Prisonstuck IX

[polariity]

[By this point, it's been a few weeks since he's been with Dualscar, and he's adjusted to it. The seadweller doesn't always stay at the hive, which is understandable. Someone of his caste is expected to stay busy. Each time he returns, the Psiioniic nearly clings to him, wanting to hear news- or even lack of it- concerning his three friends.]

[Besides that, on his own, the Psiioniic mostly sticks to the library. Occasionally he explores the large hive again, wondering if anything has changed. It's a calm routine. For someone like him, it nearly feels unnatural.]

[...Which is quite possibly one reason explaining why, one night, he manages to get a hold of yellow dye and interrupts a drone on laundry duty. The next night, and it's done.]

[A bored rebel psionic was a disaster just waiting.]

[By now, he's stayed in the kitchen, idly chattering at his drone as he watches the kitchen worker make breakfast. It's almost like he's entirely forgotten about his little prank.]

[Which he hasn't, but he needs something to do to pass the time until it's discovered.]

Comments

[polariity]

[For a few minutes, the Psiioniic doesn't even notice Dualscar. He's too enthralled with his own power, so dearly missed. He can pick up every single book in this place, put them wherever he wants, so effortlessly and without moving from his spot.]

[But when he finally does, oh, when he finally lays his eyes upon that pitiful, beautiful excuse of a seadweller... Energy tugs at Dualscar's limbs, wanting him open and not curled up. Floating upwards, he lets his hands slide along Dualscar's chest and over to his arms, that he grips.]

[His smile is a jagged tear along his face, filled with sharp teeth. To call it 'manic' is to put it lightly.]

I'll take you with me.

I'll thow you thingth you've never theen before, 22, and I won't let a thing touch uth, or them, or anything. I told you, I'll make everything burn before that happenth, I can do it.

[badpirattitude]

[Dualscar doesn't want to be uncurled, he doesn't want the Psiioniic's hands on his chest or arms, he just wants to be left alone. Left alone, and preferably somewhere deep underwater, where it's silent and still and no one can see him be weak.]

[But the force of the psionics is more than he can stand against, and he's pried open, exposed and vulnerable, and for one brief, shining instant, he hates the Psiioniic for it. He hates him for making him so fucking weak.]

[It isn't until the other troll speaks, though, that Dualscar finally uncurls his fins from around his face and looks at him, really sees that manic grin and the way the Psiioniic's eyes are lit up like a pair of stars in his face.]

Don't you get it? I can't.

[He can't take the fire in the other troll's gaze, and looks away.]

I can't, I can't, wwho do you think is running interference for them, wwho do you think is keeping the Fleet off their backs, wwho do you think is trying to fucking protect them?

[polariity]

You won't have to anymore.

[No, don't look away, he wants to see those eyes on him again. Warm fingers run up to one cheek and there is something disconnected in his voice.]

You won't have to, becauthe I will make that entire worthleth fleet nothing more than ruin. I can do that now, I can, don't you thee?

[badpirattitude]

Yeah?

[Dualscar reluctantly lets the Psiioniic turn his face back towards him.]

And then wwhat? Wwhat about wwhen they build more? Wwhat about all the soldiers on them? Wwhat about the helmsmen? Are you just going to sink them all?

[polariity]

I...

[His expression loses that manic excitement, and begins to sink into something more worried, perhaps slightly confused.]

I wouldn't... Not them, they detherve..

[The glow in his eyes lessens.]

I... Fuck. [Squeezing his eyes shut, he presses his hand against his eyes again.]

[badpirattitude]

Yeah.

[Dualscar turns his face away again, and crosses his arms over his chest.]

It's not that easy, is it?

[polariity]

[The Psiioniic just shudders and doesn't answer for a moment. Instead, he just focuses, and slowly the energy begins to lower them back to solid ground again. Hesitantly, he tries to reach for Dualscar's hand.]

I... I'm thorry.

[badpirattitude]

[Dualscar relaxes a little when his feet touch solid ground, and he lets the Psiioniic take his hand.]

So am I.

[Sorry for what? How about everything?]

[polariity]

It... I wathn't prepared for it. It wath too much, too thoon.

[His fingers start to stroke Dualscar's knuckles apologetically.]

I got a little wortht. I wathn't thinking.

[badpirattitude]

It happens.

[Dualscar passively allows the hand-holding, but his face is still closed off and distant. He gestures at the drone, who is still cowering a few inches off the ground.]

Go ahead. Take that and go.

[polariity]

[Seeing that sort of expression makes him feel sick. After everything they've had to deal with to get to this point, after all they've done to each other and wanted from one another... This is how it's going to end?]

Dualthcar. 22. It ithn't you. You know that, don't you?

[He wants this, he doesn't want to lose it, he just... he doesn't!]

[badpirattitude]

Wwhatever.

[Of course it's him, why is the Psiioniic even trying to lie and pretend otherwise? What else is there?]

[He pulls his hand out of the Psiioniic's grasp and turns away, pulling his cape tight around his hunched shoulders.]

