That dream had Karkat in quite the stir the rest of the day if he was being honest. Fuck he didn't want to think about it. But it was hard to of those trolls in the stands all covered in a bright hot red. He could see it edged into his eyelids. So he kept himself busy, trying to think of recovery time for Gamzee and just how long they would be trapped in the damn hotel Sollux managed to get for them. Not that he wasn't grateful, but the idea of being surrounded by hues of blue and even purple really put Karkat on edge. Though he tried his best not to show it. The situation was under control… he at least pretended that was the case.
By the time the middle of the night rolled around Gamzee was up. Pretended as though he hadn't taken at least twelve arrows to the back. He was just as talkative and happy as he had been before all this happened. As Karkat rounded the corner from th ablution block, not only was Gamzee up, but he was sitting pretty next to Sollux with a controller from the fucking game system the troll seemed to carry on his person without fail. Of course this was going to rub Karkat the wrong way.
"Gamzee." Karkat said his name sternly from the entrance to the room. His arms crossed over his chest as he leaned his side against the door frame leading into the ablution block. He watched this massive troll not only grow tense but his ears drop and his shoulders raise as if to hide himself. This troll who had culled a small army of other highbloods acted like a wriggler being scolded by his lusus so easily.
"… yeah Karbro?" He spoke sheepishly with a smile to match. Those purple eyes looking over his shoulder at the troll. To which only gave a stern narrowing stare back with rust colored eyes. There was a flick of the Makara's ears as he promptly turned his head away. As if trying to sink into the cushion slab next to Sollux. Who was in teen trying his absolute best not to laugh.
"Oh thhit you did it now, GZ." was all Sollux muttered at his side. Which earned him a huffy look from the clown. But nothing more. Though as much as Karkat wouldn't admit, after seeing what Gamzee can do… it worried him. Scared the hell out of him even. They have all been playing with fire and not knowing it. Gamzee didn't even seem to remember what he had done. Simply thinking that they both had fought against those highbloods. Even praising Karkat for how much ass he presumably kicked. He didn't correct Gamzee either, he wasn't ready to talk about it. For now he acted like everything was normal.
"You should be resting right? The fuck do you think you are doing?" Karkat groaned his words as he licked off the door frame and made his way closer to the back of the slab. Practically leaning over it. He still wasn't taller than Gamzee with him sitting down like that. The troll gave a little huff once more. Like an upset grub would to an annoyed lusus as his arms crossed over his own chest. Pouting as he leaned back even closer to Karkat. Controller still in his large clawed hands.
"Yeah but come on I can't rest and have a little bit of mothetfucking fun?" Gamzee's ears finally peeled up. The pointed things looked almost hopeful in their gesture. His big purple eyes glanced back at him with a clownish grin. How could something so cute be so destructive? Karkat thought as he shook his head.
"You need to be laying down Makara. I swear to god if you reopen a single wound of yours I am not patching that shit up!" Karkat hissed but gave a slight tsk before taking a slightly softer tone with him. "Besides I need to go out for supplies and-"
"I'll go with you!" Gamzee said quickly before Karkat could even finish.
"Like hell you are. You are staying here and sleeping and Sollux-" He pointed to the yellow blood, practically jabbing his finger into said troll's shoulder "Is going to be here to keep you out of trouble."
"What!?"
"Yeah kk what the hell?! I am not a fucking clown thitter!" Sollux finally protested.
"I already made up my mind. Besides if you have to you are the only one who can pick him up and move if shit hits the fan. So I am counting on you to just hold down the fort until I get back. Fuck it isn't even like the store is more than a block away. I'll be gone for half an hour max." Karkat spoke as he rolled his eyes. He knew he would have to be quick about it for his own sake. Let alone trying to make sure these two morons don't break anything or Gamzee doesn't make his wounds worse than they already are.
With little protest back Karkat grabbed his cloak and hurried out the door. He did raise the hood over his face more so because even rust bloods weren't exactly allowed in these parts. Regardless of any sort of pass or the like. The only way a lowblood would be seen roaming in these parts were if they were either stupid or accompanied by a high mid or highblood. Hell even though Sollux was closer to mid he still wouldn't be allowed out freely. Most likely he would be mistaken for the yellow blooded "workers'' that built hives and shops for lazy highbloods. A workforce where their payment was simply allowing them to live. Exploiting trolls already being kicked into the dirt. Karkat hated the thought.
