I just want to take this opportunity to say I'm sorry and that I hate myself for writing this.

Dave peppered desperate kisses along the crook of Karkat's neck, sometimes stopping to nibble and suck on the tender grey flesh. Bright red bruises bloomed on these spots, but neither of them cared. They wanted everyone to know. There were no words, no confessions, no nostalgia: just two foolish boys trying to escape the hell that was this desolate meteor. Karkat arched his back as Dave kissed down to his waist, frantically tugging down the troll's jeans and his own. With lust-lidded eyes, the mutant blood gazed at his… What even was Dave to him?

They'd been doing this for a year now: one of them would pull the other away, usually Dave, and passionately press their lips together, clothes would be thrown haphazardly on the ground, and each of them would give into their despondent needs as they made what Karkat could only describe as love. Then they would leave, opting to stay away from each other for a couple of days. After giving the situation some space, they'd go back to being buddies and pretend like nothing happened. All of their friends knew what was going on, but nobody dared say a word.

And as Dave eased his cock into Karkat's nook for the third time that week, Karkat couldn't help but feel like maybe there was something between them. Just like the connections being the trolls in his rom-coms: maybe they had that. As Dave thrust into him frenziedly, Karkat just watched while he moaned, wishing he could see what hid behind those shades. Wishing that maybe, just maybe, Dave was feeling the same thing he was right now. Maybe this would be the day they could become something more than just fuck buddies.

But deep down, Karkat knew this wouldn't happen. He knew Dave was only using him, just like he was using Dave, and when this journey was through; their passion-filled rendezvous would be too. In couldn't be helped.

As he came, red ooze pouring out of his abused nook that already held Dave's seed, he cried out the others name: tears forming in his eyes. He hated himself so much right now, way more than he could ever hope to hate his future or past selves, because he knew they would do this again. He continued to cry as Dave flopped to his side, wrapping an arm protectively around Karkat's waist and placing his head atop his.

"You know I care about you, right?"

Karkat nodded, but he didn't really know. Dave always said that when they'd finish, but the day after always made Karkat miserable. He knew that tomorrow they wouldn't speak to each other, nor would they the day after. He knew that he was just a toy: someone to fuck because it was easy, and he despised himself for it. He wanted so badly to tell Dave no, to deny him the hormonal release he craved, until Dave agreed to treat him as a troll being.

He wouldn't though. He'd keep begging for more, keep submitting to that stoic prick he pitied so much, and he'd take every ounce of love Dave was willing to give him. Once he heard the soft snoring from his partner, Karkat did what he always did and wiped away his tears and put his clothes back on. This would be no rom-com. That happy ending he'd always dreamed about? He would never live it. That just wasn't his life.

So as he bent down to kiss the boy he adored, he whispered his confession of love before he left to go cry himself to sleep, just like he did every other night. His life wasn't a rom-com: it was a horror story, and nothing Karkat would do could ever change that.