Chapter Text
They were working in their new, shared sanctum in Crypto Castle. Updating Entrapta's existing lab to accomodate Hordak's needs as well hadn't been too difficult but time-consuming nonetheless. They had to tear down a wall or two to widen the space, as well. Currently, Entrapta was fiddling with a new harvesting robot meant to revolutionise Etherian agriculture.
"Could you hand me the six-sided hexdriver? I left it at the table over there, I think." A strand of Entrapta's hair pointed impatiently towards one of their sketching tables.
"Of course."
He abandoned his own work - a new computer system to scan clones for health issues and perhaps also fix them - for a second to hand her the tool. He leaned down to check her progress.
"Thanks Hordak!" Impulsively, she pulled him closer towards herself with her hair and kissed his cheek. He blushed furiously, his ears lowering.
"Oh, was that too much?"
"I, I...n-no?" Hordak stuttered.
He and Entrapta had somewhat officially started dating once Prime had been defeated. She had installed him as her prince consort in Dryl as well, much to the intial protest of her people. Since he so rarely left the castle though, being busy organising clean-ups, repairs, castle renovations, new research projects... they slowly accepted his presence. How much damage could he do from inside the castle walls, after all? With so many clones stranded on Etheria and now forming essential working groups on nearly all fields, especially in those requiring a lot of endurance and physical strength like mining, they were milling around Dryl en masse anyway. One more clone at their Princess Entrapta's side almost didnt count.
But still, their relationship felt new. Unexplored. Hordak had few experiences in platonic relationships, mainly with Entrapta if he were honest with himself, let alone in romantic ones. (The latter of which he only wanted with Entrapta.) Any gestures introduced to their everyday behaviour startled him at first. Such as holdings hands, or cuddling on the couch while they were reading. Not that he disliked any of them so far. Kissing was new too. This one he found himself liking in particular.
"Good! So it's alright if I do this?" Entrapta kissed him gently on the lips. He blushed some more.
"Yes...in fact, I would...encourage further experiments of this sort." His ears twitched in embarassment. Entrapta kissed him again in response, lifting herself up so she was at the same height as him. While his body had been strenghtened durig his most recent time on Horde Prime's ship, it was still best not to strain himself. At times his body still betrayed him by trembling or sudden spasms, bolts of pain rushing through him. If he deterioted further there would be no Prime to renew his body. Another reason for him to finish his project as quickly as possible.
Entrapta held his face in her hands, deepening their kiss. Hesitantly, Hordak placed his own hands against her hips.
"Good boy." She rewarded him with more kisses. Hordak's eyes went large and he couldnt suppress a moan. What was wrong with him? They hadnt even done anything yet. According to his research - consisting mostly of reading through Entrapta's collection of naughty fanfiction, fanart and manga - this was barely foreplay. But 'good boy' was also rarely said in an innocent context, either.
"Oh, do you like it when I call you a good boy?" Entrapta stroked one of his ears with her gloved hand. It twitched. Her hair pulled off her gloves so she could feel his skin against hair. Now more precise, her fingers traced along his ears, rubbing them slightly. He sighed contently, leaning into her touch.
"You do need to tell me such things, or I cant repeat them. Data can only be trusted when it has been confirmed."
"Yes, I do." Something tingled at the back of his mind. Where else had he heard 'good boy' before? Kisses along his jaw and neck distracted him from his thoughts. He moaned as Entrapta bit into the tendons of his neck. His thighs hit the edge of a table.
"You're such a good boy for me, little brother." Hordak tensed, pushing Entrapta from him. She only stumbled two steps back, immediate concern on her face.
"Are you alright, Hordak? Was that too much?"
"No, I..." His throat felt tight, and he wiped a hand over his face. He could feel himself tremble. Why was he suddenly so nauseous?
"Hordak? What's wrong?" Entrapta hovered in front of him, twisting her hands. She didnt know whether she could touch him or not. Hordak looked at her, saw the worry. He did not want her to worry. So he swallowed whatever was wrong with him.
"Yes, of course. I apologise. I suddenly felt so dizzy, a fainting spell coming on no doubt. I...will retreat to my quarters for now." He tried for a thin smile to reassure her.
"Do you need anything? Should i accompany you? Maybe -"
"No no, I am fine. I should be recovered for dinner."
"Ah, if you rather want to eat by yourself later that wouldnt be an issue at all. I'll just tell the Princesses that you are busy." Hordak had forgotten about their dinner plans. Entrapta regularly invited her friends over for dinners, picnics or game evenings to stave off the feelings of loneliness which sometimes still haunted her from her childhood.
"Who will be present again?" Usually Entrapta did not invite Adora and Catra unless he was way out of the way. Being in the same room with Catra could be...difficult, to say the least.
"Just Scorpia and Perfuma. Kadroh, too."
"Ah. Yes. Well, I will see how I am doing then."
Back in his own room he paced in front of his bed. Despite the relationship with Entrapta they had maintained seperate bedrooms albeit in the same wing of the castle. As both of them tended to keep a rather unorthodox sleep schedule, and did not intens to wake up each other every time one of them slipped in late at night, they deemed seperate bedrooms necessary for their relationship. Besides, Hordak did not feel comfortable yet undressing in front of Entrapta. She had seen the stark bluish scars on his arms and back before but still. He had hoped Horde Prime's treatment would have erased them. It did not. Hordak had to wear braces again to support his body. No exoskeleton yet. How long would it take tho until he required one again?
This failure to thrive even after Prime treated him made Hordak avoid the other clones at all cost. Their bodies were strong, untainted. He was a defect. Even when Lord Prime had granted him mercy, re-established him in his great army...he still failed to be perfect. Hordak had tried so hard to prove his worth to Lord Prime and had been dismissed. Pardoned for his crimes, yes, but dismissed.
