It's a Beautiful Lie

by Anaki Starsong

A multi Chapter fic about Karkat, John, Dave, and Sollux all as humans in college I wrote for AO3 and have compressed into one long story here with Chapter titles : Please enjoy!

Chapter 1

Stranger in a Strange Land

Karkat looked down at the piece of paper again to make sure he was at the right room. Building 4, Floor 1, Dorm number 3. The hall was abuzz with other college kids filling their dorms with loads of crap and Karkat felt a little self-conscious holding a small backpack and a laundry bag with enough clothes to last between washings. He stuck his key in the door and opened it to a dark room. When he flipped the switch, a dull yellow bulb gave a sickly glow to the room. The walls where bare and white, two desks and beds mirroring each other at opposite sides of the small room. There were also two mirrored doors; one a closet, the other a small but private bathroom with a shower.

Karkat sighed in slight relief. He had always heard about public bathrooms and showering facilities but he had lucked out and got one of the newer dorms where privacy actually meant something. He was also slightly relieved that his roommate wasn't there yet, it meant he could claim whichever bed he liked. Setting his sparse belongings on the bed same side of the closet, Karkat pulled back the curtains that covered the large window at the back of the room and was greeted by a cloud of dust and a solitary spider which he unceremoniously stomped on as it scurried across the floor.

The view wasn't bad. Just outside his window the ground slopped gently down into a big open green area where some kids where already breaking out Frisbees, laying out to catch the last few rays of the sun, and a small cluster of art student's had their easels set up, painting the world around them. Karkat pulled the curtain almost closed, letting in a little of the outside light before unpacking his stuff. It only took half an hour to hang up his few clothes, set up his toiletries in the bathroom, and arrange his laptop on his desk. Karkat looked around confused, his roommate still wasn't there. He pulled out the paper listing his room assignment and read the name.

John Egbert – Performance Major

Karkat conjured up the mental image he had laughed at when he first read his assignment; a tall, lanky, nerdy prick with an affinity for scarves and chai tea lattes. Poking his head out the door, Karkat was disappointed when he saw no one matching his description. In fact he didn't see much of anyone, least of all anyone looking ready to move into a dorm. It was getting on towards sunset, and all the kids had pretty much moved in, classes meeting in the morning to start the school year off. Karkat shrugged and closed the door. Maybe his roomie was a no-show. It happened more often than one would think. Maybe he'd actually have the whole room to himself. Karkat liked this idea.

Out of things to do, Karkat pulled a DVD out of his small case of movies and popped it into his laptop, propping it on the desk so he could stretch out on his bed and watch. It was some silly little romcom, the kind that made him forget about the dull world around him and daydream about finding that perfect someone. He must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he knew, the movie was almost to the end. But it wasn't the movie that had revived him to the world; it was the sound of voices and a key in the lock.

"This way, Dave. I found it!" an all too cheerful voice rang out on the other side of the door.

Karkat prepared himself for his vision to come true, a smirk playing on his lips. That smirk quickly disappeared as a mop of black hair appeared around the door. The boy was maybe an inch taller than Karkat and had broad, firm shoulders and a lean form. Worn jeans hung loosely at his waist, a plain white t-shirt exposed under an unbuttoned blue patterned shirt. An overly toothy grin spread across the boy's mouth and his glasses had slid down him nose a bit, but it was the bright blue eyes behind them that caught Karkat's attention.

"Oh! Hi!," the boy quirked a goofy grin, "Sorry I'm late, I hope I didn't wake you up."

"John, man," another voice came from behind him, "your great with the pleasantries and all, but this shit's heavy."

"Sorry, Dave," John moved aside to reveal a slightly taller, slightly more defined blond boy wearing aviators, carrying a big brown box with chords jutting out of it like vines, "I guess I'm that bed over there."

Dave grunted and waddled over to the bed, depositing the heavy load with a groan, John setting his backpack and box next to it. Dave stretched and glanced at Karkat's laptop which was playing the very mushy end of the movie and grimaced.

"Ugh," he stuck his tongue out, "what is that shit you're watching."

Karkat scowled, "I didn't know I had to ask your permission, seeing as this isn't your room."

"Whoa, careful John," Dave turned to his friend, "Sounds like you got an emo kid. Watch your razor blades."

"Fuck you," Karkat sneered.

"Dave," John scolded, "Please? Thanks for helping me, now get out. I don't want him to hate me before he knows me!"

"Alright," Dave snorted, "But if you need me, I'm just the next building over. Ya hear that, emo pants?"

"Out!" John pushed his friend out the door and slammed it behind him.

He turned towards Karkat with an embarrassed blush and a nervous laugh, "Sorry about him."

"Charming company you keep," Karkat turned his attention back to his computer screen.

"He's really not that bad once you get to know him," John rocked back on his heels in the silence that followed, "Oh! I'm John by the way. You must be Karkat."

"Excellent deduction," Karkat tried to make his voice as emotionless and detached as possible. He didn't like getting close to people, and it was bad enough they had to room together.

"Well I have to be honest, I was expecting someone more," John searched for the words, "Eastern European. Russian, I guess."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Karkat wrinkled his forehead.

"Well," John blushed again, "Karkat Vantas isn't exactly what I'd call an average American name."

"So you're a racist," Karkat raise an eyebrow.

"N-no!" John stammered, flushing an even deeper red, "That's not what I meant, honest."

"Whatever," Karkat smirked to himself, "You're not what I pictured either. So we're even now."

"So what are you watching?" John plopped down on his bed and bounced a little.

"A movie," Karkat's voice was flat.

"Ah," John looked away, a bit of a nervous flush in his cheeks, "Well. I'll just get settled in I guess."

Karkat looked over and mentally kicked himself. He was going to be rooming with this guy, he needed to be a little less hostile. That Dave guy had just gotten his feathers ruffled, and here he was taking it out on John.

"Just a silly romcom," Karkat sighed.

John perked up, "I love romcoms!"

"Down boy," Karkat couldn't help but smirk, maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"So I'm curious," John rocked a bit on the edge of his bed, "What DID you think I'd look like?"

Karkat described his flamboyant hipster model to a very eager John who laughed at every little nuance and finally giggled, "Wow, for once I'm happy to disappoint!"

"I'm happy to be disappointed," Karkat sat up on his bed and looked John over.

Aside from his earlier observations, Karkat noted how John's feet seemed a little too big for the boy, turned slightly inward. His jeans were a little long and the hems were frayed. His fingers drummed on his knees. They were long and elegant. His arms weren't all that scrawny, in fact there was some nice muscle definition there, though that didn't seem to carry exactly with the rest of his body. A small bit of gut gathered under his shirt to form the tiniest of belly bulges, though as they came up to the chest his muscles seemed to be a bit more defined and stretched his white undershirt a bit. His neck was thin, a small silver chain glinting against the pale skin. His glasses were square framed, the newest fashion trend throwback that everyone seemed to be touting these days. His hair was a thick mat of tangled black that somehow managed to lay flat. His eyes were a star shine blue that sparkled endlessly, and they were staring deep into his own. There was an awkward moment and Karkat looked away.

"So," John laughed a little nervously, "A Biology major, eh?"

"Yeah," Karkat rolled his eyes, "For some reason I just rock at it."

"I thought about going into biology, always been fascinated with genetics and such."

"And yet here you are," Karkat scoffed, "A soon to be actor."

"Performer," John corrected, "Aspiring Magician to be technical."

"Ah man," Karkat groaned, "We're not going to have rabbits running around our room are we?"

"No," John laughed, "Though I can't promise anything about playing cards. Those can get a little mischievous and appear in random places."

John's wink brought a smirk to Karkat's lips and he rolled his eyes. Suddenly John's pocket rang with an annoying techno beat and he dug for it, flipping it open with a "Yo."

"Oh heya Dave," Karkat turned back to his laptop as John flopped onto his bed with a laugh, "No Dave, I'm fine! Yes he's actually nice. Whatever."

John rolled his eyes and mouthed sorry to Karkat who had turned a scowl his way.

"Dinner? Sure! Alright, see ya in a bit!" John hung up his phone and turned to Karkat, "Sorry about that. I'm headed to…"

"Dinner," Karkat finished, "I heard."

"Did you wanna, I dunno," John fell short on his invite bringing a scoff from Karkat.

"No thanks. I think one run in with your friend Dave is enough for today."

"Alright," John sighed, "Well I'll try not to be too late."

"I won't wait up," John laughed at Karkat's dry tone before grabbing his phone and heading out the door.

Karkat sighed and glared at his computer, unsure of what to do. He wasn't that tired and he didn't fancy another movie. Finally he pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through the contacts. When he landed on the name he wanted he typed a brief text message.

HEY FUCKASS. FOOD?

He flopped his phone next to him and buried his face in his arm, his fingers impatiently drumming on the bed as he waited for a reply. Soon enough his phone lit up and vibrated.

could you maybe a2k me iin a more polite manner? ye2 iim hungry. iill meet you on the green iin 10.

Karkat rolled off his bed, snapping the lid of his laptop shut and tossing it into the middle of his bed. Grabbing a grey hoodie from the closet, he made sure he had his wallet, keys, and cell phone before heading out to meet his best friend for dinner.

Chapter 2

From Yesterday

Karkat huffed at his phone indignantly and shoved it back into his pocket, rocking on his heels impatiently. He'd been waiting for 9 minutes, checking his phone every 20 seconds and getting more and more agitated as the seconds crawled by. The Green was dark and mostly deserted, a few students scurrying past but most were out making the best of their last night of freedom. He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone again when a low, warm voice called to him, the soft lisp annoying and soothing all at once.

"Do I want to athk how long you've been thtanding here?" The boy was taller than Karkat with a mop of brown hair.

"Shut up, Sollux," Karkat huffed, "I'm starving."

"I told you 10 minuteth," Sollux quirked a lopsided smile, his heterochromatic eyes rolling, "You're tho impatient."

"What part of dying of hunger wasn't clear?" Karkat growled and started walking, "Some best friend you are. Wanting to watch me starve to death."

"I could only be tho lucky," Sollux chuckled, "Tho what'th the plan?"

"I saw a Chipotle just down the street," Karkat smirked, "I'm going to destroy a burrito."

"Uhg," Sollux groaned, "I should have brought a rain poncho or thomething, you eat like an animal."

Karkat lightly shoved his shoulder into his friend, pushing him just slightly off course. Sollux had been an integral part of Karkat's life for as long as he could remember. They had gone to school together since the second grade when Karkat moved to a new town because his over protective father wanted to get his son away from the big city. Even then Karkat had been rough around the edges, easily irritable, and kept mostly to himself. One day he was out on the playground when he came across some other kids picking of a small boy, calling him a freak and a mutant.

Karkat looked at the boy who had tears streaming down his face. His eyes were startling, one greenish blue, the other a deep brown-almost-red. The boy also had a noticeable lisp as he sobbed for the others to stop and for someone to help him. Out of nowhere, rage bubbled up in Karkat and he turned to the leader of the group who was laughing maliciously. Karkat was never able to figure out where all the force came from, because the boy was bigger than him, but somehow with a single right hook he sent the fucker flying, an airborne trail of blood from where his fist had connected with the kids nose.

They quickly became inseparable, and after they had graduate had applied and were accepted to the same college. They would have roomed together too if there hadn't been a mix up with the paperwork. So instead they were relegated to different buildings and strange roommates. It was probably for the best though, as living with someone had a way of bringing out unknown habits and quirks that tended to drive friends apart.

"Tho my roommate ith kinda cool," Sollux watched Karkat take a huge bite of his burrito and grimaced, "You're gonna choke or thomething and I'll be damned if I'm giving you C.P.R."

"It's the Heimlich dipshit," Karkat growled, pieces of rice flying with his statement.

Sollux looked at Karkat expectantly before sighing, "Well?"

"Well what?" Karkat growled, eyeing Sollux and slightly retracting his burrito like a dog protecting its food.

"How'th your kid?" Sollux rolled his eyes, "Ith he the pretenthious tool you thought he'd be?"

"Who, John?" Karkat took another huge bite of his burrito and spoke with his mouth full, "Nah, he's kinda annoying but whatever."

"Uhg," Sollux sighed, "KK pleath thwallow your food before talking."

Karkat scoffed and choked a bit before frantically reaching for his soda and shooting an icy glare at Sollux who laughed openly, "Fuck you."

"Maybe later," Sollux winked, "My roommate ith welcomed to join if he wanth. He'th hot."

"Bleh," Karkat rolled his eyes, "Can you keep it in your pants just once?"

"Ith it my fault everyone thwoonth over me?" Sollux winked, "If I recall correctly, even you don't mind…"

"Finish that sentence," Karkat growled, "And I'll burn your dorm down."

Sollux smirked and ran his foot up Karkat's leg under the table making the other man shudder, earning another growl, "Heh."

"I hate you."

"Love you too, KK."

Their relationship had become…interesting their junior year of high school. Sollux had gone away for a 2 month long summer camp and Karkat had been devastated, having spent every summer hiking and playing video games and going laser-tagging with his best friend. That summer his parent's had decided a summer camp was the best thing for their son to get him out of the house. When he came back, Karkat's jaw had dropped. His nerdy best friend, who had been scrawny and lanky when he left, returned half a foot taller, tanned, and ripped. Karkat had felt awkward and a little jealous when every girl who had ignored him for the past 10 years suddenly noticed Sollux and raped him with their eyes. It finally resulted in the biggest fight the two had ever had when Karkat noticed a few guys flirting with his best friend.

"Tho what?" Sollux casually threw when Karkat had confronted him.

"So what?" Karkat still wasn't sure why it made him so mad, "It's not right! They shouldn't be looking at you that way!"

"Karkat, are you homophobic?" Sollux had raised an eyebrow and it did something to Karkat's already racing pulse and suddenly his tongue felt too big.

"W-what? N-no! I…" Karkat wasn't sure what he meant to say, he was too flustered.

"Oh my God, KK," Sollux's mouth broke into the widest smile ever, "you're jealouth!"

"I'm not jealous of you," Karkat spat.

"Not of me, fuckath," Sollux crossed the room and placed a hand on Karkat's cheeked and a shiver ran through the now shorter boy's body, "You're jealouth of them."

"I…no…" Karkat stammered and leaned into Sollux's hand.

It had been so perfect when the brunette had chuckled, his heterochromatic eyes sparkling, and leaned down to capture Karkat's already parted lips. The years that followed were full of amazing sex and a relationship that many people found unusual. Neither boy fancied settling down with each other. In fact, once they had learned what it meant, they started defining themselves as Polyamorous Bisexuals though Sollux had a particular distaste for labels.

"Betht friendth with remarkable benefith," Sollux had put it once to a girlfriend who was horrified and broke up with the brunette immediately.

Things had cooled a bit between them in the last few months as they prepared for college life, but their friendship was as strong as ever. As they walked back to the dorms, Sollux even managed to get Karkat to hold his hand, their fingers interlacing even as Karkat made a halfhearted complaint that someone might see. The pair walked back to Sollux's dorm. The building wasn't far from Karkat's, though Sollux's room was on the topmost floor.

"Wanna come in?" Sollux smirked as he flicked on the light, giving the room a soft yellow glow.

"Thanks, Casanova," Karkat groaned with an eye roll, "But won't your roommate be back soon?"

"He can join," Sollux winked and Karkat huffed.

"Not tonight, ok?"

"That'th all you had to thay," Sollux took Karkat's hands in his, "I'm glad you're here with me, KK."

"Me too," Karkat turned his eyes away, a soft blush coloring his cheeks.

"KK?" Karkat turned and his eyes locked with Sollux's.

Before he realized it, Karkat was on his toes, pushing his lips into Sollux's. The brunette chuckled into Karkat's mouth and wrapped his hands around the smaller man's waist. A door opening somewhere else in the building made Karkat push away from Sollux who groaned in aggravation.

"KK."

"I can't," Karkat sighed, "Not tonight, ok?"

"Fine," Sollux muttered, "Text me tomorrow?"

"Of course," Karkat nuzzled into Sollux's chest and inhaled deeply.

They kissed one more time before Karkat reluctantly pulled away and headed back to his own dorm. He wanted to stay with Sollux. The bulge making his jeans tight told him he should have stayed. But his brain knew better. Sollux was his best friend, and his occasional lover, but that's all the more they'd ever be. Karkat hoped it would last forever, but he was beginning to realize he had more needs that sex. There was just something else missing from his life. That was mostly the reason he liked romcoms so much; for a few brief hours he could pretend to be happy.

Karkat opened his door to find the room empty and dark. He felt suddenly tired and checked his phone. It was only 10pm, but he reasoned he had a morning class so an early night was justified. In little time he was ready for bed and curled up under his blankets, an arm wrapped tightly around one of his pillows. He drifted off to sleep wishing he had taken Sollux up on his offer.

