Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Its become easy, falling into routine.

Daily-Four watches TV, morning to noon. X sits by him, listens to him ramble, curls up with a blanket, begs him to eat, bribes him to eat, makes him eat. Four sleeps, noon to midnight. Four watches TV, midnight to morning.

Weekly-Four watches TV. He memorizes quote by quote, sees them brush off death like its nothing. Four retreats to the back of his mind, checks up on the death he can't brush off.

Monthly-Four watches TV. They ramble to the almost completely silent Three-"Teardrop is silent too," he tells her. "And she's strong." Four gives her something new, anything she needs, from a new room to a clean blanket-she never takes the blanket, but she usually seems greatful for the rooms, retreating into them, further and further away from the soft open space Four made for her initially, even when he tries to bribe her out with possible adventure.

Yearly-

Yearly-

Yearly- It's not anything pleasnt, not anymore. The pressure, the NEED, that burns and burns from the inside out, it was once a bonding experience, the forced proximity, the relief only provided by others. Algebraliens are a heavily social species, and though they couldn't traditionally reproduce, they also couldn't DIE-at least as far as they were aware, back when this yearly bonding expierience was used as it was meant to-and that Need to be close, the knowledge loneliness would lead to the insistent pressing, pushing on their body, desperate and hot, it kept them together, kept them from fighting..too much.

It's nothing pleasant, not anymore.

Four and X, they were lucky, they had eachother, they Always had eachother.

Yearly-Four and X Bond, like they always have, together. It's desperate and clingy and it hurts, but that's just the way they both like it.

Yearly- The pressure being relaxed as it always had, as it was meant to, together.

Yearly-Four and X try very, very hard not to think about how lucky they are to be together.

Yearly-Four and X try very, very hard not to think about what it must be like, disobeying every possible instinct for connection and fighting through this alone. Four and X hope they're wrong, that the connections to be made can be made with someone not algebralian, or that the pressure may go away on its own.

Yearly-Four hopes it can go away on its own.

Yearly-Four and X made a promise to care for Her, and they fufill it.

Chapter Text

They always take care of eachother, first.

Three is fragile, and the way Four and X go about it hurts, its desperate and clingy and it Hurts, just how they like it, but they don't like to hurt Her.

So for a few days, it gets to be nice, they get to feel good together, to bond like they're meant to. They can push away their fears, their sympathy for the others, and they can just hold eachother, the pressing working to pull and push them together, playing and fusing them like clay, so entwined and coiled within eachother its impossible to know where they each start and end- and they dont need to know, dont Want to know, that feeling of being so inseperable realized physically just as much as it is in their minds.

But when their time is over, when that overwhelming need to bite and scratch and hurt in the way that feels glorious and necessary is all gone, its Her turn. They had promised to take care of her, and they did. She was lucky like that.

And it wasnt as pleasant as it should be. As it was.

Its that time of year, and Four has had the rest he needs after their and X's bonding time. Three's time was always a bit later than theirs, but Four still made sure to check up on her as much as he can. Even before the pressure builds, the need to be close to someone, to feel safe and warm, it lays in ones belly like a rock.

It's easy for Four to know exsctly where she is, a segment of his mind dedicated purely to keeping track of Her. Holding a blanket he knows she'll reject, Four retreats into his own mind-his body physically cuddling up with X, on the outside-and asks himself where to find her, the answer granted like an instinct, like a memory he didnt know he had.

Willing himself to the darkest little cage in the row of cells, a prison she asked to be put in, he finds Three huddled in a back corner, shivering as she holds her blanket tight around her body.

He clears his throat-Three is easily startled, and now is a bad time than to scare her. She doesn't quite meet his eyes, but the shivering relaxes the slightest bit, and Four knows her well enough to understand she's listening.

"X and I's special time is up," he explains, the pitch of his voice rising midway through the sentence, then falling again as he continues. "So yours should be starting again soon."

It may be routine for Him, but Three had difficulty keeping up with time, no matter how many pretty clocks and calanders they supply her with. So warning her, too, was part of the routine.