You knoww the wway out.

[polariity]

Fuck you!

[Energy suddenly around Dualscar's shoulders, jerking him back around so the Psiioniic can scream at him properly.]

I gave up everything for them! You knew that from the fucking thtart! I would have thtayed behind, be captured, jutht tho they could have a chance at even a little more freedom! I let mythelf be captured, be tortured, nearly die for them, and you- you fucking thelfith theadweller, who the fuck are you to act like the fucking wounded martyr!?

[badpirattitude]

[Dualscar snarls when the Psiioniic spins him around, his fins flaring out into full intimidation mode, and then he's screaming too, screaming and struggling against his invisible bonds.]

Do you havve any idea wwhat I'm givvin' up here?! Wwhat I'vve been doin' to keep your friends safe?! I can't go back either, I'm as much a traitor as you are noww, you might as wwell just fuckin' tear me apart wwith your mind noww and savve them the trouble of cullin' me! And burn dowwn this hivve wwhile you're at it, and lay wwaste to evverything you can, let the wwhole fuckin' planet burn, and it'll all be Orphaner Dualscar's fault, wwon't it? Wwon't it?!! The stupid fuckin' seadwweller wwho fell in lovve wwith a rebel and destroyed evverything!!

[polariity]

You're doing it again!

[The Psiioniic could nearly tear his hair out in frustration and rage and hurt and betrayal. This isn't how it was supposed to be, but what the hell does he know!? Just a naive fucking yellowblood, thinking he could do anything towards him.]

Thith ithn't about you, you rotten fuck, thith ithn't about burning the empire tho that it'sth brought down to it'sth fucking kneeth! [He makes a deer noise in frustration.] You thaid you'd lithten, I thought you did, but you didn't!

1/3

[badpirattitude]

Then explain it to me! Tell me wwhat I'm missin', wwhat I don't understand!

[Whale noises are the only appropriate response to deer noises.]

Because right noww all I knoww is that...

2/3

[badpirattitude]

... is that you're...

3/3

[badpirattitude]

... that you're leavvin'.

[Dualscar's voice breaks on the last word, and even though he can't curl back up into a ball, he can still turn his head and get his fins up over his face, which he does.]

You're leavvin', so wwhat else evven matters? B-burn dowwn the Empire, sink the fleets, t-tear the wworld ap-part, I don't care. It doesn't matter... nothin' m-matters...

[And then, for the first time in sweeps, the first time he can remember... Orphaner Dualscar is crying.]

[polariity]

[Fuck him. Let him die and burn because he shouldn't be able to reach into his heart like this, pluck at the strings until they're screeching. The Psiioniic's entire body shakes when he takes a breath, and he reaches over, fingers trembling against his fin.]

I love you. You make my heart ache, you bathtard. I'm not leaving becauthe of you. I'm leaving becauthe...

[Another deer noise, but this one is small and frustrated and miserable.]

Have you ever... ever... been in a thituation you thought wath hopeleth, that you couldn't change... and then one day you could?

[badpirattitude]

[Dualscar is fighting his bonds as hard as he can, trying desperately to collapse and curl into a ball again.]

No!

[He doesn't want to talk about this, all he wants is to get away, to retreat, to not have to deal with all the things he doesn't want to remember.]

It's alwways been fuckin' hopeless, alwways...

[polariity]

No, no, it'sth only that way becauthe everyone ith thcared-

[Again he steps closer. There's no fighting those bonds, Dualscar. This is the strongest psionic in all of Alternia, and this is the least he can manage.]

And god, I wath thcared, but now I'm not, becauthe I can fight back, I realized I could. 22, come on, tell me- [He presses against him, face against Dualscar's neck.] You're alwayth tho thcared.

[badpirattitude]

I'm not...

[Really, arguing that point is as futile as trying to get away from the Psiioniic's hold on him. Especially with the way Dualscar's body tenses as the Psiioniic presses against him, going rigid and fearful for a moment, before completely melting and trying to push forward, trying to get close to the other troll, fighting the bonds not to get away, but to get closer.]

I'm... I'm... fuck!

[Even if the Psiioniic doesn't let him go, Dualscar can still move his head enough to lean forward, put his head on the Psiioniic's shoulder, and start sobbing.]

[polariity]

[He hadn't even realized how tense he was until Dualscar begins to press against him, and the Psiioniic nearly falls apart. Thank god. His arms wrap around him, hands against his hair and back.]

I'm here. I'm thtill here. I didn't leave you. 22, god...

[badpirattitude]

[Those arms around him break Dualscar down completely, and he leans heavily on the Psiioniic and just cries. Everything he's held back, everything he's pushed down for sweeps and sweeps... it comes out in a torrential flood, all over the Psiioniic's shoulder. He can't speak right now, not until he's under control again.]

[polariity]

I'm here. I'm here.

[He repeats those familiar words over and over like a lullaby, threading his fingers through that wavy hair and fingering those lightning bolt horns of his. He's never had to be the one relied on, always the one relying, but this.... this broken fool of a seatroll...]