Peasant blood

[hasgonehonkers]

WHO: Gamzee and Equius
WHERE: An abandoned lot in the City
WHEN: Late in the evening of April second
WARNINGS: Violence from both trolls and Gamzee still swears a lot
SUMMARY: Gamzee wants to punish Equius for some hemospectrum bull, but he also wants information on the other trolls. This probably won't end well.
FORMAT: Everything and anything is

Comments

[sagitowels]

Equius made the sojourn to their meeting place solemnly, moving with quick purpose but not running. Sweat dampened his forehead and neck, though this time it was from trepidation, not excitement. He knew he should make haste, but similarly the walk was giving him time to think his options over.

He remembered how Karkat had told him, before he'd arrived here, to put his strength to use. Equius couldn't make any promises. He still didn't think he could, after all he'd learned; old habits were hard to break, and he had always been of the mind that self-preservation was second to obedience when highbloods were concerned. It was, in fact, a more honorable death to go with dignity than to fight your place. Perhaps he wasn't as blue-blooded as he thought if he was thinking about this at all. (But did anyone really want to die?)

Nepeta and Aradia stood out in his thoughts. He hadn't been able to protect Nepeta. It was his fault, surely, with his strength he could have protected her if only he'd known the highblood would go after her too. He didn't want to repeat that mistake; it was bad enough it had happened once. And it was bad enough that Aradia had already had to die once. Even Eridan, that disgusting sea-dweller, was telling him to stand up and assert himself (bitterly ironic, in Equius's opinion); to cripple Gamzee when he got a moment.

He had his doubts on how this would play out or if he'd be able to fight back, strike back, if the opportunity struck; he would just have to wait and see. Staying alive was the most important part.

"Highblood," he said, arriving at the location he'd been given. "I'm here."

[hasgonehonkers]

Gamzee turned when he heard Equius. There was a second's pause as he took in Equius's human form. The situation was still a little surreal, but it wasn't like when he'd seen Eridan's new body for the first time. There was something distinctly unfunny about Equius being like this where Eridan had been hilarious.

Frowning a little Gamzee, in quite possibly his most displeased tone yet, said "Come over here motherfucker. And kneel."

He pulled a weapon out of his inventory and didn't even bother to look to see what he'd gotten. Whatever he had would work for this and he knew it. He just had to figure out if he could work with it well enough to do non-lethal damage and enough to weaken Equius.

[sagitowels]

There was moment where Equius prickled as Gamzee scrutinized him. Although over the communicators a human body was easy to hide, in person there was no disguising his tall athletic frame, his thick arms, the Greek hue to his skin, and of course: the distinct lack of horns.

Gamzee on the other hand still looked completely like himself, and that may have been more unsettling. Equius's eyes, still hidden behind his broken shades, observed the curves of Gamzee's horns in a new light than he'd ever before. He'd gotten used to everyone else looking like Earth humans.

His instinct was to question. He didn't want to kneel, not for this. He felt himself sweating more as he stepped forward. It had always been hard for him to take direction from Gamzee; highblood or not, Gamzee's casual disregard of societal hierarchy had always been immensely frustrating to Equius. There was a stark contrast between then and now, and if it weren't for the threat of death hanging over the room, if it weren't for Aradia, Nepeta, and whomever else, Equius would probably be able to enjoy the experience more completely.

Stopping a few feet in front of Gamzee, Equius's eyebrows knit into a frown as he eyed the heavy club in Gamzee's hand. The more dignified path was obvious; carefully he got down on one knee.

Interrupt him at anytime you want to, if you want to.

[hasgonehonkers]

That kneeling brought a smile to Gamzee's face. It was probably the most malicious smile he'd ever had in his life and as Gamzee started to swing his club it grew into a grin. And that grin would grow ever wider if Equius didn't intervene during any of this.

"This, motherfucker, is for fucking helping Eridan at the first place," he said as he took the club to Equius's jaw, hoping to hear it crack just a little bit under the force of that swing.

Raising the club up high this time he said, "This is for not knowing which one of us to listen to," and slammed it down on Equius's shoulder wanting something to break or to get some kind of hurt sound from Equius, not really caring about any other that he might make.

