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trollcafe · 4 months

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'Scared'

Google Docs Link A four-and-a-half sweep old Jodiah faces a truly terrifying enemy.

Daisee’s ship was so big, and you were, well, small. You knew the halls of her ship well, having spent much of your time here playing hide-n-seek. Sometimes you were lucky and she would join you and Lola, but most of the time it was just Mavrik who joined. When he was around, that is.

Yet, despite the comfort you felt in the metal walls, you couldn’t help but be afraid of her recruits. They were all rowdy highbloods, only a handful of sweeps older than you. All sent here because they had anger issues or were deemed dangers to society. Here to be reformed, your dad had said with a particularly sad tone. Here to put their anger to good use. When you were a little younger, Lola had been able to convince some of them to play tag or help find you. Back then, you never noticed the hostility, but you could tell now. They looked at you differently. These days they all said you were too old to play games. But you always had Lola. And Lola wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. Neither would Daisee, nor Mavrik, and arguably even Kittle, not that you knew. You had no idea just how safe you were. A rabbit safe in the wolves’ den, only partially aware of how their maws dripped at the sight of you.

One wolf scared you more than the others. Even Lola was fearful of this recruit. Lola wasn’t afraid of anything- for him to distrust someone spoke volumes to you. Without your twin by your side, you stuck close to the adults, for fear of being caught alone with that one. That was the case for this visit. Your Dad was doing his ‘rounds’ and checking out Daisee’s planes, with said eldest sister helping. You weren’t allowed down in the hangar with them, so you promptly located the nearest adult and clung to his side.

Mavrik, as good natured as always, didn’t mind in the slightest. You held onto the back of his violet flight suit as you followed him into the mess hall. It was loud and smelly, despite there only being a handful of trolls milling about. You scanned the empty tables and faces with a silent worry, only shifting gears when offered a juice box. Mav puts his hand on your back and guides you to one of the tables.

“Stay here, okay? I’m just a few tables over.” He gestured to where a medic was sitting with a box of, as you’d discover in a few minutes, vaccines. “You don’t want to watch me poke people with needles, right?” He laughed as you frantically shook your head. “That’s what I thought. Nobody’s gonna bother you here. If you get hungry you can steal some chips.”

Your brow furrows as he ruffles your hair. You give your head a shake to fix your rattled hair. By the time you opened your eyes again, he was gone. So much for sticking with an adult.

As it turned out, you had a pretty good seat to watch trolls come in and leave. You had a variety of thoughts on each one, coming up with wild and vibrant stories for every face you saw. Trolls would come in, grumble at Mavrik, maybe grab food, get their Fleet Mandated Updated Vaccination, and then leave. You enjoyed the invisible feeling. Save for the occasional glance in your direction, nobody paid you any mind. Soon enough, your juice box was gone, and you had successfully snuck up behind Mavrik and his medical assistant to steal chips and a cookie. The chips didn’t last long. It was only when you started to munch on the dry cookie that you felt the burning sensation of eyes boring into you.

You turn your head and meet his icy gaze.

Suddenly, Mavrik felt very far away. Like, miles away. There was an entire ocean between you and your protector. There he stood, the one recruit who scared you more than the others, more than any scary movie you had seen, more than any spooky creature in whatever video game you watched on GrubTube. When your dad had taught you some basic sign language to help you communicate better, you had assigned different people with a sign. It was easier than spelling names out! Daisee was the letter D, Mavrik the letter M, Lola was the sign for twin. Aeremi, a grub at this point, was the sign for bee- but only half of it. You had no interest in knowing the scary recruit’s name. You simply used the sign for ‘scared.’ There was no better way to explain him. He was scary.

And right now, you were fucking scared, pardon the language. ‘’Scared’s’’ glare was cold, digging into your very roots even from across the mess hall. He was angry and hungry and burning with something you lacked a name for. You felt even smaller than before and painfully aware of just how visible you were. You wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow you whole, like it had sweeps ago. You’d rather be starving in that ditch again. That ditch looked like a breeze compared to ‘’Scared.’’ That must’ve been obvious from your expression, as he decided to beeline straight for your table instead of reporting to Mavrik, as if fueled by your fear.

‘’Scared’’ loomed over you, eyes boiling over with rage. You tried to shrink down in your seat, tried to peel your gaze away but found yourself unable to break eye contact. For a brief moment you recalled an episode of Troll Animal Planet, where the narrator explained that predatory beasts often find direct eye contact to be a threat or sign of aggression. Looking at your predator’s balled fists, squared jaw, and burning eyes…yeah, you were feeling very threatened. This was a threat. You were in danger. You swallowed hard, trying to ignore the ache in your chest from your racing pusher. After an eternity of silence, you finally hold out your unfinished cookie in a meek offering of friendship. You even try to smile.

Crap, didn’t Troll Animal Planet also say showing teeth was a sign of aggression?!

