His gaze meets Harry's before the pirate has a chance to speak.
At any other time, he would have admonished him for his audible steps.
Questioned how he knew where to look.
But right now?
Right now he was-
Relieved?
Grateful?
He wasn't sure, but it did make him feel better.
-to see his ice-blue eyes.
Like a layer of weight being lifted.
"I were gettin' worried when the three o' ya did'nah be movin'," Harry explains as he crouches down in front of them.
Beam blinks before he shakes his head and lets out a long sigh, "my bad."
"Good ta know ya check the notebook while yer out." Uma says as she releases her hold on him and Beam.
"I ain'nah thinkin' ah one o' us can be ah goin' more than ah hour without checkin' 'em." Harry takes Uma's outstretched hand and pulls her to her feet.
"No fuckin' shit." Beam shakes his head, "s'been nice bein' able ta keep tabs so easy."
He nods in agreement, letting Harry pull Beam to his feet before he pushes himself up.
"Up ta walkin' back together then?" Harry asks as he stands, his eyes traveling the small yard they were in, "I be havin' Freddie an' the others waitin' 'round the corner."
We should really check on Senior while we're out.
His brow furrows.
What? Why?
Out of all the things she could have said-
All the requests she could have made-
Why?
Why was her first comment, after agreeing with him, this?
It's just a feeling.
His eyes narrow.
It's never just a feeling with you.
She sighs heavily.
We're already out, and he hasn't responded to me since before Cruella's. There just wasn't a good time-
Wait- The fuck you mean responded?
Don't worry about it, she dismisses him, just- please?
Yeah, no. Very worried, cause you sound worried and I'm worried about the why.
She sighs, just trust me please? It isn't like him to ignore entertainment-
Since when the fuck did you start-
Are you telling me you aren't curious?
No, in fact, I'm curious about a lot of shit right now thanks to you. The fuck've you been up to?
Don't you trust me?
Oh, fuck you. Bitch.
He bites his lip as his eyes close, "Actually-" he pauses, hesitant to push and yet unable to deny the way her concern beat at him, "I wanted to hit Senior's." He states, all attempts at confidence waning when he opens his eyes to see the other's faces, "if that's cool?"
Harry sighs before he looks up and drags a hand down his face, "why?"
He drops his eyes, "bad feelin'."
Uma turns to him so fast he could swear her back and neck pops, "meanin'?"
"Dunno," He frowns, "something jus' isn't sitting right?"
"Just-" Uma presses her fingers to her temples, "is it Deez related?"
"I mean, maybe?"
"Ya scared me earlier," Beam presses a hand to his chest, "good ta see ya back Shadow."
He turns to Beam with a raised brow, "what? I don't know if it's D related."
Beam drops his fist to his head with a hard thud, "do you purposely misinterpret shit? Or are you that-"
Harry clears his throat, "I can be goin' with," he says after looking him up and down, "either way this be ah goin', I be thinkin' I owe the damn god since I ain'nah holdin' up me side o' the deal." He pulls Uma into a hug, "best ta be gettin' in front o' it afore he be tryin' ta take it up with our girl, aye?"
Uma groans before she turns to him, "no side quests."
"Aye." Harry nods before he looks at him expectantly.
Are you going to answer?
What? And fucking lie? It's not like I fuck off on purpose.
Apparently he was taking too long, because Harry shoulder-checks him towards Uma.
"What he said."
Beam studies him for a moment, before his eyes dart to the grave and back. "Jus' don't do anything stupid. I'll kick your ass if ya so much as try to dip on Psycho."
The corners of Harry's lips twitch, "he be knowin' better."
"If something does come up, notebook. Location. Problem. Possible solutions." Uma explains, one hand slamming into the other with each demand.
"If we have ti-"
Don't.
"Give 'im an inch Kraken…"
He grimaces as Beam's knuckles dig into the top of his head.
"Better an inch than sheer disappointment."
He flinches.
That was a bar.
One you lowered.
I mean, I guess…
Didn't make it any less of a slap in the face, though.
"T knows when things are important an' when they can wait, it's the communication thing we're workin' on."
"Aye, an since we be approved like," Harry looks around the yard, his eyes lingering on the fresh dug grave before he gestures over his shoulder with a thumb, "come on, the group be back this ah way, with baskets full of plundered herbs for me Pirate Princess."
A soft gasp was the only warning he had before a shrill shriek of excitement pierced his brain.
He rolls his eyes, but can't help the small smile.
It was always the littlest things with her.
It wasn't like Harry had gathered the herbs with her specifically in mind. Her skill, sure. But-
He also knew she wouldn't care.
