In the days following Rathus's demonstration of his music box, Emerick began to visit the workshop on a regular basis. This became thoroughly aggravating to Titus who still wasn't convinced they had to rely on the rich playboy. He was still of the opinion they'd be better off looking for a place of their own in a more affordable spot where they weren't indebted past the point of ever hoping to repay their 'landlord.' It was a point he and Rathus didn't see eye to eye on.
"Titus," Rathus exhaled impatiently. "You can't keep acting like this. Eventually you're going to have to get along with Emerick."
"To hell I can't!" Titus grumbled. He kept his eyes fixed to the assortment of herbs and flowers in front of him.
At present, he was trying to figure out a perfume to eliminate the vile odors wafting from the regent's palace. It wasn't clear if anyone else on Emerick's estate could smell it—perhaps Dalek if the wind blew the wrong way—but the orc brothers with their sharp noses and closer proximity to the castle were constantly suffering it. It was proving difficult, but his goal was to find something that would nullify it, if not overpower it without overwhelming the senses itself.
"He hasn't done anything wrong!" Rathus frowned. "And like it or not, if he can help us sell our stuff, I'm going to work with him."
"We don't need his help!" Titus growled. "I don't see why we're even staying here! You and I could make a living somewhere else, preferably closer to a market! Liron has sold our work in the past, he's more than capable of doing so now! Why are we burying ourselves in so much debt in a place where we aren't truly allowed to grow?!"
"One problem," Rathus glared, "We're half-bloods. Trixie already tried and failed to get a place in the slums, and they're only going to get more reluctant as we get into the higher tiered sectors. Or did you forget people are prejudiced?"
"How could I?" Titus growled, "But how do we know this place is our only option? How do we know this is even the best option? We all jumped on the band wagon because we were desperate and in a bad position, but did we actually make the right decision?"
"Can't you just be grateful?" Rathus snapped. "Instead of bitching like a little girl, can't you just chip in and make the most of things?"
"How could I be grateful?" Titus demanded. "That jack ass pretty much owns us, and nobody except me seems to care! How is this any better than the orphanage or the institute? What happens when he gets bored with us? Does he just dump us out on the streets? Will he sell us off? What assurance do we have that he's not just going to use and abuse us like everyone else?"
"What makes YOU so sure that's how he feels?" Rathus countered. "You won't even talk with the guy!"
"That's because he's nothing but a rich bastard! Why should I talk to him?" Titus snarled.
"Why do you have to be such an ass?!" Rathus exclaimed.
"I'll be whatever I want!" Titus growled. "I'm not a kid, and you don't get to boss me around!"
"Sure, whatever." Rathus rolled his eyes, then resumed working. From what Titus understood, he was currently building some sort of contraption to help improve the number of boxes he could make at once. He wasn't clear on the details, but he'd figure he'd see the thing in action soon enough if it worked out.
For a time, it seemed like their argument was over. Hours passed in peaceful silence, and in that time Titus was able to come up with several plausible mixtures to remedy the odor problem. It was beginning to appear he'd have a somewhat pleasant afternoon. Then, Trixie decided to pop in for a visit out of the blue.
"Hey guys!" she exclaimed. Titus ground his teeth as she threw an arm around Rathus's shoulders and gave Titus a thumbs up. Based on the smells coming off her and her mood, she had recently been with Emerick.
"Hey boss," Rathus greeted. He forced a smile as he ducked under her arm and stood up. It was clear to Titus that Rathus was as upset about the smell as he was, but he pretended it didn't bother him. "What can we do for you?"
"Not much, just thought I'd come see what you're up to," she shrugged. "It's been crazy and I haven't seen you in a while."
"Funny, your boyfriend takes the time to see us every day," Titus grumbled. "Maybe if you'd take a break from your dick licking you'd have more time."
She rolled her eyes, but shrugged off his comment. They'd already gotten into several fights on the subject, and it seemed she'd decided ignoring him was the best way to handle him. Rathus had argued with him about those arguments. It was beginning to feel like that was the only thing he ever did anymore.
"It's nice to see you," Rathus smiled, then shot Titus a glare. When Titus failed to respond, he shook his head and returned his attention to Trixie. "I've managed to make a few more boxes."
"You've been making a lot," Trixie observed, frowning somewhat. "You know, you could've talked with me about it. You didn't have to go to Emerick behind my back."
"And give you the chance to stop me?" Rathus chuckled. "I know you too well."
"Still," Trixie huffed, "You could've at least clued me in! You don't know how frustrating it is to hear about these things second hand!"
