The sound of heavy breathing was the only sound in the room, drops of sweat were dripping down Karkat's neck, and though all was calm and still around him, the troll writhed where he lay.

"No," He grunted, teeth clenched as he rolled over. "Fuck, no… D-Dammit…"

Behind his lids, bloody imps were swarming, jaws clamping down on the weapons Karkat was to wield. "Give," Karkat growled, but the largest of the imps tossed his sickles up into the air, mouth open and ready for when they fell back down. Karkat would never forget the sound of his weapons being crunched to a pulp. He swallowed hard, fear settling like a heavy stone in his gut.

Sucking in a shaky breath, Karkat shot upright, waking up restless and trembling. The empty popcorn bowl that had been resting in his lap spilled over, clattering noisily to the floor. He was still in his living room, the end credits to some rom-com flickering dully on his TV screen. With shaking hands he picked up his phone and dialed the first number h thought of, the only number he would ever dial in the middle of the night. "Gamzee," He grunted, fighting for control of his voice. "I need you to come over. Now."

It took next to no time at all for the clown to show up. There was no knock, there was just suddenly a pair of arms tugging him close. "Gonna tell me what has you all up and spooked, best friend?"

"I fell asleep on my couch again," He muttered to his matesprite. "Had a nightmare."

"Gotta get all up in that slime, motherfucker. Keep the night terrors away."

"I'd rather just have you stay with me," Karkat mumbled. "I wouldn't have these dreams if you were here, too."

"My lusus, bro," Gamzee sighed. "Gotta keep an eye out for him."

"Your lusus is never even around," He whined. "You stare at the ocean for hours and he never shows up."

"Not true, motherfucker," The clown protested, looking hurt. "He's with me in my soul, I gotta stay close to him."

When Karkat didn't respond, Gamzee tilted his chin up an looked into his eyes. "Dose that make you sad, my brother?"

"Just go."

"Why?

"Because," Karkat snapped, throat tight. "If you don't go now, im not going to let you go later. Make this easier on me and just go."

"No can do, bro," Gamzee murmured. "Can't leave my matesprite in a zone of such upset."

Eyes squeezed shut, Karkat put his head on Gamzee's chest. "Then stay."

Slowly, Gamzee drew Karkat into a long, sweet kiss, regret bitter-sweet on his tongue. Craving the attention almost desperately, Karkat gripped Gamzee's shirt and tugged himself closer, kissing back with all of his might. He felt Gamzee's hand slide up his shirt, dancing across his chest. "Please," Karkat said breathlessly. "If you're gonna leave just do it now before I fucking lose it."

"No one's leaving," Gamzee whispered, a dangerous rumble to his voice. "Not tonight."

Karkat stared up at him, heart racing against Gamzee's palm. In an instant Gamzee was kissing him again, crushing his lips until they eagerly parted, allowing Gamzee to taste him. His grip on Gamzee's shirt tightened, and he was pushed onto his back. He could feel Gamzee's tongue pressing into his mouth. Rising up, Karkat captured it between his lips, sucking at it softly until he heard Gamzee suck in a breath. "I never meant to make you sad," Gamzee said as he pulled back. His indigo eyes burned with passion, his tone firm and serious. Karkat shivered when he felt the back of Gamzee's hand brush his cheek. "Ever. You know I love you."

There was no arguing with Gamzee when he got this way. "I know."

"Karkat."

Karkat licked his lips. Something about the tone of Gamzee's voice was making him feel hot. "I love you too."

Without another word, Gamzee tugged off his shirt, casting it aside and leaving only a tight white under shirt to cover his muscled torso. Being sleeveless, it left Gamzee's broad shoulders and biceps more visible than they ever could be in his loose tee, and being so tight made it impossible not to see the dips and contours of his abs. Karkat pleaded with his eyes, heart beat irregular, pounding against his ribcage. He caught the edge of the undershirt in his fingers and tugged. When truly feeling passion, Gamzee was dominate to the point where it neared aggression and that made Karkat dizzy with want.

Gamzee understood, peeling the garment away to reveal dark gray skin stretched over hard muscle. Karkat couldn't keep his hands to himself, or at least he didn't want to, because before he could get in a good feel a pair of big hands caught him by the wrists, holding him still. He whimpered, body aching, nook damp, and lower lip caught between his teeth. "No," Gamzee said firmly. "Let me, my brother. There's much I've gotta all up and make up for."

After another firm kiss on the mouth, Gamzee released Karkat's hands and dragged his mouth down his jaw, neck, and chest, leaving little wet spots on Karkat's shirt. "Fuck," Karkat groaned, tilting his head back as Gamzee's mouth neared his navel.

With a lopsided smirk, Gamzee took the hem of Karkat's shirt between his teeth, pulling up until Karkat's belly was exposed. "Arms up."

Though he had no intentions of disobeying, Gamzee took his hands for him, lifting them over his head. His shirt wound up tucked behind his head, his arms still trapped inside the sleeves. He drew in a shaky breath when he felt Gamzee' tongue dragging over his nipple again and again. Arousal tightening in his gut, Karkat arched into the touch, holding back whimpers, moans, and pleas with a good bite to the tongue.

Mercy came in the form of Gamzee's long, skilled fingers. They slipped easily under the waistband of his under shorts, stroking his sopping wet nook while their owner crooned lovingly in Karkat's ear. "Gamzee," He finally whined, cheeks flaming as his blood pumped hot in his veins. He flexed his arms against his shirt sleeves, wanting to touch Gamzee, to bury his hands in that messy hair, and to feel his long, wavy horns.

Karkat's bulge wriggled free of its sheath as Gamzee's fingers slipped into his nook. He let out another moan and heard Gamzee chuckle, with-drawing his fingers. "Look at you," He murmured tenderly.

