#its all my fault

PROMPT - “it’s all my fault”
CHARACTER - Tabby Nic'hel (Space Intern ocs)

anyway, here’s Whumperwall
as always, thank you to @badthingshappenbingo for the card!

They were invited to a conference in the Jericho Galaxy, so they went to the Jericho Galaxy.

And then Brando and Tabby became hostages.

By the third day of the conference, Tabby had started to feel a little overwhelmed. As interesting as the panels and presentations were, they weren’t enough to distract from how loud and crowded the conference center was.

It had been Brando’s idea to get away from it all for an afternoon. “We’ll go to the docking bay, hang out on Aegis,” he said.

Tabby wasn’t difficult to convince. “Okay,” she said. “I told Blare I’d meet her for a presentation, but I’ll meet you for lunch after?”

The presentation turned out to be very boring, but Blare and Tabby kept each other awake. They parted after the presentation, and Tabby headed straight for the docking bay. She strolled through the rows upon rows of crafts with her hands in her pockets.

She arrived at Aegis and scoffed. Brando had lowered the ramp, but had forgotten to raise it after he’d boarded. He’s lucky it’s just me. Blare would have thrown a fit if she’d seen.

Tabby ascended the ramp and headed for the lift. Its platform was two levels up – at the communal space. But when Tabby tried to connect to the system and summon the platform back to her level, nothing happened. Tabby rolled her eyes at Aegis’s glitchy behavior and took the stairs.

Tabby reached the communal space and checked the dining hall first. Brando wasn’t there. She checked the kitchen next, but he wasn’t there either.

Tabby left the kitchen and was headed toward the stairs to check the cabins when she heard a chirpover Aegis’s speaker system, followed by a voice she had never heard before.

“Come to the bridge.”

Tabby’s face went cold. She turned very slowly to see the monitor in the lounge showing a video feed.

A young human with long silvery-blonde hair hovered over Aegis’s helm. His left hand was encased in a sleek bronze metal glove.

Tabby’s eyes darted to the corner of the screen, where she saw Brando bound to the wall by a single wrist.

Tabby glanced back at the primary lift. For half of a moment, she wondered if she could make a break for it and get help. But she looked over at the bridge lift and had a strong feeling that if she didn’t do what she was told, Brando was going to suffer for it.

“I’m on my way,” she said.

The man at the helm nodded. Then the video feed cut and the bridge lift’s platform lowered to Tabby’s level.

Tabby got on. It took her up. As soon as the platform stopped moving, Tabby stepped onto the bridge and looked into the face of her captor. His eyes were cold, but Tabby could see the red around his irises.

Has he been…crying?

“I didn’t want this,” the man said suddenly. He lifted his left hand – the one encased in the glove – and Tabby could see his fingers were shaking. “All I wanted – all I wanted was to leave quietly and get my pay. I’m a fuckingdead man, now!” the man shouted. Tabby flinched. “You’ve seen me. You’ve seen everything. I’ll be hunted until the day I die, and that’s pretty fucking soon if I don’t finish this job.”

Tabby let him ramble, her eyes flicking over to Brando. She raised an eyebrow in hopes she could convey the question: are you okay? Brando nodded confirmation. Then Tabby turned back to the burglar. “Maybe we can help you,” she said.

The man chuckled wetly. He sniffled. “Not likely,” he said.

“We can try,” Tabby said. “What’s your name? I’m Tabby.”

The burglar wrinkled his nose. Tabby could see tears welling in his eyes.

“He’s Brando,” Tabby offered, jerking her head in Brando’s direction. Brando gave a small wave with his free hand. “Come on. What do we call you?”

The burglar took a shaky breath. “…Frand,” he whispered.

“Thanks, Frand,” Tabby said, her hopes rising. “Why don’t we unbind Brando over there and we’ll talk this out, okay?”

Frand didn’t make a move. He sniffled.

“Please?” Tabby pressed.

“I don’t trust you,” Frand said.

Tabby swallowed. “I know you don’t.” She smiled ruefully. “I don’t really trust you either. But we can start trusting each other now. I –“ She broke off and looked at Brando. He nodded. Tabby looked back at Frand and took a deep breath. “I can show you how to lift the ramp and raise shields,” she said. “Then we won’t be bothered by anyone else. All I’m asking is that you free Brando.”

Frand considered this. Finally, he nodded.

Tabby and Frand did exactly as Tabby said, and then Frand opened Brando’s cuff. Brando got to his feet, his eyes on Frand the whole time. Frand’s eyes darted between the pair. “What now?” he asked.

