"Did you talk to your lusus about this?" Sollux asked. He was beginning to think he was the wrong person to counsel Karkat. All he did was ask questions, though he figured it was better this way. Advice based on half the story tended to be complete bullshit in the long run and he promised to help anyways. He had to press on, though he could feel he was treading dangerous waters.

"I did. When I was finally able to get my broken body off the floor, I asked him to not invite them anymore." He rested his elbow on his knee, growling in frustration. "You know what he did? Fucker gave me a second fucking beating! I was busted the fuck up with my arm out of its socket and my knee fucking broken and he gives me a beating! I've just found my companion after countless sweeps! Do you know how long he goes out to sea? We're lucky to have every second of his company! Be grateful!" he said in a mocking tone. "And he goes and invites them to come the next fucking day!"

"What?" Sollux exclaimed. "What is wrong with your lusus?"

The very creature that was supposed to be protecting Karkat lifelong was the very same one helping antagonize him. Sollux could sense a headache coming on from a weight that was beginning to feel heavier than he initially thought. This fact struck down a solution and added more complexity to the problem.

Who am I to help him if his own lusus is against him? he thought.

"I don't know, but when Gamzee came in, he took care of me for the rest of the whole day and I didn't understand what was going on. He didn't care what color my blood was and just acted like I was as normal as anybody else. He seemed like he didn't even remember anything that went on the day before and even insisted that he never came to my hive that day…" Karkat seemed to trail off into his own thoughts after mentioning this and Sollux could see the confusion knitting his brows.

"So he never attacked you again?" Sollux asked. "He was completely normal again?"

Karkat shook his head in vague response.

"No. He kept attacking me, he kept becoming that fucking different person and I eventually found out the pattern. He buys all this Faygo and won't buy anymore until he runs out and each time, he buys the same amount. Stupid shit idea, but he doesn't know what happens when he knocks out. I figured out this pattern soon enough after getting several beatings. I was so arrogant, I believed that the only reason why he was getting the best of me was because he caught me off guard…"

He crossed his arms and lay them on the desk to rest his head upon.

"But I was wrong…"

Gamzee's eyes were wide as his hand slowly raised to feel the fresh cut on his face.

"You dare spill my motherfucking blood?" whispered Gamzee. "YOU WANNA MOTHERFUCKING DIE, RED BLOOD MOTHERFUCKER?"

"I'm not afraid of you anymore, fuckass!" Karkat yelled. His sickle was dripping with the same purple droplets oozing from the slice he had just gave Gamzee. "How's it feel to be the one bleeding? It doesn't matter what color your blood is, I'll fucking rip you to shreds of the royalty you used to be!"

"You think you can overpower me?" Gamzee sneered. "YOU'RE MOTHERFUCKING SCARED! You talk that way when you're scared motherfucking shitless. AREN'T YOU?"

"Fuck you! I'm not your play-thing." Karkat raised both his sickles and bared his pointed teeth. "You can fuck off now and have a nice fucking day, or be and idiot and have me beat your shit!"

He took a step forward, grinning even wider, even as Karkat added another cut to his body.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Get away! GET THE FUCK AWAY!" he screamed, slashing wildly at the other troll. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!"

Gamzee paused in his advance, paused and looked to be thinking for a moment before managing to look a bit surprised. However, this didn't last. He laughed so maniacally that Karkat couldn't even try to suppress his shudder. When Gamzee looked back at him, his twisted grin made him take a step back. But that was all he could do.

When Gamzee continued his advance, he was paralyzed.

He only regained his movement when it was too late. When Gamzee slammed a fist each into his biceps and pinned him against the wall, making any renewed struggles futile.

"GOTTA TEACH YOU A MOTHERFUCKING LESSON," Gamzee yelled, shifting his grip. He held both of Karkat's wrists above his head with one hand, and with the other. "Lesson in motherfucking obedience." He pulled out a whip and cracked it. Karkat eyed it and swallowed the obstruction in his throat. He could handle being whipped if it meant he was one step closer to being free, so he steeled himself for the pain to come.

Then Gamzee laughed, but it was a different laugh. It was no longer malevolent, but dark and laden with something else Karkat couldn't quite place. He spoke, but it shifted between a pressing hiss and a murmur instead of a scream and a whisper.

"You thought it was that easy? Thought I'd be that predictable?" he asked. "Well think AGAIN."

With a flick of his wrist, he wrapped the whip tightly around Karkat's and bound them together, causing his heart rate to accelerate in his renewed panic.

"Let go of me!" Karkat growled. His heart was pounding against his chest and he knew, without a doubt, Gamzee could feel every pulse beat through his arms as he leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Make me…"

Gamzee let his tongue slide over the skin on his neck before he bit into the flesh and drew blood.

"Stop it Goddammit!" Karkat protested, but his words turned disappeared into a single gasp when his assailant bit down even harder. "It hurts…"

Gamzee ignored his pleas and continued to harass him, each touch gradually growing more personal until Karkat became aware of a strong tug on the hem of his jeans.

"N-No!"

He moaned at his touch, twisted and tried to pull away, but found him unable to completely resist; he didn't want it but he had to have it. Pure instinct was overriding his common sense and all Karkat could do was fall victim to it. He found himself giving in kicking and screaming.

Gamzee stood up and fixed his clothes, satisfied with his latest work and creation in the making. The seeds were planted and there was no doubt that they would come into fruition. There upon the floor, he left Karkat. Not only broken and bloody, but this time, angry and hateful, scared and violated.

Shitty chapter? Deal with it. More surprises on the way.