Karkat opened his eyes, trying to will his body not to tremble. He didn't say anything, he didn't know what there was to say.

Smiling kindly, Gamzee pulled Karkat's shorts away, freeing his bulge. He straddled Karkat's thigh, gripping the other in his strong hand and hiking it up on his shoulder. Karkat gasped, quite frankly shocked his body could flex that way, and Gamzee paused, smile faltering. "Not all up and feeling the bend, motherfucker?"

"No, no," Karkat grunted, turning his head, embarrassed. His nook ached, anticipating what was to come. "It's good."

The smile returned, and Gamzee eased out of his polka dotted pants, all without compromising their position. His bulge was already at full length, thick, wet, and standing at attention. The grin that appeared on Gamzee's face was catching, and even Karkat cracked a smile. Their eyes met and Gamzee pushed Karkat's leg up higher, thrusting into his nook. The sound of their bodies coming together was like music to Karkat's ears, the sound of skin on skin making him shiver, and the wet sound of Gamzee slamming into his nook making his whole body flush red. He moaned out, the pleasure making him feel dizzy. "God fucking dammit, Gamzee," He grunted, completely helpless with his arms above his head and his leg over Gamzee's shoulder. He felt a hand seductively petting his thigh, as if he needed anything else turning him on. "Like that…"

Gamzee's thrusts quickened and Karkat heard him groan. The sound when right to his bulge, and it squirmed hungrily. "G-Gamzee…"

"Turn over," The clown ordered huskily, pulling out.

Gulping, Karkat got onto his hands and knees, wriggling free of his shirt and throwing it down, letting it join his shorts, an army of fuzz balls, and a bucket under the couch.

"That's it," Gamzee murmured, kicking off the rest of his clothes. He pressed his groin to Karkat's backside, stroking up and down his spine. With no more warning than that, Gamzee pushed inside his nook from behind. Karkat's breath hitched in his throat and he felt his bulge curling against his stomach, desperate for attention. Groaning wordlessly, Karkat pushed his hips back, feeling Gamzee's bulge sink deep inside of him. "Ahh," He yelped, feeling an extra thrill of pleasure as Gamzee's bulge hit that special spot.

Without thinking about it, Karkat gripped his bulge in one hand, supporting himself with the other. He started to pant and gasp, pushing his hips back for more, he was greedy for more.

"None of that now, my brother," Gamzee whispered. Once again he pulled out, clicking his tongue and running his hand over Karkat's exposed body. "My turn."

Karkat shivered, but before he knew it Gamzee was moving his hands away. He whined over the loss, but not for long. His protests were promptly replaced by moans when he felt Gamzee's long tongue licking up his length. "O-oh god," He mewled, arching his back. "Gamzee… Shit…"

Though there was a chuckle, Gamzee offered no reply. However, after licking it until it writhed he took Karkat's bulge into his mouth, gently sucking it and using his fingers to probe deep into Karkat's nook. The already wet flesh started to ooze, the damp walls contracting against Gamzee's fingers. His bulge spasmed with pleasure, curling against Gamzee's tongue.

Gripping Karkat's hip, Gamzee bobbed his head once, twice, then three times, almost aggressive in his movements before taking the squirming tentacle deep in his throat. Karkat moaned, feeling Gamzee's fingers moving faster. "C-can't take this," Karkat panted, involuntarily bucking his hips. "I'm gonna…"

"Not yet."

Karkat wanted to cry when Gamzee pulled away again. "Please," He begged, unsure exactly what it was he was begging for. "Gamzee, please…"

"Shh," Gamzee murmured, lacing his fingers through Karkat's. They were a bit damp, and Karkat swallowed hard, unable to stop thinking about how good they felt knuckle deep in his nook. "Relax yourself, lover," Gamzee whispered in his ear. "I want you to feel with your glorious body what I'm all up and feeling in my heart."

Karkat's heart swelled with affection for his matesprit, and with the hand that Gamzee wasn't holding, he dragged him into a passionate kiss, tasting his own sweat on Gamzee's tongue. AS he kissed back, Gamzee ground his hips down, his bare bulge rubbing against Karkat's. Eyes squeezed shut, Karkat moaned into Gamzee's mouth, and without a word Gamzee pushed inside him a final time, their fingers intertwined as they moved rhythmically against each other.

Soon Karkat knew it was too much, and he took his free hand, gripping Desperately at Gamzee's horn. He understood, pausing to reach under the couch for the bucket. He looked Karkat in the eye, and when he nodded, kept thrusting, getting faster and faster until Karkat was pulling hard at his hair. "Gotcha, my brother," Gamzee said, managing to lift Karkat off of the couch and into a standing position. He faltered, but Gamzee caught him, rocking his hips once they were safely over the bucket. It didn't take long for Karkat to climax, and Gamzee followed soon after, their genetic material pouring into the bucket and mixing to produce an attractive shade of purple. When the dripping stopped Gamzee lowered his trembling matesprit to the couch, kissing him softly on the lips and running a hand through his hair. Karkat's eyes fluttered open and he looked off to the side. "You're gonna leave now, aren't you?"

"Nah, bro, not tonight," Gamzee said. "Your loving's got me all up and tuckered out, and I've got a whole lot of motherfucking stuff to get done come morning."

"Oh really?"

"I speak only truth, lover." Gamzee flashed a crooked grin. "With my matesprit all up and moving in, this motherfucker has a ton to do."

Karkat's eyes popped open wide. "Moving in?" He repeated. "You want me to move into your hive?"

"I do," Gamzee confirmed. "Your lusus too."

"Crab-Dad can come?"

"Of course."

With a grin on his face, Karkat snuggled up to his lover, looking forward to the adventure that awaited him.