Sweet Venom – Rebroken

Tivy was sitting alone at the kitchen table. The white LED lights overhead buzzed against her ears. Never before had the light been so harsh, nor the sound been so loud, but yet, not enough to distract her from the events of the day. 

 

The flat was unusually quiet. With so many people in a relatively small area, normally it was nigh on impossible to get a break from the hustle and bustle of people coming and going. But tonight, the mood had shifted; solemn, sad. It wasn’t particularly late either; everyone had decided to go to bed early, as no-one felt much like socialising after V’s funeral. Tivy too had gone to bed - for a while - but after what felt like hours of tossing and turning, she’d realised that she just couldn’t settle. She’d crept out of the bedroom, so as not to wake Trent who had passed out almost immediately, and made her way into the kitchen. Normally this was her place of haven, of cooking and socialising, of warmth and family, but it felt like none of those things this night. Although, the cold floor beneath her bare little feet was somewhat soothing. And the light, although harsh, was a welcome embrace against the dark. And the ringing in her ears, although it made her twitch and flick her head as it cut into her ears, was a saving grace from the deafening silence, that was so seldom heard in the small flat.

 

She fidgeted for a while. A half-eaten bowl of chocolate fudge cake sat on the table in front of her, drowning in pouring cream. She poked at it with her spoon, but for once, her appetite failed her. She yawned, as she was exhausted, and yet, she was restless too. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting on the hard wooden chair, but her feet - which couldn’t quite reach the floor - were starting to go numb, and pins and needles were tingling up her legs. Finally, she forced her body to move, sliding down from the chair, and began to tidy up the place.

 

Unfortunately, there wasn’t really anything to tidy. They had eaten at V’s wake, and no-one had had an appetite afterwards, and so there was no washing up. There was no laundry either; for once, Tivy cursed her hyper-organisation, and no-one had left their dresses and suits in the bathroom for her to clean.

 

She found herself in the hallway, and slowly started picking up their pairs of discarded dress shoes, kicked off and left in the entryway. She placed them all, one by one, gently onto the shoe rack by the side of the door, then walked back into the kitchen. She pulled the tea towel off of the radiator, re-folded it, then put it back. She walked over to the fridge, and opened the door wide. The fridge's usually gentle hum seemed… louder than usual. She peered inside, standing on her tiptoes so that she could see the very highest shelves, and reviewed its contents. Meal prep was one of her jobs and… of course, she’d already done it. Everything that could be done, had been done. Tupper-boxes of pre-sorted soup mixes, diced meat and sliced veggies, hell, even pre-weighed spice packets for everyone, so she could get their soup just how they liked it. The fridge was as complete as a fridge could be.

 

There was nothing for her to do.

 

And she hated it.

 

She stood in the middle of the kitchen, wishing someone had left a glass or bowl out, anything. But there was nothing.

 

WAIT!

 

Tivy padded over to the table excitedly, back to her half-eaten dessert. The bowl needed washing! And needed putting away! She could empty the food bin too, and take it outside…

 

But she didn't move. She stood, fingers gripping the back of the chair, and just stared into the bowl’s murky leftovers. She couldn't bring herself to raise her arms. 

 

What am I supposed to do?!

 

She'd be angry if she'd had more energy. Now, she was just frustrated, and sad. She hated both of those feelings. As she stood, staring the bowl down, her eyes boring into its soul, sure that at any moment, just her mental determination alone would cause it to move itself over to the sink –

 

- She heard a soft click down the corridor, as one of the bedroom doors opened. 

 

Tivy panicked. She immediately sat down, picked up the spoon and shovelled a heavy piece of cake into her mouth. The sickly sweet concoction swirled around in her mouth, and no matter how much she chewed, it only seemed to get thicker and stickier. As she was preparing herself for another mouthful, heavy footsteps creaked against the floorboards, and Seeth walked into the room. She walked slowly, almost deliberately, and opened her mouth to speak. Although she seemed a little hesitant, she looked poised, and determined. However it was in this momentary hesitation that Tivy's panic boiled over.

 

“I WAS HUNGRY.” Tivy blurted out, sending cake crumbs flying across the table. Seeth froze, her mouth still agape, but no sound came out. It wasn’t often she was caught off guard, but Tivy… Tivy seemed to have a knack for it. She stared across the table at the critter, her mouth covered in chocolate, who was furiously pushing another heaping spoonful of cake into her mouth. There was a long moment of silence between the two of them, in which Tivy made a very loud, very obvious audible gulp as she swallowed. 

 

“That's… great?” Seeth forced out a dry, awkward chuckle. Unlike Tivy, who had gotten changed into a comfy onesie adorned with little yellow ducks the moment she'd gotten home, Seeth was still wearing her suit, consisting of a black pair of trousers, a smart black blazer and a white shirt. She had loosened the tie around her neck though. The blazer fit her well and was quite long, reaching down past her hips, and while it doesn’t completely hide or envelop her figure, it didn’t highlight it either. All in all, she looked rather modest, which was exactly what she was going for when she paid extra for the fitting and adjustments. The last thing she’d wanted was to be the centre of attention at someone’s funeral, and it was money she was happy to pay, out of respect for Garnet’s wife. “I… I just wanted to see how you were doing? I heard you get up. I couldn't sleep either.” Seeth smiled then, sadly but genuinely. 

 

“I want the sleep… but the sleep don’t want me!” Tivy laughed half-heartedly. “I dunno. I feel weird. I… I don’t actually want the cake… I just kinda panicked.”

 

“Why did you panic?” Seeth laughed back. “We're not the cake police, Tiv.”

 

“I-I know! I just felt… silly… standing around in the kitchen.” Tivy grinned up at the czarite.

 

“Well, for what it’s worth, I'm glad that you're still up. I was wondering if we could talk?”

 

“Sure! Is it about your soup for tomorrow? It's all prepared, even the meat! Geralt helped me! I done the spices just how you like them!”

 

“Err… No. Maybe we could go into the living room? Might be a bit more comfortable there.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Tivy hopped down from the chair once more and pattered off towards the living room. On the way, she yanked a few sheets of kitchen roll off the side and furiously rubbed the chocolate away from her mouth. 

