♋ 25

[crusthatecean]

[action; locked]

[He's been in so much pain for so long now that he barely registers when he's left by the side of the hospital. He found it easier to lie on the cool floor of the recovery room, arms trapped in red hot iron cuffs held above his head. At first, he expected to die; that was the whole fucking point, an execution method, a way to kill a fucking mutant sack of shit as painfully as possible. The worst part, though, was his gradual awareness that he was not going to die, that the cuffs were just going to keep on burning his skin but not in any way where the pain would ever stop, where they would ever come off. He's blind, his eyes now dark and blank red, so he can't see the damage but he's certain this isn't normal, it's an extra condition of torturing him. Lying still doesn't help the pain, but it does help with the visions; trying to do anything leaves him with awful visions of his friends dying, the direct result of anything he does, and though he knows better than to believe it, it makes him sick and even more miserable.

His first awareness of the move is the change in the sound around him; it had been so quiet in that recovery room with nothing but those recovering from similar traumas. Now he can hear cars and he can hear footsteps and voices, and he becomes aware the consistency of the ground beneath him has changed.

He had been hoping he would die before this happened, because while most thoughts aren't coming clearly, the one that does is that no one can see him like this. The eyes, that's what they'll pity him for, even if he keeps a straight face they'll know his revulsion and horror and they'll feel sorry for him, they'll think of him as sad and helpless and he can't, he can't, all he wants is to be strong. He squeezes his eyes shut tightly and won't open them for anything. Most won't know the meaning of the cuffs, and that's a small blessing because they're harder to hide, but those who do, he can stand it even less. It's the connection, it's the amount that it's a joke. The man who died this way was someone strong and important, so much so that the fucking Condesce took notice of him, so much so that the most powerful trolls in Alternia proscribed a special way just for him to die. What is he? Just a wiggler, weak and useless, nothing at all. The worst part of this horrible thing they've done to him is that as much as he hates it, he doesn't even deserve it.

What he'll do is, he'll crawl away until he finds a wall, somewhere that he might be sheltered and hidden, though he can't hide very effectively when he doesn't know where he is. He'll curl himself around the cuffs, the pain caused by the proximity to the heat awful on his chest and knees but worth it to hide it as well as he can, and he'll hiss at the sound of any footsteps that approach him, warning everyone to stay the fuck away from him.]

[phone; public]

[It's a strange reversal from the situation just a few days ago - this time Gamzee's the one who makes the call after he's dragged Karkat home and fed him some of his sopor pie to try to dull the pain. He sounds unusually upset, although he's trying to keep himself together; still, even with his moirail in the room, his voice is starting to oscillate in volume that anyone who's witnessed Gamzee in a bad mood before may recognize.]

Okay, so. How all you motherfuckers doing? Hit a brother up with some motherfuckin' status updates so I can be to reporting to Karkat - he's back on from the medical bay, he's doing--

[Doing fine is what Karkat wants him to say, but Gamzee chokes on the words, on such a filthy fucking lie that his mouth feels dirty even trying to get it out, because Karkat is the opposite of fine and just looking at what's been done to his moirail fills him with so much rage that he feels like he'll be sick from it.]

Someone tell me how to get these fucking disgusting cuffs off him.

Gamzee. Shoosh.

[Karkat's voice sounds weak and strained; he's not nearly as close to the phone as Gamzee is, but there's also a groggy sedated quality to it. He hadn't planned on saying anything, but Gamzee has just said the one thing Karkat told him not to say. He can't be angry, but he's not going to let him continue as little as he wants to interact with anyone. He's quiet for a few seconds as he tries to gather his thoughts.]

The point this idiot is trying to make is that I'm here, I'm fine, I need to know how all you morons are doing, and then I'm going the fuck to sleep so you can call Gamzee if you need something as improbable as that sounds.

((ooc; So I've locked the first part of the entry because I don't want to do too many threads there. Gamzee is ultimately going to be the one to get him home but if you'd like to do some action there chronologically before Gamzee shows, just ask me and I'll see if we can figure something out!

For the second part, Karkat will be replying, Gamzee may or may not jump in.))

Comments

phone

[pinkscarflady]

[That sounds unpleasant...]

What kind of cuffs are they? Can you see a lock, or any visible seams?

[crusthatecean]

That's not the point of this call.

[pinkscarflady]

My apologies then, I misunderstood. Do you not wish them removed?

phone

[commentboxtroll]

Have you tried chain cutters?

[Though he's pretty sure those cuffs didn't have chains from what he saw back at the hospital...]

Everyone's dying, dead, or wishing they were dead. You're better off hanging up and just going to sleep.

[crusthatecean]

Thanks for your incredible fucking help.

[commentboxtroll]

That's me, always a helper.

