Trigger warnings -->

PoV: Skizz

If I ever had any doubts that I was out of my depth with the other hermits, their parties will always remind me.

It's mid April, and to celebrate everyone returning from exile, Pearl's hosting a party at her base, with a space theme. There's glowing stars and planets hanging everywhere, a giant model of the moon as a disco ball. Other hermits are milling about, talking, a few dancing, and others claiming that's what they're doing. In my usual panic, I failed to come up with any ideas as fun and painted planets onto my black waistcoat and trousers, while Tango and Zedaph have become a singular entity who apparently, after three weeks of practice, still can't speak and walk in sync. False is in a black suit and sunglasses, leaving a trail of inflatable grey aliens in her wake, and then pretending it wasn't her. Ren's 4th Doctor scarf has tripped up most of the hermits, including himself, multiple times.

But the Hermit I really want to catch up with is at the side, dressed in a stunning – and knowing him, accurate – constellation tailsuit. Cub paces, anxious, near the exit, fidgeting with a glass of something, talking with whatever unconventional twist on the theme Joe came as. All anyone knows or is willing to tell me is that he's been staying at Scar's base for the past fortnight, recovering from something. And I miss hanging out with him.

'...recovering pretty well, but I didn't want to risk it.'

'Rubbadub Cub... you look absolutely incredible!' I say. There's almost panic in his eyes as he looks up. I catch the mostly-healed scars on his face with concern.

'Oh- uh- cheers, man. Yeah... Scar made it. All of it.'

'What?! Really? Dude, it's absolutely incredible... But, anyway, how are you doing, buddy? Recovering well from... whatever happened?'

'I'm fine.'

Cub takes a step away, glancing at Joe, then back at me. I'm not convinced.

'Really?'

'Listen, man, I need to tell you something. It's import-' Cub stops, taking a deep breath. There's pain on his face. My worry for him grows. Joe frowns. 'It's important.'

'Yeah?'

'This seems private, so I'm going to go pester Cleo and give you some more space- oh, hey Scar!'

'Joe, there's space pizza!' Scar declares, running over. Cub brightens immediately, his discomfort fades. 'Grian brought enough pizza dough for everyone to design their own pizza-planets!'

'Dude, really?!' Cub replies with a laugh.

'I am gonna check that out right now... bye guys!' Joe runs off, leaving just me, Cub and Scar.

'So, how are you doing?' Scar asks. 'Skizzy, Cub?'

'I'm doing very well, Sir Scar... Love your suit, by the way.' I look Scar's matching constellation trousers and waistcoat up and down. 'Cub told me you actually made them by hand?'

'Oh, it's nothing... I've made better. It was a bit of a rush getting them both done...'

'Are you kidding?! I could never do something like that! All I did was paint terrible planets onto my suit!'

'Wait, those are planets?!' Scar's eyes widen. I burst out laughing.

'Dude... what did you think they were?!'

'I thought they were alien spots or something! I don't know! Not planets!'

'Cub, tell me you realised what-'

Cub's gone.

'Where'd he- Did you see him go? Scar?' I turn back to Scar, finding him focused on his communicator, replying to a message.

'He's feeling a little off still... said he needs some time alone,' Scar replies. 'I should go check on him... see you around, Skizz!'

And, with that, Scar disappears off too, out of the ballroom and further into Pearl's base.

For the next hour or two, my worry about Cub fades almost completely. Scar returns to the party, easing my worries a lot. Instead, I focus on the space trivia, a dance competition (Xisuma wins), I make my own space-pizza for Impulse with everything he loves, and then cover it with hot sauce right in front of him. Hypno and xB designed a crazy playlist of space-themed songs which Hermits keep adding to, including Joe adding the entirety of Holst's 'The Planets'.

Apparently I underestimated how much of Jevin's 'alien space goo' punch I had, as, 2 hours in, my head is pounding, and I need to find somewhere quieter to go. With a mutter to Gem and Joel about stepping out, I slip away from the party and into Pearl's storage area. I take some deep breaths, drinking some water to ease my growing thirst. It's practically silent here, a welcome change from the chaos of the party, except the wind outside.

And the sound of Cub crying.

'...everyone could see me- I couldn't- you-'

A stifled scream. I stop in my tracks, messaging Scar to come over and help. It's hard to stay calm as I search for wherever he is, see if I can be of any comfort until better Cub-support arrives. Eventually, I end up mining through one of the walls to a small, newly dug, room with stone walls.

And freeze.

Cub's there, swarmed by Vex, his eyes glowing blue, pleading, and bleeding. Without caring if they hurt me, I run over, swatting the creatures away. They turn their focus to me, chittering one phrase in a language I don't understand, over and over. They slash back at my arms, my chest. I scream at them.

'GET AWAY YOU JERKS!' I yell through the pain. 'JERK BUTT MURDER FAIRIES!'

Eventually, the vex do disappear. I take a deep breath. Cub doesn't look at me, staring at the ground instead, lost in thought. I crouch next to him, unsure whether to put a hand on his shoulder, or just sit with him.

'Hey... Cub? Scar's coming, but can I help before he gets here?'

