Your name is KARKAT VANTAS and you're currently walking around the park. It's Valentines day and everyone else is spending it with their loved ones. You, however despise the very thought of flowers and declarations of love, or you act like it at least. In all honesty you wish your flush crush you confess their undying love for you. You sigh heavily before you're stopped by someone.
"H3Y K4RKL3S!" It is TEREZI PYROPE. The blind girl is kneeling on the ground with a dozen chalk drawings surrounding her section of the sidewalk. "L1K3 MY DR4W1NGS?"
On the ground is a giant drawing of a dragon wrapped around an egg. There's also a sketch of a golden planet with an equally golden moon attached to the original planet with a giant chain. In the very center of the master piece is a circle, written in the very middle is only one word; Dave.
You point at the bright red circle and word," WHAT'S WITH THE THE CIRCLE?"
She grins up at you,"WH4T YOU M34N D4V3'S N4M3? OH YOU SHOULD R34LLY 4SK VR1SK4, SH3'S TH3 ON3 WHO TOLD M3 ABOUT 1T."
You continue to ask her about what 'it' is but the red head chose to ignore you. "URGH," you shout attracting many a glance from other people. After a few minutes of trying to get the artist's attention you get fed up and stomp off to find the spider-girl. You head off to her usual hide-out, the Spider's Venom Café.
Walking inside the cafe you spot the bleach blonde almost instantly and slide in across from VRISKA SERKET. The teen girl only spares you a glare before going right back to her laptop. "What do yooooooou want Karkat?"
"I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S WITH DRAWING NAMES INSIDE OF CIRCLES?" You ask expectantly waiting for an answer. "TEREZI TOLD ME TO COME ASK YOU."
Vriska rolls her eyes at you and flips her hair over her shoulder,"How should IIIIIIII know anything about that? That weakling Tavros mentioned it to me weeks ago, 8esides, why should I tell you what it means?"
You glare harshly at her,"LISTEN HERE, I JUST WANT TO KNOW THE GOG DAMN ANSWER. IF YOU TELL ME I'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE."
"Wellllllll...no," the blonde stands up grabbing her coffee and laptop and walks to the door. "Go ask that weak little weakling cripple." She left you sitting there, getting more and more annoyed by the minute at the ridiculous chase you're on.
You stand up, it was time to visit the wheel-chair bound teen. Leaving the restaurant you make your way across half the city before stopping at the local pet store where you know Tavros works.
Above you a bell rings announcing your arrival. You walk past rows and rows of pet food, a dozen bird cages and fish tanks are lining shelves on both sides of you. Strolling casually to the back where the cash register.
"Oh,,, hey Karkat," TAVROS NITRAM stutters waving at you from behind the shop counter. "Why are you,,, uh,,, visiting Fly Free?"
"HELLO TAVROS," you say greeting the nervous boy. "VRISKA SENT ME. I WAS WONDERING WHY A PERSON WOULD WRITE A NAME IN A CIRCLE?"
He blinks at pair of doe brown eyes at you,"That? Oh,,, you really should ask Ferferi or,,, uh,,, Eridan. They're the ones to,,, uh,,, tell me about it."
Lulu groan loudly,"AM I GOING HAVE TO TRECK ACROSS THIS WHOLE FUCKING CITY?"
The shop worker smiles at you gently at you,"I'm,,, uh,,, pretty sure you,,, are. So,,, uh,, you can borrow the bike my,,, boss keeps in the,,, uh,,, back." You moan again even louder than before.
"THANKS TAVROS,"you say as the other teen directs you to the back room. "BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION." He shrugs as you walk inside, against the back wall is a sleek looking bike.
You carry the thing out the back door and into the alleyway behind the building. Mounting the black thing you ride away, your legs carry you over the dark pavement and past dozens of buildings before stopping in front of the town pool. Inside is a giant room with the back wall a huge window letting streams of light from the afternoon sun. In the very middle of the room is a gigantic diving pool filled with blue tinted water. You lean your borrowed bike against the wall and started looking for the two lifeguards.
"ERIDAN?! FEFERI?!"you call looking around for one of the two twins. Suddenly a head pops up from the blue waters.