 

Seeth followed behind, and gently pushed the door to behind her. She sat down on the sofa, in the furthest end of the room. Tivy, after switching on the fireplace, had quickly curled up into the single armchair. Like a house cat, Seeth thought to herself with a smile.

 

The smile quickly wavered, though. She was feeling… pretty good, all things considered, cool, calm and collected, however she was under no assumption that this conversation was going to be an easy one. 

 

“I wanted to talk to you. About today and… about the attack on the Den.”

 

It was Tivy's turn to be taken off guard now. She froze, and Seeth noticed immediately the shift in her demeanour. “It's okay, Tiv.” She said softly. “You're not in any danger. It's just me, and we’re just talking.”

 

As she began to quiver, Tivy stood from the armchair and went over to Seeth, hopping up onto the sofa and sitting herself right next to her, getting as close as she could to the Controller. She reached her hand out towards Seeth, and she reciprocated, Tivy’s whole hand only able to hold just a couple of Seeth’s fingers. After a few seconds, she calmed.

 

“Okay… We can talk, if you want.”

 

They sat in silence for a few more seconds, while Seeth considered exactly what to say. There was so much she wanted to ask, and didn’t know quite where to start. “I just… Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Tell you what?” Tivy replied.

 

“About your past? That you and Vora Baro-”

 

Before Seeth could even finish her question, Tivy started trembling with fright, just at the very mention of their name. Seeth took a deep breath. “Did you tell anybody?”

 

“N-N-o… But Trent k-knows now. I was having n-nightmares a-after…”

 

“It’s okay.” Seeth did her best to sooth the critter. With her free hand, she rubbed gently against Tivy’s back. “I just wish you'd told me -”

 

“Why?!” Tivy suddenly cried out. “What difference would it have made? Would you have turned down Garnet’s contracts? Y-Y-You've helped so many people, people that were like m-me… But V got hurt, and… and now I don’t know how to feel…”

 

“I would have been more careful.” Seeth said, softly but firmly. “I would have talked less about my work at home. I wouldn’t have told you at all! I would have made sure I came home clean, and left any… dirty clothes at the Den. You washed my uniforms, Tiv, and still you didn’t say anything! I would’ve kept you safe. And, maybe…” Seeth dropped her gaze. “Maybe I could’ve tried to get to you first. And maybe, if I had, V would still be here, and -”

 

“- You didn’t fail.” Tivy turned her large, sad eyes to look up at Seeth. “Someone else might have got hurt instead. You can’t think like that, what if what if what if. It’s good to move forward.”

 

“Is that what you do? Move forward?”

 

“I… I have to… A-Anyway, why are you suddenly interested?” Tivy laughed shakily. “We’ve been friends a long time now, and you never asked any of us about before!”

 

Before… Before what? Before we kidnapped you? Violated you? Destroyed your livelihoods and changed your lives forever. Yeah. Before. “I know… I’m trying to change that now, I’m trying to be… a better friend.” Seeth cleared her throat, then changed the subject back before she could get lost in her own dark thoughts. “Pushing forward like that, all the time, it must get tiring sometimes though?”

 

Tivy hung her head.”I guess. Sometimes.”

 

“If you want to talk about it, I’d be happy to listen. It might help with… what happened at the Den?”

 

For a moment, Seeth was worried she’d pushed Tivy too far. Her body flinched away from the Controller, but her hand remained tightly wrapped around her fingers. Her entire body was shaking, almost jolting in place. She didn't say anything for a while, just sat and breathed heavily as Seeth waited, and tried to soothe her. Eventually though, Tivy did speak again, her voice a tiny squeak.

 

“I was born on a… a cattle ship…”

 

Seeth immediately opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. Tivy was fidgeting, but her mouth was still agape too - the girl wasn’t finished, and despite the protective anger that was already starting to boil in her chest, Seeth did not want to interrupt.

 

“I lived there for my whole life. I had lots of brothers and sisters. One day, I managed to escape… just me… after my parents…” Tivy swallowed. Her skin had gone quite pale, and she looked like she was trying not to throw up. “I… I don’t want to talk any more about that!” She thrust her head into her hands and shook it vigorously, as though desperately trying to clear the hellish images in her head.

 

“Okay, it’s okay… We don’t have to.” Seeth said softly. 

 

Tivy sniffed and nodded, breathing shakily she sat back up. “Things got better after that though.” She wiped her nose loudly in her sleeve. “A small freighter found me, and… They took me in, looked after me.” Tivy suddenly smiled. “They used to read stories to me, and then they taught me how to read them! And to write - I still remember the first time I wrote my name! T-I-V-Y! Tivy!”

 

Seeth’s eyes suddenly pricked with tears, but she fought them back as Tivy continued.

 

“I stayed with them a long time. They taught me to maintain the ship. Did lots of little jobs. We did lots of travelling, and I saw lots of different people. Then I decided I wanted to try something new! When we next docked, I was going to see what other work was out there, and if anyone would take me!”

 

“Is that… Was that…”

 

“That’s when I met you!”

 

“Oh… Oh my god…”

 

Seeth leaned back and turned her head away, so that the critter couldn’t see her expression. She had interrupted this poor girl’s life, and pushed her straight back into a prison, just as she was starting to move on. Her whole body tensed up, but as the guilt racked her, Tivy squeezed her fingers.

 

“It’s okay, Seeth!”

 

“Tivy I… I am so sorry… That… The dungeon must have been horrendous for you…” Seeth’s stomach dropped. After the horrors that Tivy had lived through, being born into captivity, only to wind up there again… But to her surprise, Tivy actually laughed. 

 

“Are you kidding? It was great! I got to have all the sex I ever wanted! There was lots of food, you guys always made sure there was veggies and fruits for me to eat, and it was warm, and comfortable… I did miss the sky sometimes… But honestly, Seeth, you don’t need to feel bad.” She took Seeth’s hand again and squeezed it softly. “You looked after me. I felt safe there.”

 

Safe..? “Then… If you don’t mind me asking… Why did you leave?”

