Author's Notes:
Thanks to my anonymous reviewer. Much love to you~. Also, I know I said I wouldn't bother you guys with author's notes (unless, of course, you want them), but I had a few more things to say:
1) Gamzee's speech is not as weird because he is no longer in a sopor-induced stupor, if anyone was wondering.
2) My characterization probably isn't that great. D: I'm sorrryrgtkfm
3) This story will eventually have all the trolls/kids perspectives in it at least once. Eventually. Maybe. Yeah...
4) THE BIG NEWS: I have decided to update this story on a weekly schedule! (for as long as writer's block is kept at bay and life bestows me with free time) I'm not sure exactly what day, though. It will likely fluctuate, but there will be an update every week (taking into account the statement above).
5) Happy reading! I already have the start of the next chapter, so expect it as early as Friday if I can write enough to satisfy myself :D
6) A last note: I'm planning on making all chapters 4,000 words or more (nine pages or more in a word document) so you guys will have plenty to read each update. Hope you enjoy~
/Schoolstuck/ In Which Vriska is Less of a Bitch /Schoolstuck/
The school day ended much slower than anyone wanted. Tavros waited for the last bell rush to clear before even bothering to pack up. The teacher left to go somewhere, giving Tavros ample time to clear up and leave. He packed all his notes away and zipped up his backpack; as he was about to leave, the door opened, and Gamzee walked in. Tavros stopped dead.
"Hey, Tav. You, uh… wanna..." Gamzee rubbed the nape of his neck, glancing back at the door. Tavros could see Karkat motioning violently, Sollux standing behind him and saying something to the angry troll. Gamzee shrugged and mouthed back at them. Karkat ran his finger across his throat and received a slap from Sollux.
"Gamzee? Did you, uh, need something?" he asked tentatively.
Gamzee abruptly turned back to the Taurus. "Yeah, motherfucker: are you doing anything after school today?"
Tavros raised a hand to his chin. "I don't think I am."
"Okay, well, would you fucking want to all go out with—" Gamzee cut off again, but this time it was caused by a very loud thud from the door.
Both of the trolls looked to the door, where Karkat's face was pressed against the glass. His eyebrows were drawn in pain and anger. As they watched, he was pulled away, and Vriska came into the small window through which they could see. She was smiling cruelly while Karkat had a fit, arms waving wildly. Vriska shoved him aside and opened the door.
"Tav! Let's go; we are going out tonight. I thought we'd try a human date!" Vriska strode passed Gamzee without a glance, smirking at Tavros. The Taurus clung to his school bag, trying to get far away from her.
"I, uh—I should get home—"
"We're going on a date," she said sweetly, though her expression revealed otherwise. She steered Tavros out of the room. Leaning down, she whispered to him, "When I say we're going to do something, you fucking agree, Tav."
Tavros nodded, looking plaintively at Karkat and Sollux. Karkat started to follow Vriska and Tavros, but Gamzee halted him with a hand on his arm. Tavros turned to stare at his hands in his lap. The three trolls stood there as Vriska left with Tavros.
/Schoolstuck/
"THAT—THAT—" Karkat mimicked the sound one would get if they keyboard-mashed. "THAT BITCH. She's being a bigger bitch than usual! What the fuck!"
"Vrithka theems to have worthened thince we met up with John and the otherth."
Gamzee walked in the opposite direction of Tavros and Vriska, heading for the rear exit. Karkat spluttered, dragging Sollux along after the Capricorn. Sollux, on the other hand, had a different agenda. He switched Karkat's grip on his wrist so he was pulling Karkat.
"Let'th leave him alone, Kk. Gz will be fine for a little while."
"A 'little while' is plenty enough fucking time for Gamzee to kill someone! Sollux, let me go." Karkat tugged hard, but Sollux's grip was strong.
"Kk, we are going to walk home. Gz can find hith way back without killing anyone. In the meantime, you are going to tell me who your cruth is."
Karkat blushed, stumbling after he stalled too long. "I'M NOT TELLING YOU THAT."
"Come on, Kk; you can tell me anything. If Gz knowth, I thould, too."
Karkat finally stopped struggling. "I'll tell you if you let go of my wrist." As soon as Sollux released him, Karkat sprinted out of the school, turning right and heading for Dave's house.