Chapter 3

Was it a Dream?

Blood covered Karkat's hands. Lots of blood. The radio hummed a soft rock beat that was drowned out by the rain that smacked the asphalt and broken pieces of metal. He was barely able to move but he had to. Too much blood, and it wasn't all his. Her eyes smiled at him. It was always the eyes that brought the whimper to his lips as the nightmare played out. Ash grey. Karkat tried to call to her, tried to scream for her to hold on, but he couldn't find his voice. He felt his body convulsing in pain as blood leaked out of him from unseen wounds. The pain took over, relentless.

Karkat shot up as a shock of lightning split the air outside and thunder shook the window. His breathing was labored and a cold sweat ran over his body. Karkat jammed his hands into his eye sockets then removed them as a timid voice whispered to him from across the room.

"Karkat?" the man turned to see John sitting up in bed, his glasses askew on his face, "You ok?"

A flash of lightning lit up the room and Karkat shivered, "I'm fine. Fucking storm."

"Sounded like you were having a bad dream," John sounded concerned.

"Just the fucking storm," Karkat growled defensively.

"Ok, ok, sorry," John rolled his eyes, "Sheesh."

"What time is it anyways?" Karkat grumbled, groping the floor for his cell phone.

"Just after 3 a.m." John replied softly, removing his glasses and laying back down in his bed, "It started storming around one when I got in."

Karkat grunted his reply, too busy with his cell phone to care much. He flipped through his contacts to Sollux's number and hastily typed a text message:

FUCKING STORM.

It was only a few seconds before his phone chirped with a reply.

niightmare agaiin?

Karkat hated that he knew what he meant, but was thankful all the same.

YEAH.

need me two come over?

NO I'M FINE FOR NOW

alriight but iif you need me iim here.

THANKS FUCKTARD, I'LL REMEMBER THAT.

kk?

WHAT, ASSWHIPE?

everythiing2 ok, and remember ii love you.

UHG GO TO BED ASSHOLE

Karkat threw down his phone and grumbled into his pillow before immediately picking up his phone again and typing.

I LOVE YOU TOO.

He threw his phone down again and collapsed back onto his bed, tossing his arm over his eyes with a heavy sigh. Getting back to sleep was going to be nearly impossible. But it must have happened because the next thing he knew, his alarm was buzzing at him annoyingly to wake up and get his ass to class. Karkat glanced over and saw a mass of blankets slowly rising and falling with a soft snore and was thankful his roommate had remained asleep; he didn't want to have to talk this early in the morning. Grabbing a quick shower, Karkat headed off to his first of many classes for the day.

After two boring lecture classes, Karkat felt like a zombie as he made his way to the cafeteria. Grabbing a sandwich, Karkat made his way to an unoccupied portion of the large room. He had barely taken his first bite of food when an all too chipper voice called out to him from across the room, causing many people to turn and look but eliciting a groan from Karkat himself.

"Karkat!" John cheerfully waved and bounced over to him, his friend Dave in tow wearing a ridiculous pair of aviator shades.

"How's your day been so far?" John hopped down across from Karkat, Dave silently sitting next to him.

"Well it was going fine," Karkat sneered at Dave whose face remained unchanged behind his mirrored shades.

"That's awesome," John bounced a bit in his seat, "We had a department wide meeting today, and…"

Karkat groaned as John went over his whole day thus far as if every little thing was like the discovery of gold and must be relived in detail. Dave sat quietly and just kept his head turned slightly and Karkat could only assume he was glaring at him. What sort of freak wears sunglasses all the time? Karkat ate his sandwich begrudgingly not really caring what John said as the boy rambled on and on. He had finished his food and was looking for some way to excuse himself, nearly impossible as it seemed John didn't even stop to breathe, when the chiming of the school bell immediately silenced the black haired boy. Karkat said a silent prayer of thanks to whatever God had pitied him just then.

"Oh no!" John exclaimed, "I'm going to be late! Sorry Karkat, gotta fly! Come on Dave."

John jumped up from the bench and waved a hasty good-bye to Karkat who halfheartedly returned the gesture. Dave silently followed John's lead and Karkat snarled under his breath at the blonde. As he watched them go, Karkat mentally counted the ways in which his roommate was already annoying him. First there was his voice, it was a little higher pitched for a man his age. Then there was the goofy glasses he wore, what a hipster! His buck teeth, his annoying bounce in his step, the way he wouldn't shut up, how hot his ass looked as he strolled out of the cafeteria…

Karkat stopped himself. What the hell was he thinking? He thought it had to have been a fluke until he caught himself staring down John's firm ass as the other man almost skipped out of the large room.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" Karkat mumbled to himself, "God damn it, I DO need laid."

He whipped out his phone and hastily checked his schedule. He had 2 hours till his next class. He typed swiftly as he stood from the table and almost ran to his dorm.

HEY FUCKFACE. NAKED. MY DORM. 5 MINS.

jegu2 ya know 2ome of u2 have cla22e2

4 MINS.

look iill be out of cla22 iin like 20 miins

3 MINS.

fiine god iim on my way, keep your pant2 on

TOO LATE, THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE FLOOR

Chapter 4

Escape

Sollux ran his fingers through Karkat's messy chocolate hair as the other boy nuzzled into his chest, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips.

"KK," Sollux breathed, "Don't you have clath thoon?"

"Fuck class," Karkat tightened his grip around Sollux's lean form.

"It'th the firtht day," Sollux chuckled, "You need to go."

Karkat grumbled and buried his face into the crook of Sollux's neck, groaned, then swiftly disentangled himself from around the other man and stood. Karkat stretched, his fingers reaching for the ceiling as his lithe form extended. A soft laugh from Sollux made the other boy turn.

"What?" Karkat grumbled.

"Nothing," Sollux stood, exposing his naked body to the open air of the dorm room, "Jutht appreciating the view."

As to emphasize his words, Sollux ran his hands down the sides of Karkat's face, a slight trace of the smoothness of youth still evident in his cheeks, but a bit of stubble at his chin reminding the brunette of his lover's manhood. He traced his thumb over Karkat's soft pink lips as russet eyes watched him, half lidded and fluttering. Hands trailed down to smooth, broad shoulders, tight chest muscles, hard burgundy nipples, smooth stomach with a similar hint of childhood fat, to the coarse hair that lead from his belly button downward. Sollux curved his hands around Karkat's smooth hips to his rounded buttocks, softly cupping them as he pulled the other man into a soft kiss eliciting a moan from the shorter boy.

"Mmm," Karkat whimpered, "You're mean."

"And you're cute," Sollux smirked as he kissed him again, "Now go to clath."

"Fuck you," Karkat nuzzled into Sollux's chest again, throwing his arms around the taller boy's neck.

"You jutht did," Sollux chuckled, "We don't have time for round tw-OUCH!"

Karkat clamped his teeth onto the skin on Sollux's chest then released it, kissing it softly before pulling away and heading for the bathroom for a quick shower as Sollux rubbed the spot that was already turning red.

After showering and dressing, Karkat gave Sollux another all too brief kiss before running off to his afternoon classes. He felt more focused as the day droned on, the pent up sexual frustration that he didn't know he was harboring finally released. When he finally got back to his dorm, he found John stretched out on the floor, surrounded by books. The blue eyed boy looked up from the floor and smiled.

"Hey, Karkat!"

"Hey," it should be illegal to have eyes that blue.

Karkat flopped onto his bed and buried his face into his pillow. He took a deep breath and savored the scent of Sollux that still remained from their earlier foray. He let his body relax as he remembered being enwrapped in Sollux's strong arms and could have gladly fallen asleep except for the frustrated grunt that came from behind him. Karkat crinkled his face and growled into his pillow.

"What," Karkat really hated whoever decided to fuck up his room assignment.

"Sorry," John sighed, "I just don't get this math homework. Why did they give us homework the first day?"

"Welcome to college," Karkat rolled off his bed reluctantly and popped down onto the floor next to John, leaning over the boy to see the equation in question, "It's easy, dipshit, just multiply by the denominator."

Karkat watched as John did as he was told, his tongue sticking out to the side as his pencil scribbled on the paper. John's face lit up as he checked his answer and found it matched what the book said.

"Thanks, Karkat!" John turned and beamed at his roommate whose face was inches away.

There was a second of uncomfortable silence as Karkat saw how much the boy's skin actually glowed when he smiled. Karkat shook off a sudden unsettling urge to touch that skin and growled as he flopped back onto his bed.

"It wasn't that hard, fuckface."

"Your mouth," John laughed and Karkat scowled at him from his bed, "You swear like a sailor."

"Who the fuck says that anymore? You sound like an old man."

John just chuckled and went back to his homework. Karkat watched him out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but find the way he stuck his tongue out as he solved problems and wrote down the answers unbearably cute. As the pink muscle brushed his soft lips, Karkat could suddenly picture sparing with that tongue and kissing those soft lips. He shook his head and mentally kicked himself, wondering where the hell such thoughts kept coming from. There was nothing spectacularly alluring about this boy, yet somehow he kept finding little things that just struck him and called to him.

Grumbling to himself, he pulled out his own books and began working on what little homework he had left. Most of his classes were so boringly easy that he had worked on and finished most of the homework while the teacher lectured the other idiots in his classes. His homework took twice as long as it should've because every few moments, Karkat found himself staring at an oblivious John. Karkat closed his text book as John stood and stretched, his shirt riding up and giving Karkat a wonderful view of taunt stomach muscles and a dark treasure trail.

"Need the bathroom?" John yawned, "I think I'm gonna grab a shower."

"You need one," Karkat huffed, but John just chuckled and headed to the bathroom.

Karkat laid on his bed not really feeling like doing anything much as he listened to the water pour out in the small bathroom. A soft humming sound made Karkat roll his eyes.

"Great," he mumbled to himself, "He sings in the fucking shower."

Karkat was debating going to the quad and typing pretentiously on his laptop to see how many hipsters he could make fun of when there was a rhythmic knock at the door. Grumbling, the boy rolled off his bed and went to the door, pulling it open with a scowl. His expression turned into an open sneer at who stood at the door.

"What do you want," Karkat snarled at the blonde boy who stood out in the hall.

"I'm here for the boy singing in the shower," Dave's voice was even and his shades hid his eyes making him nearly impossible to read, though the tension between them was palpable.

"Well as you can hear, the chirpy fucker is in the shower."

"Well guess I'll just have to wait."

Karkat rolled his eyes and returned to his bed with a growl, burying his face in his arm except for his eyes which half watched his laptop screen and half watched Dave. The blonde walked in, quietly shut the door, and flopped down onto John's bed, hands stretched behind his head. Karkat growled at himself as he let his eyes wander over Dave who was pretty attractive for being a total douchebag.

"Take a picture," Dave's silky smooth voice was laced with sarcasm, "it'll last longer."

"Go fuck yourself," Karkat snapped and closed his laptop, packing it into his backpack.

As he zipped up his bag, the bathroom door opened. Karkat hadn't heard the water turn off so he looked up startled and his jaw almost dropped. There stood John, hair still wet and skin damp, wearing nothing but a towel and a goofy grin. He blushed when he saw Karkat looking at him.

"Forgot my clothes," John nervously chucked.

"I like the towel only ensemble," how Dave saw him from where he was stretched out on John's bed Karkat couldn't figure out.

"Dave!" John beamed and tackled his friend on his bed, clothing (and the lack there of) momentarily forgotten.

Karkat felt a shock run through his system as he watched the black haired boy snuggle into the blonde. Dave must have seen his look because he shot Karkat a wicked smile as he wrapped an arm around John and pulled him closer. Karkat, blushing profusely, grabbed his backpack and made a b-line for the door, almost slamming it as he left. He pulled his t-shirt down to cover the sudden bulge in his jeans and wondered how the fuck that had happened. His feet knew where he wanted to go before his brain had even figured it out, and when he was at Sollux's dorm room door, his fist pounded the door before he told it to.

"KK, you don't have to knock tho hard," a voice from the other side of the door called.

Karkat didn't know how the brunette had known it was him, but he really didn't care right at that moment. The second the door was open, Karkat was on the other boy, lips pressed fiercely together. Sollux pushed Karkat away gently with a chuckle.

"Wow, KK," the brunette chuckled, "Good thing my roommate ith out. But leth get into the room inthtead of you jumping my dick in the hall, eh?"

Karkat blushed and calmed himself enough to be let into the room. It was obvious which side of the room belonged to his best friend, it was covered in computer towers, monitors, and electronics. The other side of the room was as equally impressive however with an array of sound equipment and a large set of turntables.

"Roommate'th a muthic major," Sollux followed Karkat's eyes to the set up.

"So when the power flickers on campus, I'll know it's because of your room."

Sollux chuckled as he took Karkat's bag and set it at the foot of his bed before peeling off his shirt, quickly opening the door, and tying it to the knob before shutting it again. Karkat scoffed at the college 'keep out' sign as Sollux patted the spot next to him on the bed. Karkat stripped off his own shirt and sat down next to the brunette. Sollux turned and nuzzled into Karkat's neck and began kissing him.

"You bottom thith time?"

"Yeah sure," Karkat stretched his neck and took a deep breath, shuddering at the soft kisses on his throat, "Maybe it'll stop these thoughts."

"Cute boy?" Sollux nibbled his ear as he ran one hand across Karkat's back and with the other across his chest, guided the other boy into laying down on the bed.

"Mmm," Karkat bit his lower lip, his head pushing into the mattress as Sollux's tongue flicked across his Carotid Artery, "He's my fuckass roommate. A derpy little shit I shouldn't give the time of day to."

"Well," Sollux nipped at Karkat's neck cause the other boy to hiss and his hips buck, the bulge in his jeans large and pulsing, "Ith he cute?"

"I guess, in his own fucked up waaaaaa-," Karkat squirmed as Sollux traced his tongue around the smaller man's sensitive nipple, "Jesus that feels better than it should."

Sollux smirked and nipped at the dark circle of flesh before kissing down to Karkat's stomach, enjoying how the flesh quivered and flexed under his lips as his hands traced along the waistband of the man's jeans, "Well I'll have to meet my replathment."

Karkat raised his head up, a serious frown on his lips as he grabbed Sollux under his chin and pulled him up so they were face to face, "You listen and you listen to me good, fuckface. No one, and I repeat, No One will EVER replace you."

Sollux smiled and pressed his lips to Karkat's, "Ath long ath your new boyfriend ith ok with threethometh."

Karkat huffed and wrapped his arms around Sollux's neck and pulled the boy into a more desperate kiss. Sollux ran his hand down the smaller man's chest and stomach and, when he reached the waist of his jeans, slipped his fingers under the denim and soft cotton of Karkat's boxers, brushing against something soft and warm. A sharp intake of breath from Karkat cause a devious smile to curl on Sollux's lips as he curled his fingers around the warm shaft of Karkat's cock. Karkat pushed his head harder into the mattress as he let out a shuddering moan.

Sollux removed his hand much to Karkat's grunting disapproval. The brunette kissed his lover again then lowered himself to Karkat's abdomen and kissed his skin as his fingers undid the button and zipper and removed the smaller boy's pants. Karkat's erection sprang up and bobbed in the open air, visibly throbbing and leaking a bit of sticky fluid from the tip. Sollux again wrapped his hand around the shaft and lowered himself so he was even with the member before licking the tip eliciting a pained moan from the boy under him. Karkat shifted his hips and thrust into Sollux's hand greedily. The brunette wasted no time and took Karkat into his mouth, burying his nose into the soft chocolate hair at the base of Karkat's cock. Russet eyes rolled back into his head as Karkat arched his back and let out a deep, heady moan.

As Sollux bobbed and stroked Karkat with one hand, he removed his own pants with his other, reaching just under his bed and retrieving a condom and a bottle of lube from a shoe box. Sollux lubes up and finger and toyed with Karkat's tight entrance bringing more pleased moans from his lover. It didn't take long for Sollux to stretch the man under him, they did this on a regular basis after all. Slipping the condom on his own cock, Sollux coaxed Karkat onto his stomach so his little round hips were curving up enticingly. Sollux lined himself up and pushed in slowly, inch by inch, as he lowered his body on the back of his lover.

"Oh my god," Karkat whined as relieved tears sprung to his eyes, "Sollux, I love you. I love you."

"Love you too, KK," Sollux breathed into his ear as he pushed all the way in, completely filling Karkat and causing a satisfied sigh to leave the small boy's lips.

Sliding his hands between the mattress and Karkat's chest so he could hook his hands around his lovers shoulders, Sollux thrust tight, shallow thrusts into the russet eyed man. Karkat turned his head to the side and whimpered with each thrust as Sollux hit the right spot with every thrust. Sollux looked down at his lover with a genuine smile. Their friendship was indeed an unusual one, but it fit them perfectly and neither boy really wanted it to end. They switched positions several times as they knew how to make the fun last; first spooning, then Karkat on his back, the riding Sollux, and several other positions which they had been practicing for years.

