Early the next Morning...

Well he wish he hadn't had seen that. Mal was going to murder him if she ever found out he'd been a spider on the wall during that shit show. He'd never seen Mal so pissed- Or more interestingly, so protective of her subordinates, even going as far to include D.

It was…

Oof.

He didn't have the right words. He'd been slapped in the face plenty of times, but none had ever resonated around a room like that. He hoped it was because of the stone. However the way it had sent her flying he doubted it.

He sighs as he rubs the back of his neck. He was shocked she had the balls to step to her mom in the first place- He'd always assumed she just rolled over- Faustina definitely would have. And did so regularly, to his disgust.

He narrows his eyes as he picks up his pace. He didn't need to think about shit he shouldn't have witnessed.

Twice. Something like this had happened. It wasn't the first time he'd witnessed one of his friends being abused.

And this wasn't the first time he'd frozen while witnessing it. He hated himself for that... Just letting it happen. His fists clenched at his side. Some fucking hero. He scoffs. Some fucking martyr he was.

Where the fuck had his will to die go? He wouldn't have hesitated if he'd witnessed this shit a couple years ago. He would've died in the temple. Had smashed against concrete or something. When the fuck had his motives changed?

He shakes his head.

So not the time for that shit. He only had about two hours til curfew, which didn't leave a lot of time for this.

Usually he hated sharing secrets. Loathed it even. But this one he couldn't let stand. Not this time. Not something that would affect the others' so deeply.

He flies over the docks from crate to barrel stacks, every powerful leap getting him closer to his goal.

Where the fuck was everyone? He questions when he lands on an empty deck. There was always someone on watch. He flinches when a sudden noise breaks the silence. The sound coming from the cabin, followed by a loud shriek of rage.

Oh. That wasn't good. He cautiously approaches the captains quarters, grimacing when something else inside the cabin shatters.

"Where the hell is she!?" Uma growls, "Or your fuckin' boyfriend for that matter! I thought you said he followed her! I thought he was going to bring her back." Each sentence punctuated with the sounds of furniture flipping.

"He did Uma." He hears Gil attempt to assure the captain, but his voice was weak. From uncertainty, emotion, or exhaustion, he didn't know. Maybe all three.

He lets his head hit the door, wincing as the rough wood presses into the bruise he was sure covered half his face. Oooh. He so didn't want to do this. She was so pissed. And he had enough injuries to explain away today.

T's heart drops when the door opens and a large arm seizes him, ending his dream of leaving as he's yanked into the dark.

"Getinhererightfuckingnow!" Uma snaps before the door is slammed shut, cutting off his only escape.

Gil releases him before he backs off, but not before T sees the red rims around his eyes. The sight broke his heart.

"Did you guys already hear?" T asks as he scratches the back of his head, looking around the room in amazement. Uma'd thrown everything that wasn't nailed down.

"Are you telling me that fuckin' purple headed sack of whale shit was right!" Uma screams as she points in a random direction, as if her finger was drawn towards the dragon, "That my Deez joined her! Begged to join her?"

"What-Fuck?" T double takes. "Is that the rumor they're telling everyone?"

Gil nods slowly, "She said Deez was afraid of us or something, that she went to Maleficent to beg to join Mal because she couldn't stand us."

"That's fucking foul bro." T scowls, as he runs a hand over his hair knocking down his hood.

"Aye, and what, ya do be ah sayin' it ain'nah bein' true right?" Harry looked almost as bad as Gil. Worse, it looked like he'd lost a fight. Had Uma taken out her anger on him this time? It didn't feel right- But he wasn't sure. It just bothered him.

"Right." T agrees before he shifts uncomfortably, dropping his eyes as he twisted his hands behind his back. "But it can't, ya know, leave the room..."

"What are you talking about?" Uma demands as she walks over and stares T down, "What do you fuckin' know about Deez! Tell me," She grabs T by his shirt and yanks him down to her level, "right fucking now!"

"Not until you swear it doesn't leave the room." T states evenly as he met her gaze.

"I swear!" Gil quickly states, "

"Aye." Harry nods in agreement, "It won'nah be leavin' these lips."

Uma glares at her boys before her eyes flick back to T.

T furrows his brows, before his eyes brighten in understanding, "It's for her. Not me." He sighs, "Deez, she'd want it to stay in this room."

"Fine. If that's what Deez would want," Uma shoves T away, "then it won't leave this room."

T nods, "She did join Mal's gang, that wasn't a rumor. It's just a fact now." He shrugs. "But-"

Uma screams, the sound morphing from rage to agony as the sound growls deeply in her throat.