“Now, we figure out our options,” Tabby said.

“Maybe we start by talking about this job you’re on,” Brando suggested. “I’m assuming it has to do with that thing on your hand?”

Frand looked down at the glove. He curled his fingers. “Yeah.”

“What is it?” Tabby asked.

Frand’s eyes welled with tears again. “It’s an empathic gauntlet.”

“So, you use it to feel what others are feeling?” Brando guessed.

Frand shook his head. “The other way around.” He sniffed. “You can make anyone feel anything.”

“That’s a pretty powerful device,” Tabby remarked.

Frand snorted. “Except it’s just a fucking prototype. You have to touch someone with it for it to work.”

Brando and Tabby exchanged a glance. So we’re safe as long as he doesn’t touch us.

“What’s your job, then?” Tabby asked. “What were you hired to do?”

Frand shook his head. “It was supposed to be easy,” he whispered.

“What was it?” Brando pressed.

Frand uncurled his fist. “I just had to sneak this from the conference to – to my employer,” he said. “But he changed the location, and I – my ship can’t go that far. I needed transportation.”

“So you went for the smallest craft docked at the conference center,” Brando realized. Frand nodded. “Except –“

“Exceptyou came along,” Frand snarled. After his outburst, he went deathly silent. He took in a deep breath, then exhaled shakily.

“So,” Brando said hesitantly, “you need a ride.”

“Yes,” Frand snapped.

“Okay – okay, I understand,” Brando said, holding up his hands. “But –“ He pursed his lips, then admitted, “The thing is, neither of us know how to pilot this craft.”

Frand’s hands shook. “You don’t even…” He took another shuddering breath. “So you’re more useful dead than alive.”

Brando paled.

“No – no, we’re not,” Tabby cut in. “Listen, Frand. If you kill us, you’re committing an even more severe crime.” She gestured to the crests on her and Brando’s chests. “Look at us. We’re SCS interns. You really think they won’t come at a murder case of their own people with everything they’ve got? They’ll find you, Frand. We’re too messy to dispose of.”

Frand’s breathing quickened as Tabby spoke. Then, when she finished, he moaned. “But if I don’t get this to my employer, then Idie.”

“Then work with us,” Tabby said. “We’ll get someone to protect you.”

“I…I…” Frand swallowed. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“Well, it’s either that or you’re on your own,” Tabby said. “It’s up to you.”

Frand looked down at the empathic gauntlet on his hand. He flexed his fingers. His brow furrowed in thought, and his tears dried up. His face turned red.

Tabby stiffened. He’s not going to trust us, she realized. So she acted.

Tabby lifted her head, her gaze on the empty space behind Frand, and gasped loudly. “We’re being hailed!” she lied.

Frand’s head shot up, and he instinctively turned to see. Tabby rushed forward to knee Frand in the groin. Frand yowled, curling in on himself, and Tabby smashed her elbow into the base of his skull.

Frand stumbled forward, his gasp cut short as his eyes rolled back and he dropped to the floor.

Tabby stepped backwards. Brando came up beside her.

“Is he out?” Brando asked.

“Not for long,” Tabby said. “Come on, we need to bind him.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Brando and Tabby knelt beside Frand. Brando lifted Frand’s right wrist and held it to the cuff he’d just been bound to. Meanwhile, Tabby started unbuckling the gauntlet on Frand’s left hand.

“That was really clever,” Brando remarked as he locked the cuff.

“Thanks.”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” Brando said. “It could have gone really badly and I hope you never do anything like that again, but –“

“You couldn’t just leave it as a compliment, huh?”

Brando chuckled. Tabby allowed herself a smile.

And then, without opening his eyes, Frand turned his left hand over and grasped Tabby’s wrist.

Tabby tried to pull back, but Frand had a firm grip. Tabby felt a rush of cold, and then –

Brando reared back and landed a punch on Frand’s jaw. Frand’s head smacked against the wall, and he fell still again. Tabby fell backwards onto the floor, and Brando unfastened the rest of the gauntlet’s buckles before pulling the glove from Frand’s hand and throwing it across the bridge.

Brando whirled around and dropped to his knees. “Tabby – Tabby, did he get you?” he demanded. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Tabby, say something.”

Tabby’s eyes were stretched wide, and there were tears welling in the corners.

“Tabby – Tabby, come on,” Brando pleaded, gripping her shoulders tighter.

“Oh, no,” Tabby ground out. “No, no – it’s – it’s my fault.”

