A/N: I imagine that Kanaya is the type who refuses to drink from her friends until she's close to death and even then, they have to force it down her throat. I feel like Karkat would be one of the first to volunteer. After all, he already lost everyone else.

a·ve

/ˈävā/

exclamation literary

1. used to express good wishes on meeting or parting.

noun

1. short for Ave Maria.

2. literary a shout of welcome or farewell.

You're thirsty.

Of course, you have been thirsty before. As much as you loved being outside, it still got uncomfortably hot under the Alternian sun and you have thought about how nice a glass of water would be once or twice, but you've never known a thirst quite like this.

Your insides are bubbling and your tongue feels like sandpaper. You can hardly think straight by this point, and you don't know what to do. Nothing seems to be working, not water, not tea, hell, you even tried the alcohol Rose had alchemized earlier, but none of it worked.

Vision blurred, you struggle to your feet, smacking your dry lips together a few times and running your dry tongue along your fangs. You aren't even making saliva anymore. You don't bother looking at the clock, but you do know that it's after three in the morning based on when you had crawled out of your human bed due to the horrible cramps. You need help and the only person who might be awake at this hour is Karkat, but-

You shake your head and steady yourself, walking down the hall towards his respiteblock, one hand clutching your stomach, and the other against the wall to keep you steady. This was no time for doubts, not when you felt like you were dying.

His respiteblock isn't far, just a single hallway down from the kitchen, but it feels like a lifetime until you reach his door. You don't bother knocking like you usually do, knowing that in your pitiful state, he wouldn't hear it anyway. The door opens without a sound and light spills into the darkened room. Karkat is, to no one's surprise, immersed in whatever is happening on his husktop, which is most likely a romcom. When you open the door though, he pauses it and removes his headphones, looking up at you with a surprised expression.

"Kanaya?" He asks, standing up and trying to get a better look at you. "What are you doing up at this God-forsaken hour?"

You groan, stumbling over to his bed and clutching your temples. Karkat, of course, hurries over to you, concerned in a way that is endearing at the same time that it is unnerving. He fumbles with the lamp switch, flicking it on and causing you to let out a hiss, closing your eyes and recoiling from the light.

He says nothing for a long time, taking in your growling stomach, unsheathed fangs, and sickly complexion before sighing. "Kanaya, when was the last time you had blood?"

You wince at the word 'blood', but start thinking about it anyway. "Not sense I awoke as a rainbow drinker and drank from Sollux." You confess, almost salivating at the thought. His blood had been warm and sweet, like honey, but stronger and more satisfying.

Karkat just shakes his head. "You can't do this to yourself, Kanaya. You need blood or else you'll die, whether you like it or not." His voice is unwavering as he says this, so sure of himself and strong. You had always admired that about him.

Then his words hit home and your head snaps up, meeting his gaze head on. "What are you trying to say, Karkat?"

At this he hesitates, but it's such a brief pause, that a normal human or troll wouldn't have been able to see his expression falter at all. He moves closer to you, taking a deep breath and tilting his head to the side, brushing his hair away and pulling the neck of his sweater down to allow you access. "Drink."

You don't reply, jaw slack and eyes wide as your gaze automatically locks on the vein in his neck. "Karkat… I will not drink from you." You say, but it comes out more like a question than a statement.

"You will." He insists through clenched teeth, cupping the back of your head and gently moving it closer, not that you're trying to pull away. "Just fucking do it."

You put one hand on his shoulder and the other on his side, close enough now to hear the blood rushing through his veins. There was just so much… Surely, he could live without all of it, right?

"I am sorry about this." You mutter against his skin, barely restraining yourself now that his neck, flowing with fresh blood, is so close.

"Shut up, I gave you permission." Karkat tells you nervously. "Please just get this fucking over with."

Now that you're actually about to drink, his resolve is beginning to crack. But he doesn't pull away, and your rainbow drinker instincts tell you to bite down now before your prey has a chance to escape. So you do.

You pierce his artery easily, like ripping through paper. He lets out a small gasping sound, but otherwise doesn't acknowledge that you just bit him. You don't really care anymore either. He tastes better than you thought he would; like cherries of course and something incredibly… intoxicating. You find yourself pulling him closer, crushing him to you as you close your eyes and suck down his blood hungrily. At first, he tries to pull away, but before long, he stills, going limp in your arms as you continue feeding, desperate for the very last drop and-

You're eyes snap open and you pull back, breathing hard as you stare at Karkat's sagging body. He's still conscious - thank God - but the guilt still gnaws at you as you bring him close once more. He mumbles objections, weakling trying to turn his head to the side, but instead of biting him, you lick the deep puncture wounds you left on his neck, almost instantly sealing them over and preventing the loss of more blood.

After that's done, you lay him down, which brings a few groans of objection from him. Karkat wasn't a person who enjoyed being forced to rest, even if he knew he needed it. "Shush." You mutter, putting him under the covers and pulling the blankets up. He doesn't move after that, seeming to accept that you're going to smother him.

Deeming this acceptable, you turn and head towards the door, planning to get him some water. You're also aware that there is human medicine that can help with blood loss, but even if there's any on the meteor, there's no guarantee that it will work on a troll.

You step up to the door, which is still ajar, and are about to leave and get that stuff when something stops you. Biting your lip - this time with your normal teeth - you glance back at Karkat, walking towards him before you can even consciously process the desire to move.

You place a hand on his forehead, which is hot against your marble skin, a lean down, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Karkat." You whisper into his ear.

You can't be too sure in the low light, but you think you see the corner of his mouth twitch with a suppressed grin. You smile fondly and roll your eyes. Once, you had considered being moirails with Karkat, especially after all that had been happening lately, but you changed your mind. You like moments like these, the quiet, tender atmosphere between the two of you without the complications of quadrants. It was... wonderful, and you wouldn't change it for the world.