T doesn't really think as he slides behind her and slips a hand over her mouth. "Wasn't done-" He presses the smaller girl into his chest. He just needed to spit this out and her interrupting every five seconds didn't work for him right now.

Gil and Harry's eyes widen, but neither approach to rectify the situation. If T was going to lose a hand, they obviously didn't want to be part of it.

"What you don't seem to know is that she is was forced into it. By Maleficent. Not Mal. If she didn't agree she was going to banish Evie to one of the little isles up North. I know you don't care-" He shrugs, "But Deez does." He drops his hand as he steps back. "Senior brought her there when he was done with her. And reminded her of some kind of deal made on her behalf when she was a baby or something?" He continues as if he hadn't just assaulted the captain in her own damn quarters. He leans against the wall with a huff as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Now scream." And apparently giving her permission. That's where his deathwish had gone. His gall with the two leaders. It gave him the boost he needed to deal with their perspective shit.

"So, Mal lied?" Gil eyes brighten slightly.

"Why is that so surprising?" T questions with a shake of his head, "Of course she did, she won, and she's fucking Mal." He rolls his eyes. "Surprised you bought into it though…" He shifts from side to side.

"You did'nah be ah comein' back." Harry glares.

"I didn't think the bitch would stay up so fucking late." T scowls, "I came as soon as I could get out of the rafters."

Uma slams her hands down on the table, "Fuck!" She screams before she sweeps the table of all the broken shit scattered on its surface, not caring that the glass and shards of pottery were biting into her skin.

"If it's any consolation, Deez-"

"It's not!" Uma growls, "What the fuck could possibly be ah damn consolation to loosing Deez!?"

Well he regretted letting go of her mouth, now.

"She refused to give up her necklace." T watches Gil brighten up at the news before his gaze drifts back to Uma, "You woulda been proud, she told Malificent to go fuck herself and even flared at her. It. Was. Beautiful." He smirks, eyes bright with pride.

Gil slumps to the bed, his face shifting from pride to terror and back.

"I mean, what the fuck could she really do? She ain't fireproof any more- Or at least she wasn't sure enough to test it with Deez-Pussy ass bitch." He rolls his eyes.

Harry pulls his hand down his face, "Apparently I ain'nah bein' forceful 'nough when orderin' yall not ta be fucking with the damn OVs."

"Well, technically, you can't order me to do anything- And Deez wasn't there when you said it, and from the sounds of it, Gil didn't fuck with any OVs."

Gil narrows his eyes at T.

"What?" T blinks at Gil's anger.

"You stopped me from protectin' her." He snarls, as he stands back up nostrils flaring.

"And it were bein' ah good thing sweet boy." Harry jumps in front of Gil, one hand to his chest as he raises the other to pat his shoulder.

"If he wants to hit me, let him, I don't give a fuck." T shrugs. "It's not like I enjoyed stopping him. I'd wanna punch my face too."

Uma rolls her eyes absently, but seemed to be too deep in thought to interfere.

"It ain'nah gonna help mate." Harry pats Gil's face before he pulls him to his chest and sits on the bed, smiling as Gil struggles against his hold.

"Sorry." T frowns. "They're gonna tell everyone she's part of their gang by choice, and she's expected to ya know, terrorize and shit with the Rotten four-Well, five now I guess..." Should he tell them how the tears had evaporated from the other girls cheeks once she'd turned her back on Maleficent? Or was that too personal?

"Speakin of which, I should probably bounce." He pushes off the wall. "Imma go see how she's holding up… Want me to bring her anything?"

"We ain'nah supposed ts be in the know right?"

T shakes his head. "No. And that was Senior's idea." He'd actually seemed to really loathe Uma, which only confirmed the Core-Fours concerns that Ursula and Hades were tag-team destroying their childrens' lives.

Uma looks up at him then, her eyes narrowing, "He had a say in it?"

"He's the enforcer, I guess." T shrugs, "I doubt D woulda agreed or held true to the deal she made as a fucking baby or whatever, if he hadn't been standing behind her saying it was their thing to keep their end of deals or some bullshit." He makes a crude gesture with his hand. "Fuck that."

"But she's stuck in it?" Uma questions softly, fighting tears before she gives up and lets them fall as she looks away, "Like nothing we can do?"

T drops his eyes to his feet. "Not without it affecting the princess." He says sadly, "Which again, I know you guys don't care- But Deez? Deez wouldn't want to trade her happiness for Evie's life. And there's no way she'd survive out there- Even if I went with her. It's a cluster fuck of poisions and nasty bugs and shit." And he wasn't sure what type of shit it would do to her head if she didn't have access to make up.

