A/N: Don't expect timeline consistency or any major continuity. Anything significant will noted along the way.

The original list belongs to ericandy (now hipster-kanaya). Also, because my current work schedule only allows me to post once or twice a week, each "chapter" will contain seven days worth of prompts so that I'm not spamming content more than I already do.

1. Holding Hands

It had only been three weeks. It felt like three sweeps. Aradia was dead and by the time Karkat had actually found Sollux amid the wreckage of whatever the hell had happened, the psionic had become practically catatonic. He was easily pushed this way and that, but without direct outside intervention, Sollux sat and stared at nothing, so still that a couple times Karkat had been afraid the other had stopped breathing in his despondency. He could be triggered into something of a response: pushed into a running shower, Sollux had slowly began washing away the blood and dirt even if he never had the sense to turn the water back off, get out, and dry himself. If his hand was wrapped around a utensil, he'd eat in a completely robotic manner without care for temperature, texture, or taste. All movement that he made was jerky, hesitant, as if he was expecting some crippling blow to fall for having the audacity to act autonomously. Like he was going to break under the slightest of pressures.

It was not the best way to actually meet a person for the first time.

Still, the fact remained that in a time of desperate need, Sollux had placed his trust in Karkat and that wasn't something to be lightly dismissed. Not by Karkat, at least. So despite the fact that he bitched every step of the way, dragging the other troll around from task to task and trying to figure out how to make him react to something, he kept at it. Exhausting as it was to take care of two lusii, to constantly wonder if he was actually helping with anything by trying to keep the other alive and well, essentially beating his head against a brick wall for all the response he got, he didn't stop. Karkat refused to think of it as pity, because it wasn't pity that kept him there; it was sheer stubbornness. It became something of a personal challenge, to try and heal something so obviously damaged and weak. He was going to make Sollux better, if only so that he could yell at the other for being such a pain in the ass in the first place.

It had only been three weeks, but it felt like so very much longer. Haggard, heart-sore, and determination running low, Karkat sighed and made to stand. It was too much of a pain to get even Sollux's skinny frame in and out of the sopor every single day, so most of their time was spent in a pile. Sollux was mostly buried in it while Karkat remained slightly off to the side, close enough to note if anything happened, but not so close as to be mistaken for having pale intentions. He was only getting up to get something to drink when he felt cool fingers suddenly wrap tightly around his wrist, halting his movement. The sudden touch scared the hell out of him, though he didn't do much more than freeze. He stared at the grip on his wrist, slowly following it back to the owner, and found Sollux looking at him. Actually looking at him, heterochromatic eyes brighter than had been seen to date.

"Stay with me."

The words were so quiet, Karkat doubted whether he'd actually heard them in the first place or not. He panicked when the hold slackened, instantly entwining their hands together and squeezing back, and was indescribably relieved to feel fingers curl securely against his.

"Not going anywhere," he replied just as softly, feeling something twist in his chest when the corners of Sollux's mouth twitched and his eyes closed without having to be shut. Within minutes, the other was asleep of his own volition and peacefully so for the first time since this whole mess began. Karkat sighed, a weight suddenly lifted from his shoulders, allowing him to breathe.

It was still going to take a lot of time and effort to get his friend back on his feet. But that hand holding on to his said the worst was finally over.

2. Cuddling Somewhere

It wasn't all that often anymore that Karkat went sleepless, but when the insomnia hit, it hit hard. In the past four days, he'd had maybe a total of twelve hours of sleep. It never failed that just as soon as he'd start to drift off, something would startle him back awake. Sollux had offered advice, all the tricks he used to get sleep when his mind refused to slow down, music, meditation, and even the tea Aradia made from little white and pale purple flowers. Nothing saved Karkat from staring blankly at a wall, waiting for sleep to come. It never did no matter how exhausted he felt. He just had to deal with it until whatever had triggered the insomnia worked its way out of his system.

