Work Text:
Your title is The Psiionii-
You know what, no.
Fuck that noise.
That's what the Empress had called you before you became her Helmsman.
Fuck that title too. Fuck it with a damn cactus, no lube, that title is never walking again.
Your name is Deontae Captor... or Deontae Ampora; depends on who's asking.
Speaking of Ampora...
You feel a large hand on your left shoulder, and turn to look at the owner of that hand. "Tae," His nickname for you, it was endearing. "Over there." His other hand is over your other shoulder, pointing into the distance.
"Okay, Orpheu2, II'll biite. What am II looking at?" Orpheus is his name, Orphaner Dualscar his title, though he hates it almost as much as you hate yours. You're standing on the bow of his fishing boat, he's standing behind you. "Christ, ye need glasses." He mutters. "II have a miigraiine, fii2hdiick. Biite me." You cross your arms. "Eyes botherin' ye?" He asks, lowering his raised hand to your other shoulder. "Ye2." You sigh, your lisp sounds fucking awful. "2o, what the fuck am II lookiing at?" You raise an eyebrow, squinting in the direction he was pointing. "Smoke, from the window 'a that buildin' over there."
Now you see what he's talking about, smoke billows slowly from that building's first-floor window. "Wanna go check iit out?" You ask, turning your head to look at him. "Depends, ye hear anythin' from in there?" If he means the dying, no, no you do not. "No, iit'2 gotten quiieter 2iince thii2 2hiit 2tarted." Like your descendent, the voices of the damned plague you, though there's a whole lot less these days, and none of them you care about. "Then I say we go check it out, what's the worst that could happen." He steps out from behind you and jumps down onto the dock. This gets the attention of a few shamblers, of course, it does.
Though with you around, Orpheus has nothing to worry about, and he knows it. You've saved his ass so many times, both in this life and the previous one, and will continue until you draw your last breath.
Till death do us part, or so the human vows go.
You hop down on the dock behind him, as he draws a fucking cutlass. "You know, cliingiing two the piirate thiing iis utterly riidiiculou2." You tell him, rolling your eyes. "'Ridiculouth.'" He mocks you, and nope, you have changed your mind. You hate him. Yes, hello, Pyrope, yes you need a divorce lawyer asap. "Ye know ye like the pirate motif." You snort. "About a2 much a2 II liike your 2on2' a2tethic2." He snickers. "Athtethicth." Gog, okay, you need to get this man to his kids so he has someone else to fuck with, or you're going to push him into the next zombie you see.
You sigh and shake your head. You wouldn't actually do that. You love him too much, even if he is a certified asshole. "Orpheu2, my love. IIf you don't 2hut up, II'm literally goiing two make lunch for the2e gentlemen." You gesture at the five shamblers wandering up to you. He smiles at you, and it is utterly charming. "Yer bluffin'." He knows you are. "Ugh." You huff and lift your arm, red and blue crackling down it. The first shambler triggers a chain reaction, sparks shooting between the five, and then they collapse, as smoking husks.
"See, I knew ye were bluffin'." He walks back over to you to take your extended hand and kiss the back of it. Fucking sap. "Oh plea2e." You make a face, and he laughs softly. "C'mon, let's go see where the fuck that smoke is comin' from." Contrary to popular belief, he'd always been kind to you, even before falling horns over heels for your stupid out-of-pocket comments, snark, and the fact that even below him in worth, you'd never cut him any slack. 'Get your a22 in gear, you 2ad 2ack of 2hiit.' Had been your catchphrase for many years on his ship.
You'd always wondered why he'd never killed you for it. You'd found out when, once, after so many sweeps with him and his crew, in a drunken, confident stupor, He'd tossed you a silver ring with an amethyst gemstone, and his sign engraved in it. A mark of ownership, he called it, to keep high bloods off your ass for talking shit to him, like you were known to do. Keep you from getting culled, that sort of thing.