Sollux sighed. "I really thouldn't have fallen for that," he said, shaking his head. He jogged after the troll.
/Schoolstuck/
"Gamz!" Terezi stuck her cane into Gamzee's path, glasses back on since school was over. "You smell down. Everything all right?"
Gamzee stepped over her cane and continued walking. He crossed the back field and jumped over the low wall surrounding the school grounds. Terezi pursued him, keeping pace easily. They walked down the road side by side: Gamzee took in his shoes passing over the cement sidewalk, and Terezi studied him. The silence lasted all of a minute.
"Gamzee, does this have something to do with Tavros and Vriska?" No answer. "I don't mean to betray Tav's confidence, but with how you're acting, I think you should know."
"Know what?"
"Vriska is blackmailing Tavros. She found out he likes you, and in order for her to keep it secret, he had to pretend to go out with her."
Gamzee stopped and looked up. "So it's my motherfucking fault she's going out with Tav?"
"What? Do I have to give you a good drubbing? How did you come to that conclusion?" Terezi waved her cane around in front of his face. "Tavros is too shy to tell you he likes you, and he thinks he's too low on the spectrum to have any chance. Vriska used that to her advantage; to what end, even I don't know. But I will use my legislacerator expertise to find out!"
"Thanks, Terezi, but why wouldn't Tav just motherfucking tell me all this?"
"Like I said, he's too shy. Plus, I don't think he knows you like him, though it is exceptionally obvious you do. That whole debacle at lunch was more than enough evidence, yet he still didn't believe me when I told him. The way I smell it, you are going to need to remove Vriska from the equation to get to Tavros."
"I hope you don't all motherfucking mean I should fuckin' kill her."
"No, no! That would be homicide – or would that be 'trollicide'? Either way, no; do not kill her. Human rules forbid senseless killing. You would go to jail if you got caught."
Gamzee raised an eyebrow. "If?"
"I don't doubt you could pull off a murder and not get caught, but do not chance it. I could help you make a plan, if you are in need of assistance?" Terezi's glasses glinted in the sunlight.
Gamzee shrugged, thinking it over. "A motherfucker can come up with his own plans. Can you just fuckin' keep an eye on Vriska?"
"Sure, Gamz. Now go home before you do something stupid. Karkles is probably having a conniption wondering where you are." She shooed him, and Gamzee turned to walk back to the front of the school. He'd only taken a few steps before looking over his shoulder.
"Thanks, Terezi."
"No reason for thanks yet, Gamz. Get going." She grinned, waving him off again.
/Schoolstuck/
Terezi made sure Gamzee was actually leaving, then she let out a breath. She wasn't sure if she should have said all she did, but Terezi figured it wouldn't hurt even if it didn't help. Gamzee needed a push or he would continue to let Vriska do whatever she wanted while Tavros was too shy to help things along. The Libra relaxed as she walked toward Rose's house. She could finally stop acting as if she was inept at getting places. All these humans thought Terezi couldn't get anywhere because she was blind, and she had to hide that she was perfectly fine at finding her way around. Being blind meant nothing to her because of her other senses, but humans would never understand that. It annoyed Terezi that she had to pretend she could not walk five feet without running in to something.
The troll swung her cane onto her shoulder and strolled down the path, smiling. She would definitely help Gamzee and Tavros get together, especially since it meant Vriska would pay. Terezi had considered her hate for the other girl, and she thought maybe there was something there…
But those thoughts should not go any further; they were for later times, when Terezi wasn't out in the open. She would talk to Dave about this tonight, yes.
With that squared away, Terezi sped up her pace.
/Schoolstuck/
Karkat got home much quicker than Sollux. He climbed the stairs slowly, panting. He had never run so much, but he was not about to let Sollux question him anymore. That would lead to bad things, very bad things, and Karkat would not deal with those things now. Gamzee might be certain his potential matesprit reciprocated his feelings, but Karkat was far from even speculating what his felt. He would never tell. Ever.
He ducked into the room he shared with Gamzee, avoiding Bro Strider as the older male came out of his room. Karkat didn't know what he did in there all the time; he never bothered to ask Dave because the Cancer wasn't sure he wanted to know.