 

“Oh, cos Trent wanted to. And I liked Trent.” Tivy suddenly giggled, and blushed a little. 

 

Tivy’s little giggle was unexpectedly infectious, as Seeth suddenly found herself smiling. Tivy’s… experience with the Controllers, did actually make sense. Although she hadn’t spoken much with Trent or Geralt, it was obvious that they were struggling to move on a lot more than she was. Tivy had clearly been less affected by her capture than they had. And talking with her did make Seeth feel a little better - at least they had done something right - although still, the fact that they had swooped in, taking people without a second thought, to use them for their own gain and exploitation… It struck far too close to home that this was the very tyranny she had spent the last few weeks trying to put an end to. Just the idea that her’s and the Vora Baron’s regime had once been… comparable, made her feel sick.

“Listen… I want to apologise, regardless, for what we did to you. People have been hurt by my actions, I want to try and put that right…” Seeth paused for a moment, thinking back to the day. 

 

V’s funeral had actually been a busy affair. The funeral barge had been full of people - some she recognised - many she didn't, friends, family (Garnet had never actually told Seeth just how many children he had,) mercenaries like herself, and dozens of nomads, just looking to pay their respects. Seeth hadn’t realised just how big a reach Garnet and V must have had, and how many people they had helped. 

 

The biggest surprise for Seeth, however, had been a group of four older men - clearly ex-military, from the scars and cyber prosthetics they were sporting. The moment they’d landed, they immediately crowded around Garnet, and refused to leave his side for the entirety of the service. Garnet’s old squad… Seeth had briefly introduced herself to them; word had reached them that it was her that had saved the Den from the Baron attack, and despite the circumstances, they had been keen to meet her. Seeth had been even more surprised when they told her that they’d come over from the Blood Diamond Alliance, which had an interesting reputation to say the least, and was pretty much across the other side of the universe. 

 

It had occurred to her then just how little she knew about Garnet, and about V… and now V was no longer here to ask. And it was as they had sat at the very back of the service - Seeth had been keen not to draw attention to herself, and take it away from V - and she’d watched as Tivy broke down in tears, and on more than one occasion had to be taken out the room… that she realised that she’d almost lost her squad too. And Tivy had been there, in the kitchen with V when… Fuck. She could only imagine what Tivy was going through. “...And, I just wanted you to know, if you need anything… You don’t even have to ask. We have the money for counselling, or for a therapist. Anything you need.” 

 

Tivy sniffed but smiled, and looked up at Seeth with genuine love in her eyes. “That’s okay Seeth… But thank you.”

 

“Tivy? Are you in here?”

 

Just then, the living room door creaked open, and Trent popped his head round. “Tiv - Oh! Seeth!” Trent was visibly taken aback and stood awkwardly in the doorway, taken off guard. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were still up. I was just… um…”

 

“It’s okay, Trent.” Seeth smiled. “I know you guys are dating. I’m not blind. Or deaf.” Seeth raised her eyebrow at him knowingly, but was still smiling.

 

“Wh - um, oh.” Trent stammered, looking very embarrassed. “I… didn’t realise.” Tivy hopped down from the sofa and toddled over to Trent. She took his hand then, and yawned as she stroked his fingers. The gentle movement seemed to calm him a little. “I’m sorry. We’ve tried to keep it quiet, we didn’t want to upset you, or make you think we’re rubbing it in your face or anything.” Trent said quickly.

 

“I know. Or I figured, at least.” Seeth replied. “But… I don’t want you to do that anymore. I don’t want anyone walking on eggshells around me.” Seeth paused for a moment, thinking. “I think… Let’s not hide anything anymore. I think a little bit more honesty around here would go a long way.” 

“...Sure…” Trent was looking at the Controller a little quizzically, but then shook it off. He was still half asleep, and was sure her words would make more sense in the morning. “A-As long as you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I am.” Seeth swapped her gaze to Tivy to see the critter beaming up at her with a wide, tired smile, catching her off guard for a second time that night. “Y-You good, Tiv?”

“Mhm!” She purred, struggling to keep her eyes open. It felt like Tivy had more to say, but the long and emotional day was finally starting to catch up to her.

“C’mon Tiv, let’s get you back to bed.” Trent softly chuckled.

“Okay!” Tivy bounced up and down excitedly, stumbling a little, then darted underneath Trent’s outstretched arm as he reached for the door. “Goodnight, Seeth!”

Trent gave her a small smile, leaving Seeth alone in the living room.

“Goodnight…” She said softly.

Alone now, Seeth sunk back into the sofa and sighed as the flat quieted around her. The smile faded from her lips, for all the honesty that she had preached…

She reached into her blazer pocket and pulled out her data-tablet. She scrolled through several messages, before tapping on one.

A deed of ownership. For a ship.

There had been nothing selfish or deceitful around the initial request of the destroyer. Seeth needed something bigger and faster than Venner’s corvette if she was going to spread out further and continue clearing out the Vora Barons, as well as any other scourge this side of space had to offer. Plus, a destroyer might mean that she could start taking Baron ships out from a distance, rather than boarding each one, making the job that much safer. And then, once they’d gotten Diego back, they’d have somewhere to live too, as Seeth didn’t imagine he would really want to settle in a little flat on the side of an asteroid…

You… wanna travel with me? I usually just drift around, seeing what’s what, who needs help. I could really do with the company…

But that was the problem. Although the ship was going to be a surprise for the gang, she hadn’t planned on going far, not initially anyway. And then, once they’d found Diego… well, they’d have that conversation. But now… it made her shudder to think how quickly she’d almost lost the only friends - family - she had now. One Vora Baron attack, and they’d all gone down. No-one was prepared, no-one stood a chance. And the one person who had fought back…

No. Her presence was putting innocent people - people she cared about - at risk. And if she was going to continue fighting Vora Barons, she wasn’t prepared to put them at risk any longer. She would have to speak to Geralt first though; she had to come clean to him about his daughter, although it made her heart feel heavy, and help the poor man move on. It was going to be an incredibly difficult conversation, and one that Seeth was absolutely dreading, but at least now, she had something pushing her to do it. And she had to do it soon, because Seeth… didn’t intend on staying at the flat for much longer. She’d even asked that the destroyer had been rigged in such a way that she wouldn’t need a crew - it could be piloted by one person, so long as they were competent enough.