When Karkat changed pitch in his moaning, Sollux increased his pace and both boys came together, Karkat spilling his seed onto his own stomach and Sollux filling the condom. The brunette collapsed onto Karkat's chest, his breathing evening out as the other boy caressed his hair.

"Thanks," Karkat whispered.

Sollux smiled and kissed Karkat's chest before propping himself up to kiss the boy properly, "Come on, KK, leth shower."

Sollux's dorm building was older than Karkat's and had communal bathrooms, though the showers were very well secluded so no one noticed when they slipped into one together. They washed each other's backs and Sollux kissed Karkat's neck as he lazily played with the other boy's cock. With a soapy handjob, Karkat came again relaxing into Sollux's shoulder as the water ran over them. After they washed up and dried off, Karkat dressed quickly and kissed Sollux.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he whispered, not wanting to draw the attention of anyone else who might be nearby, "thanks again."

"Anytime," Sollux beamed and watch Karkat peek out to make sure he was clear before disappearing from the shower block.

Karkat slipped from the bathroom undetected and out into the cooling evening air. The sun was just setting and Karkat's stomach growled at him.

"Typical male," Karkat grumbled to himself, "Have amazing sex, and now I want a sandwich."

Turning sharply, Karkat headed to the cafeteria and the promise of bad college food.

Chapter 5

Welcome to the Universe

Karkat had not particularly enjoyed his hamburger, having to drown it in ketchup to make it have any taste at all, but it would sustain him for the night. He decided to go for a walk in the dwindling light. The campus was a bit spread out, effectively forming its own little hub of ten or so city blocks which the town had sprung up around. It was interesting to watch the people around him, especially the romantic and sexual tension that ran rampant through the university grounds. He had to laugh out loud as a boy with a Mohawk threw crumbs down for birds, nervously trying to placate both the sadistic looking woman on one side of him, and the stoned looking skateboarder on the other.

"There's a threesome waiting to happen," he scoffed to himself.

It was just past sunset when he arrived back at his dorm. As he reached into his pocket, he swore under his breath. He'd put his keys in his backpack, which he had left at Sollux's dorm. Growling, Karkat turned around and trudged towards his best friend's building.

"Great, he's gonna think I wanna fuck again."

Karkat climbed the stairs, squeezing past a group of girls, one of whom was squealing how super excited she was about her classes, a blond gothic chick who was more interested in holding hands with the fashion model third party than the hippy who babbled on about her classes. When he came to the door, he heard a deep vibration coming from inside, like a thick bass. Grumbling, Karkat pounded on the door, wanting to make sure he was heard.

"Comin'," the bass stopped as the voice called out.

When the door swung open, Karkat's jaw nearly dropped as his brow furrowed into a deep scowl. There, with a pair of headphones wrapped around his neck, was the cocky sunglasses wearing blonde haired asshole he had escaped from earlier; Dave.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Both boys said together, in the same acidic tone.

"This is my fucking room," Dave must have been glaring, the slight shift of his eyebrows and redness of his cheeks betraying what his shades were hiding.

"Well this happens to be the room of my best fucking friend," Karkat spat back, "Where is the lispy fucker?"

"Out," Dave snorted and tried to close the door.

Karkat stopped it with his hand, pushing hard on the wood, "Wait a God damn minute."

"Let go and get lost," Dave's voice went dangerously deadpan.

"I left my bag here earlier," Karkat growled, "I came for it."

Dave released the door, nearly causing Karkat to fall inward, "Fine. Get your shit and get out."

The blonde turned his back on Karkat and returned to his music station, cranking the music back up and sliding his headphones back on. Karkat hurried to the foot of Sollux's bed and grabbed his bag. Turning on his heels, he threw up his middle finger at Dave who returned the gesture with a smirk before exiting the room, slamming the door behind him. Karkat stomped back to his dorm, jammed the key into the lock, and flung open the door.

John nearly jumped off his bed when the door came flying open, only to be slammed shut again, his dark haired roommate growling and grinding his teeth as he nearly flung his book bag onto his bed, collapsing beside it as he continued to mutter to himself.

"Karkat?" John squeeked.

"What?" Karkat's voice was an angry muffle, his face buried in his arm.

"You ok?"

"Yes dipshit," Karkat turned and angry glare towards the bespectacled man across the room, "I always growl and throw things when I'm happy."

"Hate to see you when you're angry," John nervously chuckled.

"Ha mother fucking ha," Karkat rumbled and buried his head back into his arms.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Yes you're sure? Or yes you want to talk about it."

"Oh my God," Karkat laughed darkly, "You are the biggest idiot I have ever met! Why don't you go shack up with that asshole friend of yours, Dave, so I can have my best friend back from him."

"Wait, Dave took your best friend?"

"Fucker's his roommate," Karkat grumbled.

"So?"

"So?" Karkat pushed himself up onto his elbows, "That spawn of Satan is just another obstacle blocking me from being happily rid of idiots like you."

"Who, Dave or your best friend?"

"Uhg," Karkat collapsed back onto his bed, mumbling into the mattress, "What did I do to deserve you, Egbert?"

"Just lucky I guess," John giggled as Karkat groaned again, "So why aren't you rooming with your best friend then?"

"They screwed up our paperwork," Karkat turned his head towards the wall and let out a deep sigh.

"Same happened with me and Dave," John shrugged, "But ya know, I think it's for the better. I think we'd kill each other if we were together more often than we already are."

"Yeah," Karkat hated to agree, but he felt the same way. Too much of Sollux, of anyone for the matter, could be a bad thing.

There were a few moments of silence before John tentatively queried his roommate again, "Karkat?"

"Hm?" the other boy grunted.

"Um, earlier, when you um, left," John's voice wavered causing Karkat to turn and look at him, "Ya know when Dave was here and I…Dave's my best friend."

"What are you talking about?" Karkat furrowed his brow.

"He's my best bro," John chewed his lower lip, "I was afraid you'd think we…I was…I'm not a homosexual."

"What?" Karkat sat up, a bemused smirk on his face, "How is that even relevant?"

"Well I thought that's why you left and slammed the door," John let out a nervous laugh, "I thought it was because Dave wrapped his arm around me and, I dunno, it might have looked gay?"

"And how does one look gay?" Karkat quirked and eyebrow bring a blush to John's cheeks.

"I don't know," he laughed.

"Noted however, you're not gay," why did that make Karkat's heart drop a little bit?

"Just so that's cleared up," Jon laughed again, still chewing on his bottom lip.

As silence permeated the room, John went back to typing on his laptop and Karkat pulled out his own, quietly surfing the web. He couldn't help every so often stealing a glance at the other boy and feeling just a twinge of disappointment.

I'm not a homosexual

How was that even a thing? Karkat silently wished he could kick whoever invented labels for sexuality.

Chapter 6

The Story

Another late summer storm had rolled in after midnight and Karkat began twisting in his sleep again. Storms always triggered the nightmares. The blood coating everything, the rain smacking the pavement, the shards of metal everywhere, the crackling radio playing some rock ballad. Then there was her. Her eyes, watery with tears as she realized what was happening, her whispery voice telling him she loved him and everything would be alright, and her hand, stroking a weak circle on his cheek. Karkat thrashed in his sleep, whimpering pathetically, tears rolling down his face. When a particularly loud crash of thunder shook the room, Karkat sat up with a yelp.

"Karkat?" John's voice wasn't groggy, how long had he been awake?

Karkat moved before he thought. He was across the room and into John's bed before he realized it, curling around the other boy, clinging tightly as he cried. John stiffened at first, but then slowly relaxed and wrapped his arms around his roommate, softly whispering assurances and rubbing soothing circled on the man's back. After a few moments, Karkat's sobs stopped and his breathing evened. He pulled John tighter and growled into the boy's chest.

"If you tell anyone about this, I'll fucking kill you."

John couldn't help but chuckled, "I won't tell anyone. But would you please tell me what's wrong?"

Karkat disentangled himself from John and rolled over, curling up against John's chest. The blue eyed boy pulled his blanket up so it covered both of them as he wrapped his arm around Karkat's chest and pulled him closer. John wasn't weirded out by being so close to Karkat, he just knew the boy needed comforting and he was willing to give it.

"I was 7. My mother and I were headed back home from visiting a relative. It was dark and the rain was coming down in sheets. My mother loved the rain. She said it always cleaned away the sin and evil in the world and left it fresh and bountiful. A load of shit, I know," Karkat grumbled and pulled the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders.

"She had the radio turned up, and we were jamming as we slid through the city streets in the rain. I remember the bright flash. Brighter than anything I had ever seen. They said later how fucking unusual it is for lightning to strike so low and object when there were tall buildings all around us. The tree cracked in half and fell right into our path. She couldn't even slow down. I remember he arm instinctively flying out to catch me as she turned the wheel hard and to the right. He side slammed into the tree and we were airborne. We flipped and rolled several times before coming to a stop several hundred feet later."

Karkat's voice wavered, a new stream of tears forming, "I was upside down and I hurt in several places. When I looked over, mom wasn't there. In fact the entire driver's side of the car was missing. I unbuckled myself and crashed onto the roof of the car. I crawled through glass and red hot shards of metal, my left leg had a bone jutting out of it so I had to crawl. The world was going fuzzy but I had to find her. "

Karkat's voice dropped to a whisper, "She was on her side, it hid the metal that jutted out from her gut just enough to not immediately frighten me. Her hair was matted to her head with rain and dark red blood. I made it to her. I was able to lie down next to her before my body gave up. Her eyes smiled at me. Her beautiful, ash grey eyes. She reached out her hand, causing a torrent of blood to seep from somewhere under her and pool around us, but she didn't even wince. She knew. She traced my jaw with her thumb, her eyes smiling at me, letting me know everything would be ok."

Karkat took in a shuttering breath and let out a sob. John pulled him closer and hummed reassurances that it was ok. After a few moments, Karkat again regained composure and finished his story.

"I woke up in the hospital 2 weeks later. I missed the funeral, they didn't downgrade me from Critical for a few days, and even then they were worried about the emotional duress. I didn't cry. When I was dismissed from the hospital, my dad picked me up in a moving van and we never went back home. He moved us to some small, out of the way place where no one knew and that's where I grew up. I met my best friend Sollux, graduated high school, and now I'm here. Storms are the only things that bring back the memories."

John was quiet, he knew better than to say anything. Karkat was strong and didn't need to hear belated apologies for things no one could control. Instead he just pulled the russet eyed boy closer. Before long, Karkat was softly snoring and John relaxed enough to fall asleep himself, arm still wrapped tightly around his roommate, shielding him from the storm that raged outside.

Chapter 7

Time to Wake Up

Karkat's eyes fluttered softly. He felt the warmth behind him and instinctively cuddled in, the arm around his chest pulling him tighter reflexively. He didn't remember Sollux coming over, but his dad knew they were close and he never barged into his room, so they were more than safe. Somewhere outside the room a door slammed and a low murmur of multiple voices laughing made Karkat's eyes shoot open. Memory flooded back as he took in the sight of his dorm room, his bed and bag across the room from where he now lay.

He didn't jump up, such a reaction was uncalled for. Instead he calmly disentangled himself from the dark-haired boy behind him, who groaned but let him free without opening his eyes, opting to pull a pillow down to wrap his arms around instead. Karkat quietly gathered up a fresh pair of clothes and closed the door of the bathroom before he proceeded to freak out.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Karkat scolded himself in hushed tones as the enclosure filled with steam from the shower, scrubbing his skin roughly with soap, "He's not Sollux. He wouldn't understand. And he's not a homosexual, you heard him! He was just being nice. Letting a fucked up piece of chicken shit like yourself snuggle into him like a wriggling little worm, too afraid of storms."

Karkat continued to berate himself as he quickly showered and got redressed. He only stopped talking aloud when he was ready to reenter the room, though the nagging in his head kept reminding him what a fuck up past him was. Tentatively poking his head out the door, Karkat breathed a sigh of relief as he was met by a soft snore from John's bed. Quietly gathering up his things, the chocolate haired man made to exit the room as quickly and quietly as possible. He didn't have a class for another hour but he needed to flee the room before John really woke up and started asking questions.

As he opened the door to the outside hall, a soft voice mumbled behind him, "Have a good day, Dave."

Karkat shot a look back at a still sleeping John. Pursing his lips, Karkat shut the door as he mentally kicked himself for feeling the tiniest bit of jealousy. His scowl stayed firmly in place as he wandered campus aimlessly and mulled over his feelings. After a bit he came to a sickening, albeit obvious, conclusion; he was feeling something beyond friendship for his roommate, John. This was very, very bad.

When the day was over, Karkat returned to the dorm expecting John to riddle him with questions about the night before, but the only thing the blue eyed boy was interested in was getting help with his algebra. That night was blessedly storm free, as were the several weeks following, and things seemed to settle into a routine of college life. Karkat and Dave came to a silent agreement to tolerate each other's presence for the sake of their respective best friends (who, in their own right, had hit off a bit of a friendship themselves). Karkat was able to subdue most of his feeling for John when they occasionally popped up, and when it was too much to bear, Sollux was there to fuck his hormones back into check. Everything was going well until John came home with a script in hand.

"Karkat?" John was doing that cute wobbling on the balls of his feet and blushing like he did when he needed to ask a favor, "Could you help me run lines for this scene?"

"Whatever," Karkat rolled his eyes. In truth he didn't mind helping at all, but he had to keep up his tough exterior just for good measure, "What crappy play did they give you this time?"

"It's actually a good one," John laughed as he handed Karkat a Xeroxed page of the script, "It's from Angels In America."

"Which scene?" Karkat was skeptical. He had seen the movie. Several times in fact.

"Act One Scene Six," John beamed, "You be Louis and I'm Joe."

"Type casting," Karkat mumbled to himself before clearing his throat indicated for John to begin.

"Oh. Um. Morning."

"Good morning, counselor," Karkat had seen enough movies to know a thing or two about acting, and he'd watched this scene enough times to almost know it by heart.

"Sorry, I…I don't know your name," John was trying too hard.

"Don't bother. Word processor. The lowest of the low," Karkat pressed on, hoping he'd fall into it.

"Joe Pitt. I'm with Justice Wilson…" John giggled and Karkat sighed.

"Alright, hold it," Karkat couldn't take it anymore, "You're not getting it."

John looked up confused, "What do you mean?"

"Look, you have to be honest when you're playing this," Karkat indicated the script, "You want to be a good actor? Then play the scene as if it's you talking. You've just walked in on some guy crying, right?"

John nodded.

"Ok, so remember the other night? Imagine you've found me, crying in the bathroom," Karkat saw the flicker in John's eyes that told him he had hit the right note, "Ok, you got it? Now, again. And remember, just play it true, be yourself."

"Oh. Um. Morning," John started again, this time his voice was soft, and maybe a bit startled. Better.

"Good morning, counselor."

"Sorry, I…I don't know your name."

"Don't bother. Word processor. The lowest of the low," Karkat sat on the edge of his bed, now that John was into the scene, he could play it better himself.

"Joe Pitt. I'm with Justice Wilson…"

"Oh, I know that. Counselor Pitt, Chief Clerk."

They continued on the scene, but something happened about half way through, and John growled at himself when he hitched a line. They tried again, and Karkat watched as John practically did the line from memory, but stopped at the same spot again and looked down at his script, rolling his eyes as if the line should have been obvious.

"You have this memorized, don't you?" Karkat asked amusedly.

"Kinda," John sighed, "I keep getting caught up, that's why I asked you for help."

"Here," Karkat stood and took away John's script, the boy sputtered to protest but Karkat shushed him, "You know it. Believe in yourself."

Karkat cleared his throat and gave John a prompt line, "I mean you sound like a…"

"No I don't," John paused for a moment, a flash of panic as his eyes darted towards his script, but he took a deep breath, "Like what?"

"Like a Republican," Karkat smiled, setting his own script aside, he knew the rest of the scene.

"Do I? Sound like a…?" John sat down next to Karkat, making the other man lean in like they were sharing a big secret.

"What? Like a…? Republican, or…?" Karkat looked into John's eyes, they shouldn't be that blue, "Do I?"

"Do you what?" John's voice was the wrong tone for the scene, but somehow that didn't matter just then. He was however a little too close to Karkat, though the russet eyed boy wasn't moving away.

"Sound like a…?" Karkat's palms began to sweat, he could feel John's breath on his face.

"Like a…? I'm…confused," It sounded more like a confession then the line.

"Yes," Karkat swallowed hard, and his brain just replaced every word in the rest of the line, making it all too personal, "My name is Karkat, but all my friends call me KK. I'm studying Biology. Thanks for being there for me."

