Taking A Fall
A/N: The characters live on a planet most would call... insane. The planet is much like pre-Sburb Earth, except it is inhabited by both races: Humans and Trolls. They live in (relative) harmony, both races respecting the other. Humans, as per usual, have their own caste system among themselves, whilst trolls follow the good ol' hemospectrum (loosely, of course). The high-bloods are vain, and look down on humans and other trolls. The mid-bloods tolerate and even befriend humans, and low-bloods see humans as friends and equals. The few mutants, however, look up to humans as if they were heroes. Most cannon characters have no established relationships with the others... Meaning, they don't know them.
My name is Karkat Vantas, and I am a sophomore in high school. I'm an outcast in my own race's eyes, so I primarily hang out with humans. It's a marvel that they can stand their own blood color... Anyways, I sorta lied. I mostly hang out with one human - John Egbert. The kid's half a sweep younger than me, but we're in the same grade because of that weird late-early birthday/wriggling-day shit. Being a multicultural planet is... confusing, to say the least.
The sunlight burns my eyes as John and I leave school early. The early-release proposed for the final day of school had been received with heaps of appreciation. As my scarlet eyes adjust to the summer sun, John drags me by my wrist out of the crowded doors. I'd promised to go to his hive... er... house... today to play video games and watch movies, and I could tell he was excited. As we reach the top of the staircase, he turns around, looking over his shoulder at me and smiling his goofy smile. Now, John Egbert has never been known to be graceful, by any standards, but I am genuinely surprised when his facial expression goes from joy to shock to fear in the blink of an eye. Then he's gone from my sight, and I hear him shout. By the time I realize that he's fallen, he's on the ground, curled up and making pained sounds.
Before I know what I'm doing, I've flown down the stairs to my friend's side. A few people stop to stare. I place a hand on John's shoulder and turn him to face me. His teeth are clenched and his hands are clutching his side. "John..." is all that I can think to say. I help get to his knees, and his head immediately leans into my chest for support. His breathing is slow and ragged, and my right arm snakes protectively around his shoulders.
Pissed that no one has stopped to ask if he needs help, I snap at the closest person, "Go get someone, fucktard!" As the unknown person nods and dashes off, I return my attention to my friend.
My left hand cups his face and brings it up to my gaze. His eyes are unfocused, but by pain or the loss of his glasses, I can't tell. Honestly, probably both. His teeth clench and unclench as his mouth opens and closes in an attempt to speak, but only painful whimpers escape his lips. My thumb strokes his cheek as the tears start flowing from his crystal eyes. First just one, then another, then another. He presses his face into my hand and manages to mumble, "Karkat..." before gasping out in pain. His arms continue to hold his left side.
After a moment or two the campus nurse shows up and tells me that we have to get him inside. No shit. "John..." I whisper to him, "do you think you could stand?" He nods once, and I help him slowly get up. He stands for a few seconds before wobbling and almost collapsing. As my right arm was already around his waist, he let me support him as he took shaky steps back to the building. This time, we went around the stairs. He gasped periodically, and his face buried itself in the curve of my shoulder and neck.
Once we get in the building and to the nurse's office, I set him down on the not-so-plushy bench seat. My arm stays around him and his face stays in my neck. I quickly explain what happened; I mean really, he fell. The nurse told me to get his shirt off as she went back to get her.. nurse stuff.
I eventually tug off John's blue hoodie. Despite the time of year and the sunlight, it had been relatively cool that day.
Since he didn't have a shirt on under the hoodie, the cold temperature of the office got to him, and amid his moaning and slow breathing, he started shivering slightly. I unzipped my black jacket and draped it over his lanky, bare frame. He leaned into me in thanks, and one of his hands came free of his side and found mine. Thankfully, there was no blood on it. Despite the cool, his hand was clammy as he grasped my hand and entwined our fingers. I stroked his pale hand with my thumb and squeezed his hand. His rough breathing and occasional whimper were the only sounds in the room.
Soon, the nurse returns and inspects John's injury. The hand he had still on it fell to his lap.
As the nurse pokes and prods at John's side, the hand flies up on instinct and begins fisting itself in my dark grey t-shirt, tugging at it as she works, in perfect rhythm to his moans. I soon felt his hot tears through the shirt, and my right arm leaves his waist and encircles his shoulders, holding him close to me.
As all this happens I let my mind wander to thoughts I'd have best stayed away from. I think of things I shouldn't. I think of my injured friend, my only friend. The friend crying into my chest. The one I'm holding in my arms. I realize something that should have been painfully obvious from the start. Something I've known for a long time, yet never fully acknowledged. I have a flush-crush - no, I have always had a flush-crush... on my best friend.
After what seems like an eternity, the nurse finishes her inspection of the dark, already purpling bruise. She mumbles something about broken ribs, to my dismay, and tells me to help John to her car. Taking him to the hospital... She tells me after that I can go home, but I refuse, telling her that I was going home with him anyways. Thank god the hospital was only about a mile away, so there was no need to call an ambulance or anything.
I help John stand, sling his hoodie over my shoulder, and again support him as he limps out of the building and to the back parking lot.
It's a longer walk than I thought, at least for John. By the time I get him into the backseat, slide in beside him, and the school's nurse had gotten in the diver's place, a sweat had broken out on his forehead. I stroked my hand through his hair as we started moving, and he melted into my touch. He collapsed into me, and I leaned my face down and buried my nose in his soft hair. "It'll be alright, John,"
I mumble to him. He groans in response, and I squeeze his shoulders gently. I love him, I know it, but I could never tell him. I love you, John.
The car hits a bump, and John screams into my chest. I hold him closer as he sobs in pain. "Shh.." I try to soothe him. He wraps his arms around me and murmurs between his gasps, "It... it hurts, Karkat."
I continue to run my fingers through his hair. "I know, John... I know."
As we keep going down the short road the hospital, I make a promise.
Not out loud, not to anyone in particular. But I vow in my heart that no matter what, no matter if I can ever tell him how I feel, no matter if he ever feels the same, I will love John Egbert for the rest of my life.
My hand drops from the back of his head to his back. My arms gently encircle him, and I bury my head in his neck. I love you.
And I know, that as long as I live, I will never leave my friend's side. Ever.
I love you.
[So until I can write a better ending, that's how it goes. Sad? Sorta, yeah.]