badpirattitude | Prisonstuck VIII, continued from LJ

Prisonstuck VIII, continued from LJ

[For someone who claimed he didn't need to rest, the Psiioniic has been sleeping for a long time.]

[Dualscar supposes a manic episode like he had earlier could really take it out of a troll, not to mention the fight in the prison the day before, and being a prisoner, and before that on the run, and before that a slave, and everything else running backwards through the Psiioniic's entire miserable life. Besides all that, living with him, Dualscar, can't be easy, even if it's only been a day, and he half-expects the Psiioniic to ask him to be returned to the prison when he wakes up.]

[Dualscar hasn't slept at all, not really. He can doze in a recuperacoon, but to really sleep, he needs to be underwater. There's nothing physically preventing him from sleeping on land, but for the mental tick that forces his gills open an hour into sleep and leaves him gasping painfully for breath a moment later. He knows well enough why that happens, but he pushes it away every time it creeps into the corners of his mind, nibbling at the edges of his sanity like a longtailed squeakbeast. Either way, he's still curled around the Psiioniic, spooning up behind him while he sleeps, and waiting for him to awake.]

[Waiting, and thinking about all they spoke of the day before.]

polariity

[What, go back to a prison and away from this glorious library? Dualscar, please. You underestimate the Psiioniic's utter nerdery.]

[You also underestimate his affection for you, but that's okay. In all honesty, he isn't quite sure of its depths either. A part of him that still has reservations about this whole thing- which is a rather large part- isn't sure he wants to know.]

[As awakening comes to him, he's aware of the presence still at his back. It's comforting to have that again- someone being there. All this time around other trolls has left him with this need for someone, anyone, to be there.]

[Gently, just to show he's awake, he guides one hand down to lay over Dualscar's.]

badpirattitude

[Either that or he underestimates his own appeal. Dualscar knows he's good at blackrom, but anything even faintly red and he's completely lost. He's spent most of the time while the Psiioniic slept convincing himself that he's irreparably screwed up everything.]

[But then the Psiioniic puts his hand over his, and Dualscar makes a soft, surprised sound. Before he can overthink it, he curls his fingers through the Psiioniic's, joining their hands together.]

polariity

[Funny, sounds like every other moment of his life, too.]

[As the slime warms around their fingers, faintly, he wonders what this makes them. He half knows, half doesn't. They've never said anything to one another about it, just awkward steps with neither of them knowing the way.]

You're alright?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Dualscar fans his fin forward, wrapping it around the Psiioniic's face.]

You just need to learn. Swwimming's wwonderful, once you knoww howw.

[And also much quieter--]

I wwould have come back. Once I didn't think I'd try to hurt you again.

[Just a small disbelieving grunt towards that assertion, and then the Psiioniic is just slowly brushing against his fin with his nose and lips.]

You ran like you wouldn't. And I can take it. Tho long ath I know you're trying to change, I can take it.

I ran because if I didn't, I wwould have... done something bad.

[It pains Dualscar to admit that, but it's true. He was just a moment away from forcing himself on the Psiioniic again, and needed to get some distance between them so he wouldn't.]

[It's a horrible feeling, realizing you've become what you've always hated.]

I don't... I don't wwant to be like that anymore.

You aren't.

[There's a certain finality in how the Psiioniic says it, and he kisses the fin he's pressed up against.]

[Dualscar grunts; that's easy for the Psiioniic to say. He doesn't know how close he almost came to getting thrown down and assaulted again.]

[Dualscar glances over his shoulder, getting his bearings. They're close enough to his hive that they could walk the rest of the way.]

You can get your feet under you noww, if you wwant.

And have thith horrible water thove my head down into thand again? I think I'll thtick with dragging you down with me when that happenth again.

[The Psiioniic's trust in nature: 0]

[Dualscar chuckles quietly, amused.]

Or I'll just pull your lazy ass the rest of the wway.

[A few good kicks is all it takes, and Dualscar's back is pressed up against the sand in the shallow water, the ocean lapping gently around them.]

There. It wwon't drag you out again from here.

[Well, this is a position the Psiioniic will never get tired of. Shifting onto his elbows, he looks down at Dualscar. He doesn't get how the others hair can look like that, swept back and interesting. The Psiioniic doesn't need to see his reflection to know his just sticks flat to his skull, an appearance befitting a drowned rat.]

...I wouldn't be here if I didn't want you. Get that though your thick theadweller head.

[It's a seadweller thing; their hair doesn't absorb water the same way a landdweller's does, keeping it floofy and styled even after going underwater. Makes cleaning it a bitch, though.]

[Dualscar looks up at the Psiioniic for a minute before looking away.]

... sure.

[And if he were to take that psionics-cancelling helmet off, the Psiioniic wouldn't be gone in two seconds flat. Right.]

[And he still doesn't believe him. It's just so.. frustrating. And if he were to try and say it, then the other would just have another moment of panic.]

[The Psiioniic stays where he is for a moment longer before he accepts that Dualscar won't look back at him. Wordlessly, he pushes himself to his feet and holds himself tightly to ward against the chill in the air. His shoulders are up to his ears as he begins to trudge through the sand, back to the hive.]