Needless to say, he was wearing a bit thin on the fifth day when somewhere around two in the afternoon, Sollux trundled sleepily over to the couch Karkat was on and forcibly insinuated himself behind his mate. He'd cleaned up and dressed in a pair of house pants, though his hair was still sticking up oddly from slime residue. Karkat squawked and railed (which was completely ignored) as he was pushed this way and that until the psionic was comfortable, again when his husktop was taken away, and finally ended with a yelp as he was forced to lay back against his new, bonier pillow.

"Quit fussing like a whiny wiggler," Sollux chided, words slurring together in his own tiredness. "Jesus Christ, no wonder you can't sleep. Even your nubs are all knotted up."

The well deserved "fuck you" was all set to be delivered at maximum volume when said nubs became the unwanted, but ultimately appreciated, center of attention. Long, cool fingers massaged around the base of Karkat's horns, firm enough for the pressure to mean something without hurting. Karkat made the most embarrassing little chirrup sounds as those talented fingers slowly worked across the rest of his scalp before kneading down his neck and across his shoulders. The whole affair lasted maybe fifteen minutes, ending when Sollux leaned forward and kissed the back of his neck, nuzzling the skin there absently afterward. After a couple minutes, it became obvious the idiot had fallen back asleep, curled tightly around Karkat like he was a grubtoy.

Even though he was most definitely unconscious, Sollux kept nuzzling. When Karkat gave up trying to get away and nuzzled back, Sollux began to purr, the gentle rumble radiating from one chest through the other. The sound was as soothing as the touch had been, and soon, Karkat found himself snuggling back into the embrace, head tipped a bit so that he could also hear the strong thump of his matesprit's blood pusher. Their breathing patterns synced up and another little, otherwise unnoticed stress eased.

At length, Karkat completely stretched out, letting himself relax against the other while trading nuzzles, holding the arms that held him securely. He still didn't find his own rest until much later. He had to admit, though, that cuddling with his mate was a much better way to spend his time.

3. Gaming/Watching a Movie

When he got fed up with the world, there was one specific game Sollux reached for. It was an old hack and slash type that didn't translate well onto a high definition television, had to be played on its original release console, and frankly left Karkat bored to tears because literally the only thing that happened was the mashing of the attack button until the super attack became available, using said super attack, and then repeating. For sixty-some odd fucking levels, where upon the only thing that truly changed was the scenery and the rate at which various incarnations of the same enemy would spawn from their generators (the actual term used by the game's tutorial). And sure, there was shit to collect to open up other pathways and little side quest things to accomplish that made fighting bosses easier, but Sollux knew every secret passage, special power-up, and dusty, corpse-filled-corner of every map. By the time any of it mattered, his character was so overpowered, the game was even less of a challenge.

More disturbing than the mindless repetition, however, was the fact that Sollux remained completely still when he was playing it. He didn't jerk the controller around, twisting and snarling like his movement would help his overpowered go-kart racing sim power slide through a sharp turn he never made anyway. He didn't stick his tongue out and murmur to himself, carefully tapping at the controls as he moved the little blue ball with eyes through various puzzles. There was no cackling when a stage was won, or swearing when he was gang-rushed. Even character death (which still happened every once in a great while) meant nothing when it was usually a controller slamming event.

It took sweeps before Karkat realized that being mindless was the point. The game was interactive enough that Sollux's attention would focus, but not so difficult it would leave him further aggravated. It took even longer to realize that when Sollux was still, his thoughts were still, giving him a much needed disconnect from the world around him. It was impossible to over-think what he was doing, which meant he didn't really have to think at all. The hours he spent slaying pixels were some of the calmest moments in his life precisely because he didn't have to entertain his own think-pan.

Depending on the availability of time to actually play, completing said game usually took a week. Sollux would then wrap everything back up and put it once more into storage before meekly curling up beside Karkat, all apologies and lovey noises for basically ignoring his matesprit in the mean time. The patience and understanding were then repaid by a week's worth of comment-free romcom watching.