Just the fact he'd thought about the damned plants was enough.
Faustina and her tokens.
He shakes his head and spares Grimer's resting place one last glance before he silently follows the others.
"Thanks."
He tilts his head to the side as he turns to face T without breaking his stride.
That was different; T was almost never the one to break the silence. "What ya be ah thankin' me for?"
"For, like, havin' my back. I wasn't expectin' it. So, like, thanks."
He grips T's shoulder and pulls him against his side, "Don'nah know why ya be ah thinkin' I ain'nah-"
"Used to it? I know, me-" T sighs.
His eyes narrow as he covers T's mouth with the hand draped over his shoulder, "-always gonna be ah havin' yer back." He finishes.
T glances up at him curiously before he drops his eyes. "Don'f fwunderfand fry."
He shakes his head as he drops his hand, "cause ya be bein' me mate, that be bein' 'nough o' ah why."
T stays silent for a moment, "I really question your choices sometimes."
"Aye? It only be ah bein' sometimes?" He chuckles as he pats T's arm, "I must be ah gettin' better."
T sighs, "still questionable… But, like," his cheeks flair red, "yeah, jus' thanks for like- not-" He frowns, "I guess you are pretty used ta me bein' a asshole, but, still I appreciate it, an' am sorry 'bout it." he trails off as his blush deepens.
Thanks and an apology?
On top of admitting he could be an asshole?
Should he be looking out for lightning?
He sighs as they continue walking, falling back in silence, though at least this time it was more comfortable.
Why the apology though?
Was it because of the night terror?
It wasn't something he would have brought up, especially not now.
Not after he'd buried a kid.
Because he knew that's what he'd missed back there.
Looking back on the trip to Hell Hall, back on the way T kept directing him-
He'd known.
Somehow, in a place that he used for things he wanted to avoid thinking about, he'd known.
Someone died in that place.
Someone T knew.
Beam knew.
An Urchin.
And yet, T wanted to protect him from it instead of leaning on him.
He understood it as much as it hurt.
"Look, ya really don'nah be havin' nothing ta be sorry over. Not like me. I be sorry." He whispers, grief for not only the death of a kid but the grief he'd seen in the trio's eyes thinning his voice.
T pauses as he studies him with a frown, "for what? Lyin'?" He scoffs, "I'd've too."
"I ain'nah talkin' 'bout yer headbutt." He sighs.
Might as well admit it.
T tilts his head, "then what the fuck ya sorry for? I bruised your pretty face an' ya still backed me."
What was he sorry for?
The moment he opened that door in Hell Hall-
The second he saw all the paleness-
He'd lost it.
Magic was real, why not ghosts?
And because of that-
"It were'nah bein' yer fault on me face." He easily brushes it off, "I be sayin' sorry cause o' what I be doin' back there. Sorry ya be thinkin' ya be havin' ta protect me-"
T's brow furrows, "back where?"
"At the bitch's house."
T's frown deepens, "I didn't though, she fuckin' got you."
"I ain'nah talkin' 'bout magic."
T's steps falter after a long pause, "you're talkin' 'bout…"
"How I be ah failin' ya back at Hell Hall, an' now ya be thinkin' ya be havin' ta protect me."
T looks away, "I-" He grimaces, "my bad."
What did that even mean?
He tilts his head to the side before he moves to stand in front of T, "yer bad?"
T sighs, "I shouldn't have done that. I jus'-" He scowls, "it wasn't right, ta try an' like-" He hangs his head, "try ta protect ya from that."
"I just be wantin' ya ta know I be here for ya. That ya can be ah trustin' me, leanin' on me when things be hard." He puts a finger under T's chin and lifts, "I know I ain'nah givin' loads o' confidence when I be ah fallin' 'part on ya."
T frowns, "I know you are. An' I do trust you- Ain't your fault I suck at askin'." His brow furrows, "an' ain't judgin' ya for bein like, affected different." He looks away, "probably says more 'bout me than you anyways. I was like," pain briefly passes his features, "made for this shit, or something."
"T, mate, I did'nah even be ah knowin' what I were seein'," he shakes his head, "I were thinkin' there be ghosts. An' really, made fer this shit or not, it ain'nah all yer good at."
T takes a step back as he shrugs, "I want to believe that," he frowns, "an' I get it. The ghost thing. I wasn't like, holdin' it against ya… Or thinkin' ya couldn't handle shit… I just wasn't thinkin' right…"
It made him feel better to hear it.
To know T didn't think he was weak or unable to handle himself.
"Shouldn't have done it." T sighs, "that's a shit way ta make a mate feel."
