Hey guys! Sorry for the short chapter. I felt as if this one was kind of /lacking/ but I promise to make it up to you guys soon! Thank you guys for being such awesome readers/reviewers! :)

She and Equius spent a few more hours with Zach, braiding his mane, walking him and giving him more treats than was necessary. By the time they were heading back inside, Zach whinnied at the gate for his friends to come back, but Nepeta and Equius only cast him sad smiles.

When they were back inside, Nepeta lounged on the couch in the sitting room while Equius seated himself in a recliner. They made meaningless small chat until the sun disappeared and the moon rose high in the sky.

Eventually, the chatting drew to a close. Equius felt hunger naw at his stomach, and Nepeta voiced she felt the same. He then got up from his recliner to make them food. As he disappeared out of her vision, she listened to his movements in the kitchen while observing the room she was in-despite seeing it countless times. As the sounds in the kitchen became white noise she yawned and felt her eyelids get heavy. Slowly the sounds of cooking began to fade further and further away. She realized she was falling asleep, but allowed the temptation to take over her anyways. She was quickly snoozing away.

Equius went to retrieve her for their late dinner when he saw her fast asleep. He retrieved his bedspread from his room and placed it on top of her. His father saw him carrying the bedspread to the living room from the open office door, but didn't do so much as raise a brow.

Equius watched over the sleeping girl for a few moments, as adoration swelled up in his chest. He loved this girl more than anyone in the world. He felt comfort in the fact that she was resting peacefully.

A quiet beep and a bright flash of light from the corner of his eye suddenly caught his attention. Her cell phone was ringing, someone was trying to call her. He instinctively picked it up and answered, without even bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" he said quietly. He quickly left the room and wandered into the kitchen, as to not wake Nepeta.

"...Equius? Is that you?" It was Eridan. Equius immediately became enraged. Why was he calling her?

"...Yes."

"Oh, well, I was wanting to talk to Nepeta. Could you put her on please?"

"I'm afraid I can't." Equius felt anger boil inside him at the mere sound of Eridan's voice.
What did he want with Nepeta anyways? He had no problem leaving her earlier today.

"Has something happened? Is she okay?"

"She's fine."

"Well then why can't I talk to her? It's pretty important."

"Just leave her alone, okay?" Equius said quickly. He didn't necessarily mean for that to come out, but it was surely how he felt.

"Well...I...I was hoping..."

"What? What were you hoping for Ampora?" Equius hissed.

"I...I'm sorry..?"

"I assure you Ampora, I know all about the...the mischeif you and your brother used to always try to pull off on the ladies at our school. There will be none of that with Nepeta. I refuse to allow you to spoil her mind and body with your...filth. Take this as your only warning...keep your distance or I will end you."

"...I get it. She's yours." He hung up.

Equius lowered the phone and looked down upon it. He looked forward and saw a figure in the shadows of the hallway. His father stepped out into the light, frowning. "Son..."

"I have to protect her."

"I don't think that was the correct way to handle that situation. I also think you know that."

Equius said nothing and walked into the sitting room. He returned the phone where he found it and cast a quickly glance at Nepeta. She was snoozing away, completely unaware of the world around her. He was not going to allow such innocence to be foiled by someone such as Ampora.

He gently shook her awake. "Hey, you shouldn't go to bed hungry. Come on, dinner is ready."

She slowly opened her eyes, and then smiled at him. "Thanks Equius."

He return her smile warmly and patted her head a few times. "Nepeta, you'd know I'd do anything for you right?"

She rolled her eyes and sat up. She playfully punched him in the arm. "Well, duh."

"And of course you know I'll always do what's best for you, even if you don't really like it, right?"

Her face sort of froze for a moment, and then broke into something along the lines of confusion. She moved her eyes all about like she was looking over her thoughts, trying to formulate what he meant. And then, her face lit up. "OH! I get it! Like that time you stopped me from eating the brownies at that party we went to in senior year, and it turned out they had weed in them? Like that?"

Equius couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Yeah, like that."

"Oh okay."

"Alright. I just wanted to make sure you knew, was all."

She cast him a smile that almost resembled pity. "Equius, you worry too much. I trust you. And you should trust me, I'm not a little girl anymore."

"I do." He mustered a smile for her. With the conversation drawn to a close, they got up to go eat.

The next morning Nepeta awoke in the early afternoon. She looked around for Equius, but when she couldn't find him, decided to head back to her apartment. While she was driving, she remembered her appointment with Terezi today. She pulled out her phone and dialed up her old friend.

After a few rings, she picked up. "Hello?"

"Terezi! Hey, it's Nepeta."

"Hey Nepeta. What's up?"

"I was just wondering what you wanted to do today. Where would you like to go?"

"Let's meet up at that family diner by the craft store in...two hours? How does that sound?"

Nepeta knew which restaurant she was talking about, it was the one she had visited with Feferi, Karkat, and Eridan a few days ago. Was that really only a few days ago? It feels like it was months ago.

"...if that doesn't work for you-"

"No!" Nepeta cut her off, realizing she had taken too long to reply. "That'll work. But, okay, this is super embarassing...I don't exactly have any spare money right now...can you pay?" Nepeta said, flustered.

"Yeah, that's fine!"

"I'm so sorry, I'll get the tip..."

"Don't worry about it. See you soon!"

"See ya!" She hung up.

She did feel guilty about asking Terezi to pay, but, truth is, she was almost not even making it without having to pay extra expenses like eating out. Equius even told her to consider finding another part-time job. Feeling frustrated, she turned the radio on to block out her thoughts.

When she got home she took a shower and changed, and still had some time to kill before she was supposed to meet with Terezi. She found Pounce snoozing away on her couch, and played with him until she had to leave.

A half an hour later, Nepeta and Terezi were sitting in the same booth Nepeta had been seated in a few days previous. They talked like they had been friends forever, sharing old inside jokes and keeping up a continuous conversation.

Finally, the topic switched to Kanaya's wedding.

"I am still trying to decide who I want to take," Terezi said.

"What about Karkat?" Nepeta asked cautiously.

"No, we're not really...wait, aren't you taking him?"

Nepeta sighed. "I guess am. I never really said I was, Kanaya just sort of...assumed I was, I guess."

Terezi offered a light smile. "Are you still...you know...do you still have the hots for him?"

"I don't even know anymore," Nepeta groaned. She nearly slammed her face into the burger on her plate, but stopped herself.

"What do you mean?"

Nepeta sighed, and recalled everything that had happened between her and Eridan. Then, she went over everything that hadn't happened between her and Karkat.

"Wow. I am sorry to hear that...you know, you're above that pathetic Ampora anyways." Terezi said, taking a large drink from her lemonade.

"Even he didn't seem to believe that, when he left me." Nepeta said, pushing her plate away and resting her head on top of her folded arms.

Terezi felt increasingly awkward discussing this topic. She hadn't dated since Dave Strider, and that was two years ago. She had no idea how to help her friend, so instead switched the conversation and they carried on as they had been previously.

By the time they had said goodbye and Nepeta was on her way back home, she felt a little better that Terezi wasn't counting on taking Karkat. She could take Karkat, make Kanaya happy, and wouldn't ruin her newly-kindled relationship with Terezi. There was, of course, Feferi to still worry about, but Nepeta just assumed she'd take Eridan and consider herself even.

She had to laugh at that thought, considering that she and Eridan weren't even an item any more. As she got out of her car to go to her apartment, she decided to forget about him, and any hopes of a relationship with him.