Now, Orpheus may be the biggest dumbass on this side of paradox space, but you, you are very much not. Especially since you found that ring's match, except gold, your sign, and your colours, hidden in his bedside table a couple sweeps later while looking for something while he was dying nearby, because he has never ever thought anything through.
You'd never mentioned it though, the softness of his touch when he wasn't on death's doorstep after that told you all that you needed to know.
He had exact replicas made the first chance he'd gotten in this world. You'd wanted to know how'd he'd managed it, but he'd never told you, the bastard.
Yes, Orpheus Ampora pissed you the fuck off, but there was no one you loved more.
Well there was Carmine, but Orpheus knew that and could live with that, he'd said when you'd finally decided to tell him that your heart wasn't just his. He'd actually shook his head at you. "I know, Deontae. Yer not subtle. I've known since ye ditched me fer him on Alternia." Right, but had he also known how bad you felt about that afterward, probably not, and you weren't going to tell him.
The two of you reach the building sooner than you would've liked, you were enjoying reminiscing, but there's no longer time for that, as you and Orpheus resolve to climb through that window. There's a small campfire in this room and a few bodies. The campfire is the source of the smoke, smoldering, old, but it had a lot of fuel, from the look of it, stayed lit long after whoever caused the massacre left. Almost like...
Orpheus moves over to a particular body that's caught his interest for some, probably god awful reason, and crouches next to it, risking touching it to turn it on its back. Gross. "Orph, that'2 gro22 why would you-" He interrupts you. "Tae, Don' this look like somefin yer Psions could do?" He asks, which would've made you stop anyway. "What?" "Whale I don' know, get over here-" Taking a steadying breath, you do move over to him, and crouch on the other side of the body. "Let me-" Orpheus shifts back to let you examine this body, cringing as you have to touch it to get an accurate read on the wounds, what's from being zombified, and what's not. There are so many wounds on this fucker, so many. But you can make out a few burns, and lacerations caused by-
Holy fucking dick Orpheus is right.
"Thii2, wa2n't me-" You feel the need to clarify. "II don't have range thii2 far-" You feel hope clench at your chest, and quickly stomp it down. "Yeah, Tae, no fuckin' shit ye've been with me this whole fuckin' time." You look up at him, and he looks up at you. "IIf iit wa2n't me, then who-" You freeze, your eyes widening. Orph's do too. No. Shit isn't that fucking easy for you. "What are the fuckin' chances-" You reach over the body to cover his mouth with your hand, and he blinks in confusion. "No, No. No fal2e hope. II can't do iit." He doesn't move, until he sighs, breath brushing against the back of your hand, and he nods. Only then do you remove your hand to stand up and examine another body.
This one has a hole through it's chest, and OH SHIT ITS STILL ALIVE. It lifts a hand for you, and you yelp and scramble backward. "There ii2 no fuckiing way you diidn't hear u2 fuckiing talkiing you 2neaky fuckiing bastard!" Orpheus looks up at your bitching, as he usually does. "Ye good or ye want me ta get it?" He asks. "Go fuck your2elf-" You kick the shit out of this zombie, and it goes skidding across the ground towards your husband, who casually, the unphased prick, stabs it in the head without standing, flinching, or any of that nonsense. "Ye okay?" He asks.
"You mean be2ide2 the heart attack?" The damn things are getting smarter. You run a hand through your hair as he slides the body back towards you so you can finish going through its pockets and examining that chest wound. "II am two old for thii2 2hiit..." You sigh and reach out with your psionics to grab the body and pull it closer. Now, back to this stupid fucking hole. You run your fingers around the edge of it, feels burnt, but a clean shot. Too big to be a gunshot wound, too small to be-
"Babe, whiich one of your kiid2 ha2 Ahab'2." Because you know he doesn't. "I dunno, depends on who grabbed it, I'm gonna bet on Cro, though."
Okay, so that answers that question. There's a small chance this could be Eridan's handy work-
No, we are not doing that.
