Ship: Nepeta and Equius

Words: 2,175

Warnings: Death and violence and sadstuck

Note: Bluh, it's not the best but hey, it's something. Also IT'S THE 25TH OH YEAH! I'm almost done. Requested by Spy of Influence.

Why does the most fateful and terrifying day of your life always start out so normal?

Every book I've read starts on a regular day, or at least most of them. It's sort of like they want to catch you off guard. It's kinda scary and they never give you any warning, whoever 'they' is. I guess the moral is to always be prepared; always expect the worst, but that's just a horrible outlook on life. So I never wake up in the morning and think 'hey, maybe today I'll die.' I never do anything like that. Sounds like something dumb Karkat would do.

I guess I should have been a bit on edge.

It was Halloween after all.

Karkat, Gamzee, Equius, Tavros, Terezi and I were walking down a street at around 12 o'clock at night. Almost all the little kids were home already while some older 'rebellious' kids TP'd some people's houses at random. I was wearing one of Equius's hoodies which was too big for me and completely covered my hands. It was cold out and the moon was full, lighting up the sky. Gamzee had been acting weird, quiet and distracted. Karkat said something about Gamzee being out of his pills. I didn't know what that meant and thought nothing of it. We were walking to a house that had been declared long ago to be haunted because Vriska had dared me, Terezi and Karkat to spend the night in it. The rest of us were there because we were all friends and if the house was haunted, we'd have strength in numbers. Equius reminded me for the millionth time that it wasn't really haunted. I knew that, of course, but the thought of spending Halloween night in a haunted house was exciting. Karkat and Tavros were a bit scared, Gamzee was impossible to read at the moment and Terezi and I were just excited. As for my boyfriend, I was clueless. Equius hadn't said much all night, even at the party.

"Is this it?" I asked, staring up at the house we had stopped at. It did look the part of haunted house, with walls that looked like they might fall in at any second and gaps in the walls where windows should be. The whole thing was a classic set up for a murder.

"413 Mirth Street," Karkat said wearily, "yeah this is the place."

"It smells horrible," Terezi commented. "Come on, let's get this over with," she said before walking across the dead and brittle grass and up the creaking staircase before pushing the door open. Karkat followed her, cursing.

"This place doesn't look very mirthful," I muttered before walking across the grass. Equius followed not far behind. I cautiously walked up the stairs, boards so old they looked as though one touch would cause them to crumble. I stepped on a board in the wrong place at one point and it caved in beneath my feet. I let out a girlish screech and Equius instantly grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

"Thanks Equius," I said my arm hurting from his grasp. We entered, Gamzee and Tavros behind us.

"Karbro," Gamzee said, one of the first times he'd spoken all night. "I think I should up and get home. Maybe the pills came today."

"No way," Karkat said. "You know they didn't come today. Besides you're fine. You just don't want to stay here over night."

"I'm being honest Karbro I shouldn't stay here."

"Just shut up," Karkat said, walking around. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust and looked like it had been pulled out of the middle of the 20th century. It was even colder inside then out and I pulled Equius's jacket tighter around me.

"I'm tired," I said to no one particular. Cold, hungry and tired. Not a good combination. No one else said anything but I thought I heard Gamzee whisper 'shut up,' under his breath and I hoped he wasn't talking to me. After searching some rooms, and luckily finding no dead bodies, we were out of things to do. Terezi and Karkat found a place and cleared it of dust and began telling horror stories in honor of Halloween. Gamzee asked Tavros to come someplace private so he could talk to him and Tavros agreed, following him up a rickety stair case.

"Tavros is going to be in an awkward situation and Gamzee's going to be heartbroken," Karkat said.

"Why?" I asked, curious about any talk of ships or relationships.

"Gamzee's going to ask out Tavros, duh, and Tavros is going to say no. He has the hugest crush on Vriska anyway. So awkward situation for everyone." He shook his head. "Want to tell some horror stories?" I shook my head and walked down the hall, listening to the wind wail outside.

"Nepeta if you do not wish to stay here you don't need to. Vriska's foolish dare can't keep you here against your will," Equius said, following me as I went into a child's old bedroom with blank walls and a four poster bed.

"It's fine. Just beclaws I'm tired doesn't mean I don't want to stay here," I said, lying down on the bed. It was lumpy and uncomfortable. Equius came and sat next to me.

"Are you certain Nepeta?" he asked, concerned.

"Of course," I said with a smile. I wrapped my arms around him and he hugged me back, making sure not to hurt me. I then leaned into him and we cuddled for a bit without saying anything.

"Mew know Equius," I said with a yawn, "coming here was a bad idea, but I'm not going to back off now."

"I know it was a bit of a foolish idea, but I don't believe anything that bad is going to happen."

I nodded and yawned again. "You know I love you Equius." We had said 'I love you' to each other only a few weeks ago and even saying it now gave me a rush of excitement.

"I love you too Nepeta," he said and I feel asleep in his arms.

And woke up to a scream.

I sat up quickly and turned to Equius, my eyes wide with fear. I silently jumped off the bed and looked around for something to defend myself with in case something was wrong. I heard another scream, loud and closer. Then I heard a honk.

