Of the Gentle and the Broken

by SoberGamzee-HoNk

Tavros Nitram is a paraplegic therapist at a rehab center. He thinks he's seen almost everything. But he wonders if he should abandon that theory when Gamzee Makara, handcuffed and heavily addicted to a new street drug, is brought to the center. When he begins to consider the strange man a friend, maybe even more, he has to face a hell that has been haunting him since high school.

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It took another two days for the withdrawal symptoms to kick in, and it was terrifying when they did. Gamzee went on rampage in his little room, screaming about miracles and messiahs and blood. Whenever anyone tried to go in to give him medications that could lessen the symptoms, he would scream and throw things. By the end of the week, he had broken almost everything in the room and nearly throttled two nurses.

Not knowing what to do, I called Karkat, hoping that he'd know a way to calm Gamzee down at least for a little bit.

"What?" he sounded annoyed, but not surprised, when I told him about Gamzee's behavior.

"Um, yeah… he's destroying his room, and we're worried he might accidentally hurt himself." I said, and I could hear him sigh.

"That's normal. If you have anyone who's not all that threatening, have them take him his medicine. Usually I'd do it, but…"

The end of the sentence—it's usually not medicine—hung in the static emptiness. I nodded a bit and sighed as well. Withdrawal symptoms were always bad, and they didn't usually make things easier for me or the security or the patient.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. I'll call you again when he calms down."

"Thanks." Karkat hung up and I sighed, scrubbing a hand tiredly over my face.

I didn't consider myself threateningly, but then again, how could I scare anyone? I hadn't been tall when I had had my legs, and now that I was confined to a wheelchair, there really wasn't any way I was getting any taller. I had never been all that intimidating; I was too "soft and squishy," in the words of my annoying older brother.

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the door, hearing the incomprehensible roars of pure rage that came from the man on the other side. Equius stood beside me, expressionless as usual, but by the sweat rolling down his neck, he was nervous. If Gamzee even scared Equius, it couldn't be good.

I took another shaky breath and knocked. The noises paused and a voice, clearly Gamzee's and somehow someone else's completely, responded. "What the mother fuck do you want?"

I eased the door open to find Gamzee standing in the corner across from me, bleeding from several nicks on his face and arms. He looked exhausted, but angry, and definitely stronger than I was.

"Gamzee, you're hurt. Let me help."

Slowly, like a wounded, weary animal, he stepped toward me. I smiled; maybe I really could help him.