It's a silence that kills the smaller, honestly. Deafening, sharp, sickening.

Everything was wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to open his mouth and break it with sobs or even just a shout. No, instead he curled into himself silently, and prayed it would all go away.

Karkat Vantas, a name that rolled off a tall, fluffy haired teen's tongue like cinnamon whiskey. Burned his throat, leaving nothing more than a strong taste and butterflies in his stomach in the end. Small fights were normal, truthfully, given the temper they both seemed to have. This time was different, though, it hadn't ended with one of them yelling out a 'Fine!' or anything. No, rather, it ended with the small Vantas breaking down into sobs.

He left. Gamzee left his friend, a pit in his stomach told him to go back, to go check on the aggressive teenager, to quietly hold him until it passed. He didn't have the heart, not after that sort of fight. Words were slung, usually from Karkat, but Gamzee left a much more bitter taste. Instead of tasteless insults filled with swears, he left a coppery blood taste, using much more personal insults.

Days roll by, and neither of the two have the idea to truly talk it out. Instead they avoid one another, and it was plain and obvious to all their friends. Rumors spread through school, though the most harmful one finally made it's way to Karkat.

"Karkat, I'm only going to ask this once and then you can leave it be forever, but,"Kanaya Maryam, one of Karkat's closest and most trusted friends, began,"did Gamzee harm you?"

The question sends a mixture of shockwaves and sickness down Karkat's spine, a sneer forming on his lips. Not at Kanaya asking, no, but where she got that idea. Gamzee had his issues, that was for sure, but he would never harm the smaller.

"Fuck–no! Who said that? I'll fucking tear them a new asshole and use their old one as my garbage bag,"the reply came blunt and loud, loud enough to gather much unwanted attention. Worry set in as the slightly taller woman set her hands on Karkat's shoulders. The look she gave made it evident she wasn't telling who did nor who started it.

Standing up, he realized then that this needed to be solved. Or else it would be all up to the public and he knew how that would end. Taking a deep breath he began searching, it was a long minute before he genuinely found the stoned asshole he was looking for, but when he did he felt a sense of relief.

"Fuck face, get off your stoned ass and come over here so we can talk,"his voice was about as hoarse as it normally was, though given the couple of nights of unrelenting sobbing it definitely changed. Gamzee looked up from the attempt as rolling his blunt, nodding slightly as he stood up and set it in his bag.

Silence fills the void between the two of them, the things they're too afraid to say, and a painful realization is evident between them. Neither of them had the gull to truly open up, so Gamzee tried to start it off lightly. Playing his humour up, as he usually did.

"Y'been hearin' all these rumors,bro? One of 'em said I got you pregnant and left,"he joked, though the other paused and seemed to grow mad. At first Gamzee thought he had made a mistake, but the reply that came out was much more than he could handle.

"Pregnant? Are you fucking kidding me? Like I'd ever let that fucking happen! I may be a dumbass, but I'm not fucking stupid,"the other's snapped made the taller snort, then snicker, then an abrupt laughter was let out.

"Shut up you cock sucking, weed fueled, mucus machine!"Once more, Gamzee was laughing as hard as he could, a deep flushed raised to his smaller friend's face as he slugged his arm. A huff of pain between laughs was let out, before slowly dying down. A sloppy grin now laid upon the clown-impersonator's face, and to an extent a small smirk could be etched into Karkat's face, if only for a quick second. Then, once more, silence. More comforting than anything, though.

"I'm sorry,brother,"Gamzee started, breathing out as his grin fell and he allowed himself to speak as normally as his high ass could. Breathing in he prepared for rejection, to be told to fuck off, anything other than what he got. Instead small arms wrapped themselves around his waist, a pained huff leaving Karkat.

"It's–it's not fine but..I'm sorry too. I just,"Karkat tried to think of ways to explain how he felt, of how he somehow cried over the idiotic clown for fucking days. It sounded stupid now, incredibly stupid, but still, he continued.

"I just guess it hurt, hearing some of the shit you said. I know it wasn't you since your high ass can't get half the words you spewed out properly, but, it still.. I don't know, it hit a nerve,"the confession was unlike Vantas, normally he'd shrug off a broken leg, but it was quite evident to Gamzee then he was opening up. Something not to be taken lightly. Nodding the other wrapped his arms around his head. Given their height difference, it was the best the clown could do.

"I'm all kinds of sorry, bro, I don't know what I was doin. I guess I all up and motherfuckin' need to learn manners."

"No shit, clown dick. It's—it'll be fine. In time."

A nod left the older, whom rubbed Karkat's back gently. A soft huff escaped the younger as he curled into the smell of Faygo and facial paint, disgusting as ever, but somehow comforting even in this situation.

"But, uh, who did start those rumors?"

"No clue, brother."

"When i find them I'm gonna slit their god damn throats."

"I'll break you out of jail."

"Fucking good."