It would be lovely if he could get the peasant blood to cry out in agony, but he couldn't make this last too long either since he needed Equius conscious. He could make these last few hits really hurt though. Gamzee changed the position of so the next blow would have a perfect angle for coming down on the back of Equius's rib cage.

The second before he hit he snarled "This is for motherfucking consider listening to a motherfucking sea dweller!"

And Gamzee changed his position one last time to get the best hit possible on Equius's one exposed knee.

"This one is all for being a low blood," he hissed.

kay. :3

[sagitowels]

The pain was sharper than Equius had expected. The moment the club collided with his jaw he felt two of his back teeth dislodge, rattling in his mouth as blood drowned them. The pain caused his head to swim, focus quickly drifting to the way his jaw refused now to close. He spat and was surprised at the shock of red, not blue, that stained the floor.

Before that could fully register though, Gamzee brought the club down again and Equius stifled a noise of pain as his shoulder dislocated, biting down hard on his lip. The following hit -- hard and breaking at least one rib -- forced him to gasp, more blood dripping from between his teeth. He looked upward, dazed, eyes visible over his dark lenses.

He caught the club against his palm before it could strike his knee, arm shaking slightly as the movement caused a stabbing pain in his side.

"I'm not a low blood," he protested raspily, the color staining his teeth betraying his words. He tried to stand.

[hasgonehonkers]

Everything up to that point had been great. The blood and the pain was just wonderful, but this rebellion was not. This situation was going to be dangerous for him and he knew, but Gamzee didn't back off. He was determined and wanted to have control over this situation. More importantly he could not stand the idea of another person lower than him standing up to him and getting away with it again.

His grin had turned into a full snarl at this point. Gamzee didn't push on the club anymore, but he didn't pull it away either and he didn't move away either even as Equius tried to stand.

"Motherfucker, look at your blood and say that again," he hissed and gestured to blood below.

[sagitowels]

That stung -- defiantly, Equius kept his eyes on Gamzee and away from the ground, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He wouldn't look at the shameful red smears again, he needed to keep his head here, focused.

Still, it needled in his brain and he had to make an effort not to give up entirely from the humiliation. He was suddenly even more hesitant to try and strike back or do anything to disrupt his due punishment. His blood was red; any rebellion was suddenly that much more unacceptable. His fingers slipped against the club, too sweaty to keep a grip.

He let it go, clenching his hand into a fist instead, a weapon that he didn't know what to do with. Something instinctively drove him to protect his leg, even though he hadn't planned on running, but now that he was standing he had to do something or else he was going to go down again shortly.

"I apologize," he murmured, before pulling his arm back and swinging his fist towards Gamzee's face. It wasn't as fast as it should have been, too weighed down by indecision, fear, and the shame that he was being so flagrantly and unforgivably defiant. He repeated his apology over and over, uncertain if his punch would connect or what it would mean for him if it didn't.

[hasgonehonkers]

Shock slowed Gamzee's own reactions to that fist coming at him. He avoided most of the force of that punch, but what he caught still knocked Gamzee back by a few feet. He caught himself and managed to avoid falling, but there was blood dripping down his face and it'd be dripping off Equius's fist too, some clown paint was probably smeared on to it.

The sight of what was on that fist now was just about as surprising to Gamzee as the hit had been. Yes, he had been expecting defiance, but he had not expected Equius to aim directly for his face. That could have possibly killed him and though Gamzee knew he'd probably come back from death here or just get sent home it still was a little surreal for him to think that Equius had done that. The troll most obsessed with hierarchy, before Gamzee found out who he was, and who had actually asked Gamzee to order him around before was now hurting him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Gamzee didn't sound afraid despite his shock, if anything he sounded like he was just about to be pushed over the edge into a full rage.

[sagitowels]

Equius pulled his arm back, eyes wider behind his shades. His knuckles barely registered the hit because it had only clipped the highblood, but streaks of blood -- purple -- ran down his hand and to his palm. He stood rooted in place, any traces of defiance shrinking back.

If only things were simpler and he could get punished by Gamzee without threats of death concerning him. There was a time he would have all but demanded this. His cheeks were full of color, unable to reconcile the outrage of what he'd done with the fact he knew he'd needed to. It was easier said than done; the hierarchy meant everything to him, even know.

