Cherubplay

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"They won't just let you leave. If they want something from you they'll take it, it doesn't matter what you try and say or do. Your Alternia isn't as bad as here. And I'm beyond caring what happens to me; if you go I'm going with you. But you can't be sweet to me, or caring at all. And when people hit me, you have to let them or you'll create a fuss. And that's if I'm allowed in with you." He'd be just as stubborn about this. "And there isn't a choice. You can't go alone."

He paused, thinking what kind of history he could tell Tavros. "I don't know if any of it will make a fucking difference," he muttered. "Rules and shit, oppressive rigamaroll... Why the hell do you think I live in the woods."

2014-08-21 04:37:02
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"And that is why I am doing this, why I am here at all!" It was, admittedly, frustrating that no one seemed to agree with him on anything, and Tavros sighed, reaching up to cup Gamzee's face. "I will not try to stop you if you insist on attending. What you are asking of me, is nothing that I cannot accomplish, though it will be exceedingly difficult." The only trolls he could think of that would just go around hitting violetbloods were the yellows, but he was unsure just how many of them would be attending at all. "I just...do not want you getting your priorities mixed up, that is all." The last thing he needed was for Gamzee to be too invested in their relationship and protecting Tavros to understand what needed to be done.

2014-08-21 04:43:27
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"Tavros you're not just a tool, you're a person! Why can't you care about yourself for once instead of /just/ this mission? You think I don't want you to change shit? We all do but we don't want you to get hurt!" He'd raised his voice marginally, and covered his mouth with a hand suddenly afterwards. He started apologizing profusely before getting up, taking his dish to the sink and staring to wash up that and the cooking dishes in an attempt to regain his composure.

Why did he ever think he could influence Tavros? No one had ever listened to him anyway, what was the point of him even opening up, he wondered. No manner of knowledge, even though he had essentially failed to give him much of anything, seemed like it was going to matter to Tavros.

2014-08-21 05:05:14
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"Gamzee," He immediately stood and followed after him, unsure what to make of all this. Tavros had come to the conclusion that he was nothing but a tool from the beginning, and that was all he ever was going to be until things changed. Having friends and a matesprit were definitely priorities of his, but not his first; he just wished Gamzee could see things the same way he did. In the kitchen, he spoken softly, not at all upset that he had raised his voice at him. Tensions were high, stresses were huge, Tavros could get it, "Gamzee, please try to understand that I have been a tool since the beginning. Sometimes, I will get hurt, or impaired, but that does not mean I cannot still continue. Occasionally, a sacrifice will be made, but, um..." He almost said 'I am Alice first and your matesprit second', but feared that would hurt Gamzee too much emotionally, so he swallowed that and said in its place, "I still have to do something. The viciousness described of high bloods only encourages me, to try to stop them. I am still going, whether you wish me to or not. And that is all there is to it."

2014-08-21 14:42:59
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Gamzee listened to all this and nodded, setting his hands before enveloping Tavros in a hug. He just needed to hold him a little while and calm down. Tavros didn't understand completely why he had been so apologetic when he'd gotten more upset... The purple blood was afraid of scarring them off with any anger, or of showing any at all lest things get out of control. It was so much easier to ignore what was aggravating or abusive when it was just happening to himself. When people he cared about were involved it bothered him so much more.

The sooner all this was over the better. He just hoped they all made it out in one piece.

In the other room, Eridan glanced over at Vriska. 'What are we gonna do?' he communicated with a look, still holding her hand. Karkat was still fuming. Nothing was going to get through to Tavros if Gamzee couldn't, he figured. "Any thing we tell him is just going to strengthen his resolve. So what do we do? Trust his intuition or allow him to fend for himself?" he asked the table.

2014-08-21 15:11:08
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"I say we knock out the little fuck and lock him in the guest room." Vriska growled, irritated that he just wouldn't listen to reason.

Sollux smirked a bit bitterly, "Let's save the violencr until we've exhausted any other options."

"But what other options do we have?" Kanaya questioned with a glum expression, "Scarcely anything, and I am not comfortable with hurting him."

"Oh please, a quick blow to the head and he'll be out like a light. Hardly know anything happened. If it makes you feel any better," Vriska started, "We could just drop something into his tea and make him fall asleep. Quick and simple."