It took a second for Karkat's mind to process that John was kissing him; a tentative, questioning brush of the lips. When he pulled away, he blushed and cast his eyes downward. Karkat was out the door before he realized he was moving. He ran across the green, leapt up 3 flights of stair and pounded his fist on the wooden door. Only one thought was running through his mind.

Fuck!

Chapter 8

End of the Begining

Karkat's fist hurt as the door rattled under his endless barrage of thumps. A muffled voice inside yelled out to hold on a damn minute before the door flew open.

"What?" Dave's voice was flat, but to the familiar ear it had an irritated undertone.

"I need Sollux," Karkat huffed impatiently at the blond.

"He's not here, dipshit," Dave readjusted his shades, slouching a bit in annoyance, "He told you yesterday, class trip. He won't be back till tomorrow."

"Shit!" Karkat grit his teeth, his best friend was gone right when he needed him. He just stood there, scowling. He didn't realize he was crying till Dave spoke up.

"Woah. Alright, hold the waterworks, cranky," Dave opened the door a bit wider, "Get in here before you embarrass me with the girly display."

"Fuck you," Karkat tried to growl but hiccupped a sob he hadn't felt coming. Rolling his eyes, the shorter boy passed the blond, who shut the door quietly behind them.

Karkat made his way to Sollux's bed and flopped down, burying his face into the electric blue pillow and inhaling deeply, trying to pull Sollux's natural aroma so far out of the padding the dichromatic wonder himself would appear. As he exhaled he sobbed. He tried to rationalize why he was upset, but his brain refused to work properly and only repeated an endless torrent of You're a fuck up which wasn't helping. He didn't flinch as the bed depressed under added weight or the warm hand that began rubbing a soothing pattern on his back.

"Hey, cranky," Dave's voice was unusually soft, their interactions typically involving thinly veiled threats and thick sarcasm, "Come on, turn over."

Karkat turned his face to the side, a blush of embarrassment that he was crying in front of his rival. But Dave's face held no malice, just his typical blank slate, and he offered Karkat a glass of water.

"Thanks," Karkat mumbled and took the water, downing it.

Dave opened his mouth but his phone suddenly buzzed to life with the chorus of "How Do I Live?" Karkat saw John's name is bright letters flashing across the surface and grabbed Dave's wrist quickly.

"I'm not here," his voice was a hushed whisper and Dave quirked an eyebrow but nodded before touching the screen and putting it to his ear.

"What's up, Egderp?"

Dave's face betrayed nothing as to the conversation on the other end, and his volume was low enough that Karkat couldn't hear John either.

"Karkat?" Dave's voice perked a bit and the boy in question felt the blonde's eyes shift onto him and for one panicked moment, he thought he'd give him away. But Dave laid his hand on the boys back and resumed soothing circles as he lied, "Haven't seen him."

Karkat buried his head back into the pillow as Dave carried on a very unrevealing conversation. It wasn't until the blonde's hand suddenly stopped that Karkat looked up again. Dave's voice never faltered but Karkat could tell by the feel around him that the conversation had taken a different turn.

"No can do, bro," Dave's voice was flat as always, not betraying his lie, "Rooms a sty. Why don't I come over to you?"

Karkat had to smirk; Dave really wasn't a bad guy. He had the chance to slam the door in his face, laugh at him, rat him out to John, but he seemed to be taking every step to ensure Karkat was ok. When Dave hung up the phone, Karkat looked up at him questioningly.

"He's pretty upset," Dave's voice was an exasperated sigh, "I'm going over to your room now. When I get back; you owe me an explanation."

Dave stood and strode towards the door, before quickly turning and tossing a long black remote to land softly next to Karkat, "Watch some TV, I'll be back shortly."

Karkat laid motionless for a minute or two before crawling up the honey yellow comforter and propping his head against Sollux's other pillow, this one fire red. Karkat pushed the soft buttons and turned on the large flat screen that hung on the wall at the foot of Dave's bed. He halfheartedly flipped through the channels, before landing on some Lifetime movie about a woman falling for a man she could never have. Karkat began to get teary eyed again as the movie came to a climax when the door opened suddenly and Dave quietly entered. Karkat pressed the power button and the TV buzzed a complaint as the images and sounds ceased.

"Is he ok?" Karkat's voice was soft, tentative.

"Yeah," Dave sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he threw his keys onto his desk, "He'll live."

Dave collapsed on his own bed with a sigh and there was an uncomfortable silence before he spoke up again, "So, ya wanna tell me what happened?"

"Didn't he tell you?" Karkat scoffed and clutched the pillow tighter, ready to be reprimanded.

"No," Dave turned his head to face the brunette.

Karkat searched his face for any betrayal of motive, but Dave's features were smooth and reserved as always. Karkat finally sighed and began with a tirade of disclaimers.

"First, you need to know I'm normally not a squeamish little wriggler. I've prided myself on being confident and assertive, which is probably why Sollux and I are friends, because when we met he didn't have much of a backbone, and…"

"Karkat," Dave's voice was a little sharp, causing Karkat to falter and turn to look at the blonde, "What happened?"

"Dave, I didn't mean to intrude on… I mean he's your… I didn't want to," Karkat began to babble again before Dave interrupted him, a bit more harshness present in his voice.

"Karkat," Dave sat up on his bed, "What. Happened?"

Karkat chewed on his lower lip and looked away, silent for a moment before whispering, "He kissed me."

Dave was silent and Karkat buried his face into the blue pillow as the words poured from his mouth, "We were doing a scene and he kissed me and I ran, ok? I don't know why I ran. Well, ok, I think I do but I shouldn't have and now I'll be lucky if I can show my face back in the dorm ever again."

Dave thought for a moment before responding, "He kissed you?"

Karkat could only nod.

"Well why did you run away?" Dave sighed, "It's obvious you love him."

Karkat's face flew out of the pillow and his mouth opened reflexively to protest, but nothing came out. No rebuttal. No refusal. And all because Dave was right. Dave just sighed again.

"Come on, only Egderp could be painfully oblivious to your feelings," Dave chuckled, "But then again you could have written it in blood all over the walls and handed him your still beating heart and that boy still wouldn't have figured it out."

Karkat laughed a bit with a sniffle, "Yeah, but he's, and I quote, Not a Homosexual."

Dave scoffed, "Please, that boy uses that defense all the time."

"What do you mean?"

"The derp can't keep his hands off of me," Dave chuckled, "Yet anytime I try to take it a step further to relieve the sexual tension that is so palpable between us, he shies away and says he's not a homo."

Karkat couldn't help but laugh. Dave smiled, a rare change in his demeanor, and crossed to sit on the edge of the bed.

"You gonna be ok, cranky?"

"Yeah," Karkat sighed, "Do you mind if I stay here for a bit?"

"Whatever," Dave grabbed the remote and flipped on the TV, "You're welcomed to stay as long as you like. But don't expect me to make any more concessions for you than I have to."

"Thanks," Karkat breathed a little easier, he could finally see a John found so attractive about Dave.

The blond settled up onto his absent roommate's bed and patted the spot next to him, "Come on, grumpbutt, let's find a good movie to watch."

Karkat tentatively crawled up next to Dave, both boys leaning their backs against the wall, the brunette cuddling Sollux's blue pillow as the blonde channel surfed to find something good. It was a love story, a very crappy sappy one, but just the kind of thing Karkat liked. He knew Dave didn't like those kinds of movies so it was obvious his former rival was placating him. Dave reminded him of Sollux in a way, and right then Karkat was grateful.

The sound of a muffled blender roused Karkat from his sleep. He blinked his eyes and bit and focused on the glow of the TV, now a little crooked from where his head was tilted. It was some late night infomercial for a bullet blender or some crap like that. As he became aware of his body, Karkat realized he was nuzzled into Dave's chest, the blonde's arm draped lazily over him. As he stirred, a slightly raspy voice spoke up.

"Awake there, cranky?"

"Shut up," Karkat shifted and sat up stretching, "What time is it?"

"About 3 a.m.," Dave's voice sounded a little tired.

"Wow," Karkat chuckled, "Sorry, man."

"It's cool," Dave stretched himself and yawned.

BOOM!

Karkat was latched onto Dave before the thunder rumbled through the room, "God damn it!"

"Woah there," Dave raised his hands in shock, "you ok?"

"Fucking storms," Karkat tried to quickly pull himself off of Dave but hesitated as another clap of thunder resonated, "God I can't wait for winter."

Dave smirked, "Yeah, they've been pretty bad lately but we haven't had one for a few weeks so we were kind of overdue."

"Yeah well shit can stay far the fuck away as far as I'm concerned," Karkat growled, clutching the blue pillow again.

"Yeah, Sollux told me you didn't like storms," Karkat tensed, it was a story he didn't like to share, but Dave didn't press it.

Dave got up and rummaged through the closet before tossing a pair of fleece sleep pants at Karkat, the bee pattern giving away that they belonged to Sollux, "Alright, grumpy, get changed."

"What?" Karkat eyed the other boy confused.

"Well if we're gonna have a sleep over might as well dress right," Dave flung a pair of red gym shorts over his shoulder and began to strip his shirt off, "Besides, I prefer to be comfortable if I'm going to cuddle with you."

Karkat nearly protested when another exceedingly loud bang of thunder brought an undignified squeak from his throat. Karkat stood and shed his jeans and over shirt, shimmying on Sollux's fleece pants and readjusting his grey tank. When he looked up, his mouth went dry. Dave was chiseled as hell, his abs rippling in a six pack, his pectorals pronounced with little pink nipples, both pierced with little rings through them. He shook out his blonde hair and removed his trademark shades and Karkat gasped as coal glow red eyes practically lit up the room.

"Are you, like a fucking albino?" Karkat couldn't help his curiosity.

"Hardly," Dave laughed, "A rare genetic trait that runs in my family."

Dave crawled into Sollux's bed, pulling back the yellow comforter and propping himself up against the wall, holding up the comforter for Karkat to join him. The brunette hesitated till another clap of thunder made him flinch, then he reluctantly crawled in next to the blond.

"You tell anyone about this," Karkat growled the start of his warning but was cut off.

"Shut up," Dave threw the comforter down over top of them and they were enveloped in the warmth of thick down.

Karkat tried to keep his distance, but Dave's warmth was like a magnet and it wasn't long till he felt Dave's chest pressed against his back. He shuddered as more thunder rumbled. The storm was the worst of the year yet, and while he might have been able to handle it under normal circumstances, the events of the day kept it from being far from normal circumstances. Softly, Dave ghosted his fingers over Karkat's arm, playing soothing patterns with his skin.

"Dave," Karkat exhaled but instead of his voice sounding annoyed it came out as a little pleading.

What the hell? Karkat thought to himself. Here he was in his best friend and fuck buddy's bed after running into the arms of his nemesis because his cute sexually confused roommate had kissed him and now he was cuddled up to his former rival and wanting him to touch him more? Karkat thanked his hormones for a whole lot of nothing, but quickly forgot why as Dave's hand snaked around to his chest making the slightly smaller man gasp. Dave did say he tried to make a move on John, so he was at least bisexual, right?

A warm hand came up under Karkat's shirt and traced circles on his skin as he moaned and turned his head, "Dave?"

The blonde just smiled and brushed his lips across Karkat's making the other boy let out a whimpered sigh. Karkat could feel a warm, stiff bulge press into his leg as Dave thrust his hips slightly. Sliding his hand back, Karkat traced the strained fabric of the nylon shorts bringing a low guttural groan from the boy behind him, rolling in time with the thunder outside. Dave's other hand forced it's way under Karkat so both his arms were wrapped around the brunette, one playing under his shirt with the boy's nipples, the other sliding slowly down the front of his fleece pants. Karkat's hips bucked as Dave wrapped a warm hand around his erection.

"Wait," Karkat breathed heavily, "What are we doing?"

"You want me to stop?" Dave paused his stroke.

"Fuck no," Karkat shuddered a moan and thrust into Dave's hand, silently cursing his way out of control libido for making decisions for him.

Karkat disentangled himself from Dave and twisted so he could kiss him properly, pushing the blond onto his back. His fingers came up to dance across Dave's hard abs and then gently tugged at the nipple rings, making the red eyed boy moan into his mouth. Dave adjusted his hips and trust his bulge against Karkat's making the other man's head lull to the side and burry his face into the blonde's neck. Karkat fluttered kisses and whimpers as Dave continued to rut against him, their bulges pulsating under the fabric.

"Karkat," Dave's voice was breathy, but still very even, "I'm gonna cum."

Karkat kissed the glowing flesh of Dave's neck and brought one hand up to tug teasingly at one of his nipple rings. Dave groaned and thrust his hips shallowly as he cummed in the fabric of his shorts. He nuzzled Dave's soft skin, feeling the pulse settle back down. After catching his breath, Dave brought Karkat up to his lips and kissed him as he carefully rolled the other boy onto his back, his hand snaking under the fleece and grabbing Karkat's dick once more.

Dave pumped the moaning boy under him till Karkat cried out, "Dave. Can't. Hold it."

"Cum for me," Dave breathed warmly into Karkat's ear and that was all it took to tip the scales.

Shudders wracked Karkat's frame as Dave continued to pump, making the man's toes curl and bite his bottom lip. Finally Dave withdrew his hand from Karkat's pants, wiping his hand against his own shorts before grabbing Karkat and pulling him close for another kiss. Karkat was too tired to think, and too comfortable to think about cleaning up and changing. Dave pulled the comforter back up around them and wrapped an arm around Karkat. The blonde whispered one last fleeting thought into Karkat's ear.

"John doesn't know how lucky he is."

Karkat smiled and fell asleep with a warm body pressed against his.

He heard the soft jingle of keys in the door and the creaking of the wood itself brought him out of his sleep, but it was the thump of a bag on the floor that wake him up in time to hear Sollux curse.

"Karkat? What the fuck?"

Chapter 9

Alibi

Karkat sat up and faced his best friend. Sollux was framed in the doorway, face a mixture of confusion and anger, his bag dropped open on the floor. Karkat opened his mouth but nothing came out, and a quiet tension passed for a moment before Dave sat up.

"Oh, hey honey," Dave slid off the bed, retrieved his shades from his desk, and, after grabbing a towel, walked over and kissed Sollux's still agape mouth, "Welcome home."

As Dave strode nonchalantly out of the room, Karkat tried to make sense of what had just happened, and suddenly his head hurt. He looked at Sollux who took a tentative step towards him. The man swallowed hard and stood, ready to face the brunette's rage.

"Did you fuck my boyfriend?" Sollux's voice was low and dangerous.

"Boyfriend?" Karkat looked perplexed, "Since when have you…"

"Did you FUCK my boyfriend?" Sollux cut him off and took another step forward.

"Sollux, I swear I didn't know," Karkat tried to stammer. He had never seen that murderous look in Sollux's eyes before.

"Did you FUCK my BOYFRIEND?" Sollux was nearly on top of Karkat, his voice a hiss.

"N-no," Karkat stammered, "We fooled around but we didn't fuck."

Sollux looked Karkat dead in the eyes, his face a stone slate and Karkat readied himself for death. But Sollux just crack a smile and kissed his best friend.

"Oh, ok. He'th my toy firtht," and with that Sollux collected his bag and shut the dorm room door while Karkat slumped back onto the bed.

"Holy shit," Karkat growled, "I thought you were gonna stab me!"

"Oh, come on, KK," Sollux chuckled as he stripped off his shirt, "I only would have done that if you had fucked him before me."

"Are…are we still friends?" Karkat nervously chuckled because he wasn't sure if Sollux was telling the truth or not. It was the danger you ran into with a borderline bipolar best friend fuck buddy.

"Oh my God," Sollux rolled his eyes and placed a hand on Karkat's cheek, kissing him passionately, "Yeth."

"God, that trip thucked," Sollux pulled a bewildered Karkat down onto the bed and wrapped his arms around him in a cuddle.

"What the hell?" Karkat struggled half-heartedly in Sollux's grip, "Since when am I your teddy bear? And since when are you a Mr. Cooldouche dating?"

"Two dayth ago," Sollux nuzzled into Karkat's neck, burying his nose in the ratty hair at the base of the other boy's neck, "I couldn't get ahold on you Monday and I wath horney and well one thing lead to another and we ended up kithing and blowing each other and dethided we'd try dating. I wath gonna tell you thometime thith week."

"Well what about us then?" Karkat always hated whenever Sollux started dating someone new, it meant the sex would drop off, he'd have to be civil to this intruder into their lifestyle, then deal with the inevitable backlash when he or she discovered their Polyamorous secret.

"Oh he doeth'nt care," Sollux hummed against Karkat's neck, "We both know you have a hard-on for John anywayth."

Karkat stiffened, "Yeah."

"Dave thent me a methage telling me you were thtaying over and that it had thomething to do with John," Sollux pulled Karkat onto his back, "Come on, buddy, what happened?"