And that was her plan. One day, they’d wake up and she just, wouldn’t be there anymore. She hoped then that they could finally start to get some closure, and move on with their lives. Maybe one day, they would all find some form of normality. After all, that was something Seeth could never be a part of, not anymore.

So, while her getting her ship was exciting, the excitement was somewhat bittersweet.

She scrolled down and read through the message’s entirety, trying to distract herself.

Oh damn… Garnet pulled through for me! Those are some hot specs!

A refurbished ship was waiting for her at the Den, bought at a substantially reduced price as a healt-felt favour. It was a destroyer-class ship, built by Orion Industries, one of the four terra-corps hailing all the way from the other side of the universe. It was a lean, powerful ship, unusually nimble for Orion, who usually built their vessels to withstand hell and return it back twofold. The ‘Minitaur’ was a scaled down version of the Orion ‘Minotaur’ cruiser, that was a staple of their colossal fleets. Although this particular Minitaur had been passed through several hands, it was still in excellent condition, with some of the ship's original weapons still present and a suite of AI systems installed to keep it running, even without a crew. Compared to its bigger sister, the Minitaur was lighter and far more manoeuvrable, seeing more use outside of fleet combat rather than being a mainstay of Orion’s forces. That said, it was still more than able to hold its own, with substantial physical armour, shielding and weaponry.

A ship like this wasn’t cheap in nomad space, terra-corp tech was on-par with the likes of the DA and far, FAR outshone the mega-corps or locally produced tech in every metric other than cost or availability. She wasn’t exactly sure what Garnet had done to get it to her, although she suspected that it might have had something to do with his old BDA team… Regardless, it was hers now, along with its significant ship-to-ship arsenal and hangar space. The specs revealed a high-grade cloaking system along with a long-jump engine, meaning travelling from sector to sector with the ship could be done quickly - for a price. The fuel to run this thing wouldn’t come cheap, but it was doable.

I actually own a destroyer… I own my own fucking destroyer… W-What the fuck is my life?

Before she could contemplate her ship any longer though, there was a loud rattle outside the front door, a jangle of keys followed by the door slamming, and a long, irritated sigh. 

 

“Cut me off, will she? Who the hell does she think she is?” He whispered under his breath. But Seeth heard every rasping word.

 

Robin emerged from the hallway, his blonde hair messy and unkempt, with a deliberate scowl on his face. Seeth’s tongue immediately tasted the booze in the air. He leant a hand against the wall and pulled his shoes off, still muttering to himself.

 

“After everything I’ve done, forgiven her for what she did, the ungrateful -”

 

Robin glanced about and froze as he noticed Seeth, watching him from the living room. Briefly, the two met each-other’s eyes. 

 

“Evening.” Seeth said coldly.

 

Robin didn’t reply straight away. He kicked his shoes into the corner, but as he glanced back over at Seeth, his demeanour shifted, a cunning grin creeping over his face. His eyes kept pinging over to her as he trudged into the kitchen and searched through the cupboards, banging them all too loudly for this time of night.

 

“Hey, Seeth. You look pleased, having a good night?” He asked smoothly.

 

Oh shit. I must have grinned at him by accident… Seeth thought to herself, feeling Robin’s gaze prickling against her skin.

 

“Yeah. I guess I am, all things considered. Surprised you weren’t at the funeral today, Robin.” Seeth’s accusatory tone wasn’t subtle, but the male continued unabated.

 

“Well, I didn’t know… Veronica, was it? Didn’t seem right I go.” Robin replied.

 

“I just thought you might have gone to support your wife. Especially considering that it could have quite easily been her funeral instead. She nearly died in the attack.” Seeth responded flatly.

 

“She didn’t though, because of you.” Robin winked at her from the kitchen, completely oblivious to the frown Seeth shot back as he ducked behind the kitchen island. When he stood up again, he was holding two glasses in one hand, and a bottle of rum in the other.

 

“Foooound it. Haha, this will keep the night young…” He poured the drink into both glasses dry, then formed a large ice cube between his fingers. He dropped into one of the glasses, the ice tinkling pleasantly as it tapped against the glass. He did the same again for the second glass, then waltzed over to the sofa, pushing the living room door closed behind him. Softly, he placed one down in front of Seeth and kept the other for himself. “You know, my night has been… interesting. But it could be better, you know?”

 

“Mhm.” Seeth hummed quietly with disinterest, turning away from Robin to knock her data-tablet off. It was becoming obvious however that Robin just wasn't taking the hint, for when she looked back his eyes were locked onto her body, and he was scooching closer to her on the sofa.

 

Admittedly, Robin wasn’t unattractive. Between his button nose, messy blonde hair and mischievous eyes, the human certainly had more (at least physically) attractive qualities than ugly ones, but this wasn’t a path Seeth was remotely interested in pursuing. Even in her ever horny state, Robin had done anything but endear himself to Seeth, and his actions had made him rather repulsive to her. She may not have been home much, but she had quickly clocked on to his game, the lies, the sneaking about… 

 

“You know, I prefer my nights more lively than this…”

 

“I bet. You know Venner is home, right?” Seeth asked, her voice stern. “Likely waiting for you? In your bed?”

 

Robin took a swig of his rum and placed the glass on the coffee table in front of them. He seemed to deliberately avoid the coaster that was a few inches by his side, and while Seeth had never exactly been a neat-freak, his complete disregard for some reason irked her.  

 

“It doesn’t matter. Fuck Venner. She can wait.” He spoke softly, ensuring he couldn’t be heard from the bedrooms. 

 

“Yup, you probably should fuck Venner. Shouldn’t you?”

 

Unfortunately, Seeth’s not-particularly-witty wit was completely lost on Robin, and the human continued without pause, his eyes wandering over her body.

