The Codfather's Smile

by Anonymous

Summary:

Codfather Jimmy Solidarity was being horribly abused by his fellow Emperors, until the Hermits came and put an end to it. Now begins the long road to recovery and his new friends seem determined to make him smile.

THIS IS A SEQUEL TO "RESCUE THE CODFATHER" AND MENTIONS NON-CON/ABUSE THAT HAPPENED IN THAT STORY, BUT THIS STORY WON'T HAVE ANY NON OR EVEN DUBCON SCENES. It will still have smut, though.

Notes:

• Inspired by Rescue the Cod Father by Anonymous

This is the sequel to another anonymous work I post a few months ago (linked in the inspired by or "Rescue the Codfather"). That story contains a lot of noncon/abuse and while it will be referenced I will do my best to keep this story fluffier, as well as understandable if you haven't read the original.

Also: special thank you to everyone who was so enthusiastic about the original and thank you for being patient for the sequel! I'm still writing it but hopefully updates will be regular and the first few chapters are already done :D

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Troubles of the Mind, Scar

The Hermits could travel fast when they put their minds to it, and while most considered Nether travel quite scary for them it was normal. But even they couldn’t make the trip from the far west continent that the Empires called home to the Hermitlands in the far east in a day even with Nether travel, and it would be far too risky with the Codfather Solidarity in such critical state.

They traveled as far as the ocean, where Keralis’s yacht was still docked, before stopping for the night. Doc, Xisuma, Keralis, Tango, even Ren and Impulse each took a turn carrying the lifeless Solidarity. Scar was incredibly concerned at the Codfather's lack of response to anything. He didn't flinch, didn't shift, barely seemed to be breathing. Sometimes his eyes were open and glazed over while other times they were closed but it made no difference. As soon as they decided to stop for the night, Xisuma began issuing commands.

“Doc, you and Cub take care of the Codfather. Check for injuries, clean him up, try and get him to drink a potion or eat if you can. Everyone else, if you could check the ship before going to bed it would certainly speed up our departure tomorrow. And Scar…” Xisuma paused before sighing heavily. “If you would, please, I want you to look into his mind. I know what I'm asking is a lot but…” Xisuma glanced at Solidarity, who was being carried by Doc into the ship’s interior and no doubt towards the sickbay.

“I understand. Don't worry, X. I can handle it.” Scar promised. He followed his fellow Hermits through the halls to the sickbay and pulled up a seat near the Codfather’s head.

Gently he set a hand against the Solidarity’s forehead and closed his eyes. It has been a while, a very long while, since he'd done something like this. Since he'd allowed himself to sink so far into his Vex magic and fully enter another's mind. It was hard to be afraid though, with the sounds of Cub and Doc tending to Solidarity, knowing that even if those instincts didn't let go of him the Hermits would help.

So he let go of all physical sensations and very gently pushed his awareness into Solidarity’s. Immediately he knew something was wrong. Usually mental landscapes were full of stuff; shifting colors, images, shapes, emotions, thoughts, and memories. It could be calm and orderly or more akin to Santa’s workshop the day before Christmas or fractal swirls without logic and anywhere in between, but this? This was practically a blank space. He was walking on water that was ever so slightly rocking but black as tar. It stretched to the horizon and was just barely distinguishable from the slightly lighter sky of calmly roiling dark storm clouds, though there was no lightning. It almost looked like the sea and the sky were mirrored. 

Scar had the impression the ocean wasn't meant to look like this, that there was more to be seen beneath the darkness and that the cloud cover shouldn't be there, but whatever barrier was keeping him walking on the waves would be risky to force past. At least Solidarity wasn't hard to find. He was a small patch of pale skin, floating half covered in the blackened water just a short distance away. 

He didn't react as Scar got closer and it was strange to see how the Codfather’s body was different from his real one. How the scars seemed so much more visible and there were white streaks all over that looked like they were caused by hands. Given the placement Scar could believe they were a physical manifestation of the unwelcome hands and touch of Solidarity's memories. His clothes looked a bit tattered, old and damaged; practically little more than rags that barely covered him. He looked less gaunt than in real life, though, and his muscles were a little bigger and more toned.

Scar sat down near Solidarity’s head and waited for a few minutes to see if the cod hybrid reacted at all. He didn’t and so after taking a breath Scar began to speak aloud. “This place seems kind of lonely.” There was the tiniest flick of the fins on the Codfather’s head, but that was enough to make Scar brighten up. “I don’t imagine you want to stay here forever.”

At that statement Solidarity flinched and the world seemed to humm for a moment as the storm clouds began to roil more. It seemed the storm was a representation of his fear. Scar leaned back to watch the sky. It wasn’t a good thing that it was there, but there was something almost pretty about it. “You're afraid. I understand why. You’ve been hurt, a lot, in ways you never should have been.” Scar offered to the sky.

“Then why…?” The words were wobbly and stained, quiet enough to be a whimper through tears, and Scar brought his gaze back towards Solidarity. The Codfather had curled into a ball and sunk even further into the water; it was only the top of his head showing, just a little bit of his blond hair. Scar couldn’t tell given the way the Solidarity was curled up if he was crying but it seemed likely.

“Because you’re a good person, who’s been taken advantage of by people who aren’t so good.” Scar answered and the cod hybrid was trembling.

“I don’t want to hurt anymore.” He whispered. The mindscape shifted, the roiling clouds and shifting water slowing until it felt like everything had come to a complete standstill. Scar nearly reached out to grab the Codfather before he could sink underneath the ever darkening black waters but he didn’t want to scare the cod-hybrid into it either.

“I know. You’ve been hurt so much. But there are people who want to help you.” Scar said and finally Solidarity looked up at him. His eyes were so utterly terrified but Scar offered him a small smile and decided to do something unusual. With a mind this fragile it was easy enough to influence, and he carefully pulled images of the Hermits from Solidarity’s memories.

They all seemed slightly different from how Scar thought of them as they began to appear around them, their appearance affected by Solidarity's own bias. Tango seemed much calmer than normal and his flaming hair was a bit more white than the usual rich reds and oranges; Solidarity likely didn’t know that was a sign of anger as the kindness in the Blazeborn’s red eyes was a very familiar sight. Ren almost seemed to be more dressed than normal, like his normal woodworking clothes were covering more skin, and he wasn’t wearing his normal sunglasses while he exuded a sense of safety. Xisuma and Keralis both seemed taller and bigger than normal, though their gentleness was evident. Xisuma was only wearing a black turtleneck and pants with a few pieces of his signature armor to cover most of his face. They also had an air of safety and comfort around them.

It seemed that Solidarity didn’t remember him and Cub, which made sense given that he had been unconscious when they’d found him, so Scar allowed his own memories to create representations of Cub, of Etho and Bdubs, of Grian, Mumbo, Doc, and Impulse standing around them. “See? These are some of the people who will help. We only want to see you healthy and smiling. Will you let us try?” Scar asked as he held out a hand.

Solidarity was looking at his hand and trembling. “And you promise I won’t be hurt again?” Solidarity whispered. 

“I can’t promise that, because that’s how life goes. And you’ve gone through something scary and difficult and getting over that isn’t going to be easy. But we’ll support you and protect you every step of the way, and if someone tries to hurt you again they won't be getting off easy. That's a promise.” Scar promised. The cod hybrid seemed to consider it nervously and Scar quietly added “This place will still be here, if you decide you don’t want to keep trying. But shouldn’t you at least see what could happen first? You never know what kind of happiness might be waiting for you.”

After a long moment Solidarity’s hand reached up and when the Codfather’s fingers came to rest against Scar’s palm he gently curled his hand around them. And promptly fell through the surface of the water. It took him a moment to reorient himself as he looked around. The tar-like darkness of the water was gone, leaving it a peaceful, if a bit pale, blue. Probably because the sky was still cloudy, though Scar could see hints of blue emerging from behind the clouds. 

But what was really incredible was what was beneath him. There was a massive coral reef that spanned almost as far as he could see, with more colors than Scar had ever seen in real life. The number and variety of fish was impressive, even including things like sea horses, eels, and in the distance past the coral reef Scar was pretty sure he could see sharks, whales, and dolphins. The only thing missing was salmon. 

