I want to apologize for the length of time between chapters, I don't even know if anyone is still reading it, but I've had a busy year plus. I will finish this story because I love writing it and I want to thank Thisisntaname for getting this story back in my life. I will write it though I do not promise a set schedule, only that it will be finished. With work, D&D, Warmachine (amazing wargame XD), and my friends and fiancéwriting has been pushed to the back. I hope this chapter is good and I hope I haven't lost too many readers.
Karkat woke up sore and a bit more tired than when he fell asleep. He began rubbing his eyes groggily as he walk towards the large window that had a door leading to the balcony. The air was crisp and bit at his skin, he began to regret sleeping without a shirt. The woods surrounding the cabin were serene and for a moment he forgot about the night before. As his thoughts drifted he felt a light touch on his shoulder then another one and another, he opened his eyes to find that snow was beginning to fall, adding to the already three inches on the ground. He quickly went back inside "Great," he said as he threw a shirt on grabbing the silver band on his nightstand and placing it on a chain around his neck, "as if the roads weren't bad enough."
He made his way down pulling at the fabric of his black tee to make it more comfortable before sitting down and turning on the news. There wasn't much happening of note so he pulled out his laptop and began emailing coworkers the details he'd been asked to sort out. As time passed he managed to finish his work with minimal argument through email and Skype so he turned his full attention to the news. "…and that's how the cookie crumbles. In other news the snowstorm is coming in, right Tom?." the scene cut to the weather station where a man stood holding his notes. "That's right, in what is to be called the largest freak storm in the area we are expecting at least ten inches before lunch." as Karkat heard this he looked at the time, 8:23 am, the weatherman continued, "I hope no one had plans, if you live outside the city you're not gonna have road access until this time tomorrow, barring any changes of course."
As the weather continued Karkat got up and began to pace the living room, as he mumbled and complained to himself he heard a faint yawn at the top of the steps which grabbed his attention. Nepeta had just woken up, he could tell, but more than that she had no idea about the snow.
Nepeta walked down the steps and groggily looked at Karkat, as it clicked she straightened herself and fixed her hair before saying, "Good morning, do you have any plans for the day?" the way she asked Karkat almost heard a purr but he answered, "If I was supposed to there aren't now." Nepeta was confused until she looked at the tv where they were still commenting on the snow and her face lit up, "It's snowing!? Oh that's purrfect, I can't wait to see the world in white and grays." she ran over to the window and began inspecting the outside world. She started to judge it like an artist would, holding her fingers like a frame. "I think that would be the best title efur too. If only I had a higher vantage point fur it." Karkat was in the kitchen looking at her over a fresh cup of coffee, curious about her accent slips, when she snapped out of it. "Sorry I guess I got carried away." she walked over and grabbed a cup of her own.
"What was all that? And a title?" Karkat asked grabbing a bowl and the cereal from the pantry.
Nepeta blushed she doesn't let anyone see her like that, "I'm a 'starving artist' I guess you'd say." she grabbed a bowl from Karkat who was nice enough to grab it before he walked to the table.
"Why the starving part?" Karkat asked through a mouthful of Cheerios.
"Well that would be because I don't have much money. My pieces don't sell that often and when they do its not usually fur much." Nepeta finished trying to keep her accent down while making her a bowl of cereal and joined Karkat at the table. "But I will still be able to pay you back for the cab."
Karkat looked confused for a second before remembering their agreement waving it off and saying, "Don't worry about it." To Nepeta's shocked look he said, "Consider it a Christmas gift."
"Thanks but you don't have to."
"I know but it's nothing really. I had the cash and you needed the lift, besides that dinner last night was more than enough." Karkat said remembering the meal and making his mouth water in the process before looking down at his bland generic Cheerios. As they spoke the news anchor said "In other news, Senator Grant Hyghblud is taking his campaign serious as the competition heats up."
Karkat got up and rushed to the remote before Nepeta could say anything. "Wait," Nepeta stopped him with a word from turning off the television, "isn't he our senator in New York? Why is he on the local news here, I mean Washington's great and all but...?"
Karkat sighed and resigned to answer, "He's from here."
