This was written for the Homestuck Gift Exchange on tumblr. I was assigned thelifeofdawn for my giftee! While I ship CronKri, I've never written for them before so forgive me if they're off. Let me know what y'all think! Happy holidays/merry Christmas Dawn!
Thanks to the-majestic-crystallion for beta reading!
Gift Exchange 2013
"Well it's confirmed, Meenah will be there tonight." You call through the door to your lover, who's currently occupying the shower. "My brother's girlfriend's best friend is bringing her along. This is going to be a disaster."
"You need to chill out, babe. Everything is going to be fine. You'll see."
"You don't know that though! My poor, innocent baby brother doesn't know about this yet. In his eyes I'm perfect and now I'm going to shatter that image. What will he think of me?" You thump your head against the wall next to the door and let out a distressed moan.
The bathroom door opens and Cronus walks into the hall with one towel around his waist and another in his hand, drying his hair. He places his free hand on the back of your head and ruffles your hair a bit. You pull away from the wall and swat his hand away. He laughs as you go straight to the mirror to fix what he'd messed up. It'd taken you nearly an hour to tame your wild curls into something presentable.
"Relax. I'm sure your brother will be ok with it. Aren't his two best friends seeing each other? It's not like he's never been around an openly gay couple before."
Well that's true. Even so, you still remember the way he'd reacted when he found out. You'd called him like you do every two days and he was ranting about them. He'd sounded so angry. Sure, your younger brother had a hot temper and blew a fuse easily, but this is different. If that's how he reacted to two friends, how would he react to you? Cronus leaves you to your primping to get dressed. It's about time. You really don't want to be late tonight. That would only make him angrier and you definitely don't want that.
As soon as you're satisfied that your hair is presentable again you go to check on Cronus's progress. Normally you wouldn't care about the condition of your curls or the clothes that he wears, but tonight is special. You can't come out to everyone while simultaneously announcing that you've been seeing Cronus for over a year with him standing next to you in a stained white t-shirt and far too tight leather pants. When you find your way to the bedroom you're surprised to find him in a white dress shirt and plain black jeans. He actually looks quiet hansom, especially since he hasn't slicked back his hair yet.
Strands of wet, wavy hair hang in his eyes as he buttons up his pants and slides on a belt. Before you know it, you find yourself leaning against the doorframe staring at him dreamily. He catches you and smiles. Ah yes, that smile. It still warms your cheeks, releases the butterflies in your stomach and brings a smile to your own lips. That cocky bastard knows it too. He crosses the room and pulls you to him. You gladly follow his lead and wrap your arms around his middle, resting your head against his chest. He smells like soap and cigarette smoke even though he hasn't smoked since showering, though you suppose that smell never completely washes off. You feel his chin against the top of your head, his breath ruffling your hair up. This time you can't really say you care.
"You sure you can leave the house tonight?" He asks.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be able to?"
"I dunno babe, those were some pretty strong bedroom eyes you had there."
You smack him on the back and try to hold down the smile that tries to appear. "Shush. We're having a nice moment. Don't ruin it."
He chuckles and lifts a hand to the back of your neck, his heated skin making you shiver. "You really shouldn't worry so much. They're not gonna give a damn. And if they do, screw them."
"I just don't want him to hate me. He's my only brother."
"He's not going to hate you. Even if he tries you'll just give him one of those lectures to show him why he's wrong."
You stand in silence for a minute, arms holding each other as close as possible, warmth shared between bodies. You really don't have time for this but at the moment there's nothing else you'd rather be doing. You release your tight hold and look up at him.
"We really need to get going." You sigh.
"Do we have to? It's cold out there." He practically whines.
"Yes we have to. Come on. Finish getting ready."
With a groan of displeasure and a quick kiss to your lips, he obeys. You've chosen to wear a white shirt, red sweater vest and black dress pants. You slip your shoes on to complete the ensemble while Cronus disappears into the bathroom to slick back his hair. You really wish he wouldn't. It always looks so shiny and is crunchy under your fingers. You like it better when he lets in fall in his eyes and frame his face. Still, when he reenters the room a few minutes later you can't help thinking that it doesn't look too terrible paired with his clothing choice. He really does look nice. No, you don't have time for that again! You can ogle over him some other time.
You look away before he can catch you staring again and grab your phone, stuffing it into one of the pockets in your pants. You leave him to finish what he needs to and grab your coat from the front closet. It's freezing outside, the town covered in six inches of snow. The streets will have been plowed but still slippery so you'll need to drive slowly. Just another obstacle preventing you from arriving on time. You wrap a red scarf around your neck and stand by the door with Cronus's coat in hand. After a few more impatient minutes, he finally emerges fully dressed and ready to go. You hand him his coat and tap your foot as he takes his time putting it on and grabbing the keys.
