Relearning to Breath chapter 21
Book 2
Empress
000
Hope was glad that for now she didn't need as much of the drugs. There had been a few complications with her coming to the Hive. One being that the trolls had to bring a doctor to the hive itself to check on her injuries and remove the pins. Now she was much more comfortable, no metal obstruction on her arm and able to scratch at the inches left from the punctures. She wore a sling now as well. She had to keep her arm still or risk damage to the healing appendage, but it was still better than rolling over onto that series of bits of metal shoved into her flesh.
With the pins gone, so to was some of the pain and for the first time in long weeks, she was mostly clear.
At the same time she wondered if she was still doped. Gamzee and Karkat were still there, the grub was now a cocoon above her head. The Empress was expected to come out of her shell any day now. Sirius was being his usual enigmatic self, meaning he hinted at a lot of shit but didn't tell her a thing. But things had changed while she was out of it and she wasn't sure what to think about it. Well, there was a couple Christmas gifts for her waiting for her to recover enough to open them. One being her laptop, completely refurbished, and upgraded. She immediately set about getting all her files off of Karkat's computer and putting them in her new one, which was running like a dream.
Someone even managed to find and replace her stickers on the casing.
Another gift had been from Gamzee, and the moment she looked into the store wrapped package she'd gone beat red and refused to show anyone what was in it. She glared at Gamzee most the evening until Karkat tired of the smirking clown and glaring girl had grabbed the box before Hope could stop him. He'd looked into it. Gone about as colorful as Hope had the first time she looked. Shut the box, and promptly tried to beat Gamzee to death with it.
If Hope had been feeling better she would have helped him. Gamzee for his part had only laughed his ass off at the pair of them.
OK, the bucket in the box didn't have the same meaning to humans as to trolls, but the 'supplies' in the bucket were very very clear on intent.
He at least made up with the other gift. A box of DVDs, replacing a good portion of her animation collection. He must have been buying them up practically since the attack on her apartment.
Karkat ended up with just giving her a gift card and a few new toys for the grub, some things that would be better for a pupa rather than a grub.
Other things she noticed aside from the fan club that Jade had seemed to acquired for herself. Hope noticed she herself seemed to have acquired a few fans as well. One being a female troll whom she found out lost her own Lusus to the Orphaner, and a few other Lusii who seemed to think she was something having actually survived an encounter with the guy.
Frankly that was a near thing. She'd spent the whole time terrified. The only way she kept him from just outright raping her, or doing worse, was to keep him in such an angry state that he only wanted to beat the shit out of her.
Which still sent her into a dark place she didn't want to be. That place of fear and hopelessness. Hell, she wasn't even conscious for her rescue. She didn't even know she had been until she woke up in the hospital after her fever broke. Her good hand being held tightly by Karkat, a frantic grub cuddled to her side and hissing at anyone it didn't like and a very scary clown haunting her hospital room. It seemed Gamzee had been scary enough that aside from the staff giving up trying to make the trolls leave after visiting hours, they had moved out anyone else who had been in the room with her.
And even now, while Gamzee smiled. While he aped that lazy way of his before. He was no longer like he was before.
It really was gone the goofy clown who'd been her neighbor and took to simultaneously stalking and annoying the shit out of her. This fellow was the Gamzee she had met in the cavern those weeks ago. The one who had shoved her to the ground and made her wonder for her safety.
He treated her like she was made of glass, but in his eyes she saw something that honestly frightened her. Those eyes that were now deceptive in their laziness.
He wasn't stalking her anymore, but he was being much bolder with his 'claim' of her. In his eyes she saw a look that was both similar and so very different than the Orphaner's gaze on her. The feeling of danger she had from him intensified. If she made the wrong step, she knew what happened would be fast, likely brutal even. And she'd have little choice in the matter.
She shuddered and when Gamzee looked back at her from where he was standing guard. Leaning lazily against the pole of one of the largest mallets Hope had ever seen outside of anime. She pulled her blanket around her shoulder like she'd just been a little chilled. He tilted his head and picking up that huge mallet like it was nothing more than a tiny hammer he wandered over, dropping it down beside her futon, then the other troll flopped himself down beside her pulling her over into the cage of arms and legs. Pulling her head so that she fit snuggly under his chin, "Chilled?" he asked her "Might want to take a fucking bath, that should warm you."