"Really? I had no idea, you know its hard to tell what his policies really are some days."
Karkat scoffed and said, "Yeah you should've seen him at the PTA meetings."
At the comment Nepeta looked confused and curious at the same time, "Wait, he was part of your PTA but that means he has a kid in your age group right?"
Karkat looked shocked at Nepeta and asked, "Do you not know?" to her silent stare he said bluntly, "He's Kurloz's and Gamzee's dad."
Nepeta nearly fell off the chair she'd been sitting in at the dinning table, her sister was marrying the son of the most unreadable politician in the campaign. It didn't help that everyone she talks to at the diner near her studio apartment called his cabinet the "Dark Carnival".
"Are you okay?" Nepeta looked up at Karkat who seemed like he was worried, why did his eyes find the right parts of her soul to grab on to.
"I'm fine, just a little startled is all. My sister is marrying into the potential first family and she didn't even tell me." Nepeta stood up and put the dishes in the sink as Karkat looked her over. She smirked feeling a little proud to garner his attention, "Take a picture it'll-" just then there was a flash and Karkat laughed at his phone screen. "What are you laughing at?" Nepeta huffed.
"Sorry I didn't peg you for a fan." Karkat said pointing at the band tank she was wearing.
"And what's wrong with The Bleeding Hearts?" Nepeta asked a tinge of protective tone in her voice.
Karkat chuckled and said, "Nothing, I'm sure Cronas would love a picture of a pretty girl in one of their shirts." Then Karkat clammed up, blushing red, and Nepeta could guess why.
"You know them don't you? No use keeping quiet I can tell by how you're acting."
"Yeah…that's it…uh yeah I know them all, they also-"
Nepeta rolled her eyes, "Let me guess they were your furiends?"
Karkat looked away and became distant, "No actually, Rufio and Arania are siblings, Arania is the older, and they used to tease me about the way I was in middle school. Meenah would tease me about any girl I liked and scared almost all of them away while Damara would spread rumors about me to take care of the rest. Cronas was the one I hated least and that's only because he wouldn't even give me the time of day." He let out a lighthearted chuckle and said, "I always was sure they'd make it because Damara wouldn't let them give up."
Nepeta looked at Karkat and for the first time she felt like the band she loved was actually made of human beings that make mistakes and it was weird. "I didn't know they were like that."
"That's the point, they need to seem perfect." Karkat looked at Nepeta and she almost missed his smile, which shocked her. "You still want to get that painting?" His question was out of the blue but she nodded. "Come with me." He grabbed her hand and lead her up to his room.
Why is he bringing me in here? As the door opened she saw the balcony and Karkat looked at her with a warm smile, "This balcony will let you see the whole valley. I imagine you'd be able to find a good vantage point to put in your collection."
Nepeta was looking at the valley and saw that as the snow fell it added a sense of beauty she couldn't see in the cabin, "Are you sure? This is your room and I might have to leave the painting in here until I finish." as she turned to see Karkat's response he just walked out and said, "It's fine but don't get sick."
Nepeta grabbed a canvas and easel from her bags,a good artist never leaves without one, she heard her old professor recite in her head. As she set up on the balcony she noticed that an awning was pulled out over it for her to take shelter under. She smiled as she saw Karkat walk out to the tool shed in the snow.
Karkat cursed as he walked out in the snow with an ax and a sled. He knew where he could go to get the best wood for the fire, if it was going to be as bad as the weather said he'd need firewood to keep the house warm when the power went out. Karkat walked cautiously and was careful not to damage any game trails he came across, after about half an hour he was cutting down trees and after another hour he was heading back with plenty of wood and an idea for their dinner should it come down to it.
Upon returning he smelled the warm scent of hot chocolate which was a much needed change to the mounds of snow and cold around him. He opened the door and brought in the wood filling the lumber box and piling the rest up next to it. He grabbed a mug and started to sip on it and then heard the sounds of Christmas carols coming from his room which naturally prompted him to follow. As he opened the door he found Nepeta dancing with paint on her smock and a canvas of multi-shaded white.
