This chapter's a little shorter, and I'm sorry but I'm lazy and tired so I didn't proofread this one. Oh well… here it goes

And so he was gone. And he didn't come back. He didn't call. He didn't text. I didn't hear a word from him. Two weeks passed. I wasn't even sure how. I had been completely oblivious to the fact that the days were passing. I regretted ever lying to Karkat. The fact that I had never hit me until the next day when I was alone in a dark apartment, wishing that he was in my arms. I wished I could go back and tell him the truth even if it would cause his parents distress. I just wanted him back. Except this only further pressed my point that I wanted him to stay in the first place for my sake. I had tried to keep him here just so I wouldn't break down like this. I wouldn't be sitting here in self-pity and self-loathing if only he would have stayed. My god, why did he have to leave. It made me spend every day wanting him back. And this time I knew there was no reason for him not be here. If he knew the truth he wouldn't be mad. He wouldn't have left. But I just had to go and lie. I had to think of his sake and sweep the floor with my built up reputation just to make be in a safer place. Damn my rational mind. Still, I lived life as it was. I was living it normally, or as normal as I could make it. Even on that one day. I went to school, went to work and came home.

I returned to the lonely darkness, shutting the door with a sigh. Another night of silence and utter boredom. I had fallen into the routine of coming home, eating whatever junk I could find in the cabinet, and watching t.v. until I passed out. A night like any other. Casting my keys to the dark corner of the counter, I glanced across the room only to be caught by the flickering blue lightly on the phone base. I set my bag down, kicking it to its side with my foot before walking over. I pressed the button labeled one. A harshly computerized voice droned back at me 'One new massage. 2:30 P.M. March 20. New message.' It was left seven hours ago. Wonderful. A beep followed by the low, melancholy tone that Mr. Vantas always held. He coughed before beginning.

"Sollux. You must be at school or work or priorly engaged right now. Well, it's Mr. Vantas. I'm not quite sure how to say this, but- well for the most part you were right."

I blinked, completely surprised, but I tuned back in as the message continued.

"-I know now what you were talking about. Frankly, even if you did anger Karkat, he made it pretty obvious you did, something isn't the same. I know lying to him must have been painfully hard. I still thank you for doing it, but over these past weeks- well, it's been hard on him. It seems all he does is mope around. He'll pick up his phone but then just sigh and toss it away from him. He thinks we don't notice, and whenever we ask him what's wrong he just puts on a fake smile and says it's nothing. Now I know, I may be looking into this too much, but you know, he's my son. I need to look out for him. So, I think you were right. I don't know if this was for the best anymore. Even if we can make sure he's aright all the time, he doesn't seem to be happy. At least not as happy as he was when he was around you. You don't think I saw the way he lit up and was able to smile genuinely and laugh when he was with you? I'd be a bad father if I couldn't. He just sits with that same sweat shirt on, glaring at the wall. I just think something wasn't right about what we did. We shouldn't have taken him away. He's not getting any better. I hate to say it, but I think his cough is actually getting worse the longer he's here. I feel the need to tell him everything. What you did; how it was all a lie. Would you be angry if I did that? You want him to come home too, right?" A long, drawn out sigh. "Well either way, I must go. Hopefully we'll talk soon. Goodbye Sollux."

With the beep of the machine, I blinked again. I was completely unsure how to react to what he had just said to me. My first though was holy shit followed by renditions of surprise, shock, and a very small nervousness. Did he really tell Karkat it was all a lie? Would that anger him even more? What would he say to me? If anything…

I picked up the phone to call Mr. Vantas back, but my thumb dialed a different number. When I looked at the phone and Karkat's name was being circle by the little waiting symbol, I almost snapped my phone shut and ended it. However, before I could, the small phone icon in the corner of the screen turning green. I put the phone up to my ear a little hesitant and croaked out a, "Hello?"

"Sollux." His voice came steady and placid, but I could still hear a faint bit of emotion. It wasn't sadness or anger, it was something I was having a hard time identifying.

"Hey Karkat. I have something I need to tell you." My words began to rush, so I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "That night. Nothing happened between me and Dave. He just-"

"My dad told me." He cut through me, rendering me speechless for a moment. In that lapse of silence he continued. "He explained that he had walked in to find you and Dave there, but that you said he was there because of his roommate. I guessed you meant John, which lined up with what you told me, so I had no reason to suspect you were lying about that. And-" He paused, a cough ripped through the phone. It sounded so painful, so awful. I cringed at the sound of it. He took a pass to recover from it before clearing his throat and continuing. "And he told me you lied for my sake. To get me to come home so mom wouldn't worry and so I could be safer… Is that the truth?"

