“what...is this?” he heard from it, grateful he was able to understand their language as he looked to his board. “your test results. apparently you’ve been having quite the large dust intake, looks like the fighters are gonna be workin overtime-”

“no...this.” he heard feeling the giant slug nuzzle his head. “that’s...hair? you guys-...wait, your flesh, you don’t have any do you?”

“not like this...ours feels like...the rest of us.” he responded as barbata hummed. “interesting, maybe when we get to see your other form we can analyze it.” he felt the giant slug nod as he went back resting his head into his fluffy top.

“your hair...is so soft.”

“hehe, i hear that alot. thanks.”

----------------------------------

watching the deliciously gorgeous stone anthromorphs leaving the ocean, aculeatus moved a hand to his bulbous bun, feeling it’s rubbery-ness made him look less than impressed.

“brother?” he looked to his sister, hiding behind one of the fallen rock debris from the large beach stone. he smirked, petting her own rubbery bun. “relax their gone.” he replied, the colorful array of jellyfish helping light their faces as he got to see ventricosus’s confused face.

“You, sending a barely-experienced child to fulfill our mission on all their own, is this all a game to you!?” he shouted as Aechmea took a couple steps back as precaution.

“And here I thought you’d be grateful. It’s but a small price to pay for freedom. Regardless, the prayer machine will work again, with their help,” he stated firmly.

“All I went through, my sister, everyone...” Acu bit his lip, going limp as Barbata looked to Aechmea desperately.

“Sir, there’s gotta be another way.”

“If there was another way, we would’ve taken it long ago.”

“But what if… we could… There’s still time to-”

“The date has already been arranged. In a few short days, young Phosphophyllite, along with Padparadscha and Yellow Diamond, will activate the prayer machine.” Aechmea looked down to Phos who was sprawled across the floor in pieces, somehow still with a loose grip on their spear. The young gem caught word of the fight and sprinted to the scene as fast as their new legs could carry them. They had leaped into the princes’ crossfire just in time to deflect a potentially fatal blow from Aechmea.

As the twin nurses and the general rushed to gather Phos’ pieces, Barbata could feel his legs shaking as he tried to stay standing enough to walk out of the courtyard. It was hopeless to stop the Moon Prince; once his mind was set, nothing would deter him. Barbata was about to collapse himself when Acu suddenly mustered the strength to stand on his own and grab hold of his wrist. 

“I am finished with you,” he hissed, lifting his head to scowl at Aechmea.

“As am I,” Aechmea replied, turning away to head back to his quarters. “And I’m certain King Ventricosus would love to hear about what just transpired.” Acu stiffened for a second before taking another few moments to calm down. After his eyes followed the nurses who were carrying Phos to the infirmary, he then turned his tired face to the scientist, a broken “let’s go” escaping from his blood-smeared lips. 

___________________

Wrapping the gauze over a scratch on one of Acu’s arms, both sat on the edge of Barbata’s apartment bed, where no one could do them any more harm, at least for the time being. The room remained uncannily quiet except for the unravelling of tape, until the slug broke the silence.

“I thought… everything was… going well.” Barbata looked up slightly to find the slug looking downwards. “But my selfishness… my persistence keeps getting in the way. I just wanted to fix things.” Barbata chimed in.

“What Aechmea said was… actually right. If there was a better way to send us Lunarians off, we would have found it by now.

“But I could have done something more, maybe earned more trust from the gems, kept Phos safe when they needed it, anything at all. I cannot stand the thought of their family being torn apart…” Barbata wanted to believe a better method of achieving nothingness was still out there, and could release  the perpetrators of this cycle of suffering out of the living world for good. He felt great shame at the fact it had taken him this long to realize how ruthless and uncaring Aechmea was at his core.

“With things being set in stone, would those efforts even amount to anything?”

“But we have been TRYING SO HARD!” Acu exclaimed before settling down, hiding his face in his knees as Barbata patted his back.