Something moving near him drew Scar’s attention back to the Codfather, who looked a bit different. He looked younger, much younger, and his scars were gone. He was still skinny, but it looked more natural and there was a healthy flush to his face. His clothes were intact versions of what he’d worn before, though now it was actually distinguishable; simple brown pants and a faded forest green top, both of which were oversized. His webbed feet were bare and his golden blond hair was shorter and loose, looking almost soft and ethereal in the water as it framed Solidarity’s face. 

For a moment Scar was washed away in a tidal wave of memories from Solidarity’s perspective. The first was of dragging a body not used to being on land out of the water onto a muddy beach. In fast forward he built a tent, after a few tries. And then he began to build a cabin on the water. This took months of trial and error, of battling storms and floods and other natural disasters, of getting hurt through building mistakes and stubbornly tending to his own wounds, and slowly the small building that Scar remembered as the Codfather’s home took shape. There was a relief and pride at the sight once it was completed as he walked down the dock and took a seat, swinging his feet as he watched the sun go down over the ocean.

Scar had to force the memories away at that point, lest he got pulled any further in and lost himself. Solidarity was away from him now swimming through the coral reef, petting and playing with the many sea creatures. He didn’t seem to notice Scar anymore and while the storm was still there it felt much more lively and natural than it had when he’d arrived. So the Vex hybrid let himself withdraw from the Codfather’s mind.

It was always hard to come back to himself after doing this. His body felt numb and tingly and his magic was stretching out further, trying to dart into the minds around him. Scar felt someone’s arms wrap around him, holding him securely in place. *Shh, it’s safe, that’s our colony, don’t attack* Scar distantly recognized the voice as Cub’s, but the echoing giggling voice in his head belonged to the monarch of the colony and his magic suppressed itself almost immediately at the command, withdrawing back into his own body. 

Finally Scar could feel his limbs again, could hear Cub’s real voice murmuring to him, and he took a deep breath. Cub’s firm hold relaxed as Scar did and he quietly muttered “thanks”. 

“Of course.” Cub answered as he gave him a squeeze before pulling back. “How’s the Codfather?” 

Scar immediately glanced down at the cod hybrid laying in front of them. Solidarity still looked awful, pale and emaciated and he was almost uncomfortably aware of the totem of undying still hanging around the Codfather’s neck, but he had been cleaned up and bandaged and someone had found some clothes that at least sort of fit. More importantly his expression was no longer pained or blank. 

“No longer dissociating, but it’s going to be a long journey. We were lucky. Much longer and I don’t think he could have come back.” Scar explained as he yawned. He was exhausted now. Cub helped him up and to keep his feet as his knees didn’t feel like they were bending right but they didn’t walk far before Cub was helping him lay down on the second cot in the medical bay. 

“Good job, Scar. Get some rest.” Cub insisted and Scar hummed as he almost immediately fell asleep. He knew that tomorrow would likely be even harder, but the Hermits were no strangers to hard work and at the very least they could make sure that Solidarity had a safe place to heal and recover for however long that took, or longer if he wanted to stay.

Chapter 2: On the Sea, Tango

Summary:

Jimmy wakes up, sorta.

For their first two days on the water Solidarity did nothing but sleep and Tango was getting antsy waiting for good news. He was thankful that Doc at least allowed him in the sickbay to check on the Codfather, but Tango was pretty sure he’d never seen the creeper-goat so protective. Even now as he sat by Solidarity’s bed holding the cod hybrid’s hand Doc was stationed near the door like a sentry.

But Tango could ignore Doc’s almost glare, knowing that his fellow Hermit’s anger wasn’t directed at him, as he spoke to Solidarity about whatever came to mind. Today it was his plans for an expanded, updated sequel to Decked Out and he was incredibly excited to begin work on the project. He was getting so into the details he almost missed Solidarity's hand suddenly, though weakly, tightening around his. 

Almost. 

Because the moment he felt the movement Tango stopped speaking and shifted to look at the Codfather’s face. His expression was tense and shifting slightly. His grip tightened a few times before Solidarity finally opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, looking a bit dazed and confused even as he looked around the room until his gaze returned to Tango’s eyes. Tango smiled at him. 

“Hi, sleepy head. How are you feeling?” Tango spoke softly, hoping not to startle the cod hybrid, as he felt Doc’s presence leave the door and get closer to them. 

Solidarity opened his mouth but all that came out of a wheeze that even made Tango flinch because it had to have hurt. Before he could react Doc was there on the other side of the cot holding a glass of water. Tango helped Jimmy to sit up and the cod hybrid swayed and paled considerably at that simple action. 

“Here. Drink slowly.” Doc instructed as he held the glass up to Solidarity’s lips. The cod hybrid sipped the water that Doc very slowly allowed to trickle into his mouth. He even whined softly when Doc pulled the glass away and Tango was pretty sure both of them winced at the heartbroken sound. “Easy, I’m not taking it away, I promise. I’m just getting a potion that’ll help more.” Doc murmured as he did exactly that.

Solidarity groaned and abruptly the cod hybrid was leaning against Tango, almost nodding off in his arms. Tango shared a look with Doc as the creeper hybrid took gentle hold of Solidarity’s head. Tango knew exactly how that action felt as Doc expertly fed Solidarity a potion. The cod hybrid winced the moment it hit his tongue and abruptly Tango remembered the potion he’d been forced to drink during the first meeting with the Emperors. 

But the Codfather drank it despite his uncomfortable expression and immediately slumped against Tango’s chest as the blaze hybrid watched some of the still visible bruises begin to heal. It was a very slow process, with Solidarity practically falling asleep as Doc carefully allowed the potion to continue to trickle down his throat. By the time the potion was gone he looked better, though he was still far too thin. But Tango found himself breathing much easier as he gently laid Solidarity back down, immensely grateful to see that the cod hybrid was sleeping deeply and undisturbed. 

But he found himself unable to leave when he realized Solidarity was still holding onto his hand and reclaimed his seat next to the cod hybrid. “He’s looking much better.” Tango murmured and Doc hummed in a dissatisfied tone. It was the kind of tone that usually meant the other was about to spend several days without sleep and the Hermits would have to drag him to bed as he espoused his delirious excitement about some revolutionary new redstone machine. Unfortunately Tango didn’t think that a few days of grinding would be enough to help Solidarity, as much as he wished it would be that easy. 

“I’ll let X know he woke up.” Doc muttered before leaving the ship’s med-bay. Tango relaxed into the seat and with his free hand started running his fingers through Solidarity's hair. It was clean and detangled from Tango doing this so much over the last few days, but he couldn’t help it. He needed to be doing something. 

A few minutes later the door flew open. Tango half rose from his seat, already building up a fireball in his palm when he realized it was Xisuma and let it fizzle away. The armored hermit rushed over to the other side of Solidarity and looked the Codfather over from head to toe carefully, no doubt getting whatever readouts he could. Doc and Keralis entered the room much slower. Doc reclaimed his spot by the door while Keralis moved to stand by Xisuma. 

“How’s he doing, Shashwammy?” Keralis asked softly and Xisuma hummed for a moment before shaking his head like he needed to refocus. 

“Doing better. In terms of physical injuries I think they’ve all been taken care of, but that doesn’t help with his dehydration and malnutrition.” Xisuma explained.

Tango gently reached out and ran his fingers over a patch of the scales on the Codfather’s arm. “We ought to get him in the water soon too. His scales are super dry.” Tango added and Xisuma hummed. 

“Can we stop the boat, Keralis?” Xisuma asked and the taller man at his side nodded. “Good. Do it.” 

“Okay.” Keralis answered before he left the room. Xisuma sighed heavily. 

“Who would be best to help him in the water?” He muttered to himself.

Tango held himself back from speaking for a moment before he offered “Ren, Mumbo, Cub, Bdubs or Etho would all be fine at it. Obviously Impy and I can’t. I know Doc, Grian, and Scar all struggle to swim normally so they probably aren’t the best choice. Keralis or you could help him too.”