Equius grabbed a baseball bat off the bedroom floor. He walked over to the four poster bed and broke off one of the posts which let out a loud crack as it snapped. He shoved it into my hands and I took it and tried not to look a little bit scared.

"Go into the basement and wait for me. Hurry, I'll be there soon Nepeta." He kissed me quickly on the forehead.

"Equius-" I said but he cut me off.

"I love you. See you soon."

"Ok. I love you." I snuck out of the bedroom, hopefully unnoticed by whatever was causing the screams. I heard another scream and hurried over to the door to the basement. I turned on the light switch and nothing happened. Of course there was no power. I slowly descended the stone stairs in complete darkness.

It was silent down there. I could hear footsteps above my head and I held the broken bed post in my hand, wishing I knew what was going on. Then I saw some sort of light and realized it was an air vent. I tried my best to rip the vent off and succeeded. I realized it was actually a good hiding place. I climbed up the dusty air vent until I heard voices up ahead.

"Look Equius, you've got to leave. Make a run for it." It was Karkat's voice, scratchy and barely above a whisper.

"I refuse to run. I must protect Nepeta." That voice was Equius's.

"Look, I'll see what I can do with Gamzee. I am his best friend. There has to be something I can do," I could hear the desperation in his voice.

Honk

"Did you hear that?" Karkat was scared. He was really scared.

"Yes I did," Equius replied. "You have to leave now. I command you to."

HONK

"Equius shut up for a second."

"Best friend," Gamzee's voice seemed far, but significantly closer than anyone wanted. "WHERE ARE YOU?" Then it felt like he was closer, much closer. Like we had no chance to outrun him or escape because he was already here.

"Oh crap," Karkat muttered. I couldn't see any of them, just hear their voices. "Equius, run. I'll try to stop him."

"Karkat you are not capable of stopping him. Also I cannot leave Nepeta alone. You know that."

"This is no time to be honorable. This is a time to stay alive," Karkat said, yelling at a whisper.

"This had nothing to do with being brave. This has to do with saving Nepeta."

"Ok. I'll distract Gamzee while you ca-"

"Run Vantas. Just run. I will deal with Gamzee. Like you said this is past the point of being honorable and brave. Run. I'll get out alive." There was silence.

"Ok fine. Go save your kitty girlfriend." Then I couldn't hear anything. Just silence and darkness. Then another scream. I could stay put any longer. I tried for a few minutes until I kicked the vent out.

I saw no one and nothing. I was in the middle of one of the hallways. Then I heard a voice. Just a repetitive honk, over and over again, never getting louder, but when I closed my eyes it surrounded me. I didn't know where it was coming from yet I silently moved with no destination in mind. I ended up hidden behind a corner, looking at the kitchen where Gamzee and Equius were. Equius's back was up against the wall and the base ball bat lay cleaved in half on the ground. I wish I knew what had happened. Equius's leg was covered in blood, as was Gamzee, but I didn't know whose blood was whose. Then I noticed while Equius was unarmed, Gamzee had a knife. Only then did it click in I should be worried more then I already was. This was real life and I really could die tonight. Equius could die tonight.

Gamzee was walking closer to Equius slowly, whispering 'honk' with each step. Equius hadn't noticed me yet and my eyes had locked on a knife on the kitchen counter. I quietly moved over, grabbed it and stared at Gamzee.

It's all in self defense.

Don't think of him as your friend.

He's not your friend anymore.

Then I ran at him and literally stabbed him in the shoulder. He didn't scream, he didn't make a noise. I pulled out my knife and he turned to me and smiled.

"Hey Kitty," he said softly, smiling, "do you want to come play with us?"

He took a step forward then grabbed my shoulders and slammed me into the ground. I let out a moan and felt my whole body shake with pain. He took the knife and pressed it up against my throat.

"This is my favorite game Nepeta. This is when I get my revenge." I closed my eyes and tried to fight yet he didn't even notice. I couldn't help but think this was going to be how I die.

My last words were going to be, 'I love you'.

Then, suddenly, no one was on top of me. I couldn't feel the cold blade of the knife up against my throat. I wasn't dead. I was alive. Equius shoved Gamzee into a wall with all his strength. He wasn't smiling but Gamzee was grinning like this was the best thing to ever happen. Equius threw him down so he hit the ground and in a split moment I grabbed my knife and stabbed him in the chest. I couldn't help but feel like I had just killed a boss in a video game, but this was no game. This was real life. I looked as the life drained from his eyes and he kept smiling. Gamzee Makara was dead. My friend was dead.

I was crying. And bleeding some from my throat. Equius walked over and hugged me, blood getting all over me. This was real life. This all just happened.

"It's ok Nepeta," He whispered. "It was self defense. It's ok. I love you."

I hugged Equius to forget the pain and the blood that now stained my clothes and the new memories that stained my past. He was just like before, just like he had always been. I had to forget what had just happened for a moment.

Hugging Equius made me feel ok. I loved him and he would do nothing to hurt me.

I loved Equius Zahhak and he loved me.

And no matter what, I knew that would never change.