Sorry, sorry, sorry. We've been struggling so much with life that it's affected posting. Our bad guys.

-Twisted

His eyes dart over to T as they pause in a thin alleyway crowded with rubble.

There really weren't many people he'd want to be with on a mission like this.

Jay would have had his back.

James did have back, but would have hated every second of it.

Gil would have come, but he would have worried about Gil getting noticed.

Which would have been very counterproductive.

Beam would rather get keelhauled than step a single foot anywhere near Yu territory.

But T?

He trusted T.

Knew T would keep to plans and improvise where needed.

T'd also been here before.

On his own.

He was the perfect partner for this mission.

Except his Pirate Princess and T shared a body, and he rather liked her body safe.

Her body safe for what ? Hot lusty passionate pirate sex. Up until now Harry had only ever been with the silky and majestic back hole of a manatee…

Back on the ship.

Or at the cove.

Which left him in a constant state of torn.

He trusted T to a point.

Trusted that T would not do anything ridiculously stupid.

But there was always the chance that they could get separated.

That T would be left to his own devices.

And those devices could get-

Tricky?

Reckless.

Painful.

He takes a slow, deep breath.

Reckless things often led to pain.

"How far?" He whispers when T inches closer.

"Bout fifteen."

He nods before crouching close to the ground to peak around the corner.

It was quiet.

And that bothered him.

He slowly stands, "I ain'nah seen ah single person since we be ah leavin' the main town."

"I know." T frowns, "c'mon," he summons, already climbing the wall, "I don't like this."

He sighs as he jumps for a handhold and pulls himself up.

They'd talked about avoiding the roofs before, knowing there weren't many reliably steady ones left after the way the Isle shook for so long.

So if T was heading for them now, he was really spooked.

And he couldn't blame him.

This small part of town had always been run down and filthy, but it usually had the most amount of people in it.

Sidekicks and Nobodies.

Where was everyone?

He shakes the fear trying to take hold in his spine as he follows behind T, letting him take the lead now that they were closer to enemy lines.

When T hops across several buildings in the opposite direction, and then climbs a particularly shabby looking building that towered over the area he stops in confusion.

Was T already improvising?

He glares at the holes in the walls.

The thin, paper-like walls.

Walls that looked as sturdy as a card castle.

This was safe.

Totally safe.

He closes his eyes as he shakes his head.

He wasn't that good of a liar.

No one was that good of a liar.

He takes a deep breath before he starts climbing, his stomach twisting and churning with every creak and groan as he tests his weight thoroughly with each hand and foot hold.

If he didn't die-

Well, he couldn't actually kill T.

Empty threat at this point and they all knew it.

With his heart in his throat he finally manages to pull himself over the edge of the roof.

They were far enough away from the streets at this point-

"T, what the fuck ya be-"

He stops dead when he finds T perched, like a damn seagull, on the edge of an exposed beam.

A loose exposed beam held in place by a crumbled edge and another beam.

"Get the fuck down ya addled minded idiot!" He yells in a hoarse whisper.

T turns to him curiously, "why? It's the best spot."

"Best spot ta be fallin' ta yer death? I agree! Be gettin' the fuck back here!"

T grins down at him, "ain't like your comin' up."

Oooooooh.

He'd never wanted to smack a shit eating grin off someone's face so bad before.

But T had him there.

He was not going out there.

Hell to the fucking no!

T chuckles as he turns back to the roads.

His breath catches in his throat as T, while precariously fucking perched with no wings to save his sorry ass if he fell, turns to rummage in his bag.

What the fuck was he looking for?

The answer doesn't take long.

T presses a pair of binoculars to his eyes as he goes back to scanning the area.

He did not want to admit it was a good idea.

Did not want to say it was smart.

Because it wasn't.

There were better ways to get a vantage point.

And as soon as he thought of them, he'd let T have an earful.

Precariously balanced little shit.

Wind!

If a single breeze decided to blow right now-

A single raindrop.

