Four long days passed. With help from Kanaya the house was as safe as it was going to be and after asking for one more favor she left him feeling very grateful. Today was the day Terezi was coming over among other things. The entire week they had been talking to each other about stupid shit but it had been decided Karkat would pick her up. A long walk. He would take the car but Johnny leaving with the car left him with no choice. Since that day Karkat has heard no word from him. To preoccupy himself he called Droog for status updates on various ongoing processes. Nothing was to be said for Johnny, which wasn't surprising for either of them. Johnny was prone to rage venting trips, however Droog was hiding something. Karkat could tell. What was unsettling was the news about the declaration of the manhunt. It was in three days. The call ended with him in a spiral of emotions but at least he was almost there.
When he spotted Terezi waiting outside Karkat noticed some scumbags around her. They were coming onto her strong with some very frisky hands. Terezi was ready to do something. Karkat knew that he didn't need to intervene but he wanted to. Something about it was pissing him off and with the recent shit going on in the Family he is going to need to fight again. Karkat broke into a sprint. He closed his eyes so that the memories of what he was told by the Crew about fighting wouldn't slip his mind.
"Nothing harder to react to than something you can't see comin. Be explosive!" Deuce said. There were three men and Karkat focused on the one who had placed his hand on Terezi's face. Before a word was said between them he reeled back and slammed his fist against the edge of the man's jaw. Dazed the man's head was thrown back from the impact. "The fear of hurting yourself makes the average man hold back. I don't know what the fuck Slick did this time but you don't got that kid. Don't ever not bring hell." Boxcars said. Karkat snatched the edge of his bangs and brought the man's teeth directly to his upcoming knee. He felt a couple of them be forced out of place. His attention raised to the two men approaching him. "Men get confident when they got numbers on a sole person. Strike fear into their hearts. Remind them they aren't just fighting a man." Droog said. Karkat kicked the back of the original man's knee forcing him to the ground. Then grabbed his bloody mouth. Time to wrap this up. "Advice? What you think fighting is chess? Shit's simple. A battle of spirits. Look them dead in the eyes and show them the shitstorm fucking with a Midnight gets you." Slick said. Karkat stepped forward dragging the man's head with him. "You lay another finger on MY woman and I will feed his fucking teeth down both your nostrils till you choke. We fucking clear?!" Karkat shouted. All signs of resistance drained from their faces as they scattered off. When he let the slimbag go he was quick to follow. Not even a minute had passed. He was getting rusty.
Karkat's muscles went lax. Then Terezi wrapped herself around him. Once again his body went rigid. No rest for the wicked. "Never knew I was YOUR woman." Terezi said. Her playful remark made Karkat flustered. "Fuck off. I was a little busy saving your ass to think of a better thing to say." He said. Terezi let out that infamous cackle that made Karkat jump. She leaned close to his ear. "When did I say I had a problem with it? She smiled. Karkat had to hold his breath. Constant reminders in his head told him that this was just the way Terezi treated her friends. Confliction over the need of such reminders or why he cared what she thought grew in Karkat's mind. Then he could feel Terezi shiver.
"Feel like not shaking like a kid who injects pixie sticks into his veins like heroin?" Karkat asked. In response Terezi laughed and brought herself closer to his arm. "Sorry it's a little cold." She said. Karkat sighed. One of their conversations during the waiting period revealed that Terezi recently lost her old scarf. 'This is probably the best time to use that huh' Karkat thought. He broke from Terezi's embrace to her disappointment. "Wait a sec. I got something." He said. Terezi raised her eyebrows. "Why are you so nice today?" Terezi asked. Out of his pocket Karkat fished out his favor from Kanaya. A new scarf. While Droog's background checks on everyone Karkat met were a pain in the ass it allowed him surprises like this. It took a long time to talk to Kanaya about a birthday gift but she was convinced Terezi would love this. All he needed to do was two things. Somehow Karkat was lucky enough not to have the anguish of telling her about his gift the normal way. Terezi gasped as he wrapped the fabric around her neck. "Because some idiot thinks they are slick enough to hide shit from my great intellect." Karkat said. He couldn't help but smile watching her be so happy. Now for the second part.