She gave a snort. The bath was a little too, open air, for her tastes. She bathed when she absolutely had to, and not before. At least she got Karkat to get her swimsuit. The one piece was not ideal for trying to get every part of her clean, but she didn't have to worry as much about too curious gazes. Or giving Gamzee ideas.
She was trying very hard not to give him ideas. He had enough of them on his own and she rather wished he had a few less starring her.
He poked her side and she squeaked then glared up at him through bangs. "Stop that! I'm not supposed to be moving about too much!" she could feel his grin widening. So she elbowed him "And don't go making any suggestions of things or I'll sick Karkat on you!" she threatened.
Gamzee chuckled. Tightening his arms a little with a sigh. He missed her. He had really missed her. Even with her right here, she had not really been. She had been doped and in pain.
As well as still suffering from her treatment under the Orphaner. The way she shook as he held her told him much about her treatment and just made him want to go and find the bastard and finish what he started.
But he had been distracted. He'd heard her scream…
Hope for her part tried to keep calm, admittedly it was easier when he did nothing but hold her until she started to feel warm and comfortable. Well as comfortable as she could be. She mentally reminded herself that insofar, Gamzee had never hurt her. Scared her yeah, but it wasn't even like he was trying to overpower her, more like he was testing how far he could push.
And she noticed that seemed to be a troll thing. Pushing until the person snapped and told them were the boundaries were. Then they would try and push those again. Like little kids constantly testing the rules. Even Karkat would push her. Although his way was very different than Gamzee's, but then too, Karkat wasn't trying to get into her pants like Gamzee. Karkat was also more than happy to help her push back against Gamzee as well, telling him to back off if he started to push too fast or too hard.
At least neither of them were the Orphaner. Who didn't push, he tried to just overpower and bully her. To forcibly make her submit to his demands and desires. No matter how messed up those where.
Thoughts of the Orphaner made Hope pull herself closer into a huddle. Which drew her closer to Gamzee, but in a way that made him look down. With the odd way he was acting she found herself suddenly terrified that she screwed up, that her fear was getting the best of her and he would snap out at that fear. Turning her from a friend to prey.
Gamzee though went still then he shifted her enough to just give her a more comfortable hug. One hand stroking back her hair in a comforting manor. "No one will ever motherfucking touch you again." He whispered to her.
And she blinked staring up at him startled, he just gave her a slight smile and kissed her forehead "It's ok." And as she felt her eyes begin to water and the pain she felt started to come to the surface she felt the tears gather and spill over. Then buried her head against his stronger shoulder.
"I was so scared!" she sobbed."So, fucking, scared" He just cuddled her close and soothed her as she had seen him do for Karkat on occasion, and she had done for both of them and Karkat for them.
In a way it made her realize just how much of a family they really were. It was the oddest, most functional dysfunctional family she'd ever been a part of, but it really was her's. It wasn't going to go away. Hope was never going to be ignored, or the unwanted outsider. She had a child in the grub, a best friend and older brother in Karkat, and Gamzee was the boogieman, who was going to smash and slash his way through anything that terrified her. This dark clown who smelled of blood and crazy, wanted to protect her.
It was a really weird realization.
For now though, she just wept out her heart and he let her, slowly drawing out all the things that happened to her. Seeming to catalog every strike she was given so that one day he may pay it back to the giver. He growled when she described the other troll kissing her. Confessed her confusion. But also how she got around worse happening to her.
Though Gamzee wondered how nearly dying of her injuries was the lesser of two evils. At the same time, if the Orphaner had gotten his way sooner with her he might have lost interest in her and just killed her. Or done worse.
And the way she spoke, she wasn't sure of a lot of things, but she knew she had to stay 'interesting' to a troll. And her ability to utterly piss him off had been interesting. If anything, breaking her became more than just a matter of course. It became a challenge.
