Hope's End Guest Post: Day 2

[skinners_box]

Welcome to Day 2 of Hope’s End! This is where guest writers can have their characters post to the network. These posts will be handled the same way as any other post to the network, but we'll keep them grouped together for everyone's sanity.

All guest characters arrived in Hope’s End with a communicator that resembles a Blackberry. These have text,

Comments

[dependabull]

uHH, iS THIS THING ON?
i THINK, tHAT PERHAPS THERE HAS BEEN SOME SORT OF, mISTAKE,,,
pOSSIBLY,
oR THE AFTERLIFE IS JUST, mUCH DIFFERENT THAN i EXPECTED, }:\
bUT, tHERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF OTHER CONFUSED, pEOPLE, i GUESS,
sO i SHOULD JUST COUNT MYSELF AS, oNE OF THOSE,

as;dfl; yesssssss <3

[juggalulz]

...naw, brother. No motherfuckers really up and care what I look like...my own fuckin' troll self included.

[Gamzee looks at the sink for a few long moments like it might bite him. But, eventually, he twists the handles and cups his hands under the faucet, splashing his face and then...just...rubbing...with his hands. Smearing the paint all over.

Sorry, Tavros. Your friend is a moron who can barely take care of himself.]

Got some of that wicked face paint up in my syllashit, too.

<3

[dependabull]

[Gamzee, stop that. You're doing it wrong. }:|

There has to be soap or some sort of other cleaning substance around here somewhere... Tavros finds a rag and wets it down, stepping closer to his friend.]

Here, uh... hold still.

[juggalulz]

[He gives Tavros a look of confusion, and then--jerks back, a little, without thinking. It's not out of fear, or anger...more out of just...not knowing how to respond.]

...sorry.

[Gamzee holds himself still and looks at him apologetically.]

Lotsa times I'd just...dip in the fuckin' ocean, maybe. Or just put the motherfuckin' paint on right over the old shit.

[dependabull]

[Tavros wrinkles his nose a little.]

I think, finding you an ablution trap would be a good, uh, idea.

[And then you should be taught to use it. Often.

He wipes the old paint away as carefully as he can, not wanting to reopen Gamzee's wounds.]

[juggalulz]

[Gamzee actually scowls a little, but it's really more of a pout. He looks down when Tavros wipes his face, but then kind of chews at the inside of his cheek.]

Yeah. All...get my fuckin' ablution on and shit.

[It's kind of nice, though. Not only hanging out with Tavros, but someone being so kind and...helping him. He tries to remember if things like this happened before everything went dark inside, but everything's all green and foggy. He does remember that Tavros was always sweet to him. He never called him stupid, or made fun of what he believed in, or any of those other things that stoned as fuck Gamzee didn't have the mental capacity to actually care about.

He missed Tavros. A lot. His inner awkwardness at this situation (and not to mention his urge to maybe snap his jaws at Tavros's hand) was being overpowered by how happy he was to see him.]...it look all up and infected? Had it for a fuckin' while now, so if some motherfuckin' cuts were planning on gettin' my face sick, they probably already woulda finished the fuckin' job

[dependabull]

They aren't too bad, I think. I don't know much about, fixing up scratches. Chances are good that they'll scar.

But. Uh. They'll make you look, tough! In the sense that, scars make anyone look tough.

[The thanks has him rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.] Ehehe... Well you're my friend, so, it's only what a good friend should do.

[juggalulz]

...no other motherfucker would've.

[He doesn't mean that to come out as bitter as it does. It's not like people were staying away from him for no reason, not to mention he was encouraging them to.

Gamzee wipes his hands off on the towel and grabs at his own cheeks. It's been a long time since he didn't have facepaint on.]

Feel all...fuckin' naked, and shit. Like a motherfuckin' threadgoblin up and thieved away a brother's faceclothes.

[He cocks his head to one side.] All the best sidekicks got fuckin' dark and dirty scars, right? That way, evil motherfuckers all look at us and be all like "Fuuuuuck, that motherfucker got some hidden mysteries, maybe."

[dependabull]

[Now that just sounds sad. Don't people like Gamzee? Karkat would have done it for him at least, wouldn't he?]

Um. I don't know if I can, believe that. But, I'm sorry.

And, yes. You are definitely the best and most, dark and dirty of sidekicks.

[juggalulz]

Don't be.

Wouldn't've wanted any other motherfucker but a Tabvro up and help me like this, anyway. [That's a lie. He would have accepted help in this way from Karkat. But Karkat was too nervous to touch him, really.

And Tavros really was the only other one he'd have been so accepting of help from.

...plus, he kind of liked being close to Tavros.

Maybe.]

...there a hive, you know. A fuckin'...trialhive. That Karkat and some troll brothers and sisters all took over and made a big old motherfuckin' base. A brother can get his chill on there to stay, while he's stuck in a motherfucker.

[dependabull]

[Aw. That was, actually really sweet. Even if it still makes Tavros feel a little unsure.]

Is, uh, everyone staying in this hive?

Are you?

[Because there are certain trolls he really would like to avoid sharing a hive with.]

[juggalulz]

...not all fuckin' sure. [Gamzee scratches the back of his horribly tangled hair.] But--

--a brother can make sure no fuckin' spiders get their creep on into that motherfucker. [He glares at the idea of her, TWO of her, even, and then drops his hands into his lap, clenching his fists.] Ain't gotta worry for nothing, brother. Karkat's there, and he'll keep all them motherfuckers in check, for real.

[Gamzee clears his throat softly.]

...naw. I...a motherfucker all...staying outside of that shit.

[He pauses.]

Keeping fuckin' watch.

[...that sounded better than the truth, anyways.]

[dependabull]

[Tavros tilts his head, frowning. Standing watch is a noble thing for him to do, but...]

You stand watch, all the time?

Where, uh, do you sleep?

[Gamzee's acting a little different than he's used to, though not necessarily in a bad way, and he's never been easy to read.]

[juggalulz]

...got a tent, maybe. Kinda like a tent, down out in the motherfuckin'....field. Where a motherfucker was before.

A motherfucker hangs and chills with his best brothers when he's not outside...peepin' all the fuckin' miracles we got out here.

[When we aren't painting pictures.

Gamzee doesn't like lying to Tavros, but he doesn't feel all that bad about it, either. Doesn't he deserve one troll that doesn't know? That isn't scared of him? Don't the highest motherfucker on the bloodchain deserve a motherfucker to hang the fuck out with? All those other bitches with their friends and their moirails and their matesprits and even their motherfucking lusus--

He was getting worked up, and he didn't mean to. Gamzee takes a few deep breaths and pretends that Karkat is in the other room. Or maybe right next to him, even.

Gamzee makes an effort to put a dopey smile on his face, maybe the kind of smile Tavros was used to.]

...could maybe...fuckin' hang out there, or some shit. If a Tavbro wanted, or whatever the fuck.

[dependabull]

[Tavros is still a little skeptical, but he doesn't think it would be fair of him to say anything when he's only just arrived and basically knows nothing about what's going on. So when Gamzee smiles, he smiles right back.]

I wouldn't mind hanging out, I think.

I can, uh, catch up with some of the others, later.

[Though he isn't sure there are many he wouldn't be mildly embarrassed to see after his failure against Vriska. Kanaya would probably be at least a little understanding. She was always reasonable.]

[juggalulz]

[Gamzee actually smiles genuinely at that.]

Alright, yeah! Motherfuckers can...check out all these motherfuckin' hives and see what's lurking up in some motherfuckin' brambleweeds! But I guess it's up to a brother, since he all fuckin' actin' in the lead, herowise.

[He pauses.]

You should probably snatch up a hat.