Xisuma nodded in response to him speaking, but didn’t say anything as he continued to look at Solidarity’s face. They sat in silence for several long minutes before there was a chugging noise followed by a heavy silence. The boat had been turned off. Tango slowly stood and carefully tried to pull his hand free from Solidarty’s. The Codfather whimpered quietly and curled towards him just a little when he did. 

Perhaps a little more hastily than needed Tango scooped Solidarity up from the table, holding him close to his chest, and that seemed to settle the cod hybrid. He still felt far too light despite how lanky he was. Doc was the one to open the door as Tango walked out of the med-bay, followed closely by Xisuma. They got to the top deck and Tango took a deep breath of the fresh sea air. 

Solidarity stirred a bit as the wind whipped around them and his eyes flickered open a little, but he didn’t really seem to be awake yet. Most of the other Hermits were littered around the main deck and rushed over when they saw them. 

“Is he okay?” Bdubs asked nervously. He half reached out like he wanted to adjust or fix something but nothing was obviously wrong so he didn’t know where to put his hands. 

“He’s fine, Dubs. His scales are just getting dried out so we’re going to get him in the water for a little bit.” Tango explained and Bdubs stepped back nodding. 

There was a moment of quiet before Etho said “I can get in with him.” Tango was a bit surprised to hear that from Etho of all people, but he recognized the look on the other’s face. The desire to help while feeling helpless. 

“I’ll go too. In case Solidarity needs healing.” Cub added, breaking another few moments of silence where Tango could guess that just like him the other Hermits were recovering from being stunned.

“Oh, swimming! I want to swim!” Scar declared excitedly and Xisuma chuckled. 

“Anyone who wants to get in can.” Xisuma assured and Scar excitedly jumped away, over to the side of the boat. Etho and Cub followed shortly after with life preservers so they wouldn’t have to tread water while trying to keep Solidarity’s body afloat. It took a bit of maneuvering, and Tango would have fallen in if not for Impulse grabbing his belt, but finally they got Solidarity’s limp body down to the water. 

Tango hated that he couldn’t join them to make sure Solidarity was okay and he was thankful for Impulse standing at his shoulder. Everyone seemed to hold their breath at first as Solidarity floated on his back in the water, with Etho holding just under his shoulders and Cub holding onto his feet to keep him afloat, but nothing big seemed to happen. After a minute Scar must have decided that was enough of that and leapt off the ship with an excited shout that had Grian immediately scolding him and the others laughing. 

Everyone who could swim quickly joined them in the water, excluding Xisuma and Keralis. “Not going to take a dip, X?” Tango asked and Xisuma shook his head. 

“I need to do some work, unfortunately.” He admitted, but despite his claim Xisuma didn’t move away from where he stood at the railing watching everyone below. Tango shared a glance with Impulse and then one with Keralis, who had a slightly mischievous smile.

The lumberjack stepped up close to Xisuma, wrapping his arms around the other man’s waist in a casual display that the pair rarely indulged in. “Come on, Shashwammy, let’s take a break.” Keralis murmured and Xisuma looked hesitant, but his expression quickly turned to panic as Keralis scooped him up and jumped off the edge of the boat. Laughter rang out from all around at Xisuma’s shout and there was a loud splash as the pair hit the water.

Tango just laughed as Xisuma surfaced and started shouting at Keralis, until Scar pushed a wave of water over the admin’s head. Quickly everyone in the water, except for Etho and Cub, were caught up in the splash fight. Tango didn’t notice right away, but the noise must have woken Solidarity up because Etho was murmuring to him.

Slowly everyone seemed to notice what was going on and quieted down, waiting to get an idea of how Solidarity was doing and not wanting to scare him. Slowly the Codfather pulled away from Etho and Cub and started treading water on his own as his eyes darted around at all the Hermits, lingering for a moment on the yacht and slowly scanning the horizon. 

When his eyes finally met Tango’s, the Blazeborn beamed. His tail was waving excitedly in the air behind him and he could feel Impulse’s eye roll without looking because his hair was no doubt flickering and sparking in his excitement. Almost nervously Solidarity gave him a small wave and Tango’s grin only grew. “Hi!” Tango called as he waved back.

Jimmy hesitated for a moment and glanced around at everyone again before he quietly confusedly murmured “Hi? Where… how… what’s going on?”

Chapter 3: Safe, Jimmy

Summary:

Jimmy is a little overwhelmed by kindness.

Notes:

Sorry for taking so long to post this! It's been written for a while but work was killer this week and I completely lost track of time. Enjoy!

Disoriented didn’t feel like quite the right word to describe how Jimmy felt, treading water in the deep ocean without any land on the horizon surrounded by Hermits. The last thing he remembered clearly was being with Count fWhip, though he had flashes of moments that might have happened since then? Different positions, different toys, the feeling of ropes and multiple pairs of hands on his skin. But it was not enough to make sense of this situation in the slightest. At least the cold ocean water felt really nice and nothing about his body was actively hurting.

 Someone swam up to his side and it took Jimmy a minute to realize it was Xisuma as his armor had changed to resemble a pink axolotl. It was pretty cute, especially compared to the admin's usually much more intimidating armor, while there was a soft smile on the Hermit’s face that made Jimmy feel safe down to his core. Which wasn’t a sensation he was used to. He still recoiled slightly at the approach on instinct, but Xisuma stayed a respectful distance away.  

“You don't need to worry. You’re safe here, I promise. But it’s also okay if you don’t feel safe or trust us.” Xisuma said, but Jimmy quickly shook his head at those last words. Because he did feel safe with Xisuma, and Tango and Keralis and Ren and even the other Hermits all around that he didn’t know as well. None of them made his skin crawl or caused a nausea inducing dread to settle in his stomach or made him feel weak and helpless. Xisuma’s smile softened a little at his objection and he chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you feel safe with us. To answer your questions, we left the Empires a few days ago and are sailing to our home.”

Xisuma seemed to have more to say but Jimmy was thankful he stopped speaking to give him time to really think about what he’d said. It sank in slowly that the Hermits had left Empires and had taken him with them . He didn’t even realize he was crying until a hand with a black glove that covered only three fingers (middle, ring, and pinkie) instead of all of them brushed away a tear from his cheek. With a quiet gasp he twitched to look at the person. He was pretty sure his name was Etho, who despite the mask over his mouth and nose Jimmy could tell was giving him a small smile too. 

“Are these good tears or sad tears?” Etho asked quietly and Jimmy opened his mouth, but no words came out as he simply shook his head with a small shrug. There were too many emotions coursing through him and his silent tears quickly escalated into hiccupping sobs. He buried his face in his hands to hide his tears, but before he could slip under the surface of the water to hide them better a hand grabbed his shirt, making him jerk away with a cry.

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just didn't want you to sink too far.” The person had their hands out in a peace gesture. Jimmy was pretty sure this was the Hermit called Cub and was the closest to him in the water other than Etho and Xisuma. 

Jimmy was used to trembling but that didn’t make the shaking any more pleasant as he wrapped his arms around himself, still slowly kicking his legs to stay above the surface. At least his tears had slowed though he was still sniffling. “Codfather?” Xisuma spoke gently and Jimmy jerked, twisting to look at him once again. “I’m sorry we didn’t get your permission to bring you with us. But we couldn’t ignore what was being done to you. You were catatonic and maybe only hours away from death. If you don’t wish to stay with us we can take you wherever you want to go, but I know all of us would feel better if you at least waited until you were healed up. You can stay longer, of course, even the rest of your life, if you'd like. But it’s your choice.”

Xisuma trailed off as Jimmy looked around at the Hermits again. They were all offering him reassuring smiles, some small, some bigger, and a few were even nodding excitedly including Tango. And under all their earnest expressions he nodded weakly. “Okay. Can I… choose to stay or leave later?” He asked softly and Xisuma nodded. 

“Of course. You can change your mind at any time. But thank you for giving us the chance to help you.” Xisuma said, and it was such a strange thing, to be thanked for something that would surely burden them and only benefited him. 

Suddenly a dark thought crossed his mind and he shrank back from Xisuma as he almost whispered “what do you want in return?”

