. . .I'm pretty much a waste of flesh aren't I? I mean compared to her i'm not reach much. I'm nothing. Nobody loved me liked everybody loves her. Maybe if I had been that cool Viriska might not have blinded me for god's sake! It would really been nice not to have people that adored me instead of hurting me! Wait, that's Karkat coming down isn't it? I hope he isn't coming to see me, i'm not su- wait, he just saw me. Now he's heading over.

TEREZI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE ASLEEP.

I don't know, I think I just kinda fell asleep.

AND WHY DO YOU HAVE YOUR DRAGON COSPLAY PULLED DOWN LIKE THAT? IS THERE SOMETHING THE MATTER?

I don't know maybe because I want to feel better, I think he see's somethings up. God I feel so good lying through my teeth right now.

YOU DON'T SOUND FINE. DON'T BULLSHIT ME LIKE THAT. I KNOW WHEN SOMETHING'S UP WITH YOU.

Of course you do, of course you of all people know when somethings up with me. I wish he'd just go, I kinda don't feel like getting yelled at for forty minutes.

OK, I GET IT IF YOU WANT SOME ALONE TIME. I MEAN I ACTUALLY JUST GOT DONE SULKING THE FUCK OUT MYSELF JUST NOW.

Really now? Did you go to cry or something? He probably just finished yelling at somebody. Then again, he doesn't wound angry right now, he sounds, worried.

BUT IT REALLY HELPS TO TALK TO SOMEBODY. YOU CAN TALK TO ME ABOUT STUFF, YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT?

Well, yea. . . yea I actually can guess.

IS IT DAVE? DID HE DO SOMETHING DOUCHEY AGAIN?

Dave? How'd Dave come in to this?

DID HE BREAK UP WITH YOU? HE BROKE UP WITH YOU, DIDN'T HE. I KNEW IT, I COLD SEE THE WRITING ON THE WA. . .

God why are you so obsessed with Dave? Is it that hard for you to see me with somebody else? He has nothing to do with this, just shut up about him!

OK THEN WHAT

time to tell him about Latula now.

YEAH? WHAT ABOUT HER.

I wonder if he's seen her; her amazing skateboarding tricks, her sassy attitude, and her confident smile. She seems so cool, no, so radical. She seems to be everything I couldn't be. It just reeks havoc on me on how useless and incompetent I feel around her.** She seems SO strong, and nobody messes with her, or tries to hurt her even in wih her sass. I wish I could be like that. I just wish all of this could have been different.

OH COME ON. / DON'T TELL ME THIS IS GOING TO BE A THING WITH YOU NOW. (. . .) YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT, IT'S JUST SO UNWARRENTED.

Unwarranted? Are you kidding me?

TEREZI, I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH. YOU ARE *NOT* IN ANYONE'S SHADOW. / LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS. / THEY'RE ALL ASSHOLES! ! !

Latula? I'm sorry Karkat do you know who your talking about?

NO. SHE IS. TRUST ME. / THEY ALL ARE. AT LEAST THE VAST MAJORITY / THEY PRACTICALLY AREN'T EVEN PEOPLE. THEY'RE WALKING, TALKING, LIKE. . . / I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT. ALMOST LIKE LIVING PARODIES OF HORRIBLE, CLICHED BEHAVIOR PATTERNS. TAKE MY ANCESTOR FOR EXAMPLE / TOTAL ASSHOLE! PROBABLY THE WORST THERE IS. / YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT RIGHT AWAY BECAYSE I GUESS HE DOESN'T YELL AT PEOPLE LIKE ME? BUT THAT PROBABLY MAKES IT WORSE. (. . .)

Sounds like you spent a lot of time with your ancestor, lol. I can imagine him stunning you in utter silence as he goes on like you say he does. It's funny really, and kinda cheering me up.

AND YOUR ANCESTOR? YEAH, SHE'S "FUN" I GUESS. BUT ABOUT A PHONY. / OH! AND I DON'T GIVE A *FUCK* WHAT ANYONE SAYS, LOSING YOUR SENSE OF SMELL IS NOT A REAL DISABILITY.

Well... actually Karkat

HER RAD GIRL THING IS SUCH AN OBVIOUS ACT. SHE'S CLEARLY WORKED FOR SWEEPS ON PERFECTING IT, AND QUITE FRANKLY REVELS IN THE ATTENTION IT GETS HER.

Really? How I never noticed?

BUT THE FACT THAT SHE WORKS SO HARD ON IT IS EXACTLY WHY YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. / YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO TRY TO BE THE GOOD PERSON YOU ALREADY ARE.

R-really?

SEE YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN AND BE LIKABLE BY JUST BEING YOURSELF. IT DOSEN'T NEED TO BE PART OF SOME OVER THE TOP SHTICK TO IMPRESS PEOPLE. IT'S LIKE A DISGUISE, PROBABLY COVERING UP SOME PART OF HERSELF HE'S UNHAPPY WITH. BUT WHEN YOU WITHDRAW AND COVER YOURSELF UP LIKE THAT, YOUR ACTUALLY JUST PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM SEEING SOMEONE WHO'S ALREADY BEAUTIFUL.

Uh, um, what? Karkat. A-Are you saying I'm... Beautiful?

I KNOW I COMPLETELY FUCKED UP WITH YOU. THIS ISN'T, UH. . . OK. I'M NOT TRYING TO REDEEM MYSELF HERE. I MADE MY RECUPERACOON AND NOW I HAVE TO WRIGGLE AROUND IT'S SLIME. I TOTALLY ACCEPT THAT BUT AS YOUR friend I REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO START FEELING BAD ABOUT YOURSELF BECAUSE OF ONE OF THESE SHALLOW, TOW DIMENSIONAL DIPSHITS. BUT I TOTALLY CONCED THAT MADE YOUR CHOICE ABOUT ME, AND I RESPECT YOUR DECISION. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY IS ALL.

Karkat. I don't know what to say? What decision? What are you talking about I-I

OK, I'M PROBABLY JUST STICKING MY FOOT IN MY FUCKING TALK BLASTER YET AGAIN AGAIN, AND I'M PROBABLY MAKING YOU INCOMFTORBLE. I GUESS I'L GO BACK TO MY ROOM NOW. I HOPE YOU TAKE AT LEAST SOME OF WHAT I SAID SERIOUSLY THOUGH.

Karkat, I-I didn't- I didn't know you-

EM. YEA. OK, BYE.

Karkat! Wait, Don't Go! What are you doing you stupid girl, run after him! ! I can't believe this. All this time... Is that really how he felt? Through all of the stuff we've said, is that really what he was trying to do?