Chapter Eight
It only took about ten minutes before both Gamzee and Karkat were peppering Tavros with questions ranging from 'what the motherfuck is that thing?' to 'you have two seconds to tell me what's going on before I fucking toss you out of the god damn car'.
And it was all starting to fray on Tavros' nerves.
"Look, I'll explain everything—that's a stoplight, Gamzee—when we're at your home, alright?" Tavros finally snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He didn't know any more than they did and the stress of being caught was starting to get to him. He'd basically kidnapped a merman! And those men…Eridan and that other guy…Tavros leaned against the window and closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. There was nothing in his job contract that said anything about stealing away in the dead of night with a mythical creature.
They'd decided on Karkat's house because it was closer and had a basement they could hide Gamzee in. It took twenty minutes to get there, though Karkat said it usually took him ten. But he didn't want to be pulled over and explain why he had a fucking fish man in the back of his car so he was stuck with the speed limit.
They pulled up to a small gray house with dark red shutters and a matching door. Tavros got out and set up the wheelchair while Karkat kept an eye out for nosy neighbors. Opening the back door, Tavros helped Gamzee into the chair, repositioned the blanket, and then hurried him inside with Karkat bringing up the rear.
Lights were turned on, revealing a comfortable looking living room with a fair sized television on the opposite wall. Karkat locked the door and flopped down on his couch, sighing and rubbing his face with his hands, "Alright fuckass, talk."
Tavros looked at Gamzee, who was craning his neck to stare at a snow globe, and echoed Karkat's sigh, "I don't know what happened or how they found out, but Eridan and some guy who might have been his father were in Gamzee's room."
"Shit, did they see him?" Karkat sat forward, his eyes trained on Tavros intently.
"No, but they were definitely looking for him."
"How did they not see a giant fish man swimming around in a tank?!"
"He, uh, wasn't in the tank." Tavros mumbled.
This got Gamzee's attention and he perked up, grinning, "I got to go see some motherfucking jelly floaters!"
"What."
"He means jelly—"
"I know what he fucking means!" Karkat snarled, silencing Tavros instantly, "Why the FUCK was he outside?"
"Hey bro, don't get all losing your cool at Tav," Gamzee said, "I made him take me."
"You can't make anyone do a god damn thing!" Karkat snapped, "You don't own a god damn wheelchair and it's not like the aquarium keeps a fucking supply for fish people who want a late night stroll!"
"It's a good thing we were out or they would have seen Gamzee!" Tavros retorted, only to be shot down by Karkat's murderous glare.
"By your reckoning it seems like those fuckers already knew he was there! Which means they must've seen him! Now, I know Ampora doesn't get off his ass for anything, much less to wander into some god damn storage room, so he must've found something or seen something beforehand."
A sickening feeling opened up in Tavros' stomach.
"So, how many fucking times have you two gone out on your little date nights?"
"…twice."
"And did it every cross your disease riddled brain that SOMEBODY COULD HAVE SEEN HIM?"
"Don't yell at Tavros." Gamzee growled, and things went deadly silent.
After an electrified pause, Tavros spoke, "No, he's right Gamzee. It's my fault. Eridan had a scale, your scale, and I think it was the one I took from one of my visits."
"A scale?"
"Yeah…I found it and wanted to keep it but…when I looked for it that night it was gone. It must've fallen out. And I saw Eridan a couple days later trying to get into the door—but I thought he was just lost. He must've found the scale while in the storage room and pieced it together…fuck I'm so sorry."
"Fat lot that does us." Karkat grumbled, crossing his arms, "Did they see you?"
"I don't think so." Tavros avoided their gazes, "But Eridan saw me in the storage room, so he probably assumes I have something to do with it."
"Right, well that's settled then. You," Karkat jabbed a finger at Gamzee, "are staying here. And you," he glared at Tavros, "will go to work tomorrow like nothing happened."
"But if Eri-what's his face-thinks Tav has something to do with whatever is going on, then he's in danger." Gamzee protested.
"He'd be in more danger if he stopped showing up for work the day after Eridan tried to steal you." Karkat countered sharply, "Look, we'll talk to Feferi tomorrow and get this shit sorted out. But for now, we need some fucking sleep."
"Okay, I guess I'll head home." The last thing Tavros wanted to do was leave, but there wasn't much else he could do. He knew Karkat would make sure Gamzee was alright, so there was no need for him to linger.
"Tav?" Gamzee said suddenly, as Tavros turned to leave.
Karkat stood up and stretched, "I'll be outside, I want a word with you when you're done here." With that he left, leaving Gamzee and Tavros alone.
Tavros moved in front of Gamzee and knelt, "I'm so sorry about this Gamzee. But Feferi will sort this all out in a day or two—"
"Tav, it's cool." Gamzee said, pushing the hood off his head and ruffling his unruly mane of hair, "I should be the motherfucker apologizing here. I could fuck up your job and get you in some serious shit. I know taking me out of there was big risk." Gamzee smiled crookedly, "But don't you apologize at me brother, this is the first time a motherfucker has been outside since I was a fucking grub."
"A what?"
"Little," Gamzee elaborated, "younger. Sorry, Karkat used to call me a grub when I first came." He grinned toothily, "It's like a whole new fucking world out there, Tav. It's pretty fucking cool."
Tavros smiled, glad at least one of them was having a good time, "I'm glad you get to see it, Gamzee."
Gamzee's smile fell, "I'm not."
"What? I thought you just said it was cool?"
"Yeah bro, it's the coolest shit ever. But the nice thing about living in a room all your life is a motherfucker doesn't know what he's missing. There's nothing to miss, you know? All that motherfucker knows is the life inside a room. But now…" Gamzee's expression turned gloomy, "now I know what's out there. Now I have something to compare my room to; and I wish I'd never left. Because now I know what I'm missing."
Tavros opened his mouth to reassure Gamzee, but felt the words stick like glass in his throat. Gamzee was right. And this was all his fault. "Gamzee…I'm sorry."
"No Tav, don't be sorry." Gamzee smiled down at him, "It was bound to happen sooner or later, I'm just glad it happened with the bros I love, that's all."
The words struck Tavros like a blow, but then just as quickly they washed over him, replacing the shock with a warm, pleasant feeling. "Yeah, me too." He smiled at Gamzee and stood up, "I better get going, I'll see you tomorrow, Gamzee."
"See you, Tav." Gamzee waved and Tavros left, chewing on his lower lip as he closed the front door behind him.
Karkat was waiting outside looking crabby as usual, but there was something else that became apparent as Tavros approached.
"Look, fuckass, I didn't mean to flip my shit at you back there." Karkat bit out as Tavros stopped in front of him, "But that fucker in there is the only friend I've got, so I'm gonna fucking protect his fish-ass until I'm god damn blue in the face. That's why that stupid shit you pulled made me so fucking pissed; because it was fucking stupid."
Was Karkat…trying to apologize? Tavros opened his mouth but Karkat rode over him easily.
"If they find him you know what'll happen. And I can't fucking let that happen. Gamzee is…" Karkat trailed off, "special."
"I know." Tavros said quietly, and Karkat looked up at him with a scowl.
"Yeah, I fucking think you do know. So try not to do anything ungodly stupid anymore, okay?"
"Okay," Tavros smiled, "Hey, Karkat?"
"What?"
"You've got more than one friend, you know."
"Shut the hell up, fuckass." Karkat snapped, and then turned and marched back inside.
Tavros chuckled and then set off to find a bus stop that would take him back home.