He slings his arms over T's shoulders again, "ya know, after hearin' ya say ya trust me an' ya ain'nah thinkin' less o' me fer being scared o' ghosts, I think I be understandin'. I know ya ain'nah bein' mean 'bout it."
It was easier to focus on what they had to do, and by doing that, easier to not talk about what had been.
T's eyes sweep over his face before he nods, "thank you." He pauses, "for always jus' like believin' me."
"Only things I ever be second guessin' outta yer mouth be 'bout you."
T closes his mouth with a pout.
He levels a stern look at T who immediately looks away.
"You worry too much."
"Who don'nah be doin' that lately?"
"Tch. You've always worried too much 'bout dumb shit."
He immediately flicks T's forehead, "you ain'nah bein' dumb."
T rubs the spot with a frown, "really ain't worth worryin' bout."
"Ya can be ah stoppin' that right now, ya do be worth worryin' o'er." He scolds before he tugs T to get them moving again. "Yer family, an' family takes care o' each other."
T snorts, "ya've been lookin' after my ass long before then."
He shrugs, "just cause you ain'nah realizing yer family don'nah be stoppin' me none."
T's lips twitch before the smile slips from his lips, "seriously though, thanks. For like always havin' my back. Even when I'm bein' a prick about it." He turns towards the sky, "for what it's worth, I've kinda grown ta like this. Havin' you come with. It's different. And stressful. But, ya know…" His cheeks darken, "nice. Or whatever."
"I always be ah likin' this," he grins as he pulls T closer, "I guess I were bein' scared it were gonna be endin'."
He frowns when T doesn't respond.
That was the biggest reason it hurt when T turned down going out on the Isle with him.
When he wanted Uma and Beam instead.
It was strange after their deep conversation last night.
One moment he was happy and content, the next-
Afraid.
Hurt.
Jealous?
"I can't-" T's eyes close, "I can't be selfish like that anymore…" he sighs heavily, "I wish I could, fucking want to- But… It's not fair. To them. Or to any of you."
It was weird to hear T name his tendencies to go off on his own selfish.
Was that really how he saw it?
Selfish to want to protect everyone, and not need anyone?
He, on the other hand, felt selfish every time he found a reason to work with T.
What was really selfish?
"It be nice knowin' ya ain'nah plannin' ta work alone, selfish or not. I can be understandin' ya wantin' ta. Ol' habits die hard."
T turns and studies him curiously before he turns away with a grin.
The walk towards the temple in silence, but this time the quiet was peaceful.
"Before I forget," T glances at him, "I owe you one. For gatherin' herbs for Tina- She was in a fuckin' mood."
"Now that I can be acceptin'," he grins as he slings his arm around T again, "I be ah lovin' it when me Pirate Princess be ah feelin' useful. The way her eyes be ah lightin' up with all her creative things. How much she be enjoyin' the art o' it. That be who she really be, happy ta be concocting."'
T falters in his steps with a flinch
He frowns as he quickly supports T by the shoulders to keep him from eating dirt, "what I be ah sayin'?"
"What didn't you?" T grumbles.
"What ya be-" he tilts his head curiously, "oh," he grins, "do I be ah makin' her happy ta hear that?"
"Don't be smug 'bout it, it ain't your fuckin' ears."
He fails to muffle a snort. He just couldn't imagine his mouse of a Princess ever doing anything loud enough to hurt someone's ears.
T rolls his eyes and shakes his head, "take it back, we're even."
"Nah nah nah, ya can'nah be goin' back on yer word. Ya be ah owein' me."
T glares at him but it's softened by the twitch of his lips. "You're such a pain in my ass."
At least he'd gotten a half smile, even if it hadn't lasted long.
He had a sinking feeling that those were going to become even more rare.
"Ya must be ah lovin' pain then."
"I mean," T shrugs, "ya did back me on comin'."
"Aye, cause I know you an' me Princess ain'nah doin' things without reason."
"S'more than most, I don't 'xactly scream trustworthy."
"Ya do ta me." He ruffles the hood covering T's hair, "when I know ya be ah thinkin' things through."
T drops his head but he doesn't miss the smile.
At least he seemed to have broken through T's dark mood.
He was a little more here and a little less in the past.
He wished he could say the same for himself.
He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to get the image of Uma, Beam, and T huddled up and crying against the side of Hell Hall out of his head.
The tears were silent, but the look of pain on each of their faces?
That would haunt him forever.
And if they and the yard were burned into his mind-
So clear even though he'd made it a point to not look at the smaller details lest T feel the urge to run.
Such a simple area.
Serene almost.