“At least... you’re not part of the problem, like me.” Acu looked up in confusion at what Barbata just said. The scientist continued, “All this time...I thought I was helping to achieve some big cause… I wanted to move on, I wanted to get out of this cycle of living. But I was so wrapped up in that desire that I didn’t even see the bigger picture.”

“But we can still change things, can we not?”

Barbata chuckled lightly. “I couldn't take leadership. Instead I watched as Aechmea accumulated power ‘cuz I sure as hell didn’t know what to do.” Looking down, he continued. “I knew he was a dick, but man...I’ve never wanted to fade away more than I do right now.” Struck with disbelief at this confession, Acu pivoted over his knee to stand above Barbata, and lifted his face so their eyes would meet.

“Don’t say such things,” Acu stated shakily as he moved to hold his face. “You had no idea he would go this far, you just wanted peace.”

“And that’s gonna excuse all the lives I watched get shredded up? And continue to be destroyed as we speak?!” Barbata refuted, moving his hand to Acu’s hip, tracing the burn mark he received just before bringing Phos to the Moon. “No matter what I do to help, innocent people like you keep getting hurt.” He paused as Acu petted his cheek lightly.

“Show me your scars again.”

Barbata’s face flushed a sunset hue as he moved to take off his coat and unbutton his shirt, showing off the surgical scars on his chest. They’d managed to follow him into his existence as a wandering soul, and were the only part of him that he couldn't alter with his shapeshifting ability, no matter how hard he tried. But Aculeatus had always lovingly admired them, probably because they both had scars of their own, giving them at least one thing in common.

“See? We both have been through quite a lot,” Acu said through a chuckle. “And we can make it through this ordeal, too.” Opening his arms a bit, Barbata let the slug slink down to latch on tightly, resting his head on his chest as Barbata rested his own head on Acu’s.

“I suppose...if there is nothing we can do...we should prepare for the worst, then?” he asked as Barb chuckled in response, cloudy tears falling down his cheeks. “Yeah, I think so, probably,” he mumbled as Acu held him close. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m not leaving your side until the end.”

“You, sending a barely-experienced child to fulfill our mission on all their own, is this all a game to you!?” he shouted as Aechmea took a couple steps back as precaution.

“And here I thought you’d be grateful. It’s but a small price to pay for freedom. Regardless, the prayer machine will work again, with their help,” he stated firmly.

“All I went through, my sister, everyone...” Acu bit his lip, going limp as Barbata looked to Aechmea desperately.

“Sir, there’s gotta be another way.”

“If there was another way, we would’ve taken it long ago.”

“But what if… we could… There’s still time to-”

“The date has already been arranged. In a few short days, young Phosphophyllite, along with Padparadscha and Yellow Diamond, will activate the prayer machine.” Aechmea looked down to Phos who was sprawled across the floor in pieces, somehow still with a loose grip on their spear. The young gem caught word of the fight and sprinted to the scene as fast as their new legs could carry them. They had leaped into the princes’ crossfire just in time to deflect a potentially fatal blow from Aechmea.

As the twin nurses and the general rushed to gather Phos’ pieces, Barbata could feel his legs shaking as he tried to stay standing enough to walk out of the courtyard. It was hopeless to stop the Moon Prince; once his mind was set, nothing would deter him. Barbata was about to collapse himself when Acu suddenly mustered the strength to stand on his own and grab hold of his wrist. 

“I am finished with you,” he hissed, lifting his head to scowl at Aechmea.

“As am I,” Aechmea replied, turning away to head back to his quarters. “And I’m certain King Ventricosus would love to hear about what just transpired.” Acu stiffened for a second before taking another few moments to calm down. After his eyes followed the nurses who were carrying Phos to the infirmary, he then turned his tired face to the scientist, a broken “let’s go” escaping from his blood-smeared lips. 

___________________

Wrapping the gauze over a scratch on one of Acu’s arms, both sat on the edge of Barbata’s apartment bed, where no one could do them any more harm, at least for the time being. The room remained uncannily quiet except for the unravelling of tape, until the slug broke the silence.