Karkat sighed and relived the previous day, blushing as he recalled his foray with Dave who reentered the room just at the end of the story, clad only in towel and shades. Sollux kissed his best friend on the forehead and ruffled his hair.

"You'll figure it out," the brunette stretched and eyed Dave hungrily, "You're welcomed to thtay here for a bit, but don't you have clath thoon?"

"Yeah yeah I get the hint," Karkat grumbled and stood, collecting his clothing and heading towards the door, "The room should be clear anyways, he has a class."

Karkat made for the door, and turned back, "Oh, and guys?"

Dave was on top of Sollux, his towel gone and his soft pink butt sticking in the air. Karkat rolled his eyes, "Thanks."

Karkat prayed to whatever God would hear him as he turned his key in the lock. When he opened the door, the room was blessedly vacant. He quickly showered and changed, threw a few extra clothes into his backpack, and vacated the room before he could be caught. Karkat spent his day going to classes and avoiding any place he might run into John. He saw the bespectacled boy across the green as he ducked into Dave and Sollux's building but fortunately the other boy didn't seem to have seen him.

Karkat wrapped on the door and Sollux opened it with a glowing smile, "Hey there."

The room was completely changed. The beds had been pushed together to form one large bed, though the two comforters and multicolored pillows still identified where each bed should have ended. The computers and sound equipment were carefully arranged out of the way. Dave stood at his turntables, headphones blaring as he bobbed his head to the beat. He looked up and greeted Karkat with a nod before returning to his work. Karkat settled on the bed and spread out his homework next to Sollux who sat down and continued the code he was writing on his computer.

It was settling in early evening when Dave's phone beeped and he flipped it open and he drawled, "Alright, y'all better clear out, the derp master is on his way to talk."

"I wath getting hungry anywayth," Sollux stood and stretched as Karkat hurriedly stuffed his book bag under the bed.

The two quickly made their way towards the back of the building so they would avoid John should he come before they cleared out. They made their way into town and wandered in and out of shops, stopping at a Chinese restaurant for dinner. As Karkat shoveled food into his mouth with a fork, Sollux picked at his rice with chopsticks.

"Tho," Sollux began, "Do you love him?"

"I dunno," Karkat sighed and sipped his hot tea, "I've never felt this way before. I get, I dunno, jealous of him sometimes. I get jealous of Dave. I've never felt this way about anyone. Not that I don't love you."

Sollux chuckled as Karkat tried to backpedal, "KK, it'th alright. What we have will never be replathed."

Karkat smiled sadly, "I don't know what to do, Sol."

"Well you can't avoid him forever," Sollux snapped at the air with his chopsticks as if trying to catch an idea.

"I know," Karkat growled, "I shouldn't have left in the first place. But now I don't know how to go back without looking like a total ass."

"You'll figure thomething out," Sollux smiled, reaching his hand across the table to brush against Karkat's, "You alwayth do."

"Don't," Karkat pulled back his hand, "Don't know who's watching."

"You are tho paradoid, it'th cute," the brunette chuckled.

"You say that now," Karkat glared, "But when we end up bloody in an alley because some frat boy was threatened by our lifestyle…"

Sollux just chuckled and stuffed more rice in his mouth.

A text sounded the all clear as the boys continued to traverse the little shops and stores along the strip. They made their way back to the room and found Dave sitting with his glasses off, the bridge of his nose pinched between his fingers. He gave a weak smile as the two entered.

"How ith he?" Sollux plopped next to Dave and rubbed his back affectionately.

"You need to talk to him, dude," Dave turned his eyes towards Karkat, their piercing red still startling.

"I know," Karkat turned his face away. He had to go back. Just not tonight.

The three of them changed for bed and curled up together, Sollux in the middle with Karkat and Dave intertwining fingers over his chest. The TV droned in the background and the three drifted off to sleep, warmly cuddled together.

Chapter 10

Valhalla

Karkat woke a little too hot for comfort. He quickly discovered the source, or rather sources, of the heat. Somehow in the middle of the night he had ended up in the middle of the pile, Sollux's arm wrapped around his waist and face nuzzled into his neck, Dave asleep on his chest with a hand down the front of Karkat's pants resting against his thigh. Karkat rolled his eyes and shifted his hips as a morning erection tented up his pants.

"Want me to help you with that?" Dave's voice reverberated through his chest, no hint of grogginess.

"Damn it, Dave, what are you? Some kind of ninjaaaaaaaa," Karkat sighed and bucked his hips as Dave took his hand from Karkat's thigh and wrapped it around his pulsating dick.

"Actually…"

"Shut up," Karkat growled and bucked his hips again, a soft whimper leaving his lips as Dave pumped him hard.

"Are you two having fun without me?" Sollux's voice was heavy with sleep and he flexed his arm around Karkat's waist before letting his hand wander down to join Dave's.

"Unfair," Karkat rolled his head to the side and captured Sollux's lips as the two boys stroked his cock and tugged at his balls.

Karkat first tried to fondle Sollux who swatted away his hand, then Dave who did much the same with a soft whisper into his ear, "Just relax, cranky. You need some stress relief."

Karkat moaned again as Dave kissed him and Sollux nibbled his earlobe. The blonde kept pumping him while the brunette moved to play with Karkat's nipples and kiss his neck. Karkat whimpered that he was close and Sollux's mouth disappeared from his neck and reappeared much, much lower.

"Holy fuck!" Karkat exclaimed and nearly sat up, Dave carefully pushing him back down, "No. Wait, Sol! I'm gonna…I'm…Sol?"

Karkat's hips bucked through Dave's hand and buried into the warm wet of Sollux's mouth as he pumped the brunette's throat full. He collapsed back onto the bed, crushing his lips against Dave's. Sollux crawled back up to his other side and nuzzled into the spent boy's neck, tracing soft circles on his chest. Dave continued to nuzzle into him and flutter his swollen lips with kisses for a few moments till Karkat felt so relaxed that he could have just melted into the bed. He hadn't realized how much tension he had been carrying around with him.

"Now get back to your own dorm," Dave nuzzled into him again, like a kitten looking for more affection, "And don't come back till you and the Egderp have kissed and made out."

"Don't you mean make up?" Karkat scoffed.

"Thame thing," Sollux cooed, "Now get out tho I can fuck my boyfriend again."

Karkat rolled over and kissed Sollux, "Thanks for everything, fuckass."

It had taken about thirty million more kisses and one near start to a threesome before Karkat finally left for his own dorm room. He didn't want to go and almost turned to find a nice hotel when his phone chirped with a text message.

you can do iit KK

"Get out of my head," Karkat chuckled darkly and continued towards his own dorm room.

The room was quiet and dark as he entered, and John was nowhere to be found. Karkat sighed half with relief and half with disappointment. He made to plop down on his bed when he saw and envelope bearing his name propped up on his pillow. Setting down his bag, Karkat opened the envelope and read the letter inside:

Dear Karkat,

I'm sorry. I guess that's the best place to start. I shouldn't have kissed you. I feel terrible about it. I wanted to talk to you but it's obvious you don't want to talk to me. Not that I blame you. It's just that for some time now I've felt this need to be near you. I actually felt it the first day we met. I don't know why. Well, correction, I didn't at the time but I do now. I know this is gonna sound really sappy but, do you believe in love at first sight? Well, Karkat, I think I'm in love with you. I don't know why or how but I think I love you. It's obvious from your reaction that your feelings are not mutual so if you want to trade to a different room or want me to leave, please tell me. Just please talk to me. Please.

John

Karkat reread the letter six times, each time feeling worse and worse. He didn't move. He didn't go to class; instead he just sat and waited. He glanced at the piece of paper tacked to the back of the room door. John had insisted that they list their class times in case one of them needed the other. Karkat was glad John had nagged him into it, now. Less than an hour. Karkat could mull over his thoughts in that amount of time. He hadn't really moved from where he was when he heard the sound of a key in the door. Karkat sat up, letter still clutched in his hand, and waited for John to enter.

The light that typically danced around the man was alarmingly absent and Karkat could have sworn an actual raincloud was following the poor boy. His shoulders were hunched and his head hung as he came into the room. He didn't look up until Karkat cleared his throat nervously, then his head snapped up startled. His eyes had dulled a bit, but still had the sparkle of sapphires.

"Karkat?" It should be illegal to have eyes that blue.

Karkat tentatively stood, letter still in hand, not trusting his voice as he slowly closed the distance between them. When he stopped they stood inches apart. The silence was palpable. John turned his eyes away and began to lower his head when Karkat touched his cheek and they snapped back to meet his. Karkat's mouth went dry and any words he had planned to say withered away. Instead he closed the gap and put his parched lips to John's. John shuddered a sob into Karkat's mouth, tears streaming down his face as he feverishly kissed back. Karkat couldn't help but start crying himself and he kissed John more fiercely.

"I'm sorry," Karkat panted between tears and fervent kisses, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Karkat," John finally found his voice, his hands framing Karkat's face, "Karkat I love you. I don't know why, but I…"

"Shh," Karkat cut him off, a smile breaking through his tears as he nuzzled into John, "I love you too."

The boys cried and kissed more ardently. Karkat guided John over to his bed and sat him down, still flowering him with kisses till the man had calmed enough, then Karkat tucked him under his chin, his arms wrapped around the black haired boy firmly. After a few moments, Karkat whispered.

"I'm sorry I ran out. I love you John, same as you I don't know why or how but I do. But I need to make some things clear and lay some ground rules if we want to make this work."

John pulled out of Karkat's embrace and kissed him softly, nodding, "Ok."

"I don't know how much you know about me and Sollux," Karkat sighed, he might as well start with the deal breaker first, "Well we're more than best friends. I believe we classified ourselves as Polyamorous which is a fancy term for friends with benefits."

"Actually it means…" John started but Karkat cut him off.

"I know that. The point is, we're lovers and that's not likely to change. If this is going to be a problem, then we can stop now."

John smirked and scoffed, "Please. I've known about Sol for a while now. My rule is come home to me at the end of the day and, as long as you're clean, I'll love you all the same."

Karkat's smile was so big he just had to kiss John again, "Ok so hurdle number one accomplished. Number two; I think you should know I've fooled around with Dave too, and he and Sollux are now dating, so that ,might happen too."

"Wow," John chuckled, "You are a total slut!"

"Shut your fucking face," Karkat growled playfully.

"Well if there is going to be an orgy of sexy men, I want to be included."

Karkat had to shake his head in disbelief, "You are too perfect. Where have you been all my life?"

John just blushed and kissed Karkat again, "Anymore rules?"

"God only simple quirks now," Karkat laughed, "Understand that sometimes I'm clingy and others I don't like to be touched."

"Check."

"Public Displays of Affection. Not a fan."

"Aww," John frowned.

"I just don't want to become the target of some drunk frat boy's hazing ritual," Karkat explained.

"Well you'll have to forgive me if I slip up every now and again."

"All storms require cuddle buddies who know not to ask questions, just hold me till it's over."

"Any other rules?" John smirked and rubbed his nose against Karkat's.

"Not at the moment," Karkat smirked, "I'll be sure to pass all further regulations by you first."

"Karkat," John's voice dropped and took back on a serious tone, "Do you think we can make this work?"

"I hope so," Karkat breathed and nuzzled into John before kissing him once more, "I hope so."

Chapter 11

Savior

"KK, you look fine," Sollux sighed at the other man checked him out in the full length mirror, twisting this way and that.

"I dunno," Karkat's brow was furrowed, "This is like a mutant color red."

"You look good in red," Sollux chuckled, "It thuith you. Now hurry up or we'll mith dinner."

Karkat finally nodded his head in approval before reentering the changing room to get redressed. It had been almost two months since he and John had officially started dating. They didn't have much time to solidify their relationship as school got into the full swing with long lab hours for Karkat and late night musical rehearsals for John. Many nights found then with barely enough energy to crawl into the same bed before passing out. Now John's musical was done and Karkat took his last lab final that morning, there was time for a proper date. John had the wonderful idea of dragging Dave and Sollux along for a double date, and suggested they all go somewhere nice for dinner and to a show afterwards.

Karkat laid his purchase down at the counter and blinked a little at the price but paid it anyway. He never spent this much on clothing ever, preferring to hit up thrift stores for worn yet comfortable attire. This, however, was a special occasion and therefor special apparel was called for. This was his and John's first date.

Karkat tapped his foot impatiently as Sollux drove back to campus, the mall being a bit out of walking range, and the light dusting of snow adding to the bite in the air. When they arrived, the two boys hustled their way to Sollux's dorm. Dave and John were getting ready in Karkat's dorm; John wanted it to be like a real date where the other two would pick up their dates so Karkat, after much bitching and eye rolling, agreed. Dumping his bag on the combined bed, which now had one large comforter on it; Karkat stripped off his shirt and jeans and quickly buttoned up his new vibrant red silk one. Slick black pants, belt and shoes to match distracted Karkat enough from how suddenly nervous he was. He hadn't been on a proper date in years, not since before he and Sollux had become closer. He tried to knot his new silk tie but kept fumbling with the fabric until he cried out in anger.

"Sollux!" He pouted, "I hate these fucking things."

"Here," Sollux chewed around the toothbrush in his mouth and grabbed at the fabric on his friend's neck.

Karkat took a deep breath, inhaling the cologne that the other man had splashed on a bit earlier, and let it out slowly. His eyes danced over Sollux who was wearing a pin striped vest and matching pants over a royal blue shirt with contrasting red tie. He had flashes back to their senior prom and slow dance that upset their dates and got them teased for a few days afterwards. When Sollux finished with his tie, he left Karkat alone to go to the communal bathroom to brush his teeth. Karkat took the time to double check himself in the mirror and then sat on the bed. Quiet for a moment, words sprang from Karkat's lips.

"Mom?" He never prayed unless he was really upset or really nervous, "I don't know if you'd be proud of me or not, but there's this boy I like and I'm going out on a date with him tonight and I was you could, ya know, help me? I just really want everything to go well because I've never felt this way about anyone before and…yeah…so…I love you, and miss you."

He sat quiet for a few more minutes until Sollux returned then, putting on their jackets, the two boys exited the building and went to pick up their dates. Karkat felt kind of weird knocking on his own dorm room door, but he did it anyway.

"Who's there?" Dave was shushed by John.

"You know who's there," the doorknob rang as it turned and the door opened to a smiling John, "Hi guys! Oh wow, you look great!"

"You too," Karkat blushed.

John had long gray pleated slacks on and a sky blue shirt which he left open at the top, a wavy silver pendant poking out from under the fabric, a gray fedora cock sideways on his head. A soft, delicious scent wafted off the boy and his glasses were missing, his contacts making his eyes a watery cerulean. Karkat swallowed hard and John blushed a bit.

"Hey there, thexy," Sollux chuckled at his date.

Dave was probably the least dressed up of the four, Khaki cargo pants and a red polo with red convers to match, his aviators affixed to his face as always. Sollux didn't seem to mind as he kissed his boyfriend and smirked.

"Let's go," John rolled his eyes, "Our reservation is for 6:45!"

The four boys rode quietly in Sollux's car, Dave up front with John and Karkat in the back. Karkat couldn't help but steal glimpses of John, and blush profusely when the other man caught his. John took his hand and curled their fingers together making Karkat blush even more. He felt like a highschooler being driven to a dance by his parents, except it was his best friend/lover and his boyfriend who Karkat had also had several forays with. It was a twisted messed up love triangle, the lives of the four boys in the car, but it was their life.

Or was it a love square?

Who cared? Certainly not Karkat, who begrudgingly released John's hand as they pulled up to the Olive Garden and piled out of the car. The boys ate and laughed and enjoyed a bottle of wine the waiter had conveniently forgot to card them for after Dave flashed him a wink. It was John who realized what time it was and rushed them out the door before they were late for the show, though not before Karkat had managed to steal the black haired boy's bill away and pay for both of their meals. They arrived at the theatre 10 minutes till curtain and John breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Karkat hadn't been thrilled when John had suggested a musical for their date, but when he read up on RENT, there was no way he didn't want to go see it. Dave had scored them some awesome tickets through his brother's connections with some of the members of the show's band, so they were up close and personal to the action of the show. John took ahold of Karkat's hand when Angel and Collins first kissed, and squeezed it tighter through the tears streaming down his face at the end of the musical. John quietly kissed Karkat as they left the theatre and the brunette begrudgingly let it slide without a complaint about his distrust of public displays of homosexual affection.

Karkat pulled his coat tightly around himself as they stepped out into the chill night air. The wind had picked up and was whipping small snowflakes around their faces as they trudged towards the parking garage. Karkat gladly held John's hand on the way home, the boy was a natural furnace and Karkat said thanked all things holy that he would not have to sleep alone that night. When they arrived back at the college, Karkat and John saw Dave and Sollux off, the two already kissing and at least Sollux had a smoldering look on his face, Dave's being unreadable due to his insufferable sunglasses.