T would surely be knocked down.

"Huh," T stands and shoves the binoculars back into his bag before he turns to him. "It's dead as shit out here."

"Aye," he glares as he crosses his arms, "we be seein' that on the ground ya lil' arshole."

"Yeah," T snorts, "one road at a time."

He didn't like the way a grin was slowly curving his lips.

"T." He glares.

"S'up?" He asks as he walks towards the middle of the beam.

"I don'nah be knowin' what ya be ah thinkin', I just be ah knowin' it ain'nah bein' nothin' good," he sternly points to his side, "get down here."

"I mean, if you insist." His grin widens.

Too late he sees T's intentions.

T takes a running jump along the beam, landing with a thud against the side of the building as his hands grip the edge of the roof.

As if the beam were the fucking ship and he was mearly jumping down from the quarterdeck.

Without thinking he grabs T by both shoulders and roughly spins him-

Only to blink in surprise when he finds T laughing.

He closes his eyes.

Why wouldn't T laugh after a stunt like that?

It wasn't his heart painfully thudding in his ears.

But there was something about T laughing that always made the anger shift.

Brought a smile to his lips.

T rarely laughed anymore.

Rarely laughed like this anyway.

He was still pissed.

But T was fine.

Faustina safe.

He takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly, "ya be good now?"

He tilts his head, "I guess." He sighs.

"Good." He reluctantly releases his shoulders, "I don'nah be supposin' ya be catchin' sight o' Yu land up there?"

T nods with a frown, "it doesn't look much livelier than here."

"Great. Where the hell everyone be goin'?"

"My question exactly." He shoves his hands in his pockets. "Still best ta check-" His eyes sweep over him, "but if no one's home, doubt anyone's gonna like the back up plan."

"Oh?" He crosses his arms over his chest, "an what be the plan?"

"Track down his scouts an' follow 'em to the new camp."

Uma was going to love that about as much as she liked heights.

"Well, we do be havin' more ta do once we finish up here, we be the team hittin' up the hideout."

He nods, "true. Trackin' 'em is probably gonna be a pain in the ass with time restrictions anyways."

"We be havin' ta find someone ta be trackin' first."

T nods, "ready?"

He holds a finger up before he digs his notebook out, "since we be fuck all in ah dead area."

He quickly writes an update to Uma and tells her they're about to enter Yu's area.

When he looks up he finds T looking over the edge of the building.

"Don'nah be testin' me, get yer ass over here an' we can be climbing down the way we be gettin' up."

T frowns as he looks between him and the ground several times, "pretty sure I can make it though."

"No!" He glares as he stuffs the notebook in his bag and grabs T by the hood.

T turns, "well, I definitely ain't gonna make it with you snatchin' my hood."

He rolls his eyes as he redirects T to the side they'd climbed up.

"C'mon I totally could'ah made it."

"Save yer damn luck for somethin' else," he glares, "we be ah needin' it fer better shit than yer stunts."

"Lame." T huffs as he follows him.

They make good time running through the streets now that they knew the paths were clear.

And once they make it to the area Shan Yu claimed as his own, they found the need for stealth moot.

Everything was destroyed.

A single line of decrepit buildings hid the utter devastation until they were right on top of it.

"We should still look around."

"Aye."

See if there was anything they could scavenge.

"Split up or stick together?"

"Stay in eyesight? In case we be findin' somethin' livin'."

T salutes him and heads for a building before he pauses and turns to him, "If ya find any clothes grab 'em."

"Was thinkin' the same."

T nods before he continues on his way.

This was intense.

Not a single building survived.

This wasn't the best part of town by any notion, but the fact it was all nearly leveled was strange.

Other poor parts of town had one or two buildings still intact.

But everything higher than the first level was gone.

He scrounges around a couple of buildings, easily finding small things they could use.

Some torn clothes.

Unopened cans of food.

A few things of broken glass Deez would be able to use.

But that was it, small things.

"Something's up."