 

“What matters right now, is you. A gorgeous alien, sitting in our living room, at this twilight hour, alone. When you really ought to have some company. You told me when we first met that I’m immuuuune…” He giggled to himself and slid closer to her on the sofa, teasing the top button on his wrinkled shirt. “Now why would you tell me that, Seeth? If you weren’t looking for a little piece of me? How could I have been so blind?”

 

“I didn’t want you to be concerned about corruption when it didn’t affect you. That’s the only reason I told you.” She sighed loudly. “Your wife is literally ten metres down the hall and you’re… you’re doing this?”

 

“Correction.” Robin held his finger up. “We’re doing this. It could be so sweet, so naughty… Our little secret… One thing though…” His gaze dropped and he eyed Seeth's crotch hungrily. “I’m topping.”

 

“Ugh. As if!” Seeth scoffed. If this man’'s opinion had actually been worth anything to her, she would've been offended. “Besides, you know there would be serious contamination issues if anything did happen between us? Not that it would! But if we had sex, and then you had sex with Venner, there is a very real possibility that your wife would be infected and changed forever. She’s not immune.”

 

“Good. Maybe that would make her a bit more interesting to be around. A bit more like you.”

 

Seeth’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Words failed her as he scooched even closer, his body pressed right up against hers now, and went to lay his hand on her thigh. Before he could land it however, she snatched his hand by the wrist and gently, firmly, placed it back in his own lap.

 

“Robin. The others may play nice with you for Venner’s sake, I can assure you, I really don’t give a toss.”

 

“What do you mean…?” He asked, genuinely, but his momentary confusion was quickly replaced by a misguided confidence. “Ooooh. Are you playing hard to get? I love a challenge.” He grabbed his drink off the table and gently rubbed his finger over the rim, leaving a frosty, glittering trail over it, and winked at Seeth. “Imagine these fingers running over your nipples… Wouldn’t that be so hot - sorry - cold…”

 

In response, Seeth grimaced and stood from the sofa, shaking her head in disgust. That was quite enough. 

 

“I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Robin.” 

 

The change in Robin was like night and day. As she moved to leave the room, she felt his sudden ice-cold stare against her back. 

 

“You should look at me when I'm talking to you, Seeth.” He growled softly. “It's rude to turn your back on someone when they're talking to you. And dangerous, too.”

 

She knew she should have carried on to bed. She should have left him to seethe and wallow alone in the living room, but something in her wanted to bite back. Something wanted this piece of trash to feel some well-deserved scorn.

 

So, she did.

 

“Robin, I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last man in the universe.” She turned to face him, watching his lips curl. She quite enjoyed that. It wouldn’t take much more to push him.

 

“You’re playing a dangerous game, girl.”

 

“I’m not playing, Robin.” She replied smoothly. “You’re a lying, nasty sack of crap, and I wouldn’t touch you with a hazmat suit on.”

 

“Are you joking?!” Robin cried out, standing from the sofa in the same manner as Seeth. “That's horseshit! What the hell are you doing, denying me?! I know about your condition. I know what you've done to people. You are nothing. You are desperate. You are in no position to deny me, anything!”

 

Seeth’s head tilted as she choked back a chuckle, a shit-eating smirk spreading across her face.

 

“Really? You think that? Robin, you know I can hear you and Venner through the walls, right? Even in my sex-deprived, desperate state, your ‘sex’ with Venner is, if anything.. well, I'm just relieved that I wasn’t involved.”

 

“What? What does that mean?”

 

“It means you’re bad at pleasing your wife.”

 

“Y-You take that back! Right now!” He said defiantly, a set of icicle claws solidifying over the tips of his fingers.

 

“Honestly, those were some of the fakest moans I've ever heard. She sacrifices her own pleasure for your ego, every single time. What a girl! And bravo to her, she puts on quite the performance for you, doesn’t she? You buy it every time! I bet you walk away feeling like quite the little champion! Truth be told, Robin, as far as stimulation goes, you’d get cucked by a slight breeze. You are anything but attractive to me and if you dare, dare try to come onto me again after a night of cheap drinks and sad sex with hookers, you’ll be lucky if you can walk again.”

 

Robin stood in utter shock as he mulled over Seeth’s scolding remarks, his eyes still drifting over her body even in his frothing anger.

 

“H-How do you know I -”

 

“I can smell it all over you, idiot. You reek of cheap pussy.” Said Seeth, rolling her eyes.

 

“Bullshit!” Robin spat. “You’re just jealous! You're jealous that you can't have what I have. A loyal partner, and a healthy, varied sex life.” Robin's face twisted into a smirk. “And jealousy isn't a good look on you, Seeth, scrunching up that pretty little face of yours.” 

 

“Oh?” Seeth raised an eyebrow. “My apologies. I was under the impression that you and Venner were monogamous. I assume then, that if I went to your bedroom right now, and told Venner what - or should I say who - you've been up to tonight, that she'd have no problems with it at all, and it wouldn't at all come as a surprise to her?” 

 

“You think she'd listen to a word that comes out of your slimy, slobbering mouth? After the way you've ignored her, glared at her, blamed her for you losing your precious boyfriend? You don't think she talks to me, Seeth? You don't think I listen?” Robin's face curled into a snarl. “I'd love to try and see you try, Seeth. Especially after what I've heard, that you go running around, chasing after Vora Barons with a great big hard-on swinging between your legs.”

 

“What the fuck are you trying to imply?” Seeth replied, her voice dangerously soft.   

 

“That while I'm here, actually getting some, you spend all your time killing, because no one wants to be with you!” Robin spat with a false sense of triumph.

 

“You were literally just trying to come on to me, Robin! Or have you forgotten that it was my slimy, slobbering mouth you wanted sucking on your dick?” Seeth took a step closer to him, venom in her voice. “The only reason you get any is because of guilt and money. Venner only stays with you because she thinks she owes you for the prison stint. And, forgive me, but whose money are you buying those hookers with? Because you don’t actually have a job, do you? Using your wife's money to buy girls to cheat on her with? Now that's classy. But, just to clarify…”

 

Seeth crouched down to the floor, so that she was eye level with the human.

 

 “You’re right. I am desperate. And I still won't fuck you.”