"I'm asking if you need anything mm..different, this time around."

Sometimes, Three didn't like to be helped the way most routine to Four, the pushing and pulling, even if he does make it easier on her. Sometimes she'd flinch away from his and X's touch, opting instead for her hand to simply be held as she took care of herself, or even to just be coached through it verbally without being touched at all. Both these methods were perfectly functional, and even common among algebraliens, so long as the instinct to bond was fufilled. So Four liked to ask ahead of time, just in case, not wanting to hurt her by assuming.

Four stands and stares, awaiting her response, getting an unfortunate and silent answer when she finally meets his eyes, pulling open the blanket held in a death grip to expose her middle, a writhing desperation sitting between her legs, thrashing slowly and dully with as much energy as it could it leech from the chronically ill number.

Four hissed an inhale.

"nnnThis is too early. It's not usually another week or so for you," he responded bluntly.

He was now very glad he decided to check up, the thought of her spending another week alone like this pushed a taste of dissatisfaction down his throat, the guilt of being a bad host to his welcomed guest.

"Have you been horny for very long?" Again, he cuts to the point, never wanting to dawddle on things like politeness.

Three looks back down at the floor, shrugging her shoulders only slightly, another shiver rolling through her.

He hummed, no need to dwell when can just fix it.

..He should ask if she wants to fix it.

"Do you need me right now?" The statement sounds colder than he intends it, harsher, like its a huge and bothersome burden to jack someone off, and not a favor hes offering.

She doesn't seem to react to the tone, simply giving a slow nod, opening the blanket further and letting out a small, subconcious, short hum.

Four hisses in through his teeth. "I'll
go get X," he offers, rolling his eyes without any true annoyance behind it.

Before he can snap his fingers, he feels a hand around his other wrist, looking down to see Three bent forward on her knees and arm, clutching him as she tries to shake her head.

"You don't...want X..?" They dont know how to handle her alone. X has always been here for this, the perfect buffer, able to keep Four calm and focused on being gentle, able to understand what the stress of not knowing your value, and equally able to understand what its like, the anxiety of and guilt of taking care of Three. X was perfect. It certainly wasnt as if Four had NEVER had sex without them, but this particular situation was new, unfamilar, too many changes, he couldnt slot it into his routine, couldnt let this fall into the background, he didnt know how this would start or how it would end, or anything that could fall into the middle.

He had no script for this.

But Three asked for him alone, and Four was an excellent and gracious host...who had JUST asked if she needed anything different.

He let a grin split through his face, coping with the unfamilar situation by falling into another routine. "Couldnt resist having me all to yourself, huh..? Can't blame you with looks like these...Thats why im the best!"

He puffs out his chest and starts to kneel down to meet her, before half-remembering their past experiences-it was hard to keep her body upright when so much energy was going into having sex, so she usually had Four or X hold her from behind, or else lean against the wall.

And X wasn't here, so by process of elimination...

Four snapped his fingers, and Three suddenly felt the cold brick pressed against her back. She jolted foreward, Four quickly placing the new blanket between her and the wall, then grabbing her shoulders and wrapping the old one around her, pushing her oncemore against the wall, the soft blanket cushioning her back as she melted into Fours touch.

He realizes, too late, that he probably shouldve warned her about the sudden movement, but he pushes the thought away-no use worrying about things he can't undo. He mumbles out an apology, hardly audible, yet still more than he'd do for nearly anyone else. As he moves his hands away from her shoulders, he finds her trying to follow, letting out the smallest whimpers as she desperately tries to keep their hands on him.

Four hadnt done this without X. He doesnt know how, not with her, not when shes like this. X was the one who leads, who tells him what to do, who can ask the right questions, who knows how to keep Four in check just enough to avoid hurting her. If could just leave for a moment, and grab them...

But Four asked. Four offered, and Three told them what she wanted. He could do this without them, if thats what she needed.

Four is broken out of his thoughts when he hears Three's whimpers turn to tearless sobs, the lingering contact on her shoulders only making the empty feeling where she needed it most more painful, making her lean further to try and rut against him.