You wince as he snatches the snack from you. At first you thought he was just very hungry. A glimmer of hope that you had simply misjudged him, that you had actually made a friend with the only troll on the ship close to you in age.He quickly crushed that hope. Just like he crushed the cookie in his fist, right before he threw the crumbs back in your face. Mean. You quickly discovered it was not the cookie that he hungered for.

You were frozen in fear for a few seconds longer. When it seemed like ‘’Scared’’ might just turn that threat into a promise, you bolted, ducking under his arm and nearly tripping over yourself as you ran straight for Mavrik. You pushed yourself between him and the pilot he was about to vaccinate. He instinctively lifted the needle out of range, too stunned to speak. The pilot was confused. Mavrik was confused. His medical assistant was confused. You were terrified. There was not one good thing happening in this scene right now. You tugged at his shirt frantically, pointing towards ‘’Scared’’ while trying to stay hidden behind the violet’s frame at the same time. You had to let go of his waist to sign. Your hands trembled as you motioned.

“Scared?” Mav asked for clarity, confusion dripping from his voice at your frantic and sloppy signing. You nodded, then threw yourself into him with relief, hiding your face in his smelly flight suit. He put his free arm around you, glancing over his shoulder to what you were pointing at. You didn’t care if he knew that was that kid’s name. Hell, you were terrified. Mavrik would protect you. That’s all that mattered.

“Almiss!” You hear Mavrik hiss in a scolding tone. You can feel him look over his shoulder, casting a glare.

“Get outta here, Pipsqueak- go make yourself useful for once!” Mavrik’s assistant chimed in. You didn’t see the glare she received for it, nor the middle finger Mav was given for the crime of defending you.

You didn’t pry yourself off your protector just yet. Luckily, he was able to do his job singlehanded. You kept your face buried in Mavrik’s side as he continued to work with one arm around you. He stroked your back in the best motion of comfort he could muster. After what you assumed was at least five trolls, you finally lift your head, peeking around the violet’s broad frame with caution.

The troll you had dubbed Scared, because of how scared he made you, was gone. Almiss was his name, apparently. You toiled that name over in your mind, pondering it. That name didn’t convey just how scary he was. Two-toned eyes, barely your age and covered in scars. His gaze was so cold, so hateful. You didn’t even want to imagine what could’ve made him so…evil.

Your thoughts are scattered as Mavrik ruffles your hair again, “He gone, JD?” You glance up as Mav looks over his shoulder. His chuckle is amused, and almost relieved, “First time he’s ever listened.”

“Who’s to say he listened?” His assistant retorted, “He probably ran off to piss in your fucking fuel tank again.”

“Language. Daisee will handle it if he does.”

You perk up at the mention of your eldest sister. You free Mavrik from your hug to sign once more.

It takes him a second to read your hands. You furrow your brow in slight frustration, signing again, with a sloppy urgency this time.

“...Leave? You want to leave?”

You nod, shoulder drooping in relief.

Mavrik chuckles once more, “Sure, kid. Let’s go find your dad and Daisee.”

#jodiah monark #jodiah #mavrik #mavrik conrod #ghost.art #drabbles #hehe.

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homicidalfantrolls · 9 months

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Call My Name

In which Dia is recovering from a loss and Paenit does all he can to help him through it. (Click title for matching song)

a sorta sequel/alt POV to It’s All Decay

art (in order) by ridiculousfantrolls and byrdstrolls. I love u both thank u for ur help and amazing art <3

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Before Dia had even left, you had already been imagining what would happen when he got back.

Some younger, more naive part of you fantasized about him jumping into your arms like no time had passed. The more realistic part of you knew he’d probably say something snarky before demanding a pair of your pants so he could take a nap in your bed. The part of you that missed him so much it hurt just hoped he would give you a hug and say nothing at all.

When you received the news that Twitch and Hanagi Cheong’s ship had been found in the deepest reaches of space, only one of them having survived, you knew none of the situations you had envisioned would come to pass.

In her dying breaths, his sister had offered him probably the best gift he could ask for, yet something you knew he never would, something he would have given back in a heartbeat. A way out. A ticket out of the fleet, one that wouldn’t put him or his loved ones in danger. He wouldn’t hug you, he wouldn’t say he missed you. He wouldn’t say anything. Dia might not come back at all. You wouldn’t blame him for a second.

Your longing for him only grows worse as one of your crew members crashes on a routine supply run. As Mavrik Conrod of all people arrives to rescue her. A man you hadn’t seen since he lied to your face about the circumstances surrounding Daisee’s death, a man you hoped you’d never see again.

You had never expected to receive a warning before your medic returned. If it was any other person on your crew, you would have gotten a ping letting you know a shuttle was on its way to deliver them back to duty. Even if you expected Dia to return at all, you knew you wouldn’t get a message for it.

It was amazing how, getting no warning whatsoever that he was returning, his timing was almost too horrible to be accidental.