 

“Shut up! Shut up, you asshole!” Robin snapped. “If you think you're getting a pity-fuck out of me know, you are sorely mistaken!”

 

“Pity-fuck me?!” Seeth cried out, pretending to be shocked. “Bold of you to assume you even had a chance! How you managed to bag a girl as loyal as Venner, I'll never know. Now, melt your claws off and go sob into your poor wife’s nightie, you pathetic little creature.” Seeth stood back up and made for the door. But she stopped, her hand on the handle, and glanced back.

 

“And I swear, you so much as sniff around Tivy or Oxyi, I’ll turn you into fucking paste. Have some decency and break up with Venner if you can’t keep your shrimp in its packet.”

 

“You’re supposed to be hot, but you’re just a bitch! I bag chicks hotter than you every day. I'll bet Diego left on purpose. Smart guy if he did, if this is how you react to a bit of harmless flirting!”

 

For just a second, a flicker of fury twitched in the corners of Seeth’s eyes, but the girl calmed herself remarkably quickly for such an under-the-belt punch.

 

“And you call me desperate? Tsk. Run along, fuck boy. Before I get really nasty.”

 

Before he could respond, Seeth quickly opened the door wide, leaving them in earshot of the bedrooms. She watched Robin quake and quiver in anger as he realised his response would risk incriminating himself to the rest of the flat.

 

“Fuck you, fat ass. Lose some weight and work on your attitude.” Robin breathed quietly, his ice claws melting away as he marched past her down the corridor, and stormed off. “Pathetic little fuck.”

 

Seeth didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. She didn’t need to. Robin’s words meant nothing to her. His opinion was worthless. That said, as she watched him disappear into the bedroom, she couldn't help but think that that whole interaction was… a bit out of character for her. Why had she felt the need to bite back at him like that? She mulled it over. For a moment, she almost felt a little bit like… 

 

like…

 

Leech.

 

The girl had always had a sharp, scalding tongue. She shook her head and discarded the thought quickly. Leech didn’t deserve a place in her already preoccupied head right now.

 

Venner might have been the reason why she was in this position. Robin hadn't been wrong in her blaming Venner for Diego's disappearance, but Seeth’s opinion of the young woman had shifted a lot over the last six months. Between rescuing them from Moltezz’s fury back on Barru X, and working with Oxyi for money, she’d given her everything to make up for her bad decisions, and seeing her efforts wasted on Robin was actually quite upsetting. 

 

Not that there's anything to be done about it now.

 

Seeth sighed sadly and snatched her data-tablet from the sofa before making her way to her own room. Time for bed I think. Something's telling me I'm gonna need all the sleep I can get for tomorrow.

 

*

 

The next morning, the flat's small kitchen felt warm and alive as everyone descended on the dining table. Tivy and Geralt had served up a large, fresh breakfast, with a mix of fresh fruit, cereal and some baked treats for everyone to enjoy. Seeth sat at the top of the table, wrapped up in a thick dressing gown which actually managed to cloak her curvaceous figure to a reasonable degree.

 

Oxyi and Trent were perched on the left side of the table, Venner opposite them and so far, everyone seemed to be having a pleasant morning. Seeth received a warm good morning from everyone as she sat on her creaking chair, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with the back of her hand.

 

Tivy and Geralt finished laying out the table. Geralt sat down between Oxyi and Trent, and Tivy took her usual spot at the tail of the table, opposite Seeth. The room quickly filled with the soft crunch of freshly baked goods and clinking of metal cutlery on bowls.

 

A subtle smile worked its way onto the Controller’s face, despite the aching from within her body. They were doing okay, despite her seemingly best efforts at times. She had expected a more sombre atmosphere, but it seemed that a day of grieving and an early night had actually done the crew some good.

 

As they began to eat and the room filled with pleasant small-talk, the final member of the flat revealed himself. Robin, dressed in his own red dressing gown, looked somewhat hungover, with large black bags around his eyes and a slight hunch to his posture, as he squinted in the morning light. The smell of breakfast was a welcome relief to him, and he quickly shuffled to the table, and took his place next to Venner. 

 

Before he even sat down, he'd wrapped his arm around Venner’s shoulder, pulling himself close and nuzzled his messy hair into the crook of her neck. Venner, in response, blushed madly from the surprising show of public affection, as Robin was usually cordial, but somewhat sterile with his wife. 

 

If it wasn’t for last night, his behaviour might have fit in naturally to the otherwise pleasant mood of the flat.

 

He briefly pulled himself away from her to pour himself a bowl of cereal, but then immediately threw his arms over her again as soon as he could, nuzzling against her closely and pressing kisses against her cheek and neck. The woman's face was lit up red the entire time, clearly loving the attention but unsure of how to react. 

 

“Robin, Robin! Not here, not in front of everyone!” Venner mumbled with a giggle, but if anything, her reaction only encouraged him. A sweet smile spread across the rat's pretty race as Robin nibbled gently against her ears. 

 

His physical attention may have been locked onto his wife, but Robin’s eyes were elsewhere.

 

Any opportunity he got, where the others were distracted by their own conversations, he attempted to catch Seeth's eye. And everytime he did, his grin grew wider, and he would squeeze Venner tighter, and pull her closer to him. Seeth merely sighed softly under her breath in response, and reached across the table of a particular pastry that caught her fancy.

 

“W-What’s got into you this morning, Robin?” Venner giggled, as her husband ran his fingers over her legs, leaving buzzing cold lines through her fur.

 

“Do I need a reason? I suppose I'm just in an exceptionally affectionate mood, after what we got up to last night.” He looked across the table at Seeth again, but this time, the Controller met his eyes purposely. He was blatantly trying to taunt her. Perhaps telling him that she could hear them through the walls wasn't the smartest thing she'd done, as Robin and Venner seemed to be going all night, and for the first time since she'd known them, Venner's gasps and cries had actually sounded genuine. 

 

“You don’t mind us having a cuddle at the table, do you guys?” Robin continued, refusing to back down.

 

The others paid little attention - Oxyi in fact was doing her best to look anywhere but - but Tivy did shake her head dramatically, her mouth full of fruit. She didn’t mind one bit.

