the muscle. He continued running his fingers over it, not at all sure what he was doing, until he felt the scales ripple under his touch.

Gamzee watched, completely still, as Tavros stroked and touched the sensitive scales until they finally dipped in and parted, revealing his bulge. He didn't know much about human anatomy, but Gamzee was certain that this was extremely weird for Tavros.

It was a tentacle. Tavros blinked in surprise, watching as the slick, purple tentacle pushed out from between the lavender scales, twisting around. Hesitantly, he reached for it, letting his finger tips brush over it gently. It felt slick too, like there was a layer of lube over it. Tavros' fingers pulled away, and he saw a light purple liquid on his finger tips. The tentacle reacted at the touch, moving almost independently towards Tavros. This time, Tavros met it half way and let it touch his hand. It immediately wrapped around his hand and wrist, sliding along it and pulsing with a warm wetness.

A shudder went through Gamzee's body as Tavros tenderly explored his bulge, those soft, hesitant touches making him want to moan for more. But he didn't want to scare Tavros off, so he bit down on his lower lip and let him take his agonizing time.

Tavros gently squeezed it, trying to get a feel for its reactions. It pulsed and squirmed, curling itself tighter around his wrist. He slowly stroked it, the genetic material acting like lube as he let it push between his fingers and slide up his inner arm. It wasn't until he heard a low, keening moan that Tavros realized what he was going. He snapped his head up, an apology hovering at his lips, only for it to die as he caught sight of Gamzee.

The merman's head was thrown back, his cheeks flushed and lips parted, panting heavily. Gamzee's hands were clenched in the sheets and he was practically trembling as his bulge slowly shoved its way between a few fingers.

A flash of longing surged through Tavros, and he tightened his grip on the tentacle, making the hole in his fist smaller for it to squirm through.

A low moan tore from Gamzee's mouth, followed by a breathy, "Motherfuck…" His eyes, dark and full of lust, met with Tavros', "Tav, shit bro you make me feel all kinds of good…" His fingers uncurled from the sheets and gripped Tavros' wrist, "Let me all up and touch you too, Tavros…"

Tavros felt a shiver run up his spine, his hand stilling but the bulge still squirming in his grasp. He felt Gamzee's hands move down, settling on his pants and slowly opening them. He released Gamzee and helped take them off, pausing with his hands on his boxers. "I…I look different than you…"

"I know Tav." Gamzee smiled up at him and ran his hands over Tavros' arms comfortingly, "It's okay." He watched as Tavros let out a small breath before finally taking them off. His eyes fell on Tavros' human bulge, surprised by how it looked. Reaching forward, Gamzee hesitated and glanced up, "Can I…?"

Tavros nodded silently, and then sucked in a sharp breath as Gamzee's hand wrapped around him.

Gamzee was extremely careful of his claws, using the pads of his fingers to run over the soft, silky member. He wrapped his fingers around it and used his palm to run over the bulge, watching Tavros for a reaction. He certainly got it when Tavros moaned and shifted his hips up into his hand, trying to get more friction. Gamzee spread his fingers over the length of the shaft, using the webbing between his fingers to give Tavros more of what he wanted.

"Hnnng, Ga-Gamzee…!" Tavros tried to bite back his sounds but the way that dry, smooth hand worked him over until the sounds spilled forth on their own. He couldn't help but rock his hips forwards, only to whine softly as Gamzee's hand pulled away.

"Tav, come here." Gamzee murmured, gripping his hips and pulling him onto his lap, letting Tavros' legs wrap around his waist. His bulge immediately found Tavros', twining around it and making them both groan, "Ahh shit, Tavros…"

"Gamzee." Tavros gasped, then moaned and rolled his hips forwards, his lips seeking out Gamzee's as he heard that tantalizing keening moan again.

Gamzee clung to Tavros desperately, moaning into his mouth as his bulge twisted around Tavros' member, sliding along it and smearing genetic material over the shaft. "T-Tavros…it feels…you feel amazing."

A low moan tore from Tavros' lips, hips moving rhythmically against Gamzee as his release tightened with every twist of the tentacle, "I can't…mnggh Gamzee….!" He felt Gamzee's hands wrap around him, pressing him closer as it's movements became more rough and hurried, making Tavros have to fight to keep his moans down.

"Tavros!" Gamzee called out, his bulge contracting once before he released his genetic material over them both, moaning as he felt Tavros' fingers tangle in his hair, lips hot against his neck to muffle the sound of his own name being called in response.

Tavros made a small sound as the tentacle withdrew from his spent member, disappearing back behind the scales once more and leaving them in a sticky mess. But he made no attempt to move, just rested his head on Gamzee's shoulder as the merman ran his hands over his body, making a soft rumbling sound deep in his chest that made Tavros smile.

Finally, they drew apart, faces flushed and eyes dark as they looked over one another, memorizing every little detail. Gamzee's eyes were half lidded, the gleaming gold slits basking in deep satisfaction as he rubbed Tavros' back softly. "Tav?"

"Yeah, Gamzee?" Tavros murmured, making a small noise as he moved off of Gamzee's tail and nestled beside him, pulling the merman down into his arms.

Gamzee instantly pressed against him, skillfully maneuvering the soiled sheet off the bed, snagging a blanket as a replacement before turning back to Tavros, looking uncharacteristically nervous, "Would…would you be my matesprit?"

"Matesprit?" Tavros frowned at the unfamiliar word, "What is that?"

Gamzee looked up from resting his head on Tavros' chest, "Humans don't have that? It's like a…well fuck I don't know how to all up and explain it." He frowned, glancing away and staring off, obviously remembering something from a while ago. Finally he said, "It's like when two bros want to be together and do that kind of stuff we do. Mates, I guess." He added, looking a little sheepish.

"Oh, you mean boyfriends." Tavros said, feeling his heart flutter worryingly at the term, "Matesprit…yeah I'd like to be your Matesprit." The smile that broke across Gamzee's face made Tavros blush, unused to the feeling of being able to make someone look that happy.

"Aw fuck Tav, really?" Gamzee kissed him before Tavros could answer, already knowing what he'd say. When he broke away Gamzee was making the soft rumbling noise again, looking like the time when Tavros had taken him outside for the first time. It was nothing short from pure elation.