Cold charges up his spine like a slithering snake as his legs cramp from seizing and a far too shrill shriek echoes around him.

He finds himself gripping T by the shoulders and shaking him.

When had he turned?

T blinks at him.

"Why the hell ya be ah sneakin' up on me like that?" He demands, each word punctuated with a firm shake.

"Cause. It's. What. I. Do?"

He takes a deep breath before he pulls his hands back, "Well knock it the fuck off." He presses a hand to his pounding heart, "this place be weird 'nough without addin' spooks to it."

Green eyes glow with amusement, "heard."

He takes another deep breath as he wraps his arms around himself, "what ya be ah findin'?"

T's eyes sweep to the collapsed ceiling, "the quake didn't do that."

He follows T's gaze before he bites his lip, "I saw blacked areas too."

T frowns, "quakes probably sparked the powder."

"Might be why so much be destroyed."

"Maybe."

"But, I ain'nah findin' much, just lil' things."

"Same." T crosses his arms as he eyes the room before he turns back to him. "There ain't any bodies either."

"None where I be searchin'," he slowly nods, "so. They be hit by the quakes, but they be havin' the problems with the black powder too." He looks around, "so they be pickin' up an' leavin'?"

T's frown deepens as he falls silent. "He had to've already had a second base."

"You an' Deez would'ah been findin' it with that stupid game."

"We never fucked with Yu territory." He crosses his arms. "Or several others. Deez was afraid that one o' you might try searchin' for one of us." He rolls his eyes, "or that I'd start shit."

"Fair, she be havin' ah point." He sighs before he runs his fingers through his hair, "fuck."

Where was one of the most dangerous men on this fucking Isle?

Where was his son, Atilla?

Where was the army that followed them?

"We should tell Umes." T frowns, "an' ask the squads on the Isle to keep a look out for Yu's teams."

He nods as he pulls his notebook out and slumps to the ground, using his lap as a writing desk to fill Uma in and explain T's request.

T leans against the wall next to him quietly.

He looks up when he finishes, but doesn't close the book.

"S'up?"

"Just waitin' for Uma ta reply." He leans back against the wall.

T nods before he plops across from him and pulls out Faustina's orb with a frown, before he sighs and rolls it back and forth between his hands.

His lip twitches, like Shrimpy batting around balled up paper.

He tilts his head as he watches, wondering what about the orb had him pulling such a sour face, but before he can ask, writing begins to sprawl across the page.

"The other groups know to look out, but avoid anyone who might be Yu, an' she says we should be headin' ta collect the swords, Yensid should be done with the ring soon, so we be needin' ta be back quick anyways."

"Got it," T nods as he tosses the orb up, catching it after he jumps to his feet before he turns to him in confusion, "wait, ring?"

"Aye, Faustina be cookin' up some kin' o' Spider plan."

T stiffens. "What plan?"

"I ain'nah bein' too sure o' the details right now."

His brow furrows, "wonderful." He huffs.

He tilts his head to the side as he puts the book away, "The Spider do be the rightful heir o' the Isle right now, it be makin' sense ta use the cover ta confuse the OVs."

T groans as his head drops.

He turns away when T hangs his head back with a moan of misery and sighs.

He'd have bet his hook that teasing T this way would be satisfying but-

He watches as the other boy kicks a rock and sends it flying with a scowl.

-maybe he wasn't as vindictive as he thought.

Or maybe this ghost town was just getting to him.

Not that it mattered right now, either way-

"Ready?" He asks as he pulls himself to his feet.

"Was waitin' on you."

It's growing dark.

A shiver runs down his spine at the concern in her tone as he glances up at the darkening sky with a frown.

So I noticed.

He hated it.

The fear.

Dread.

Fucking witches.

Fucking ruining the solace he'd once found in the night.

His eyes move to Harry, "Hook," he whispers, "pick your poison, cause we either need ta move faster, or slower, what's your call?"