“I thought… everything was… going well.” Barbata looked up slightly to find the slug looking downwards. “But my selfishness… my persistence keeps getting in the way. I just wanted to fix things, I...could have found another way.” Barbata chimed in.

“What Aechmea said was… actually right. If there was a better way to send us Lunarians off, we would have found it by now.

“But I could have done something more, maybe earned more trust from the gems, kept Phos safe when they needed it, anything at all.” Barbata wanted to believe a better method of achieving nothingness was still out there, one that would only release the Lunarians, the perpetrators of this cycle of suffering, out of the living world. He felt great shame at the fact it had taken him this long to realize how ruthless and uncaring Aechmea was at his core.

“With the way things are now, would those efforts even amount to anything?”

“But we have been TRYING SO HARD!” Acu exclaimed before settling down, hiding his face in his knees as Barbata patted his back.

“At least... you wouldn’t be a part of the problem, like me.” Acu looked up in confusion at what Barbata just said. The scientist continued, “All this time...I thought I was helping to achieve some big cause… I wanted to move on, I wanted to get out of this cycle of living. But I was so wrapped up in that desire that I didn’t even see the bigger picture.”

“But we can still change things, can we not?”

Barbata chuckled lightly. “I couldn't take leadership. Instead I watched as Aechmea accumulated power ‘cuz I sure as hell didn’t know what to do.” Looking down, he continued. “I knew he was a dick, but man...I’ve never wanted to fade away more than I do right now.” Struck with disbelief at this confession, Acu pivoted over his knee to stand above barbata, and lifted his face so their eyes would meet.

“Don’t say such things,” Acu stated shakily as he moved to hold his face. “You had no idea he would go this far, you just wanted peace.”

“And that’s gonna excuse all the lives I watched get shredded up?” Barbata refuted, moving his hand to the burn mark that covered Acu’s hip. “No matter what I do to help, innocent people like you keep getting hurt.” He paused as Acu petted his cheek lightly.

“Show me your scars again.”

Barbata’s face flushed a sunset hue as he moved to take off his coat and unbutton his shirt, showing off the surgical scars on his chest. They’d managed to follow him into his existence as a wandering soul, and were the only part of him that he couldn't alter with his shapeshifting ability, no matter how hard he tried. But Aculeatus had always lovingly admired them, probably because they both had scars of their own, giving them at least one thing in common.

“See? We both have been through, quite a lot,” Acu said through a chuckle. “And we can make it through this ordeal, too.” Opening his arms a bit, Barbata let the slug slink down to latch on tightly, resting his head on his chest as Barbata rested his own head on Acu’s.

“I suppose...if there is nothing we can do...we should prepare for the worst, then?” he asked as Barb chuckled in response, cloudy tears falling down his cheeks. “Yeah, I think so, probably,” he mumbled as Acu held him close. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m not leaving your side until the end.”

“You, sending the kid to fulfill our mission on all their own, is this all a game to you!?” he shouted as Aechmea took a couple steps back as precaution.

“And here I thought you’d be grateful. It’s but a small price to pay for freedom. Regardless, the prayer machine will work again, with their help,” he stated firmly.

“All I went through, my sister, everyone...” Acu bit his lip, going limp as Barbata looked to Aechmea desperately.

“Sir, there’s gotta be another way.”

“If there was another way, we would’ve taken it long ago.”

“But what if… we could… There’s still time to-”

“The date has already been arranged. In a few weeks, once winter comes, young Phosphophyllite will activate the prayer machine.” Aechmea looked down to Phos who was sprawled across the floor in pieces, somehow still with a loose grip on their spear. The young gem caught word of the fight and sprinted to the scene as fast as their new legs could carry them. They had leaped into the princes’ crossfire just in time to deflect a potentially fatal blow from Aechmea.