You very nearly push him out the door and drag him to the car. Finally seated, belts buckled, car on, heat blasting from the dashboard, you're ready to go. Your brother lives in the city in a decently sized apartment with his girlfriend. She's a law student, blind, a little odd but makes your brother happy. You haven't spent very much time with her given conflicting schedules, but what you have seen of her you like quite a bit. You're glad your brother found someone he can be happy with and spend that much time with.
The drive isn't too long even inching along the ice and snow slicked streets. It takes fifteen minutes to get there instead of the usual eight, but still not bad. There are voices on the other side of the door and you're not sure your knock is heard until the door is yanked open and you're met with the flushed face of your baby brother.
"Good evening Karkat. I can see you've started without us." You say, entering the apartment and removing your coat and scarf.
"It's not my fault you're so damn late." He grunts in response.
You ignore him and clear your throat nervously. "You remember Cronus, right?"
"It's hard to forget the guy that's hot for my brother." He says jokingly before giving a proper hello to Cronus. You suddenly feel very tense and anxious. He'd only been joking based on the way Cronus used to act when he was "courting" you. Still, you'd only been in the door for a minute and it had already been brought up.
"About that…Karkat I need to speak with you privately." You say, grabbing at his sleeve to drag him away.
Before you can even leave the doorway, Terezi pokes her head around the corner and grins. "I smell cherries and grapes." She says, sauntering over to the three of you. "You always smell like sour cherries but you're brother smells sweet." She leans in and sniffs merely inches from your face.
"It's nice to see you again too Terezi." You greet.
When she's done smelling you she gives you a hug and introduces herself to Cronus even though she's met him at least twice before. You're prepared to attempt to get Karkat alone but are thwarted once again by others. A voice you're not familiar with calls out from the other room for Terezi to hurry back. She drags you behind her saying you must meet her friend.
Seated on the loveseat near the wall are two women. One you don't recognize at all. She's blonde with streaks of blue peeking out nearly the same shade as her eyes. She's wearing glasses and an annoyed frown. The one next to her you know all too well. She grins and wiggles his fingers at you in a wave.
"Hey there Kankri. I haven't seen you in a while." She leaves her spot on the couch and comes to stand before you. She's still taller than you.
"Hello Meenah. How have you been?"
"Eh, can't complain. What about you? Did you finally nail that person you had a thing for?"
You're about to answer when Karkat and Cronus enter the room behind you, shifting Meenah's interest.
"You had a romantic interest? Since when?" Karkat asks, raising his eyebrows at you in confusion.
"Oh well, I don't really have anyone. She was just…joking." It's extremely hot in here. They'll need to turn down the heat and crack a window before you melt. Your shirt collar is too tight and you fight the urge to undo the top button.
"I see you brought Cronus with you. Why am I not surprised?" Meenah actually waggles her eyebrows at you bringing a flush to your cheeks. This is why you were worried about her being here.
Karkat must decide your conversation is too confusing, or he lost interest, as he walks into the other room. Now is your chance to follow him and speak with him alone. You ignore Meenah's attempts to goad a response out of you and excuse yourself to make a beeline for the kitchen. You find him uncorking a bottle of wine at the counter and clear your throat to let him know you're there.
"Karkat, I really need to have a word with you." You start.
"Can't you save the lectures until after the holidays?" He asks as he pours the burgundy liquid into six glasses.
"Lectures? When do I ever lecture you?"
"You're kidding right? All the fucking time! I don't have a single memory of you when you're not talking my ear off about my life choices or my behavior and choice of words."
"I merely wanted to make you into a better person. As it is, I can see you've decided not to heed my words as you are still extremely blunt and use foul language when it's unnecessary."
"And here we go."
You stomp your foot and ball your hands into fists. "This is not why I came in here!"
"Sure. Look, I promise that after Christmas we'll have a special day together. We'll paint our nails, put green goop on our faces and do each other's nails while we dish, ok? Then you can lecture me all you want." He's put the glasses on a tray and is walking back into the living room.
"Wait just a minute! This is more serious than you realize. If you'd just take a moment to listen to me we could get past this and perhaps hug it out afterward."
"I'll pass on the hug."
He refuses to stop and listen and you're losing your patients to follow him into the living room. You try to stop it, you really do, but you're flustered and worked up and the words just spill from your lips of their own volition. "Cronus and I are seeing each other!" You nearly shout to the now full room. John, Dave and Jade had arrived while you were in the kitchen and you hadn't realized until after you'd blurted out your secret.
"I knew it!" Meenah announces triumphantly, pumping her fist once in the air.
Cronus is staring at you wide eyed, though he's not the only one, but your eyes are on Karkat. He'd nearly dropped the tray of wine glasses, only saved by Dave's quick reflexes. "You're what?" He asks.