A name freshly carved into the rotting bark of a long dead tree that was now more scrap wood than not.
The small area of disturbed dirt beneath it.
A floor built into the gnarled branches of a tree in the middle of the fucking town.
A hidden gem.
He hadn't seen it the first time he and T crept around the house, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was something the Pup had built.
A place where he could climb away from the pain of his life.
His heart ached at the memory of Carlos running away from him, scared off by his barking laughter.
Fucking Pup.
He was a smart kid. He had to have known his secret would be safe.
Who in their right mind would get that close to Hell Hall.
If the sight made him hurt this much, he couldn't imagine how painful it was for the others.
Fuck.
Things really had happened fast.
They hadn't been able to talk about any of it yet.
How many times could the Isle or the OVs on it try to kill them?
Wands.
Evil fucking fairies.
Witches and death, death and witches.
How many deaths was T mourning?
And how the hell was he managing it?
Managing to smile?
He was happy T wasn't blaming himself, which was something that surprised him.
Not because he thought T should, but because there hadn't been a time that T hadn't.
He seemed to believe every bad thing that happened on the Isle was his fault.
He wasn't fast enough.
Strong enough.
Lucky enough.
Smart enough.
His eye twitches.
Paranoid enough.
Enough. Enough. Enough.
T never believed he was enough.
So it was a welcomed change to see him face this moment like this.
Face this failure, because that was the only way T would see it, with his anger directed not at himself.
"I don't like this," he admits as he looks up the steps of the temple.
Me neither. Something's wrong. He always greets you.
He nods with a frown.
"Aye," Harry steps closer to him, his voice barely above a whisper, "where he be?"
"Great question," he frowns, "c'mon," he takes Harry's hand only for pain to pulse through it before he quickly shoves both into his hoodie pouch.
Faustina sighs heavily. Do you ever think before you act?
"What the fuck ya be doin' to yer hand?" Harry demands as he looks down at his own palm.
Shit.
He shakes his head, "nothin' worth worryin' 'bout."
A hand shoved in his face makes him take a step back.
"Ya be wantin' ta try again like?"
He stares at the dots of liquid on Harry's palm.
"Cause last I be ah checkin', any sort o' leakin' be ah bad thing."
"Later," He sighs as he steps back and turns, "something's up an' I wanna know the fuck is goin' on." He brushes Harry off as he heads for the tomb's entrance.
"No no no, like hell we be ah goin' down inta dark an' dead territory with ya leakin'."
His head tilts back as he groans, "it's fine."
"Ta tend afore we go so ya don'nah have ta worry 'bout sick gettin' inta yer damn hand?" Harry says as if finishing his sentence while searching through his bag, "I see we be on the same wave."
T, just-
"Oh my fuckin'-" He growls.
"Just do it an' be done with it? I can be ah doin' that."
"For fucks sake- Five minutes." He scowls, "five minutes then I'm goin' done or not."
"Then don'nah be wastin' time with complainin' or tryin' ta hide what ya be doin'." Harry glares as he pulls the kit from his bag, "so what ya be doin' to yer hand." His brow furrows, "be showin' me the other."
He rolls his eyes before he pulls out his hands and offers them to Harry, "does it matter?" he grouses.
"It be tellin' me if I be needin' ta really clean or if I be-" his eyes twitch before he dumps an entire bottle of alcohol over both hands.
"Sonovabitch!" He hisses as the liquid seeps under his bandaged nails "that was unnecessary, wasteful, an' petty." He scowls.
"Be shuttin' it, I be havin' five minutes." Harry snaps as he pulls out the tin and a cloth, "an' if ya be ah fightin' me I be gettin' ta add time."
He glares, "Four minutes."
"It ain'nah been ah full minute yet." Harry snaps as he removes the first bandage from his nails.
"You lost thirty seconds for bein' a prick."
"An' be gettin' it back cause ya be ah ass."
"Tch," He huffs with a roll of his eyes.
It doesn't take long for Harry to get all the bandages removed from his fingertips.
His palms and most of his fingers were a mass of blisters, except where the bandages had been. There he was dealing with shredded nails.
"You pour any more shit over them, I hurt you." He warns through clenched teeth, as last nights previous nausea washes over him at the thought. Fighting the urge to pull his hands back, "ass hole."
Fuck nails. Obnoxious stupid frail ass shells.
"Dirt. There is dirt! You will let me clean your fuckin' hands," Harry's head jerks as he looks around, "or we leave right now."
He scowls at the pirate.
T, proceed carefully, I don't believe he's bluffing, he never takes that tone with you.