You shake your head and look back up at Orpheus, who's going through the pockets of the third body. "Fiind anythiing on hiim?" He pauses and stops what he's doing. "Yeah, but I don' fuckin' like it." He tells you, and you raise an eyebrow and gesture for him to continue. He just grabs the body's forearm and holds it up for you, it's hand is stained candy red, just a shade brighter than a human's blood, if you know what to look for.
Oh.
"Oh." You say aloud. "Aye," Orpheus responds, sitting back to look at you fully. "What do you think, Tae? Coincidence or....?" All the evidence points to this just not being a coincidence, especially blood that screams Vantas. Burns that scream Captor, and chest cavities that scream pissed off Ampora.
You close your eyes and lift a hand to rub your temples, migraine progressively worsening the more psionic energy you expend keeping yourself and your husband alive. "Orpheu2..." "Aye, Tae. I know, but... What if."
"We can't liive our liive2 ba2ed on 'what iif'2." You might be being a bit too pessimistic, may be slipping back into your 'on the run' mentality, the only difference being that Orpheus is right there with you this time. "Aren't ye at least a lil curious?"
Of course, you're curious. You had just found solid evidence of your son and stepson, your best friend's son too, but from the scene you're looking at, it could mean nothing.
Well, it means they were jumped, obviously. Meant that maybe they had gotten bitten, you only know that this is how someone turns because you've heard people panicking about bites during the first few weeks of this nonsense.
The lack of violet and yellow is comforting, but the red on the hand of that walker rubbed you the wrong way, you'd have to keep an ear out for Karkat's voice.
"Orph, baby. How do you feel about 2tayiing on land for a whiile." Your suggesting the two of you track them, they might lead you to the others, maybe, just maybe. "Think ye might be able ta find a trace 'a 'em?" Orpheus asks, and no you don't, because your psionics, while still powerful have weakened substantially since food is hard to find.
Well, there is one thing, but you'll be down for a while, and it'll paint a target on your back, but... If there's a chance you'll take it.
"Orpehu2, giive me the honey."
"Tae, doll, hold up..."
"No, II know. II know, Orph. Ju2t, do iit, II tru2t you two keep me aliive."
"No, no. Hell no." He shakes his head at you. "No way am I feedin' inta yer addiction, especially now. Fuck no. And on the off chance you actually do manage to track them, what about the withdrawal? Gettin' ye off 'a it the first time was hard enough. Not ta mention the lack 'a control and the comedown-" You almost wonder how it's possible he remembers exactly how that shit affects you, then you don't.
"And who'2 fault ii2 that?" You ask instead, and it's a low blow, but you know he wants to find his son, and you're going to find a way to give that to him, whatever the consequences will be.
He doesn't look like he takes that personally, thank some higher power. "Whale, yeah it is my fault, but that doesn't mean ye should-" Maybe he took it a little personally.
"II built up a tolerance, dumba22. II'll be fiine, II have more control becau2e of that tolerance and you know iit you'll be fiine, and maybe thii2 wiill help u2 have 2ome 2ort of goal that ii2n't ju2t poiintle22 wanderiing, whiich ii2 what we've been doiing, up untiil now, half a jar wiill not fuck me over, and II won't go over that liimiit, okay? 2o giive me, the damn honey."
"Yer gonna regret it." He tells you, even as he reaches into his jacket to toss the half-eaten jar of mind honey at you. "Ye2, Orpheu2, II alway2 fuckiing regret it." Being used as a weapon for thousands of sweeps, by Orpheus and the Empress both left its mark, some would say it was bad, some would say it was good, the main point now though, is that all it does is get you pleasantly high (That's the only term you can think of that accurately describes the feeling), and strengthen your psionics. No, it's not the best course of action, but it's all you've got. And this much will barely do shit.
Orph hops up onto the window sill to be out of the way, and your line of sight as you pop open the lid.
You know he's watching you guiltily as you tip your head back and pour your chosen fix into your mouth, before twisting the lid and tossing it in the direction you think Orpheus disappeared in. Your senses heighten immediately, you can hear the leather of Orpheus' jacket shift as he slides the honey back into its hiding place and away from your addictive personality.