Xisuma seemed almost taken aback by his sudden question, eyes going wide through his visor, and he spent a moment studying Jimmy’s face like he was trying to piece together a particularly confusing puzzle. After a long moment where the only sound was the wind and the water lapping against the yacht another of the Hermit’s spoke. Scar, Jimmy was pretty sure, who was in the water with them and swam closer. He spoke quietly and gently as he said “We don’t want payment. We just want you to be happy.”

The words echoed in Jimmy’s head like he’d heard them from Scar before, but if he had then both times they had been spoken with only conviction and kindness. Scar’s eyes held nothing but sincerity and while Jimmy was still anxious about what the Hermit’s might eventually demand from him, right now he felt like he could trust Scar’s words. So he quietly whispered “okay.”

The slightly tense atmosphere relaxed as all the Hermits beamed at him and strangely being looked at like that made his chest hurt. It was earnest and compassionate and kind and Jimmy… Jimmy wasn’t sure he’d ever been looked at like that before. Not with Joel, certainly not with fWhip or Sausage. Not even by Scott, even when they were dating. Were they still? Jimmy didn’t think they’d ever officially broken up but the idea of calling Scott his boyfriend made him feel like he was going to throw up. Not that there was anything in his stomach to get rid of and almost as if thinking about it made his stomach start growling for the first time in months. 

“Are you alright, Solidarity?” Xisuma asked and Jimmy quickly nodded. 

He hesitated for a moment, but Xisuma still looked worried and so he decided to take a chance. “Actually, I’m kinda hungry.” He admitted quietly. 

“Oh, of course you would be. You’re probably starving. My apologies for not thinking about that right away. Let’s get you something to eat, shall we?” Xisuma held out a hand. Jimmy quickly glanced around at the Hermits before he placed his hand in Xisuma’s and they swam over to a ladder built onto the side of the ship. 

Keralis was holding onto one of the lower rungs and smiled when they got close. “Shashwamm, won’t don’t you go up first and I’ll help him from here?” Keralis offered and Xisuma nodded before looking at him. 

“Is that okay?” Xisuma asked and for a moment Jimmy couldn’t answer. The fact he was being asked at all felt so strange, but it also made his chest warm-hurt again. So he just nodded and Xisuma quickly scaled the ladder. Keralis offered his hand in the other’s place and pulled him in close enough to grab the ladder. 

“Take your time, pretty fishie, okay? We don’t want you to fall.” Keralis encouraged and Jimmy nodded. He wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of the suggestion, because it was only a ladder. He should be able to climb a ladder. But at the same time, even the thought of having to heave himself up each rung made him start to tremble.

After a moment of looking up the ladder, that felt like it was growing longer and longer the more he stared, someone leaned over the top and smiled at him. “Want a hand?” Ren asked, the ears on his head flicking and a slightly crooked but genuine grin on his face. Slowly Jimmy nodded and the wolfman must have laid on his stomach in order to reach his arms down as far as possible. “Can you reach? Or can you help him, Keralis?”

With a little boost from Keralis Jimmy was able to grab onto Ren’s hands, though even holding on for even a few seconds was enough to make the muscles in his arms burn. Ren just smiled and tightened his hold a little before abruptly, almost easily, Jimmy was lifted up. He gasped softly at the sudden motion and winced when he saw Ren’s sunglasses fall down past him. He wanted to grab them, but by the time he realized what was going on he had already been lifted up onto the deck. 

Ren was still smiling at him and didn’t even seem winded as he took hold of Jimmy’s elbows gently to steady him as he swayed with the rocking of the boat. “Your glasses…” Jimmy murmured softly, feeling horrible that the wolfman had lost them, but Ren just laughed. 

“Don’t worry.” Ren reached into his pocket and set another pair of sunglasses on his face, though they were sat low enough on his nose Jimmy could see his wink as Ren added “I always keep extras.” Jimmy couldn’t quite stop a giggle from coming out and it honestly felt kind of nice to laugh. Ren seemed to delight in the sound as he beamed and loudly declared “I forever get bragging rights as the first person to make him laugh!”

Several other Hermits muttered halfhearted complaints about wanting to be the one to do that and that strange painful warmth in his chest was back, even stronger. It was nice. Really nice. After a moment someone gently nudged him from behind and Jimmy realized he was still blocking the ladder so he quickly stepped out of the way. Keralis quickly stood next to him, and though it almost felt like another lifetime he realized his observation in Pixandria had been right. Keralis was taller than him. 

The lumberjack was chuckling as he held out Ren’s original sunglasses towards the wolfman. Ren accepted them with a smile and then to Jimmy’s surprise the sunglasses were held out towards him. “At least until I get you your own pair, you can have these. In case things get too bright and loud again.”

Slowly Jimmy took them from him and he brought them in close to his chest. He couldn’t accurately describe the feeling that was overwhelming him. He was pretty sure the last gift he’d been given had been that flower and flowerpot Scott had let him keep on their first date. How had their relationship gone so wrong? Or had Scott just been playing him from the start? Even the flower and flower pot had been given to him in the moment, and the gift was used against him later. Tears were welling up in his eyes again, until he noticed a glimmer of gold around his neck. 

He didn't own any gold necklaces.

For a moment he started to panic, because gold meant either Joey or Scott, until a metal hand came to rest on his. There was only one person anywhere in the world that Jimmy knew of that had a limb like that, and that was Doc. Following the arm up he realized it was indeed the creeper-goat and if Keralis made him feel small, Doc made him feel tiny. But not at all in the way the Emperors would: rather than weak, he felt protected and all the stronger for that protection.

Doc was even smiling at him and it felt more natural and genuine than Jimmy would have expected from a man with Doc’s reputation. “That’s a Totem of Undying. You aren’t in immediate danger anymore but keep it at least until you’ve healed up.” Doc insisted and Jimmy’s eyes went wide. Totems of Undying were unbelievably rare. There wasn’t even a single emperor who had one. And yet, the Hermits had given him one. Doc had given him one.

“Thank you.” He whispered and Doc’s metal hand shifted to rest on the back of his neck. For just a moment, Jimmy wasn’t on the ship. It was every Emperor grabbing him by the neck, forcing his head down to swallow their cock, to drag him around, to yank his hair, to make him drink something, or simply just to make being hypersensitive that much worse. It was the sensation of cold metal fingers that made him snap back to reality almost immediately. To Doc, who was studying his face with a slightly worried expression. 

Doc followed his gaze and after a moment yanked his hand away. He seemed torn for a second between putting it back and doing something else, but the something else must have won out as Doc shoved it into his lab coat pocket instead. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that without asking first.”

Jimmy, holding Ren’s sunglasses in one hand and touching the Totem of Undying from Doc with the other, shook his head a little. He hadn’t expected the touch, but once he realized who it was it had almost felt nice. Grounding. He just wished he knew if it was because he genuinely still liked it or if the Emperors had trained him to take it regardless. Abruptly Jimmy jerked, his whole body flinching as he was reminded of fWhip’s little ‘gift’ that apparently still worked even at this distance as it suddenly began to vibrate against his prostate.

Notes:

Sorry, I'm slightly evil ;) But only slightly

Chapter 4: fWhip's 'Gift', Jimmy

Summary:

Jimmy has one reminder that needs to go regarding his time with the Emperors.

Notes:

Sorry for the long gap! This has been prewritten for a while but I completely lost track of how long it had been because of work. Anyway, heed the tags for this chapter, but enjoy.

IMPORTANT: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ACTUAL EXPLICIT CONTENT! (Everything is consensual: Jimmy is only uncomfortable because of what he's been through). Also: panic attacks. If anyone wants/feels like I should add more detail let me know. I'm happy to answer comments or add another note with the exact details (just don't want to spoil anything).

“Jimmy.” His head was swimming and tears were welling up again. He didn't want to keep suffering like this. “Jimmy.” Was someone calling him? He needed to listen or he would get punished- Abruptly hands were cradling his face as someone shouted “Jimmy!” When he opened his eyes with a gasp, Tango was standing right in front of him, holding his face with overly warm hands and a scared expression. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Jimmy hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. His skin was crawling again, phantom hands touching all over his body as he tried not to squirm or start sobbing. Holding back tears was already a lost cause. There was a quiet hiss as Tango brushed one away. “Is it because of what Doc did?”

