[FRAG] Grieve in Blood

"You just have to feed it every once in a while."

The words echoed in Velvet's head as he drew his cloak closer around his head. His footsteps were quick in pace and matching those of the Fragment next to him, who held their head somewhat higher. Both, though, were shrouded in the darkness of a new moon's night. This was such a mistake - a stupid, stupid mistake! They were so dumb for having done this! It was ridiculously stupid, and there was nothing either of them could do about fixing it!

Except maybe-

"I know that look on your face," Contemporize cut in, voice low. 

"What look?" Velvet squeaked back.

They waved a hand in front of their face. "Nervous, anxious, pissed off, but you don't wanna say anything."

"Well," Velvet tried to keep his voice at a reasonable pitch, but it remained high and stressed anyways, "how do you expect me to not be upset?"

"This was your idea."

Velvet instantly put his hands on his hips, "I am KNOWN for having poor ideas! This is just one of many - you two don't have to go along with me all the time!"

Contemp sighed, a much higher tone to their voice. "Whatever you want to believe, Velvet."

A muffled whine from behind the duo caught their attention, and they half-turned their heads in unison. Their captive, a small Gladar only about half their height stared back, still gagged and clipped with magic-dampening handcuffs.

"Oh, shit does it understand us?" 

"I didn't think it was supposed to?" Contemp leaned down to inspect the lesser being, who flinched away slightly. "Pretty didn't mention if it spoke Common or not. Maybe we should ask someone in the Regulate & Refine."

Velvet scoffed, "Regulate's full of whiners, though. They're always complaining! Plus it'd probably be weird to have people from Research & Remove asking about a Gladar. I mean, we're already the backwater group-"

"-It would, at least, give us answers about how to care for a Gladar?"

"Pretty did give us that pamphlet!"

Contemp's voice dipped low again, "That doesn't mean any of the information in it is truthful. Even if Pretty's been doing the slave trade for millennia, it doesn't mean he's actually any good at keeping them."

"I guess that's true." Velvet gave another sigh, loud and dramatic. He half-gestured to the Gladar, who remained cowering. "So, can you understand what we're saying?"

After a pause, they nodded slowly. Their eyes were wide in basal fear, although no more sounds escaped them. The sight was enough to make Velvet's eyes narrow and his tail twitch straight out; there was something cognizant in the expression that hit far too close to him. Indeed, it firmly cemented the fact that this was a ridiculous mistake. He should've never dabbled in the slave trade. Stick to drugs and getting high. That was simple and easy and didn't come packaged with guilt.

Velvet stared for a second longer before turning back to Contemporize. "Well, I guess it can, then. Or maybe it only knows how to say yes, and didn't know what I was asking. Oh, Conny - this was a stupid decision. Why did you two let me make it?"

"It made you happy at the time."

A standard answer from the other, but it still made Velvet sniffle and wipe at his eyes, even though he hadn't started crying. "I guess so."

Their hand comfortingly wiped at Velvet's cheeks. "It's not all bad, I'm positive we could sell them for some Magninium!"

"Oh, but the market's so bad. All the sellers went underground after Opalescent was arrested." Velvet magicked up a table and chairs, sitting down miserably. He sighed. Again. 

Contemp sat across from him. The Gladar watched with darting eyes. "Don't be sad, Velvet! We'll find something, we promise!"

"Yes, I suppose that's true," he lamented, frown still solidly in his expression. 

"You can turn that frown-" Contemp reached forward to pull at Velvet's cheeks, "-right upside down!"

The act was enough to make Velvet giggle, disrupting the pathetic "nooo, let me mope," that escaped his muffled tones. The two's playfulness offset the Gladar slowly sitting on the dirt, staring down at their hands. Contemp cooed at the other, dropping Velvet's smile to rub at his cheeks instead. The Gladar blinked rapidly, keeping the tears from their gaze.

"Alright, alright!" Velvet managed to pry the other off. "Okay, I'm quite alright now. I suppose we can just take it home, then? Give it a room or something to play in. It would like toys, right?"

Contemp smiled, lacing their hands together. "I think anyone likes toys. Just that the type of toys change over time?"

Velvet narrowed his eyes, "What kind of toys should we make for it, then?"

The Gladar curled their knees to their chest.

Leaves crunched, and all three whipped around to face the newcomer. He raised his hands in a submissive pose, giving the other Fragments a nervous, but kindly smile.