Four gives her a look of pity, and with her back now supported, he properly kneels before her, his hands tracing down her shoulders, ghosting ovee her arms, and leading down to her hands.

He wants to be impulsive. He wants to sink his claws into her, wants to grip her desperate and tired dick as tight as he can and let her sob into his shoulder as he pulls the need out and away from her. He wants to hurt her, the way he hurts X, the way that makes them both feel better, the way that, on occasion, used to made Three feel better too. Four is good at impulse, good at being desperate and clingy and hurting people.

But he cant, not with her, not right now, not in a long time. She needs to be safe here, she already hurts enough. Hed be willing if she asked, but she never has, so they dont. They will himself to fold the impulse into Threes hand, weaving his fingers into hers and rubbing her thumb-he cant stop his claws from digging into her flesh the smallest bit, even as he tries to relax them, but he hopes the prickle provides a bit of a distraction from her middle, rather than genuinely hurting her.

He thinks X would place his other hand on her cheek, right about now, that hed provide words of comfort and tell her exactly what she needs to hear, that hed settle the desperation in both her and Four.

Instead, Four places the hand on her thigh, kneeding into the skin and leaving dull scratches.

Three lets out a shakey sigh, and Four hopes its the enjoyment kind.

"I don't know what you want, so youll either have to tell me or show me. Reading your mind is nnNOT something I can do." Trying to tone down the seemingly constant sass, and sound comforting, Four instead dips into sarcasm territory, the intended gentleness now sounding teasing, mocking.

Three doesnt seem to take offense, and tries to pull Four in closer, and though she hardly tugs his arm, they seem to catch the hint, scooting onto his hind until they almost meet, her legs placed over Four's thighs.

"...Please." Her voice is hoarse, and small, and so, so very tired. It doesnt sound needy, or begging, just...tired. She guides the hand entwined with Four's down to her middle, where a short, yet thick, dull-red tentacle tries its very best to urge attention to itself, wanting so badly to get the energy doe desperation.

Four wants to tug, and tug, until she falls apart in his arms. But Three has fallen apart enough for one lifetime, so instead he gently seperates their palms, their fingers still entwined, and wraps the both of their hands around her, his thumb completing the circle. Three lets out a small sigh, and Four pushes away the desire to pinch the movement under their laced hands, instead letting her set the pace.

Theyre still for a moment, boringly long, as Three adjusts to the feeling of being touched for the first time in a long while, just like she has to do every time. Gathering her energy, she starts dragging their hands down, leaning forward until her head falls into Four's chest. He cant help but roll his eyes at that-why bother with the wall if she was going to lean INTO him?

Her hand twitches, and Four realizes shes trying to go faster.

"Itll be even harder to talk now, hnm." He brings his hand away from her crotch, to which she whimpers and pathetically attempts, and fails, to buck her hips back up to it, but Four just clicks his tongue. "You can be patient for one second, it wont feel any good if we do this dry." The annoyance in his voice seems almost fond as they lick their hands, hurridly bringing the hands back down,once more wrapping them around her. He grabs the back of her head and pulls, as gently as he possibly can, so he can meet her eyes, wanting to be sure shes listening.

"mnYou SUCK at talking, so squeeze my hand once for slower, twice for faster." She responds with a slight nod at that, and he even sees the corner of her mouth twitch, one of the biggest smiles shes given in ages. He lets her lean back into his chest as he removes the hand from her thigh, now wrapping around her in a loose hug he hopes is somewhat comforting. Hes not the best with hugs, so he places a small kiss on the top of her head, an apology for his failure to hug very well.

Now slicked, he pushes his hand up, down, up, down, a repetitve motion hed love to zone out and go on autopilot for, but the nature of this interaction being so sensitive, so nonverbal, he has to make sure to pay full attention, something much easier said than done. He tries to note as much of her body language as possible, tries to memorize the sound of her slow and haggard breathing, the way he can feel her remaining eye squeeze shut against his chest. He tries and tries and tries, he has to stay for her.