Karkat expressed deep confusion and made sure with Kanaya that this was something friends did. He rather die than do something like this but...she was his first conventional friend. Karkat took a deep breath again as he came closer to Terezi. Her face showed confusion while Karkat tried to remember Kanaya's exact instructions. Then he gave her a small kiss. Quick due to embarrassment of the act. "Happy birthday." Karkat said. After the whisper in her ear he grabbed Terezi's hand and led them to his house. Karkat didn't see how she reacted but his heart was racing too much to take a look.
There was silence for a time while they walked. Karkat found it comforting despite his usual dislike of quiet moments like these. Maybe it was because he wasn't spending it alone. Part of him was still in disbelief that he pulled it off. Now he has kissed her twice. Karkat shook his head. Terezi was just a friend. Kanaya just said their relationship was unique compared to the friendships normal people have. Although there was no elaboration as to why. Karkat kept reaffirming that she only saw him as a friend and he felt the same. Still there were times when he looked at her. "So what does it look like?" Terezi asked. Her question had saved Karkat from his thoughts. "I wonder." Karkat answered. Terezi, who had been lagging behind him, matched his pace. "Awww. Don't be like that. I wanna know." Terezi said. Karkat almost told her. Instead he saw his house. "Here we are." Karkat said. Terezi pouted but followed. Karkat was relieved to see that Johnny hadn't returned so when he opened the door the house was not a mess. Karkat could tell the first thing that would catch her attention would probably be the tv. It was fucking huge. Heated sport watching sessions between the Crew members spawned from that monstrosity. He decided to let Terezi roam somewhat free. The Family stuff was in Johnny's room which was forbidden and Karkat's room went without question. "Since I am such a benevolent ruler I shall allow you to pick what we watch. Next time I shall lecture about those movies. I'm gonna change." Karkat said.
Karkat returned to see a crime mystery program and a very excited Terezi watching. Couldn't say he was surprised. The first couple shows were live with theories of what was going to happen. With Karkat relaying visual scenes to her, Terezi tended to be correct. Karkat nevertheless was stubborn and downright refused all her ideas until the very second he was wrong. Then the show was deemed stupid. Terezi would cackle calling Karkat a "sore loser". He just was pointing out the obvious to his own defense. As the hours past the direction of conversation changed. "So what the hell do you do to actually enjoy this shit?" Karkat asked. Terezi's answer didn't take much time to evolve into an intricate plan of her path to become a lawyer. To follow in her mother's footsteps. Karkat was envious of the confidence by which she recounted her future. With the things going on with Johnny and worse the manhunt he felt so unsure of the path ahead. Droogs words kept echoing in his mind. Karkat didn't know making himself the leader was wise. Family couldn't seem to stay alive around him so how would his subordinates have any better of a fate."What are you thinking about Karkat?" Terezi asked.
Karkat raised his head to notice Terezi towards him. Her hand was too close to his. "What. I mean nothing. Your plan to become the district attorney with the most convictions makes the bible an exciting read so I tuned you out." Karkat said. He pulled himself away as well he could on a couch. Terezi reached and grabbed his hand. Her face looked serious. "Except I just said that was my goal after becoming DA. You have been haunted by something all day. Tell me." Terezi said. The grip tightened as she demanded. Karkat gulped. This could end very bad. He scrambled to figure out how his father would have put it. "Well sometimes my dad calls me to help at his job as I have grown up. In three days he wants me to announce a project to his workers. People who do this tend to be the lead for the particular thing. I'm pretty sure I was not the right choice for a leader." Karkat said. For all her moments Terezi was a person much smarter than him. She would see the sense in his dilemma. She would see this was a huge mistake. "What are you talking about?! You would make a great leader. After all you do have a way with your words when you aren't being an asshole." Terezi said. One look confirmed that she was certain. Karkat could feel his chest tighten. He had to make her understand the problem. He got up and took a couple steps away. "You just don't understand. There is no way someone like me could lead people. I'm not someone like you." Karkat said. Regret at asking the stupid question flowed through him. Just a damn expert at asking the wrong questions with his pHd in being a dumbass. This time Terezi was more forceful when she pulled him to face her. "Is that so? Just what are you then?" She asked. Karkat begun to tremor as it felt like he couldn't get the words out. At first he only muttered something incomprehensible. Tighter grasp on his arm made Karkat answer. His voice shook with shame. "Worthless."