"Oh hello Karkat," it was FEFERI PEIXES and she was treading water along the edge. "It's nic-E to sea you again," she hops out of the pool and sat on the side. "I didn't -Expect to sea you here. What's up?"
"I'M HERE TO ASK YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ABOUT NAMES AND CIRCLES," you say to the pretty brunet. "TAVROS TOLD ME TO COME HERE AND ASK YOU TWO."
She tilts her head to the left as though to say 'is that all?',"Oh that thing well-"her brother walks in dressed in his typical purple swim trunks and purple striped scarf. Oddly enough he's missing is shirt and shoes.
"Hello Karkat. I didn't expect to see you here, you haven't been here in quite awwhile," ERIDAN AMPORA pushes his thick framed glasses up his nose. "Wwhat bring you here of all places?"
"HEY ERIDAN," you say greeting the hipster. "I WAS ASKING YOUR SISTER ABOUT NAMES, CIRCLES, AND WHAT IT ALL MEANS."
"Circles and names?" Eridan asks before understand what you were talking about. "I don't really think either of us wwould be the best to explain it to you. Go ask Gamzee about it, after all he's the one wwho told us."
You groan thinking of the search you would have to go on to find that idiot,"THANKS ALOT FUCKASS NOW I'VE GOT TO GO SEE THAT COCKSUCKING JUGGALO? WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS JUST TELL ME WHAT IT MEANS."
Feferi rolls her eyes playfully,"W-Ell that would just take away the glubbing fun. Just go follow the trail that-" Eridan covered her mouth quickly.
"Fef don't go spoilin the fun just yet," Eridan says rolling his indigo eyes. "Noww go on Karkat. This'll all be ovver soon, I'll evven help you a bit. Gamzee is hangin outside the library smoking again." The two wave you off as you leave the pool area.
Hopping back on to the bike you head to downtown. It doesn't take long until you stop and leave your bicycle at the bike rack in front of Noir Memorial Library. You never knew who Noir was, but you feel as though you should...
Laying on the bench beside the bike rack is GAMZEE MAKARA, the clown appears to be passed out on the bench in front of the big building. You shove the lazy asshat off of the bench... or at least you try to. The lanky douche can't be moved by your small stature.
"COME ON GAMZEE," you say trying to wake up the lazy basterd. "GET UP. I'VE GOT A QUESTION TO ASK YOU."
Slowly the carnival freak show say up, stretches and turns to you. "Oh HeY mY mOtHeRfUcKiNg InVeRtAbRoThEr," Gamzee says in greeting, his voice was heavy and raspy from this nap. "WhAt ArE yOu Up AnD aLl NeEdInG tO aSk Me?"
"GAMZEE, WHAT DOES DRAWING A NAME IN A CIRCLE MEAN EXACTLY?" You ask growling l, tired of asking the same question over and over again.
"CiRcLeS aNd NaMeS bRo?" The face painted teen asks his eyes slightly unfocused. "AwE tHaT sHiT jUsT mEaNs MiRaCuLoUs MiRaClEs BrOtHeR."
"NO GAMZEE, I MEAN THE ACTUAL FUCKING MEANING," you snarl quickly getting frustrated. "URGH! YOU KNOW WHAT? SCREW THIS. JUST TELL ME WHO DOES KNOW THE MEANING."
The idiot just blinked,"AwE bRo YoU jUsT wAnT tO gO tO tHe NeXt MoThErFuCkInG pErSoN?" The masked teen pouted. "WeLl AlRiGhT kArBrO, jUsT gO vIsIt SoLlUx. I tHiNk He'S hAnGiNg OuT wItH mOtHeRfUcKiNg DaVe."
Mentally you face palm in exasperation. "THANKS GAMZEE," you grumble reluctantly before riding off. You are headed for the Twin Towers Apartment building. Behind you, you hear a distant 'HoNk' and shudder.
You quickly arrive at the apartment complex and take the short ride up the elevator to the thirteen floor. Knocking on door 13B you wait for someone to let you in. It doesn't take long until a pair of anime-shades open the door for you. It's DIRK STRIDER the older brother of Dave Strider.
"Oh, hey dude," Dirk says letting you into the apartment. "Didn't think Dave was having anyone else over."