He feels the slightest bit of pressure, against his thumb, hardly notable, and then again-and hes grateful he was paying attention. He pushes Three just a bit closer against him, using his freer arm to wrap the slipping blanket back around her shoulders as he begins to speed up, just the slightest bit, with a speed that wouldnt match something he'd give X on even the laziest of days.
He feels her head shake, and becomes worried he misunderstood her signal-when he feels her squeeze twice again, and he rests his head atop hers as he, once more, speeds up.

Her arm clutches his as she let out such small whimpers, burrying her head against his chest and pressing into him so needily he has to lean back a bit to compensate, and he feels her shoulders shake as she squeezes twice once more, letting him go at a speed that'd hardly be a starter for anyone else, one that'd bore him to tears with anyone else.

Hes barely touched her really, all things considered, when she tenses, clutching his arm and choking in breaths as she finishes, though Four is much too well versed to entertain the idea this might be the end. He slows his pace once more, but doesnt stop until she squeezes his hand, a mixture of overstimulation and the knowledge handjobs alone wouldnt get her through this one igniting the desire to get his hand off her, for now.

He leans back until he can see her face again, her gaze leveling down to where his own excitement had made itself just barely visible. He hadnt noticed, and he didn't care to ask her for assistance, she was tired enough from chasing her own pleasure and he had X to help if he really needed it all that much. But a happy sigh let itself out her chest as she took their still entwined, and now slightly sticky, hands, and wrapped it around the emerging tip of his. She didnt move them-just held still there, as she made eye contact with him, her eyebags heavy as she tried to find a way to communicate.

"Youre not done, are you." It was an easy guess, even with Three's current stamina, this was an issue that demanded as much time and energy as it could possibly get, never satisfied until it milked every ounce of effort from algebraliens. The small nod she offered confirmed it, and she let out another soft "hn" as she leaned down to kiss the dark blue tendril, pulling their hands down to tease it out.

Four resisted the urge to thrust up into her mouth, taking her throat and using her like he knew she really wanted, offering the kind of help she could no longer provide.

Instead, he pressed his claws into his own thigh, squeezing his eyes shut in concentration-getting bored was one thing, but ignoring impulse when it leads to his own pleasure is its own beast.

Three kept up her small efforts, kissing up and down as their much faster writhing cock finished emerging, giving small licks, though never fully opening her mouth, understanding that while Four can practice self control, whats between all of their legs truly had minds of their own.

Four let her continue, pressing his claws further and further into himself, the movement from Three so slow and gentle they were akin to painful teasing. They somewhat understood, in the back of their head, she needed a moment to build herself back up before starting again, to catch her breath and prepare, while also getting Four ready. But in the front of Four's mind, he thought about days long gone, when Three would often be much more mischievous, and he wondered if the torture was, perhaps, the slightest bit intentional.

(Four wouldnt know it, but it was. Three may be unwell, but she was still only herself.)

When Three wraps their hands around the base, unmoving aside from a small squeeze, and swirls her tongue around the tip, Four instantly realizes he will not be able to resist impulse much longer, and pulls her head away, completely missing the cheeky smile she wore, his eyes squeezed shut with concentration.

He opened his eyes to find her gaze boring into him, seeming more curious than her usual tired and numb, her legs spread open and sticky.

He grunts. "I assume that makeout session with my down-lows wasnt for nothing. You want to use it, dont you."

The implication of Three using Four to get off, while not wrong, was both unintentional and very hot to her, and sent a shiver up her back.

Completely missing the social cue, Four simply pulled the blanket up again.

She nods to Four's question and leans back on her arms, spreading her thighs, where her slit, now wet and puffy, sat below her still gently moving tentacle.

Four sighs, suddenly pulling Three up-which slightly startles her-and folding up the newer blanket to place on the cold ground, acting as a sort of makeshift pillow, laying her down on it.

"You wont be able to hold youself up when we do this." He states bluntly. "Your arms will give, or your back will. X isnt here to hold you up, this time, and I cant so easily catch you if im nnbusy fucking you."