As the twin nurses and the general rushed to gather Phos’ pieces, Barbata could feel his legs shaking as he tried to stay standing enough to walk out of the courtyard. It was hopeless to stop the Moon Prince; once his mind was set, nothing would deter him. Barbata was about to collapse himself when Acu suddenly mustered the strength to stand on his own and grab hold of his wrist. 

“I am finished with you,” he hissed, lifting his head to scowl at Aechmea.

“As am I,” Aechmea replied, turning away to head back to his quarters. “And I’m certain King Ventricosus would love to hear about what just transpired.” Acu stiffened for a second before taking another few moments to calm down. After his eyes followed the nurses who were carrying Phos to the infirmary, he then turned his tired face to the scientist, a broken “let’s go” escaping from his blood-smeared lips. 

___________________

Wrapping the gauze over a scratch on one of Acu’s arms, both sat on the edge of Barbata’s apartment bed, where no one could do them any more harm, at least for the time being. The room remained uncannily quiet except for the unravelling of tape, until the slug broke the silence.

“I thought… everything was… going well.” Barbata looked up slightly to find the slug looking downwards. “But my selfishness… my persistence keeps getting in the way. I just wanted to fix things, I...could have found another way.” Barbata chimed in.

“What Aechmea said was… actually right. If there was a better way to send us Lunarians off, we would have found it by now.

“But I could have done something more, maybe earned more trust from the gems, kept Phos safe when they needed it, anything at all.” Barbata wanted to believe a better method of achieving nothingness was still out there, one that would only release the Lunarians, the perpetrators of this cycle of suffering, out of the living world. He felt great shame at the fact it had taken him this long to realize how ruthless and uncaring Aechmea was at his core.

“With the way things are now, would those efforts even amount to anything?”

“But we have been TRYING SO HARD!” Acu exclaimed before settling down, hiding his face in his knees as Barbata patted his back.

“At least... you wouldn’t be a part of the problem, like me.” Acu looked up in confusion at what Barbata just said. The scientist continued, “All this time...I thought I was helping to achieve some big cause… I wanted to move on, I wanted to get out of this cycle of living. But I was so wrapped up in that desire that I didn’t even see the bigger picture.”

“But we can still change things, can we not?”

Barbata chuckled lightly. “I couldn't take leadership. Instead I watched as Aechmea accumulated power ‘cuz I sure as hell didn’t know what to do.” Looking down, he continued. “I knew he was a dick, but man...I’ve never wanted to fade away more than I do right now.” Struck with disbelief at this confession, Acu pivoted over his knee to stand above barbata, and lifted his face so their eyes would meet.

“Don’t say such things,” Acu stated shakily as he moved to hold his face. “You had no idea he would go this far, you just wanted peace.”

“And that’s gonna excuse all the lives I watched get shredded up?” Barbata refuted, moving his hand to the burn mark that covered Acu’s hip. “No matter what I do to help, innocent people like you keep getting hurt.” He paused as Acu petted his cheek lightly.

“Show me your scars again.”

Barbata’s face flushed a sunset hue as he moved to take off his coat and unbutton his shirt, showing off the surgical scars on his chest. They’d managed to follow him into his existence as a wandering soul, and were the only part of him that he couldn't alter with his shapeshifting ability, no matter how hard he tried. But Aculeatus had always lovingly admired them, probably because they both had scars of their own, giving them at least one thing in common.

“See? We both have been through, quite a lot,” Acu said through a chuckle. “And we can make it through this ordeal, too.” Opening his arms a bit, Barbata let the slug slink down to latch on tightly, resting his head on his chest as Barbata rested his own head on Acu’s.

“I suppose...if there is nothing we can do...we should prepare for the worst, then?” he asked as Barb chuckled in response, cloudy tears falling down his cheeks. “Yeah, I think so, probably,” he mumbled as Acu held him close. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m not leaving your side until the end.”