John slipped his hand into Karkat's as they walked towards their own dorm, "Thanks for the wonderful night out."

"Let's say you and I make some hot chocolate and snuggle?"

"Sounds great," John shivered, "it's cold as balls out here."

Once they were back in their room, Karkat shed his dress clothes in favor for a thick pair of fleece pants and a t-shirt, though he couldn't resist a lingering kiss with John as the ebony haired boy grabbed his tie and pulled him close. Karkat brewed up some instant hot chocolate and climbed into bed when John was already huddled under the covers, flipping through the channels. They had taken a not from Dave and Sollux and pushed their beds together, though against one wall both to consolidate space and because Karkat liked having a wall to his back. John landed on the middle of an action romance movie and settled into Karkat, accepting his steaming mug of coco.

Their empty mugs sat on the nightstand where Karkat tossed the remote after switching off the TV. It had been quite a night but he had no intentions of it being over anytime soon, and neither did John by the way the other boy was getting all cuddly and kissy. Slipping back under the covers, Karkat connected his lips to John's and the other boy wrapped his arms around Karkat's arched shoulders. They began panting and Karkat tried to throw off the blankets, but the room was too cold. So instead he peeled off his shirt, John following suit, before reapplying the blankets, their bare chests slick sliding against each other as they continued to kiss and caress each other.

Their hips ground together and John moaned into Karkat's mouth. The brunette cupped the bulge in the fabric of John's pants and lightly squeezed before slipping his hand inside to encircle the pulsating shaft of John's cock. The two boys jockeyed for dominance as their tongues spared and hands took turns caressing partners throbbing members. Soon their pants were shed and the boys rutted against each other, their sweat allowing glorious friction without painful skin burn. Karkat ducked beneath the blanket and sucked on John's dick a bit before the other man pulled him back up. Karkat's hair was sweat slicked from the oven of the blanket confines and a silly grin played on his lips as he kissed his partner.

"Karkat," John panted, "I think I'm ready too…go all the way."

The brunette smirked at the other boy's high school analogy for sex, but gave a worried look none the less, "You sure?"

They had been dating for two months now, and even though Karkat was a very sexual individual he hadn't pushed the subject of anal sex with John. They had made out and exchanged blowjobs several times and had even tried intercrural relations one night, but that was the closest they had even gotten. This was a big step and Karkat was willing to take it, as long as John was ready for it.

"Yeah," John breathed.

Karkat reached for the bedside table and retrieved the lube and a condom, instructing a wide eyed John as to what he was going to do, "I'm going to stretch you first with a few fingers. Just relax and if you want to stop at any time, just tell me."

John nodded quietly as Karkat slicked up a finger and slide his hand between his legs. Karkat rubbed tentatively at John's entrance and the other boy swallowed hard.

"Will it hurt?"

"A bit," Karkat wasn't going to lie to his lover, "but that fades quickly. Mostly it will feel unusual at first but then really really good."

"Ok," John exhaled, "I'm ready."

Karkat captured John's lips as he slid in the first finger, "Relax and push back slightly."

John wiggled his hips and gasped as Karkat's digit cleared the circle of resisting flesh and popped inside him. Karkat checked in to make sure John was ok and, when the boy nodded, began carefully stretching and testing John's hole. John groaned a bit as Karkat added a second finger but then moaned in pleasure as the boy curled his fingers and brushed against an internal spot that sent shockwaves through the azure eyed boy. John grimaced as Karkat slid in a third finger.

"Just relax," Karkat cooed softly and kissed John, curling his fingers inside the boy to press more firmly against the sweet spot inside him.

After what seemed like an eternity, Karkat finally removed all his fingers bringing a forlorn groan from John who now felt empty. Karkat climbed between John's knees and slid the condom onto his bobbing cock as John looked on hungrily. Karkat lined up with John's body and leaned over the boy to capture his lips in another kiss. It wasn't the best position for the first time, but Karkat wanted to be able to read his partner for signs of pleasure and, more importantly, signs of discomfort and pain. He was not going to mess this up. John wrapped his legs around Karkat's torso as the brunette positioned his cock to press against John's flexing entrance.

"Are you sure?" Karkat checked in one last time.

"Y-yeah," John's voice cracked a bit as he let out a shuddering sigh.

"I love you," Karkat kissed John.

"I love yoooooo-," John's voice took on a slight pained tone and his eyes screwed shut as Karkat tentatively pushed into his lover, "Ow, ow, ow."

"Relax and push back," Karkat instructed gently.

John finally relaxed enough for Karkat to push further in, gently. When the head of Karkat's cock popped through into John, though, the black haired boy gasped and reflexively tightened his legs, pulling an unready Karkat deep into his.

"Shit!" John hissed as Karkat's dick disappeared into him faster than either had intended. The pain was intense and he grit his teeth.

Karkat took shallow breaths as John's muscles clamped down hard on his intruding member, which pumped more blood into it, engorging it while buried to the hilt in John, not helping John in the pain department.

"Relax relax relax," Karkat chanted both to John and himself, "It's ok it's ok."

It took several minutes for the spasms of pain to pass, and even then a few more moments before John loosened his thighs enough for Karkat to move. Cautiously the brunette pulled back till he could feel the head of his cock meet the solid ring that was hugging him tightly. The slowly he pushed back in, this time drawing a long, low moan from the boy under him. As his dick pushed against the sport his fingers had hit earlier, John couldn't help but moan a little louder. Karkat slowly repeated the motion, pulling nearly out and pushing all the way back in till the soft hairs at the base of his dick pressed against the supple skin of John's buttocks.

"Harder," John begged, his voice husky.

Karkat had to restrain himself from cumming just from the sound of John's voice, sex laden and full of want. He picked up the pace and pushed a little more forcefully into the man under him, bringing more low moans from him. After a few moments, he began continuous strokes in and out, thrusting his hips to hit the spot that made John groan out his name. As he picked up the pace once more, Karkat reached for John's bobbing cock which was dripping precum, leaving a sticky web from his belly to the member. As he wrapped his hand around the shaft and pumped, John panted quickly and whined and tossed his head to the side, begging Karkat for more while sputtering how much he loved him.

"I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum!" John gasped and craned his neck to look at his dick as Karkat pumped it faster, "Shit shit shit shit shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttt!"

Karkat screwed his eyes shut as he felt the sticky liquid coat his fingers and the muscles around his dick tightened and he quickly followed suit, filling the condom with ropes of gooey cum. John held Karkat inside of him as he pulled the other man down to kiss him. When Karkat finally pulled out, he discarded the used rubber and grabbed a towel from the floor to clean up his lover. Tossing the towel back to the floor, Karkat pulled the blankets back up around himself and John as the other boy curled inti his chest with a satisfied sigh.

"I'm gonna be sore in the morning," John didn't sound very upset about it, more like he was bragging.

"Probably," Karkat chuckled kissing the boy's hiar.

"Karkat?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, John."

Chapter 12

Closer to the Edge

"Karkat?" John's voice was a happily hummed whisper, "Kaaaaaaaaaarrrrkaaaaaaaat!"

"Mmm?" Karkat's eyes scrunched and he blinked a few times as a figure hovering over him came into focus.

John's hair was messy from sleep and his breath wasn't the freshest, but Karkat smiled at him anyways as the boy leaned down to kiss him, heat springing from where their naked bodies met under the sheet. Karkat exhaled into the kiss and lazily wrapped an arm around John's shoulders, pulling the other boy down with a chuckled yelp.

"No, come on," John giggled as Karkat purred in his ear playfully, "There'll be time for that later! We have to get up!"

Karkat reluctantly released John and rolled over, burying his face into a pillow, "Bleh."

"Fine," John sighed, "I'll just take my shower alone then."

Karkat turned a suspicious eye to John as the man slowly rose from the bed and stretched, making sure his entire naked body was visible to Karkat. The blue eyed boy smirked deviously and sauntered towards the bathroom of their dorm. Karkat laid still for only a few seconds before the sheet went flying and he was on top of John, smashing their lips together and crushing their rapidly heating bodies against one another. John pulled back with a satisfied moan.

"Happy One Year Anniversary."

The year had flown by so fast. At Christmas break, Dave and John had left for home and Sollux went to Karkat's house, the brunette's parent's deciding at the last minute to go away for the holidays. When the four came back together for school, they were tighter than ever and their individual relationships blossomed over the following semester. Karkat and Sollux even lead a slow transition of Dave and John into their world of Polyamorous love. John had been more nervous of sleeping with Dave than Sollux who could still be considered a mere acquaintance, but once the awkwardness was behind them, the four boys had a physical bond that made them close as family. On the romantic spectrum, however, Dave and Sollux only had eyes for each other and John was making Karkat's dream of a romcom life come true.

Originally they had dreaded the summer and the separation it would bring. However, between the four of them, there was hardly a week went past where someone wasn't visiting someone else, Karkat driving the four hours to John's no less than 10 times. The boys kept their relationships under wraps, not wanting to face that hurtle just yet. However Karkat's father had been glad to see his son had made new friends at school, and Mr. Egbert dotted on Karkat and Sollux whenever they came to visit. Dave's older brother, who was apparently his guardian, was odd at first, but once he learned that Sollux loved video games, they were welcomed anytime as long as the rivalry of who could kick who's ass was valid. Sollux's folks had been so glad that their son was making connections that they let the boys use the family's houseboat which had led to a weekend full of swimming, beer, and enough sex to last them for weeks.

Moving back into school had proved no challenge and they had even managed to get adjoining rooms, sharing a bathroom between the four of them so they could leave the door open between rooms. John had made this possible when he took the RA position for their floor and had himself made special room assignment requests. The four men kept mostly to themselves, agreeing that their lifestyle, while comfortable to them, would be seen as uncouth to the casual observer. When the mid October dates of their respective anniversaries rolled around, the four friends had decided to treat themselves with a long weekend away, skipping out on their Thursday classes and all piling in the car to drive to Florida and spend a few days on the beach.

"Come on guth," Sollux called into the bathroom where Karkat and John giggled in the shower together, "We need to leave thoon if we want to get there before tomorrow morning."

"Unless you want me to be grumpy on the ride down," Karkat was cut off by John capturing his lips once more.

When everyone had finally piled in the car, Sollux roared down the highway as Dave rapped to his latest CD of sick beats, John providing a lyrical line on the refrain, and even Karkat filled in some harmony. Having four drivers proved to be a wonderful idea and they rotated seats every few hours. The music was a low drone as Karkat took his turn at the wheel, John crawling in back with Dave to snuggle and sleep as best they could. The sun was setting and they were over half way to their destination which made everyone happy. Sollux stretched in the front seat and yawned a bit.

"Why don't you catch a nap too," Karkat mumbled, mindful of the other cars around him.

"In a minute," Sollux yawned again, "Jutht wanna make sure you're ok."

"I'm fine, dude," Karkat flashed a smile at his best friend, "Never better."

"Thith ith going to be amathing," Sollux grinned, "Getting to thpend time with you guyth on a warm beach, alone."

"It's nice to have such good friends," Karkat admitted, "I'm glad we're not alone."

"We're more than friendth, KK," Sollux mused, "We have a pact. We're in an allegianthe. Actually it'th more than an allegianthe."

"A moirallegiance?" Karkat scoffed.

"No I thaid more than allegianthe," Sollux scowled playfully, "And Dave ith more than a boyfriend. He'th the one, my mate in thpirit."

"Matesprit?" Karkat teased, "You must be tired, you're making up words."

"Ath hole," Sollux playfully punched Karkat in the arm before lacing his fingers into the other boy's free hand.

Karkat happily drove in silence, hand held firmly in Sollux's, glancing in his rear view mirror every so often to glimpse the sleeping boys in back, Dave with his head tilted back and mouth slightly agape and John across his lap. He would have kept driving all night if Dave's strong hands didn't sneak up from behind and begin pressing a tension relieving massage on his shoulder.

"Come on, emo pants," Dave whispered in Karkat's ear, "I need to stretch my legs and you need a break. I can cover the rest of the driving."

Karkat yawned an agreement and pulled off the highway and into a gas station. Dave bought a coffee while the other three used the bathroom and stretched their aching legs, then John and Karkat crawled into the back together and curled up, making the best of trying to cuddle across the back seat. Karkat was vaguely aware when they left the highway, the sky showing the first lightening of the coming dawn. When John stirred and sat up, bouncing excitedly, Karkat couldn't blame him. The view was beautiful. They had rented a house right on the beach, just north of Miami. The town was practically deserted, the summer tourists gone and the snowbirds just beginning to move to the warmer climates. Dave had made sure to express to the travel agent that they wanted as much privacy as they could get, and had been assured that the houses on both sides of them were not being rented that weekend.

The cabin was small; a kitchen, a bathroom with a large shower and whirlpool tub just big enough for four people to squeeze into if so desired, a living room, and one large bedroom with a king sized bed, garage attached. It was meant for a solitary couple, but it was all the more perfect for the four boys who didn't mind being close. The decision was made to go to bed for a few more hours but then wake up around 10am to keep on a regular schedule. The bed was spacious enough that the four of them fit comfortably snuggled together and slept.

The day went by slowly, Dave and Karkat swimming in the gentle surf while John lounged in the sand and tanned, Sollux taking interest in the scenery with his digital camera. When Dave's shoulders began to turn red, the boys decided to hit the town for a bite to eat and then buy supplies for an evening cookout. They laid out under the stars together before retiring early to catch up on the sleep they had missed from the drive down. Saturday they went snorkeling early in the morning, then lounged the day away on the sun warmed beach. They ventured into town once more and Dave bought some fresh shrimp to boil up for dinner and John bought dessert, though Karkat had to usher him away from the stall quickly as John kept pestering the clerk to make sure there was no Betty Crocker used in their kitchen.

"Batter witch has her hands in everything," John muttered as he eyed the cake in his hand suspiciously.

The boys ate their fill, then threw a large blanket out onto the sand and stretched out under the stars. Karkat laid with his right hand entwined with Dave's and his left arm clutching John tightly to his chest. It was Dave who rolled his head to the side and, catching Karkat's attention so he would turn, pressed his lips softly into the other man. Karkat let out a satisfied sigh.

"Hey," John lifted his head up, "That's my boyfriend you're snogging."

"You know," Sollux propped himself up, "Fair is fair."

John simply smirked and leaned over the two boys between them and cupped Sollux's face, eagerly pressing their lips together. Karkat kept his lips locked with Dave, but turned his eyes up to the two men over him and moaned a bit more wantonly as he rocked his hips against John's hand which had wandered down to the front of his swim trunks. Dave rolled over on top of Karkat and began grinding into the auburn eyed boy under him. Sollux peeled off his shirt and John attacked his brown nipples causing his dichromatic orbs to roll back into his head, a hearty groan escaping his lips. Karkat removed his hand which had been braced against Dave's back and squeezed the bulge in the front of John's shorts, reverberating a happy hum against Sollux's chest.

"Ok guyth," Sollux panted, "Ath hot ath thith ith, we should go inthide."

Karkat nodded and stood, carrying Dave up with him who instinctively wrapped his legs around Karkat's torso, their lips never parting. John grabbed the blanket but nearly let it fall again as Sollux came up behind him, sliding his hands down the front of the shorter boys trunks and sucking on his neck playfully. Their clothes were deposited haphazardly across the living room as John added the blanket to the floor. Karkat had Dave in much the same position as he had walked inside with, save now their throbbing dicks were free to rub against each other as Karkat pushed the blonde up against a wall a little forcefully.

John chuckled until he found his back slammed into the same wall and Sollux on his knees in front of the blue eyed boy. John let out a low, long moan as Sollux swallowed his erection deep into his throat. Dave moved his head to the side and caught John's swollen lips, giving Karkat perfect access to the slightly sunburned skin on his neck. Dave hissed a bit as the pain mixed with pleasure. Sollux ran a free hand up Karkat's thigh and cupped his ass, kneading the muscles that flexed and relaxed as he trust against the blonde in his arms.

Dave carefully unwrapped himself from Karkat and pulled John away from Sollux, leading the bespectacled boys into the bedroom. Sollux stood with a lazy smirk and brought his wet lips to Karkat's.

"You ever think we'd end up like thith?" Sollux nuzzled into Karkat, his hand wrapping around the other man's pulsating member.

"Can't say I did," Karkat practically purred and involuntarily thrust his hips, slick sliding his cock through Sollux's warm hand.

The friends made their way into the bedroom where they found Dave straddling John, rocking their hard cocks together. Karkat laid on the bed so his head was next to John as Sollux grabbed some lube from his bag beside the bed and began prodding Karkat's entrance as he sucked his cock. Karkat buried his face in John's hair as Sollux's tossed the lube to Dave and inserted two fingers into his waiting lover. Dave began to prep John as Sollux inserted a third finger into Karkat who moaned loudly into John's ear. John lulled his head to the side and kissed Karkat, the upside down matching of their lips unique but not unwelcomed.