Velvet's heart lodged in his throat. "M-Morning Star, what are - oh, hi - how are - what are you doing here?"

"Getting some fresh air," came the amused reply, lowering his hands. "What about you two? Sneaking around these Timelines isn't your usual, is it?"

"Oh, nonono - we were just -" Velvet glanced to Contemp, who was wearing an equally startled expression, "tteeaaaa? Tea, having tea-" a rush to magic teacups on the table.

Morning Star simply smiled, nodding. "That sounds rather nice. What kind of tea?"

"Just tea!" Velvet squeaked, raising his empty teacup. "No particular flavor!"

"Ah, I see. I'm partial to coffee, myself, but-" Morning Star's eyes had found the third party. "...is that a Gladar?"

Contemporize leaned forward, also scooping up a teacup. "Yes, we were escorting them to - to Rescue & Recover! They were lost between Timelines!"

"Yes!" Velvet squeaked, gesturing wildly, "And we took a tea break!"

Morning Star stared at the duo, the smile never having left his cheeks. There was an air of incredulity about him, but he merely shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I can take them the rest of the way for you two, then. I'm heading back to the COR in a second, anyways."

Velvet and Contemp both nodded, too-wide, anxious grins on their faces. Morning Star crouched, gently magicking the handcuffs off of the Gladar and releasing the binding around their mouth. They regarded him with wide, watery eyes, whispering a "thank you". He merely nodded and tugged them to their feet, drawing their arm around his shoulders and waving at the two other Fragments. 

In a snap of magic, Morning Star teleported himself and the Gladar right into lawn of the Coalition. He stepped off towards the doors, patting their shoulder comfortingly. "What's your name?"

They blinked rapidly. "F-Freebs."

"Do you know what Timeline you're from?"

"N-no."

"Ah, that's okay. They'll be able to get your number down and sort you in no time." Morning Star shot the other a comforting look. "How'd you get picked up by Pretty? Do you remember? It's okay if not."

They sniffled, and he offered them a tissue. "U-uh. I don't know. He just sort of... showed up." their voice was hoarse and quiet, low and terrified. 

Morning Star pulled them in closer. "It's alright. You'll be heading home, alright?"

Manning the doors was Adrianne, who nodded politely as the two stepped up. Morning Star whispered quietly to her, sliding a paper across the counter. A brief glance to it was all she needed; almost instantly, Adrianne stepped out of the booth to offer a kindly hand to Freebs. The Gladar accepted, hand shaking slightly. 

Morning Star jabbed his hands in his pants pockets, watching her lead the other delicately into the building. They were in good hands now. Thank the Three he'd been tipped off by another buyer at the auction... weapons smuggling was one thing. But slavery? A frown ghosted over his face, and he adjusted his tie. 

That was just... a line that should never be crossed, never be violated. And yet anyone at the COR could be secretly in defiance of it now, collecting mortals like objects to dress up and display. But they were just as alive and sentient as Fragments... Morning Star just didn't understand. And, well, there wasn't a lot he didn't think he understood - but the willing purchase of another living being dug at him.

At least his position meant he could intervene at every time. Morning Star himself was no high-ranking member of the Coalition, but everyone knew he had Magnotris in his pocket. Such a crude way to say, it, though. Over time, enough people had assumed they'd been dating that it had eventually replaced the concept of manipulation, but he still couldn't shake how disgusting it felt to have such a thing assumed about him. He didn't manipulate Magnotris! They were friends, their friendship was tried, true, and innocent in its origins. 

But still, that connection had given him influence he hadn't before. No longer was he a mere simple worker of the Rest & Reformation division. He was now Magnotris' boyfriend, Magnotris' partner, with a literal hotline to the Overseers. At any time, Morning Star could decimate someone's reputation.

Not that he ever had to, of course. Velvet and Contemporize had just made a bad decision in the heat of the moment. Most people did. They deserved grace and understanding, not punishment. 

Morning Star blinked, glancing up. Magnotris stood before him, hands balled into fists, eyes watery, teeth digging into his lower lip. Morning Star blinked, and then stood up straight, blurting out, "Are you okay?"

Magnotris grabbed the other, pulling him into a painfully tight hug. Morning Star choked, but Magnotris didn't pull away, burying his face in the other's shoulder and pinning their bodies together. Amid the squeeze, Morning Star was just barely able to wrap an arm around the other and awkwardly pat his back. This was the middle of the COR headquarters lawn. This was too public for Magnotris. People were staring.

"No," Magnotris whispered.