There it is.
Now that is the Good shit.
You close your eyes against the buzzing in your head, and yeah, that's fucking nice. You missed this, holy fucking shit.
"Tae." Orph snaps you out of your thoughts, and yeah right, you have shit to do.
Totally, like legit shit. What were you doing?
"R1GH7, 7H3 K1D5, 5H17"
"This was a reely fuckin' bad idea-"
"N0, 5HU7 UP, 1 G07 7H15"
"Shore ye do."
You giggle. "N0, N0, 1 7074LLY G07 7H15. H3Y, H45 4NY0N3 3V3R 70LD Y0U 7H47 Y0UR V01C3 15 53XY."
You hear the sound of his double facepalm and die of laughter.
"L1K3, N0 17'5 L1K3, 50 FUCK1NG H07, Y0U D0N'7 3V3N KN0W"
"I want a fuckin divorce-"
"L4WY3R5 D0N'7 3X157 4NYM0R3, Y0U'R3 5H17 0U7 0F LUCK, UNL355 W3 RUN 4CR055 PYR0P3 0R 50M3 5H1T"
"U g h oh my cod, Tae Focus."
You calm your laughter into snickers that escape every few seconds. "R1GH7, R1GH7. F0CU5, 1 4M F0CU51NG" Ha, it's your turn to piss him off. Take that asshole. H a.
Wait, fucking focus, kids, kids are important. Okay, you've fucking got this.
You lean back on your hands and look up at the ceiling of the room you're in.
Your eyes slip closed.
Alright, here goes nothing-
You hear denim rustle as Orpheus pulls his legs onto that windowsill with him because no way in hell is he gonna risk touching the pulse of red and blue sitting so close to your high ass, might be because he likes those shoes, you don't know.
"Let me know if ye find anyfin-"
"Uhuh."
You and Orpheus sit there quietly for a very long time before you finally open your eyes and lean your head back to look at him. "Find anyfin?" He asks.
You shrug. "1 7H1NK 1 F0UND 3R1D4N'5 5C4RF" He tenses up. "Was-" You lift up a shaky hand to stop him. "N0 Y0UR 50N W45 N07 4774CH3D 70 17" "Oh thank cod." He sighs heavily. "Which way?" You blink slowly and think about it for a moment. "N0R7H... W417, N0, D3F1N173LY 3457- 0R-." You pause and lift a hand to point in a direction that you honestly don't know right now. "Okay, I can work with that." Orpheus stands up and walks over to you. He offers you a hand, which you obviously take, and let him haul you to your feet, it makes your head spin. "0H WH47 7H3 D1CK-" You nearly fall, but Orpheus keeps you steady, and you cling to him.
"I'm gonna have ta carry ye, aren't I?" You find yourself giggling into his chest. "Y35 1, 1 C4N'7- FUCK1NG CHR157." Orpheus heaves another sigh, and lifts you into his arms, like your a gogdamned blushing bride, and heads outside. "Which is worse, you or that fuckin' Makara brat-"
"PR377Y 5UR3 H15 N4M3 15 G4MZ33, 7074LLY H1M 7H0UGH. 1'M 4 FUCK1NG 541N7."
"Saint my ass ye fuckin' dork."
"1F 317H3R 0F U5 4R3 D0RK5 17'5 Y0U M1573R P1R4735 4ND M4G1C-"
"I'm gonna fuckin' drop you."
"Y0U W0ULD'N7 D0 7H47 70 M3- 4H FUCK-!" You squeal as you feel him let go of you for a split second. "0RPH3U5 WH47 7H3 FUCK, Y0U FUCK1NG A55H0LE!"
"Deontae, Tae, Loud, Loud-" But he's snickering, you can feel it from where your head is laying on his chest.
"FUCK1NG D1CK." You hiss.
Your name is Deontae Captor/Ampora, and your husband is an asshole, but you love him despite it.
Even though you know there is no hope left whatsoever in these trying times, you dare to hope, and so does Orpheus