 

And Robin continued to try and stare her down.

 

I am NOT taking that from you. I meant what I said to you yesterday, you deceptive little cunt.

 

“Venner. You need to know something.” Seeth spoke clearly across the table, and although she was speaking to Venner directly, her eyes remained fixed on Robin.

 

The table slipped into a tense silence.  Tivy, who was mid way through munching through a tasty-looking strawberry which was firmly plastered over her mouth, looked up at the Controller curiously, and was the one of the crew who was able to meet her eyes. Her eyes bounced between Seeth and Robin, who appeared locked in a staring contest. Seemingly, she was the only person aside from Venner at the table who genuinely had no idea what Seeth was about to say.

 

“What is it, Seeth?” Venner asked, as Robin smuggly tightened his arms around her.

 

“Your husband tried to fuck me last night.” Seeth stated flatly.

 

The entire table recoiled, all except Robin, who remained still, confident, and with his wife tight in his grip.

 

“Bullshit.” Robin laughed defiantly. But within his arms, he began to feel Venner’s body tense up.

 

“Venner, he came onto me last night after he came home and made a purposeful, sustained attempt to seduce me. I refused and reminded him that you were a short walk away. He knew exactly what he was doing.” Seeth addressed Venner directly, and she caught her gaze.

 

Across the table, Oxyi’s hands curled into tight fists.

 

“That's nonsense.” Robin replied, on his wife's behalf, more firmly now. “Alright, I may have done some playful, innocent flirting when I got home, but there were no intentions behind it! I was in a playful mood last night, you can attest to that, Ven.” He buried his face in her neck again. “You know me! But who do I come home to every night?”

 

“I-Is this true? You tried to fuck Seeth?” Venner asked with a shaky voice, pulling her head away from him.

 

“No! Why are you believing her over me?” Robin frowned sharply, offended, and pulled away from Venner entirely.

 

“After I refused -” Seeth continued, “- he called me desperate and cursed me out. He’s only being affectionate so nice to you this morning because he’s trying to upset me. But I thought you should know the truth.”

 

“Babe, you know I wouldn't do that! Focus on me, not them!” Robin grabbed Venner's face and turned her glassy, wandering eyes to look at him. “Look at me! They’re lying! Seeth is jealous of what we have! She’s corrupted, and she just wants to break us up so she can take what's left over!”

 

Seeth’s face hardened at Robin’s comments, but as she went to respond, someone else spoke up.

 

“She’s not lying!” Oxyi shouted, her intense gaze firmly locked onto Robin.

 

Venner turned to face the lioness, whose balled-up fists shaking as she tried to keep it together.

 

“Venner, the day I followed him I… I saw him entering the brothel on our station… I didn’t want to say anything but… if he’s flirting with Seeth then -”

 

“You fucking followed me?! Are you for fucking real?!” Robin swallowed loudly, yet his anger somehow felt counterfeit. “W-We’re in danger here, Ven! This lot are crazy!”

 

“Oh come off it you prick, even Geralt picked up on it and he hasn’t left the flat in months!” Oxyi huffed, annoyed. The girls turned to the older feline, who refused to look at anyone. He did, however, nod with a sour grimace.

 

“T-That's bullshit, you’re all insane! Ven, please.” Robin placed a gentle hand against Venner's face, and stroked a tear away from her cheek. “You know how tight we are, Seeth is lying. Oxyi is clearly insane, and Geralt has cabin fever from staying cooped up in this place.”

 

The couple stared each-other down, trying to figure one-another out. But Venner’s expression broke first and she fell into a shuddering, heart-broken cry, twisting away from Robin. 

 

“Am I the only one who didn’t know?! H-How could you do that to me?! After everything I've done for you?!”

 

Robin stood sharply from his chair, his fake anger giving way to genuine panic… when he flinched violently, as a strawberry pinged off the side of his head.

 

“YOU TOTAL DIRTBAG! YOU LITTLE PRAT! I’LL MESS YOU UP!” Tivy screamed, leaping up onto the table and hurling another strawberry at him. Before her assault could continue, Trent quickly scooped her off the table and pulled her back down into her chair, where Tivy continued to lob strawberries at him from the basket.

 

Just then, Oxyi bolted upright from her chair, which clattered loudly to the ground and grabbed Robin’s attention, as the lioness gave him a death-glare.

 

“You utter FUCKER! Robin! Cunt! You would do that to both Venner and Seeth?!? With her condition?! Then make out like Seeth is shit-stiring?!”

 

“She's lying! They’re all lying!” Robin protested but quickly retreated from the table as Oxyi dived across it. Rather than assault Robin though, she stood protectively in front of Venner, unarmed and still in her pyjamas. 

 

Venner's gaze meandered to Seeth’s, and the two looked at one other for a second.

 

Venner almost looked… thankful. 

 

Hurt and unsure, certainly. 

 

But like she needed to hear it.

 

“Fuck you! She’s the reason I was in fucking jail!” Robin cried out as the entire room turned against him. “She owes me the last two years!”

 

“You’ll be in the fucking ground if you don’t shut up!” Oxyi yelled back.

 

“C-Can we all just calm down? Please?” Geralt asked genuinely, picking Oxyi’s chair up off the floor.

 

“None of you understand! You’re not making me leave!” Robin cried out, backing away towards the kitchen counter. A long crackling noise filled the room as Robin formed an iceblade over his forearm, as long as a knife and just as sharp.

 

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as he brandished his weapon, gritting his teeth together and backing himself further and further into the corner.

 

“Fucking dumbass, theres knives right next to you…?” Seeth rolled her eyes dismissively and stood from the table, prompting a look of sheer panic from Robin who stared up at her like his life was about to end. “There’s no need for this to get violent. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is get physical with you, Robin. Why don't you make yourself useful and make yourself scarce for a few hours, hmm?”

 

Seeth’s words were wasted however, as Robin tensed up in the corner of the kitchen, using his free arm to snatch a knife up from the counter top.

 

“Fuck you! FUCK YOU! You just had to ruin it all!” He hissed, pointing the blade at Seeth. “We were doing just fine before you lot had to come in and interfere! I’m not leaving! You can’t make me leave! I have every right to be here!”

