"God you're a wreck. You were just laying there shaking, all tight in the everywhere like you were bracing yourself agsinst something." The majority of his face is buried in Karkat's hair, inhaling the scent of the highly stressed troll. Between words, he plants tender kisses down his jawline to his collarbone. "I don't even know what to say. When I tried talking things out with you in the hall you were so not okay. It scared me, but I already made it pretty clear so I'll shut up. We're going to have some serious cuddles in here. You pick the dress code. "

The covers are kicked off of the bed hastily by Karkat, but no clothes are removed. It was pretty warm on the meteor and Dave's body heat made staying underneath near unbearable. He'd live to take off his uncomfortably hot shirt, but who knows what his platinum blond friend would try doing. "You were being pushy," is the only response he can come up with to Dave's short speech. Making excuses could be about one of the worst things to do now.

How lame would it be to say one of the thoughts that had run through his head while asleep? Hating change, the whole deal, they were all hot teenaged emotions pulsing out. A cool guy like Dave doesn't seem likely to do that kind of stuff, he's not likely to get it. Then again, he's also not likely to kiss his best bro repeatedly. He managed that much already, so who knows what might happen?

And here we go again with the "you don't know me and you don't know him. " Dave's pattern changes, his fingers softly rubbing small circles around the nubs he calls horns. Every breath from his throat carries a trembling purr. What a refreshing distraction. The horns themselves are just masses of bone and cartilage, but the skin around the bases has just as many nerve endings as any other place. It's a funny place on a troll for circles to new rubbed in to one's skin, but not for the Knight of Time. Did he pick up the awkward technique when he was with Terezi? Karkat guides the fingers to a more sensitive place, the back of his neck, which causes Dave to pull him closer.

Two noses bump together affectionately and Dave turns his head to the side, pressing his lips into Karkat's yet again. He's lost count of how many times he's done it now. A "fuck ton" could be an accurate measurement. "Y'know I wasn't being pushy back there, that was concern. You don't want a bro who watches out I get it. Just please leave fragile feelings me out of it." He's doing the Neverland, never changing, not for now. Some Strider sass melded with concern does wonders for one's mental health. A few kisses never hurt anyone either.


*apologizes for a short chapter* I'm the biggest virgin of all virgins someone needs to come mack on me so I can write good romance stuff.