Jimmy shook his head rapidly, because the last thing he wanted was for one of the Hermits to feel like they’d hurt him. Tango seemed to relax at that a little, apparently grateful it wasn’t Doc either. “Okay. Is it just memories? Are you still hurting? Is something else wrong? Can we do something to help?”

Jimmy shook his head to the first two questions, but nearly hiccupped as he tried not to outright sob at the third as he nodded, offering a small shrug to the 4th question. It was barely a whisper, as even trying to say it out loud made him embarrassed. He only managed to choke out “Count…” before his voice caught in his throat. 

“Count?” Tango repeated gently and Jimmy nodded. 

That awful toy was only getting harder to ignore, but now it was almost making him mad as more tears fell and he said “fWhip. Left something inside.”

Abruptly Tango’s hair color turned from vibrant reds and oranges to nearly white while a darker red spread through the whites of his eyes. The hands still cradling his face were getting hotter and Jimmy winced, but he didn’t dare pull away or he’d be punished worse-- Someone suddenly grabbed Tango’s arms and dragged the Blazeborn back a few steps. “Tango, you’re going to burn him.” Impulse, at least Jimmy was pretty certain it was Impulse, was had pulled the other away. 

Tango’s response was somewhere between a growl and snarl and Jimmy was trembling again. He hadn’t meant to make Tango upset, but why wouldn’t he be? He still had marks and even toys from his previous masters: why wouldn’t they get upset? Jimmy didn’t even realize he was hyperventilating until a metal hand came to rest on the back of his neck and he quickly looked at Doc. 

“Slow deep breathes. Copy me.” Doc’s voice left no room to argue and so Jimmy did his best to follow Doc’s breathing. It took what felt like forever, but Doc’s thumb just rubbed the back of his neck in the same pattern he was trying to follow and slowly his awareness came back. He was still trembling, but it felt more like exhaustion than anything else this time. Once he felt less like he’d crumble immediately, and how Doc could tell when that was Jimmy didn't know, but he must have as that was when Doc turned to Tango and ordered “explain.”

Tango’s hair had gone back to red, but it was still bigger and flickering wildly. Jimmy remembered that it had looked like this when they first met and only now realized that it was a sign Tango was angry. Remembering what Tango had said, ‘what’s happening to you is wrong’, Jimmy realized the Blazeborn had been furious about what Scott and the others had been doing to him even then. 

After taking a breath himself Tango practically spat “Apparently fWhip left some ‘toy’ in Solidarity.” A low rumbling sound came from Doc and there was even the tiniest hint of smoke coming from his nose and mouth as he looked back towards Jimmy. Who almost flinched, but Doc’s hand was still gently stroking the back of his neck and his grip never tightened.

“That shouldn’t stay in. Can you get it out yourself or do you need help?” It took Jimmy a moment, and left him with a strange feeling in his chest, to realize that Doc’s anger wasn’t directed at him but at what had been done to him.

After a moment Jimmy mumbled “Can’t. Only fWhip can.” 

Doc’s expression furrowed slightly. “Because he ordered you not to? Or is there another reason?”

Jimmy hadn’t even thought about how upset fWhip would be if he removed it on his own, but he mentally shoved that into a box and locked it before he could think too hard about it because he wanted the toy out. “He has the only remote.”

“It’s a machine?” Doc asked and Jimmy nodded. “Okay. Impulse, come with us. We’ll see if you can short circuit it with your lightning first because otherwise the only Redstone EMP I have will short circuit the whole ship.”

“Sure.” Impulse agreed before giving Jimmy a small smile and holding out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get rid of it so you don’t have to keep thinking about that place.” Slowly Jimmy accepted his offered hand and he was led off the main deck with Doc following close behind. The ship really was well made; luxurious without being wastefully extravagant with decent sized rooms in bright inviting colors, at least from what he could see as they walked past. It was easier to think about than what was coming.

The room he was led to was a medical bay of some kind, with light gray walls, a white floor, four beds, several cabinets and counters, and even plenty of scientific equipment. The beds, clearly medical with plastic covering the mattresses and built with wheels, still look comfortable and while the space was pretty minimally decorated it felt completely different from Pixandria. Which was good because his skin was already crawling with the thought of what was about to happen. Impulse squeezed the hand he hadn’t yet let go of and Jimmy jumped a little. 

“Jimmy, I know you probably don’t want to talk about this, but Tango said the toy was left ‘in’. What does that mean?” Impulse spoke gently and softly, and though the grip on his hand was strong it didn’t feel restrictive. 

So after taking a breath Jimmy quietly said “on my prostate.” Impulse winced as he nodded. 

“Yeah, I was afraid of that. Are you… hm. If you really don’t want to, we can try Doc’s EMP and see if it comes out on it’s own, but it would be better for me to reach in and get it. Because I need to touch it to zap it anyway and then we can be sure it won't do anything strange on the way out.” Impulse said and the thought of having someone’s fingers in him again made Jimmy's eyes water. But the vibration was only getting stronger from fWhip’s toy and he hated that sensation far more and he really really didn’t want to strand the Hermits out here by messing with their ship. 

So weakly he nodded. 

“Okay. Is there anything we can do to make this easier? Any particular position that would be better or not as upsetting?” Impulse asked quietly and for some reason just the fact he was being asked was helping Jimmy’s panic to calm a little. 

“Don’t know.” Jimmy answered quietly and he decided he just wanted this done. So he tried not to think about it as he pushed down the pants and underwear (neither of which were his, he only just noticed; they didn't fit quite right but were nicer and more comfortable than anything he remembered ever wearing aside from maybe when Scott had dressed him up) and leaned over one of the beds. “Just, quickly, please.” He pleaded. 

There was a moment’s pause before someone’s hand came to gently rest on his hip. He really hoped he wasn’t asked more questions because the longer this took the more he wanted to throw himself away from Impulse’s hand, curl up in the corner of the room, and just sob. Something was set on the table near Impulse, he heard it being placed, and then someone touched one of his hands clutching onto the mattress of the bed he was laying over. 

When he looked up it was Doc, who was half crouched on the other side to meet his eyes. “Hey, I heard your Empire made slime. Can you tell me about the farms you used? I’ve been trying to think of some new slime farm designs so I’d love to hear what you were able to make.” 

Jimmy swallowed hard, a little confused by the sudden and very random question, but quietly he started speaking. Explaining how he’d found by accident that slimes would appear at night in the swamp and so, as both a source of income and to keep them from appearing on the surface, he dug out a space under the ground and used iron golems to lure them where he wanted and magma blocks to kill them. Doc seemed genuinely interested and started explaining some of his own designs, which were much more complicated than Jimmy had ever thought possible.

He only realized why Doc had gotten him talking when he felt Impulse pushing a finger into his hole. It didn’t hurt, but it was more of a stretch than he expected for just a single finger. He and Doc kept talking as Impulse slowly added a second and any time Jimmy faltered or started to look back Doc would wrap a hand around the back of his neck and keep him facing forward. It wasn’t mean or painful though, and Jimmy actually sort of appreciated it. 

His whole body jerked when Impulse’s fingers brushed against the toy and he dropped his head to the mattress, trembling for a few seconds. He barely heard Impulse’s quiet “Oh. It’s even vibrating? What kind of toy is this?”

But nothing more happened until he stopped shaking and finally looked up from the mattress. Doc’s furry hand was gentle as he brushed away Jimmy’s tears. He was starting to worry the Hermit’s would only ever see him crying. “You ready?” Doc asked and Jimmy nodded weakly. Doc glanced at Impulse and nodded once before his eyes returned to Jimmy’s. 

He felt Impulse touch the toy again and pull on it slightly, making him hiss in pain even as it sent a flicker of pleasure through him that made him feel vaguely sick. Immediately Impulse stopped with a quiet humm. He didn’t pull on it again, but Jimmy trembled as the Hermit’s fingers began tracing the edges of the toy. 