Hordak had thought that he'd left those thoughts behind when he had stood up to Prime and declared his name, his worth. Had killed his creator's body. But they seeped back in now, worse than before. Kadroh had so easily accepted Prime's lies and deception, had so easily seen through all of it. Kadroh had help, you did not. No, he had not. Hordak had been alone, out of the hivemind, with no support. He had doomed a world to return. He had failed anyway.
"Aargh!" Hordak threw some books to the ground in frustration. Why was Prime back in his brain? Why had Hordak thought of him when Entrapta was kissing him? Why did he feel so guilty again? So miserable? A nap would help him, Hordak decided. He slept to little as it was, and if he just rested for a bit...yes, that would be it. The beginnings of a migraine introduced themselves. He was exhausted and it scrambled his brain, allowing Prime to imtrude on his moment with Entrapta. That was all.
Lord Prime leered at him. He had dismissed the other clones from his war room. Hordak felt honoured. He basked in the light of his god.
"Your ideas for this conquest are marvelous, little brother. You are so diligent."
"I serve only you, Lord Prime. To please you is all I aspire to." Hordak stood straighter under Lord Prime's gaze. Oh, how gracious was his light.
"To please me, mh?" Lord Prime stroked Hordak cheek. He nuzzled into his Lord's hand, euphoric at his attention.
"Turn around, little brother."
"Yes?" Hordak did as he was told, confused.
"Hands on the table, lean forward." Lord Prime's hands caressed his sides, his thighs. Lifted his tabard above his hips. Lord Prime groped his rear, touched his belly and between his legs. Hordak was smooth there, his cock hidden inside his body.
"My lord?" He didnt know what was happening. What did Lord Prime want of him? Did he do something wrong?
Prime kissed his neck, inhaling his scent.
"You're doing well, little brother." One hand on Hordak's belly, he used the other to push his own tabard aside, to grab Hordak's ass cheek and pull it open. Hordak whimpered, unsure of what was happening to him. Something hard pushed into his body. It hurt.
"Good boy." Lord Prime thrusted into him, again and again, endlessly, until finally Hordak felt a wet pulsing inside of him. Lord Prime stilled.
"You're a good boy, little brother."
Hordak jerked awake, cold-sweat coating his body. The migraine was now hammering in his skull. He had theorised in the past that the bouts of severe headaches, usually accompanied by the resurfacing of memory scraps, was a side effect of the mind wipes wearing off. In this one case he wished he wasn't correct.
He heaved himself into a more upright position ever so slowly. The clock on his bedside table showed half past 8pm.
"I have overslept." Entrapta's guests might still be in the castle. They most likely enjoyed spending time with Entrapta without having to indure his dark shadow by their side. Especially Scorpia seemed intimidated by him still. Unsurprising after she grew up in his army. A glass of water stood within his reach and he downed in a few gulps. He didnt remember getting himself water. How odd. As the headache did not cease its pounding, he decided that he would have no better option but to stay in bed and wait until he felt strong enough - or was certain enough of the Princesses absence - to scavenge for some food. By then the nausea would most likely have left as well. The door to his room creaked open and he turned around to quickly. Hordak groaned in pain.
"Oh, are you awake?" Entrapta whispered. She had dimmed the light in the hallway so that none would fall into his room and disturb him.
"Entrapta? What are you doing here? I thought you were entertaining." Entrapta's hair fluffed his pillows and pushed him back into them. She herself sat a tray down beside him, crowded with tiny sandwiches.
"When you didnt return to the lab for lunch I got worried and checked on you. Everything was dark in your room and ou were whimpering in your sleep, so I concluded that you must be in pain. I cancelled on the Princesses saying that our newest project has occupied us too much after all. Kadroh is here, though. He arrived a bit early as usual. I hope you don't mind him staying for a couple of days?" Oh he did mind. Hordak did not want to see happy Kadroh traipsing around the castle, watch him lift heavy objects for Entrapta or worst of all, call him 'brother'.
"No, of course not. He may stay."
"Good!" Her tone was too loud and she immediately winced. "Sorry!"
"It's alright."
"I did bring you some tiny sandwiches. You're usually nauseous when you're suffering from your headaches so I thought small bites might be easier for you." she said, hands folded in her lap.
"Thank you. They are appreciated."
"So..." she fumbled with her hexdriver for a moment, "about earlier. Was the fainting spell you said you felt coming on really the reason why you pushed me away? Or was their more to it?" Hordak did not want to lie to Entrapta, but he also did not want to tell her the whole truth.
"I...just some bad memories resurfacing, that's all. No need to worry about me." And if the plan hatching inside his brain was any indicator, she would not have to.
"If you say so. I'll...leave you to rest some more?" She had already jumped off his bed, ready to moe out of the door.
"Wait, Entrapta? Could you, come here for a second?"
"Suure?"
Hordak leaned forward and kissed her brow, inhaling the scent of her shampoo in the process.
"Thank you." Entrapta's smile was wide and she nearly bounced on her hair, clearly surpressing a screech.
"You're welcome!" she whispered, closing the door behind her. No, somebody as precious as Entrapta would not need to worry about him. If Horde Prime was able to wipe the mind of his clones, why should Hordak not be able to wipe his own clone mind? All he needed to do was update his new computer system, pinpoit and then extract the memories of Prime... but the exact planning could wait until his headache had receded. Hordak ate a tiny sandwich. It was unevenly cut, the butter a bit to thick on one side. Entrapta had likely made them herself, just for him. He would make sure to repay her kindness.