'Get the fuck out of here!' Cub spits, drawing away from me. He's bleeding through his now-ruined shirt, the jacket discarded in the corner. 'What the fuck are you thinking?!'

'I'm just here to protect you. The vex didn't get me much, I promise. I just want to make sure you're ok.'

'I'm fine. Get out.'

Lie.

'Are the vex going to hurt you again if I leave, or will you be safe until Scar arrives?' I check my communicator again, seeing if he's replied.

GoodTimeWithScar whispered to you: omw

GoodTimeWithScar whispered to you: fuck im lost

GoodTimeWithScar whispered to you: coords?

I paste them into chat, before returning focus to Cub. He hasn't replied. His eyes are closed, muttering, refusing to do something.

'Cub? Shit- Cub, hey- I'm freaking out, man, I don't know what to do.' I rest a hand on his shoulder.

'FUCK OFF!'

Pain. I scream as Cub turns, firing a bolt of magic in my direction, throwing me back and against the far wall. I struggle to sit up.

'No- no I'm sorry- Skizz, please- go away- are you ok? Fuck- Fuck I'm so sorry.' Cub scrambles to his feet, but doesn't get any closer. His expression is haunted, terrified, there's a flicker of blue in his eyes. My heart tears apart seeing him like this. I can barely move. 'Just- get out of here. Seriously.'

'This- ow- this is to do with what you wanted to say earlier, isn't it?' I guess. There's tears in Cub's eyes. He keeps shifting position, like he's fighting something. 'What is it? What's going on?'

'They don't- they don't want me to say- they- I can't fight them, get out...'

I force my way to my feet. The hit of vex magic still tingles unpleasantly, a prickle through my skin.

'Notch... I don't want to leave you struggling, man. I want to know what's going on.'

'The Vex want you to become a Vexling, and they want me to do it,' Cub explains, fast. There is nothing but terror and pain in his expression. 'Just get out before they take over.'

'What?!' I take another step away, reaching for the exit, but can't leave him. Not like this. Not after what he just said. 'Cub- what, are you serious right now? The Vex want me?!'

'Skizz, you need to run- fuck- the Vex- just GET OUT!'

His eyes flash white.

Completely white.

Possessed.

I stumble backwards, turning, trying to find the exit. But it's not there. The wall's completely covered in vex magic. Everything is.

I'm trapped.

Cub laughs.

'Ah... Mr Skizzleman. How delightful of you to join me here.'

'Listen...' I slowly turn back, hands raised in surrender. 'Listen, man...'

'Where's Scar?' A flicker of fury in Cub's inhumanly wide smile. 'I don't like working without Scar.'

'I don't know.'

'Guess I'll do this alone then.'

'Cub- the actual Cub, my buddy Cub who refused to hurt me, told me what you want to do.' I try to keep confident, even facing the terror of a fully possessed vexling. More than that: my friend – someone I could trust, and who was here to protect me – fully possessed. 'You want me to be a Vexling, don't you?'

A knife flickers into Cub's hand. His smile grows.

'Oh, that comes later. I'm just here to deliver you to them. Alive,' he adds, in case it's any consolation. Under the vex's control, Cub's constant casual, unfazed tone turns to cold, calculated malice. With a vex laugh, he runs one finger over the knife blade. Before looking back at me, grinning only more. 'But they didn't say I couldn't hurt you.'

Cub pins me against the wall and my confidence fails. I struggle, as much as I dare.

'Cub...Cub please...'

'A little rite us Vexlings like. A preparation for the worse.'

He pulls off my tie first, then slices slowly across the front of my suit, from sleeve to sleeve, cutting deep enough to draw blood. I sob with pain, stifling scream after scream, until he finishes. My shirt and waistcoat fall, ruined, to the ground. I'm left, shirtless and shivering. Utterly unprotected. Cub keeps one clawed hand on my neck, stopping me from moving. Blood trickles down my chest. With a terrifying tenderness, he wipes a smear away.

'Does that hurt, Skizz?' he murmurs, observing the red on his fingers, even tasting the blood. Ice runs down my back at just how menacing his tone is. 'I can tell you're scared, you don't have to hide it.'

'Fuck you.'

He slashes my chest, a straight, clean, practiced cut from my neck to my armpit. I scream, a guttural cry with pain, as loud as I can. Cub laughs, a shrill, piercing, manic Vex laugh.

'It's been far too long since I've heard a scream that good, man oh man...'

I try to plead, but all that comes out is panic. Another cut, slower, deeper, on the other side, drawing out another pleading shriek of agony. My vision blacks for a second, the world blurs and spins until the only clear thing is Cub's haunting white eyes and smile. I struggle for breath.

'Already giving up, I see,' Cub hisses. 'Better make this quick.'

With terrifying speed and precision, Cub slashes down my chest again with the knife. And again, and again, and again. Only then does he step away, admiring his work of torturing me. I collapse, gasping, sobbing, for breath. A glance down at my bleeding chest. Through the stream of blood I see the dark shape of a pair of skeletal vex wings, branded on my chest, before I fall unconscious.

:)