“It feels like… How do I explain this. It almost feels like a claw hair clip. But it’s fully dug into his skin and it would do some damage if I just ripped it free. Solidarity was right, Doc, it’s not coming out unless it’s turned off. Codfather, I didn’t expect it to be metal so you might get zapped a little too and I’m really sorry about that.” Impulse murmured but Jimmy shook his head, dropped to press his face into the mattress as he dug his fingers in, preparing for the pain. 

Nothing happened and finally he pleaded “don’t make me wait.”

“Oh, sorry.” Impulse sounded startled and quickly counted down from three. Then there was a jolt. Jimmy had felt redstone shocks before, it was one of fWhip’s favorite punishments/tests/games, but this was a very different feeling. It also hurt so much less than he was expecting. It was certainly stronger than a simple static shock and enough to make him jolt, it even drew a soft gasp from him, but despite the way his heart raced it lasted barely a second. 

And then the vibration and the pain from the toy digging into him were gone and Impulse quickly withdrew his fingers. Jimmy slumped against the table panting as Impulse dropped the toy into something with a small clink. “There. Are you okay, Jimmy? I’m so sorry I hurt you.” Impulse insisted and when Jimmy pulled his head up enough to look at the Hermit, the yellow-eyed man only looked worried. So he shook his head a little. 

“Didn’t.” He answered softly and Impulse’s expression was skeptical. 

“You don’t have to lie. I’ve gotten complaints from the Hermits enough times when I’ve accidentally zapped them to know it hurts.” Impulse insisted as he stepped away to a sink and washed his hands. Slowly, with the knowledge that it would be all too easy for Doc to push him back against the table at any second, he started to sit up and to his surprise and relief Doc immediately moved his hand away from Jimmy’s neck.

A little more frantically than he meant to seem he pulled his new clothes back up, but neither Hermit seemed to mind as they were both giving him soft, understanding smiles. Once he was redressed he felt… better. Knowing that none of the toys from the Emperors was left in or on his body was a relief, and it settled his anxiety quite a lot to know that Doc and Impulse hadn't forcefully fucked him despite having the perfect chance to.

“Thank you.” He murmured quietly and both of their smiles grew. 

“I’m glad we could help, but I’m sorry you had to go through this at all. Thank you for trusting us.” Impulse answered and he held out a hand again. “Now, let’s go get you something to eat, okay? I’m sure everyone else is worried.”

Jimmy was a lot less hesitant to accept Impulse’s hand this time and he glanced at Doc as Impulse led him from the medbay. Doc had picked up the tray with the toy and was studying it. “Um…” The creeper-goat looked up when Jimmy spoke and he quietly asked “Are you coming too?”

After a moment Doc set the tray aside on a counter and quickly stepped up so Jimmy was in between him and Impulse. But just like when he’d cuddled with Xisuma and Keralis, being surrounded like this made him feel safer. And cautiously he reached out to take Doc’s hand too, which got a soft chuckle from the creeper-goat as the hybrid linked their fingers together. Impulse waited until they were done to start walking and they went up to the top deck as a group.

Chapter 5: Dinner, Tango

Summary:

The Hermits host dinner for Solidarity, and are pretty pleased with his progress already.

Notes:

Sorry it's been so long since I updated this story! I'm super grateful to everyone who's still reading (and rereading) and commenting because it's what got me to come back. Hope this chapter was worth the wait and I'll do my best to keep this momentum going!

Tango was lingering at the top of the stairs to the main deck, shifting anxiously with his tail flicking back and forth as he waited for the three of them to come back up. He trusted Doc and Impy to take good care of Solidarity but he didn't like being kept away even though he understood it would be better to have less people in the room. The other Hermits busied themselves by setting up the usual long table on the main deck and covered it with plenty of food. Keralis and Bdubs even put up decorations. 

Which was impressive because realistically, Solidarity, Doc, and Impulse weren't down below deck for long. Immediately Tango straightened up when he saw them on the stairs and his tail stopped twitching with anxiety as everyone looked alright. Or, well, as alright as anyone could expect Solidarity to be. But while he seemed far more tired now he was holding both of the others’ hands and Tango beamed when their eyes met. 

Solidarity offered him a small smile back that turned to a look of surprise as he took in the dinner party that had been set up in their absence. Tango chuckled, as it was one thing to hear about the Hermit's reputation for hard work and another entirely to witness it. Sometimes it still surprised even him.

When they were close enough he wouldn't have to project his voice too loudly Tango said “hi. Everything okay?” 

Solidarity nodded meekly before leaning in closer to Impulse. Impy seemed more than happy to have him close and barely aborted wrapping an arm around the cod hybrid, choosing to squeeze their linked hands instead. 

“You'll have to come take a look at that ‘toy’ after dinner. I'm impressed, in a disgusted way, but we might be able to repurpose some of the redstone and do some cool stuff with it.” Impulse said and that caught Tango's attention. 

“Oh yeah? I didn't think it'd be a full redstone machine. Those are usually pretty big for...” Tango countered, just barely catching himself before saying something that might disturb Solidarity, and Impulse nodded. 

“Yeah, I agree, but this was actually pretty tiny. It could clamp shut with power, take a remote signal, and vibrate. Like I said, disgusted but impressed, and if we make it bigger and improve the clamp strength or tick rate on the vibration it could definitely be useful for farms and other things.” Impulse suggested and already Tango was getting ideas. 

An intentionally loud cough came from behind him, making him jump slightly and reminding him that all the Hermits were waiting on them for dinner and Solidarity would likely need to rest again very soon given how tired he looked. But first they needed to feed him because the longer he was skin and bones the more Tango felt the need to fix it. And he knew he couldn’t be the only one.

Xisuma looked playfully annoyed and the expression was on full display since his helmet was now resting at the head of the table by his elbow. Tango quickly smiled at Solidarity before he walked over to the table to his usual chair. Doc claimed the seat at the other head of the table. Normally Impulse would be sitting next to the Blazeborn, but Tango’s fellow Netherborn was quietly exchanging words with Solidarity as he led him over to the table.

For a moment Solidarity looked around the table with a slightly frightened expression but he seemed to calm when Impulse stepped to block his view, crouching slightly to meet his eyes and murmuring to him some more. After a few moments, wherein the cod hybrid actually glanced almost unwittingly towards Xisuma, Impulse smiled and straightened up, leading Solidarity to that head of the table with their linked hands. 

Keralis always sat on Xisuma’s left but the seat to his right varied. Today it was Mumbo and Impulse gently kicked his chair as he said “scooch.”

Mumbo stood and Impulse had Solidarity take his seat. He looked nervous again, glancing at Mumbo with wide frightened eyes, but Mumbo just smiled at him before walking just two chairs away and telling Grian and Scar to make room between them. They complained, loudly and playfully, as they did as requested while Impulse took his usual seat next to Tango. 

Once everyone was settled Xisuma sat down as well and immediately chatter began as people pulled food from their inventories and shared it around. Keralis must have pulled some dishes from storage on the ship too, as Tango doubted anyone was carrying around the cakes or stews he could see on the table now. He and Impulse shared some nether treats between them, though they didn’t offer any to anyone else as when non-nether hybrids tried even the mildest of their snacks they usually regretted it.

Throughout dinner Tango kept an eye on Solidarity and he certainly wasn't the only one. He was so glad to see him eating. Even if it was far less than he would have liked. But Xisuma put mushroom soup in front of him first, along with a loaf of bread, and between X and Keralis they made sure he ate even if he seemed to struggle to finish even just the one bowl of soup. 

He seemed content though, slowly sipping right from the bowl and watching the Hermits mess around and goof off. Grian, Scar, and Bdubs were being the loudest, as per usual. At one point Bdubs hopped up from his chair and dashed around to grab something from Grian, who nimbly dodged, then with a whoosh of his wings he took to the sky. Soliday gasped as Grian stuck his tongue out at Bdubs, hovering in the air with steady flaps of his tri-colored parrot wings. 

Grian noticed his attention and preened a little as he first made slow sweeps above the deck just showing off his feathers and their colors, then pulled his wings in a little, sped up, and really started showing off his agility. Solidarity was watching so attentively he didn’t seem to notice when Keralis put a new piece of bread on his plate, simply picking it up and eating it without even looking down. Which admittedly might have had more than a few of the Hermits sharing pleased smiles with each other. 