Once given the explanation, Three relaxes, slowly breathing out while keeping her eyes closed. She spreads her thighs again, letting her hand fall in between, and brushes past her needy dick to try and finger herself open.

It doesnt much work, Three's wrist visibly cramping up and stuttering as she stroked up her lips, but Four was there to help, so he leaned forward on his knees, one arm planted on the ground, and placed a finger just above her flesh.

She immediately bucks up into it, and Four, getting the confirmation needed, wastes no time to tease. He dips a thick finger down and into her, leaning to kiss her thigh as she gasped.

It was..strangly intimate, in a way that was new to Four, being slow and gentle with her alone, not being instructed by X. He wasnt sure if he hated it or loved it.

They placed a second finger against her and pushed in, feeling Three quickly tense. He knew it didnt hurt-these times encouraged a sort of..natural looseness, a consistent arousal that meant less preperations were needed, and theres no way in hell only two of his fingers would cause a stretch that would sting at the moment, even if algebralien fingers are very thick. But the tensing didnt seem orgasmic either, more uncomfortable, and he figures she must be nervous. And..he understands. Hes been gentle, or tried to, thus far, but the fingers are the final precourser to the rest of him, and he could barely resist snapping into her moments earlier, after only recieving small kisses and kitten licks. To place himself inside her would be a different level of control he'd have to fught to maintain, without X to oversee.

But he refuses to leave her when she needs it.

He leans forward and kisses her tip, mirroring her own earlier actions, pulling the fingers out from inside her to then wrap around her base again. He heard her hiccup, and felt her hips stutter, as he rubbed circles into her thigh, his claws-with some difficulty from him-now fully retracted.

"You dont have to take me if you cant. " He states, lifting his head away to rest her cock against his cheek.
"I can still go get X, or we can figure something else out."

The words, the concepts, are foreign to him, the idea of finding workarounds to keep someone ELSE comfortable felt alien and heavy on his tongue. He kept X safe, he kept himself safe, and he promised to keep Three safe..but this wasnt routine. Wasnt part of the script. Four hardly ever topped, and certainly not gently, not without guidance. He meant what he said, he wanted Three to feel safe doing this, no matter how weird that desire felt to him.

If she needed the more naturally gentle of the two, he'd go get them.

She shakes her head, and Four prepares to get X when he hears her speak, correcting his assumptions.
"n..need you. I..can trust you." Her voice doesnt sound as certain as it could've , but Four's chest swells at the words all the same. Being told something like that- that hes trusted, hes NEEDED, thats something Four has always been weak to.

He cant break her trust. Not even if it killed him. X could always use the practice bringing him back, anyhow.

He nods, grinning and placing his fingers back in, pumping them in and out slowly and carefully as he kisses up and down everywhere he can reach, her cock, her thighs, the lips of her cunt, her stomach. He feels her relaxing around him, and she begins breathing heavy, his hand reciving even less resistance, gaining more and more coated by her wetness everytime they pulled out. He feels a hand reach down to touch the one of his top nubs, and it squeezes gently, just once, and it takes him a moment before he remembers the signal to slow down.

He looks up to meet her eye, and for a moment, for a moment she looks blissful, tired in a nicer way than she actually is, like theyre doing this out of more than just obligation, like they really want to do this for eachother.

She nods her head up slightly, chest moving heavily, and Four catches the hint and pulls his thick fingers out.

He leans up and once more moves his body between her legs, closer than last time, moving her legs to straddle him. He looks down at her, one hand holding their own cock still-he refuses to start before shes ready.

Noticing this, she offers a weak smile, and Four regrets not protecting her when it mattered.

He sits motionless, for a moment, like a well trained dog awaiting orders, his head tilted as he watched her breathe, one hand resting next to her curves-and then she reaches for it, and squeezes once, a shakey grin emerging on her face as she squeezes once more.