He returned the hug tightly, rubbing his palms against his back and nestling his face against Gamzee's neck. This is what he was afraid of; he loved Gamzee dearly, but he did not want that love to get in the way of what he felt was his obligation. The purpleblood seemed much too attached already, and while Tavros was in a similar boat, he could suppress it and sort his priorities. He didn't want to seem arrogant or give off the impression that he was more important than anyone else, but this all made perfect sense to him and he just /had/ to go. When he got a feeling about something, Tavros did not question it or doubt it.

2014-08-21 15:45:23
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"You still have to know more so you can fix them," Gamzee mumbled, not willing to let go yet. "They don't show pueblos to own much land, typically, if any, and permissions have to bee asked. The others know better, I think. I only have the house in Tulgey because my guardian left it to me and no one comes to the woods cause there's rumors of a monster living in there," one guess as to the identity of the monster, he thought bitterly. "It's much harder for us to get descent jobs, if any. You know how I love cooking but I'd never be allowed in a kitchen or bakery, and I think it's almost as bad for blues. Know of a couple who work as draft hoofbeasts, essentially." He thought a moment before continuing, "also there are many more mixed tokens like the one I lived around than placed like Undlegire... and they don't necessarily tell people about law changes if they're corrupt enough. And I can't imagine they give much of a shit about abusing the lower citizenry as much as they want. It's fine on so long most everyone's used to it.

"If we don't go, then what do we do after to move things along?" Karkat asked.

"Is it hopeless either way? Surely they know where we all are now. They could just break in here if they wanted," Eridan piped up. "Maybe it would be better to go, then we could at least prove we can socialize like they can, even if they are just disdainful and treat us like shit."

"We need more people!" Karkat said irritably. "If there were more of us then it wouldn't be so hard to crush what we're trying..."

2014-08-21 16:13:24
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"Perhaps that is what he was alluding to?" Kanaya considered, head tilted slightly, "He said he was not sure, but the ball may have been what we need to garner more people to our side."

Vriska shifted uncomfortably. She would go to protect Alice, but she was worried about going still. All those highbloods... She wrinkled her nose, "That's true, they know where Sollux lives and they can hunt us down easily. Mind games aside, I think its more probable that they'd try to eradicate a forming rebellion in secret than at a ball in front of so many others."

Sollux rubbed at his eyes, "I don't care what any of you decide to do, just think of something. The Winter Solstice is in three days."

"Then that is all the more reason for me to try." He resolved, "All of this information is essential. What I have gathered is that, uh, the common warmblood has no idea all the corruption manufactured by Parliament and issued by the Queen. Even the Princess had very little clue as to what is going on. Which is why I need to go to the ball, and try to speak with the Princess. She is the key, to the Queen, since speaking directly to the latter will not sway her much. And the White Rabbit will, uh, be at the ball, as well. Very rarely are they all together like this, and I must act upon this opportunity." He pulled back some, holding Gamzee's face in his hands, "I cannot say, that I will not get hurt at all, but we have to make sure this information is known to the highest ranks."

2014-08-21 16:33:28
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"Fuck it, let's just go then," Karkat said. "We'll just be downers disseminating depressing information in the attempt to convince people everything is too fucking corrupt. Maybe that'll work somehow... gog can we just stop talking about this shut for an hour or something? My think pan is going to explode." He rubbed at his eyes, exhausted of all the upsetting talk

Bending to kiss Tavros shortly, Gamzee straightened back up with a sigh. "I just hope they care. Did you get enough for dinner? Sorry I kinda flipped out; I know you gotta do this stuff, but I just worry about you. Shit ain't been kind to a motherfucker so I guess I'm a little paranoid." He nuzzled Tavros a little, calmer now.

2014-08-21 17:02:20
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"There's still time to think about all of that. Three days is plenty." Not having much of an appetite any longer, even if the good really was delicious, Vriska leaned back in her seat and peered over at Eridan. She wondered, briefly, if things really were going to be alright. It wasn't like all the reds knew that she and Eridan were classified as criminals, -she had long since adopted that title- but she was concerned about how they would be viewed. The ball seemed to be something of the highest of the high ranks, just reds and a few coppers, the most ignorant of them all but docile in the sense of physical brutality. She hoped that would still be the case when they attended the party.