“Tabby!”

A delirious laugh made Brando turn his head. Frand’s eyes were half-open, and he was smiling weakly.

“What the fuck did you do to her?” Brando growled.

“I–“ Frand broke off in a giggle. “I only gave her all the guilt she’s ever felt.”

Brando’s heart leapt into his throat. He turned back to Tabby; her cheeks were slick with tears. “It’s my fault,” Tabby said through gritted teeth. “Oh, Castor and Pollux, it’s my fucking fault – it’s all my fault, it’s all –“

Brando pulled Tabby toward him and threw his arms around her. He squeezed tightly. “C’mon, dumbass, come back,” he mumbled into her hair. “You’re okay.”

“It’s all my – it’s my –“ Tabby couldn’t finish a single thought, her breaths coming in rapid gasps. “No – no – no–“

Brando curled his fingers into fists. He breathed slowly against her, hoping that she would instinctively follow his rhythm.

Tabby took in a breath, huffed, and then inhaled again. “It’s all my fault,” she whispered.

“Even if it is,” Brando murmured, “it’s okay. You’ll be okay. C’mon, you’ve got to hear me.”

Tabby’s exhales continued to tremble, but they evened out. Her inhales became slower, more controlled. Finally, her muscles relaxed.

Brando leaned back. He raised a hand to cup Tabby’s cheek, and her tears seeped between his fingers. “You with me?” he asked.

Tabby’s eyes wouldn’t meet his, but she nodded. “Holy shit,”she muttered. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. “That was unpleasant.”

Brando rubbed her shoulder. “Yeah,” he said. “It was.” He sat down beside her. “You’ll be alright, though.”

“I know.” Tabby pressed her palms to her eyes. “Ugh.”

“Does your head hurt?” Brando asked.

“No,” Tabby said, “it’s just…confused.” She drew her legs close to her chest and laid her chin on her knees. Brando put an arm around her shoulders. “I feel like I just time-traveled.”

“Do you know what that feels like?” Brando asked.

“No. Shut up.” Tabby rolled her eyes. “I’m saying, it really felt like I was…back. There. On Hel. When I was a kid.” She shrugged. “And now I’m here again.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Kind of, yeah.” But then she didn’t speak for half a minute. She rubbed her eyes, tapped her feet, ran her fingers through her hair. Eventually, she groaned and burrowed her face into her arms. “I don’t know where to start.”

“I’m not in a rush,” Brando assured her.

“I am. I want to get this over with,” Tabby admitted. She let the next words tumble out of her mouth without thinking. “My mom’s not a good person.”

Brando nodded. “Okay.”

“When I was little, I just thought – that’s how parents are,” Tabby said. “But then I started going to school, and…” She swallowed. “Well, I realized my teachers, my classmates, my neighbors – everyone danced around me. They were afraid.”

Brando furrowed his brow inquiringly.

“Of my mom,” Tabby clarified. “They’d never even met her. But they knew who I was, and who she was, and they – they wanted nothing to do with us. Who would?” she added bitterly. She turned her head to the side and met Brando’s eyes. “She’s a crime boss.”

Brando blinked. “Oh.”

“Yeah. She’s the head of one of the biggest crime syndicates in Eastern Hel,” Tabby explained. “And I – I –“ She bowed her head. “I’ve seen some things, Brando.” Brando leaned against her. “I watched her –“ Tabby cut herself off, took a deep breath, and said, “I watched her do a lot of bad shit, and I didn’t do anything.”

Brando couldn’t help himself. “Tabby, you were a kid.”

Tabby rounded on him and snapped, “I’m not a kid anymore.” Then she deflated. “I’m sorry. I just – I’m not powerless. Not now. And I feel like –“

“It’s not your fault. It’s hers.”

“Mhm.”

Brando had the feeling that Tabby was just humoring him. But he also knew that she was still reeling from the emotional experience she’d just had, and that he wasn’t going to convince her to believe him in that moment. So instead of fighting it, Brando just squeezed Tabby’s shoulder and leaned his head on top of hers. Tabby rested her head on his shoulder. They listened to the hum of Aegis for another few minutes.

Eventually, Brando nudged Tabby in the shoulder. “You ready to call the others and end this?” he asked.

Tabby pressed her lips together and nodded. Brando got to his feet. He turned and helped Tabby stand.

Tabby held onto his hand for a moment longer. “Listen, about –“

“It stays between us until you say otherwise,” Brando said.

Tabby smiled. “Thank you.”