Your hand throbbed as violet blue blood dripped from it, dripping onto the floor where Mavrik was lying in a small pool of his own blood, groaning.

And there was Jodiah Monark, standing in the doorway. Looking like he hadn’t slept in a week and hadn’t eaten in twice that time. His eyes sunken, his brother’s pants struggling to hold onto his almost emaciated hips.

And yet he looked just as beautiful as you remember.

Dia helped Mavrik as you retreated to your block. Even when you were confronted by him, you still couldn’t tell him the truth. You could only say you were sorry. And he held you as you cried, took care of you despite how much you knew he was hurting, how much he needed you to hold him instead.

When he fell asleep on your chest, you told yourself you would do whatever you could to make him smile again.

And over the next few months, you had desperately wanted to. You could only watch as Dia drew further and further into himself. As we went from having meals in the mess hall, to having them in his block, to finally not having them at all.

More often than not, when you returned to take his leftovers they hadn’t been touched at all. After too many times of returning to a full plate, you had told him you wouldn’t leave until he ate. And from then on, you had to sit in the block with him, looking out the window, petting his hair and feeding him tater tots.

You’d only seen Dia’s face a handful of times since you two were young. He still didn’t let you see his face straight on, beyond when you were panicking, but thankfully the reflection of the window and his own exhaustion made it safe for you to admire his features. Age had changed it in much the same way it had you. But whereas your stern features had softened, his soft face had grown hard over the sweeps. The smile lines around his eyes were accompanied by dark circles, his normally blindingly bright eyes dim with exhaustion.

And yet, as you watched his face in the reflection of the window, you couldn’t help but still be awed at how beautiful he was.

The weeks faded into months, though in space the days blended together seamlessly. Trying to encourage Dia to leave his block was about as easy as the time you tried to shoot your name into the side of a building. With the machine gun on your jet. Mostly because he hadn’t said a word in months. Not since he said you should find a new medic. Not since you told him you already had a medic and saw no point in looking for another.

You didn’t mind. You spent your time with him talking about whatever came to mind. Types of guns, planes, who Ship Cat had bitten that day (you). Occasionally you would a smile or very rarely a scoff. But he never said anything. Even when you kissed his cheek and told him you had to get back to work, and you’d look forward to seeing him later. He just nodded and continued to stare out the window as you left, his eyes seeing beyond the glass, beyond the stars and galaxies and planets. Watching something only he could see, seeing something only he knew was there. You told yourself you would stay over when he invited you to. He never did.

Three months after Twitch’s death, after Dia had returned to your ship, little had changed. You had changed up the things you fed him, knowing he couldn’t survive on potatoes for forever. But you were still bound to whatever he would eat, and it wasn’t ever enough. You were just grateful that he wasn’t losing weight anymore.

As you broke off pieces of rice cake to feed him, you hadn’t noticed you had started humming ever so softly. A song as ingrained into your bones as your genetic code, a song Daisee has sung to you since she had found you half feral in a dumpster.

Jodiah melts against you, letting you finish feeding him the small meal you had prepared. Your eyes glance to the clock i’m the corner. It had been getting late, the proceeding night having been filled with training exercises and the following one going to be filled with even more. You didn’t want to leave. You didn’t want to remove your head from his shoulder, your arms from around his waist. You didn’t want your eyes to leave the reflection of his face in the window.

You kiss his cheek softly and pull away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Try to get some sleep.”

You climb off the bed, giving his face one last glance before you open the door.

And for the first time in months, you hear him.

“Paenit?” Dia’s voice, rough with disuse and quiet with apprehension breaks the silence.

Your hand pauses on the doorknob, your grip faltering. For a second, you think you might have hallucinated it. That heart sickness and desire had gotten the best of you, had you hearing things you desperately wanted to for so long.

But when you turn, your eyes meeting his, the mask having returned to his face, you knew it hadn’t been a dream.

Without even registering you had moved, you had pulled him into your arms, his face pressed into your shoulder and your hand cradling his head. Dia’s body shakes with sobs as his fingers curl into your jacket, your hand continuing to stroke his head ever so gently.

You hold him there until he doesn’t have the energy to cry anymore, as harsh sobs fade into soft breaths as exhaustion wins the battle for his body and he goes limp against you. You hold him as he his stiff body relaxes, as he curls against your chest and finally lets you take care of him. You’re not sure at what point you take your jacket off, at what point you lay down with him curled up on your chest and your legs tangled together like necklaces lost in a jewelry box.

You press your lips to his forehead, shifting your attention to the window that had been holding all of his attention for months. Your eyes watch the stars, the galaxies, the planets out the window. Not seeing passed them, not finding any answers hidden in them. To you, they’re the same as they always had been.

“Thank you,” you whisper to the stars. “For answering him.”

#flight risk #Corpse writes #twitch belongs to Robin and dia to Liam

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