"You don't know how frustrating it is to be treated like a child," Rathus replied, ruffling her hair. "You do realize you don't have to do everything yourself right? You can rely on the rest of us."
"Sure," Trixie batted his hands away. "But who's treating who like a kid here?"
At a glance, it seemed like a perfectly normal conversation. It seemed like they were getting along well enough, when in fact both were frustrated with each other. Titus couldn't understand why they wouldn't just acknowledge it. Trixie felt like Rathus had undermined her, and Rathus felt stifled, but neither would address those feelings. For all her brutal honesty, Trixie always held back when it came to his brother, which was almost as vexing as her flings with Emerick.
"Would you two grow up?" Titus snapped. "We're in over our heads, just admit it."
"Not this again," Rathus frowned and shook his head.
"You're pretending like every thing's all hunky-dory like we didn't just get completely displaced and all the monsters who raised us weren't all brutally executed!" Titus exploded. "So what if they deserved it?! It's still disturbing knowing you're former caretaker's head is on a pike, or their broken bodies are hanging on display as a dire warning! We knew those people, and however much we might've despised them, it's still miserable to look at! But no! NOOOO! That's fine. We're ok! We're good! We're only living with a wealthy stranger in a home he's 'renting' out to us that we can't actually afford, and the whole damn arrangement hinges on how much Trixie puts out! That's not questionable at all!"
"Shut up, Titus," Trixie growled.
Rathus moved to the far end of the shop and resumed working on his music boxes. He had tried mediating their fights, but found his efforts were in vain. Now, he preferred to stay out of them entirely.
"Everything's grand!" Titus continued, disregarding Trixie's warning growl. "We are only trying to raise 17 children, 12 of whom are under the age of 6, when we can barely take care of ourselves! On top of this, we're not allowed to leave the estate, or help in any way, and the food we're eating is probably worse than the garbage we ate in the system, but hey, everything's ok! We're all happy! Nothing's wrong! Trixie's fucking a rich guy, so life is great!"
His head twisted painfully as Trixie's tail collided with the side of his face in a brutal slap. It stopped his tirade, but only escalated his temper as Titus rubbed his cheek and Jaw. The fury radiating off of Trixie, which would have terrified him in the past, only vindicated him in that moment.
"What is your problem?!" She demanded. "It's not that bad! We have a home! Isn't that enough for you?!"
"This isn't home!" Titus shouted. "Why can't you get that through your thick skull?! This place is NOT a home, it's a hot mess!"
"You're a hot mess!" Trixie snapped.
"No were near as bad as you!" Titus roared. "I mean, can you actually do anything efficiently? Besides fucking your boyfriend I mean?!"
"Emerick is not my boyfriend!" Trixie shouted right back. "And what I do is none of your damn business!"
"Oh, but everything we do is yours?!" Titus said with a hysterical laugh. "Isn't that just typical! Everyone bow down before almighty Trixie! She dictates everyone else's life, but don't you dare ask her anything about hers! She's better than everyone else, don't you know?"
"I don't think I'm better than anyone else!" Trixie snarled. "Sorry I'm not perfect! Sorry that I care about what you guys do! If you really feel that way, you're allowed to not talk, you know!"
"Are we? Are we really?!" Titus bowed mockingly. "Oh thank you so much for your permission!"
"Why are you being such an ass?!" Trixie demanded. "If you have a problem, why don't you just spit it out already?!"
"I have been!" Titus bellowed. "I've been telling you for weeks now, but you don't fucking listen! It doesn't matter to you, because I'm not saying what you want to hear!"
"You're one to talk!" Trixie laughed. "You've been so damn obstinate and pessimistic, nobody wants to be around you, or hadn't you noticed that even Rathus is reluctant to spend time with you?"
"How would you know?!" Titus questioned. "Your head is so far up Emerick's ass, you don't even think for yourself anymore! You may as well marry the guy, it would be easier than this stupid game you're playing, and it's obvious you love him!"
"How I feel about him is none of your damn business Titus!" Trixie screamed. "How I feel about anyone is my business! Sorry that I'm not a hopeless fool like you and I don't wear my heart on my sleeve!"
"Oh, so even the rich and powerful Emerick isn't enough for almighty Trixie?" Titus scoffed. "Then again, what else did I expect! No one else is enough for you! I'm not good enough for you, am I?"
"No, you aren't!" Trixie confirmed angrily. "In fact! I wouldn't want to be with you if you were the last person on earth! Hell, I would rather be eaten alive by carnivorous insects than be with you!"