Karkat forewent his computer his computer in favor of the closet. He slipped behind all the clothes he and Gamzee had amassed in three years, sat on the floor, and shut the door. Hopefully, Sollux would not look in here, and Karkat could hide out until either Gamzee or Dave returned.
Fifteen minutes passed silently in the small space. Karkat fiddled with random things he found in the closet (they needed to clean this thing out, like really badly). He froze when he heard the floor creak outside his room, hoping it was Gamzee getting back. Light rushed into the closet as Sollux opened the door; Karkat's hope was crushed into small bits.
"Kk, there ithn't much plathe to hide in thith houthe. The clothet wath the firtht plathe I wath going to look."
"Shit, Sollux, can you drop it with the third degree? I'm not going to tell you!"
Sollux quirked an eyebrow behind his glasses. "I didn't athk you anything."
Karkat growled, glaring at Sollux. The Gemini entered the closet, too, and closed the door. Karkat scooted as far back as he could, inadvertently giving Sollux enough room to sit.
Sollux held up a glowing blue hand. The tinted light was thrown over both of them. Karkat was blushing, and the blue covering the red turned it slightly purple.
"Thince we're in here, we might ath well talk, Kk."
"There is nothing to fucking talk about. I have am flushed for someone, Gamzee knows who, and I am not telling you; that is all. Can you get out of my closet?"
"No."
"Sollux—"
"No, Kk. I'm not leaving until you tell me."
"Sollux, you're not my moirail. I don't have to tell you shit."
"Why are you tho defenthive about thith, Kk?" Sollux rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Doeth it alwayth have to be tho complicated with you? Either you're fluthing for thomeone who'th taken or—"
Karkat double face-palmed. He should have lied.
"—or you're fluthing for me."
"Yes. Now that we've established that fact, and I have been humiliated, will you leave?" The Cancer did not remove his hands; instead, he pressed them even harder into his face, thinking maybe Sollux was a figment of his morbid imagination. After a few seconds with no response, he was starting to believe he was right.
"You don't really want me to leave, Kk."
"Obviously we have fucking different definitions of 'leave'."
Karkat's hands were pried away from his face by Sollux. They stared at each other for a short time; then, Sollux leaned forward. Karkat's eyes widened, and he jerked back, hitting his head sharply against the wall. Sollux stopped, watching Karkat rub the sore spot. The Cancer winced as he pressed his fingers against the tender skin. He fixed his gaze on Sollux as the other troll moved to stand up, a hand on the doorknob.
"Sollux, I—"
"It'th fine, Kk. I gueth I wath wrong." He left, walking past Gamzee on his way to his own room.
Gamzee gave both of them a questioning look, but Sollux said nothing, and Karkat hung his head.
/Schoolstuck/
Tavros took in the popular teen hang-out that Vriska brought him to. Lots of kids from their school were hanging out, and Tavros felt very out of place. Vriska had dropped him off at a table in the back and told him to stay put. The Taurus found this bad advice as a lot of people kept glancing at him. He shuddered at the thought, but he really wished Vriska would come back soon.
In the meantime, Tavros watched the animals in the park next to the hang-out. There weren't many similarities between Earth animals and Alternia beasts. Tavros wondered if he could control these and why he had never attempted it. He figured it was because he never needed to. The danger on Earth was minimal, so the need for protection was nonexistent.
A squirrel ran across the grass and climbed up a tree. Tavros smiled at the cute mammal, forgetting the rest of the world as he unconsciously reached out to talk to it.
"Hey, wheelchair, what are you doing in our place?"
Tavros snapped out of his conversation. He turned his head to see three kids he vaguely remembered from his second period. They were standing with arms crossed, the one in the middle clearly the leader as the other two were slightly behind him. Tavros concluded he was the one who had spoken. He realized too late that he should say something.
"I, uh, I'm here with my friend."
"Yeah? Who would be friends with you, the wimpy, useless kid?" the leader taunted.
Tavros felt anger gnaw at his insides. Sure, he was pretty weak, but he wasn't useless! His friends had needed him to complete their game session. He had solved all those puzzles. He had stood up to Vriska… and gotten killed in the process.
"Nothing to say to that?" the one on the left said. The other two laughed.
Hurt washed out the anger. He lowered his gaze.
"I bet that other guy – what's his name?" The guy on the right said. He snapped his fingers a second later. "Gamzee! I bet that guy Gamzee feels sorry for you, and that's why he's always getting your shit back or helping you."
