Television - Chapter 2

"Hello Dave," Rose called out to her friend as he stepped into the living room. Dave had managed to loosen the blanket around him and Karkat, leaving the troll on the floor while he went to his room for the rest of the night.

"Morning." Dave grumbled, pulling a clean shirt over his head.

"Hey dude, you up for some shooters?" John piped from his end of the couch, holding up a few games for Dave to choose from.

"I don't care which one just set it up. I'll be with you in a bit," The blond walked into the first floor washroom, searching for clean clothes to wear for the day. It was Sunday, thankfully, "Rose you want to-oh how the fuck did you get in here?"

Dave was referring to the sleeping troll on the floor, curled up in baggy pants and over sized black shirt with the cashmere blanket around him. The little being gave a pitiful yawn and scratched his head, his little colored horns peering through his messed black hair.

"Who the fuck invited you in here?" Karkat spat bitterly, getting up from his spot on the floor.

"I ask you the same fucking thing, ass face." Dave reached for his clothes, one shelf dedicated to himself. A white tee and black jeans, "I thought I left you sleeping on the floor."

"I move around a lot, I don't know." Karkat shrugged out of his shirt, smooth bare skin held a flat, bony form.

"Hey, wait for the bathroom will you?" The blond poked at the troll's bare tummy, "This isn't turning heads for shit."

"I wasn't trying to turn heads, asshole," He slapped away his finger, "I'm just changing."

"What, without a shower? You guys smell as much as we do, you stinky fuck." Dave teased. He took his clothes and walked from the washroom. Karkat seething in annoyance behind him, the trolls started to insult, at the very least, attempt to insult Dave Strider.

Dave didn't bother to listen, grinning ever so slightly at the troll's shouts. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, jumping in to clear himself of the troll's smell from his skin. Not even a few minutes later he had the troll cursing him and nearly knocking down the bathroom door. Dave clenched his fist for a quick second, releasing his pent up frustration with the troll.

"A man can't take a shower in peace?" Dave muttered to himself, changing into his clothes and pushing up his shades up against his forehead, wet blond hair spiking up in the process.

"Dave! Come the fuck ou-" Karkat gave a yelp as Dave opened the door and grabbed the troll's wrist.

"We have an upstairs bathroom, you brainless twat." He released his grip and strolled past him, leaving Karkat to shower. The cool, calm teen sat in between Rose and John, picking up the game controller.

"Rose, you wanna play? We can take Karkat's control from upstairs." Dave waited for John to insert the game. Another mindless military atmospheric shooter.

"No thanks," The blond got up from her seat, smoothing her skirt, "I'm going to the mall with Kanaya, I'll be waiting for her outside. Don't beat John too hard."

"Hey!" John protested.

She only pinched the nose of her friend and left the house, leaving John and Dave to their own doings.

"What was up with you and Karkat sleeping in the blanket?" John asked as soon as Rose left. He picked his player, it was dressed in blue amour.

"He wouldn't give me the remote. So I had resorted to drastic measures." He answered, choosing a red solider, equipped with some shades of course. There was no other to choose from when this guy was digitally real.

"By sleeping in a blanket together." John elongated his words.

"I would do the same to you, Egbert." Dave shrugged, focusing on crossing the desert terrain with some monsters creeping about, "It was his fault he fell asleep on me. I put the blanket too tight."

"You plan everything with a purpose, Strider," John teased with the same voice as Dave had used on him, "A bit too affectionate for you, isn't it?"

"Egbert, speak one more time and I will superglue pink crocs to your feet while you sleep." The Strider brother threatened. John paused his side of the game and held his hands up in defeat, ain't no way did this Egbert wanted some Satan's shoes on his feet.

Karkat came forth from the bathroom, immediately bombarded by Sollux.

"Karkat I found thith new code to play with. It theems like a large file. Too big for me to handle on my own," Sollux greeted his companion, ignoring the little swears Karkat muttered under his breath in his usual crankiness, "Would you mind helping me?"

"Sure why not." He scratched the back of his wet head, "How are we going to do this?"

"Come up tharis and I'll thow you." He started for the stairs, Karkat following after him.


