"Just ask him out already fuckass."
We're in homeroom, and John's sharpening his pencil at the teachers desk, exchanging pleasantries with her. I guess Karkat caught me staring at his back. Again.
"I can't do that," I whisper to him. He just rolls his eyes and goes back to texting someone. I peek out of the corner of my shades, and smirk.
"Like you're one to talk. Chatting with Sollux again?"
The tips of Karkat's ears turn red, and he snaps back at me.
"Shut up! That's none of your fucking business!"
"No need to be shy Kitkat, I won't tell anyone."
"Tell anyone what?"
John's standing over us, a curious light in his eyes. I shrug, my smirk growing, while Karkat starts stammering and cursing. The blue eyed boy sits with a sigh, his lips jutting out into a pout.
"You guys never tell me anything."
His utter child like expression makes the corners of my mouth turn up. John raises an eyebrow, and I immediately return to my regular demeanor. Calm and cool. I gaze once more at the paper on my desk. It's math homework, and I can't bring myself to start it. What's the point? I'm not exactly worried about how failing classes will affect my future.
"You should smile more often."
John had some how managed to scoot his chair next to mine without my notice, and he's so close, his mouth right next to my ear. A shiver runs down my spine.
"It's cute."
He pulls away with a mischievous smile, and returns to the essay spread out on his desk. I catch Karkat snorting, as he mutters something under his breath. The sound of the school bell pierces through the air, and the room instantly flies into a flurry of activity. John swings his backpack over one shoulder, and says a hurried "see you at lunch" before disappearing in the crowd of students.
o0o0o0o
After school I find myself in my room with John, sprawled out across my bed. He's now such a constant in our household that Bro orders or makes food for three without asking. He just assumes John's going to be there, and he's always right.
"What'd you get on that math test?"
"Do you even have to ask? You know I suck harder than a broke hooker at math."
John wrinkles his nose at my analogy
"To descriptive?"
"Uh, yeah. Totally unironic"
"I thought it was funny."
John rolls onto his side to face me, amusement flickering across his face.
"You thought wrong cool kid."
His voice is playful, and his smile gives me a flash of his buck teeth. I have a brief period of inner struggle. He could be my friend, but I know he has the potential to be more. Can I really afford to be thinking like that though? We have a little more than a year before I can't be in his life anymore. I could be a pleasant memory, or a painful haunt. I couldn't do that to him. I care for him more than I'd like to admit, and I probably shouldn't have left our friendship go on as long as it did.
It's just that… His laugh's like a drug, and I'd do anything to get more of it. Every single one of his smiles make this bleak world a little brighter. His small polite ones, his wide ones where he hides his mouth behind his hand self-consciously, and his sly ones he wears especially when one of his pranks are discovered. John Egbert is an addictive habit I need to break. Not only his sake, but for mine. Warm colours can't afford to be happy, and what makes me any different?
I turn onto my back, avoiding John's beam. I don't deserve that look.
"Dave?"
"Hm?"
He sits up and leans over me, his messy ebony bags falling over his eyes. He brushes them aside habitually, and looks down at me with concern.
"You might be able to hide behind your glasses and poker face around anyone else, but not me. What's wrong?"
He carefully slips my glasses off, and on impulse I cover my right eye along with my mark. I avert my gaze from him, looking to the side.
"I don't think we should keep hanging out."
John cocks his head to the side, his mouth quirking down.
"Did I do something wrong? I swear I didn't mean to offend you, whatever I did! Oh god, please don't hate-"
"No, John shut up for five seconds."
His jaw snaps shut and he stares at me, waiting for an explanation.
"We're just too different. Like night and day. You're a cool colour and I'm a warm colour. You'd be better off with your own kind. I stand by that."
"Shouldn't I be the one to decide that?"
He looks angry, and I wince at the harshness in his voice.
"I also know that's a load of bullshit."
He drags my hand away from my eye, and traces the edge of my mark with his thumb.
"These marks don't define us. They're just a way The World Government can cut down our numbers, drown out those who might rebel against their system. Warm marks aren't broken, or flawed or dangerous. Some of them are brilliant, or gifted, or beautiful. They just don't get the chance to see that, because everyone else beats the self confidence they might've had out of them."
Each word pierces me like a blade, and some part of me realizes he's right. It's just to hard to believe. John's propping himself up on an elbow, while his other hand is still caressing my mark.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean all that. I just don't want you hurt because of me."
"You wanted to push me away?"
"Yeah. I think I could live with you hating me, but not with you mourning me."
John's hand is sifting through my hair now, and I lean into his touch with a heavy sigh. He lowers his face, and his lips brush against my cheek. His eyes meet mine, and a silent agreement passes between us. Where one of us would go, the other would follow.
(A/N:
C: Hullo again! In addition to apologizing for this chapters shortness, I'd like to say sorry that all the chapters aren't longer in general! This story was meant to be short (in fact shorter than it is now..) but I can't stop writing! I've really fallen in love with this AU, and once it's done I have to get back to Dave in Wonderland and Chasing Hearts, Hiding Blame. However, if enough people seem to like this I'll consider writing a sequel OR Dirk and Jake's story. Or Karkat and Sollux. Or really whatever couple you guys want, haha. I kinda made John more of the dominant one in this? I know it's normally Dave's thing, but I wanted to try something different. Also, please excuse any mistakes I've made. It's almost midnight here, and I should be sleeping honestly. Lemme know your thoughts by dropping me a review, or follow/favorite if you want good author vibes flowing your way! Thanks for reading this far, and sorry for the long note :)