Harry's eyes jump to the sky before he sighs, "Faster. It be gettin' darker quicker than I be thinkin' it would. An' no one would be ah darin' ta mess with yer spider friend. So the faster we get there the better."

He nods, "set the pace?"

"Aye," he nods as he pulls to the lead and starts running.

It was easy to keep on his heels, freeing almost.

They hadn't run like this in a long time.

He smiles despite himself.

He'd missed it.

This.

Working with Harry.

Scaring the shit out of him.

He grins.

Getting shit done.

Feeling useful again.

As much as everything had taken a shit-

He couldn't help but enjoy the moment.

Appreciate it.

They'd come so close to losing their family.

But by some fucking miracle they'd all made it.

He wasn't sure he'd ever felt so grateful.

He grins when he feels warmth fill his chest.

Fuck they were fucking lucky.

So many had been lost, so many still mourning their loss.

But somehow, he glances at Harry's back, they'd all made it.

He pauses at Faustina's snort.

What?

Of course you would choose to have these revelations whilst running from potential danger.

His eyes narrow, and?

And nothing. It's just such a you thing to do. Though I must admit I am enjoying this shift in your perspective.

His eyes widen as he skids to a stop when Harry suddenly shifts to put his back to the wall.

"Shit." Harry whispers as he holds up a hand.

He pulls out his daggers as he mimics Harry, nearly on top of him.

He eyes the sky as the last sliver of dingy light vanishes with the sun fully set behind the mountain.

Shit.

Why hadn't they thought about the damn shadow of the fucking mountain?

The fuck?

I can't look everywhere at once T.

So where the fuck were you looking?

For danger on the ground obviously.

He rolls his eyes.

No need to be a bitch.

Then don't be a jackass.

He swallows a groan when he feels heat against his stomach once he settles.

T-

Yeah, yeah. I've got it.

"Look sister. Two big strong men to help us out."

Harry's back stiffens, "ah shite."

He glances at Harry before he looks back at Mimsy and Missy.

Twin granddaughters of Mad Madam Mim.

"I get the taller one this time." Missy glares at her sister.

He rolls his eyes.

Next time he'd pull the dart gun out first.

"Mimsy. Missy." Harry slinks away from the wall, "ladies, ya be lookin' right fine tonight."

"Ooooh," Missy claps before she turns to her sister, "Ha! Caught me a Hook. Enjoy the spare."

"Now Missy, Mimsy, ya both be knowin' there be plenty o' this Hook ta be goin' 'round. And I do be ah lovin' the new sparkle ya be havin' in them gorgeous eyes o' yers."

He slowly stows his daggers before he pulls out the straw.

Yeah.

Faustina was coming back out for so many reasons after this.

The toxic bombs she mentioned were sounding really nice right about now.

"I be suspect'n we can be ah havin' the whole damn seven seas worth o' fun now!" Harry exclames dramatically as he slowly presses forward.

He slinks further into the shadows as he frowns.

Are you growling?

Shut it.

How the fuck did Harry even know these two?

Mim territory was on the other side of the Isle.

And yeah sure, Harry left the docks on the occasion-

But to reach the Mim territory?

And be so familiar with them?

Howlers, idiot.

He lifts a brow at the venom in her voice.

"What ya be thinkin', lovelies?"

Missy plays with a curled lock of hair hanging past her shoulders, "it has been a long time since anyone as good as you-"

Mimsy interrupts her sister with a slap to her stomach, "Don't think with what be heating twix yer damn legs, we're the hunters tonight."

"Boo."

He pulls out a second dart.

"Ah, well, that be ah bein' to bad then, I could ah been showin' ya both ah good time." Harry shakes his head before he ducks and spins out of the way.

Times up.

He puts the straw to his lips before he aims and shoots.

"What the-" Mimsy slaps a hand to her neck.

"Tricky Hook!" Missy cackles as she holds her hand up and lavender lights start to dance around her arm.

His heart slams against his ribs.

No!

Not again.