What did you expect? Some peace of mind?

phone;

[cullscuttlefish]

Gamzee, it's Feferi. First of all, tell Karkat I'm okay. I'm back and - not perfect but I'm holding it together. I'm back and forth between Signless and my actual not!dad because both of them need me, so it's just as likely I'll be one place or the other.

Sollux will probably call you too, but he's. He's alive and that's the important thing. I'm dealing with Equius' flip off the handle and I'm making sure Eridan stays glued to the handle.

I don't know about everyone else. I wish to everything that I did.

...now, what happened?

[crusthatecean]

Feferi, it's me.

I'm glad you're back.

[cullscuttlefish]

I'm sorry it took me so long. But I'm back and okay. You focus on getting some rest, and I'll handle the sudden outbreak of highblood insanity. My thinkpan's on straight enough for it.

[She pauses, debating whether or not to tell him what happened to her. In the end, she decides now is not the time. He doesn't need the extra stress. She'll tell him later.]

[miraculls]

[It might take a while for Gamzee to catch on to things, but he's not unobservant, especially not with the sopor no longer flowing through his system; when Karkat mysteriously vanishes, it's not hard to figure out the's been taken to the same place Gamzee had been and that he'll likely be dumped outside the hospital just like everyone else. So the second he revives from the Doctor's mercy-killing, he makes a beeline for the hospital, waiting for people to start being released.

He can't find Karkat anywhere among them though and he's starting to get even more worried - what if they killed him or maimed him so badly that he couldn't even walk out? He paces, blurring in his agitation, and is about to shove one of the stragglers coming out against the wall and demand to know where the motherfuck his moirail is when he spots the curled up figure against a dark corner.

With his eyes closed, Gamzee can't tell what exactly is wrong with Karkat or make out much other than the muffled red glow of the cuffs, but he knows it's something awful when Karkat hisses at him.]

Bro? Yo, it's me - Gamzee. Oh fuck, what did they do to you?

[crusthatecean]

Fuck off.

[It's not the usual way he might say that, irritation that's feigned as much as anything, pushing everyone away from him by force of habit. This is a venomous snarl, but it's also not really directed at Gamzee; he can barely register who is talking to him from the way he's curled in on himself literally and metaphorically.]

[miraculls]

[He brushes the snarl off easily enough, kneeling down in front of Karkat and cradling his chin gently in his hands, fingers starting to stroke and pap his cheeks.]

Come on, best friend. We gotta get you outta here.

phone

[wweh]

[Yeah, Eridan's been helping Signless by giving a place for him to stay without endangering anyone. Eridan was actually grateful for the company, at any rate. Has been kind of lonely ever since his not!dad got droned... that, and he was willing to do something to help, for a change.]

No need to be worryin' about me Kar, I'm good. These scars are makin' me look handsome an' I'm doin' better now that Fef's back...

Besides I'm enjoyin' the company here now you know how fuckin' nerve wrackin' it is livin' with nothin' but drones?

[crusthatecean]

I don't, but good, I guess. You two are probably the worst pair I could have ever decised.

[wweh]

What, me an' Fef?

What are you fuckin' talkin' about we're perfect for each other!

phone;

[foretaste]

[Terezi gives a useless, strained humming sound; she's unable to talk, but hopes her tone is at least recognizable.]

[crusthatecean]

[He does recognize her and grabs the phone, though it's hard for him to hold it.]

Terezi? Is that you?

[He wants her so much right now, he wants to help her and wants her to help him and he just wants to be with her, but first and foremost he never, ever wants her to know what they've done to him.]

[foretaste]

Mmmm. [She emits a frustrated sound and fumbles the phone with her numb fingers, trying to reaffirm his question, but she can't make it sound like a 'yes'. She's desperate to know how Karkat is doing, but she's spent much of the past few days in a catatonic state.]

Phone

[chastesaw]

*Her voice still sounds tired and strained, but there's no way that 'fucking disgusting cuffs' couldn't catch her eye - let alone Karkat's voice.*

Karkat? ...Gamzee?

I'm not sure I entirely believe that claim to fineness.

[crusthatecean]

How are you doing?

[chastesaw]

Thirsty.

...no, hungry.

[con_heir]

Cuffs? Jesus fuck, Karkat... Clown guy, you take care of him, okay? I'll be over soon.

[crusthatecean]

[Karkat is immediately grabbing the phone.]

What? No.

No, fuck, does it sound like...I don't want...

[He sounds completely panicked by the idea; he definitely can't stand the idea of John seeing him like this.]

[stabdads]

[practically snarled:] Kid.

Status update. Now.

[crusthatecean]

I'm fine.

[Yeah, he doesn't sound very good at all.]

Gamzee is retarded, what do you expect?