_______________

barb yawned as he got up, cursed with having to work instead of sleeping in and cuddling the slug next to him. speaking of, he looked to him to gain the smallest bit of energy to get himself to get up.

he noticed he didn’t have on his usual garbs and most of the blankets tossed off himself, showcasing his tendril-less and fleshy glory. usually he wouldn’t mind it, that is until he registered the burns on him. from his neck to his chest, arm, waist and a covered one on the inside of his upper thigh. 

despite the...enticing look he couldn’t help feeling more, guilty of the reminders. granted it wasn’t HIS fault for taking in a dying species, letting them eat grinded up individuals of another species and make a petty deal to get gems in exchange of a king’s brother taken hostage whose defiance was punished by burned torches and later burned tendrils off his body. nah no he has his boss and those looney solders to blame for that.

then again he’s basically apart of this whole problem. he’s apart of this god awful sub-species of undying souls. he didn’t do this but he didn’t stop it either, he is pretty lazy he’ll admit that much.

...so why does it bother him? is he guilty? is he not? why do these burns bug him so much? it’s not like he can do anything bout it the damage is done after all. he sighed a bit loudly but quiet enough for aculeatus not to wake up. emotions were so hard, why did they have to keep em?

leaning down a bit over the slug he looked over the scars, moving to lightly kiss the one on his upper arm. looking up he was still sleeping soundly; good. he soon moved to his chest kissing the one on the far left and one on the right side of it. still no responses.

giving a quick peck to a small one on his stomach barbata moved to give a rather larger kiss on his neck, feeling a small tap of his ear flap on his fluffy hair. slowly he moved away a bit. “your a hell of a good actor.” he mumbled, moving away to see acu’s eye shine open.

“well why would i stop such a worshipping of myself?” he teased as barb rolled his eyes playfully. “anyways keep going i want a kiss on each scar by royal decree.”

“i’ll be late to work.”

“like you guys have a concept of time.” barb sighed at that but nodded. “alright.” quickly he gave a peck to the rest, located on his right side, thigh and inner thigh before getting up. “alright off to work.”

acu’s face was flushed a shade of bluish green as he looked up pouting at him. “hey! wait a second you-”

“i’ll finish the job when i come back. bye byyyeee.”

“and you call ME the tease! hmph!” barb smiled lightly as he left their residence to start his walk to work, the guilt being subsided a bit by such an interaction. meanwhile acu laid in bed petting his shoulder pads lightly, smirking a bit.

----------------------

“the lapis particles are at a 40% of completion.” barbata nodded at the other scientist as he smiled lightly to look at the small restoration dome that was shrouded with the view of both the ghost quartz and ‘cairngorm’ as they called themselves; both watching it with anticipation.

“our lapis is coming back.” ghost mumbled as barbata chuckled lightly and patted their head while cairn gave a pout. “took them long enough. will have to get their head ready.”

“i don’t wanna leave them though.”

“me either.”

“they won’t be going anywhere really.” barbata said, gaining the twin gems attention as if they were surprised by his presence. “sides, a hardness of six is gonna take a while, i’m sure you’ll have time”

“it’s just...felt so long.” ghost sighed as they watched the dome as lapis’s parts slowly started coming together. “we’ll finally be together again...to think we’re here to see just that-”

“BARBATA!!!” all three looked up to see the turquoised colored stream of light that rushed so close to barbata he almost thought he’d be dissipitated as phos panted lightly infront of him. “aculeatus! somethings wrong! doctors! hurry!”

============

he never thought he could run so fast as barbata panted leaning on the side of the door frame, a few of the medicalists’ were standing around a sitting up aculeatus as barbata looked at them.

“...please say this is all a prank.” he panted out, hoping for some sort of silly response. all he got were everyone looking away, acu being the only one to give a light smile.

“wow, your cute when you care eheh.” he laughed half hearted-ly as barbata stood up more appropriately, feeling phos holding his arm gently like a kid. “mister barbata?” he looked down to them as they gave a concerned look, leaning down lightly as they gestured him to. “what does, ‘limited time left’ mean?” despite not being a human he thought his heart had stopped. “they won’t give me an answer for it when i asked.”

his shocked face looked to the others as they looked further away from him, ventri turned her back as even acu couldn’t stare into his face.