He loads the second dart and has it up to his lips within seconds.

"Missy!" Mimsy screams as she falls to a knee, "They-"

"I see Hook was all show." Missy glares as she turns to him and releases the lights at the same time he blows the dart.

Before he can react he feels something heavy collide into him, and he blinks up at Harry as the lights zip past them.

"Fuck!"

At the cry and the sound of a slap he turns, grinning when he sees Missy go down as well.

He lets out a breath as he stows the gun and replaces it with his daggers.

"Great aim." Harry grins as he grips his forearm and spins to pull them both to their feet.

"Wait-" He frowns.

"It's just the twins," Harry shakes his head before he tugs again, "come on."

"Twins that tried to fuckin' do fuck knows what." He frowns, "that I just shot by the way."

Harry turns back to face him as his pocket heats up again.

"Nope, my bad. Run."

Harry doesn't let go, but clearly didn't need to be told twice either.

The hair on the back of his neck stands on end before black lightning hits the wall beside Harry's head.

T!

Fuck, my bad.

So help me if so much as one of his hair's gets singed, I will find a way to end you.

Jesus-fucking-Christ, no pressure or anything.

"There be varieties!" Harry grumbles as he pulls them down a side street.

"Like cereal."

"Mate, I think ya may be hungry." Harry shakes his head before he suddenly tugs them down an alleyway.

"My vote is up, but you're-"

"Right ya be!" Harry nods as he feels his arm freed.

His foot taps anxiously as he waits for Harry to start scaling.

Like fuck was he letting Hook get hit again.

Damn right you won't.

Fuck, I get it.

He hated running.

But he needed Harry the fuck out of sight before he could even think about-

"Mate!" Harry snaps after looking back.

"Right!" He scrambles up after him.

Fuck.

He grimaces.

He'd really been hedging his bets on Harry not looking down.

When they reach the top Harry takes a second to look around. "I think we be ah walkin' straight inta ah trap," he whispers.

All around them the darkness occasionally lit up with crackling sparks, beams, and lightning of every color.

And under all the strange sounds?

Screams.

He clenches his jaw, not sure where to stand to protect Hook as his eyes dart around.

He hated the way he was trembling.

How slick his daggers felt in his hands.

How the fuck was he supposed to protect him when it was coming from all sides?

Harry reaches back, linking their elbows together and putting them back to back as he slowly continues his silent circling.

"Breathe. Just be breathin' with me." Harry's whisper was barely audible over the confusing din going on in the streets below.

Breathe?

Was he fucking serious right now?

Fucking how?

Faustina was too busy stealing it to breathe down his neck.

I wouldn't be breathing down your neck if you were taking this seriously.

How much more serious could he be taking this?

He was nearly choking on his panic for Harry's safety.

"There," Harry points in a direction, "that's the fastest way outta the shadow we be in."

He nods, "lead the way."

Harry shakes his head. "We be too big ah target together."

"Fine, I can wait."

Harry shakes his head again, "We be runnin' on three," he gestures to a path on his left, "I be more familiar with that section, so I can be goin' that way and we can be meetin' back up near the beach."

No!

His eyes widen.

Was he fucking serious?

He wanted to fucking seperate?

"Fat fuckin' chance."

Damn straight.

He tightens his fists by his side.

"Or," Harry grimaces as he looks around the building again, "we be ah runnin' the direction ya be choosin', but ya be havin' ta take lead or I'll be ah runnin' us inta dead ends, an we can'nah be affordin' that."

He frowns.

Quick.

He needed to make this quick.

Harry's 'familiar' could go fuck itself.

"Follow."

They were still hella close to the hangout.

An he doubted that even the witches would fuck with that web.

Hopefully.

Maybe.

He was willing to take the chance.

Harry instantly nods before he shifts to stand at his back, "ready."

"Set," he nods, "go!"

His feet hit the pavement hard before he runs.

Don't think.

Harry can take care of himself.

Harry was quick.

Dexterous.