"Are we still going to do book club?" Gil asks hopefully as he looks up from Harry's side.

T frowns, "I can ask Mal once shit cools down." He sighs, "But I wouldn't hold my breath. Mal is more fucking pissed than I've ever seen her," He shrugs, "and I piss her off for fun."

Uma rolls her eyes, "Oh yeah, because she has so much to be pissed about right now."

"Wouldn't you be pissed if your mother turned around and forced D to join your group or Gil was going to be drowned?" He quirks his brow.

"I would." Uma backs away from the accusation in T's voice, as her eyes drift to Gil, "But I ain't fucking Mal."

T scoffs, "Fuck no you are not. You're like ten times better for reasons I don't want to speak of. Just ya know, not as fun to piss off..."

"Thank all the fuckin' gods o' the damned seas." Harry rolls his eyes, "I ain'nah ready for the damned things you would be ah gettin' me into if that were'nah the case."

"Yeah well, the Kraken is scarier than the dragon." T retorts monotoned.

"Except when the dragon lies." Gil points out sadly.

"No see, that's just being cunty." T corrects him. "Scary is when you are afraid to come into a room because something might hit you and you're just the messenger- Still treats her messengers better than Mal though, apparently...And again, and this is important Gil, because she's a Cunt."

"T!" Gil glares, but can't completely throw Harry off.

"Ain'nah that bein' the damn truth." Harry grins, "She be ah havin' ah right mean streak towards me when I be ah winkin' at her."

"So winking at her pissed her off?" T blinks, so he did just wink at everyone. Good to know.

"Aye it did that." Harry chuckles, "Almost be askin' if she be wantin' ta be ridin' me ship, since she be so up me ass, but then be thinkin' better of it."

Uma reaches over and smacks him in the back of the head, "Gross."

"Why? I get it's Mal, but she ain't gonna fuck up your ship… Odd you would even want to offer it though." T frowns.

Harry chuckles. It grows to deep belly laughs before he rolls off the bed and starts banging his fist against the floor, gasping for air when he can't reign it in.

Gil joins him in his laughter, his face red as he avoids eye contact with T.

Even Uma snickers, though she looked like it pained her.

Jesus fucking christ what the hell had he said now. He didn't like this, he shifts in discomfort. "What? What I say? What's so funny?"

"Member…" Harry dissolves into laughter again, "Gil! Mate! Help!"

"Nuh uh." Gil rolls to the other side of the bed. "Not my boyfriend."

"Foul!" Harry gasps for air, "It be. Referin' ta me-" He can't stop the laughter, but he manages to gesture to his groin.

T lifts his brow in confusion. "Oh." He shakes his head. Better to just act like he got it now. "I'm with Uma. Gross." He states evenly. He waits for Harry's laughter to die down before he clears his throat. "Um before I go…" He rummages through his bag. "Do you mind taking a picture for Deez? I know she's gonna be pissed and upset about this..." He pulls the camera from his bag.

Harry furrows his brow as he pulls himself up from the floor, "Where ya be ah findin' ah workin' camera mate?"

"I didn't." He continues ruffling through his bag, "C fixed it for me. Then Jay stole the film."

Gil stands up, "A picture?" He asks as he walks over to stand next to T.

"Yeah, see." He holds out a jar for Gil to hold, as he digs through his bag again and shows him a picture of Hyades sleeping under a lean-to, clearly taken during one of their games.

Gil's lips twist into a smile.

"Want it?" T offers.

"Really?" Gil asks hesitantly.

"Of course man." T nods, "The jar too. Looks like you and Harry both went through the ringer today."

Gil's eyes water as he takes the picture, and runs back to Uma with it in one hand, and the mystery jar in the other.

Uma bites her lip as she looks at the picture, "It's a good one." She nods before she slips the photo from his hand and places it in her desk.

"T said we could keep it." He explains in excitement.

"Be lettin' me see the jar." Harry holds his hand out.

"Uh sure." Gil hands over the jar to Harry, clearly having forgotten he was holding it.

"Come on boys, can't be letting her see tears on our faces can we?" Uma dips a towel into the tub of water and scrubs her own face before she turns expectantly.

"Aye Cap'n." Harry nods before he dunks his head into the water and lets Uma scrub his face and dry his hair. "Your turn." He winks as he walks away with the jar, gagging as he opens it.

