Karkat does not ignore the flap of wings like some amateur and definitely does not shriek when a voice murmurs right in his ear, "Wow, you have it bad for Dave, dontcha?"
Egbert cackles like some stupid seagull, and Karkat turns a lovely shade of red for reasons completely unrelated to the contents of his sketchbook because Egbert is too polite to snoop, right?
"Shut up!" Karkat says, "Shut up before I—"
"Okay, okay, geez." Egbert folds his wings, so he can hog the shade Karkat has been comfortably occupying. "Gotta say, I'm kind of hurt. You've got prime Skywing specimen here, and you draw that burrito instead?"
"Are you implying Dave is not prime Skywing specimen?"
"Pfft, no, Dave isn't—" How rapidly Egbert's mouth shuts almost makes Karkat smile. Almost. Egbert narrows his eyes and points to his glasses, then Karkat's eyes. "Hey, I see what you did there. Not cool."
"Did what?"
"Don't play dumb, Karkat; it doesn't suit you." Egbert's wings arch. "Seriously, quit it, or I'll—"
"Or you'll what? Thunder punch me? Do the windy thing?"
"Yes." It chills Karkat to the bone to see the usually carefree Egbert so grave. "Don't tell me privacy is an exclusively elven concept."
Karkat closes his sketchbook and turns to face Egbert. "He should be free, Egbert, free from fear, free to be who he is—"
"And he should be free to make that choice himself." Egbert's gaze is the cutting winds of a cold, clear sky. "Leave Dave alone, Karkat. Heaven knows he's been through enough."
Karkat searches Egbert's face, then drops his gaze. "He's lucky to have a friend like you."
Egbert's sharp laughter surprises him. "No." His wings and arms wrap around himself, and he shakes his head. "No, I was stupid—I am stupid—I should've noticed, and I should've helped him, and I..." He curls up to try and hide a shuddery breath.
"Egbert?" Karkat lays a hand on his shoulder.
"I am his oldest friend, Karkat." Egbert should never sound this sad. "And I—I couldn't do anything to help him."