"It's alright, 'Zee," He stood on his toes and pecked his forehead gently, "It is fine to get angry or frustrated. I don't blame you for becoming agitated, and I am glad that you are concerned about, uh, my safety." He smiled softly, "Dinner was delicious, but I do not think I can eat much more at the present moment, if that is alright."

2014-08-21 17:17:47
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Smiling a little when she looked over Eridan tried to be more cheerful looking. "At least we're together, that matters, even if it's not some big political crisis that needs sorting. And were all okay so far. Might be good to just relax the rest of the night."

He smiled softly, "not even cake?" He chuckled. "You know I ain't allowed to get mad, Tavros. Might all up and get historical on folk... even though they was made to fight even back then. Can't be having us purple crazies getting agitated," he said, joking but deprecative. "I'll start cleaning up." He let Tavros go with a final peck and went back to the table. "Everyone finished?"

2014-08-21 17:41:18
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"Most definitely," She stood then, releasing Eridan's hand as she stretched, "I am in dire need of a nice long bath and a good night's rest. I think I still smell dungeon on us, Marchie." Vriska joked, thanking Gamzee again for the meal and going to extra mile to take her dishes into the kitchen. Sollux, who still had work to finish up regardless of the current events, took a similar route and disappeared into his room to finish up various appointed projects. Kanaya finished her tea and took in her things, then headed to the sewing machine to continue working on Karkat's coat.

Tavros frowned slightly, stating that Gamzee could always release some anger in privacy like this, but watched, instead, as everyone moved about to tie up some odds and ends. He hadn't much to do, hoping to spend some quality time with Gamzee, perhaps see if Vriska was alright, since she did seem like the type to bottle up her feelings.

2014-08-21 17:49:07
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Surprised by Vriska's unexpected niceness, Gamzee smiled at her and picked up what was left at the table, Eridan and Karkat helping. After he'd put any extra food away -perfectly good leftovers- he'd been about to start washing the dishes. Karkat moved him out of the way gently, however. "Spend some gogdamn time with your matesprit and that sea dweller and stop working! You've been on your feet in this kitchen all fucking day, take a break." He shooed all of them out of the kitchen and got to work cleaning himself, using the opportunity to leave his thoughts behind in a mindless task.

Eridan did bump into Gamzee's side genially, but went into the first respite block to find Vriska and give the matesprits some time. After he'd moved of, Gamzee put a hand on Tavros's shoulder lightly, not knowing really what to do with himself without a chore to busy his hands and mind. "How should we waste time?" he asked the copper blood.

2014-08-21 18:34:03
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Tavros was standing by the fire as he looked over the coins. He still could not figure out just what they were for, and he was trying to see if there was something hidden within the inscriptions, but it seemed like the words were too old to be modern language. Just as he was starting to think of how to decode the coins, Gamzee had placed a hand on his shoulder, and he glanced up inquisitively. "Oh. Um. Hmm..." He smiled a bit bashfully, "Can't we just enjoy each other's company? Like while we were, uh, travelling; we spent plenty of time just sitting and cuddling. We can sit by the fire, it will be nice."

Vriska, in the respiteblock, was rummaging through her bag, trying to find certain items before producing them. It was the pearl Eridan had given her, and the feather from the Jabberwocky. She gave a tiny, contemplative noise, "I wonder if Kanaya can fashion a hair accessory out of these two things..."

2014-08-21 21:11:09
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Settling comfortably by the fire at the suggestion, Gamzee smiled up at Tavros and waited for him to sit beside him. "That sounds perfect, Tavbro." He glanced at the coins Tavros was looking at. "Trying too figure those out? Are the letters the same as on the map? Maybe they use the same alphabet."

"Probably. It would look lovely with your formal outfit," Eridan spoke quietly. He sat gingerly, looking in his own bag just randomly. "Did they hurt you when we were apart?" Hopefully they had left her alone at that point, he thought. He was wondering if her dislike of being apart was just from their familiarity or if potentially she was harboring feelings she didn't want to mention lest she seem weak, and found some comfort in not being alone. He knew she liked to maintain her tough persona, but if she was suffering internally from their imprisonment he wanted to be there for her if she needed to unload.

2014-08-21 21:38:55
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"Ahh, I really do not want to decode anything else. That was painstaking." He recalled all the strife he had to go through to just get writing out of the riddles themselves, "But i suppose I may have to." Sitting on the floor, Tavros tucked his legs beneath himself and curled up against Gamzee's side, " 'Zee, tell me about your dreams and aspirations," He hummed, "What would you like to do as a job, perhaps, uh, what you wish in terms of a family and all that."