"And those other freaks you sit with at lunch, they probably only let you sit there because they're too nice to say no to a cripple!"
Tavros felt his tears slipping down his face. No one at school had ever attacked him like this. All their insults and suppositions sunk into him, infecting his brain with the idea that maybe his friends didn't like him…
The sound of a body hitting the floor brought Tavros' attention to his tormentors. The leader was lying unconscious on the floor, Vriska standing over him with fists raised. The two cronies looked surprised, mouths gaping.
"Hey, fuckers, only I get to make fun of Tav." Vriska lowered his arms, glaring at the idiots. They got into a fighting stance. "You better run, you pieces of shit, before I beat it into your heads that you don't touch my boyfriend." Her eyes flashed, and for only a second, her multi-pupil eye became visible to the humans in front of her. The guys fled instantly. Vriska laughed, stepping over the one she felled and squatting to get on eye-level with Tavros. "Tav?"
Tavros made eye contact, but he didn't see Vriska in front of him. He was dwelling on all they had said.
"Tavros, seriously. Don't make me slap you; you know I will. Do not listen to those stupid humans." Vriska shook him by his shoulders. There was no response. "Shiiiiiiiit."
She ignored all the looks they were getting and left with Tavros.
/Schoolstuck/
Gamzee knocked on the door, waited for an answer, and got none. He sighed and leaned against the door, sliding until he was on the floor and could rest his elbows on his knees.
"Kar, are you okay?"
There was a mumble from inside the closet.
"What?"
"I said, 'leave me alone'."
Gamzee dragged a hand over his face tiredly. He was not in the mood to comfort his moirail nor was he exactly sure how. Karkat had in some way fucked up his matespritship, and Gamzee did not know how. Karkat wasn't telling him anything, either.
"I can't motherfucking help you, Kar, unless you tell me what all happened. Come out so we can fucking get this over with."
"I'm never leaving this damn closet, so go away."
Gamzee let his head drop back, banging against the door. Sollux might talk, but that would piss Karkat off. Gamzee sighed. He calls me motherfucking difficult.
The Capricorn got up, going over to his computer and logging in to his new messenger: Trillian. It wasn't Trollian, and it sure didn't live up to it, but the human internet left little option. All the trolls had managed to get their Trollian user names, though. Thank Gog for small miracles.
Immediately, he got an IM.
arachnidsGrip: Gamzee, 8've got a pro8lem!
terminallyCapricious: wHaT's AlL tHe MoThErFuCkInG mAtTeR?
arachnidsGrip: I 8rought Tavros on a d8 and I left h8m for two seconds and these idi8ts ver8ally bitch-sl8pped him so hard he w8n't answer me at 8ll!
terminallyCapricious: wHy Do YoU tHiNk I cAn HeLp?
terminallyCapricious: YoU'rE hIs MoThErFuCkInG gIrLfRiEnD.
arachnidsGrip: Gamzeeeeeeee! I know yo8 care, so help me!
terminallyCapricious: wHeRe ArE yOu?
arachnidsGrip: I 8rought him to Jade's house since no one is here right now.
terminallyCapricious: I'Ll Be ThErE iN a FeW mInUtEs.
Gamzee signed out and turned off his screen. He picked up a jacket in case he was out later than he expected. With that, he knocked on the closet door.
"Karkat, Tavros is having a motherfucking breakdown, so I'm going to fucking see what I can do."
The door cracked open, and Gamzee saw one of Karkat's eyes peering at him.
"We'll talk when you get back."
"Motherfucking right."
/Schoolstuck/
Vriska banged on her keyboard when she saw terminallyCapricious has signed out appear under the text on her screen. Tavros was sitting perfectly still behind her, eyes unfocused and unseeing. Vriska knew he wasn't having a complete breakdown since she had taken a peek inside his head, but he would not talk to her, and his thoughts were whirling. The turbulence made it hard for her to control him and try to help. The Scorpio had to eventually give up, forcing her to turn to Gamzee.
She tugged on her hair, annoyed and worried. Her plan was not working out well at all. Tavros wasn't supposed to get hurt; she had intended for both of them to get what they wanted. Her luck was gone, and this left Vriska feeling insecure and bare.