Gamzee knew she had read the situation right and acted right. He just wished he had been able to get there sooner, or that it did not have to go so far. She was terrified, and while she tried not to show it, that fear was transferring itself over to her reactions of other trolls. Karkat was 'harmless' enough in her mind that she didn't react to him. Most of the Lusus did not seem to earn her fear as much either. Of course some of the scary ones did, but not the same way. The grubs were safe as well, but highbloods like himself.
They got her terror now.
Oddly the Grand Highblood didn't seem to fall into that category with her. Something he must have done convinced her he was safe. Gamzee didn't know what it was. That troll was way more dangerous and crazy than even Gamzee was. Although even as Gamzee thought of it, while he had done things that had annoyed her, and sometimes startled her, he had not ever been anything but kind. As kind as one of his age and caste could be that is.
There had to be something though that he had done. Gamzee would have to find out what it was. Because he did not want his little miracle being afraid of him. Not in that way at least. He wanted that glare, the smile in face of fear. He wanted her to push him as he pushed her and he wanted to make her do many things, most of which were in bed.
But he did not want this fear. This fear that made her weep like a child and shake afraid of even his touch. Because he wanted, no needed, to touch her. If he was forced to stop, he would go quickly mad. It would be like living without knowing someone was at his back to help bring him down from a dark carnie ride.
After awhile of stroking her hair and murmuring soft comforting sounds that rumbled through his chest she began to calm and when she did, he could feel that fear leach out of her. To which he was glad. It was still there, but not directed at him so much. He would have to try harder to convince her that she had little to fear from him. Oh, he knew that in a rage he could hurt her by mistake, but he was going to do more to control that rage. To keep her safe. To not do to her as he'd done to his friends and love before.
She gave a soft sniff, her cheek against his chest as he rumbled and long fingers stroked back her hair. Hope was warm, and comfortable. She felt cried out for now. And too tired to be scared of much of anything.
Outside their space there was a bit of commotion. She glanced up wiping away the remnants of tears from her cheeks.
Gamzee didn't want her to move but sighed and got up slowly moving his way to see what was going on. Then he grinned "Might want to get on up and see this fucking miracle." He said to Hope.
She got up and walked over. Then suddenly broke into a huge grin.
Eric was practically dancing he was so utterly bubbling excited. On the column that the empress had been this whole time.
There was a crack in the cocoon.
The Empress was about to have her first wiggling day.
000
When Karkat came back to the hive there was a definite air of celebration.
And a whole load of trolls. He managed to squeeze his way through the crowd near the entrance by the fact that one of the guards keeping the other trolls back was there to let him through. He recognized a couple trolls from work, did every troll in the district come to the hive today?
"What's with all the excitement?" he asked the guard who grinned at him.
"It's the Empress' wiggling day."
OK well that definitely explained the crowd.
They got inside and there was still a crowd. Mostly now a few guards and a pack of highbloods. Those old and high enough placed to be allowed in the hive at the moment.
He felt a hand grab him by the back of the neck and his eyes widened enough he was afraid he'd lose his contacts as he was suddenly drug to the side. He glanced up and found himself staring at the smiling Grand Highblood, whose bouncer was behind him. The woman gave Karkat a friendly wave "Just in time fucker. Let's go." And he waded through the other trolls with no issue. Most no matter how well they were placed in the hemospectrum moved out of the Highblood's way. They reached the cavern and inside Karkat saw a new looking water dweller who held tightly to the hand of Eric. The boy looked almost like a proud knight from a story book. Ready to defend his lady at all costs. It was rather cute. Karkat's rom loving heart warmed at the sight. Jade was nearby her hands on her hips and glaring at anyone trying to come near the children. She currently had Gamzee backing her up, his arms draped over the pole of his new toy that was stretched over his shoulders.
He also had a bit of new blood on him and on his candy colored rainbow mallet. So it seemed there was already a bit of a scuffle that had happened.
Hope was sitting under the opened pod and had been helping the Empress put on an outfit that looked like it might have been cut from a couple t-shirts patched together for something to cover for the time being.
Eric was talking excitedly and the Empress was looking withdrawn but as she looked at the boy she started to smile.
"The Empress should be raised in the sea, it is after all were she is likely to rule from" one of the water dwellers was saying.
Jade leveled her gun "You are not going to even say one more word asshole." The water dweller had sense to swallow and not say more.
