Chapter Text
Your name is Tavros Nitram, and it has been almost exactly a year since you’ve come to live on Crestfall, and for once in your life, you’ve learned true peace. That’s not to say life didn’t have its turns or had become dull, but it had certainly been easier to handle now that you lived what was close to a normal life.
Nothing else you could really consider normal. Your husband was still one of the strangest people you knew, all of your friends were oddballs in some for or fashion, and the events leading up to settling down in Matrisphair could be shared by no one else, but at least your current, day-to-day life could be considered ‘normal’.
In the months since you and Gamzee had taken residence in your father’s former abode, many things had happened that brought you both to the comfortable state you were at now. The money you had brought with you had allowed for a great deal of relaxation during your honeymoon stage, and renovations to the house when you weren’t lazing about. When you were done, nothing inside or out looked like how it had been, in Gamzee proclamation that the house be your home and not your fathers’.
But after a month, you grew restless, too used to being active for someone else. Even with Gamzee’s demands you leave your past of being a servant behind you, you just didn’t like being at your house all day with nothing else to do. You were good on money, but that didn’t stop you from looking for a job. There was a book store within the town proper that hired you shortly after Rose called them as a stellar reference.
This had actually led to the first real fight you two had ever had. Gamzee, his heart ever in the right place, wanted you to stay home, to take it easy and that he would do the work. And though you were grateful that was what he wanted, you had to get it through to him that such inaction was against your nature. You had said some unkind things in your anger, about how he only knew how to kill, and that had effectively stopped the argument when he left the house fuming.
Within a few days, he had found employment at a well-known construction group in town, manual work that would keep him to active to let himself get the way he had been in the army. He would have a long way to go, to work his way up to be trusted with more, well-paying jobs, but it his persistence led to a compromise. When he was working more, you would work less, and vice-versa. This seemed to appease both of you, and you could continue getting used to the married life easier with that resolved.
The past year had been one of growth and change, not just for you and Gamzee, but for the whole Verse.
The events on Whitefall had opened a way for the Condense and Kankri to speak of negotiations once more, now unhindered by the Web. Though it took several months for any agreement to become concrete, there were no more battles or territory disputes.
Within three months, there was talk of the Alliance giving any planet the option to join them. To those who didn’t, they would be either deemed the Ring of the Signless (named after one of the Sufferer’s aliases) or Freekind. The Signless worlds were free to run their planets as they saw fit, but they would have ties to the Alliance for military aide or anything else. The Freekind was for any that did not want to join other side. It was spring before this came into action, but it was amazing how it went with the voting: inner planets stayed with the Alliance, Border with the Signless, and Freekind had many outer worlds. Crestfall, keeping its neutrality of government, actually was a Signless world with many of its exceptions still in place.
The sudden disinterest in the war was probably why there wasn’t much attention called to Alistair’s vanishing act. When you spoke to Meenah, she mentioned the rumours surrounding the mystery, how everyone believed he just couldn’t handle his son’s (supposed) death and the possibility of no battles to comfort him. There had been an exhaustive search for him, one that had even led to Crestfall, but with no know connections to the planet or even a clue where he would go, the trail soon went dry.
And thankfully for you and Gamzee, there were no close neighbours to question the hastily-installed foundation for a pool in late fall.
In the end, the decision best advised seemed to be dealing with it on your own. Even if you were acting in self-defense, Gamzee’s existence would have to come up, and though Crestfall’s law saved him from persecution for faking his death and going AWOL, it left him unable to go almost anywhere there was even an inkling of Alliance rule. Not to mention the questions of why the Grand Highblood was there to begin with, and the Alliance’s way to bend the truth into something that favoured their higher officers.
Maybe you had both acted out of panic and misguidance, but as the months had gone on, you had less nightmares and Gamzee hardly seemed to think about him anymore. It might have been a rushed decision, but you felt it was the right one, especially now that you could both focus on each other and your friends.
Those working for the Independents, with optimism in their hearts, began to look for other things to fill their lives with. Unlike the Alliance army who would just continue in a military career, there was no official opportunity for them to fall back on, leaving some without jobs.
Nepeta left the moment her uncle said there was going to be a change. Despite her loyalty to her mother and Kankri, she was anxious to be away from her responsibilities with them. She moved to Whitefall to be with Terezi, and last you heard, she was making childrens books, the inspiration coming from all the time spent babysitting Casey. She seemed happy in her new situation, and had sent you a Wave that she and Terezi would be getting married next spring.
The crew of the Dreamer had gone in and out of contact doing what Jake called ‘adventures.’ The few times you had heard from Roxy, she was remarkably sober, and from what you could gather, the whole ship was just beyond contentment. Jake had even rewarded Dirk with a puppy, apparently some compromise to the child situation (if he does all right with it, she told you, English would finally be willing to adopt with him). Sollux was the only one she didn’t talk about, but you assumed he was just too preoccupied with Eridan.