"Spiderman kiss," John giggled but then gasped as Dave lined up and pushed into him.

Sollux, too, lined up with his partner and began slowly pumping in and out of Karkat. Dave attacked John's sensitive nipples and Sollux took advantage of Karkat's exposed neck as both men thrust deeply into their friends. When Sollux pulled out, Karkat whimpered a protest, but he knew the fun was just beginning. John let out a shuddering sigh as Dave dismounted him and crossed the bed to Karkat. The brunette shifted so his entire body was on the bed as Dave straddled his lap and slicked up his dick behind his back. Sollux settled in next to Karkat, his legs propped up onto John's shoulders as the blue eyed boy concentrated and lined himself up, his tongue sticking out like when he did his math problems spread out on the floor of their dorm.

Karkat took in a sharp breath as a warm tightness enveloped his cock. Dave smirked and placed a stabilizing hand on his lover's chest as he rocked his hips, sliding Karkat in and out of him. Karkat reached up and gently removed the shades from Dave's face, though the blonde hesitated slightly. Sollux, between thrusts, did the same with His own and John's glasses and handed them to the man beside him who placed the three pairs on the bedside table. Soon John was grunting and pushing hard into a gasping Sollux, the bed depressing so much with each thrust that Karkat used the momentum of its back spring to ram deep into Dave. Red eyes, half lidded, locked onto Sollux who was now himself grunting with each powerful thrust of John's hips.

Karkat wrapped strong fingers around John's wrist that stabilized him on the bed causing the blue eyes to shoot to him. With a silent nod, John slowed his thrusting and carefully pulled himself from Sollux. Dave climbed off of Karkat's lap and onto Sollux's waiting one, the brunette eager to thrust into his blonde lover. Karkat flopped over onto his stomach and John mounted his back, sliding in easily from the mix of lube and sweat. Karkat turned his head to catch John's lips as the black haired boy arched over his back, thrusting more quickly as they raced towards climax. Karkat reared back up onto his hands and knees as John gripped his hips and practically slammed into him.

"I love you," Karkat called out in a pained whine as Sollux grabbed ahold of his cock and started pumping him while Dave, still riding the brunette, locked lips with John.

Dave began the chain reaction with a loud, "Oh shit."

The blonde squeezed tightly around Sollux's cock inside him as he pumped ropes of cum onto his lover's chest. Sollux made shallow thrusts as he filled the red eyed man with his seed, his hand gripping and slipping on Karkat's pulsating dick. Karkat couldn't hold back and, with a pained cry, shot between Sollux's twitching fingers to leave a gooey puddle on the bed. As he exploded, Karkat's muscles formed a vice grip on John's cock and the black haired man thrust once more deeply into his lover and nearly screamed as spasms wracked his body until he collapsed on top of a panting Karkat. Dave melted onto Sollux's chest, smearing his spent seed between their chests and stomachs. All four boys laid there for a long time, totally spent and smiling.

The four had cuddled close after cleaning up and going to bed, their limbs still rubbery from the fun. The next morning they packed their belongings and went for one last swim in the ocean before piling into the car and heading back to campus and their regular routines.

"So," John settled into Sollux as Karkat hit the highway and Dave put his feet up onto the dashboard, "Who's all going to the Halloween party in two weeks?"

Chapter 13

Attack

"Hurry up, Karkat!" John danced around excitedly, his Hogwarts robe dancing around his feet.

"Hold your horses," Karkat emerged from the bathroom readjusting his belt and hooking on the brown leather whip, "How Harrison Ford got all this to sit right is a wonder to me."

"Well he's got nothing on you," John kissed his boyfriend as he plopped a worn leather hat on his head completing his Indiana Jones ensemble.

"Why Harry," Karkat blushed, "Have you put a love spell on me?"

"Nah," John giggled and adjusted his glasses which had white tape on them to make them look more like Harry Potter's, "I've just got you under a Confundus Charm."

The two men laughed at the myriad of other costumes they witnessed on their way to Dave and Sollux's dorm, including one boy who was insisting with a stutter to his friends that he wasn't dressed like a hipster but that they were his normal clothes. Karkat would have made a remark about his matching scarf and dyed lock of hair, but he didn't care too much. The black haired boy dressed as a famous wizard bouncing along beside him was all he could bother caring about. John had been bouncing about the Halloween party since their return from Florida and had their evening mapped out.

The campus, in tandem with local restaurants and bars, shut down an entire stretch of Main Street for a giant Halloween bash which kept drunk kids from driving and upped the revenue for the stores along the strip. Three whole city blocks of food, beer, dancing, and haunted houses.

"Dave!" John called as he pounded on their door, "Sollux! Come on, let's goooooooo!"

"Arg, watch yourthelf or ye be me new cabin boy," Sollux opened the door with a smirk, his costume as elaborate as he could make it with a full captain's coat, boots, breeches, shirt, even a cutlass and a wide brimmed hat adorned with blue and red feathers.

"I'll put a spell on you," John raised his replica wand dramatically before giggling at Sollux's mock fear.

"Ready to go?" Dave appeared beside Sollux and Karkat lost it.

Pink. There definitely was a lot of pink, both fabric and skin. Dave wore his typical shades but atop his head was a small plastic tiara. A pink cut off midriff with silver sparkles spelling out 'Princess' clung to his toned chest, pink shorty shorts slung low on his hips, pink Converse to match, and even a fairy wand and a matching pair of pink wings sprouting from his back.

"Oh. My. God!" John laughed.

"Well your reaction is better than his," Dave gestured to Sollux, "He tried to tear my shirt off of me."

"You look hot for a little fairy boy," Sollux playfully swatted his boyfriend's butt, earning his a glare from Dave.

"It's ironic."

"It's downright gay," Karkat snorted.

"You're just jealous," Dave stuck his tongue out, "Now come on, I have some frat boys to confuse and beer to drink."

The four boys followed the crowds to the block party. Dave indeed got several confused looks and even a few rude remarks, but he ignored them, though Karkat felt a little uneasy and would keep an eye out just in case any of them tried to start something.

"Relax, Karkat," John chuckled, his nose a little red as he sipped at his third beer, "It's a party."

Karkat grumbled and shook off John as the other boy tried to intertwine their fingers, "You know, not everyone is as accepting as we are."

"Well ssscrew them," John slurred a bit.

Karkat sighed, "Light weight."

"Come on guyth!" Sollux motioned from a few doors down, "It'th a danthe party!"

The place was packed and the music thumped loudly. Dave, Sollux, and John were in the thick of the crowd, grinding with boys and girls alike, clearly enjoying themselves. Karkat found an open booth and plopped down, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He had been tense all night and couldn't relax even enough to join the other three guys in drinking. Someone had to remain the sober, responsible adult. John eventually wandered his way over and plopped down across from his boyfriend.

"God, it's hot out there!" John spoke a little louder than normal. Karkat only nodded with a slight smirk.

"What's wrong?" John creased his forehead in worry.

"Nothing," Karkat snorted and look away.

"Come on," John pried, "You've been a total grump all night."

"Well excuse me," Karkat snapped a bit, "But someone has to make sure that super fairy princess over there doesn't get our asses kicked by some drunk frat boys."

"Oh come off it," John rolled his eyes, "Dave could take on anyone who gave him crap. And besides, how are we going to create a more tolerant society? They can be out there grinding and having fun, why can't we?"

"They also out number us and are half as intelligent as us," Karkat sneered.

"Well maybe if you'd join us, then you could help us change their minds," John extended his hand but Karkat pulled his back quickly.

John first looked hurt which made Karkat immediately regret what he'd done, but before he could apologize, John was on his feet and back out on the dance floor, grinding against Dave and Sollux all the more suggestively. Karkat slouched back in his seat and berated himself from saying something so stupid when three young men spilled into the booth next to him, all obviously drunk and attempting to be super macho which made Karkat want to leave in disgust. He was about to get up when a slurred voice reached his ear.

"Fuck! So you see those fucking faggots out there?" One man hollered loudly.

"Yeah," agreed another one, "Fags like that don't belong here."

"Says right in the bible that they should all die," the third chimed in, "Especially that pink fairy fuck."

"That shit dressed like a wizard or some shit made eyes at me," accused the first, "I think he was checkin' out my dick."

"Gross," the third one laughed, "Yeah the freaky one with the fucked up eyes tried to grab my ass."

Karkat had been watching the whole time, the three men had never been near Dave, John, or Sollux.

"Look!" Hiss the second one, "That Potter fag is looking this way."

Karkat looked and sure enough John was looking, but not at the three idiots in the next booth, those aqua eyes burned with a fire of want and resentment meant only for him.

"Faggot wants my dick, I knew it!" the first guy bellowed.

Karkat was on his feet and leaning over their table before the three guys noticed.

"For your information," Karkat's voice was a growl, "That's my boyfriend. And it's not your tiny dick he's after; he wants to ride my giant cock. And you know what? I'll gladly give it to him just to spite fucks like you."

Karkat whirled on his heels and swept onto the dance floor. John gasped when Karkat grabbed him by the hair and pulled him against him, grinding into his hips hard. Karkat made sure the three guys were watching before he smashed his lips into John's bringing a cacophony of cheers and jeers from all around them.

"Woah," John panted, "What was that…?"

"Shut up," Karkat rocked his hips harder into John, "Just dance."

It was nearly one in the morning when Karkat finally pulled John from the dance floor, heading for the door and the cool night air. They had been dancing for hours, stopping only occasionally to get a drink before reentering the fray. Karkat had watched the trio of assholes storm out shortly after he got on the dance floor with a grim sense of satisfaction. The four friends had gotten more supporting cheers than disapproving comments and quickly became the center of the dance floor, especially when Dave, fairy costume and all, busted out the most extreme break dancing Karkat had ever seen.

"Where did Dave learn to move like that?" Karkat gulped at the cold night air, his arm slung loosely over John's shoulder.

"His brother," John explained, "The dude's crazy! He made Dave into some kind of DJ Ninja Break-dancer."

"Well that explains why he has one hell of a body," Karkat chuckled as he and John stumbled down the sidewalk.

"Thanks for coming out with me," John turned to his lover, "It meant a lot to me."

"Well I thought about what you said," Karkat pulled John closer, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend's middle, "You're right. Why shouldn't we be allowed to have the same rights?"

John just smiled before launching into Karkat, kissing him passionately. Karkat felt his back hit a brick wall. Glancing around, he spotted an alleyway not far from where they were and drug John into the shadows, kissing him more fervently. The two men spared with each other's tongues and ground their hips together, their rising bulges rubbing together eliciting moans from both men.

A loud jeer broke them out of their kissing, "Well lookie here, two faggots!"

Karkat's voice became a low growl and he put a protective hand in front of John as the three men from earlier sauntered down the alley towards them.

"Well don't let us stop you fags," the leader continued, "Keep damning your souls."

"Fuck you," John spat pushing away Karkat's arm and taking a step forward.

"John," Karkat breathed warningly as he took note that the three men blocked the only exit from the alley.

"Oh the little bitch wants to start something?" Another one of the men chuckled.

"Move on, fuckwads," John snorted again, "Assholes like you will amount to nothing."

"Sounds like the little fag needs to learn a lesson," The leader took a dangerous step forward and Karkat began to look frantically for another exit from the alley.

"Fuck you," John derided, "You're just trying to make up for the size of your tiny cock. Get lost."

Karkat jumped in front of John and took a fist to the jaw for it, sending him tumbling to the pavement, his head spinning. He heard John yell ferociously and saw a black blur, his Potter cloak swirling as he jumped on top of Karkat assailant. When Karkat tried to stand, a foot came crashing down onto his spin and knocked his face hard into the asphalt again.

"Hold that fucker down," the leader commanded to one of his cronies who jumped on top of Karkat, twisting his arm painfully behind his back, "I want him to watch."

Karkat twisted his head, his eyes bleary through the pain as his arm muscles screamed that it didn't bend that way, and saw that one of the other men had John's arms behind his back, the black haired boy on his knees. The leader of the group let loose with a right hook and a sickening crunch with the gush of blood told Karkat he had just broken John's nose. The boy choked and sputtered on his own blood as the man continued to beat him mercilessly. Karkat struggled and yelled for help as John was punched against and again until his body was limp. When the other man couldn't hold his weight anymore, he joined his friend in kicking at John's torso, face, and groin. John weakly attempted to protect himself but Karkat could see the boy was losing consciousness.

"STOP! FUCK! HELP!" Karkat screamed and twisted, a searing pain shooting through his arm as it popped completely out of socket.

The two men, satisfied with the damage they had done to John, turned to Karkat when suddenly sirens rang in the distance. The three men quickly exchanged glances and scrambled from the alley, one kicking Karkat hard in the stomach before fleeing with the other two. Karkat's breathing hitched through the pain and he had to force his lungs to expand, to take in burning air to scream out as he swung his arm around, a nauseating 'pop' as it went back into its socket bring up vomit. Karkat spit aside his bile and scrambled to his feet and ran to the limp form only a few feet away.

"John? John?" blood oozed out all over the pavement as Karkat rolled John over onto his back with his good arm, "Come on John! HELP!"

John's face was swollen and purple, blood pouring from cuts and scrapes and gushing from his nose. Karkat could see other dark wet spots in his boyfriend's clothes and knew more blood sprang from other wounds, "Come on John, come on! HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE!"

The sirens grew louder and a crowd formed at the opening of the alleyway, looking on but not moving.

"Fucking move," Dave shouted and the crowd parted as he and Sollux burst through.

"Oh my god," Sollux knelt down next to Karkat, "KK, what happened?"

"We…we were attacked," Karkat panted as he tried to coax a response from John, "Come on, John. Come on!"

John coughed up a glob of blood and took in a shuddering breath, his eyes lulling open for a quick second. He smiled weakly up at Karkat before coughing, dark blood pouring from his lips once again.

"It's ok," Karkat ran a hand down the side of the other boy's face, smearing blood, tears dripping from his face onto John's, "It's ok. Help is coming. Sollux, got get help!"

Sollux stood and ran to crowd asking if anyone had any medical training at all. Dave came over and knelt next to Karkat, whispering softly, calmly, "He's got internal bleeding. Those are police sirens. I hear an ambulance now too. Who did this."

"Fucking frat boys," Karkat shushed John as he sputtered again, more blood gushing from his mouth, his body beginning to shake, "Hold on, John. Hold on!"

John moved his lips, a soft brush of air escaping them, "Love…you…"

Karkat's face scrunched up even tighter as he cried harder, "I love you too, and you're gonna be fine, and we're gonna get you to a hospital, but you have to hold on!"

John moved his lips again, mouthing the words but no sound coming. Then the boy's blue eyes shuddered closed.

"John?" Karkat shook the boy, "JOHN?"

Gentle but firm hands pulled Karkat away. Red and blue and white lights flashed off the brick. Karkat fought his way to the ambulance, following the stretched they had John on. The paramedics knew by the wild look in Karkat's eyes to let him in with them. As they rushed towards the hospital, one of the paramedics began doing compressions on John's chest, another prepped a defibrillator. When they got to the hospital, John was rushed off into the ER and Karkat was taken to a small examination room.

After shooting him up with some pain killers, putting his arm in a sling, and helping him clean up a bit, Karkat was taken to the waiting room. They had rushed John to the Operating Room with broken bones and sever internal bleeding and organ damage. Sollux, who had driven close behind them, had to hold Karkat back as the nurse gently pushed him out into the waiting room.

"KK!" Sollux wrapped his arms around his best friend shoulders causing the smaller man to wince, "KK there'th nothing you can do right now!"

Karkat shook off his best friend, "This is all my fault."

"Don't do that," Sollux growled, "Don't you dare blame yourthelf for thothe ath holes!"

"I should have protected him," Karkat slouched into one of the chairs, bawling, "I should have taken care of him!"

"You did," Sollux sat next to him, "KK you did protect him. Now we have to wait."

Karkat crumbled into Sollux's shoulder and cried uncontrollably for a few moments before taking some deep breaths and calming himself back down. About that time, Dave came through the doors of the ER, now in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, a few scrapes and bruises on his face.

"Dave?" Sollux tried to stand but the blond signaled for him to stay seated and took the chair on the other side of Karkat.

"The guys are in custody," Dave sighed, "They turned themselves in."

Karkat gave a sad smirk to Dave. The blonde didn't say, but Karkat speculated from his friend's new wounds that they had been persuaded to turn themselves in. Probably for their own safety. After a moment, Dave shifted and pulled out his cell phone.

"I better call his Dad."

"No," Karkat put a hand on Dave's arm, "I'll do it."

Karkat swallowed hard as the phone rang. He had met Mr. Egbert that summer and had gotten along with the man well enough, but how do you tell a man his son might be dead before he could get here?

"Hello?"

"Umm, Mr. Egbert? It's Karkat, John's roommate."