"Hey, you should knock befur entering an artist's work space." came the purring voice of the olive eyed "artist". Karkat hadn't noticed he was staring until more than a few moments passed and he finally turned his attention to the canvas. "So this is it?" as he inspected it he noticed the greens of the evergreen trees and the grays of the rocky outcroppings. As he scanned it he noticed something in the bottom left corner. There, heading into the forest was a man in a black coat and candy red scarf pulling an empty wagon with an ax on his shoulder.
Nepeta was blushing and sipped her hot chocolate when Karkat looked at her, "I hope you don't mind, I always try to bring life into my art and you with the lumber wagon was a good chance."
Karkat was impressed, he saw every detail of the scene she examined and she even got his cowlick which he hated more than anything, except through Terezi's eyes, and maybe hers. "This is amazing."
"You're just saying that." Nepeta said dismissively with a blush.
"No I mean it." Karkat reinforced as he set his mug down to pick up the canvas, careful not to touch the paint. "You should be filling galleries with these."
"I wish art collectors saw that." Nepeta remarked looking into her mug at the chocolate reflection there.
"What's the name?" Karkat asked.
Nepeta was surprised but said, "I said it earlier didn't I, A World in White and Grays."
Karkat felt himself smile before saying, "That is a perfect title."
Karkat watched as Nepeta slipped her finished painting into a case and set it aside in the living room. The sun had already started to set and the day had been full of both their phones ringing for calls and texts making sure they were ok. Karkat had to assure Sollux he didn't need to come out to the cabin because one there was no use the roads were closed and two it was only until tomorrow.
Right now there was a movie playing on the tv, one Nepeta found in the entertainment center, but Karkat found himself looking at Nepeta the whole time. The fire danced on her face and he couldn't help the butterflies that started in his stomach. As the movie started to pick up the power cut off.
"Oh no, what happened?" Nepeta asked now wreathed in just the light of the fire.
Karkat stood up and made for the kitchen where he found a flashlight. "Give me a few seconds, I'm gonna check the breaker." as he said it he was throwing on his jacket and he rushed out the door to the breaker box just out back. He opened the door and saw that all the breakers were in their right position and started to look at the power lines. As he followed them a ways into the woods towards the road he saw a downed line and cursed at the weather.
Karkat made his way toward the cabin and called the power company, as he walked in he heard a voice on the other line. "This is Far Reach Power how can I help you?"
"Really, yeah well it's not reaching far enough." Karkat said as he raised a single finger to Nepeta who made to ask what was wrong.
"I'm sorry. What seems to be the matter?" came the female voice.
Karkat rolled his eyes and said, "There's a downed power line just out here and we need power."
"I understand let's figure out what can be done." As the woman and Karkat exchanged words Nepeta found candles and lit them to give light, but the inevitable conclusion was that a worker would be out there in the morning when the snow had melted enough for a street cleaner to pass through.
When he got off the phone he had a bigger problem, there were only two rooms that had a fireplace; the living room and his room. "The power will be out until tomorrow morning and that means we need to figure out the sleeping arrangements." Karkat said as Nepeta sat up to listen. "I think you should sleep in my room and I'll sleep here so you can get a good night's sleep and have your privacy."
Nepeta looked confused and said, "I can sleep in my room. I don't see a problem."
Karkat sighed and said, "No, if you sleep in your room you'll freeze. These walls don't keep the wind out without power, trust me."
"Then I'll sleep in here, there's no reason to pull you out of your room."
"Nepeta it's better if you take the warmer room. I used to sleep in here as a kid so I'm used to it." Karkat countered.
Nepeta rolled her eyes sensing he'd keep insisting and said, "Fine, I'll take your room. I think you just want me in your bed though." The sly smile she wore was quickly replaced with both of them blushing and not making eye contact neither wanting to talk first. Nepeta finally spoke asking, "So…whats for dinner?"
Karkat stood up and said, "It's usually a tradition for everyone to roast hotdogs and marshmallows it the fireplace when the power goes out; Sollux, Gamzee, Eridan, and I use to wish for it some days." He made his way to the kitchen and pulled out a pack of hotdogs, some buns, a six pack of beer, and a bottle opener into the living room and set in on to the table before leaving to find hotdog skewers.