After a while Dave became wary of the game. They were both nearly at a tie but Dave may as well just blow up the desert fort he was in and kill the both of them, ending the game.

"I'm going out," Dave said, letting John shoot him down.

"Boarding?" John turned off the console, stretching his jelly legs. They've been on the couch for hours, it was nearly evening. Six bags of extra large chips and three large bottles of soda were eaten during their time together.

"Yep, you coming?" He started upstairs for his board and sneakers.

"I need to finish a project." John shook his head.

"I'll get Kar then." Dave walked back up the rest of the steps and headed for the sound of two trolls.

"There! We're done!" Sollux gave a satisfied sigh.

"Finally. That fucking thing took forever. What the hell was that anyways?" His companion snapped in annoyance.

"That was a code," Sollux looked at his front door, noticing Dave peered into the room, "Hey Dave. What'th up?"

"Just looking for Kar," The blond looked at the grouchy troll, "You wanna go boarding?"

"Why the hell would I go boarding with you?" He narrowed his gaze at him, "All you do is make me look like a chum in front of everyone."

"Exactly. So come." Dave shut the door and grabbed his sneakers, his board under his arm

By the time he got downstairs Rose was already chatting with John, beside her was Kanaya. And beside Kanaya was Karkat, arms folded, slouching and a board on his lap.

"Come on, grouch." Dave tugged at Karkat's hair and went outside, leaving the door open for the shouting troll. Karkat followed him out, taking the moment of slam his board onto the concrete of the sidewalk and sail down the hill without waiting for Dave.

The blond gave a short sigh and hopped off the steps of their apartment, the board flipping over before falling flat on its wheels, Dave racing down the hill after the troll. He caught up to the younger boy quickly, taking the moment to look his way, grin and give a salute before rolling down faster. Karkat gave a out of annoyance and picked up his face, kicking angrily at the concrete to propel him after Dave.

"Hey assface, you up for the park?" Dave looked back at Karkat for a moment, he sailed smoothly past a street, cars nearly hitting him. But this was Dave Strider. What the hell could a car do to this guy?

"Skate park or the actual one?" Karkat asked.

"Too many assholes in the skate one, actual." Dave answered, rolling down the direction of a large park. There was a small public section of the park and then there was the vast forest behind it, hundreds of trails winding into the woods, it was easy to get lost without a map.

"One more isn't going to make a difference." The troll smiled at his own joke.

"I'd rather not," Dave was unfazed by his comment, "You'd bring the whole park down if you went there."

"You fucking-" Karkat started but Dave shut him up with a finger.

"Bet you can't make this." Dave said, rolling faster as he came toward a staircase that led into the park.

He jumped up, the board flipped under him expertly, and landed on the metal railing of the staircase. The board under his feet, sailing him down the railing. In a flash he jumped again, the board flipping over once more before giving him a place to land on the concrete.

"Fuck yeah I can make that!" Karkat shouted angrily, giving himself space before launching him and his board into the air.

Mind you, Karkat has never attempted any of these tricks. Nor one as big as this. He likes to race on boards. What's so big about tricks anyways? He has no one he cares enough about to show to.

Then why was he doing this?

He didn't have time to think as he jumped stupidly into the air, his board falling behind him. His jaw shattered against the metal railing, his throat closing in pain and shock. He couldn't scream as he landed hard on his shoulder, his skateboard slapping him from the behind, pushing his hips into the concrete, his wrist snapping from the pressure.

When the event was done he landed on the first stair, a small pool of blood trickling from his lips. Dave dropped his own board and came next to him, his own heart pumping feverishly from the sight of his friend.

"Idiot." Dave snarled, in both panic and frustration, "Why the fuck would you do that?"

Karkat didn't answer. He only wheezed in response.

Dave took out his phone and called the ambulance. He pulled Karkat, as much as it pained the troll, onto his lap, pushing back his hair and trying to sooth the boy. The blond swore at the troll, trying to contain his panic for his friend. Karkat only moaned in pain and pushed himself as much as he could into Dave's hand, as if the warmth would take away his shattered bones.

"Stay with me, Kar," Dave noticed the troll's eyes fluttering shut, "Fucking stay with me, man."

Karkat could only nod in reply and fall out of consciousness.