Could handle his shit.

He could keep up.

They hadn't even been out a whole day.

Don't think about it.

Just don't think.

Ignore the red flags.

Just vault.

Run.

Roll.

Pray.

"T!" He feels the back of his hoodie caught before he's violently tugged back, just missing a bolt of dark purple as it wizzes only inches from his nose.

"How the fuck do they be on top o' us?" Harry growls in his ear before a crate beside them explodes.

He winces as several chunks slap against his back.

When the fuck had he-

Move!

Ah.

That explained-

MOVE!

"Best not to think 'bout it at the moment." He grabs Harry's sleeve, "we gotta go."

"OVER HERE!" A hagrid voice calls out as a green fog solidifies in front of them, "two strappin' lads."

"Fuck!" Harry twists as he pulls him to his side to roll into another alley as a shimmer of green barrels down the street behind them.

"Oh boys!" A sick yellow blast slams into the wall in front of them, "Don't run, we might damage ya!"

"That be right comfortin'," Harry rolls his eyes.

"Right?" He grins as he grabs Harry's sleeve, pulling them both to their feet and already running down the new path. "I feel right at home."

"What nice ol' biddies."

"So invitin'."

Seriously!

"I- fuck!" Harry squawks as they run head first into a pimply old woman.

"I got 'em!" The woman cheers as she pulls her arm back and aims a strange looking twig at them.

T!

Right.

He doesn't think as he lunges at the old woman, taking a strangely thick black fog straight to his throat.

Worth it.

His lips curl into a grin at the satisfying thud in front of him.

He barely registers the rough grip on his shoulder before he finds himself running behind Harry again.

"The fuck mate! Don'nah be fuckin' scarin' me like that!"

He tries to argue, but swallows when no sound comes out.

Fuck.

Way to go T.

Do you want me to protect him or not?

He waits a moment.

Yeah, that's what I fucking thought.

"Shit!" Harry grumbles as he slams into a wall, smacking his palms against it before he turns and cups his hands, "Up then grab me." He snaps as he bends.

Not like he could argue.

The one time I want you to talk.

You're the one who was shitting on the banter.

He immediately reaches back the moment he straddles the wall.

"Ya good ta lead still?" Harry asks as he clasps his hand and scrambles up, wincing as a red light slams into the wall below.

Fuck!

He yanks him up the rest of the way, ignoring the painful twinge in his arm.

You didn't need to talk to lead.

Right?

I fucking hate you.

So nothing new then?

Shut up and move!

S'not like I can say much.

He tugs on Harry's sleeve, trusting the other boy to follow.

"Fuck!" Harry gasps as they slam into the ground. He shakes his foot before he takes a step and nearly topples over.

He groans soundlessly.

"I got it, it just be numb. GO!" Harry orders as he slams his foot against the ground.

Yeah, okay.

T!

He grabs Harry's sleeve, all but dragging him.

I can only do so much, seriously.

Right!

He slams into Harry as they both avoid a lavender beam.

Fucking Christ.

Why the fuck did Mim have to breed like a fucking rat?

Up!Up!Up!

But down here is so comfortable.

T!

"Shit!" Harry scrambles to dodge as a shadow collides with them.

"Aren't you two the slippery ones." A giggly blond smiles as she wraps a hand around Harry's throat.

T!

His teeth sink in before he thinks about it.

"Fuck!" The woman sneers before she backhands him.

The fuck was that?

Reflex?

He spits the chunk into her face.

I'll remember that the next time it's your turn to taste shit!

Harry rolls to his feet before he pulls a knife from his boot and slams it into the woman's neck. "Fuck! Almost-" His eyes widen as the knife smokes in his hands, the thick oily cloud blocking his face as he drops the melting blade.

That could've been our jaw!

I said reflex.

He rips a dart from his bag and jams it into the woman's shoulder.

"T!" Harry coughs as he throws an arm out.

He turns in concern, opening his mouth before he rolls his eyes and taps him furiously.