Aradia had stayed with her mother for a while, having left her position even before the talks got serious due to the Grand Highblood’s disappearance. You two Hailed each other frequently, getting even closer than before, and after she visited you on Crestfall, you and Gamzee agreed to let her stay for a while as a vacation from being a servant. She even worked at the local pet store part time to help pay for food, and she had been with you for six months now.
Karkat showed up as a surprise shortly after the new year started, only a few weeks after Aradia had started to stay with you two. He was muttering something about his father and the Dreamer, and then crashed in your guestroom for what was supposed to be only a few days. This turned into a few weeks, and before long, he had become a permanent fixture to your family unit much like Aradia had.
You never outwardly said it, but when you sat down to dinner at night, watching Gamzee bother his new best friend while Aradia either teased the mutant blood or talked to about interesting frogs at the pet store, you couldn’t help but feel like your life was slowly becoming complete.
There was just one thing left.
“Making something real nice, huh, Tav?” Aradia asks, suddenly at your side.
You look at her from the corner of your eyes, smiling light at your friend as you stirred the thick marinade you were working on. “That’s the hope, it turns out nice,” you return playfully.
You had been in the kitchen for the better of the past hour, making a full meal for two. The only thing fully prepared was the cake you had bought earlier in the day from Gamzee’s favourite bakery. You just hoped you could get every done and ready within the next thirty minutes when your husband was supposed to return from work.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll love it no matter what it is, the glutton.” Her tone was teasing, a large smile on her face.
You had to laugh at her observation, knowing there was some truth to it. “At least he isn’t hard to please,” you say with a grin. “What are your plans for the evening?”
“Was going to hit the town,” Aradia answers. “English and them are visiting, you know, so we’ll probably go drinking afterward. And, don’t worry, I’ll be taking the crab with me, give you two your alone time so he doesn’t complain about the noises he’s ‘forced to suffer through.’”
“I appreciate it, Aradia,” you tell her genuinely before putting pasta in a pot of boiling water. “We’ll be joining you all for the trip to Triumph, I just want this one night, you know?”
“Don’t lie, ass munch, you’ve been wanting to kick us the fuck out for months,” Karkat remarks snidely as he walks just inside the kitchen door.
You roll your eyes, not turning to look at him as you say, “You do remember this is our house and you are a guest, right, Karkat?”
The mutant blood just glares at you.
“Are you going to talk to him about that thing?” Aradia asks, stealing one of the sugar pieces from the small cake.
“What fucking thing?”
You ignore Karkat’s inquiry, replying, “Oh, I’ll be bringing it up, and I’m sure he’ll just be overjoyed. I just have to mention it before he gets too… involved, with other things.”
Aradia grins at the implication, while your grumpy friend just groans.
“All right, well I guess we’ll get going,” she says, grabbing onto Karkat’s arm. “You two enjoy the evening, we’ll see you in the morning.”
You wave them both off, and you can hear Karkat’s grumbling as they leave the house. You’re smiling all that while, getting back to making your meal. Within the next thirty minutes, you had everything cooked and the table set up in the dining room, candles lit and the lights off.
When Gamzee got home, you were eager to greet him with a deep kiss, especially after finding out he had brought him a container full of fresh fruit. Dinner was eaten around lively conversation, and when you were finished, you both retired to the living room to enjoy the fire in the fireplace.
Gamzee was laying on the couch, your body stretched over him, and your conversation bled over while you enjoyed the warmth of the fire. It still made you smile when you would look above the mantle piece and see the purple and orange corset hanging there, one Kanaya had made for you two as a house warming gift (she had raised a brow when you asked for it, but was kind enough to still make it).
You were playing with Gamzee’s hair, enjoying its length now that it was back to where it once was. When your nightmares had subsided into once in a blue moon, he felt confident in growing it back out. You liked it better this way: the tangled mess was always more him than that short cropped look.
His lips kept straying from your temple to further down, and you were happy to comply, knowing how this night would inevitably end, but there was something rather important you had to tell him first.
“Gamz,” you start after swallowing another blueberry. You were pigging out on the fruit he brought home, the container next to where you laid on the couch, but he didn’t seem to mind. “There’s something we need to talk about.”
“Sure thing, Tavbro,” he says, rubbing your back gently. “Lay the miracles on me.”
You smile, nuzzling his neck. “Aradia and I have been talking, and I think… well…” You gulp softly, not realising before how awkward this conversation would actually be. “I think it’s time you and I, you know… try to have a family.”
“Really, little mother fucker?” You can actually feel Gamzee’s excitement as well as hear it, his arms tightening around you. “No fooling? These mother fuckers can have some miracles?”
You look him in the eyes, a smile on your lips as you nod.
He pulls your face to his, giving you a quick peck. “We could have a whole mess of those little mother fuckers, like four or five or—”
“How about one to start, and then we’ll go from there?”