"...Yeah. Not really physically, no punches or heat or anything." She sat down beside him, glad they were behind closed doors now. "It was all magic. Hallucinations and induced vomiting or pain, that sort of deal. I felt so useless since my eye was blocked," Instinctively, Vriska rubbed at it, softly recounting her interrogation, "I didn't utter a word in regards to what we were doing, not even a name. I didn't speak at all, and that pissed them off something fierce." She laughed a bit, proud that her self-control and loyalty was so strong, "Every time I was quiet, they played another hallucination, something gory about you or me, it was all so vivid but once they brought me out of it, I remembered what was going on and I wouldn't say a thing. What about you?" She looked over at him, "They didn't do too much, did they?"

2014-08-21 23:44:22
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He put an arm around Tavros, cuddling him close. "Gee, never really thought about any of that." Gamzee was quiet for a while. "I suppose I might like cooking or baking. Depends if that cake turned out or not. So maybe a baker? ...family though... I dunno, I like having you all around. It would be nice to be around people all the time..." Certainly having at least Tavros around would be nice. Kids though? He thought he might like being a guardian, but never thought he'd get the opportunity. "What about you?"

"No, kind of the same thing. Illusions and feelings about the ocean receding, or being in a desert and desicating... drying up and being alone... they pushed me around more, I guess. Have some descent bruises..." He thought a minute, remembering. "Had a couple fits, but didn't say anything about anyone or anything, either."

2014-08-22 00:03:48
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"Sometimes I sort of daydream about it," He admitted with a deep blush, bending his head to hide it as he smiled bashfully at the floor, "Being a guardian and all. I have this one little, uh, fantasy in particular that I am fond of. It is us, out in your nice home in Tulgey, with Wocky and a grub or two, and everything is so...serene." He giggled timidly, peeking up at Gamzee boyishly, "I also think about the, uh. Bonding ceremony. Only the highbloods in Alternia did that with their quadrants; is that more common around here?" He knew that each quadrant had its own ceremony, but Tavros was mostly just interested in the red one. It was all so fascinating to him, the different rituals and jewelry that went with the quadrants: a ring for red, anklets for auspitices, necklaces for kismeses and bracelets for moirails.

"Wouldn't speak a word of it," With how vulnerable she was being, Vriska only expected confidentiality from Eridan, "You didn't squeak at all, did you?" She questioned after reaching to hold his hand. She wasn't quite at a place where she could outright tell him that she was supporting him and comforting him, but she could show it, "Not even something that seemed minuscule?"

2014-08-22 00:16:40
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Gamzee smiled fondly down at him. "It sounds nice, I like that dream of yours." He pondered his question about the ceremonies. "I think people mostly just do it how they want; something that's special to them both. Matesprits wear rings of whatever design... there's special ones that match and fit together, sometimes they have a party if they want. Different quadrants do different things, but anyone can do them."

"No, I just said I didn't say anything..." he held her hand, stroking her knuckles gently with his thumb. "Just cursed them out some, or gibberish. Nothing even about you or home. Certainly nothing about Alice or the quest at all." He looked up at her with a strained smile. "I'll glad they didn't box you around."

2014-08-22 00:49:43
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"Ah, how different! I suppose since only the highbloods were permitted to do so back in Alternia, they made quite the spectacle of it." Tavros had never seen a ceremony, but he definitely heard about the local ones when they were over. The talk was clear in the town, and when he went to the marketplace, gossip boomed about it. "I wonder how, uh, different things like that are in comparison to Alternia. Do the other quadrants have different types of, uh, jewelry, or are they all rings?"

"I have to make sure, Eridan, even little things could be looked into." She wasn't one to be too paranoid, but surrounding by reds like this did not make her more inclined to nonchalance. "Anyway...I'm glad, too. It could have been so much worse." As far as she knew, once they thought they couldn't get anything else out of her, they detained her in a dungeon-like prison cell until the next round of interrogation, which, thankfully, did not happen because Alice requested their release.

