"Listen Kanaya, I need you to fucking come here. Not tomorrow, today! I can't do this by myself, for all I know I've already damaged his fucking psyche beyond help."
A sigh.
"He barely talks to me. He just sits there on the couch clinging to the pair of shades. He doesn't move unless I ask him to, and he's cried every day this week. He won't eat hardly anything…"
A pause.
"I already called Kankri and he can't afford to fly here for a few more days. I need help now."
Another pause.
"Right now? I think he's on the couch still. Lemme go get him, I'll be back in a minute."
Sollux set his phone down on the kitchen counter and stepped into the living room with a frown. He had finally managed to get ahold of Kanaya after a week of keeping a constant watch on Karkat. He needed her help badly. Kankri, Karkat's brother, hadn't been able to get the money for the plane ticket to visit his younger brother yet, leaving her as the only option. Kankri and Kanaya had always had a special connection with Karkat, and been able to help him through anything he'd ever been through. Considering how Sollux didn't even know how to take care of himself emotionally or physically half the time, let alone someone else, he knew it would be better to swallow his pride and get some goddamn help here. He shook his head to clear it and stepped into the living room, calling out, "Karkat? Kanaya's on the phone, she wants to talk to you."
No response. Sollux frowned at the empty spot on the couch where Karkat had remained for the majority of the week. Where was he? He slowly wandered down the hall, checking each room and calling out Karkat's name. When he came to Karkat's room and opened the door, he wrinkled his nose. Something smelled wrong in here. The room was empty, but the light under the bathroom door was on and- ….red. Red seeping out from under the door. Oh no.
Sollux immediately ran for the door and slammed himself into it, slipping slightly on the blood before wrenching it open. He froze. Karkat was on the floor, eyes closed. Bleeding from his wrists. Heavily. 'Oh FUCK.'
Sollux rushed forward and skidded to his knees in front of Karkat's fallen form. "Fuck! Karkat! Karkat wake the fuck up! Karkat!" He yelled as he shook him roughly. No response.
He yanked his hoodie off, swearing loudly when it got stuck on his head, and quickly pressed it with shaking hands to one of Karkat's bloody wrists. He couldn't speak. Panic constricted his throat, preventing Sollux from anything but labored breathing. He began tying the hoodie tightly to Karkat's arm and realized it wasn't just one slash in the younger boy's bleeding wrist. It was several. They stood out in bright, cherry contrast to the faded gray scars littering his small arms. The lump in Sollux's throat finally dislodged and tears poured down his face. He continued wrapping the arm and tied it off. "Hospital hospital hospital…" Sollux chanted to himself under his breath as he hoisted the limp body into his arms. He was so pale..
Sollux rushed out of the bathroom and down the hall, into the main room. He carefully set Karkat on the couch and ran to grab the phone off the counter. "Kanaya? Kanaya are you thtill there? Oh thank fuck. Lithten change of planth, meet me at Blue-Grathe- Blue-Grace Hospital right fucking now."
A pause.
"He'th fucking bleeding ath we thpeak! Get your ath- ass there!"
Sollux hit the end button quickly and tossed the phone on the counter, cursing his stupid ass for letting his lisp slip right now of all times, before rushing back to the living room to grab Karkat again. When he scooped him up into his arms, Karkat's eyelids fluttered lightly and he let out a weak groan. Sollux froze on his way to the door and glanced down at him. "Karkat? Can you hear me?" No response.
His heart pounded wildly in his chest and his mouth went dry. His best friend could die. Right here in his arms. The reality of the situation threatened to crush him where he stood, and he ran. Ran through the front door and down the stairs to ground level, huffing and puffing the whole way. Once he made it to his car, Sollux wrenched open a door, carefully laying Karkat across the back seats. "You'll be okay Kk. Fuck, you better be." Sollux muttered to himself as he ran around the car and yanked open the driver side door.