Four eyes sparkle, suddenly overwhelemd with the need to make her feel good, to neglect himself completely and be useful. He leans into her, his tip pressing against her, and he bites his lip until it bleeds as it pushes in, forcing his hips still, forcing themself to resist every impulse he has to snap forward. Three tugs his arm again, and he leans closer into her, her arm now pinned above her head, the position allowing themself deeper in.
With her free arm, Three clutches her blanket in a death grip, and with the other squeezes Four's hand- once, twice-and Four begins moving. In, out, he keeps a steady pace, forcing himself to be aware of the every part moment, to pay attention to her quick breath, the silently spoken praise that never carries the sound beyond her lips-she squeezes once, twice, he speeds up-they note the flush of her face, the dull red growing deeper, her eyes screwed shut-she squeezes once, twice-he memorizes the way her fingers flex in the worn blanket, her thumb rubbing circles into it as the old fabric shifts in her hands-she squeezes once, twice-he notes the hiccups as tears of pleasure prick at her closes eyes, the way her hand weakly clenches their own when shes not squeezing it, her energy being focused elsewhere-she squeezes once, twice- and Four cant take it for much longer, the teasing she gave him, every detail of the pleasure hes giving her he can see across her body, the feeling of being trusted, being wanted, it all runs from his pounding chest and squeezes around his cock along with Three herself, -once, twice-and he disobeys, for a moment, just this once, keeping his pace the same as he warns her.

"I-nnn-I can't keep going for mmuch longer, do-ccan I finish in or out,"

The words only seem to encourage her, face crinkling up as she squeezes repeatedly, nods frantically, her thighs wrapping around him, her desperate, praising whispers growing louder, and Four can finally, just barely, hear them-

"ppplease dont leave me dont leave i need you, One, i need you im sorry i need you dont go please dont go-"

She keeps rambling, seemingly unaware Four hears her now, and he has the impulse to snap his hips in, or better yet, to pull out until she can beg him, HIM, to let her finish, to bite and claw and mark her and remind her that shes here with HIM, not HER, that One hurt her and FOUR is the one being so kind, so gentle, FOUR is making her feel good, he wants to slam her down on him until she forgets HER name entirely, babbling out his name like a prayee, he wants to remind her of every single painful heat One has to face alone because of her, because of HIM-

...But she needs One right now. Four is a good host, Four is helping her, Four is being a nice toy, and if that means letting Three screw her eyes shut and pretend shes fucking Her, then thats what she needs, and Four will push down the impulse, every single vicious and heated impulse rising like bile in his throat, and let Three feel good. Hell Be a good host.

He zones out. He lets this fall into routine, thrusts in, out, in, out, as fast as she needs it, tuning out her mourmers. She doesnt feel quite as nice around him, now, but the buildup to orgasm remains, and he buries himself within her and screws his own eyes shut, imagining its X hes pushing into, and the nice thought is just enough to push him over the edge.

He feels a squeeze around his hips, his cock, and hears a desperate string of "thankyouthankyouthankyou-" but the victory over her need doesnt taste quite as sweet as it should have. He forces himself to stay in, slowly and shallowly rocking himself against her, matching the attempts at bucking up from Three. She squeezes his hand a final time, just once, and he pulls out, fighting the impulse to so it fast and hurt her now overly sensitive body, or even to just teleport away completely, having done his job.

He watches as the evidence of his kindness spills out of her, and he licks his thumb and pushes it back in, making Three shudder slightly from the overstimulation.

She looks exhausted, incapable of lifting herself up, still holding Four's hand as she seems to nearly doze off on the ground.

Four is a kind host. Four is a gracious host. And Three is a guest. He did what she needed.

He squeezes her hand tight, maybe too tight, to get her attention, and her eye flutters open. "I'm tired." he says, voice completely low and monotone. "Im going to bed. I'll have X come and take care of you."

He lifts his fingers to snap, and she grabs his wrist, meeting his eyes and looking down at the two blankets, one worn, one new, fresh, and now somewhat covered in various stylish stains.

"Want...you." she murmurs .

Four is a good host. But Three isnt a guest, not anymore, not for a long time.

Three is a part of his life, now, and he decides its time to change up his routine to reflect that.