"SORRY DIRK," you say doing your best to be civil with the older man. "I JUST CAME OVER TO ASK DAVE AND SOLLUX ABOUT CIRCLES AND NAMES."
The blonde looks at you for a moment, scratches his nine-o-clock shadow before shrugging. "Hey Bro! Karkat's here! He's got a question for you!" The older Strider calls to his brother as he leads you deeper into the smuppet infested home.
The two of you stop outside a door that had seen better days. You are a little wary of opening a door covered in burns and scratches. "He can come in Bro!" A voice yells from. Inside, the voice can barly be heard over the thumping music that seeps out from under the door jamb. Dirk nodes at you to enter and you grab the sight my dented door knob and opens the door.
As the door opens the afore mentioned annoying music got even louder. Sitting inside is DAVE STRIDER and SOLLUX CAPTOR. Both teens are jamming out to the 'sick beats' that are currently destroying you eardrums while sipping what appears to be apple juice, it however could also be piss but you doubt these two would be stupid enough to continue drinking it. You never knew though...
"Sup dude," Dave says in way of greeting turning the volume down a few notches. "I knew that you'd be swinging around sooner or later."
You shrug in response,"YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT WRITING SOME FUCKASSES NAME IN A FUCKING CIRCLE MEANS."
"KK you hone2tly expect me two beliieve that you 2till haven't fiigured iit out?" Sullox asks sparing you a glance. "II really expected better from you...not really. But ju2t thiink for a moment, you've been two TZ, then VR, you've viisiited TV, off two FF and Priince, you had two talk to GZ before you fiinally got here. 2ee any conectiions."
You shake your head, nothing is connecting yet. The hacker gives you a disappointed look. "Whatever Karkat, you need to visit Rose and Kanaya, they explain this shit better than I can," Dave says clearly dismissing you by turing up the music.
You raise your hands to cover you ears,"THANKS A FUCKING LOT." You shout leaving the two be shaded teens to slowly go deaf. Leaving the Strider a ideas fast as you can. You jump on to Tavros' bike and ride to the only place Rose could possibly be at six in the evening.
It only takes a few minutes before you arrive at Pink Lipstick one of the quieter bars in the city. Just as you expect ROSE LALONDE is sitting by her girlfriend KANAYA MARYAM. The two girls are being served by ROXY LALONDE, Rose's mother, at the bar. You truly hate interrupting either of these two when they're arguing with someone, but with each other? You dread it, however you dread waiting to have your question answered even more. So you decide to intervene now rather than wait, who knows how long this argument could go?
"HEY ROSE, KANAYA DO EITHER OF YOU KNOW WHAT WRITING A NAME INSIDE A CIRCLE SYMBOLIZE?" You ask slipping on to the seat in between the two. "CAUSE I SAW TEREZI DO AND NOW HAVE BEEN DRAGGED HALF WAY ACROSS THIS MOTHERFUCKING CITY TO FIND THE DAMNABLE ANSWER."
Rose turns to you pausing the argument,"Yes I do know the answer of your question."
You blink,"THEN CAN YOU TELL ME THE FUCKING ANSWER? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT ALL DAY."
"I'm Sorry Karkat But We've Both Been Asked To Not Tell You," Kanaya says responding for the blonde. "But We Can Say This; Your Journey? Its Almost Over, Only A Few More People Left For You To Visit."
You slam your face into the polished wood counter,"WHY MUST IT ALWAY BE SOME KIND OF ELABORATE FUCKING PLAN?" You grown in despair banging you forehead into the closest hard surface, the counter still, repetitively. "WHY DOES GOG HATE ME?"
"I highly doubt Gov hates you," Rose says logically patting your arm hesitantly reassuring. "Now you need to visit Aradia and Jade, they're adventuring with Jake at the catacombs."
You stand defeated only to be stopped by Roxy at the door. "Oh -hic- no. You can't go wlaking *walking* out without soemthnig *something* to eat first," the older woman sat you down at one of the Botha by the window. "A'll *I'll* be right back weth *with* something you can eat."
