"Oh, hey, Karkat." The green glimmer of Jade's crystalline skin comes into view. "What are you still doing up? I thought you took early watch."

"I did." Karkat slumps into his turtleneck, then looks back up at her. "Can't sleep."

Jade nods, then gestures to the spot beside him. "Mind if I sit?"

He scoots over by way of answer, and she smooths her skirts and drops down.

Jade watches the forest for movement, Karkat the stars, when he says, "Dave's an elf, isn't he?"

Jade considers him through the lens of her glasses. "What did he tell you?"

"Nothing." When Jade stays silent, Karkat says, "He's very careful, but he's too damn graceful."

"He is," Jade agrees. "He could try harder, but I don't think he wants to pass as human."

Karkat nods. "He's not an Earthblood elf."

She claps a hand over her mouth. Her laughter reminds him of the resonance of crystals. "Oh, heavens, no. Dave? An Earthblood? Have you seen him?" The reflections of her fluorescent crystals dance in her eyes. "He's too impetuous for that."

Karkat gives a halfhearted shrug to hide his embarrassment. "You're childhood friends."

She sobers. "We are." Her hair swishes over her shoulder as she looks over to where Dave sleeps, bundled up. "He's hidden himself since before we met."

"What?" Karkat remembers himself and casts about. Luckily, they're far away enough from camp to not wake anyone. "What?" he says, quieter this time, "So you don't know what he is, either?"

Jade frowns. "Who, Karkat." She shakes her head. "But no, he hasn't revealed himself to me." She looks back again and sighs. "I have a good idea of his Primal Source, but..." She chews her lip. "Karkat." She wraps his hands in hers. "I'm telling you this because I think if you understand, you won't pry." She looks down at their hands and runs a thumb across Karkat's knuckles. "I love exploring. Always have, ever since I was a kid. Once, I got unlucky and ran into some unscrupulous humans."

"I'm sorry," Karkat murmurs, but Jade shushes him.

"I fought as hard as I could, but they overpowered and outnumbered me and knocked me out. When I came to, the humans were gone, and Dave was there. He was scared, not for me..." She puts a hand to her chest. "Of himself. Of rejection from me." She then taps her nose. "I had a good idea after that."

"Scared of himself? And scared you'll reject him?" When Jade nods, Karkat asks, "But why?"

Jade shakes her head. "Don't pry, Karkat. I have a feeling it's bound up in his childhood." She looks up. "Something painful from his childhood."