T opens his mouth to snap at Harry to use it, but furrows his brow when the pirate doesn't even hesitate to swirl his fingers in it and apply it to his bruises.

Huh. T smiles, that was a fucking first. Usually he had to cajole the fuck out of them before they trusted it. He wasn't sure why but it felt nice, not to be questioned for once.

Gil nods as he leans over and mimics Harry. His lazy grin on his face as Uma washes off the dirt and grime.

"Here lad, let me be ah seein' yer chest and elbows."

"Aye." Gil nods as he turns to Harry. His nose twitching at the scent, "T smells like that sometimes."

"It's a very distinct scent." T shrugs.

"An it be ah makin' the hurt go away." Harry explains, rubbing the ointment on Gil's chest before he can argue further.

Uma turns to T. "What are my boys rubbing all over themselves exactly. She'd seen the plants T had stored in her hold. None of them had been people friendly. In fact she had ordered the crew to just avoid those crates in general, after he explained what they did.

"Uma, it be ah takin' the sting away and makin' it nice and cool." Harry nods as Gil holds up his skinned elbows.

"Mhmm." Uma doesn't argue. "But how?"

T shifts for a moment under the weight of Uma's stare, before he crumbles. "Trial and error." T shrugs. There. That should sate her right?

Uma sighs, "That doesn't answer my question, but let's just get the fucking picture." She struggles to cover a yawn.

"Sounds good to me." T agrees, "You three squeeze together somewhere."

Uma looks around before she flicks the blanket out, several items clattering as they hit the floor, before she lays it back on the bed. "Here, less of a mess." She pulls Harry and Gil in close.

After Uma nods at him he raises the camera. "Heard. Say olives."

Harry, Gil, and Uma chuckle as two flashes goes off.

T immediately taking the film strips and violently shaking them. "What now?" He sighs as he looks the others over.

"Olives are Deez' favorite food." Uma smiles fondly.

"And?" T tilts his head.

"Well, she must be where you got that from."

"Well yeah, that's what she said to do so people know your going to hit the button." T looks down, his lips twitching into a smile when they finish developing.

"Huh." Harry chuckles, "Well I be ah likin' it."

"I never had my picture taken before." Gil smiles.

"I didn't waste the film this time. Wanna see?" T he offers as holds it out to them.

The three jump up to crowd him, all wanting to see the pictures.

T smiles as he hands it to Uma first before stepping backwards. Fuck that. Too close. These three knew nothing about the words personal and space. Let alone together.

"They look great." Uma nods as she passes them back to T.

"You can keep one." T shrugs, "Figured you didn't have any of yourselves, just pick the one you want to give Deez."

Uma looks back down before she passes one to T, "Look…" She clears her throat, "Thanks for coming back… And letting us know about... Deez..." her voice fades.

"No problem." T shrugs looking away with flaming cheeks. "I'd wanna fucking know-" He looks around at the broken and shattered objects laying about. However when he notices the plate with maps on it still intact he lifts a brow in surprise.

"Just sorry I didn't get here sooner…" He admits as he slides the picture back into the messenger bag with the camera. "I'd offer to leave it with you but I only have the one. I'll leave it once I get more film though. Deez will probably appreciate that… And I'm sure I'll be able to sneak you letters. I'm looking forward to it in fact. It's fucking beautiful. She can't accuse me of being a spy more than she has already..."

"Just be ah leavin' it ta you ta be takin' this as ah challenge." Harry grins.

"Usually, I would." T shrugs, as he heads to the door. "But I figured that might cheer Uma up a little at least, to know I don't do that shit to her."

Uma shrugs, but she can't hide the smile fast enough.

"Don't you want your jar back?" Gil calls out.

"Nah, I'll make more." He throws his hand up, waving at them from over his shoulder before shutting the door behind him. He really needed to find them a good lock. It annoyed him that they all slept so unprotected.

Still, he glanced at the sky. He needed to come up with an excuse for his face and nose. Her father wasn't going to like a bruise. Hopefully the man would be too tired or disgusted with her tonight- Or even better not show up at all. Then he'd go to Hyades and give her the picture.


Heyo!

Another one down, so many to go!

So did this one give you the feels? Are you just as upset about the loss of Deez? When she was finally about to pick? Who do you relate with the most in the sea three when it comes to venting? Did you appreciate T's approach? Are you shocked that's how he handled Uma in her cabin? Would you have dared to do the same in T's position? What about the camera? A fluffy end to such a shitty day right?

Let us know in the comments below!

Much love and appreciation,

Dark and Twisted