Gamzee grins. “Mother fucker can settle for that. For now.”
You roll your eyes, but pull him in for another kiss, this one lasting. He holds tight to you as he opens his mouth, flicking his tongue across your bottom lip. You engage him in a fight for dominance, grinning as he lets you conquer his mouth. The kiss gets even deeper, and his arms are almost crushing you against him.
You make a squeak as he flips you both, reclaiming your mouth after only a second’s break. He moves down your throat, biting hard on the junction between your neck and shoulder. You moan, moving against him, rubbing your growing need against thigh. He growls, pushing down on you, and you can feel his almost full erection on your hip.
You tug on his hair gently to get his attention. “We should move to the, ahh, bedroom.”
He doesn’t answer you right away, his hand wandering down your body, going to the buttons on your shirt. “Mother fuckers are gone all night,” he reminds you. “And we’ll get to that miraculous bed, in a moment.”
You groan again when he nips at your Adam’s apple. You want to tell him you’d rather go to the bedroom more because you like your bed, but his cold hand moving across your abdomen and going lower is too distracting. You pull at his hair again, this time in response to his actions, and you pull his head up to kiss you once more. He happily takes your mouth, his tongue once more exploring the cavern.
He’s quick to unzip your pants, and you hiss when his hand encloses around your length. He starts moving along the shaft while the kiss gets passionate again. You gyrate against him, wanting more of him, the feel of his hand far from enough. You raise your hips, moving into his hand, and he moves faster.
“Gamzee,” you breathe huskily, gripping onto his collar. You latch your mouth onto the underside of his chin, biting and sucking to leave behind a deep purple mark. You reach down, getting his pants undone in a record-breaking time, and gripping his length with a firm grasp. He growls, tucking his head under your chin.
It’s sudden when he pulls away, and you let go of him as he grabs at your pants, flinging them to the floor. He takes the back of your thighs, wrapping them around his hips, as he leans over you. You mean when the head of his member rubs against your entrance, and you dig your nails into his back, wanting more.
“I love you, Tavros,” he murmurs against your skin.
You kiss his cheek, smiling. “I love you, too, Gamzee.” You push against him, trying to get him inside. “Now, Mister Nitram,” you start with a grin, “don’t keep me waiting any longer.”
“Anything for you, Mister Makara,” he returns, the tip of his member sliding into you. You groan loudly, feeling the inches sink into your body. His lips are on your neck, kissing and biting, leaving marks behind. You grip onto him, moving against him, getting more of him into you.
He starts a gentle pace, seating himself completely in you before pulling out until just the tip is in, then going back to it. You curl up into him, rocking against him in time with his slow thrusts. You pull him in for a kiss, your tongues going at it as your bodies collide over and over again.
“Harder, Gamz,” you whimper into his neck.
Gamzee takes your wrists, pinning them against the arm of the couch as he picks up his pace. You spend just a moment readjusting, getting your knees on his shoulders, giving him a better angle to go at you over and over again.
“Fuck, Tav,” he almost sputters against your chest. “How do you always feel so fucking miraculous?” He’s growling as he pushes against you roughly, and you throw your head back to yell out.
You didn’t know you’re muttering ‘more, more’ until his speed is something almost animalistic. He’s saying something against your throat, probably his normal spiel of compliments and expletives, but your name is in it, and that’s all you can hear. You’re shouting as he hits you in that one spot over and over, his name leaving your lips.
You don’t have to say anything when you’re there, just squeeze his neck with your thighs. He groans low in his throat before taking your mouth for an almost bruising kiss. He gives you a few more thrusts before burying himself deep within you, and you groan into his mouth as you feel all of him inside of you. You mewl as your body tenses, your orgasm overcoming you, and you cover your stomachs with your seed.
You both spend a few moments panting. His grip is loose on your wrists, and it’s only as an after thought you remove your legs from his shoulders. It’s another moment before he slides out of you, pulling you into his lap as he sits up.
“Can all our anniversaries be this miraculous?” he asks, his face in your neck.
You just smile as you play with his hair. “Only if we can get the house to ourselves,” you answer.
“I’m sure these mother fuckers can make something happen,” he says through a grin.
It’s silent for a moment, the two of you holding each other. You sigh contently, enjoying this moment of peace. You can’t help but feel that you both deserve this, after everything you’ve been through. It was almost like the universe just got tired of messing with you two and just decided to let you both free.
And you would be damned if you wouldn’t enjoy it.
You tug on his shirt, bringing his attention to you. You kiss him on the lips, grinning as you say, “We should go take a swim.”
“Skinny dipping?” he asks, hopeful.
You don’t even think you’re done nodding before he has you in his arms, carrying you outside. You laugh as he goes, holding onto him and letting him take you without any argument. You nuzzle into his chest, silently glad for the night you met him, and how you wouldn’t change a thing.
From the servant of a soldier, to the husband of a former Subjuggulator, you don’t want to imagine it any other way.