You take a deep breath and stand up straight, ignoring the way your cheeks are burning with heat. "For a little over a year now Cronus and I have been seeing each other. We aren't just roommates anymore. I know this is a lot to take in and you must be shocked. I know I am. This is absolutely not how I intended to tell you. One thing you need to understand is that I did not plan for this to happen. He'd been awfully persistent and at first I took his courting for jokes at my expense. It wasn't until four months of living together that I realized his feelings were honest and we decided to try a relationship. I'd meant to tell you sooner but I could never muster the courage. I thought this was an appropriate time to let you know as you're supposed to be honest with your loved ones during the holiday season. I hope that you can forgive me for keeping this secret and that you aren't too angry that you're older brother than you idolized turned out to be a homose-." Karkat's hands clamp down on your mouth cutting you off mid word.
"Just shut the fuck up for one second." He says, showing no signs of releasing you. "For starters, I don't idolize you. You spent our entire childhood together driving me insane. I hated spending time with you and still avoid your calls. You never know when to shut up and leave things like my life and emotions alone."
Ok, that hurt. You remember a little Karkat insisting on holding your hand over your mother's and sleeping in your bed as his was too lonely. He used to look up to you. It should have been obvious that his feelings shifted when he drifted away from you. You assumed it was teenage rebellion, but you never assumed it was because he didn't like you anymore.
"Second, I kind of already figured something was going on. You obviously need to approve pictures before he posts them to facebook." You try to speak behind his hands and he presses more firmly. "I'm not done! You're my brother. My big, stupid, overbearing, too involved in my life, brother and I don't care what you are. You could be sexually attracted to pigeons and I'd still love you because you're my brother." He shoots a glare over his shoulder at the other before continuing. "The first person to say 'aw' is getting thrown out the window I swear to God. Now can we please just drink wine and being motherfucking merry?"
He finally releases you and sighs. Jade tries to pick up a discussion and distract the others from the two of you. They all follower her lead except for Meenah. She rests her chin on her hands and leans in closer.
"You're sure it doesn't bother you?" You ask.
"Do I really have to repeat myself? Yes, I'm sure."
"Even though it's Cronus?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cronus asks, appearing beside you.
"Nothing dear."
"Whatever. I don't care." Karkat huffs. "Can we please stop talking about this now?"
"I just want to make sure that everything is alright between us."
"It won't be if you make this night anymore awkward than you already have."
"Karkat, we need more glasses!" Terezi calls out to him from the couch.
He walks past you back into the kitchen and reappears with three more win glasses. He hands two to you and Cronus and downs the other without stopping for a breath. You raise your eyebrows at him when he finishes and he shrugs.
"Merry fucking Christmas." He says, strolling across the room to sit beside Terezi.
Four hours later you find yourself stumbling into the apartment with a drunk Cronus leaning on your shoulders. He and Meenah had chosen to spend most of the night switching between reminiscing and arguing while drinking at least four bottles of wine. Each. You drag him over the couch and toss him off of your shoulders and onto the soft cushions. He groans when you leave him there to remove your coat and lock the door.
"How cold. Abandoning me on the couch when I'm not feeling well."
"You wouldn't be feeling so ill if you hadn't decided to drink as much as you did. Besides, your heavy and I'm tired. The whole night was exhausted."
"At least things turned out ok, right babe?"
"Better than I thought. Still, all of that stress and worry took its toll on my emotions. I barely slept last night so I'm looking forward to a relaxing sleep tonight."
He struggles to lift himself off the couch and crosses the room to put you into a hug, half leaning on you. He's warm and feels nice in your arms. You grab handfuls of the back of his shirt and bury your nose in between his shoulder and neck. Hugging Cronus is like falling into the most comfortable bed in the world after a long day, or sinking into a nice, warm bath filled to the brim with bubbles.
"I'm glad you told him. I was worried you were ashamed of me." He says quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Never. I was merely worried he'd think poorly of me. I don't want to lose either of you. Without the two of you, what do I have left?"
He hums into your ear before kissing your temple. "I love you."
"Me too." You say, standing on your toes and pressing your lips to his.
He reciprocates the kiss and lifts you off your feet. It's sweet and passionate for a minute until he nearly stumbles with you still in his arms. You two break apart and right yourselves, laughing as you do so.
"Let's go to bed." He nods his head in agreement and you walk hand in hand down the hallway to your bedroom. You had a million scenarios running through your mind of how tonight might go. Cronus would get offended and break up with you, Karkat would get angry and never speak to you again, or both would decide they didn't need you in their lives. Luckily, none of that happened and you're happier now than you ever have been. You get to keep your brother's adoration and the love of your life. What could be better?