Chapter Fourteen: On Your Own Two Feet
Tavros called his dad, as the party came to an early close after Karkat and Nepeta took off. The phone rang in his ear as Tavros waited for an answer.
"Hello?" Sam's voice finally came. Tavros was feeling a bit panicked, and he wasn't sure why.
"Hey, uh, Dad? Can you come get me?"
"What's wrong? I thought the party wouldn't be over for a couple of hours."
"Well, uh, it wasn't supposed to end, but, uh… well, Karkat's dad got shot. He and Nepeta just ran off, and Mr. Droog thinks we should all go home."
There was a palpable silence for a moment, then Sam tutted. "Okay. I'll be there soon."
"What's wrong, Dad?"
"Nothing… just thinking. Thinking if I should call anyone. Suzanne, maybe…?" It was clear that Sam was in his own head for a moment, thinking out loud more than he was actually talking to Tavros. "I'm sure most of them will already know… Ok. Hold tight, Tav." He hung up. Tavros tried to shift in his chair a bit, feeling more than a little uncomfortable with the current situation. It was more difficult to move around on the grass than Tavros had realized. He underestimated it every time. His friends' expressions wore varying levels of concern, though Kanaya was the most visibly upset. That made sense, Tavros thought. Karkat's dad was Kanaya's uncle, and Tavros knew Mrs. Maryam would panic and rush over and take Kanaya to the hospital to visit him right away. Tavros wanted to go over, and perhaps share some hopeful words, but it looked like Rose beat him to it. He watched them for a moment, Rose gently placing her hand on Kanaya's shoulder as she spoke. Kanaya said something in response- Tavros couldn't hear them- and then the two girls hugged, though Kanaya still looked fairly upset. Rose kissed her on the cheek. Tavros' eyes widened. Whoa, they were dating? Tavros turned his chair away, feeling somehow intrusive of the moment, and began heading for the parking lot. His father pulled up a few moments later, and the two headed home.
Tavros tried to keep his mind occupied when he got into his room, though obviously it was proving difficult as both his parents and Rufioh were all on the phone with people, discussing what was happening with the Vantas-Leijon family. Tavros felt bad, but he wasn't sure there was much he could do. All his friends were already aware, and he felt like if Karkat wanted to talk to someone, he would. Tavros glanced at his calendar. His final appointment for his prosthetics was soon. It was kind of an unbelievable idea; that Tavros would be able to walk again soon. Hopefully. Tavros shook away that last inkling of doubt. He knew there was a chance it wouldn't work, he just chose to be hopeful about it, and ignore that small chance.
Time seemed to fly by. Tavros crossed off the days on his calendar for the next few weeks, until his operation was a mere three days away. He grinned, marking another day off, and excited to be rid of his wheelchair.
That excitement was only reinforced by Vriska when she approached him at his locker that day.
"Hey, toreadork," he heard her voice come from down the hall. Tavros furrowed his brow. Was she going to start calling her that again?
"Uh, hi, Vriska."
"Hey, nice job with the party," Vriska said, punching Tavros lightly in the arm. He winced a bit, rubbing the spot where Vriska had hit him. "'bout time you did something cool."
"Hey, I threw the Halloween party too," Tavros muttered.
"Yeah, but we both know I'm the one who brought the excitement to the party." Tavros didn't say anything for a minute. There was still a certain amount of awkwardness between him and Vriska. She broke the silence with a sigh. "Tavros, this fucking sucks."
"What?"
"What do you mean, what? For starters, this completely horrible halfway state we're in, like that bullshit Sollux and Aradia have been doing for ages."
"Oh yeah. I don't know, this isn't so bad. I think maybe we both overreacted, about our feelings?"
"Overreacting my ass!"
"No, I think I've decided, you're being unreasonable."
"Oh, sure. That's easy for you to say. You have no idea what I deal with."
"You might be right."
"What?"
"I don't know…"
"So… how have you been?"
"I've been okay, don't talk like we never see each other."
"Yeah, I've been okay. Hey, sorry about that, by the way."
"About what?"
"Being so mean-spirited. It wasn't very cool of me."
"Oh, right. I haven't been thinking about it."
"How could you not be thinking about it? Haven't you been pissed off at me about it?"
"No, I mean, I pretended to be confident and was pretty mean too."
"You idiot, that's not what happened at all. I was being a huge bitch!"
"That's… not really how I remember it."
"Ugh, stop being so stupid. That's so stupid!"
"No, you're stupid."
"You are such a pain in the ass. Let's just agree it was my fault and drop it."
"No, but okay…"
It was definitely weird to talk to Vriska with a sense of comradery, but it was refreshing to say the least, but Tavros was oddly glad for it. When Tavros got home, he found a group message waiting for him on Pesterchum.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] started group message: FUCK
apocalypseArisen [AA] is online
twinArmageddons [TA] is online
carcinoGeneticist [CG] is online
arachnidsGrip [AG] is online
cuttlefishCuller [CC] is online
ectoBiologist [EB] is online
turntechGodhead [TG] is online
CG: Hey everyone.
CG: So…
CG: My dad…he
CG: Didn't make it
CC: Karkat, I'm so sorry!
TG: fucking blows dude
CG: Don't be sarcastic, Strider
TG: im not
TG: it may shock you to know that i am in fact
TG: capable of sincerity
TG: give me the benefit of the doubt dude
TG: instead of jumping all over me the minute i open my mouth
TG: all in my business like youre trying to hop on my dick
CG: GROSS, fuck off
TG: nah man the fuck is on
TG: your sympathy fuck i mean
TG: looking for one?