"Hey there! What's up?"

"Mr. Egbert? There's…there's been a…Mr. Egbert, get here as soon as you can, please? John's in the hospital. I…I…" Dave took the phone from Karkat as the man began to hyper ventilate, Sollux rubbing a calming pattern on his back as Dave calmly explained the situation.

"He should be here in the morning," Dave handed Karkat his phone back and collapsed in the chair next to him.

"Mr. Vantas?" a timid, young nurse came out of the doors, clipboard in hand.

"Yes?" Karkat stood cautiously.

"Your friend is in recovery now," her voice was timid, "we've done all we can."

"I want to see him," Karkat started for the door but she blocked his way.

"I'm sorry but he's in critical condition and…" she trailed off as she saw the look in his eyes, "Look, he's unresponsive and…"

"Please," Karkat's voice nearly cracked as he pled with her.

The nurse rocked on her heels much in the same way John did when he was nervous. In fact this young woman looks a lot like John, same goofy glasses and black hair, even a similar facial structure. He sticker covered nametag read 'Jade' in bright green letters.

"Alright," she quickly motioned for him to follow.

Dave and Sollux both stood and followed them. Jade was going to protest, but one look from Dave and she just kept her eyes forward as she led the small group to the recovery area for critical patients.

He was in a room all himself hooked up to several machines that beeped and whirred and pumped liquid and air into the now fragile looking boy. A bit of dried blood still stained his face, and his skin was pale. He had a series of stitches on his face and a few down the back of one hand. Karkat carefully took that hand into his, but nearly dropped it; it was so cold, so lifeless.

The three boys sat with him till well past dawn as doctors and nurse came in and out, not taking much notice of the boys. It wasn't until Dave's phone rang that they moved.

"I'm going to pick up Mr. Egbert at the airport," Dave gave Sollux and long, loving kiss, then hugged Karkat tightly, softly kissing him too as he pulled away, "Everything is going to be ok."

Karkat nodded as he watched Dave leave before sitting and taking John's cold hand once more. He wanted to believe everything was going to be alright, but he knew that is was most likely just a Beautiful Lie.

Chapter 14

93 Million Miles

Mr. Egbert was surprisingly collected and calm for having bought an emergency ticket and hopping on a plane to come and find his only son in critical condition in the hospital. Karkat gave John's hand another squeeze before moving to allow Mr. Egbert to take his seat. The older man removed his fedora hat and Karkat had to smile sadly, John was a spitting image of his father, right down to the sparkling crystal eyes. Mr. Egbert turned those pure, piercing eyes to the young men in the room and spoke very softly.

"What happened?" His eyes landed on Karkat, pleading yet warm and comforting.

"We were out thelebrating Halloween," Sollux began.

"Some drunk frat guys…" Dave tried to continue but neither actually knew the story and suddenly all three pairs of open eyes were on Karkat.

The sandy eyed boy swallowed hard and took a step towards Mr. Egbert, "I was with him."

"We had gone out to get some air, we had been dancing," Karkat chuckled as he remembered the amazing feeling of grinding against his boyfriend, but his mouth was becoming dry, "We wandered down a nearby alley to be out of the way when…"

Karkat took a deep breath and cleared his throat, "When these drunk jerks came up and started harassing us. John said something to them and they didn't like it so they beat us up. I'd probably be in the same shape as him if the cops hadn't shown up when they did. I'm so sorry Mr. Egbert…"

Karkat had tears streaming down his face as Mr. Egbert quietly stood and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Karkat? I'm glad my son found you."

Karkat turned a questioning eye towards the older man who just smiled genuinely, "I'm not stupid. And he is very lucky to have you in his life."

"The caught us kissing," Karkat blurted out, tears streaming down his face, "They called him 'fag' and said he was damning his soul and…"

Mr. Egbert shushed him with a hand on his face and Karkat tried to turn away ashamed but the other man held his gaze, "Thank you for watching out for my son. And when he wakes up I want you to be here for him. But right now I think you three need to go rest for a little bit. Don't worry, I'll keep watch."

Karkat nodded and wrapped his good arm around Mr. Egbert in a hug. Dave too hugged his best friend's dad, and he caught Sollux before the man could try to handshake his way out of it. Karkat crossed to the bed and, leaning down, kissed John's forehead, "I love you."

The three boys then reluctantly left the room. They crossed from the ER wing into the main part of the hospital and found a group of overstuffed chairs and couches to stretch out on. Dave grabbed his phone and excused himself. Sollux and Karkat could hear the start of his conversation.

"Hey, Bro? Yeah. Umm, look I know I don't say it but I love you. And I need to tell you something…"

"Hello, mom?" Sollux had his phone pressed to his ear, biting his nails absentmindedly as Karkat listened, "Can you put dad on the other line, too? I need to tell you guyth thomething…"

Karkat pulled out his own phone, tears welling up in his eyes as he dialed the numbers. Taking a shuddering breath, Karkat steeled himself as the phone rang once, twice, then was picked up with a grogy, "Hello?"

"Dad?" Karkat cleared his throat, "Look, I need to tell you something so please just listen."

Karkat paused for a second and when he heard the crinkle of the phone cord stretch he knew his father was sitting up in bed and listening to him, "Dad, first of all I love you. I know I've said it before but I don't say it enough. I love you. I love you so much. Ever since…ever since mom died, you've done so much for me. I'm…I'm in the hospital right now…"

"What? Where?" the cord crinkled more and Karkat knew his dad would be looking around for his clothes and be on the road to the school in three seconds if he didn't calm him down.

"Dad, I'm fine, just a dislocated shoulder. Just, please sit down and listen, ok?" Karkat waited till he heard the cord creak again then he continued, "My friend John is in critical condition. He…he was beat up. We were beat up. Because…because…"

Karkat swallowed hard as new tears sprung to his eyes, "Dad? I'm gay. I'm gay and John is my boyfriend and we were beat up because we were kissing and 'm sorry I'm so sorry I…"

"Karkat?" The voice on the other end of the phone was soft yet firm.

"Yeah?" Karkat closed his eyes and braced himself for the disownment that was coming.

"Karkat, I love you no matter what. I've known about you and Sollux for a while, too," Karkat let out a relieved laugh, "Yeah you two weren't exactly as sneaky as you thought. I don't know what kind of relationship you're in with John and Sollux and that kid Dave, and it's definitely not the life I would have wished for you, but it's your life and I'll love and support you no matter what. Ok?"

"Yes sir," Karkat breathed.

"I'll come down in the morning, too," Karkat wanted to argue but he knew that he wouldn't win and, frankly, he wanted his dad there, "Get some rest. And I love you."

"Love you, too, dad," Karkat smiled and pulled the phone away from his ear as he heard his father hang up.

Sollux and Dave wrapped up their phone calls, all ending much the same as Karkat's had. Dave pulled over one of the arm chairs and, sitting on the couch next to Karkat, propped his feet up. Sollux came over and laid with his head in Dave's lap, his legs stretched over Karkat's lap, their fingers twisting together. It took several minutes, but Karkat finally gave over to the pain killers and fell into a dreamless sleep.

A slight shake on his good shoulder stirred Karkat into the waking world, "Hey, Karkat."

"Hm?" Karkat fluttered his eyes open to find Mr. Egbert smiling down at him.

"Come with me, son."

Karkat shifted and carefully removed Sollux's legs from his lap. The boy now had a blanket over him and when Karkat looked around, he realized why. Sitting in a chair a little bit away from him was his father, along with Sollux's mother and Dave's older brother. The three adults were talking quietly, Mr. Vantas nodding a reassuring smile at his son as Mr. Egbert ushered him down a hallway. When they came to a quiet hallway, Mr. Egbert stopped outside a solid wooden door.

"I'll wait here," he smiled, "He's weak, but he's conscious."

Karkat looked at the older man in surprise but was greeted by a silly smirk, the type John wore when he had pulled off the perfect magic trick or prank. Karkat swallowed as his hand hit the cold metal of the door handle. With a deep breath and a reassuring pat on the back from Mr. Egbert, Karkat entered the room.

The room was a dim orange from a lamp next to his bed, the TV buzzing quietly. Machines beeped every so often as green lines and numbers lazily moved on the screens, the IV dripping in time with the beeps. John's eyes were closed, but his cheeks had some color back in them and his breathing was stronger than it had been. Karkat quietly slipped into the chair next to the bed and slipped his fingers tentatively into John's hand. It was warm and Karkat could feel a strong pulse which lifted about a million tons of guilt and worry off his chest. Feebly the hand squeezed his fingers and John's eyes fluttered open. He carefully turned his head and smiled.

"Hi," his voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible.

"Hi," Karkat laughed and tears appeared on his cheeks, "How do you feel?"

"Like a piñata," John breathed a soft chuckled then scrunched his face as the pain swept over him ,the machines beeping in annoyance.

"I'm sorry," Karkat brushed a lose strand of hair from the other boy's face, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't," John exhaled, "I'm gonna be ok. Eventually."

"And I'll be with you, always," Karkat smiled and squeezed John's hand back.

As the weeks passed, Karkat spent his evenings in Physical Therapy with John and some overly sweaty therapist who seemed obsessed with getting them stronger, faster. Karkat didn't exactly like the guy's methods, but he had to admit, with his pushing John was recovering faster than the doctors said he would. Both boys kept up with their classes, though John had to do all his work online. The four friend's had decided to finish out the year at their current school before looking for something closer to John's home; the boy was making progress, but it'd be a long time before he was back to normal, if ever.

John and Karkat had also spent several hours with a pair of lawyers. Karkat was skeptical at first because they were both eccentric in their own right; one was blind and obsessed with justice, the other talked about getting them their settlements like stalking prey in a jungle.

"If we play our cards right, we can expect to get you the purrfect result!"

"Did you say PURR-fect?"

"No."

The three men were all three sentenced for attempted murder and charged with hate crimes, but Karkat tried not to think about them. Between insurance and the lawsuit against the school for their involvement (The Halloween Bash was their responsibility after all) John and Karkat had all their medical bills paid off and had arranged to buy a house back in John's home town where they were going to move in the spring along with Dave and Sollux. On weekends, the two uninjured boys would drive to Sollux and Karkat's houses and pack up their stuff and slowly move it to Mr. Egbert's in prep for their big move.

It had just turned warm when John walked for the first time without any bracing, though he carried a cane afterwards just in case his limp gave him any troubles. When the end of May rolled around, the four friend's joined several hundred of their classmates in receiving their Associate's degrees in their respective fields, John receiving a standing ovation as he slowly walked up the stairs and across the stage to receive his.

John sat on his dorm room bed looking around the empty room as Karkat returned from carrying the last of their bags to Sollux's car. Karkat leaned against the doorway as he watched John's eyes scan the room sadly.

"Ready?"

"In a minute," John sighed, "I'm just remembering the first day we met."

"Yeah," Karkat chortled, "You were a derpy little fuckhead."

"And you were a raging asshole," John stood and slowly crossed to Karkat, "You still are."

Karkat leaned down and captured his lips with a chuckled, "Come on, gimpy, let's blow this join."

The two boys piled in the back of Sollux's car, Dave in the front seat next to his dichromatic boyfriend.

"Everyone ready?" Sollux checked his rearview mirror.

"Get us the hell out of here," Karkat snorted.

"Home, James!" John snickered.

"Make it so, Number One," Dave nodded.

The four boys laughed as they drove away from the school and to their new home.

Chapter 15

Kings and Queens

"I've alwayth thaid red wath your color," Sollux adjusted the tie around Karkat's neck as the other man fidgeted impatiently.

"Yeah well, you look great in blue," Karkat grumbled.

"Nervouth?" Sollux straightened out the matching red vest Karkat had tugged askew.

"No," Karkat lied.

"Well I am," Sollux smiled, "Would you get my tabth?"

Sollux turned around and Karkat fiddled with the slick pieces of silk on the back of his best friend's vest. The years had been good to them. Once the four boys had moved in together, life seemed to sweep past at an alarming rate.

After getting his Bachelor's degree; Sollux took an online job for a software developing company and worked from home, an entire room of the house dedicated to just his computer equipment. He had picked up a few medium security jobs for the government and sometimes had to go out of town for a few weeks at a time but he always refused when they would offer to move him across the country.

Dave had gone on to get his Master's in music and took his show on the road. At first he was playing low level gigs at clubs and as opening acts for bigger groups. But gradually his name became synonymous with the dance scene and he started headlining parties across the states and had even been invited to Europe for a gig or two. He managed to cut 3 albums and bring in enough that he would only take super special gigs, wanting to be at home with his friends as much as possible.

John took a long time to recover and still walked with a limp, but he didn't let it slow him down. He too had gone on to a Master's degree and would occasionally tour with Dave, performing an elaborate magic show to the music. Dave had cut him a personal track and John spent a limited engagement in Vegas performing to sold out audiences. When they offered him his own main stage show, his friends begged him to take it but he declined, citing that they never moved away for their work, why should he? Instead he had a contract to perform one month out of the year and would fly out for the peak of tourist season then be back home, asking Dave for new tracks and practicing feats of prestidigitation on his friends before taking them to the slathering crowds.

Karkat had spent the most time in school. Having just received his Doctorate, a local Pharmaceutical company had snatched him up as quickly as they could. He had been the big name behind a recent breakthrough in immune deficiency research and prevention. He, like the others, had been offered a lot of money to move away. He had the easiest time refusing it because all the others had given up their chances to go bigger by the time his turn came. The Pharmaceutical company took the initiative, however, and just built a large, new lab just outside of town and made him the head technician. Karkat had then suggested that the 4 maybe move into a bigger house, but it was generally decided that they liked their accommodations just fine, though he was able to convince everyone to buy a nice beach house near where they had taken their collective vacation back in college.

There was a knock at the door and Sollux's mother poked her head in, "You boys ready?"

"Yeah," Sollux swallowed as she smiled and closed the door.

"Sollux?" Karkat looked into his friend's eyes, "Are you sure?"

"In the wordth of Dave: We're making thith happen," Sollux chuckled and planted a deep, reassuring kiss on Karkat's lips.

The smaller man moaned, "What time do we get to the island tomorrow?"

"Down boy," the brunette chuckled, "We'll have plenty of time to work off all thith nervouth thexual tension tomorrow. Now get, I have a man to marry."

It had taken over two years of discussion, planning, more discussion, more planning, and a lot of saying 'screw what everyone thinks' before the four friends decided that marriage was definitely in the cards. Of course they made a big show of it; John popped the question in front of a large audience in Vegas after sawing Karkat in half, and Sollux had hacked Dave's light show at an outdoor gig to spell out his own proposal. Their parents took it all in stride just as they had the original news, and had even helped them find a wonderful mistress of ceremonies who had helped them plan out the logistics of a double wedding.

The courtyard looked beautiful and was split into four sections with a wide sweeping aisle splitting the middle of each and meeting at a gazebo in the middle. The four men took their positions, Karkat and Sollux at opposite ends and Dave and John the same. The celebrant, a Ms. Megido, welcomed them and their family and friends as Dave took Sollux's hand and John clutched tightly at Karkat's. With two performers in the wedding party, it was not going to be without spectacle and there was plenty of music (Dave sang his vows to Sollux) and magic (John produced the rings out of thin air). At the reception, Dave's older brother rocked the DJ booth, though Dave couldn't help but sneak in next to him every so often before being shooed out.

When the morning came, the four hopped aboard their flight to Hawaii and relaxed in their first class seats, the newly wed couples snuggling as best they could despite the mixed reviews of the other passengers. When they arrived at their private bungalow with a secluded beach, the four wasted no time in resolving the pent up stress and frustration that had been brewing the past few weeks with the wedding coming up. As they lay out on the giant bed together, naked and glowing from orgasm, John turned and kissed Karkat passionately.

"I love you."

Karkat knew the life they had wasn't conventional by the slightest margin; they were all very successful career men, they were married gay couples, and the four of them shared a passionate Polyamorous relationship that had never wavered in the decade since they had met at college and likely never would. But no matter what anyone had to say about it, Karkat knew one thing was true above all else…

"I love you, too."

A/N: I first need to thank Andrew Hussie for creating a wonderful, colorful group of characters which are fun to work with. I next need to thank all of you, my loyal readers and fans, for all your comments, concerns, and feedback that has helped me explore a different avenue in my writing. I've been holding off telling you more about myself because this entire fic was a gift for someone who is right now hearing me read this for the first time. Jenny, you are my moirail through and through and this entire piece was written just for you. She's a wonderful artist and you guys should check out her work .com/ and pester her to do more! As for me, you can find me at .com/ where you will discover I am a playwright and novelist! Look for updates on my book which will hopefully hit shelves next year! I will continue to write fanfics, though most will be one-shots as is my forte, so look for my works here and on under the pen of AnakiStarsong. Till next we meet, peace!