Karkat's fingers gripped tightly at his own cloak as he pulled it tighter over himself, most of the trolls around were much taller than himself, hell larger than Sollux as well there were few younger ones that were allowed out by their lusi. Though from his experience Highblood lusi are less there for protection after a point and more as a means to be taken care of by the troll they chose to raise. Karkat tried not to think too much of the trolls passing him and the feeling of lingering eyes. As long as he walked with purpose he would be fine.
Hell he could even see the store from mere feet down the way from the hotel they had been huddled into. He was fine. Karkat tried to keep his head low and his eyes downcast. Which was working… for about five minutes. Suddenly he felt himself jostle as a large brick wall of a shoulder checked his own, almost knocking him off his feet. His brow frowned, but he held his tongue. His eyes darted up towards- oh. Oh no. It was another clown, a girl troll with curly horns similar in o Gamzee's only to point back instead of up. There was a smaller troll next to her, looking to be another younger purple blood. Of course now both sets of deep purple were narrowed on his cloaked form. Just Karkat's fucking luck. He staggered himself and tried his best to lower his head and keep pressing on. Though he could hear these troll's footsteps falter. They weren't walking on.
Karkat damn sure wasn't looking back as he pressed on. Maybe he could make it inside and lose them in the store. He was only about two yards out, if he walked quick enough they wouldn't even have time to- then he felt it. There was a large hand on his shoulder, the larger of the two trolls spoke up, her voice full of amusement and venom.
"Are ya lost or something?" She spoke curiously, having to lean down. The other troll couldn't hold back his snicker as a rough hand yanked back Karkat's cloak so hard he choked. This wasn't good. Those rust colored orbs glanced up at them for just a moment before he snapped the little button that kept the cloak around his neck and darted off, going to round the corner and hopefully losing them. He could hear curses from them both.
Karkat honestly wasn't sure what he had expected. After seeing how fast Gamzee could be he wasn't sure how he hoped to get away. Before he knew it his body was shoved roughly against the brick wall. This time there would be no one to stop by. No one to protect him. He couldn't be this fucking weak. Could he? He didn't think twice as his claws bit right into the troll's wrist, he could hear her growl and it only gained him a more painful press against the cold stone of the shop he was headed to. But he didn't stop. Clawing and kicking his feet, purple blood running down from grey skin and into the beds of his fingernails.
"Let me fucking go!" He demanded, though he was in no place to do such a thing. The hand that pressed his chest into the wall threatened to crush his rib cage, he could feel it. Hell he could already imagine the way the bone would splinter and dig into his organs.
"We were just asking a lil motherfucker a question, you didn't have to run like that" The purple blood spoke with a cruel grin on her features "you just don't seem to be from around these parts is all, need some directions?" She practically cooed as she leaned down more. She had sharpened teeth that stuck out from her bottom lip, a bit of an underbite, her face paint depicted a grin with the eyes slanted down and out to the edge of her face, her hair was wild but combed out to one side haphazardly. Though as their eyes met and as Karkat glared and spat insults she seemed to hesitate.
Her hand went off his chest but the touch didn't stop as clawed fingers grabbed his jaw and tilted his head up. She seemed to almost beam for a moment. Grinning ear to ear as she turned to the troll behind her, the other purple looked just as confused as Karkat was. The mutant desperately tried to move his face from her grip.
"Oh shit! You know who this is? It's Gamzee's lil matesprit" The troll exclaimed before full on wrapping her massive arm around Karkat's shoulder and pulling him into her side. Not only was he stunned for that moment, lost for words even, he was confused. "Why didn't you all up and motherfucking say something! We have so much to go catch up on, you know we have been bugging Makara about when he was going to come by and bring the lil troll he gots the hots for by? Especially since he already got you all inducted and shit. He passed a lot of the initiation stuff but we can do that now that you are here anyway. It has been so long since we had a new member-" Karkat finally found his voice
"E-Excuse me what!?"