Several smiling faces stared back at her. Each was someone she knew, and between nearly everyone was a red heart or a white diamond. Each carefully drawn by her after much though prior, and circles surrounded a select few. Feferi and Sollux. Kanaya and Vriska.

Karkat and Terezi.

As much as she hated to add it, Nepeta knew that no matter how much you loved your ships, canon ruled above all. She sighed sadly and stared at the much larger portrait on its own wall, marked with a big red heart and an OTP.

Nepeta and Karkat.

The one ship she loved the most. The one she wanted above all else. The one ship that had just been sunk.

Perhaps she'd still leave it up. But the more she found herself staring at it, the more she hurt inside. Nepeta knew she had paint remover somewhere, and the sooner she found it the better.

Her attention soon shifted elsewhere, to her computer, as it had just alerted her that she had a message. Quickly, she went over to check what it was.

centaursTesticle [CT] began trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

CT: D- Hello Nepeta

With a small sigh, Nepeta picked up her tablet pen and wrote out her response.

AC: :33 hi equius

CT: D- I have not seen you all day

CT: D- May I inquire where you have been

AC: :33 h33h33, ive b33n in my room, where else?

CT: D- Well

CT: D- It does seem a bit odd that you would stay cooped up in there

AC: :33 whats so weird about it?

AC: :33 i like it in here!

CT: D- If you say so

CT: D- I have also noticed your lack of f001ish roleplay advances

CT: D- Nepeta is something wrong

AC: :33 no, efurything is fine!

AC: :33 dont worry about me equius

CT: D- If you insist

CT: D- Then fine

centaursTesticle [CT] ceased trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

Nepeta set her tablet down and sighed. Equius… she was sure he meant well. But she really didn't feel like talking to him about this stuff. He wasn't fond of Karkat at all, so any conversation would be futile. Maybe someone else would be willing to listen. But right now, she just wanted to sulk alone.

Karkat was flushed for Terezi. This wasn't a speculation. It was set in stone. Confirmed canon.

She knew that she should be happy for him. He'd obviously be really happy with Terezi. He wouldn't have started anything flushed if he wasn't serious about it. And Terezi was one of her best friends. If it was any other troll, she would have been ecstatic. Usually, circling new ships was fun, especially when it was one of your friends involved. But why did it have to be those two together? She was positive Terezi knew how she felt about Karkat. So why did she do this?

Nepeta could feel tears forming, and she struggled to hold them back. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. It was silly to get worked up about this. Terezi couldn't help how she felt, and neither could Karkat. There was nothing she could do about it now, no matter how much she wished.

If only it could have been different.

She turned her back to the wall. She couldn't bear to look at it any longer. Why was it that she could predict all of these quadrants, yet fail so miserably at filling her own? Sure she wasn't pathetic like some trolls. She still had Equius. but she couldn't help but feel horrible over her biggest sunken ship.

She sat quietly for the longest time. No sound. No movement. Everything seemed frozen, and she was the center of it all. It remained that way until she heard footsteps approaching in the distance.

"Nepeta?" the familiar voice called. Nepeta frowned. Just the person she didn't need to see now. Equius was good at comforting her usually, just not with her Karkat issues. Nepeta remained silent with hopes that he would leave her alone.

"I know you are in there, Nepeta." Equius said. "Let me in. Now."

Nepeta still didn't respond.

She heard a sigh, and a few moments later the door to the room was off its hinges and in Equius's hands. He looked down at it and frowned. "Sorry."

"What do you want, Equius?" Nepeta asked, ignoring the door. "If it's about me, I told you already I'm fine."

Equius set the door against a wall and walked over to her. "You say you're fine. But I certainly don't believe you."

"Well… I guess you're right." Nepeta said. "I'm not okay. But it's nothing you'd want to hear about."

"Vantas and Pyrope, correct?"

She gave a small nod, and in return Equius shook his head. "And before you go on about Karkat, I know you don't like him. Just save your breath."

Equius sat down next to Nepeta, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Despite the fact that I do not approve of your flushed feelings, it does hurt to see you this way."

"Trust me, it doesn't feel too good." Nepeta said.

"I do know, Nepeta."

She'd almost forgotten about Aradia. Though Equius hadn't exactly taken to that situation too well, and unrequited matesprit still hurt just the same. Sure, there was still room for blackrom, but Nepeta knew that wasn't what he wanted at all.

"What's wrong with us?" Nepeta asked. "It seems like we have the worst luck with matesprits."

"Aside from Ampora." Equius added.

Nepeta found herself giggling at the remark. It was true, though. She felt bad now, but at least she wasn't Eridan.

"I do not believe that anything is wrong with us." Equius continued. "Of course we may be a bit odd. But I am positive that one day we will each find a matesprit."

"You really think so?" Nepeta asked, and a smile spread across her face when she saw him nod. She pulled him into a big hug.

Equius put an arm around her, but he quickly withdrew it when he saw Nepeta flinch from the impact. "Oh… I'm sorry."

She looked up at him and shook her head. "Aw, I'm used to it. I've gotta be pretty strong to be your moirail!" And in return, Equius smiled and hugged her back.

"As I was saying, it may not be Vantas who returns your feelings. Perhaps you haven't even met the troll who will. But I assure you that one day, you will enter a matespritship. And it, of course, will be with a very deserving troll that I will approve of before hand-"

Nepeta punched Equius playfully, being careful not to hurt herself. "Aw cut that out! I don't need your approval to be happy!" she giggled.

"I suppose you are right. However it would be nice if you let me have some say in the matter." Nepeta gave him a look, and Equius looked down at her and smiled. "Of course I am only joking. But please Nepeta, try not to worry about it too much now. You are still young, and there is plenty of time to find someone before it is absolutely necessary."

She knew he was right. She shouldn't be worrying about it now. But she had been flushed for Karkat for so long up until now…

It was hard to accept, but she had a feeling she would manage with out him. Talking with Equius had cheered her up more than she had ever though, and it was a nice change of events. She gave a content sigh and snuggled up next to Equius.

At that moment, Nepeta couldn't think of any other place she'd rather be than in her moirail's arms.

-.-.-

AN

Hey look it's my first Homestuck fanfiction and I probably failed but I just really like Nepeta Equius okay.

About halfway through I realized 'oops Terezi and Karkat didn't become a thing until Nepeta died.' so let's all pretend it happened a different way. /fails at life And curse you, fanfiction. For not letting me use greater than and less than symbols.

R&R, Icee Suicune