I woke with a start, a scream ripping from my lungs. My shaking hands felt for my head, it was still attached. Though I was sporting a nicely rising bump on my forehead. No blood seeped from my torso, which was good. But I was still hyperventilating, unable to even begin to take in oxygen.

Three heads came into view, all looking slightly worried.

"Are you alright?" Kanaya asked the obvious question.

"No. No. No. I'm. No." I shook my head, unable to form a single sentence. I grasped what was covering me; then gave it a second look. It was Dave's cape, draped and wrapped around me like a child's security blanket. I chucked it off me quickly; sitting up slowly on the library's carpet. I was beginning to breathe correctly again, hands grasping my chest as I inhaled deeply.

"Karkat, I don't think you're alright." Rose brought her cold hand to my forehead; then dragged it down my cheek. "For now, how about you go to your room and rest up. You're very stressed and need sleep, contrary to popular belief." I saw her mocking smile, and huffed.

"I'm fine. I've had enough sleep, thank you." I stood up shakily, legs wanting to give out.

"No." Rose straightened from her kneeling position and heaved me into her arms swiftly like a child. "You are doing what I say. Unless you have a death wish."

I gaped. "Let go of me!" I demanded, "Now! I am your leader!" I pounded on her shoulders, unable to get out of her grasp.

Rose just smirked, nearly a sneer, as she headed out the door to my room. I blasted her eardrums with obscenities even I had never used, nearly bringing myself to desperate tears.

I finally gave up, throat burning, as we reached my room. She set me at the end of the bed, pulling off my socks and chucking them across the room.

"What the flying fuck do you think you're doing?" I pulled my feet close to me.

"Getting you ready for bed." Rose said with simplicity, searching the drawers.

"And why do we have shitty human sleeping devices? Come on, this is a motherfucking Alternian space craft!"

Rose shrugged, tossing a shirt and pants at me. "Get changed."

"Here?"

"Of course," Rose let out a sarcastic laugh, "do you think I'm going to leave you?"

I sighed melodramatically, not getting a reaction. "Fine…." I took my sweater off, throwing it at her head and missing by a sizable margin.

I looked at the shirt she had given me, wondering what in Gog's name a lifeguard was. I put it aside, changing into the fuzzy blue pants that had been so ceremonially thrown at me.

"Are you done?" Rose turned to me as I grabbed the shirt, her eyes flickering over my bare chest.

"What?" I grumbled," Never seen someone's chest before?" I slipped the shirt on, suddenly feeling very tired.

"No, your anatomy is just a bit different than ours." Rose jumped onto the bed sheets behind me, dragging a comb through my hair.

I hissed, jerking my head back. "Jegus, don't fucking do that, you shit! I don't have to look like a fashion model or anything!"

Rose sniffed behind me, pulling it through my hair again. "It looks nice."

"Since when have you become my lusus?" I rolled my eyes, and then frowned. "What did you mean by different anatomy?"

"By different anatomy," Rose paused as she jerked at a huge tangle in my hair, "I mean the ridges on your sides. Humans don't have them." Her fingers dragged across the raised skin on my abdomen, making me hold in a nervous titter.

"Don't fucking touch them, they're sensitive." I shot back.

"In what way? Horn sensitive or the inside of your knee sensitive?"

I hesitated, wondering how she knew about the horn thing, and then shrugged it off. "The second one. Like that."

I could almost hear her smile. "Okay. Now you," She jabbed my back, "should sleep. You only got about 15 minutes on that floor." The jerky strokes left my scalp, and Rose slid off the bed, giving me a look when I didn't move. "Now."

"No." I said stubbornly, like a child. "I'm really not tired."

Rose's face darkened, but she simply raised an unbelieving eyebrow. "Dear leader just lay down for a moment. Recover your energy. "Her simple retort was heavy laden with sarcasm; her root point clear.

I gave her a resentful look, and slid under the thick bedcovers. It was instant, literal heaven. I curled into a ball, eyes fluttering closed.

"Looks like our beloved leader is going to do more than just rest." Rose's voice came from above, but I ignored her; thinkpan ready for sleep and that only.

I felt a hand brush my hair, and a motherly kiss grace my forehead. Was this what human lusii did for their children? It was a lot more inviting than many things I had experienced with my custodian.

Her hand left my nest of hair, and there where soft footsteps as she retreated to the door.

The light clicked off, the door creaked, and I heard a whisper, "G'night Karkat."

I was asleep before I could protest it wasn't even nighttime.

And this time, I didn't dream.


Oh no... Last chapter. Well, this short 3 chapter journey certainly has been a good long one compared to the rest of my short stories! Please leave a review in the box down there if you liked the story, or there's something I need to improve to make my next stories better! Till next time!

Auf Wiedersehen!

-Puffin