When he doesn't say anything, Harry nods and upends another bottle over his hands.
"Fuckin' die in a fire." He hisses with a flinch.
Harry ignores him as he dabs goop over the injuries with the cloth.
When he's seemingly satisfied he huffs before pulling out a roll of bandages, "ya even try ta leave afore I get this covered- T, I be swearin' mate, ain'nah no one gonna be happy."
He lifts a brow at the threat.
T don't.
He glares as he takes a step back, "I ain't happy now."
Harry smacks the bandage over his palm, "did I be sayin' ya could move yet?"
He rolls his eyes as he pulls his hand back spitefully, "time."
"Don'nah make me fuckin' dart ya."
His eyes narrow as he starts for his bag.
"If ya ain'nah carin' how much this be worryin' me, then fuckin' think practical like," Harry smacks the back of his head, "ya ain'nah savin' no one spewin' ah rainbow o' sick from infected hands."
That was an image.
He scowls, "you're the one bein' a dick about it."
"I can be bein' fast or I can be bein' gentle, either way I be bein' thorough. An' don'nah be forgettin' it were you ta put ah time limit on me"
He has a point.
Get bent.
"Now stop yer fuckin' around an' let me finish, or so help me Posidion's salty nut sack, I will fuckin' dart you, finish, an' then go find the damn god o' death meself." Harry demands, pointedly yelling and gesturing wildly.
He scowls as he shoves his hand at Harry, "fuckin' psycho."
Harry huffs, but his hands are mercifully gentle as he carefully wraps both hands.
He breathes out in relief when Harry finish tying off the last bandage.
"Now, don'nah be movin' 'em none."
"Now you're bein' ridiculous, they're fuckin' hands, they're gonna move."
"Aye, they be hands." Harry glares as he shoves his kit back into his bag, "an' if ya be wantin' ta keep 'em attached ta yer wrists ya be doin' what I be sayin'."
He rolls his eyes as he shoves them in his pocket and starts walking.
Harry's eyes twitch, "get your clean an' bandaged hands out of your gods damned filthy pockets!"
He turns to Harry with wide eyes as he does as demanded immediately.
"Do ya be wantin' ta get sick? Ah cause that be how ya be gettin' sick!"
"Jesus fucking Christ bro, chill."
"You fuckin' chill. I ain'nah ever seen hands that be lookin' that bad, an' I be seein' people gettin' hooks."
He shrugs, "what doesn't kill you-"
"Darts yer ass an' drags ya home cause ya ain'nah listenin' ta me 'bout this?"
His mouth snaps shut.
"Cool. Now we findin' the fuckin' god or what?"
"Fuckin' psycho."
"Fuckin' child."
He lifts his eye brow as he deliberately shoves his hands back in his pockets, only to yelp when Harry grabs him by the ear and drags him up the stairs leading to the temple entrance.
"Hook!" He hisses as he swats at his hand. "Off."
"What ya be expectin' after that?" Harry asks nonchalantly as he continues to drag him painfully by the ear, "if ya be actin' like ah child then…" he shrugs as he trails off.
T, for the love of- Just shut up.
"You're a fuckin' child." He snaps as he struggles to keep up.
Idiot.
Bite me.
"If ya be ah sayin' so."
"If ya be ah sayin' so." He mocks with a roll of his eyes, "fuck off."
Harry snorts as they reach the top step, "ya be wantin' ta lead now?"
He scowls at the pirate defiantly.
I hate you so much sometimes.
Don't you have a book to go fuckin' read or something?
And miss this? No thank you.
"Yer eyes be sayin' yes," Harry tilts his head to the side as the pressure on his ear vanishes, "but yer attitude be sayin' go fuck yerself."
"Bite me." He swats the pirates hand away.
The temple was cold and silent as a grave.
He'd never been here without the god making an appearance, so this-
He follows quietly as T darts between scattered shadows, slowly making his way through the broken columns and crumbled walls.
Down the hall, past the room Senior normally took them for chats.
Silence.
But as they're creeping towards a staircase he'd never seen before, a side door slams open and Panic flits through with heaving whimpers before he races up the stairs.
T pauses as his head follows Panic's panicked flight.
"And make sure it's actually hot this time!" A horse voice calls after the imp.
That sounded-
Was that Senior?
He frowns when T doesn't move to follow the imp, or investigate the voice shouting weakly from the room.
"Oh…" T's lips slowly pull back into a devil-may-care smirk.
"No-" Before he can do more than conceive that there was some kind of crazy plan, or even move to stop it, T slips through his outreached grasp and races into the open doorway.
He grimaces when howling laughter quickly follows.