Grand Highblood just laughed and everyone turned to look at him and the little entourage that he had with him. "Oh like a human can grow gills. Can't any of you fucking see? The boy and Empress are one, she CAN'T go anywhere he can't. Not until they are old enough to get some more distance on that binding. And if any of your fuckers try and separate them, we end up with two dead children." He crossed his arms.
"But, she's the Empress! We can't have her raised by humans…"
Jade had a look of weather she was considering taking offence at the comment made and trying to locate who made it.
"Yeah, and we're fucking on a planet full of the motherfuckers." The highblood snorted "Now the Empress was grubbed in my region, so I think I get more of a fucking say than any of you idiotic fuckers." He grinned suddenly widely. With incredibly white teeth, reminding all whom they were messing with. "Now, I'm putting this woman under my care, and since she is the fucking guardian of the boy that means the Empress will be under her care until she is older."
"But what about a proper Lusus?"
The older troll snorted "The Empress always goes to the Leviathan. Which if you fuckers forgot, is dead. So there IS no lusus for her right now. Its happen in the past, so we deal with it like then. She gets raised by a troll until the leviathan comes, and way things are, we aren't likely to see another one of those motherfuckers." He said with a wave of his hand "Now, since she got a bond, one she chose and in such her choice is MOTHER FUCKIN' ABSOLUTE!" he raised his voice bellowing the last and nearly all the trolls cowered. Even the few humans in the room blinked their eyes in shock at how fast the as far as they could tell, usually good humored troll turned into a tyrant. And a dangerous one at that. "Now, I'll keep an eye on the Jade human and her spawn through my choice of my new Second." And he waved a hand at Gamzee. Who in turn was leaning on his mallet. Several heads snapped over and did a double take. The similarity of smiles was very obvious at the moment. Other than a couple inches shorter, hair not as wild, or nearly as muscled as the older troll, Gamzee could have been his twin.
And his wide eyes had a look of greater insanity than the elder, who's evil smile was promising a lot of pain to anyone who tried to argue matters at the moment.
Everyone was silent. Oh, no one was fooled that this was the end of matters. But for now, it was taken care of. At least, no one was going to argue with the Highblood who was swinging a juggling pin in one hand as if begging someone to say anything.
And for self preservation, no one did. Not with a dozen armed trolls looking ready to start some violence in defense of the human's rights to take the Empress on this matter.
"Now, this is a Chrysalis Cavern. If you ain't a Lussi or ain't got fucking permission from ME to stay here, get the motherfucking OUT of this Hive before I throw you all up out of here IN PIECES!"
And the trolls fled.
The Highblood grinned blood thirsty as he turned and kissed Unique soundly. When he finished he seemed calmer. Poor Karkat for his part was trapped between the Highblood and a pillar, unable to not be anything but an up-close spectator of the spectacle.
"Right, well once the Empress is ready, we'll parade her near the entrance and then bring her back here for the night." He said turning to Jade who frowned.
"Well, if Gamzee is staying here to protect Hope and her grub until…"
"Until it's wiggling day yeah." The Highblood said, as if to say 'what's your point?'
"Then what about us? You said he was watching us." She rested her gun on her shoulder.
"You stay until that little motherfucker wiggles too basically." He shrugged "It'll let us set up some security."
Jade sighed and rubbed her face "If I have a job after this…" she said into her palm.
The Highblood chuckled "We'll find you something, if anything with you being the caretaker of the Empress, I am sure we can arrange some compensation for her care and upbringing."
Jade paused and her lips pursed "Well, that could work."
"If its settled then, I'll go scare the general populous and see if we can thin the crowd a bit before human news casters show up. Get the kids all looking their best. Though the squirt needs a name." he said the last thoughtfully.
Eric who was sitting by the young Empress looked up "It's Feferi" he responded.
Everyone raised brows and Eric grinned widely "She told me!" and the two went back to just staring at each other. The Empress currently cuddled down into Hope's lap as she brushed the little swimmer's hair.
Any remaining eyebrows promptly disappeared into hairlines.
"Well then, guess that is taken care of then. I'll come up with something for a last name." he shrugged and marched out the door.
It was going to be an interesting night.