4. On a Date

Karkat groaned, covered his face with his hands, and wished desperately to be swallowed by the ground. One date. That's all he wanted. One simple, regular, boring old date. Because he'd never been on one. Because he was a die-hard romantic. Because somehow the notion that it wasn't a real matespritship without at least one date being involved had squirmed into his think-pan and eaten the portions that regulated common sense and good judgment. The fact that the plan was "perfect" really should have been his first clue that he'd been doomed to failure. Dinner reservations at a nice restaurant, tickets to a movie afterwards, a walk through the park on the way home, and a long, hot pailing session once they got there. Simple, within their means, and local. What the hell was there to go wrong? Everything was apparently the answer.

To begin with, the restaurant lost their reservation. Despite being an off night and empty tables fully visible, they were put on a waiting list, which left them waiting idiotically for almost twenty minutes. Sollux suggested going somewhere else, which would have been the smart thing to do, but Karkat had gotten stubborn about his perfect plan and insisted they wait it out. Once settled, things seemed to pick back up. There were attended to quickly, their order taken with a smile, and food appeared within a reasonable amount of time. Only it wasn't their food. Twice. When their order actually came up, it was cold. The waiter was distinctly unhappy about being sent back a third time, and after finally delivering the correct meal hot, disappeared. A tirade to a manager got most of the ticket comped, though there was no doubt that they weren't welcome back again.

Despite planning for extra time between events, the fiasco that was dinner made them late for the movie. The theater would neither refund nor apply the already purchased tickets towards another showering. They picked another movie neither of them had heard or seen anything about because it was the only one still available. About halfway through, they ended up walking out anyway, because it was just that bad. The rumble of thunder as they left the theater was simply spiteful. Needless to say, they were completely drenched by the time they got back to their hive. And the electricity was out, which was an absolutely perfect way to end the shitty night.

"I'm sorry," Karkat mumbled.

"For what?" Sollux asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"For what?! For making you play along with this ridiculous idea! I should have—" He was cut off with a kiss.

"Last time I checked, a date was about spending time with a person you liked. Yeah, dinner was fucked up, the movie was horrible, and it sucked coming back to a cold hive when already cold and wet. But doesn't everything go wrong on a first date in your stupid romcoms anyway? Besides," he grinned, nuzzling close, "we don't have to wait so many fictional days to figure out our feelings, have a misunderstanding, break up, regret breaking up, stop a binding ceremony to confess what we figured out at the start and then get a happy ending. We can skip straight to the end." There was another, slower, more intense kiss. "I pity the ever-living fuck out of you, Karkat Vantas. And one lousy night out with you isn't going to change that. Two, maybe, but definitely not one…"
Karkat returned the kiss, then kicked his mate off the couch.

5. Kissing

Karkat was a born fighter. His Knight class and Threshecutioner dream were well earned. Final maturation gave him the height, the build, and the muscle to follow through with the hot temper and stubborn pride that had always been his. His darkening skin bore a vast network of scars, a testament to how rough his life had already been. That a new scar was rarely added only proved how hard he'd become.

His mouth, however, was still soft, almost achingly vulnerable. The dichotomy was jarring sometimes, considering the kind of language that could be spewed forth at any given moment, vitriolic and sharp. One lip-curling snarl was known to send people scattering. But when Sollux kissed him, even in the heat of passion, there was something gentle about the action, warm and inviting when nothing else was or could be. Hands calloused from weapon handling were possessive things, always crawling across Sollux's skin like they had to touch everything all at once while claws marked territory, just hard enough to score without actively damaging. His still shorter, but much heavier body could easily manipulate Sollux's own lanky frame in any manner desired. The conflict in their personalities could have very easily lead them to kismesissitude instead of matespritship and probably would have if the tender heart shielded by all that aggressive defensiveness hadn't found an outlet.

