hello my honey. hello my 8a8y

You’ve come a long way since you’d last seen him. It’s been months, some tiny voice in the back of your head murmurs. You’ve grown up a little in that time right? Maybe he had too. It gets you laughing as you thumb through cold hard cash, eyes flicking up to the short line of crew that stood in front of you. Each one’s contract sat thick in front of you and you offered it to them before you handed over their money.

"You get a bonus if you sign on again. Othervwise you get the normal amount minus any outstanding expenses any of your actions havwe or vwill cost me," you’re a good man to these men, you always will be. You aren’t a captain that cheats a crew and out of the ten left seven sign on again. Each collects their money and those who chose to stay take the medallions you use to denote them as a member of your crew and head out. The only one to remain behind after tucking a very thick wad of cash and a bag of gold is the cook, and your eyes look the wiry human up and down and gesture with a ringed hand for him to sit.

Damn these rings need to come off. You aren’t going to need all of these on your way home.

"It’s funny learnin bout a whole race jus from studyin the captain of the ship ya know?" This is a conversation you’ve been through with him a lot, the first deringed hand runs through your hair as you tuck them away, "never thought I’d sign on with one a you really. Here you is, keepin a tighter ship n most a the humans around here. And the ol beaute is even this old type. It amazes me that you can escape all a the other kinds damn near alaways captain."

It makes your pointed ears flick. He compliments you, you smile, you look at him with your big baby eye and give your speech about how these people know nothing about the sea, you learned from the best, yadda yadda. You’d think after three or four times of this he’d get sick of it but no. He loves to hear you talk. Weirdo.

"Vwell. I just knowv vwhat I’m doing. Been doing it long enough nowv to knowv howv it goes right? You signed on vwith my first crewv. You knowv howv big a fuck up I vwas that trip," damn near had your ship blasted out of the water when some troopers thought you weren’t legal. Idiots, "but you havwe also been there all these times between and still will be, you knowv howv vwevwe both grovwn up as people. Hell you havwe your tvwo kids and your vwife back at home. You’re a better man than me Ike. I don’t havwe that to look forvward to vwhen I set off home. Just an idiot brother and a hungry lusus."

He laughs at that. He likes to hear about your lusus, even if you don’t add the bits where your brother feeds them humans, “you’ll find a good partner someday captain. There’s not a doubt in my mind.”

This time is different though, he doesn’t stick around to chew the fat for a few hours this time, instead he’s up and pocketing his earnings, “but you got the number wrong there. It’s three now sir. Wife had a baby girl just this past month. It’s excitin to know I’ve got my sons and a daughter finally. Makes the missus happy as can be.”

Off he goes and you’re finally alone on your peaceful, creaking ship. Your own earnings are carefully placed in your safe and then locked away, all but the little you need to get home and relax for a few months before you head out again.

Besides, you’d been told your closet had been gone through. Ah nah. Unacceptable.

With your boots polished and your hair smoothed and retied you’re ready to roll, checking your phone to see if your cab is ready at the bar. You aren’t going to get drunk but you are going to get food, and you stop dallying to drag yourself up and onto dry land.

A deep inhale.

A deep exhale.

Perfection.

You might be a land dwelling iteration of your alternates but you sure do love the sea. Maybe it’s still in you somewhere, maybe you’re just weird. Who knew? But you’re singing a song softly as you make your quick way to your favorite bar, the patrons all clapping and cheering when you walk in and you just wave, shooting winks here and there as your favorite bartender leans over and gives you a bright eyed look.

"Been missing you Cronus. Nobody else makes a night great like you do."

You laugh. Food will be there shortly and you know it, “I havwe only the best rep to keep up Tipsy,” her cliché nickname always got you to grin, “vwhat else am I to do besides that? Get on to being an asshole in my old age?”

"You ain’t old. You’re still so young. Even in human years. Don’t even trip," she waves a hand and turns when a bell dings, your favorite fried foods wafting their fatty scents to your nose and oh god it’s good to be home.

You eat your huge meal with idle conversation from various people until it’s all gone and your cab is waiting outside. A wave and a wink is made in offering to the patrons and off you go in your cab, homeward bound.

Or you should say, hiveward. You give the guy the coordinates for where the roads end and sit back, letting the ride be your nap as it traverses a decent distance from the shoreline. You should’ve built closer but hindsight is far fucking better than what you have now. You just refuse to wear your glasses that’s all. The ones that don’t exist that’s all. Anyone that says otherwise can kiss your ass that’s all.

But hell, you’d wear them whenever you did paperwork in the confines of your quarters. That’s about the only time you did.

After a few hours of riding the car pulls to a stop and the cabby turns to you, “be careful out here. There’s some pair of killer trolls out here. Nobody survives that comes into contact with em but fuck if people don’t stop tryin. Heard the guy got fucked up. The chick is a little spitfire. Damn trolls, no offense to you sir.”

"Vwell I’ll keep an eye out. Thanks."

Dammit Eridan.

Dammit mystery woman.

You pay and start walking, anger is budding deep in your brain and you say to yourself it must be my fault for not being here as much. Got fucked up? What did he do? It isn’t a long walk to your hive, not long enough, and far too soon you’re unlocking the door and opening it, the soft glow of the fridge coming from the kitchen.

Really? It’s damn near dawn.

Your tired feet drag you trough the rooms and you pay very little attention to the surroundings you see. If you look too close you might get all kinds of annoyed at whatever you see, and soon enough you’re leaning against the doorframe and staring at what you assume is mystery woman.

"You must be the hive guest," said quietly enough that it makes her jump and ding her head on the bottom of the freezer door. She holds her head for a moment, cringing before stepping back and whipping around to look at you.

Wow what a pretty face.

"Do you always sneak up on people like that?" The question is almost a hiss and you laugh. She's in an oversized shirt that hangs halfway down her thighs, you're almost half hoping she's got something under that too, you don't want to see her bits five minutes into meeting her in your own home, "you must be the big brother."

"You must be the Vwris," she squints as you move forward and sit at the table, setting to work with untying your ungodly boots. Why do you even like these? You sure as shit have no fucking clue, "are you one of these mystery people sleeping in my coon and getting into my closet?" Priorities.

"Noooooooo? I mean maybe? The first night I was here? But I was messed up and I needed it. I actually don't go in your closet? I only raided Eridan's. I'm sorry?"

At least half of that was so unsure. Boot one off, a sigh of relief, "apology accepted. Sure. I'll take it for now. But seriously? It's getting late and I just got here and I don't vwant him to know I'm here yet so if you'd be so vwery kind as to not go about blabbing the fact that I'm here yet? I vwant to sleep a fewv hours before being aggressivwely accosted by my brother. I'll leavwe you to vwhatevwer you vwere doing. Nice meeting you Vwris, I'm Cronus by the way, since he'll nevwer tell you my vwhole damn name to savwe his life I'm sure. Him and half assing names. Oh vwell."

You just wave a hand and pick up your boots, leaving the cute girl at the table and heading off to your room.

It's good to be home.

Hive.

Whatever.