Harry jumps back before he pulls another blade from his hoodie, "T!" He calls out desperately as he slashes the air around him.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

He grabs Harry's wrist before he steps close and kisses him.

He barely registers the sigh of relief before they're running again.

The fuck was wrong with Harry?

He can't see!

What do you mean he can't fucking see?

He groans as his arm is yanked back when Harry trips and sends them both to the ground.

"They're over here!"

"Wait!"

"Fuck! What the-"

The air around them suddenly erupts into screams before falling into a deadly silence.

"Little spider, your hide and the hide of your nestmate is far too soft to be out here right now!"

ADDY!

He blinks when he finds himself hugging the spider's leg.

Really?

What? I missed her, but also, Addy, if you don't mind- We'd like to not be here.

"I would imagine not. These snacks are none too tasty."

"T! T? I can'nah-" Harry cries out before he fists his hands into his hair, "Who? It be in me damn mind!"

No, I suppose they wouldn't be.

How ya gonna give me and Harry shit when you're havin' tea time with Addy?

He looks up at Addy.

No offense. It's nice seein' ya. Just seems like a bad time to play catch up.

"You're nestmate reeks of fear and dark magic."

"T!"

Shit!

He groans as he pulls Harry back to him, and pulls him into the relative safety of Addy's shadow.

Harry's arms wrap around him, one hand running through his hair before he lets his forehead fall to his chest. "T! I be sorry."

He's been struck blind.

What the fuck is he apolagizing for?

He didn't know you got struck dumb, idiot.

He sighs as he kisses the top of Harry's head and pats his shoulder.

"The little spider wishes for me-"

"The fuck!" Harry rolls and holds his blade defensively in front of him.

He frowns as he grabs Harry's wrist and pulls the blade from his hand.

Can you please help us get out of here?

"This I can do."

Thank you! You're the best!

"What's happenin'?"

He frowns as he taps Harry's shoulder and grabs his arm, pulling up his sleeve as he runs his fingers up his arm-

Fuck he hoped he was right.

-and buries a dart into it.

"T?"

He grimaces at the alarmed slur as he catches the collapsing pirate.

He looks up at Addy.

"Ah, I see you have new methods of survival available to you little spiders," Addy gently pulls Harry from him, "it is always wise to stay quiet."

Right? That's what-

Do you think you can take us to your nest, please?"

Rude.

Is now really the time for this? Facing off against witches when you've been struck dumb, and my Prince blind?

I fucking hate you.

For pointing out the obvious?

"That was my plan," Addy explains evenly as she wraps Harry with her silk, "though the nasty meat has left for the moment, they will return, and little spiders and nestmate will die if left to their own devices."

He sighs as he turns to Harry.

She wasn't wrong.

Not with Hook being down a leg-

And him being down an arm.

Being mute though?

He had no reason to complain.

"In your current state, of course."

Faustina's laughter makes his eye twitch.

Thank you for soothing his ego. He needs it sorely.

"When one is injured is it not customary to ease it? I know so little of Humans."

It's very much appreciated by us, do you have the same custom in your culture?

"No. In my customs the weak and injured are eaten. But I have been informed that doing so is considered rude, where it concerns little spiders and nestmates

Huh.

That was-

I see, in that case we are exceptionally grateful for being so nondiscriminatory. It's very open minded of you.

The tip of one leg pets him on the head.

Thank you, he chuckles as he lays his hand in her bristly fur.

"Little Spiders are strange humans and I am forever grateful to you." She carefully sticks Harry to her back.

He grins.

T-

He frowns as dread fills him at her tone.

Adelaide, do you think we can start moving now? That concoction only lasts about ten minutes.

"Time to go then," Addy turns before she pauses, "would you like to ride with nestmate?"

Yes!

Please?

Addy dips to allow him to climb up.

Thanks!

You really are the best.

"Hold on little spiders."

Despite the situation, he can't help his shit eating grin as he jumps up.