HOMESTUCK BELONGS TO ANDREW HUSSIE
CHAPTER 1
It didn't take long to forget the date; after all, time becomes irrelevant when an eternity without change is spread before you. When he had been alive, Kankri had wondered about immortality, as everyone destined to decay does at some point. This was not what he had imagined.
He had been one of the last to accept they were dead. Long after Porrim's eyes had gone white, he was still lecturing, stuck in a loop of habit that even his demise had not interrupted. Eventually, even he could no longer deny the truth. Yet even after the red of his eyes was gone, blank like everyone else's, nothing much changed. They were all frozen in the mindset they had died in- trapped in relationships that would've normally split apart, chained to ideals and emotions that should've grown but were now only metastasizing.
For an eternity, they drifted like debris lost at sea. And it wasn't so bad. They were together, and there was no danger. They were dead, of course, but even that seemed like no big deal breaker. Their memories and lives were preserved like the Egyptian tombs, but even those turned to dust, because nothing lasts forever.
But forever is a long time! And they aren't quite there yet. No, right now it is a sunny spring morning, and Kankri Vantas is lonely. It's too quiet, he thinks as he sits in the shade of the trees behind his hive. He is out of sight from anyone else who had taken a walk outside their hive, but it's unlikely he would've been interrupted even if they could've seen him.
"I'm glad you've come to visit, we have a lot to discuss," he says to no one. He had acquired the bad habit of speaking aloud to himself some time ago. It wasn't ideal, but he'd long ago run out of new things to say and people who would listen.
"I'm not really in the mood for a sermon; I hope that's alright with you. To be honest I'm feeling a bit tired, maybe we could just talk?" Kankri says.
"Sounds good to me, chief," says a voice behind him. Kankri spins around, as if there is any doubt who it is. (There isn't- Cronus' voice isn't easily mistaken.)
Sure enough, there he is, his hair greased back, the familiar shifty smile and the less familiar human cigarette hanging from his lips.
"Cronus! You can't go sneaking around like that!" Kankri exclaims.
Cronus sits down on the grass next to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Who're you talking to?"
Kankri blushes. "No one. I mean, I wasn't talking to anybody."
"But I heard you! Ok, whatever you say, keep your little friend all to yourself," Cronus says.
"I don't have a 'little friend'. I was…talking to myself. What are you doing here? Not that you shouldn't be here, as it's public property, but I just haven't seen you in this bubble before," Kankri says, quickly changing the subject.
Cronus shrugs. "To be honest, I was looking for you. Porrim said you'd be around here somewhere."
"Oh. Is there…something you want?"
"What do you mean? I don't want anything, just wanted to see how you're doing," Cronus says.
"I see. Well, I am doing quite well. And yourself?"
"Pretty good, I've been writing some new music, you should hear it sometime. Hey, unless you wanna keep up that fascinating conversation, do you maybe wanna go do something? I don't wanna interrupt, but I'm thinking you might be as bored as I am," Cronus says.
"Hmm. While my conversation was compelling and of the utmost importance, I think I can excuse myself, just this once," Kankri says.
"Was that a joke, Vantas? Ha, well, I guess we're all a little different, huh?" Cronus says.
Kankri pushes himself up after Cronus. "I suppose. Some changes may be more desirable than others," he says, with a pointed look at the cigarette.
"Oh, this? I don't light them, I swear. That would be such a waste. The Roxy girl gave them to me," Cronus says.
"Well, if they aren't causing harm and are helping cross-culture relations, then I can't object," Kankri says. The two start walking around Kankri's hive, into the field where most of the hives were spaced around. "Did you have anywhere in mind?" Kankri asks.
"I could think of a couple places," Cronus says, raising his eyebrows. "Kidding!" He adds immediately after seeing the look on Kankri's face. "I was honestly thinking the beach, I know it's not your favorite, but…I haven't gone in a while and we don't have to stay long."
"That sounds fine, of course," Kankri says. It's true that the beach would not be his first choice, but he has noticed the violet blood's less frequent trips. He's not sure if being there raises too many memories from their former lives, or if Cronus simply has no one willing to go with him. He suspects the latter.
The scenery warps around them, the trees and grass melting into sand and rolling waves. The air turns salty and sticky. The sound of water crashing against rocks fills the air.