Until Solidarity started yawning, sinking down in his chair like he was about to fall asleep. Almost immediately Xisuma was at his side, crouched next to his chair. “Codfather?” He murmured quietly and Solidarity hummed, blinking and sitting up a little but his eyes looked hazy. Xisuma was clearly trying to keep his smile small. “Come on, let’s get you to a bed.”

Tango immediately hopped up and scrambled over to the other side of the table, though Xisuma and Keralis had helped Solidarity to his feet by the time he got there. “Here, I can take him, X. He can use my room. I can always share with Impy.” Tango declared.

Xisuma glanced at Solidarity, who seemed confused by the attention for longer than made sense even if he was half asleep, before he finally looked between Tango and Xisuma and nodded. Xisuma offered Solidarity’s arm to him almost like a father giving his daughter away at a wedding, hesitation included. But Solidarity leaned into him and Tango happily helped take his weight as he led the taller hybrid towards the stairs. 

As they walked past, Impulse muttered to Etho, just loud enough for Tango to hear too, “look at his tail: he’s so happy about this”. Which had Etho snickering. And yeah, Tango could admit it. He was really happy to be helping Solidarity and his tail was waving excitedly.

When they reached the top of the stairs the Hermits all started calling ‘good night’s excitedly. Solidarity seemed startled for a moment but softened, leaning more into Tango’s side as he meekly waved with his cheeks flushed in embarrassment (which had the Hermits practically cooing). Tango chuckled and started leading him down the stairs to his room. He and Impulse’s rooms were both quite far from the stairs, closest to the engine room. Both because it was warmer there and so they would have quick access in case mechanical repairs were needed. 

His room was decorated in mostly reds and more cluttered than he remembered, with his desk covered in half finished machines and blueprints and his bed unmade. “Uh… sorry… I forgot how messy I left this…” Tango muttered.

Which got him a small smile from Solidarity, who quietly murmured “It’s okay.” He slowly pulled away from where he was leaning against Tango’s side and while the Blazeborn wanted to tug him back he let the Codfather go so he could try to clean up his desk at least a little. The moment his hand touched the desk though he realized he should make sure there weren’t any mechanics left on the bed and darted over to that instead, rifling through the blankets and sheets. He only found one actual machine, but there were a couple crumpled blueprints (including one he’d been looking for for weeks).

When Tango finally straightened up, items in his arms, he realized Solidarity was looking at the diorama of Decked Out 2 with such awe that Tango felt the fire in his hair die down in embarrassment. “Did you design this?” Solidarity asked almost breathlessly, finally looking at him, and he nodded. 

“It’s… um… you probably don’t remember me talking about Decked Out, but this is a scale model for the outside that I’m planning to build soon.” Tango explained and Solidarity’s eyes went wide. 

“By yourself?” He asked and Tango nodded. 

“Oh, sure. It’s ambitious but the underground game area is going to be way more so. Plus, the Hermits will help with materials if they want to or have extras of things. And it’s not like I haven’t tackled projects of this scale before.” Tango replied with a shrug, too excited about the possibility of talking about Decked Out to be embarrassed by the awed look Solidarity was giving him. 

And then he remembered the whole reason for coming down here and quickly put the things in his arms on the desk. “But I can gush about all that to you later. You need to sleep.” Tango insisted. Solidarity looked almost disappointed, but nodded as he yawned yet again. “Is there anything you need to be comfortable sleeping, by the way? I can’t believe I forgot to ask before this.”

Solidarity glanced around the room and shrugged. “It’s okay.” He almost whispered. But the way he shuffled his feet told Tango there was and Solidarity didn’t want to say it. He looked so uncomfortable in fact that Tango couldn’t even bring himself to ask. 

“Alright, well, make yourself at home though I would maybe advise against messing with the prototypes since they’re, well, prototypes and I don’t want you getting zapped.” Tango tried to sound light-hearted but it felt a little awkward even to him. Or maybe only to him since Solidarity simply nodded and tentatively sat down on the bed like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to touch anything. 

Tango moved towards the door and hesitated, wanting to make sure Solidarity at least laid down before he left. The cod hybrid glanced at him a couple of times before he quietly said “did you… want to stay?”

For a moment Tango got excited, more than ready to cuddle, before the more rational side of him kicked in and the anxious expression on Solidarity’s face, the way he was gripping the side of the mattress, clued him in. If he said yes, the scared hybrid was going to think Tango wanted to have sex. So, softly, he asked “Do you want me to? I can sit on the floor, at least until you fall asleep, if that will make you feel safer.” 

Solidarity hesitated, his arms shaking slightly as if the small exertion of gripping the sheets had been enough to wear him out. The wait was awful and finally he softly whispered “don’t want you to have to sit on the floor”.

Tango just smiled. “How about this. I’ll leave the door open and if you need anything just call. A lot of us have heightened hearing and we’ll be listening for you so if you need anything, we’ll be here in an instant.” 

Finally, finally, Solidarity relaxed a little and nodded. Tango finally stepped out of the doorway and pulled the door until it was about halfway shut. “Sleep well, Solidarity.” He said and the cod hybrid almost whispered “you too. Thank you.”

Even though Solidarity couldn’t see, he found himself lingering by the room. Not wanting to move away. At least, until he noticed Doc, who was eyeing him from head to toe in a way that made Tango feel like he’d done something wrong, and who raised an eyebrow in response to Tango’s confusion when their eyes met. The creeper hybrid had brought a chair, set it just out of eyeline of the door on the side towards the stairs. Normally Doc slept in the room closest to them, something he had insisted on so if anyone intruded he would be the first to intercept. But the way he was sitting, attentive but relaxed with his arms crossed, was enough for Tango to know he was going to be staying there all night. 

Tango just leaned in and quietly murmured “let me know if he or you need anything”. Doc just nodded once with a quiet gruff huff. It was still hard to walk away but he headed back up to the main deck. The Hermits needed to discuss what would happen when they landed and he trusted Doc to look after Solidarity.

Chapter 6: Note Block, Jimmy

Summary:

Mumbo gives Jimmy a gift.

He didn’t wake up screaming. He woke up numb, unable to move, and with tears falling silently. He was laying on something soft but in his head it was cold, solid. But he couldn’t tell if it was stone or metal. It was hard to breathe, but it was also all he could do. It took Jimmy way too long to realize there was someone in the room and for a moment he lost the ability to breathe all together. But even through his blurry vision he realized whoever it was seemed nervous.

“Um, oh gosh, I don’t know what to do. Can you… can you hear me, mate?” When Jimmy nodded, jerkily, the other person relaxed a bit. They shuffled closer and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Okay, good. That’s good. You… uh… were breathing pretty heavily. Are you feeling better?”

The voice finally clicked. This was Mumbo Jumbo. The suit-wearing redstone builder whose seat he had taken by accident last night. The jolt of panic cleared the remnants of Jimmy’s nightmare away and his vision finally cleared. But despite his fear, it was immediately obvious Mumbo wasn’t being aggressive. He was sitting with his hands in his lap. His expression was nervous but he still offered a tiny smile when Jimmy met his eyes. 

“Um, you seem more aware now. That’s good.” Mumbo offered and Jimmy very slowly nodded. His voice didn’t want to leave his throat but he felt comfortable enough now to glance around. He was still in Tango’s bed and nobody besides Mumbo was in the room. Mumbo studied him for a few moments then quietly asked “Is it… hard to talk right now?”

Jimmy was taken aback by the question, unsure how the suited Hermit knew, but he nodded anyway. Mumbo seemed contemplative for a moment before he suddenly opened his inventory, and a small box appeared in his hand. Which Mumbo inspected closely before suddenly holding it out to him. 

“Here. For you.” He said. Jimmy was glad his hand wasn’t as shaky as it felt as he took it from Mumbo. It was fairly small and made of wood with an almost checkered pattern, not overly heavy but heavier than it looked. There was a tiny button on one side. Jimmy looked between the box and Mumbo. His voice still refused to come, but thankfully the Hermit seemed to pick up what he was trying to ask. 