“...well? someone gonna tell me or what?” he asked almost demanding-ly as one of the doctors cleared her throat. “the...during the snail mission, both miss ventricosus and mister aculeatus were affected by the earth’s atmosphere. we’ve run tests and found that the usual admiribalis we kept here have lasted longer due to their aging being slowed down through generations of reproduction. however...the usual ones on earth used to last...about five years and, when both went to earth they well, both their...time was, set off so to say.”

it felt like there was led in his ears as barbata could still feel the words vibrating through his being as if he was being prayed away. “...that...that can’t be the mission was only-”

“it’s been close to five years.” the doctor interrupted as barbata could feel a chill run by his spine. ...he forgot...how quickly time went by for them. for so long he’s grown used to time being nothing but a construct but now...he couldn’t overlook it anymore.

looking to acu he could see him playing with his tendrils, trying to distract himself he noticed. he always did that when he was nervous. “...how...how long?” he choked out.

“at maximum a month. however,” the doctor drifted off slightly as they looked to their board. “the dust intake he’s had over the years can make the passing...harder. he may stop eating, or if he tries to it’ll be painful. same with drinking, even breathing to an extent.”

“can’t you guys take em out though?” phos interjected as they all looked to them. “we get fixed all the time when we break, can’t you guys..?”

“even if we did it’d just make his passing less painful. he still would only have a month to live. the dust only increases chances of his death happening quick-”

“can you PLEASE stop referring to him as if he’s not here!?” everyone looked to see ventri glaring at them, tears pricking from her eyes. “just...just atleast have some decency to not sound like he’s an object....that we’re both not objects...” she choked out, phos moving away from barb’s arm as they moved to hug her whilst the doctors looked to the floor almost ashamed.

“apologies.” they both stated. “we’ll...leave you be then.” barbata nodded to them as they both left the room leaving the four be. looking to acu he could see he moved his legs to hold them tightly, head hiding in them. walking over he looked to him as his ear flaps despite not moving he felt like they were watching him with their eye shaped design.

“...i’m sorry.” he mumbled out as he heard a muffled chuckle from the other. “for what?” he asked as he moved his head up slightly. “it’s not like you stabbed me or anything.”

“i...should’ve known...”

“...it’s not like anyone can blame you. even i forgot that i’m...not like you.” looking up acu could see the dark grey trails from his eyes down his cheeks. “the earth is cruel regardless, isn’t it?”

barbata didn’t even answer as he glomped onto the other in a hug, nuzzling his face into his shoulder. acu could feel his breathing starting to get shallow, hugging him back with a sad smile. “your awful at hiding your emotions.”

“so...are you.”

“...guess we really are meant for eachother then..” he gave a light chuckle. “...promise me...that wherever we go...i’ll get to see you when your prayed away. so we’ll...finally be together again.”

chuckling, aculeatus continued to both unclothe him and himself till they were bare bodies on the bed. taking control however he moved to grab both the scientist’s hands to hold them above his head, biting his neck as he slowly moved his lower half to be impaled by his length and giving a squeal as he felt the pleasure of it. barbata similarly moaning out as he did, bucking up inside him as aculeatus chuckled.

“so handsome~.” he moaned as he rode him, panting and moaning as his grip on his wrists loosened, giving barbata the advantage to hold and help ride him up and down himself by keeping a tight grip on his hips. moaning acu continued to ride him more as barb’s hand moved from a hip to his length to pump firmly, gaining almost drowning sounding noises from the effeminate male.

“gett-tting~”

“-c-closer~.”

on cue both moaned out the others names as they came to their release, panting and lying ontop of eachother, acu slowly moving off him and his length and taking to lay on barb’s chest as he panted. “so...still worried...bout your shirt~?”