Cronus grins, and Kankri allows a small smile to tug at his lips. The sea dweller tugs his shirt over his horns with some difficulty- the fabric is almost stuck before he pulls it free with a final tug.
"Are you gonna swim, Kankri?" He asks.
"I don't think so. Do you mind if I read for awhile?" Kankri asks.
"Nah, that's ok," Cronus says. He walks towards the water, but starts to run with a childish excitement. He hits the water and dives into a wave, sending a spray of sea foam into the air. Kankri is alarmed for half a second when he doesn't come back up, but then remembers his gills. Feeling embarrassed at this lapse of common sense, he hides his face in his book. It's a paperback novel Porrim had lent him, some torrid romance involving lowlbloods and rainbow drinkers having secret relationships with highbloods. The subject matter used to horrify him, and he still has to suppress outrage at some particularly offensive moments, but after an eternity, his old reading material had gotten a bit dry. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy Porrim's novels to some extent. Not that anyone would ever know that, not even really her, as he always returned them full of sticky notes notating triggers and insensitive literary slurs. She would just smirk upon seeing this. He suspects she might not be entirely convinced he doesn't enjoy them.
Kankri becomes engrossed in the story. The author has begun detailing a scene involving an olive blood and a tyrian, and it's all getting a little graphic. Kankri doesn't notice Cronus standing in front of him until a drop of water lands on the page. He looks up, and for the second time that day jumps.
"C-Cronus! What did I just tell you about sneaking!"
"Sorry Kankri, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked really into that book. What is this book, anyway?" Cronus says with a smirk.
Kankri closes it, shielding the cover with his sleeves. "It's nothing. It's about… the dynamics of lusus relations within contemporary society, you wouldn't like it."
"That's not what I read! I don't think you're giving me a chance, come on, I can read about lusus society…thing you said."
"No! I mean, no, I'm done reading for now; I have plenty of books you can borrow on the subject back at my hive. Let's go swimming."
"Really?" Cronus says.
"Yes, sure, that sounds nice," Kankri says, quickly captchalogging the book.
"So…you gonna swim in your sweater?" Cronus says.
Kankri looks down at himself. "I…no, I guess not." Say what you like about dream bubbles, but they are nothing if not convenient for spontaneous wardrobe changes. After changing into swim trunks, Kankri finds himself up to his knees in freezing ocean water.
"Come on Vantas, it's not that cold!" Cronus says.
"Not everyone possess your lower internal temperature, not to mention your naturally quick adaptation to freezing water, and it is rude to assume so," Kankri says, hugging his arms across his chest.
"Whoa, just joking around, sorry!" Cronus says, splashing Kankri. The Cancer yelps, glaring at Cronus.
"Oh, is that how you want to play, Ampora?" Kankri splashes him back, but Cronus just laughs and ducks under water. Kankri feels a tug on his ankle, and is pulled under the surface where he promptly swallows a lung full of water. He comes up choking.
"Hey, easy there!" Cronus says, slapping him on the back. Because of course that's what you do to a drowning person, just give them a friendly, spine breaking slap to the back.
"You can't talk under water Kankri, it's generally a good idea to keep your mouth closed. Just letting you know, I wouldn't want you to choke or anything," Cronus says.
"I really appreciate that sentiment Cronus, if only everyone was as considerate as you, I would never have to open my mouth again," Kankri says once the coughing has subsided.
"You know me, always looking out for everyone. That's the kind of guy I am," Cronus says, smiling.
"The kind of guy who pulls unsuspecting bystanders under water! I know this may come as a shock to you, but we do not all possess your seadweller anatomy."
"Aw, come on, you're ok, and now you're used to the water, aren't you?"
They spend the afternoon at the beach, and then head for their separate hives. Kankri is exhausted- it's been the most excitement he's had in the bubbles in awhile. On his way home, he can't help but notice an ominous crackling in the distance, like charged air after a lightning strike. The bubbles have never been anything but stable, there's no reason for that to change now.
Whatever it may be, he doesn't spend long contemplating it before slipping into the recuperacoon. For once, Kankri Vantas does not worry. Much.
((This is my first time posting a fic, so I'd love any feedback you have on how to improve! I'm trying very hard to not be OOC. Thanks for reading!))