And what a wonderful outlet it was, to feel lips tremble and push, a warm tongue press against a pulse point, and sharp teeth ghost along the most defenseless of places without fear because everything Karkat did with his mouth when he wasn't speaking was gloriously, deliriously soft and gentle and exposed. Every kiss given sought reassurance while every kiss received was treated as if it was their last. That alone ensured Sollux kissed his mate often.

6. Wearing Each Other's Clothes

The first time it happened, it was an accident. Despite being washed separately, all their clothes ended up piled together. Sollux had been running late and simply grabbed the first shirt he managed to lay a hand on. By the time he realized it wasn't his, there was nothing to do about it except push the sleeves up and carry on.

The second time it happened, it was a convenience. Old habits were hard to break and after spending so long doing everything he could to keep his hemo-anonymity, Karkat never thought twice about owning all long sleeved shirts. Not until the one summer, hottest on record, that the air conditioning broke, at least. Going completely shirtless like Sollux did would have been the smarter idea, except it left him feeling exposed and edgy. So he pulled on one of his mate's shirts. The largest still pulled tightly across his shoulders, but for Karkat, it was better than nothing.

The third time it happened, it was on purpose. Sollux managed to catch the creeping crud that had been circulating recently. Fevers, chills, nausea, racking cough, and because of his psionics on top of stuffed sinuses, a relentless migraine that fed right back into all the other symptoms. Karkat tried to stay close because the other only ever seemd to sleep well when he was there, but it wasn't practical for him to be there all the time. So in the times he had to be away, Karkat stuffed his matesprit into one of his shirts to act as a substitute comfort object. When Karkat then came down with the exact same affliction, Sollux returned the gesture.

After that, both made sure they had clothes that fit each other.

7. Cosplaying (Humanstuck)

"For fuck's sake, KK. Quit squirming."

"It itches."

"Of course it itches. It's drying. And if you screw this application up, you can damn well do it yourself next time."

Karkat sighed and tried not to fidget. "How the hell do you know how to put on make-up in the first place anyway?"

"It's called google and youtube, and having two girlfriends in the theater department helps, too. Get used as a test subject often enough, and you start picking thing up. Shit—forgot the sealer in the bathroom."

As the bed lurched, Karkat dared to open his eyes. At first, his gaze followed his boyfriend's ass as Sollux went in search of whatever the hell he was looking for. Then he caught his reflection in the mirror behind the hotel dresser and reluctantly admitted he looked pretty good. When it had first been suggested to go cosplaying, let alone cosplaying as a troll from a webcomic, he hadn't exactly been thrilled at the prospect. At least he'd gotten away with minimal prep—his hair was already jet black and his character wore long sleeves, so only his face and hands needed to be covered in gray. Sollux, on the other hand, had most of his arms plus his face to paint and had to either dye is hair or wear a wig (he'd chosen to dye it, but the black didn't do much for him). He also had fangs, contact s, and an assortment of other weird adornments to contend with. If anything, the help should have been reversed.

After choking on what felt like a ton of sealer, Karkat did. Or at least, the best he could, which consisted more of handing over objects as they were asked for than actually doing anything. Sollux had been smart enough to do this several times previously, so he had developed an order to work in, as opposed to Karkat, who had decided to wing it. In short order, Sollux was also ready, completely transformed from a lanky, human computer nerd to a gray alien with horns computer nerd. They were only a little for the meet up with their other friends as they did a double check on each other.

"I'm warning you now," Karkat said as he handed over the dual coloured glasses the other was looking for. "Someone other than me tries to kiss you, grab you, or molest you, I'm going to flip my shit."

"At least you'd be in character." Sollux winced as his doubled fangs exacerbated the slight lisp he had naturally and tried to readjust them. "Son of a bitch…"

"Well, now you're in character, too."

"Fuck you, KK."

Karkat grinned. "Maybe when we're in the shower washing this crap off."