"I--" He paused, eyebrows crinkling. He cleared his throat before continuing, nose wrinkling. "I apologize, highblood. I don't know what came over me. I had no place attempting to lay a hand upon you. It will truly be indicative of your generosity if you choose to forgive me."

He put his arms down by his sides, to signify his submission.

[hasgonehonkers]

Seeing that weakness, that subservience, creep back into Equius and then take over again made Gamzee's rage subside ever so slightly. The smallest hiss came from him and he straightened up a bit. A little bit of his blood fell onto his shirt as he took a long good look at Equius, trying to figure out what exactly he wanted to do.

There was one thing he could think to have Equius do, but he wasn't sure if this was going to work or not. He'd give this order from the same distance he'd already been pushed to and he raised his club ever so slightly in case Equius came any closer.

"I'll motherfuckin forgive you," he said as his eyes narrowed in on Equius's fist, "if you take that same fist to your own motherfuckin face or you all up and break it."

[sagitowels]

"Uh." Sweat slid down Equius's forehead, but he felt himself nod. His fist curled tight again, knuckles flexing. His temples hurt, not just from the jabbing pain in his ribs and jaw and shoulder, but also anger and shame.

What else could he do, though? This was about more than him. Sometimes that was how these sort of things worked; arrangements between two trolls to keep another one protected. In a culture so violent, such measures were needed now and then.

Gamzee may have viewed the situation very differently. Most likely did.

"Okay."

With any luck, this would at least force his jaw back in place. His glasses tumbled off his face, cheek and jaw discoloring red and purplish almost immediately. A smear of purple blood sat under his eye.

[hasgonehonkers]

Gamzee didn't make the connection between what Equius was doing and that type of relationship at all. Unless it was brought up directly, unless the word slipped out from someone else, he'd probably never see what Equius was trying to do.

And he'd probably never feel calmed enough by his actions for it to work anyway.

He was too angry, too malevolent, and it could be heard in his every word "Heh. Alright motherfucker, I'll all motherfucking forgive you for that one. But we all also need to make sure you don't up and motherfucking do that again. Hold out your motherfucking arm."

Gamzee still wasn't physically pushing this, but his gaze was firm and the way he shifted his body implied that he was getting ready for something particularly mean.

[sagitowels]

Equius carefully offered his arm, moving slowly as his shoulder sent angry pains up his neck. He deliberately offered that arm, wanting his still-good arm to remain good. Just in case.

A snaggled tooth caught nervously against his bloody lip and he watched Gamzee cautiously, trying to keep his arm steady and not show any pain on his face.

"Thank you," he muttered, in response to Gamzee's mercy.

[hasgonehonkers]

Not exactly what he wanted, but he'd take it. Risking another hit to get the other arm didn't seem like it'd be worth it. Besides, if Equius was down one arm he could probably get the second one later.

He'd just have to hope that what he was about to do wouldn't make Equius rebel again.

Raising his club Gamzee closed the distance between him and Equius, only making one honking sound as he approached. Quickly he grabbed Equius's wrist and twisted it ever so slightly, definitely not enough force behind it to hurt much. Though, he club he was swinging down with full strength would. If it hit.

[sagitowels]

Twisting his wrist didn't hurt that bad, comparatively, though it twinged his shoulder again. Equius grimaced only slightly, eyes still focused on Gamzee and the descending club. He braced himself for it to connect, only briefly tempted to pull away.

But no. He had rebelled. He deserved at least this much. When the club collided he nearly doubled over, gasping unevenly. The pain was unbelievable, but the heavy breathing helped clear his head. It wasn't more than he could handle.

[hasgonehonkers]

Smiling again Gamzee let go of Equius's wrist. Keeping the club up as a defense he stepped back just the slightest bit, in part so he could admire his handiwork. Mostly he stepped back though so if Equius swung with his good arm or one of his legs he'd have a little more space to get out of the way.

"Now motherfucker I've all got some questions for you. First, where's Karkat all up at?" he asked only for one troll now since he wasn't sure how asking about any of others would go over and, really, his main target was and always would be his best friend.