A "few minutes" felt like hours to Vriska as she awaited a knock on the front door. It came right on time. Any longer and Vriska would have broken something.
She raced to the door and flung it open. Gamzee stared blankly at her, betraying none of his growing worry. Vriska stepped to the side and let him in; they walked to her room. Gamzee's eyebrows drew together at the sight of Tavros. He looked to Vriska.
"Can you give us motherfuckers some space?"
Vriska scowled. "I guess." She left Gamzee to whatever he planned on doing.
The Capricorn breathed in deeply before kneeling in front of Tavros. He stared into the Taurus' eyes.
"Tav?" Tavros blinked, but his eyes did not focus on Gamzee. "Tavros, answer me. I know you can all fucking hear me." Silence prevailed, and Gamzee searched his mind for anything that would help. Nothing came to the forefront, and a weight settled on his shoulders. He leaned his forehead against Tavros'. "Tav, please. You know you should never motherfucking listen to that shit. These fuckin' humans can be worse than us motherfucking trolls sometimes. Stop thinking about what they said and fucking focus on me."
Tavros blinked again then a few more times and finally broke into tears. He closed his eyes tightly, shaking with stifled sobs. Gamzee pulled back enough to see the tears streak down Tavros' face; he took his jacket's sleeve and used it to wipe away some of the tears. Tavros talked through his crying.
"T-they called me weak, and, I-I always knew I, uh, was, but, when they a-actually, said it, I couldn't deny it. And they said, you—"
"I?"
Tavros pushed the jacket away and scrubbed his eyes. "They, said you guys w-were, uh, only talking to, me out of pity. I mean, the human way of, uh, pitying."
"Tav, that is motherfucking ridiculous. You're not as strong as the fucking rest of us physically and shit, but you have other things to make up for it."
"I know, but, I can't not think, about what they, uh, said. I wish the Scratch, hadn't given me back my, old legs. People might, um, make fun of me, less." Tavros cleared his face of all water and actually looked Gamzee in the eye. "I don't, want to go out with Vriska anymore," he said lowly.
Gamzee nodded. "I'll see what I can motherfucking do."
"Thanks, Gamzee."
"No problem, Tav. Are you all right now because Karkat was flipping his shit earlier, and I need to motherfucking get back and all be a good moirail."
"Okay," Tavros said, trying to smile. It came out unsure: more a twitch of his lips than a real smile. "Tell Karkat I said, hi."
"Sure." Gamzee stood and ruffled Tavros' hair, lingering a few seconds longer than needed. Tavros leaned in to the touch. "I'll tell Vriska to fucking lay off on the dates. Bye, Tav."
"Bye…"
The Capricorn exited the room and went to find Vriska. She was in the kitchen throwing around some plain human dice; the eight dice always all landed on the side with six dots. When he entered, Vriska glanced up and stopped her dice rolling.
"Is her better?"
"He's motherfucking fantastic."
"That's good. You can be on your way since you've done what you came for." Vriska gave him a smile that could freeze water.
Gamzee, instead of leaving, stomped to the table the Scorpio was sitting at. He slammed his hands on the surface right in front of her, causing the dice to jump around. "Look, Vriska, Tav is my motherfucking matesprit. I'M NOT GOING TO FUCKING LET YOU TREAT HIM LIKE THAT, BITCH." Gamzee clenched his fists and turned his head. He reeled in his anger. Last time he had let go on Earth, he had almost killed a person and gotten in a lot of trouble. This was a somewhat-friend, and Tavros was close by; he couldn't let go of his temper. He grit his teeth and looked back at Vriska. "Sorry, but I mean all what I motherfucking said."
Vriska looked surprised at his changed in behavior but skillfully schooled her expression into nonchalance. "I'll see what I can do." She examined the nails of one hand and dismissed him with a wave from the other. "And I don't know if you should continue to think of him as your matesprit. He is going out with me, after all."
The taller troll's fist crashed into the table, almost toppling it. The dice leapt from the wood and scattered on the floor. Gamzee disappeared without another word.
Vriska went to pick up the dice, freezing when she realized how they had landed: in a row. She didn't touch them, leaving them for Jade or Feferi to collect. She headed back to her room to see how Tavros was.
The dice lay on the floor, two sixes showing in the middle and the others decreasing on either side of the line.