Hansel: Tusk

The ship eased into port, and then a little beyond the port, splintering the first fews rows of planks on the boardwalk. Someone shouted *hey hey hey hey!* from the docks, but they quieted as they realized there was no one on the ship to shout at. It looked still and dead for a moment, drifting back away from the docks slightly.

Hansel pushed himself up from the deck, leaning heavily on the anchor well. The impact had toppled him, but he'd gotten the anchor down just about in time, at least. Someone was yelling from the docks again, now that they could see him, and he couldn't begin to understand the words but turned towards the sound and lurched vaguely in its direction. He found the railing, then the gap where he should lower the gangplank, but tumbled off the ship instead, hitting the dock hard.

His body ached and his ears screamed at him. He still had a metallic taste in his mouth. Someone was bent over him, frowning in concern now, lips moving.

He was so fucking hungry.

###

The voice said *kill her first* but he couldn't do it. Not for lack of trying. She just got away. The tiefling was easier to catch by her tail.

###

He rolled on to his side to push himself up. The dockworker tried to touch his shoulder and he lashed out, flinging her arm away and snarling -- wordlessly first, then:

“Stay the fuck away from me.”

She didn't need to be told twice. She backed away, holding her hands up, glancing momentarily at what was left of his ship and then turning to dart away. Hansel tried to get his bearings but everything was too bright and busy and *much* and all he could think to do was lunge in the general direction she'd gone in. He just had to go somewhere. There would be food somewhere.

###

The voice said *kill her FIRST* but he couldn't. She kept disappearing. The carpenter tried to fight him but his axes were faster than hers.

###

He caught the scent and followed it like an animal, shoving past the few people who weren't avoiding him already, trying not to look at them at all. Things were becoming familiar. He'd been here before. He knew this door. The only thing beyond his fingertips was the smell -- none of the rest of it mattered -- god, he was just so fucking hungry.

A grill sizzled. The cook flipped a red hunk of meat into the air and it came back down, spattering grease and pink juices into the fire underneath.

Hansel keeled over, vomiting up bile and blood.

###

The voice said *KILL HER FIRST* but he couldn't. The little bird cried for his sister, but she was already dead.

###

There were definitely people shouting now, about the emaciated half-orc ruining their meals, but he was beyond caring. He made himself sick. He crumpled on the floor, still retching, holding himself, wishing he would just vomit up his organs and be done with it.

When someone touched his shoulder again he didn't have the strength to flinch away, and could only bare his teeth. They should leave him alone. They should drag him back outside and pitch him into the ocean to drown. If he bit someone maybe they would -- but god, if he bit someone, he --

“Dad?”

###

She said his name and he almost recognized it. He swayed over her in the storm, stopping for a moment, his head pounding *killherkillherkillherkillher*. He couldn't. Just for a second.

###

The shouting had softened to a grumble. Hansel's sight came back to him, bleary, faded, but he knew the voice already. If he bit someone they'd probably kill him. Some fucking crazy orc, stumbling into a bar, taking chunks out of people. He ground his teeth together and tried to make himself do it. One bite. It'd be over. He wouldn't have to live with this. He'd get what he deserved.

Jonn touched his face gently. “What … happened to your tusk?”

It seemed like a small question. Not the right one. The kid's fingers were practically in his mouth already. He was so goddamn stupid, and reckless, and trusting, and sailors had been punished more harshly for lesser crimes.

###

"I knew you would be the end of me," Serena said. Her voice was ragged. "I always knew. I saw it the first time you walked onto my ship."

The voice screamed at him. She wasn't running anymore. She was already bleeding and he was so fucking hungry from the scent of it that red saliva dripped from his face.

###

His jaw went slack and he leaned into Jonn, almost knocking him over, grabbing his arm but quickly losing the ability to cling to him. He was aware of Jonn trying to pull him to his feet but was dead weight, heard his voice but couldn't make out the words. He sounded alarmed. That was probably reasonable.

His voice faded away.

###

"You'll get yours, though," she told him, and snarled in victory. "I saw that too. You'll fucking get yours, Hansel. I hope you break a tooth on me."