TA: wouldn't put it past him.
TG: haha nice one man
CG: You FUCKERS!
CG: Stop ganging up on me, it's seriously not cool.
CG: I'm having an honest to God crisis
AG: Honestly, Karkat, when aren't you having a crisis?
CG: UUUUGH forget it.
CG: Why did I think I could talk to you assholes?
EB: guys, come on.
EB: karkat just lost someone important to him.
EB: i don't think its the time for dick jokes.
TG: what are you like his boyfriend or something?
EB: dave, no.
EB: i'm not…
EB: i'm straight, dave.
TG: sure
TG: youre about as straight as i am
TG: but sure
CG: Egbert, PLEASE, I DON'T need your fucking help.
CG: Strider, SHUT UP.
AG: Soooooooo...
AG: What exactly was the point of this group chat?
AG: Half of us aren't even online right now.
TA: man i wish i wasn't.
CG: I was trying to get to that
CG: I could honestly use some moral support right now
CG: So you're all invited to the funeral
CG: Not that any of you will actually show up
CG: Now leave me alone.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] has closed group message: FUCK
Tavros glanced over at his calendar. Karkat hadn't actually said when the funeral was, but an invitation did appear in the mail the next day, and as soon as Tavros saw it, he felt guilty. The funeral was the same day as his operation, and the doctors had already told them the procedure couldn't be rescheduled. Tavros didn't really want to address the conflict right away, so he did what he usually did and avoided it, deciding to apologize after the fact. Tavros' avoidance plan was made easier by Karkat's absence at school, which naturally had been excused, and despite the melancholy aura hanging over the group of friends, Tavros was excited.
He woke up early on Saturday morning, got his wheelchair hauled into the family car for what was hopefully the last time, and drove into the city, to the hospital. Tavros sat uneasily on the operation table. All of his hesitation and anxiety was coming out in the very last moment. Dr. Echidna came into the room, her short heels clacking on linoleum tile.
"Tavros, are you ready?" she asked, placing a kind hand on his shoulder. Tavros swallowed hard before he nodded at her. Another doctor- the anesthesiologist, Tavros assumed- came into the room.
"Okay, Tavros, let me just put this breathing mask on you," she muttered, covering Tavros' nose and mouth with a plastic mask. Tavros took one breath in and his mind already felt very heavy. It only took a few moments for him to completely pass out.
It took a lot to rouse Tavros. He blinked himself awake, still groggy, to find Dr. Echidna, the anesthesiologist, a few nurses, his parents, and Rufioh all looking at him, waiting to see if the hard work had paid off.
"Mrr," Tavros grumbled, not truly saying anything coherent. He started realizing he was awake. "Uhhh… wow… d-did it work?" he asked, still struggling to wake up.
"It should have," Dr. Echidna said, "there was a 95% chance of success. Of course, we can't know for sure until we get you off that operating table." Tavros' head was still spinning, but he looked down at his legs and feet, and the metal framing that wrapped around them, like scaffolding. Magnolia reached forward, helping Tavros slide off the table, and Sam and Rufioh took a place at either side of him, supporting him as he stood up. Rufioh chuckled.
"What're you laughing at, Ruf?" Sam asked.
"It just reminded me of the time Latula and I had to walk Mituna home like this after New Years." Magnolia shot Rufioh a look. "I mean no, party? What party? None of my friends have ever drank, never ever ever." Tavros found himself laughing at his brother, even as he pulled away from him. Sam smiled, stepping away from Tavros. Tavros looked down, slowly realizing there was nobody holding him up anymore.
"I… I'm… standing. I'm standing!" Tavros shouted excitedly. His legs were still wobbly, his muscles unaccustomed to being used. Rufioh, Magnolia, and Sam all cheered a little, hugging Tavros. It was more than surreal.
Tavros was told to rest that day, but he also made a point to message Equius and thank him. Something else was pressing on his mind, but Tavros was still a little delusional from the anesthesia and the small amount of painkillers he'd been given, 'just in case'. Karkat! That was right, he meant to message Karkat.
adiosToreador began pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG]
AT: hey karkat
AT: i know you're probably getting a lot of messages
AT: i just wanted to apologize
CG: Don't give me that bullshit, 'sorry for your loss' speech I've been getting from every single person in town who doesn't actually give a shit
CG: My dad knew a LOT of people
CG: But none of them actually give a shit about me or Kankri or Dessie
CG: They just say it to alleviate some of their guilt
AT: no, i mean
AT: yeah, i am sorry for your loss
AT: like genuinely i feel really bad about it
CG: Yeah, could have fooled me
CG: You know, the one time I ask for ANYTHING from my friends, from you guys
CG: It was to show up to my fucking dad's goddamn funeral
AT: well
AT: that's what i meant
AT: i was messaging you to apologize for not showing up
AT: but i was in my operation
CG: Right.
CG: Guess I'm the asshole here now
AT: no you're allowed to be upset
AT: and i would have rescheduled if i could
AT: i know you're not the sentimental type and we're not really close
AT: but i'm here for you if you want to talk
CG: Yeah, well,
CG: Thanks
CG: Sorry I'm being kind of a dick about it.
AT: it's okay
AT: i think i would be acting the same way
CG: Tavros, you couldn't be an asshole if you tried.
CG: Anyway, I have to go.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] has ceased pestering adiosToreador