Why the fuck does this even have to happen? Sure, it makes sense. Confront your stalker and put this all to rest. But this requires seeing him.
He looks to Karkat, who is leading him through the palace- a fucking palace of all things! He would have liked to have come for another reason, even just to fuck around and take selfies with the empress or something.
"I think you're making a mistake, personally." Karkat's words startle him, leaving him sputtering a somewhat nervous laugh. "He doesn't deserve to see your ugly mug."
John's mind immediately goes to Sollux calling him feo, a smile coming to his features. "Yeah, I know. I'm just sick of this shit. Now is my only chance to put this to rest once and for all." Karkat grunts in response to that, the older alien shaking his head.
He exhales a slow breath as he's led down some steps to the dungeons, schooling his features easily into neutrality. He connects his phone to the chat as he pulls an earbud out to put into his ear, his heart easing from how it was racing at the TTS that greets him.
John has to keep the smile from coming to his features, his shoulders relaxing as the monotonous tone soothes his anxieties.
Karkat stops walking, looking over his shoulder towards the human before he's nodding towards the cell he stopped near. "We're here."
Inside comes the clatter of chains, as the occupant shifts. Within moments there's the grotesque features of a clown who had his face blown up, gnarled and purple, pressing to the bars. "Ain't this a pleasant surprise." He'd be smiling if he had lips to do so, but there hasn't been enough time to heal just yet, even with all of the mediculler attention he's been given.
His heart races in his chest, but John puts on a good show as he steps closer. "I bet." His tone mimics the monotony of the TTS in his ear.
Gamzee's fingers slip through the bars, reaching towards the human as best he can. "Y'came to see me," His speech is so garbled that it's hard to understand him. "Knew ya hated me hehe."
"I don't." He says the words plainly, and it's enough to have the large troll sucking in a breath. "I feel bad for you, actually. You're so delusional that it's sad, Gamzee."
Those long spindly fingers curl around the bars tightly, grotesque features pressing up against the bars more forcefully. "You don't mean that," He sounds incredulous, almost. Like he can't believe the words that are being spoken. As if he and EB had anything going on in the first place.
John shrugs, keeping his expression impassive. "I do, actually. You're like some lost perrito who latches onto the first thing that gives it the time of day." His words bring a growl out of the troll, leaving Gamzee attempting to shake the bars to no avail.
"You poor thing." He mumbles, which in turn has the large alien sucking in a breath. "It must be so painful." He shakes his head, making a soft tsk noise.
It brings a roar from Gamzee, the beast of a man rearing back only to slam himself into the bars. "John-- I know you hate me, I saw it!"
It's hard to keep himself from reacting, but John manages. "I don't hate you, Gamzee. I never have." His skin crawls, but he steps closer despite the way that Karkat sputters a soft noise of disapproval. "Pobrecito, qué pena me das." He reaches to pat Gamzee's fingers, thankful that he's stunned enough not to grab onto him.
Gamzee's shoulders shake, the large man eliciting a mournful wail as he slams his head against the bars. "John, John, come on stop saying shit like that--"
"I hope you get better, Gamzee. I really do." He doesn't. No part of him cares what happens to the man on the other side of the bars, but he's getting the reactions he wants out of him. His jaw tenses minutely, though he keeps his cool with the TTS in his ear telling him how well he's doing.
Unnaturally blue eyes shift to the smallest in the vicinity, a soft sigh escaping. "I think we're done here."
Karkat nods, looking between the two for a moment before he's motioning back the way they came.
John gives a final unfeeling gaze to Gamzee before he begins walking down the path, ignoring the shout of his name resonating through the hall. It's a weight off his shoulders, even with the slamming against the bars.
Finally, this shit will all be over.