 

“Robin… please…” Venner begged, turning around to face him. Her cheeks red and puffy, tears streaming down her fur. “Don’t make this worse…”

 

Seeth sighed loudly and cracked her neck to the side.

 

Don’t squeeze this one to death, Seeth. She thought to herself. But her stride towards the human was halted before it could begin, by a soft beeping from within her cushioned pocket.

 

The rest of the crew remained alert and concerned. Trent had his arms around Tivy, who was fumbling for more things to throw at Robin. Geralt had made his way over to Venner and pulled her close, staring over her shoulder at Robin with a judgemental stare.

 

Oxyi remained steadfast, standing between Robin and Venner, her heart pounding in her chest as she considered what might need to be done if Robin didn’t back down.

 

As Seeth pulled her data-tablet out, her expression changed immediately. 

 

Urgent… Commander Jace Koa?

 

“I’m not leaving! She needs to leave! She’s the one who started all this!” Robin cried out, repeatedly pointing his weapons at Seeth, but the alien did not respond, transfixed by her data-tablet as she opened the message.

 

Her heart skipped a beat.

 

Slowly, the room turned back to Seeth, waiting in suspense for her response.

 

“Seeth? Are you okay?” Trent asked uncertainly.

 

The Controller's breathing intensified, her eyes bright and wide. Her freckles were sparkling brighter than they had in months.

 

“Seeth? What's cooking?!” Tivy yelled, pulling the green head off a floor strawberry between her teeth like it was a pin on a grenade.

 

“T-They have him!” Seeth stuttered, her eyes flitting rapidly from her data-tablet, around the room and back to her data-tablet, overwhelmed with emotion. “The DA! They have him!”

 

“Who?! What you talking about?!” Tivy shouted, with a confidence and attitude that the rest of the gang were yet still unable to muster against the Controller. “Is it D-Diego?!”

 

“Diego?!” Oxyi almost squealed in shock, spinning around to face her.

 

“Diego! The DA has him!” Seeth practically screamed, visibly vibrating with excitement. “T-They’re giving him back to me! They’re fucking giving him back!!!”

 

She blinked out tears of joy from her eyes, barely able to contain herself. 

 

“DETAILS, BITCH! WHAT'S THE DEAL?!” Tivy screamed, diving out of Trents hands and onto the table.

 

“M-Monday! The R-M-Douchebags will take him off his current owner’s hands and free him! H-he’s sent a code for us to use so we can cross the border and use the FTL network they have over there!”

 

“DADDY DIEGO’S COMING HOME?!” Tivy exclaimed, both in excitement and in shock.

 

“H-He’s given me coordinates for the planet. We’re not allowed to land on it but we can remain in orbit until Monday, then they’ll facilitate the deal and… and…” Seeth flushed bright red, fanning her face. Tivy ran across the table and dived onto her, hugging Seeth around the neck tightly.

 

“I’M STILL NOT LEAVING!” Robin cried out. He seemed upset that his moment had so quickly taken away from him, and was desperate to get everyone's attention back. 

 

“Then stay, I'm going, right now.” Seeth responded firmly, clenching back tears and hugging her arm around Tivy. “I-I have a new ship I can use… I can be there in a couple of days…” 

 

“We can be there in a couple of days.” Oxyi said determinedly. “We're coming with you.” She leant over to Venner and whispered softly, “You’re welcome to come with us, Venner.”

 

The rat nodded softly, too lost in her own heartbreak to enjoy the moment, but grateful nonetheless.

 

“Look at that.” Seeth smiled, her chest shuddering with emotion. “Flat all to yourself, Robin.” She laughed through tears.

 

The crew dived past Robin, who was still pressing himself into the corner of the kitchen, his face red with undeniable fury. Within moments, the entire crew had thrown themselves into their rooms, stuffing bags with what they might need for the trip ahead and tripping over each-other to get dressed.

 

In the flurry of activity that followed, Venner emerged from her room, dressed in a new green shirt and jeans, the labels still dangling from the back of them, and anxiously stood in front of Robin. Her face was still running with tears and she tried to bring herself to speak, but couldn’t manage more than a croak.

 

“I-I’m coming with you.” Robin insisted, gently putting the knife down as the crew assembled in the living room. “Y-You’re not leaving me. I refuse to be refused. Not by you.”

 

Venner tried to respond, but couldn’t begin to form the words.

 

“Come on, Ven… Please…” Robin begged, slowly melting the ice blade on his arm. Gently, he reached out to her, but before he could touch her shoulder, Oxyi’s arms gripped onto Venner from behind and pulled her away.

 

“You stay away from her. She needs time away from you to think about what needs to be done!” Oxyi growled. “Come on, Ven. It’ll do you both good.”

 

Seeing his wife pulled away from him sent a visible surge of anger through Robin, his teeth clenching behind his lips.

 

“You - STOP! No! You don’t get to tear my life apart and run away with MY wife, you bitch! You can’t stop me! I have every right to be with her!”

 

“You take one step on my ship and I'll flush you out the airlock.” Seeth scowled, emerged from the bedroom corridor with a massive rucksack on her back. “And that's me being nice. Believe me. You have zero authority over me and zero authority to be on my ship. Venner’s choice if she wants you there or not.”

 

The whole room turned to face Venner as the couple stared into each-other's eyes. Robin pleaded with her, begged her, but was met with a slow, sad shake of Venner’s head.

 

“Then it's decided. Don’t make me hurt you, Robin.” Seeth glared at him, before ushering the crew forward. “Time to leave, gang!”

 

They marched through the front door, a complete mix of emotions visible on all of them. Seeth could feel Robin’s eyes on her back as they walked out onto the street and towards the docks, but she wasn't about to let it ruin her moment. Her heart fluttered madly in her chest as his words once again echoed through her mind.

You… wanna travel with me?

A few more days… Just a few more days…

I usually just drift around, seeing what’s what, who needs help.

Seeth could barely contain her excitement.

I could really do with the company…

“Hang in there, Diego.” Seeth whispered, clutching at her chest. “We're coming to get you.”