As he walked back into the living room he saw Nepeta already drinking a beer and piling logs onto the wood rack in the fireplace. "I thought I would help as much as I could."
"What do you mean?" Karkat asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I can't start a fire but I can get the fireplace started for you."
"You never learned how to make a fire? Wait did you ever camp or anything?" Karkat asked shocked.
Nepeta shrank away and said, "We never stayed in one place long enough to really find a camping spot." Upon Karkat's shocked expression she continued, "My dad was in the army, we moved everywhere. It's how he met my mom. He was stationed in France to help with their military, some kind of joint war exercise, and he found an English professor from a university and they fell in love. He was about to be shipped off again when he decided to propose." Nepeta smiled and Karkat wished he new what she was thinking. "From then on they were together, they say most military men are hard father's and stern husbands but if it's true he didn't show it. He became a Major General and then was sent off in this stupid war in a country we shouldn't be in." Karkat noticed her eyes get dark with anger a grief, he reached out to comfort her but she continued, "He shipped off and told us to stay strong. He said he'd be back before we knew it. That was in 2003, I was fifteen, two months past and dad missed two Skype calls and then on a Saturday mom, our brothers, Meulin, and I were getting ready for a day out, mom had been talking about it with dad the last two calls we all had and dad wanted to see the pictures we'd take. Just as we started to head out two soldiers knocked on our door, the said their condolences and offer there help to us but it hurt the family."
Karkat saw her start to cry and instinctively put an arm around her to keep her safe. He felt her rest into him and said, "You don't have to say anything else. I'm sorry that happened."
She sniffled and said, "It's not your fault, he was in a Humvee that hit an IED and he made sure his men made it out, the two soldiers that came to us were the driver and the gunner. He was a hero even at the end."
Karkat lightly squeezed her arm and said, "Then how about I teach you how for him." Nepeta looked confused so he said, "I'll show you how to make a fire." Nepeta nodded so Karkat showed her how to find kindling, in the house it was dryer lint, and he sat behind her, chest to back, to show her how to strike the flint and steel.
As Karkat felt the warmth of her back on his chest his heart skipped a beat and his mind blanked after Nepeta struck a flame in the fireplace she laid against him and said, "My dad probably wouldn't approve of me being held so close by a man who I shared a cab with." Karkat noticed his arms were around her and he began to apologize pulling them away but Nepeta held them in place and said, "No, I like it."
Karkat noticed their faces had gotten close and he felt her breath on his lips. As they looked into each others eyes he felt their faces begin to inch closer, their eyes closing as they got closer. He felt her lips before he knew it and he tasted the beer on them. He was entranced for all of two seconds until Terezi's face came to mind, until the chain became heavier, and he pulled away and stood up, causing Nepeta to catch herself. Karkat began to ready dinner acting like that didn't happen but Nepeta was confused, "Karkat," why is her voice so angelic, "is everything ok?"
"Everything is fine." Karkat couldn't even make it convincing to himself.
Nepeta put her hand on his shoulder and when Karkat looked into her perfect olive eyes she asked, "Is it the same thing as the sweater?" when he didn't respond she continued, "Is it the girl you said before? T-Terezi?" She asked trying to remember the name he had said the night before. Karkat refused to look up and Nepeta didn't want to press the subject.
The rest of the evening was spend eating and little else. Karkat had gone to the master bedroom to change the sheets and find a thicker blanket. He even lit a fire in her fire place before finding himself a thick blanket and a fur pelt kept as a warm blanket for guests to make himself a bed on the pull out bed in the living room. After the hotdogs were gone and the six pack reduced by two they both retired to bed.
Karkat pulled the ring off his chain and placed it on the end table before blowing out the candles and fighting to sleep. Nepeta laid in the bed and kept thinking back to that name, Terezi. As she listened to the crackling fire and the hoot of a distant owl she turned over and pulled her phone off the side table and started texting.
So I fiddled around with this chapter for a while after starting again trying to get it right and I think I did good but I would love y'all's opinions. Also to clarify Nepeta's cat quirk, it comes out when she's excited as something she can't quite control, this is based off the fact that people with an accent tend to slip into it when stressed (which we haven't really seen) or excited.