[Dualscar stays on the sand, staring up at the sky, for a few moments longer before he gets up and starts walking after the Psiioniic. He notices the way the other troll is all hunched in on himself, and realizes that he must be cold. Dualscar himself doesn't really notice it--the fat padding over his muscles isn't just decorative--and he takes a few longer, hurried steps until he's up next to him.]

[Pulling a heavy, dry cape out of his sylladex, he wordlessly drapes it over the Psiioniic's shoulders.]

[There's a light start at the sudden weight on his shoulders but then the Psiioniic is tugging it around himself, shoulders still hunched. He doesn't make eye contact.]

...I don't know how to get you to believe me. About anything.

[Dualscar is quiet for a minute, then barks bitter laughter.]

You grew up a slave; that can't be the first time you've seen a grouping of scars like that.

Noww go ahead and tell me howw quickly I should just get over it and believe everything kind you say.

[Now it's Dualscar who's walking quickly, brushing past the Psiioniic and hurrying towards the hive, yanking another cape out of his sylladex and wrapping it around himself.]

That ithn't what I...

[Dammit. The Psiioniic comes to a halt as Dualscar storms ahead of him, and he feels his stomach sink. Nothing can ever go right for him. He should have known better than to think he could do what Ess had been able to do all these years. He's just... not the holy leader type. He'd been lucky to get Dualscar to listen in the fist place. Lucky to be out of that prison.]

[Suddenly not feeling the energy inside of himself, he begins to drag his feet along to the hive.]

[Dualscar doesn't wait for the Psiioniic, instead storming into the hive and towards the kitchen. By the time the Psiioniic gets back, he's inside the kitchen block, very loudly and aggressively making tea. He's also got a change of clothes out of his sylladex and changed into them.]

Do you take your tea wwith sugar or milk!

[It sounds more like an accusation than a question.]

Thugar.

[Excuse him as he cocoons in that cape and just lays his face down on the table, Dualscar. A few whistle and clicks later, and he has his drone by him, handing him orange after orange to peel.]

[The sweet scent of oranges fills the kitchen, and that starts to calm Dualscar down. By the time the tea is done, he's feeling more like himself again, with all the bad memories and things he doesn't want to remember pushed aside and buried anew. He sits down across from the Psiioniic and sets a steaming mug of tea near his hand.]

Drink that. It wwill help you wwarm up.

[It will, too; it's made of ginger searoot, found far out in the reefs, valuable for its incredible natural warming properties. It's very expensive to purchase, but Dualscar knows of a hidden bed of it, and just swims out periodically to gather more.]

[He sips a cup of his own, ordinary green tea.]

You're exhausting, you knoww.

You're no walk in the hive either.

[The tea is ignored for the moment as he goes about peeling yet another orange. There's already a disconcertingly large pile gathering at his feet. Once it's gone and he's picked at it, it's devoured almost whole, juice leaking down his hands and fingers. Popping them into his mouth, he glances up at Dualscar carefully.]

...You'll have to get uthed to it. I can be... really bad thometimeth. Like when I panicked in your room.

[Dualscar shrugs.]

Wweren't the first troll to panic about being in a bedroom wwith me.

[He stares into the depths of his teacup, like he's trying to read the tea leaves and have them tell him his future. When he speaks, his voice is low and hesitant.]

Some things... I can't say or talk about. You'll have to accept that and not push me on it.

[Almost without his knowledge, his fins start moving and swiveling, repeating I'm sorry over and over again.]

[Flick. That is an orange peel part being flicked right at your face, Dualscar, enjoy it.]

It wathn't about you. Don't try and pull the thpotlight onto you again. I wath panicking becauthe of everything elthe.

[The Psiioniic begins to tear through the discarded orange slices, making them nothing more than shreds. He only stops when the drone hopefully offers up another fruit.]

...That ithn't going to tholve anything.

[Dualscar casually bats the fruit away.]

If you don't wwant to be here, I can arrange to have you sent somewwhere else. I'll see that you're wwell cared for and left alone... if that's wwhat you'd prefer.

[That could be seen as a threat, except for how tired and dejected Dualscar sounds when he says it.]

... I don't knoww wwhat you're trying to solve, wwhat you think you can fix. You're about sixty-six swweeps too late, anywway.

[The words- all of them- make the Psiioniic pause and look up, expression blank. He simply stares for a long moment before cupping the tea in his hands and sipping from it.]

[Anywhere he wants, no one to bug him...]

[There's a clink as he sets it back down again. His answer requires a lot of thought and careful consideration. It isn't something he can just say carelessly.]

[Another second, and there's suddenly a quick chitter to the drone before the Psiioniic digs his hand into his enormous orange peel pile and begins to toss them as hard as he can at the seadweller in front of him. The drone begins to rapidly peel more oranges to help keep providing ammo.]

You fucking enormouth retarded athole of a troll, I can't believe you!

Wwhat?!

[Dualscar gets his hands up to block the sudden deluge of orange peels.]

Wwhat the fuck is your problem?!

[They're not stopping anytime soon, Dualscar. The Psiioniic has even abandoned his cape so he can stand up and get at him better.]

My problem ith that you're an idiot! Two, three hourth ago, I wath trying to thuck your bulge like I had a fatal ditheathe and the only cure in the univethe wath your genetic material! And you're acting like I'm in a hurry to leave! I almotht didn't know if I wanted to kith you or drown you in orangeth!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject