=== BE DAVE

You had it all planned out. In fact you've had this planned for a long time. You'd started out small. Letting Bro nick you a few times during your epic strifes battles on the roof top when you were growing up to condition yourself to not be afraid to be cut. In fact he might not have known it at the time but every time your Bro "accidentally" got you with his sword he was helping ease the pain of all the shit going down at school.

You've always been teased and tormented because of your pale skin and blond hair and your shades that help conceal your vermillion eyes. But after a while Bro's petty little gashes just weren't enough. And definitely weren't happening often enough to help you keep going. It's not like it was hard for you to find something sharp to use either. Weapons have always been easily accessible in your apartment and if bro found blood on them from time to time it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

You're convinced that shit really started to escalate with you when you began seeing less and less of your Bro. The older you got the more he spent his time working or chilling in his room. With him never around it wasn't that hard to pretend to go to school everyday and instead hide away in your room easing the pain yourself.

And when you'd hang around with John or Karkat or Terezi none of them have ever really suspected a thing. No one has ever thought much of your constantly wearing long sleeves even in the summer and your jeans cover the rest of the evidence of your activities. You figure your friends don't say anything because it's just supposed to be another ironic thing you do and you're fine with that. It's probably better they don't know anyway.

But right now you're in the bathroom of your apartment. You live alone now that you're old enough to take care of yourself. Your Bro pays most of your bills for you since you're still in high school and the rest comes out of the checks you get from your part time job. Staring into the mirror before you, you let out a long sigh; silently wishing that all of these features of yours would just disappear so you could be normal for once. So you wouldn't be teased anymore just because you're a bit different. Laid out before you on the counter top surrounding the sink is an array of pills and medications and cups of water to wash them down with. Positioned just beside this lethal display is your knife. The same one that got you through middle school and junior high school.

Your phone vibrates in your pocket, signaling to you that you have a message on pesterchum. You retrieve your phone and focus your eyes on the screen the best you can.

"Damn it Egbert." You whisper softly to yourself before hesitantly replying.

- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] -

[EB] : Hi Dave!

[EB] : Hey are you there?

[TG] : sup john

[EB] : how are you?

[TG] : oh you know

[TG] : the usual

[EB] : As cool and ironic as ever i see

[EB] : Hey, um, is it all right if I ask you something?

[EB] : I mean its cool if youre busy or whatever its just something thats been on my mind.

[TG] : Its cool EB ask away

[EB] : I was just wondering if youre alright I mean it seems like youve been kinda down lately.

You stare down at the screen. John saw right through your cool kid facade. Its not like you can just tell him the truth though. If he really knew there's no way you'll be able to go through with this.

[EB] : Dave? You dont have to answer it if you dont want to

[TG] : Nah man its cool

[TG] : dont worry 'bout me egderp

[TG] : must just be ironic sadness

[TG] : the kind from missing me bro or something.

[EB] : oh okay yeah that makes sense

[EB] : Dinner is ready so I have to go. Cya 'round dave!

- ectoBiologist [EB] has disconnected -

Letting out a long sigh, you place your phone on the counter. It's now or never. The more you procrastinate this the more chances there are that one of your chums can talk you out of this. Taking a concoction of pills in your palm, you don't hesitate to dump them into your mouth and take a gulp of water to allow the abundance of medicine to slide down your throat with ease.

You repeat this process several more times until you have run out of pills. Clutching the edge of the counter top, you lift your head slightly; your puffy, bloodshot eyes peering wearily at the reflection before you. Your gaze drifts to your blade and you allow your hand to graze over the handle as if it were an old friend.

Lifting your knife, you wearily press it to your forearm and, in a single fluid motion, drag it upwards from the base of your wrist to your elbow; leaving behind a long scarlet line. This line wastes no time in leaking the thick crimson liquid pumping in your veins. Your blood begins to collect in your sink; some of it dripping onto the counter and thus the floor. Its then that your phone vibrates again. However this time it's a text from your boyfriend.

Karkat : TEREZI AND I ARE ON OUR WAY TO YOUR APARTMENT SO YOU BETTER BE AWAKE FUCKASS

Karkat : I DONT GIVE A SHIT IF YOU ARE LAYING DOWN SOME SICK BEATS OR WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME

Karkat : POINT IS WE'RE TAKING THE TIME TO COME VISIT YOU SO YOU BETTER BE FUCKING GREATFUL

Karkat : WE'LL BE THERE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE

Sucking in a deep breath, you don't reply. You couldn't even if you wanted to. You feel yourself becoming lightheaded, your vision fuzzy and body numb. As your legs give out from beneath you, you fall to the floor with a loud thud. Noticing the faint feeling of your blade firmly grasped in your palm, you let out a puff of air from your lungs. Its now or never. Any minute now Karkat and Terezi will burst into your apartment and stop you. They'll try to save you.

But you can't let them. Its too late for anyone to save you. Now. You need to end it now. Your blade is skin once more. Twice more. Over and over you slice open your flesh until you've grown too weak to continuously lift your arm. Almost there. You're so close to being gone. Finally.

==BE KARKAT

You climb the many flights of stairs leading to Dave's apartment accompanied by Terezi. Taking the stairs has become sort of a habit for you seeing as Dave and his bro have never allowed you to take the elevator. Terezi doesn't mind though and its easy for you to tune her out as she chatters away about everything and anything.

Having now found yourself in front of your boyfriend's door, you life your fist, tapping it on the door.

"Dave open the fuck up its cold out here." You call, silencing yourself to listen for his footsteps.

You hear nothing which strikes you as odd. Usually when you tell him youre on you way over he answers the door within seconds and pulls you into a kiss. You knock on the door.

"Strider open the goddamn door where are you?" You call. Beside you Terezi sniffs the air.

"I smell delicious red." She smiles with excitement.

Your eyes widen while your hand grips the doorknob, finding that its been locked. "No," you whisper just before biting your lip and slamming your body into the door.

The front door is bursts open and before you even bother to wait for Terezi, you're running to find Dave. Soft, agonized moans radiate from the bathroom and within seconds a horrific scene unfolds before you. For there lying on the floor of his bathroom covered in blood, is Dave; his left forearm cut several times.

"Terezi call for the human ambulance!" You choke out, crumpling to the floor beside him and pulling him into your lap; your hand clamping around his bloodied arm. "Dave... You promised it wouldn't get this bad." You sob, holding him into your chest delicately.

Dave's breathing is shallow and, when checking for a pulse, it was almost gone. You knew this was coming. You've known that he was at risk but he promised he'd never leave you. He said he'd get better but clearly that was all lies.

"Kar...kat?" Your boyfriend whispers, his voice coming out nearly inaudibly.

Your arms tighten around him gently, protectively. "I'm here, Dave. I'm never going to leave you." Tears are falling from your eyes, dripping from your cheeks and landing on his face.

He inhales a short, shaking breath; his glassy eyes peering up at you. "Karkat I'm not ready to die" Dave whimpers, reaching his hand up to brush a few stray hairs from your eyes before falling limp onto his chest once more.

"You're going to be okay, Strider. I won't let you be anything but okay." You draw in a long breath, attempting to steady yourself.

In your arms, Dave grows limp; his head falling to the side and resting against your chest. You shake him lightly but he doesn't move. Doesn't react. His chest doesn't rise nor fall. His tears seize to tumble down his face. The light in his eyes vanishes entirely. "D-Dave..." You trail off, your voice raspy and trembling.

Terezi crouches beside you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders and leaning you back against her chest. "The paramedics will be here soon." She whispers in an almost delicate tone.

Within a few minutes the paramedics arrive as Terezi had previously told you though you had barely heard her at the time. The men and women dressed in white struggle to pull you away from Dave. Terezi holds you firmly in her arms whilst the men lift your boyfriend onto their stretched and cover him with a white sheet. As Dave is wheeled away, a soft whimper escapes lips and you cling to Terezi's shirt; burrowing your face into her chest.

After a remaining like this for a moment and crying into your friend's shoulder, you look up at her. "W-we need to t-tell Bro." You manage to stutter and she helps you stand, leading you out of Dave's apartment and down the hall towards Bro's.