A metallic taste was the first thing Karkat noticed. He bit his tongue. When he blinked things into focus Terezi's hand was in view. 'She just slapped the shit out of me' Karkat thought. "Never say that again." Terezi said. With heavy reluctance Karkat looked up to see tears stream from her glasses. Karkat started to struggle to breath. "Why?" Karkat asked. He meant to say more but his chest started screaming in pain. Glances for his medication yielded nothing. "Because there are people that think you are worth something! It's too painful to hear..." Terezi said. Things began to spiral out of control and Karkat knew why. He wanted to believe her. Gazing past her revealed his biological parents being murdered. Even when he closed his eyes Karkat could hear their screams. "Shut up." Karkat said. Then he turned away desperate to escape to his room. Away from the pain.
Karkat's medication lay on the desk, open in case of emergencies. Laying right next to that desk was the man himself. Trapped seeing the different images of his loved ones dying yet experiencing them all at once. Body seizing from a phantom whip striking him. Screams of pain and loss ripped out of his now hoarse throat. The episodes varied in length but due to them Karkat never slept. Most of all he didn't forget the feeling of guilt. All their deaths were on him. The worthless son of the Signless who let all his family die around him.
Later the hallucinations stopped. Sudden and without reason. Karkat took a few moments to realize it wasn't real. Just the past. Throat burning Karkat searched for something as he got up. Tears had dampened his turtleneck and a decent amount of the carpet. Peeling off the article of clothing Karkat kept going through the routine motions. "She probably left a long time ago. That's what you get for trying to believe her. You are worthless. Don't forget your place." Karkat said. With some variation he always repeated those last two sentences to himself. Ever since that day this happened. It had been more rare as the self hatred grew. When finished Karkat took his medicine. He turned to see the door was ajar. The idea of Terezi hearing all that made his stomach drop. She must have left by now. He resigned himself to her probably never meeting with him again. Karkat stumbled out the door to see a sitting figure across from the door. Terezi hadn't left.
His reaction was immediate. Panic at his exposed skin. Terezi didn't react. Her lack of movement reminded Karkat that she would never see his secret. Part of him felt strange about that fact. Terezi didn't give him the opportunity to identify why. Her head rose as calling his attention. Not a single word left her mouth. Yet Karkat knew he probably revealed a lot. While a fog the memory of screaming episode didn't leave his mind. There was an attempt to swallow down his apprehension but it made Karkat's voice shaky. "My last name is Vantas." He said. Karkat sat next to her. He closed his eyes and breathed at a slow interval. It would take awhile to sink in.
Terezi's mother was the district attorney when they investigated that case. Through Johnny's various connections Karkat had vanished from the incident and was alleged as kidnapped by the perpetrators or dead. Due to this there was no witnesses and how the crime went down was a mystery ever since. Karkat waited for the question of how or what happened. Instead Terezi grabbed his hand and pulled his head close to her chest. There was again silence. Karkat just listened to the steady beat of her heart. Not aware his mind was still racing with memories of the past he felt much more calm than expected. For a moment the warmth gave him a small haven. "Why didn't you leave?" Karkat asked. His voice was just above a whisper. Even though the house was empty there still felt the need to make the question as private as possible. Terezi lowered her head so that Karkat felt her chin on his head. "It's when we are at our weakest that someone needs to be by our side." Terezi whispered. Karkat cried but for the first time it hadn't hurt. Soft and quiet exhaustion lulled him back to sleep.