You stay seated knowing it would be fruitless to try and go against the drunk woman, besides you're hungry. It only takes a moment before Roxy stumbles out of the kitchen with a tray of sliders and a milkshake. "Here you -hic- go deary *wonk wonk*"
You polish of your, really, late lunch off quickly and rise to pay the bill only for Roxy, the owner, to stop you. "Awe nah, it's okay. Ereting *everything* is tots on the -hic- house. Now go on, you've only got four more people to visit before you're done. Bye deary 333." When you try to insist the highly intoxicated woman waves you away. You shrug, it's not like you make her take your money.
Thankfully the catacombs are at the center of the city so it doesn't take long until you arrive. Once you do arrive JADE HARLEY and ARADIA MEDIDO are hovering over the entrance of the corpse filled labyrinth. "Hell0 Karkat," Aradia say cheerfully the first to see you. "I'm guessing either R0se 0r Kanaya 0r b0th t0ld y0u t0 c0me here?"
"YUP."
"And your wondering about what names in circles mean right?" Jade says jumping into the conversation.
"UH, YEAH," you say hesitantly. "HOW'D YOU KNOW?"
"0h we were t0ld bef0re hand," Aradia replies being deliberately vague. "Y0ur next st0p-" a shock of black hair pops out of the hole distracting the pale girl.
"Oh hello Karkat. Delighted to see you again. Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," it's JAKE ENGLISH with only his head above the pavement. He turned towards the two girls,"But really girls you ought to come down here, there are some truly amazing discoveries down here." The dust covered head disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, along with Aradia who is always eager to explore the creepy tunnels. Especially because of all the dead bodies down there, that girl has a disturbing fascination with dead things.
"Oh well before I go with the others I'd better tell you who to go searching for before I leave," Jade says brightly. "First I should tell you, none of us are allowed to tell you what it actually means only Jo- the person who set this up can. Second is that you need to go visit Equius and Nepeta they're probably at the gym. And third, they're your last stop so cheer up this all will be worth it in the end; I hope." The brunet whispers her last words before she disappears down the dark hole with the others.
With her gone you have one option to end these stupid ass shenanigans. You clamber on to the block bike for what you hope is the last time, before peddling over to the gym. Mentally you make a note to return the bike to Tavros, it was very nice of the wheel-bound teen to let you use it.
After arriving at Horuss' Fighting Arena you are greeted by the disgusting sent of sweat and gym cloths. You hate coming here. Taking a deep breath before entering the hell hole you immediately begin searching fore the role-playing cat-girl and the overly sweaty creepy guy.
You find both quickly, EQUIUS ZAHAWK is fighting three different autobots while NEPETA LEIJON is watching the carnage calmly. ":33 Oh hello Karkat," Nepeta says leaping up to greet you. ":33 You've got absolutely purrect timing! Equius is pawmost done with those clawbots." The cat girl smiles at you, showing off her slightly longer than normal canines.
"HELLO NEPETA," you say walking over to the slightly shorter girl. "ITS NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN. DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT WRITING A NAME IN A CIRCLE MEANS?"
":33 That? Well it means that-" a large hand blocks the RPing girls mouth stopping the flow of words instantly. You can't help but growl a little under your breath.
"D- I'm sorry to say but we are not at liberty to say what that means exactly. Disappointingly Nepeta seems to have forgotten," it's EQUIUS ZAHAWK speaking in his deep breathy voice. Wrapped around his neck is his typical white towel that he uses to mop up the perspiration on his forehead. "D- We both promised not to reveal the meaning until we send you off."
":33 Oh Equius," Nepeta says having managed to pry the sweaty hand off her face. ":33 Can't we give the tinies of hints?"
"D-No."
":33 Aew, why not?" The younder girl pouted. ":33 He's going to find out sooner or later."
"D- Nepeta, we promised him," Equius say in a slightly commanding voice. "D-Besides as you said, he will find out soon enough."
":33 Awe, alright Equius. Now Karkitty you have to go to the pawk, go to the river, that's where you'll find the only person who can explain circles and names to you," Nepeta says jumping on to Equius' broad shoulders as he leaves.
You must now go the park, where this all began. But your legs are tired to you decide to walk to your final destination, thankfully Fly Free is on the way there so you can drop off the bike. As you walk along the pavement you can see two silhouettes ahead of you, once they were close enough you recognized to two. It was Terezi and Vriska walking together.