I nodded even if he couldn't see it. "Yeah… That's all true. I'm sorry that I lied, but you needed to be at home. Your father's right. I can't make sure you're alright even half of the day and if something was to happen… I…" I gripped my phone harder, grabbing my wrist with the other hand. "I just don't know what I would do. I couldn't live with myself knowing you could be hurt and all by yourself."

"It'll be okay Sollux."

"No. If anything bad were to happen. If your health gets worse-"

"Sollux."

"When you become sicker-"

"Sollux."

"Oh god, if you needed me, but I wasn't here-"

"Sollux!" He snapped. His tone wasn't irritated, just loud enough to shut me up. He immediately quieted and became softer. "Sollux, stop talking. Stop thinking for just one minute. I need you to do something for me."

I paused, biting my lip. "Anything."

"Open the door."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

A click and then the dial tone pierced my ear. I pulled the phone from my ear staring at it for a moment before seeing the message 'call ended' flashing in front of my eyes. My face only scrunched more with the growing misunderstanding. I went to punch his number in again, but a thud hit my door. I turned around, eyeing the wooden frame only to be struck by a voice.

"I told you. Open the god damn door Sollux!"

I stumbled forward, not believing my ears. They had to be playing tricks on me. With an outstretched hand, I grasped the knob and pulled the door open. In the dim light of the hall that flooded into my dark apartment, Karkat stood in that clearly oversized sweat shirt and dark circles encompassing his ever wide eyes. His arms were crossed in a post huffing shout, but his eyes rose to meet mine when I opened the door. That's when nothing else matter. I stepped forward, directly wrapping my arms around his shoulders and tugging him into my chest. He dropped his bag, nuzzling himself into my chest.

"How did you get here?" I asked, even though my face was buried in his untamable hair.

He shifted just enough to turn his head to the side and bring his arms around my waist. "After my dad called you, he told me everything. My mom already had my things packed up." He let out a small laugh that was only a little uncomfortable. "I thought I was being pretty discrete, but apparently they saw right through me." His hands gripped my shirt and pulled on it tightly. "I was mad, but you don't know how much I just wanted to be here."

I shook my head. "No I do. I know because I wanted you to come back just the same. But I knew you'd come back if I told you the truth, so I didn't. I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be sorry; I should. I over reacted."

"I would have done the same thing. I knew you would want to leave if you thought I did stuff with Dave again. Your dad needed me to do it too. And your mom. I bet she was happy to have you home."

He nodded against my chest causing my head to move on top of his. "She was at first, but I guess she quickly realized how much I wanted to be here… How much I wanted to be home."

"You're home now." I whispered, a smile tugging at my lips.

He pulled back to gaze up at me with an unmistakable smile. "I'm glad."

I couldn't help but pause to gaze down at him and take in his splendor. Even though he looked exhausted and all together a mess, he was never more adorable. It was the little things that I loved about him. The little things that I had missed these past weeks. Waking up to find him in my arms snuggled against my chest. Coming home and having the pleasure of giving him a kiss on the cheek and getting one in return. But now, every ounce of regret I had felt was requited. And I wouldn't stop myself from taking his face in my hands and slowly pulling him to his toes and leaning down to gently press our lips together. His arms released my back to move around and curl against my chest. It was some time before he finally pulled away. Looking to the side, he coughed a little before gazing back with that same smile.

"Can we go to bed?" He asked in an easy tone. "I haven't slept well in days."

My smile softened and I nodded. "Of course."

Taking him by the hand, he picked up his bag and I pulled him back into the apartment, shutting the door behind us. We moved through the darkness and into the bedroom. Once there, I dropped his hand long enough to unbutton my jeans and slide them off. He did the same with his before tossing them to the floor. I tried to stifle the small chuckle that came from seeing the sweat shirt fall just to his knees. He looked back at me with a raised brow.

"What?"

"You're so little and cute." I replied with a light smirk followed by another chuckle.

His cheeks immediately flushed red as he fumbled through some words. "Sh- shut up." He finally managed to bumble out before twiddling with the sleeve that passed his hands and covered them completely.

I merely complied and walked forward, plopping myself on my bed. He glanced down at me for a moment in almost disbelief that I submitted so easily. But still, he just shrugged lightly and crawled over me. Slipping in beside me, I pulled the covers up to my chest. Almost as soon as I had settled in, I turned on my side only to be met with a puff of hair and warmth breath against my neck. He snuggled up next to me as my arm fell over his waist. I let out a content sigh before letting my exhaustion wash over me and carry me off into sleep with him resting peacefully in my arms and in my heart.