2014-08-22 01:16:48
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He shook his head. "I don't know about auspistices or kismesis, but some moirails I met once had earrings. One each in opposite ears of each other's colors. It suited them, but I think it depends on what the trolls in question want. Rings are typical for matesprits, but some do other things. 'Saurus told me about a friend of hers who got tattoos with their red quadrant."

He leaned into her a little. "I understand, ...yea, it really could have been." He just sat with her for a while, trying to gauge how tense she seemed over normal. "You're okay though? I feel better now that we're back here, though going back around with the highbloods.... I'm not looking forward to it. Let's not get separated again, though..." he laughed a little, sitting up straighter to look at her. "Be my date?" he chuckled.

2014-08-22 01:41:08
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Tavros nodded a bit, his head laying against the junction of Gamzee's chest and shoulder with his horn tucked neatly behind him. "I see," He murmured, nuzzling him with a gentle purr, "When this is all over, and if I am allowed to stay, let's get rings, love." He supposed this was technically him proposing, but there were so many things that had to happen before he could even think of a Bonding that it did not really seem like it, "It will be wonderful."

She shrugged, "I'm as fine as I will ever be, I suppose. I am always going to be uneasy so long as I am in Starnette; that's really never going to change." At the laugh, she looked over at him, an eyebrow raised before she grinned playfully, "That depends, Marchie. Can you dance? Because if you step on my feet, I'll have to take extreme measures."

2014-08-22 02:56:23
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It actually made him a bit uncomfortable, and the suddenness seemed somewhat flippant, but Gamzee wasn't about to ruin the mood. He also didn't really know how they were going to afford anything right away. "Sure, that will be nice." He turned his head to kiss Tavros's forehead, then rested his lightly on top, enjoying the smell of his matesprit's hair, there was a slightly chocolaty note... he wondered if it had to do with what Kanaya had said with the tastes of blood earlier. The higher bloods were supposed to be bitter, like coffee or dark chocolate. He wondered if he smelled like berries. He purred as gently as he could, wanting almost more than anything to be back in Tulgey in this dream of Tavros's.

"Psh, can I dance... do seadweller's swim in the ocean?" he smiled, standing suddenly and bowing down to her, offering her his hand to get up off the floor, the other formally placed behind him at the small of his back. "Might you want me to prove it to you, dear Hattie?"

2014-08-22 03:19:38
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He hoped it hadn't seemed like he wanted to do anything straight away; he meant it more like, if he were allowed to stay in Wonderland and things had started to move in the right direction in terms of equality, perhaps they should settle down and, at some point, act upon the ideas presented. Tavros was in no hurry to get rings, himself, or anything else that meant a real commitment in that sense; besides, they were both so young, there was plenty of time to decide what would be the best fit for them. Returning the purr, he closed his eyes, his arms thrown around Gamzee in a loose embrace as he relaxed in front of the fire.

"This seems highly improbable," Regardless, Vriska stood as well, offering a bow since she was not wearing a skirt and took his hand, "Since you are so eager to show yourself off, you lead, then." She hadn't danced in so long, she wondered if /she/ was any good at it. The uneven cobblestones and sand in the Screechlands did not make for a suitable dancefloor, and her ship rocking back and forth often messed up timing.

2014-08-22 03:35:22
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Arms wrapped around Tavros with his fingers linked at the other's waist, Gamzee shut his eyes too. It was easy to relax with the warmth of the fire flowing out over them. If he'd been leaning against something, he probably could have fallen asleep right there. To keep himself awake, he mused about the day. "Can't wait for you to try that thing tomorrow maybe... first thing I ever got to bake! I liked it, did I mention? Decorating was really fun, frosting and stuff. I used some of those clementines you got, I hope it turned out..." he yawned at the end, covering his mouth politely with a hand before returning it to the petite waist of the copperblood. "Not chocolate, but I hope you like it anyways."

Eridan giggled as he stepped forward and pulled her closer gently, lifting their hands and placing the other at the small of her back. "I suppose we will need some music... what is that song my cousin is always singing...?" He thought a minute before remembering, then hummed along with the tune, a light sort of song good for waltzing. After he got the beat he led them, sure of his footing. Dancing was something he enjoyed, and had done a lot of under the sea as well as on remote land masses the sea dwellers used but no land dwellers lived on. The principle was basically the same either way, and by rights he was quite good at it. His voice wasn't as nice as his mentioned cousin, but he wasn't tone deaf by any definition.

2014-08-22 03:54:47