Hah! I bet you guys thought I would never update this! No, but really, sorry it took so long! I had like, 3/4 of this written back before I even posted the last chapter, but I was just going through some major writer's block with this. Bleh.

I have NO IDEA when I will update this next, as I don't even have the next chapter started. But I have a little idea of what I might do with this. Things still apply though, things being soap-operastuck. So like, this will still have drama. xDD Anyways, enjoy! :)

PoV: Dave

Christams day found everyone asleep in various areas of Eridan's house. I woke up with a major cramp in my back, probably because I was curled up, sleeping behind the huge T.V.

"What the fuck, Dave?" I asked myself as I stood and stretched. Why in the world would I sleep behind the T.V? Whatever, I really didn't care. My priorities now were to get a glass of water, and maybe some pain medication for my headache, and then find John and Karkat.

I stumbled into the kitchen and helped myself to a glass of water and the very conveniently placed bottle of aspirin on the counter. Damn, Eridan is prepared for everything. I would have to remember to thank him later.

After I finished in the kitchen, I peeked into a few of the guest bedrooms, grimacing at a few of the sights I saw, and quickly absconding. I checked the last one, and there I found John. After waking him, I had John join me in a search for Karkat.

When a search throughout the house showed no Karkat, we came to the assumption that he went home with Terezi, who was absent as well. They had to have taken a cab, seeing as neither of them had a vehicle. After our search, John looked at me and posed a question.

"Dave...what are we?" he asked, sounding nervous.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, confused.

"I mean...," he trailed off, staring at his hands which were violently tying themselves into knots.

"Are we...together?" he finally managed to spit out.

My heart dropped and I deadpanned. Now I had to explain everything to john.

"Um...well, you see, John...you always say you aren't a homosexual. And I mean, while I did genuinely like you a little, my feelings for Karkat haven't changed," I explained.

John's shoulders visibly fell, he understood.

"I see," he said, hurt clear in his voice. "So I'm just a rebound?"

"No. I mean, kind of. I did really like you, John. Honest," I said, fumbling with words in an attempt to not hurt John further, but it was too late.

"Let's just go home, Dave," he said, not looking me in the eye. I sighed in defeat. I had this coming. This is what I get for hosting too many feelings for too many people.

"I'm sorry, John," I told him, trying to fix things, even if just a little.

John turned and gave me a sad smile, his face weighed down with so much emotion, emotion that he only half attempted to try to hide. The look made my heart shatter.

"It's okay, Dave. I understand," he told me firmly.

"No, it's not okay. I used you. I manipulated you. That was not okay."

"No, but I still forgive you."

John turned away from me and walked out of the house and to the car, calling out behind him,

"C'mon Dave! We need to get home and exchange presents, and then meet up with Jade and Rose. I guess they have a Christmas thing planned too."

I sighed and followed him out, climbing into the passenger seat of his car. As soon as we were situated, he began driving home.

About halfway through the drive, John spoke up again.

"Listen Dave, about your present..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, I couldn't think of what to get you...so I was going to give you something else, I mean, if you were g-going to be okay w-with it...but, uh, circumstances changed, so...," he trailed off. I glanced at him, and he was blushing furiously.

"Oh?" I asked, picking up on his innuendo. "Well, I didn't know what to get you either. I've been looking all over, but nothing seemed to stand out," I told him.

"I see. Maybe we could just catch a hockey game later, pay for each other's tickets?" he suggested. I shrugged.

"Sounds good to me."

The rest of the drive was spent in silence, and we soon arrived in the college dorm's garage.

After getting out of the car, John informed me that Jade and Rose's thing wouldn't be until around four, and it was only noon now.

"Is anyone else even going?" I asked John, doubting it since everyone had hangovers.

"They're supposed to. We're all supposed to exchange gifts then," he told me. I nodded and we walked into the dorm together. I walked into the kitchen to get some apple juice, stopping when i saw the picture still hanging on the fridge. My heart skipped a beat, and my memory of that moment with John surged forth to the front of my mind.

I shook my head and tried to drink the apple juice I had poured, but then I remembered that that was the drink that really brought John and I together in the first place. I dumped the juice down the sink, not being able to enjoy the drink anymore. Sighing, I went to mix some beats in mine and John's room while John watched some movie, hoping to pass time while we waited for a suitable time to leave for Rose's party.

Time passed by quickly, which I appreciated. We got all of the gift exchange stuff done with Rose and Jade, and John and I managed to catch that hockey game. We didn't return back to his dorm until late in the night, and I was utterly exhausted. Even so, John and I still needed to eat dinner, so I ordered pizza.

As John and I ate, it was mostly silent, until John decided it was time for a short interrogation.

"Dave, are you going to move back in with Karkat?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nah. Not yet at least. I think I'll stay the rest of the semester here. You know, it'd be such a hassle to move back in there, and I think that will just make tensions rise between Karkat and I. Besides that, where would TZ stay?" I replied. I had a good point. Despite Karkat and Terezi's break up, they were still living together. They had actually patched things up pretty well between each other, and were really good friends. As for John and I...

"Oh, okay. That sounds legitimate," he said, shrugging his shoulders a bit as he reached for another slice of pizza.

"Yeah. Oh and John, I forgot to mention yesterday but your work called while you were out shopping. I think you're getting a raise," I told John, recalling that the place he worked at, a children's museum, had called, and the tone of voice sounded cheerful.

"Okay, thanks. I'll check it now, I guess," John said, standing up and walking over to the answering machine.

"Hello, this is Carrie from the Washington State Children's Museum, looking to speak to Mr. John Egbert. Call back as soon as you can, as it regards a fairly serious matter that we would like to discuss with you." The women's voice lightened up here, taking on a joking tone. "And do not worry, you are not in trouble! Just call back at 555-910-7806 and we will speak to you then. Thank you!"

"Wow, Dave! I think you're right!" John said excitedly, turning back to you. "Too bad I'll have to wait until tomorrow to call. They're already closed by now..."

"Well, good job, Egderp. How long have you been working there anyways?"

"Uh, since I was 16 I think..."

"It's about time you got a raise then!" I told John, as it was true. I mean we were what, 22 now? The little derp had been working there for 6 years! That's kind of a long time, if you think about it.

"Yeah, I guess so! I'm excited Dave!" John blurted out. "I think we should celebrate!" he said, pulling out ice cream from the freezer as you threw away the empty pizza box.

"I agree," I told him.

John and I decided to sit down and watch some shitty program on TV while we ate our ice cream, and we both were in a fairly good mood.

Things really seemed to be brightening up now. Karkat and I had settled things, me and John seemed cool, I had ice cream, and John got a raise. Not only that but Terezi and I were patching things up, becoming good friends as well, and life in general just seemed better. I really hoped it would stay this way. I think we all needed a little break from the drama. Of course, who says there isn't drama to come? At least now we weren't buried in it, and we would be able to handle almost anything thrown at us.