No Way

Karkat's brow rumpled as he scrawled across the lines. Dave picked at a fingernail as he waited.

No way, dude. Why would you want me in a band anyway? You don't even know me, and I don't even know you! Besides, just because you ask doesn't mean I'll drop everything and join, stupid.

Karkat tensed up as Dave frowned at the paper. Had he really just written that? God, he was such an idiot. This could ruin the small shred of popularity he had. Well, he couldn't do anything about it now. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned.

He started at the feeling of a short, light pressure on his shoulder as the crumpled ball hit him. He scooped it up and smoothed it out, but the bell rang before he could begin to make out the red scribblings. Dave stood and sauntered over immediately, smirking and leaning on an arm against the wall. "So?"

"I haven't read it yet," Karkat muttered. "Give me a second." Dave fiddled with his hands again- it seemed to be a habit of his, Karkat thought- as he waited.

you seem cool enough and i thought it might be fun jeez dont get your panties in a twist it was just a simple question

Karkat huffed and glared at Dave. "My panties are NOT in a twist," he snarled. "Besides, how would being in a band with total strangers be 'fun?'" On the inside, his stomach twisted. He'd only been called "cool" by John, and that was a long time ago. Not a lot of people thought the albino freak was cool.

"Albino?"

Shit, did I say that out loud? Karkat hesitantly nodded, fuming inside. He hadn't noticed the pale skin? The pink tilt behind the contacts?

"Nope, I hadn't," Dave smirked. "Do you always say everything aloud? You should work on fixing that."

Karkat bristled and stormed off.

"See you tonight, 8:30 PM sharp, my apartment. Don't be late, and don't forget your guitar," Dave called after him. Karkat could practically hear the smugness in his voice, the knowing that Karkat would have no choice but to show up.

"Yeah, right."

…

When Karkat opened the front door to his living room he was immediately stricken with a blunt, glass object. The shrapnel of the shattering beer bottle against the wall next to him bit into his flesh, leaving tears along the paper-thin skin and causing him to wince as the alcohol poured into them. He tiptoed past the broken glass and ran to the bathroom. His father did not follow.

His cheeks were cut and bleeding, lip split, skin ripped over countless bruises. He wiped the blood trailing down his face and began to clean himself off. He knew he couldn't hide the scratches without makeup- he was used to it, though he wouldn't say he was great at it- but he doubted anyone would notice anyway.

He knew one thing for certain. He wasn't going to stay here; his dad wasn't ever this violent. He had to go somewhere else.

Karkat moaned as he realized there was only place he could go. Dave Strider's apartment. It was on the other side of town, but he knew of it. He fidgeted through the afternoon and when 7:30 rolled around he grabbed his guitar and begrudgingly left.

It was only when he reached the door that he realized he hadn't covered the cuts.

"Hey, right on ti- oh, my God, what happened to you?"

"I, uh... It doesn't matter," he muttered, shoving past and adjusting his case strap. "Where should I set up?"

"Well, Bro let me use the living room, so just go through there, I guess. Terezi's in there with Jade, I think." Karkat gave a curt nod and headed where Dave had gestured. He was greeted with the sight of two girls, one he recognized as the girl who had a rather blatant crush on Dave- Jade Harley, he recalled- tuning a bass guitar, and the other Karkat assumed to be Terezi, giggling gleefully as her fingers traipsed across a keyboard. She had sunglasses, too. Karkat realized she had a reason, unlike Dave: blindness. And yet she hadn't seemed like she was. In fact, she seemed perfectly normal.

Whatever. Karkat was here to play, stay away from his dad, and ignore everyone else. That was it.

"Alright, guys, this is Karkat. He's gonna be doing our guitar stuff," Dave informally introduces. He was still watching Karkat's face carefully- probably because of his injuries- but it was hard to tell with the thick shades. Jade seemed friendly enough, flouncing up and introducing herself enthusiastically. Terezi grinned widely and waved at the wall behind and to the left of Karkat, but he assumed she meant it for him.

The four practiced for a while, Karkat mostly listening and trying not to feel awkward, but it was hard being in a popular kid's (pent)house without feeling the overbearing presence of being judged. It was a long two hours.

Dave offered to drive Karkat home. Karkat declined, but Dave followed him out anyway. Karkat could tell he wanted to know what was up with the cuts. Dave led him to a red corolla and opened the passenger door for him. Once they were seated, Dave started the car and turned to Karkat. "So, are you gonna talk about the situation up on your face or am I gonna have to make you?"

This next chapter is of YOUR CHOOSING! Just leave your idea and the best (or rather, the best based on the plot I have in mind, as all choices are amazing) will be written!