"H3Y K4RK4T," Terezi calls running up to you. "D1D YOU 3V3R F1ND OUT WH4T CIRCL3S AND N4M3S M34N?" You shake your head in negative.
"I'M ON MY WAY TO FIND OUT NOW," you say continuing to walk, eager to finally have your answer.
"Wellllllll good luck then," Vriska says giving you a sly smirk. "Hope it all turns out well for you ;;;;)" The two continued there walk and you continue.
As you walk you past the catacombs, Jade, Jake and Aradia were all out and examining a dirty skull. The three wave at you as you pass grinning, and you wave back giving them your own little smile. The farther you go the more people you see, next is Rose, Dave, Sollux, and Kanaya. The four are sitting under an umbrella at Pink Lipstick talking loudly, obviously Sollux and Dave were rapping again. You wince hurrying past only sparing a wave for Kanaya and Rose.
Finally you arrive at the pet shop where Tavros was waiting for you,"HEY TAVROS, THANKS FOR LETTING ME BARROW THE BIKE." You say leaning the bike against the edge of the building.
"Uh,,, no problem Karkat,,, just happy to help," Tavros says grinning shyly at you. "You'd better hurry though,,, it's almost,,, uh,,, sunset." He waves you off and you set off for the park your pace speeding up as you get closer and closer.
It doesn't take long until you place your first foot on to the soft grass of the park. You walk farther in until you reach the edge of the hill Nepeta said to go to. As you approach the peak of the little hill you feel the nerves hit you, someone orchestrated this whole elaborate plan. Someone cares enough to have thought this entire chase out and put it into action. Whoever it is obviously has something big to tell you and you are nervous as to whether this will be someone you want to here or not.
You dig out the few dregs of your courage before walking over the edge. What you find is a surprise, not an unpleasant one, but a surprise none the less. Sitting on a picnic blanket, whose red and white checkered pattern contrasted pleasantly with the green grass, is a familiar mop of black hair and a blue sweatshirt.
You creep over to the figure, making sure not to be heard or seen before stopping right behind the petite figure. From right behind him it is clear that the person is none other than JOHN EGBERT, your very own flush crush. Gently you tap his shoulder to alert him to your presence.
"K-Karkat!" John cries jumping a foot into the air as he twisted to face you, his blue eyes widening. "I-I almost thought you had given up on finding the answer."
"OH HELL NO, THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN," you deny vehemently."I'VE ALREADY PUT IN SO MUCH EFFORT JUST TO FIND THE GOG DAMN ANSWER, I'M NOT GIVING UP SO EASILY." You give him an expectant look.
He blushed a delightful pink,"I actually learned this thing from Jane. She told me to write the person I love's name inside a circle rather than a heart. Because hearts can be broken but circles go on forever. So..." He thrust a piece of paper folded in half at you. Opening up the paper you read the one word written in John's messy scrawl, its inside a slightly wobbly circle. KARAKT.
You blush your own pink color before grabbing a pen conveniently lying on the blanket. You quickly scratch out your own message on the back of the paper. It is inside a messy circle with one word in it too.
JOHN
You hand the paper back to him letting your hand rest on his for a second too long causing both your blushes grow darker. John read the words quickly and a few tears leaked out of his gorgeous sky blue eyes. The other teen throws himself into your lap and you wrap your arms around him tightly.
You are the first to confess you feelings in words,"JOHN EGBERT I LOVE YOU. I HAVE FOR A WHILE AND I ALWAYS WILL."
John pulls his head away from you neck, only for long enough to make his own confession,"K-Karkat Vantas, ever since I first met you I knew you were something else. At first I didn't know I was in love with you," John admitted shyly. "But when I did I realized I was madly in love with you and had been for the last four years. My love has never wavered since that revelation and it never will. I promise you that."
He plants his face back into your shoulder while you bury your head into his soft locks. You slowly lean backwards until the two of you are lying on your backs on the checkered cloth. John's smaller body is curled up against you, half his body on top of your chest while the other half is nestled to your torso. Together you slept the warm Valentine's night away, both held in the arms of the one they love.
Although February fourteenth might not have been your favorite day before it is now because today is the day your flush crush confessed to you and you to him. You now love Valentine's Day because that will alway be John and your's anniversary and this'll always be a special day for you.