Mumbo slowly reached out and Jimmy flinched slightly even though it was clear the suited man was reaching for the button. Mumbo paused for just a moment when he did but didn’t say anything as he moved the rest of the way to push the button. And to Jimmy’s complete surprise the box chimed . It was a note block , but one small enough to fit comfortably in his hand and with a built-in button. 

Mumbo was smiling a little as he leaned back, giving Jimmy space. Which helped him to breathe again. Jimmy pressed the button, just to hear the chime again, before he looked at Mumbo confused. It was nice. He liked the note block. But he didn’t understand why Mumbo had given it to him and what it had to do with him not being able to speak. 

“All of the Hermit subs have one of these. It’s so that they can still answer even if there’s a reason they can’t talk. Like a gag. Or if their voice just gets stuck, like you.” Mumbo explained, but Jimmy didn’t fully understand. It was just a note block. “We, um, we use one chime for yes and two for no, usually. And if you’re in distress or to stop or anything, press it a bunch. Everyone on the server knows what it means so they’ll be able to respond right away.” 

Jimmy pulled the box in towards his chest as he slowly sat up. The idea seemed… almost too good to be true. His voice was raspy and cracked a bit as he softly wheezed “why?”

Mumbo actually jumped a little at his question but for a moment his smile was wide. Through it quickly became a confused expression. “Why? Why did I make this?” Mumbo asked hesitantly and Jimmy pressed the button once. Which made Mumbo smile again. “I made it for Grian, actually. I… messed up one day. We were playing. I had him gagged. He spiraled, but couldn’t tell me he needed me to stop and I didn’t notice until much later than I should have. And I can’t forgive myself for that. So I made this. That way, no matter what kind of play any Hermit is doing, they can always signal if they need help or to stop.”

“And… everyone… stops?” Jimmy’s voice was slightly stronger, but it was still hard to get the words to leave his throat. But Mumbo didn’t seem to mind as he nodded. 

“Of course. That’s how it’s supposed to be. But this doesn’t just apply to that kind of play either. Use it any time, mate. We want to help, but we might not always notice when you need help. So tell us.” Mumbo insisted.

Jimmy ran his thumb over the slightly textured surface of the note block and, after glancing at Mumbo, he pressed the button. Not once or twice, but four, five, eight times. Almost by accident as the slight tremble in his hands made him press it more than he meant to.

Mumbo watched him, a sad smile on his face just barely visible under his moustache, and opened his mouth. But before he could say anything the door to the room was shoved open, though it hadn’t been closed all the way to begin with, and Tango came dashing in looking almost frantic. His hair was burning high and his tail was thrashing, but after seeing Mumbo and Jimmy he slowly stilled. 

“I heard a note block.” Tango gasped and Mumbo nodded, shifting slightly so the Blaze hybrid could see the note block in Jimmy’s hands. 

“He was having trouble speaking when he woke up so I gave him one.” Mumbo explained. 

Tango actually whined and in only a couple of steps was crouched next to the bed, looking up at Jimmy’s face and into his eyes. Tango’s expression was nothing but that soft concern he always showed. The one that had made him feel safe even from their first meeting. “Jimmy? Are you okay?” Tango asked almost weakly.

Jimmy pressed the button once. It was almost… strange how comfortable he already was using it. And how much of a relief it was to have it. To know he could tell them he wasn’t okay without needing his voice. 

Tango slumped with relief and smiled at him. “That’s good. Is that helpful?” He nodded at the note block and Jimmy nodded as he pressed the button again. It took him a few seconds to realize there was a small smile on his face. Tango beamed at him in response. “That’s really good. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up. Are you hungry?”

Jimmy’s finger started towards the button again, but he actually found himself willing to speak. The knot in his throat had loosened and so softly he said “yes.” 

Both Tango and Mumbo were smiling now. “Tuck that into your inventory then and we can head up to the deck.” Tango said as he stood. Jimmy hesitated. He liked the weight of the note block in his hands. But he followed Tango’s instructions, carefully put the note block away into his inventory, and accepted the Blazeborn’s offered hand. 

Tango didn’t pull on him, didn’t yank him up from the bed. His arm felt more like a solid bar Jimmy could use to pull himself up. As soon as he stood though his vision swayed and flickered and he thought for a moment he might throw up. “Solidarity, hey, easy. Sit back down.” Tango didn’t let him stay standing and Jimmy’s knees practically buckled as he dropped back on the bed hard. 

He was struggling to breathe, but this felt like more of a physical issue. Tango’s hands came to rest on his shoulders, warm and steady. After several seconds Jimmy felt more aware again and looked up. Tango shared a look with Mumbo, and both of them looked scared. Slowly Tango slumped and his expression became apologetic. “Sorry, Jimmy. I shouldn’t have insisted you stand. You were doing so well yesterday, I didn’t even think you could be dizzy today.”

“It’s okay.” He mumbled, almost uncomfortable with the way they were staring. Tango’s tail was thrashing and he was glancing at the door, nervously. 

“It’s not. Mumbo, can you grab X? Or Doc?” Tango directed the other Hermit, who quickly nodded, stood, and hurried out of the room. Tango sighed softly, running a hand through his burning hair before he smiled weakly at Jimmy. “Here, lay down. We’ll bring you some food so just… relax.” 

Jimmy shifted until he could lay down on the bed and suddenly he was hit with exhaustion. His scales were a little itchy and dry, and he hadn’t noticed it before but he was feeling a bit warm. But laying on the soft mattress also felt really good. In truth he wasn’t even hungry. He just wanted to continue to lay here.

Tango was looking between him and the door, fussing with the blankets that didn’t need to be adjusted, until Xisuma entered the room. He wasn’t wearing his helmet, but it was tucked under his arm. The Hermit leader smiled when he saw them. 

“Hello, Codfather.” He greeted and Jimmy smiled weakly. 

“Hello.” He replied quietly. 

“I heard from Mumbo you nearly passed out. Would it be alright if I examined you?” Jimmy didn’t mean to flinch at the word examined, but he did. Xisuma must have noticed because he quickly held up the helmet. “I don’t need to touch you. This can give me all the information I need just by looking at you.” Xisuma explained.

And slowly Jimmy nodded. He was nervous, but the Hermits really had been nothing but kind so he wanted to try trusting Xisuma with this. The taller Hermit smiled and put the helmet on. And then just… stood there, looking at him, for almost ten seconds. Then Xisuma took off the helmet, shook out his hair, and moved closer as he set the helmet near the foot of the bed. 

“Thankfully I don’t see any major concerns. You’re just very dehydrated and malnourished. I think it would be best for you to stay in bed, at least until we reach shore, so you can recover. Your scales bother you if they get too dry, correct?” Xisuma asked and Jimmy nodded weakly. “How often do you need to be in water for them to be comfortable?”

His voice was barely above a whisper as he meekly offered “daily?” Which seemed to surprise them both. 

“Are you too dry right now?” Tango asked and Jimmy nodded, even as he shrunk down under the blanket a little. 

“Okay. Do you need to be in the ocean? Or would a bathtub do?” Xisuma asked. 

“Either. But cool water is better.” Jimmy whispered and Xisuma stood. 

“Tango, stay with him. We’ll set up a room with a bathtub.” He scooped up his helmet and then paused. “Perhaps we should move him to the other end of the hall. If heat is a problem, your room is certainly far too warm.” Xisuma added.

Tango’s tail flicked. He looked a little displeased, right until his eyes met Jimmy’s and he slumped. “Yeah. Okay, X. You’re right.” He conceded. Xisuma reached out and squeezed the Blazeborn’s shoulder before leaving the room. Tango watched him go then turned back to Jimmy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about the heat in my room being an issue.”

“It’s okay.” Jimmy surprised even himself with the conviction with which he said it. He reached out and hesitantly tapped his finger against Tango’s hand. That little touch seemed to be enough: his shoulders relaxed and he crouched down, resting his head on his arms on the bed as he looked at Jimmy. 

“I know it will be hard and it’ll take time. But, can you try to tell us things like this in the future? We want you to be comfortable but we’re still learning what that means for you.” Tango asked softly and Jimmy hesitated, before nodding just a tiny bit. Which made Tango smile. When Tango said “Thank you” all Jimmy could think was “no, thank you” .